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Berthon Scandinavia (Henån, Sweden) Magnus Kullberg [email protected] 0046 304 694 000

Berthon Spain (Palma de Mallorca, Spain) Simon Turner [email protected] 0034 639 701 234

Berthon USA (Rhode Island, USA) Jennifer Stewart [email protected] 001 401 846 8404

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Quality Swedish Craftsmanship – A Brief History of Najad Yachts

October 9th, 2023

The Najad Shipyard, in Henån on the island of Orust, is an iconic Swedish shipbuilding company located just a hop and a skip away from Berthon Scandinavia’s offices. Since its inception, Najad have been dedicated to constructing a diverse range of high quality cruising yachts from 30 to 60 feet. All are meticulously designed to provide not only an enjoyable sailing experience but also a source of delight for their owners, offering a balanced mix of performance, comfort and safety at sea.

The History of the Najad Shipyard

The Island of Orust and its surroundings has long been synonymous with the build of high quality sailing yachts and the island is also home to Hallberg-Rassy, Malö Yachts, Regina af Vindö and Sweden Yachts among others. With its shipbuilding legacy dating back to as early as the 12th century ** , Orust provided an ideal setting for the establishment of Najadvarvet AB by two dedicated yachtsmen, Berndt Arvidsson and Thorwald Karlsson, in 1967.

Najadvarvet’s journey began with the construction of the first Najad in 1971, a 34-foot yacht designed by Olle Enderlein. This yacht marked the beginning of their legacy in constructing high quality yachts, seamlessly blending reliable sailing performance with enduring, timeless design.

Bernt Arvidsson retired in 2005, and sold the yard to Alfred Van Wincoop from the Netherlands, with a minority shareholding held by an investor group headed by Berthon USA’s Alan Baines. During this time, several new models were introduced in rapid succession, with a new modern interior styling by Rhoades Young. These included the evergreen 440CC and AC, the 405, 355, 505 and of course the flagship of the range, the Najad 570. The US based investor group sold its holdings in early 2008 to new owners from the UK and Norway.

The financial crisis was brutal for the entire boatbuilding industry and the yard also suffered, hence Najadvarvet AB was acquired by Nord West Yachts. Renamed Najad AB in 2014, the yard has continued its commitment to building high quality bluewater cruising yachts, designed with a focus on ease of handling by a crew of two, and the capability for comfortable offshore sailing and planet circuits. The company has recently gone full circle and has bought back its original boatyard in Henån, where it currently has several new Najad 451’s in build as well as a thriving storage and service yard and marina with well over 200 yachts in storage. Unsurprisingly the majority of these are Najads.

Najad’s Current Yacht Range

Najad 395 (centre cockpit / aft cockpit).

The Najad 395 is a collaboration between Najad, Farr Yacht Design and Ken Freivokh Design. The interior has been thoughtfully designed with a choice of either a two or three cabin layout and with either one or two heads compartments. There is plenty of opportunity for customisation with a large optional inventory.

The 395CC is a modern bluewater cruising yacht with a spacious well-protected centre cockpit, that is perfect for safe and comfortable ocean crossings.

 Equally suited to long distance cruising or coastal cruising, the 395AC has a spacious Caribbean-style aft cockpit with twin helm positions.

Najad 505CC Next Generation

The Najad 505CC designed by Judel/Vrolijk is full of updates and improvements on previous Najads. With classic lines, this centre cockpit yacht excels on the water and added to the obvious Najad DNA comes a light and bright interior with easy handling and rewarding sailing performance.

Najad 451 (Centre Cockpit / Aft Cockpit)

Designed by Najad and Judel/Vrolijk & Co, the Najad 451 is a distinctive yacht. Despite being only 45 feet, she is remarkably efficient on the water and her helmsman will find her very responsive. The 451 delivers comfort below decks and a modern, elegant interior with clean lines, abundant natural light and masses of volume for her size.

The 451CC is designed with the focus on cruising in comfort from the safe, well-protected centre cockpit.

The 451AC , is an aft cockpit yacht with twin helms and is perfect for social cruising and island hopping. She also has a sunbed on the aft deck.

Najad 570CC

Thee 570CC is conceived and built to cross oceans, with straightforward technology for easy maintenance. She has a light and airy interior with sweeping deck saloon windows, open deck areas and twin helms in a fully enclosed cockpit.

Historical Models from 1971 – 2009

• Najad 380 Aphrodite
• Najad 440AC
• Najad 440CC
• Najad 450CC
• Najad 460 Aphrodite
• Najad 511 Aphrodite
• Najad 520DS

Berthon & the Najad Brand

As a Brokerage House that specialises in high quality bluewater cruising yachts, Berthon have always been hugely enthusiastic about Najad yachts and our sailing brokers across all our international offices have extensive knowledge and experience of the Najad yacht brokerage market.

