The New 340 Commander - a Talented Long-Distance Cruiser

Inspired by the positive reception of the 380, 410 and 475 Commanders, this new and smaller version shares the same seaworthy style as its forerunners. The Nimbus 340 Commander offers a pilothouse, doors opening onto the deck, a roomy flying bridge and straight prop shafts.

The Nimbus 340 Commander is smaller than the 380, but provides the owner with a big-boat feel in a compact design. Combining sound construction and excellent driving characteristics, the new 340 Commander looks certain to become a new bestseller in the Nimbus fleet.

President and CEO of Nimbus Boats, Lars Wiklund, expands on the boat’s concept: "The motive for producing this boat was to provide a first step into the Commander class. A smaller boat than this with a properly functional flying bridge simply cannot be built: it would not be sufficiently stable. The new D-4 and D-6 Volvo Penta engines allow us to install a single engine, making this a competitively priced craft. Of course many buyers will opt for the twin-engine alternative, and the hull has been designed for both.

“ Nimbus and the designer, Rolf Eliasson, have worked together for many years -- although lately he has been deeply committed to the Life Boat Service and to his long-distance sailing, so he has not had sufficient time. Now, though, we are happy to say that our collaboration has been rekindled and we have access to Rolf's expertise once more.”

Destined to Become a New Favorite
Design requirements set out for the new 340 Commander were considerable, because she had to perform all the same functions as the 380 Commander. This meant she had to be a ´fast trawler´ and long-distance planing cruiser, with a roomy and sheltered flying bridge, a wheel house with doors opening onto the side decks, and a ladder to the flying bridge. Within her more compact design, she also needed to offer a fore cabin with separate head, a separate cabin beneath the cockpit, a saloon, galley, and a practical aft deck.

One unusual feature of the 340 Commander is its twin rudders. These have been fitted to meet the requirement of more maneuverability on the single-engine version and are based on rudder tests with larger models. Instead of a single large rudder, Rolf Eliasson chose two smaller ones, giving the craft better steering.

The boat is designed for single or twin engines, and the hull has three propeller tunnels. When a single engine is installed, the two outer tunnels are blanked off, and with twin engines, the center channel is blanked. Sound levels will be low, since the same principles used in the 410 and 475 will be standard with the 340: the engine will ´float´ on its bed to isolate engine noise from the hull and prevent it from penetrating the interior of the boat. This exact design is still being finalized.

The engine will also be fitted with an additional interior cover, and by being right aft, propeller turbulence will be located where the hull is thickest and capable of absorbing the most noise. The objective is to reduce engine noise to the same levels found in larger models.

Design, finish, build quality and safety will, if possible, be even better in the 340 Commander. New methods in the development pipeline, the spatial expertise of Rolf Eliasson, and the Nimbus talent for stylishness all ensure that the new 340 will be a very exciting piece of boating news in 2004.