Berthon Scandinavia’s Managing Director, Magnus Kullberg, worked for Najad for 11 years before setting up his own yacht brokerage in 2011. During his 11-year tenure, he was involved in the production and development of both new and existing models and was also responsible for client interactions throughout the sales and build process. Needless to say, his knowledge of all things Najad is second to none.

Alan Baines’ love for Najad began during a tour of the Najad shipyard whilst selling a brokerage yacht at nearby Bröderna Martinsson Boatyard in 2002. This led to the establishment in 2002 of Scandinavian Yachts, a US based company in Newport, Rhode Island that was formed to represent and promote Najad Yachts in New England. In 2005, Alan took his involvement with Najad a step further, leading the investor group that purchased and held a 40% share of Najadvarvet until 2008. In 2010, Scandinavian Yachts merged with Berthon and became Berthon USA. Alan is the go to person to talk to about Najad in the USA today.

Contact your local international broker about the Najad yachts that are on the market. We know the brand well and always have a selection. Here is a list of Najad yachts for sale with Berthon today:

Najad 331, NO NAME – https://www.berthoninternational.com/yacht-sales-brokerage/yachts-for-sale/najad-331-no-name/ . Najad 332, HOPE – https://www.berthoninternational.com/yacht-sales-brokerage/yachts-for-sale/najad-332-hope/ . Najad 373, CURIEUSE – [OFF MARKET] Najad 360, CAREZZA – [OFF MARKET] Najad 391, ANNIE – https://www.berthoninternational.com/yacht-sales-brokerage/yachts-for-sale/najad-391-annie/ . Najad 441, RENDEZVOUS – https://www.berthoninternational.com/yacht-sales-brokerage/yachts-for-sale/najad-441-rendezvous/ . Najad 505, SIGAL – https://www.berthoninternational.com/yacht-sales-brokerage/yachts-for-sale/najad-505-sigal/ .

**If you would like to learn more about the history of shipbuilding on the island of Orust, then please link to Magnus’ article from our Berthon Book 2020-2021 here: https://www.berthoninternational.com/about-berthon-international/berthon-publications/berthon-magazine/the-island-of-orust-shipbuilding-1253-and-all-that/ .

If you are looking for a pre-loved Najad yacht for your next sailing adventures, please contact your local broker, internationally.

Berthon UK (Lymington, Hampshire – UK) Sue Grant [email protected] 0044 (0)1590 679 222 – Berthon Scandinavia (Henån, Sweden) Magnus Kullberg [email protected] 0046 304 694 000 Berthon Spain (Palma de Mallorca, Spain) Simon Turner [email protected] 0034 639 701 234 – Berthon USA (Rhode Island, USA) Jennifer Stewart [email protected] 001 401 846 8404

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• Sailboat Guide

Najad Yachts

Originally founded by Berndt Arvidsson and Thorwald Karlsson in Kungsviken on the island of Orust, Sweden. They spent a number of years fitting out boats for other builders until they commissioned the design, and created the tooling for their first boat under their own brand, the NAJAD 34.

• Eric Segerlind
• Erik Segerlind
• Judel/Vrolijk & Co.
• Olle Enderlein
• Peter Norlin
• Thorwald Karlsson

25 sailboats built by Najad Yachts

Aphrodite 380/38

Najad 520 DS

Najad 440-1

Najad 440-2 CC

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Najad 450CC review

• Chris Beeson
• October 7, 2016

Najad has launched its first new model since 2010. Graham Snook travelled to Sweden to see what she’s like

Product Overview

Manufacturer:.

See the September 2016 issue of Yachting Monthly for the full test

What’s she like to sail?

The fjords and islands of the Swedish coast do a great job of flattening the sea, so while we had gusts of 26 knots over the deck, the water had little more than wavelets. When the gusts hit she remained resolute and in control.

The steering, while not as free as aft cockpit yachts, gave a nice direct feel and good feedback to the helm. With both furling genoa and mainsail controlled electronically, combined with electric winches, it really was push-button sailing at its best. Using the mainsheet winches for the mast-led lines saves the expense of extra winches and keeps everything within the helm’s reach and control – making her a doddle to sail single-handed. With the genoa winches outboard though it does mean you have to lean out to release or load up the sheet on the winch.

Being centre cockpit, you get a nice feeling of safety and security in the cockpit. It’s also narrow enough brace your legs across when heeling. The coaming is high enough to be comfortable, although it might have been nice if the cockpit corners were a little more rounded.

What’s she like in port and at anchor?

The twin bow rollers are enclosed in the bowsprit, so mooring chain would have to be threaded through from underneath (hoping there’s enough slack in the pickup buoy) or taken onto the deck cleats. The latter is preferable because there’s nowhere to attach a mooring or snubber line with a fair lead from the bow roller. Moving under power is fairly predictable, more so on this boat with both bow and optional stern thruster to help, although the steering was quite heavy under power. I did find the electric winch sail controls on the side of the binnacle could trap my hand when moving the engine throttle through.

With the optional cockpit enclosure sitting on deck was pleasant even while the Swedish weather did its best to wash us away. Down below she is simply a pleasure to live on; cosy and comfortable, once you’ve mastered the light switches. The long galley works well in port as well as at sea, and the saloon table opens wide, enabling you to feed as many guests as the seating will accommodate.

Would she suit you and your crew?

If you mainly sail as a couple or with a family grown up enough not to take dividers to the wood work, she’ll make a great home from home that you can cruise for many years to come. Priced against the new Hallberg-Rassy 44, the 6,043,200SEK standard Najad looks about 500,000SEK more expensive, until you bring the Hallberg-Rassy up to Najad’s more comprehensive specification, and then the boats become very closely matched.

If you have tin mine-like pockets, yachts of this quality are rare. I defy anyone to go onboard the Najad and not feel the need to run a hand along the smooth curved fiddle, or break a smile at the tactile finish of the golden brown mahogany. There are many areas of solid wood and detail that you just don’t see on other yachts, like the slabs either side of the companionway steps; it’s easy to see why Najad has the reputation for quality it does. She really is a luxury boat in every sense the word.

Facts and figures

Price SEK 6,877,140 (approx. £605,941 inc VAT) in Sept 2016

LOA 13.50m (44ft 3in)

LWL 12.20m (40ft 0in)

Beam 4.03m (13ft 3in)

Draught 2.10m (6ft 11in)

Displacement 14,000kg (30,865 lb)

Ballast 4,800kg (10,582 lb)

Ballast ratio 34.3%

Sail area 95m2 (1,022 sq ft)

SA/D ratio 16.6

Diesel 425 litres (93 gal)

Water 550 litres (121 gal)

Engine 75hp

Transmission Saildrive

RCD category A

Designer Najad & judel/vrolijk

Builder Najad

UK Agent Boat Sales International Ltd.

Tel 02380 457 966

Website www.boatsales.co.uk

Najad presents the new Najad 450 CC Next Generation

Najad Yachts presents the first new model since the company separated from Arcona Yachts . The new Najad 450 CC Next Generation is an elegant evolution of the current Najad 450 CC and the first boat is planned to be launched in 2023.

“ The Najad 450CC is a popular size of boat. I am happy that we have managed to incorporate years of ideas and feedback from customers into the yacht with a new level of elegance. Storage is always appreciated for long-distance cruising and with more customers using code zero sails we saw the need to support this in a better way by updating the bow arrangement. The powerful and dynamic signature windows together with the new panoramic window in the stern will also create a new look for the boat and a quite unique master cabin for a 45-foot boat. We were inspired by Najad yachts from the past, where stern portlights were provided on many models, so we decided to do the same but in a more modern way. ” says incoming Najad Yachts CEO, Fredrik Malmqvist.

A few of the upgrades that can be seen on the Najad 450 CC Next Generation are:

• More natural light in the cabins with the new longer signature coachroof windows, bigger hull portlights and the new panoramic windows in the stern
• More storage is added with a new large sail locker in the bow
• The deck and bow have been cleaned with the furlex mounted below the deck and all hatches are now being flush to the deck. The addition of a backward pulpit is also to improve handling for code zero and gennaker sailing
• A new foldable bathing platform for increased space and comfort at anchor

The first Najad 450 CC Next Generation is due to be launched in 2023. The team at Najad looks forward to discussing the whole Najad range as well as this great new addition at Orust Sailboat Show that takes place 26-28 August in Ellös.

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• By Herb McCormick
• Updated: January 27, 2011

At most times, the entrance to Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay would never bring to mind the southwest coast of Sweden or the Baltic Sea. But the morning I boarded the brawny Najad 570 in nearby Newport wasn’t your usual late-summer September day, nor was it a stretch to imagine that we were making our way through the very sorts of waters for which the boat was originally conceived.

An extremely staunch west-southwest breeze, matched with a tide at full ebb, was stacking up an impressive row of short, steep waves at the gateway to Rhode Island Sound. Soon enough, with about three-quarters of the Seldén furling main unfurled, and perhaps 100 percent of the Furlex furling jib unrolled and sheeted home, we found ourselves right in the middle of the rather boisterous seaway. The big, rock-solid 57-footer, shouldering aside the formidable chop on a tight, closehauled course (the apparent-wind angle was locked in at about 45 degrees—very good in wavy rollers), couldn’t have been happier. Me neither.

In marginal weather, it doesn’t take long to figure out if a boat would be better off on a mooring or if it’s ready to go anywhere and take whatever gets dished out. The 570 resides in the second category. Frankly, I’m not a huge fan of furling mainsails (an option to the standard, fully battened main), but this one, flat and forceful with an efficient set of vertical battens, could make me a believer.

Accompanied by the shortened headsail on the tall, three-spreader fractional rig, the evenly balanced boat was a delight to drive, with a ridiculously light helm at the twin carbon wheels. Muscling through the chop with ease and purpose, the SOG figures on the pedestal-mounted Furuno Navnet 3-D GPS/chart plotter wavered between 7.6 and 8.3 knots. I scribbled a quick thought in my notebook: “Plenty of grunt upwind. We’re sailing the 6-foot-8-inch shoal-draft version. Can’t image the 8-foot-9-inch full-draft version could be much better.” If it is: Oh, heavens.

Earlier, on the launch ride out to the boat, I’d made another notation: “Doesn’t look Swedish.” I realize this could be construed as a left-handed compliment, but I meant it in a positive way. The 570 isn’t a handsome boat in the traditional sense, but it has a very modern aesthetic. The nearly plumb bow and slightly angled reverse transom maximize the water length. There’s a surprising amount of freeboard and a long, flush teak deck forward of the mast; the teak is standard. This might’ve appeared clunky in the hands of naval architects less skilled than the collaborative German design team of Judel/Vrolijk & Co., but the low, generous center cockpit, coupled with the wraparound windows for the raised-deck saloon and the short afterdeck, pulls it all together visually. The little windscreen is a nice touch, a nod to the boat’s Scandinavian roots. On second thought: Let me just say it, this is a pretty good-looking yacht.

It’s also one rich in systems—this isn’t a boat for beginners. Our test yacht was powered by the optional 180-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel engine spinning a four-bladed prop; like all modern, fully electronic diesels, this one is meant to be operated at low revs, and it registered a solid 7 knots at 2,000 rpm. A Najad representative said the boat will make 11 knots opened up, but we were too anxious to go sailing to confirm it. We did spin the boat in its own length with the aid of the Max Power bow and stern thrusters, the joysticks for which are stationed at the twin pedestals (as are the repeaters for the Furuno autopilot, all the engine readouts and controls, a VHF radio, and so on). One thing about the Najad: It’s tough to see over the dodger from the steering stations. Consider a nit picked. Everything else you might imagine topside is, well, topside: a complete Holmatro hydraulics package, a full suite of Andersen winches (of course, you can order the optional electric versions, which were installed on this version), a belowdecks Lofrans windlass coupled with a big Delta anchor and husky twin bow rollers, and a generous selection of Lewmar hardware and Spinlock clutches.

The vacuum-infused hull and deck are laid up in a sandwich consisting of vinylester resin and multi-axial E-glass over a Divinycell foam core. There are a couple of layers of epoxy primer below the waterline. The keel blade is cast-iron; the attached bulb is lead. The balanced spade rudder is hung off a solid stainless-steel rudder post. Did I mention this boat is a gas to steer?

One gains the interior accommodations via a four-step companionway. The layout and furniture, from interior designers Rhoades Young, is finished in light African mahogany with trim and flooring in another light wood, Brazilian jatoba. Combined with the natural light streaming in from the raised saloon windows, it creates an attractive, very inviting space and atmosphere.

In some ways, the large, walk-in engine room—which can be further accessed by removing the companionway stairs and a series of panels behind the straight-line galley, to port—is the centerpiece of the interior plan. That’s because the Najad 570 is a semicustom yacht, and owners have lots of leeway in how they arrange the staterooms. The forward-facing navigation station, to starboard, is the other fixed area; the table itself has seats on both sides for use as a social, lounging area at anchor or dockside. One very nifty feature is the fold-down switchboard, which provides ready access to fuses and circuit breakers, and an adjacent, removable panel to access fluxgate compasses, the Furuno black boxes, and related instrumentation.

Otherwise, you may lay out the 570 to suit your crew and itinerary. In the main saloon, you can install a “mid-sofa” opposite the L-shaped settee and dining table. The master stateroom aft can be replaced by a pair of twin double-berth cabins. You can choose a spacious private forward cabin with its own sofa and table, or instead request a second dedicated cabin with “bunk-style” berths. Or, if you have a captain on board—and some owners will—you can request the crew cabin to starboard, aft of the nav area, with its own enclosed head. It’s difficult to imagine that you’d be disappointed with any of the choices.

After our bouncy ride at the mouth of the bay, we turned, set the code zero on its own furler, and romped northward in relatively flat water at a wind angle of around 120 degrees apparent, sliding along at 8 to 10 knots as if on rails. It was an almost perfect sail, right up to the end, when we had to go home. Lucky is the sailor of a new Najad 570, who’ll already be there.

Specs LOA 57′ 6″ (17.5 m.) LWL 54′ 4″ (16.5 m.) Beam 16′ 7″ (5.0 m.) Draft (shoal) 6′ 8″ (2.1 m.) (deep) 8′ 9″ (2.7 m.) Sail Area 1,600 sq. ft. (164 sq. m.) Ballast 16,400 lb. (7,438 kg.) Displacement 57,200 lb. (25,945 kg.) Ballast/D 30 D/L 145 SA/D 18.4 Water 220 gal. (800 l.) Fuel 181 gal. (1,200 l.) Holding 37 gal. (140 l.) Engine Volvo Penta D4-180 Designer Judel/Vrolijk & Co. Price $1,700,000 BerthonUSA/Scandinavian Yachts (401) 846-8404 www.scandyacht.com

Herb McCormick, a Cruising World editor at large, is a veteran offshore sailor.

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BOAT TEST: NAJAD 395CC (WITH GALLERY)

Swede sensation.

Sweden’s Najad Yachts has emerged from something of a mid life crisis with a new model. But what’s she like? Sam Jefferson finds out

For some time now I have been banging on about the fact that boat manufacturers are just too damn good these days. The big manufacturers simply can’t afford to turn out a bad boat and – to their credit – they very rarely do. The result is boats that always perform competently but – just sometimes – they are a little bit bland. This is not really a claim I could level at the Najad 395cc. This is a yacht that has certainly endured a couple of glitches in its development. Although the boat I tested was more than just a competent performer, she also had a certain amount of character – possibly borne out of her troubled development.

Anyway, let’s go back to the start. Najad is one of that band of Swedish manufacturers that came to prominence in the 80s and garnered a name for building solid, sensible blue water cruisers which married designs as sensible and Scandinavian as Ryvita married to unsurpassed workmanship. For years it has been a formula that has worked a treat. Customers have been willing to pay a bit of a premium in order to enjoy the guarantee of quality that brands such as Najad, Hallberg Rassy and Malo could provide. For years that was the case. Yet, more recently, things have all turned a little bit odd in Sweden. Perhaps the ultimate expression of this was Hallberg Rassy launching a yacht with twin rudders. I found this disturbing. It’s the yachting equivalent of Jacob Rees-Mogg turning up for work wearing a baseball cap turned backwards. Weird, compelling and just a touch undignified. Anyway, Najad weren’t idle either and last year were in the grip of some hideous internal management power struggle that saw them axe their entire dealer network. Thankfully, sanity prevailed and the company is now working in conjunction with fellow Swedish company Arcona. A sane management team is back at the helm and the company can return to doing what it does best.

Yet in the midst of this turmoil, the Najad 395 was developed. She was successor to the popular and excellent 380 and featured a number of intriguing developments. First up, she was available in aft cockpit configuration – a set up that also featured a very distinctive arch over the cockpit. Secondly, she was built designed by Bruce Farr. Wait a second… Bruce Farr … BRUCE FARR??  In a further effort to raise the middle digit to Najad’s loyal following, she boasts a spade rudder (not twin, mark you) plus a saildrive. These are things that are going to rile certain members of the Najad family. For me though, I was in heaven. Here was a yacht that – whatever else she was going to be, was unlikely to be bland.

First impressions  

To be fair, she’s unmistakeably a Najad. That distinctive white and maroon livery ensured there could be no mistake there. This was also the first centre cockpit model available which somehow just looks more congruous on a Najad and gives her an air of a serious cruiser. She’s 39’ long and, these days, that’s not a big boat. The Farr design house evidently knew that they needed to provide internal volume so freeboard is pretty high which makes her look a touch boxy, although the paint job helps to break this up and the iconic maroon stripe along her hull also hides the portlights nicely. In fairness, she looks modern and purposeful with just a nod toward one of Farr’s other designs, the Bavaria Cruiser 37, about her lines.

Step on deck and the centre cockpit configuration certainly makes sense and also makes for an inviting space. Gone is the twin helm configuration and the single wheel pedestal is the hub of the boat. Teak abounds and this is a really pleasant and secure place to be. What you also can’t argue with is the quality feel of the yacht. Everywhere you look are those trademark little touches of quality; the teak capped toe rail and the mirror sheen finish to the varnished woodwork. The centre cockpit layout also means that the somewhat distinctive arch over the cockpit that had to be used on the 395ac has gone and the mainsheet can be sited in the correct place aft. This massively improves the look and practicality of the yacht.

To my mind, the cockpit in a triumph in this configuration; spacious, comfortable and with absolutely everything to hand and in the right place. The throttle is where it should be, as is the chartplotter and the winches. Now, this sounds simple but honestly, you’d be amazed. What was also amazing was that this particular yacht came with bow and stern thrusters which seemed a bity of an overkill on a sub 40’ yacht but, hey, anything to make life easier I guess. She also came with the optional powered winches and furlers (the mainsail was in-mast furling) with all the basic rigging controls led back to two sets of jammers coming out of the cockpit coamings to port and starboard of the helming position. As you can imagine, this made sailing effortless and singlehanded sailing pretty much a formality. There are also some nicely positioned and effective rope bins to keep things tidy. She has a low ‘windscreen’ at the forward end of the cockpit and I thought this looked rather stylish. The sprayhood seemed absurdly high and a bit ugly but, as soon as we were underway, as particularly intense shower demonstrated precisely how excellent this was. I guess the real drawback of the centre cockpit configuration was that storage was a tad limited which is a definite drawback for blue water cruisers. There is room for ropes and fenders but not much more. The side decks were wide and comfortable and there were some nice touches such as the headsail sheets led through the hand rail which minimises the risk of snarl ups. The Najad weighs in at around 12,000kg so she’s no lightweight flyer. The sail plan needs to reflect that to an extent but this is ultimately a blue water cruiser, so she sets a relatively conservative 89 sq/m of sail on a Selden twin spreader rig which is keel stepped.

Step down below and you enter an interior designed by Ken Freivokh’s team of interior designers. These guys know what they are doing. Combine that with Najad’s trademark high quality joinery and you have a pretty sweet combination. It’s also unmistakeably Najad; plenty of dark, high quality hardwood on show here, all beautifully put together. There is, however, a good deal more light than on earlier models and the overall impression is of a really pleasant and well thought out space. This model had a single aft stateroom with a more modest double forward. There are, of course, a number of layout options available but this set up is unquestionably the sensible one for blue water cruising. The saloon was not revolutionary, but it was peasant, with room for six to gather comfortably for a dinner. The linear galley is to port running aft toward the main stateroom. This is laid out as it should be on a vessel with blue water pretensions and is wide enough to work in but narrow enough that you can brace yourself against something if you are trying to cook in rough conditions. To starboard is the chart table which is forwards facing and has a somewhat high, commanding position. Traditionalists will argue it is a bit on the narrow side, but, let’s face it, this is the way things are going these days.

Step aft, and you find yourself in a truly palatial stateroom that would not be out of place on a 50 footer. I was impressed and, again, the fit out was absolutely top notch. This would be a very comfortable place to sleep in if you were cruising long distance. The ensuite heads/shower is to starboard and is also decently dimensioned. There is a send door at the forward end of this which leads you back out into the main saloon giving easy access during the day. This was particularly important on this particular model as there was actually only one heads compartment on the boat. The reason for this is because if you headed forward, the purchaser of this particular model had not opted for the optional forward heads compartment and instead gone for a walk in wardrobe where this would usually be. Now, this is a yacht that is under 40’ so the main question that hits you as you come forward and walk into a space where a heads should be is simply this. Why. I mean WHYYYY? Anyway, that is the foible of this particular owner. As the broker who showed me around the boast explained, one of the more satisfactory option is to have this forward space as a designated shower – no heads involved. That makes for a really pleasant showering area. Or I suppose you could just go crazy and have it as a walk in wardrobe. Anyway, forward of this is a decent sized double offset to port. You can have a vee berth instead but this seemed like a sensible layout and there was more than enough room. Aside from that, access to the engine was excellent and the overall impression was of an interior that was nicely put together. The issue of storage again reared its head to an extent but hell, this is a 39’ yacht – and I guess the walk in wardrobe option solves that issue entirely.

It was time to head out to sea. The weather was feeling particularly capricious on the day of our test and decided to dole out an interesting mix of breeze the varied from 0kn up to 20kn with a pleasant combination of blinding sunshine, torrential rain and at one point, hail. Anyway, that was all to the good for the test team and we motored out of Lymington on the Solent full of expectation. The first thing to note was that, under power, the yacht was prone to wander if left to its own devices. By that I mean she would sort of veer off presumably this is because the rudder is well aft of the saildrive. This is not an issue at all, but it does keep you honest and alert when steering under power. We set the sails to a 7kn breeze and, being relatively heavy, it took a while for her to gain way. However, she was soon forging along happily despite the modest conditions. The first versions of this yacht in aft cockpit configurations seemed to have an issue with friction in the steering system but this has certainly been remedied in  the CC version (doubtless the AC too for that matter). The steering was smooth, light and responsive with enough weather helm to keep you interested. The breeze gradually built and she trucked along nicely, hitting the high seven’s without fuss as the breeze hit 15kn. Sadly, that was about as good as it got, because an intense rain squall killed the breeze altogether and, as the breeze dropped to zero we were left plowtering helplessly off the Needles. This was not the fault of the yacht at all. Shortly after, the breeze once again filled in – somewhat reluctantly this time – and she began to perform well, sailing with a very comfortable, reassuring gait that is probably aided by that bit of extra displacement she has. Sail handling, as already noted, was absolutely effortless and the general feel was that this was a nice boat to sail. She’s not going to set the world alight if she competed in the Round the Island Race – but that’s not what she’s designed for. Mooring, as you can imagine, was a breeze with bow and stern thrusters.

Sam’s verdict  

The Najad 395cc follows the trend of Hallberg – Rassy of trying to be progressive while also staying true to its core values of quality and seaworthiness. In terms of quality, they definitely succeed both above and below decks. The boat is also easily handled by a couple and sails well. The centre cockpit configuration also makes more sense for Najad’s core customer base and irons out a lot of the quirks that were initially a problem on the 395ac. That said, there is still something slightly quirky about the 395cc. Essentially, she just feels a little different from a run of the mill yacht these days. This gives her a certain charm all of her own. How buyers will adapt to the fact that the Swedish blue water manufacturers are moving away from skeg hung rudders and true blue water hull profiles is a wider question and one we won’t know the answer to for a while yet.

Comfort: 4/5 Performance: 3/5 Blue Water: 4/5

Specs: loa: 39’4” (11.99m) lwl: 36’ (10.98m) beam: 13’2” draft: (standard) 6’10” (2.1m), (shallow) 5’11” (1.8m) displ:   21,337 lbs (12,400kg) sail area: 958 sq/ft. (89sg/m) sa/d: 19.92 d/l: 204 engine: 57hp yanmar saildrive.

Contact: Najad.se UK dealer: arconayachts.com

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Welcome to the najad owners’ forum, the only forum to be endorsed by najad yachts of sweden, where you can find further information about your najad yacht, speak to other najad owners and much more. we’d love to hear about your sailing plans and see photos and videos of your najad sailing adventures. if you have any problems, contact us on [email protected] ..

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Najad Yachts was founded in 1971 in Henån, Sweden.

View the Current Models in the Najad Range View information on Previous Models from Najad Yachts of Sweden.

The Swedish Najad boatyard has produced some of the finest sailing craft on the water today.  GALENA , a Najad 373, is a superb example of the craftsmanship and sea kindly design that bears the Najad name.  GALENA  has been lightly used, exclusively in the Pacific Northwest, with journeys in the US and Canada.  Her brightly varnished cockpit tables and cockpit enclosure deliver a great place to enjoy a meal or keep watch while protected from rain or sun. Down below she sparkles, comfortably accommodating a cruising couple or a vacationing family. It is rare to find a Najad for sale in the US; rarer still to find a boat in such immaculate condition.

Accommodations:

The interior accommodations of  GALENA  showcase the quality and craftsmanship of the Najad yard in Sweden. African mahogany joinery and veneers, mahogany battens on all exposed ceilings, teak and holly cabin sole offset by a reflective white vinyl ceiling deliver a bright and cozy interior. The blue upholstery that is used throughout the boat is hardy, in excellent condition and shows as new. Well laid out overhead and task lighting along with eight opening ports and three opening hatches ensure good light ventilation. All hatches have integral shades and screens and there are curtains on all ports. Forced air heat is ducted to all major spaces in the boat.

Starting forward is the  guest cabin . There is a large double berth with storage suitable for use as sail locker below. Mahogany battens are on the ceilings, shelves are above the berth port and starboard and a locker is forward for both storage and access to the windlass motor. Aft of the berth to port is a hanging locker with dressing settee below. There are two opening ports, a good-sized opening hatch and reading lights.

The  main salon  is aft of the forepeak cabin. There is an L-shaped settee to port with two lockers, a bookcase and shelves below the cabinets . The straight settee to starboard also has two lockers, a bookcase and shelves below. The nicely crafted, traditional mahogany table with spirits locker reaches both settees with a starboard leaf raised. Settee backs can be removed to make larger berths suitable for use as sea berths. Four reading lights and overhead spots illuminate the space.

The forward facing  nav station  is aft and to starboard of the main salon. Top opening chart table, two inboard facing drawers and additional storage under the nav station seat provide room for navigation tools and charts. The electrical panel is outboard the seat as is the VHF radio and ST60 Multifunction instrument. Plenty of bulkhead space remains for installation of additional electronics. A Frigast nav light is mounted at the chart table.

Aft of the nav station is the large  head with integral shower . Finished in easy to clean white surfaces, the head includes Raritan PH Superflush marine head and porcelain sink set in a Corian vanity. There are lockers above and below the sink with a hanging locker aft of the vanity. The sink faucet includes a flexible hose that converts the faucet to a shower head. A mirror is on the forward bulkhead.

Opposite the companionway to port is an L-shaped  galley  with light gray laminate counters. Forward most is a double SS sink with integral cutting board that is fitted to one of sink basins. There is pressure hot and cold water as well as a freshwater foot pump and seawater hand pump at the galley sink. Outboard the sink is a large locker set in the counter followed by the two burner Force Ten stove with oven. Aft of the stove is a bank of five drawers with cubby below and top loading Waeco Coolomatic refrigerator with freezer compartment. A long shelf runs outboard the counter surface with large lockers above. Spotlights are set in the overhead above the lockers providing excellent task lighting.

The galley passageway also leads to the  aft cabin . The large double berth to starboard and single to port have comfortable sprung mattresses and deliver good sea berths on either tack. Storage space is available under the berths with battery locker forward and inboard of the double berth. When at anchor with a beam sea rolling in, one can also sleep athwartships. There are mahogany battens on the ceilings, shelves above the berth to port and starboard and a hanging locker forward and to port. Two opening ports, one fixed port, a large opening hatch, reading and overhead lights provide good ventilation and excellent light.

Engine access is excellent. The four companionway stairs can be lifted for access to the front of the engine and a large passageway door opens to the engine room.

DECK & HULL:

The hull of the Najad 373 is a warm white gelcoat with a burgundy shear and boot stripe. The sandwich construction consists of glass fiber reinforced ISO polyester with the outermost layer hand laid with Isophall in the polyester resin. The core material is Divinycell for additional strength and insulation. The decks are also sandwich construction in glass fiber reinforced ISO polyester with a Divinycell core. There is additional reinforcement under tracks and other high stress areas. The decks are teak with a teak cap rail with rub strakes at cleats and gates. The center cockpit is good sized with benches that are roomy enough for sleeping. Lazarette storage is available in a cockpit locker as well as two aft deck lazarettes. The starboard aft lazarette contains the two propane tanks.

GALENA was hauled for bottom paint in August 2020.  The hull was buffed, decks cleaned, and stainless steel polished.  In insurance survey was done in July of 2020 and is available for reference.

• SS Pushpit and pulpit
• Double SS wire lifelines with gates port, starboard and aft
• Lofrans Progress 12V anchor windlass with remote
• Double SS bow roller
• Deep anchor locker aft of bow roller
• 44 lb. Bruce anchor with 200′ of 5/16″ high test chain
• 22 lb. Danforth secondary anchor with rode
• Teak handrails on coach top
• Teak seats at pushpit
• Swim step with teak decking
• Swim ladder
• Deck shower
• (8) Opening ports
• (3) Fixed ports
• (3) Opening hatches
• (2) Ventilators with cowl vents and SS guards
• (6) SS cleats
• Center Cockpit
• Hard windshield
• Canvas dodger with full cockpit extension (2013)
• Canvas storage covers for cockpit enclosure
• SS grab rail outside windshield
• High gloss varnished chart tables to port and starboard of companionway
• High gloss companionway hatch
• Teak grate on cockpit sole
• Varnished cockpit table and drink holder
• Chart light
• 12-volt outlet

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A Modern Cruiser

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Modern Cruiser

N395 AC (aft cockpit) is designed in a joint venture between Najad, Farr Yacht Design – The top racing-yacht design team in the world and Ken Freivokh Design – Superyacht stylist, architect, and interior designer with one of the world’s most impressive reference lists. Focus when developing the yacht has been on safety, sailing performance, comfort, long distance cruising and luxury.

The yacht is characterised by a large Caribbean style cockpit with twin helm stations. It has a well- designed interior, and a very comprehensive option list that includes all equipment necessary to tailor the yacht to any individual needs. The yacht is available in two or three cabin layouts with one or two large heads.

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