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Interview with Jean-Pierre Lagesse

Jean-Pierre Lagesse tells HMS what led to him buying a Nordkapp Noblesse 830 and goes on to share his buying experience & what the first few months of ownership have meant for him.    

Tell us about your boating background?

Well, I started as a young boy kayaking and then moved up to a dinghy with a Seagull outboard engine, trolling along with my dad. From a very early age, I loved anything that floated. In time, this progressed to waterskiing with my uncle, behind a Boesch mahogany runabout with an inboard Crusader V8. In my teens we acquired a second-hand Zodiac with a 25hp Mariner outboard and then later bought a used Donzi Sweet 16 speedboat with a Mercury 135hp outboard. In 2018 I bought ‘Black Pearl’, a Crownline 255CCR with a Mercruiser V8 350 cubic inch inboard. This latter acquisition served me really well for some 7 years.

What inspired you to choose the Nordkapp Noblesse 830 as your vessel?

With the progress in 4-stroke outboards and the cost of filling up ‘Black Pearl’, I knew I had well and truly scratched the V8 inboard “itch” and decided to move on. Diesel was now not going to an option. Going back to outboard power made great sense and the space it gained allowed for so much better use of the vessel’s hull length. In terms of the Nordkapp though, I love the great quality of everything Nordkapp produce. Also the shape and design of the Noblesse 830 model with its functional cockpit, horseshoe seating, and deck arrangement… all of this had me drooling when I first clapped eyes on it. I went to try and find one in the flesh at the Southampton Boat Show in 2023 and couldn’t, so went to Dusseldorf boot  just for the day in January 2024, which is where I fell head over heels in love!

Watch PBR’s video of the Nordkapp Noblesse 830 from boot Dusseldorf show 2024

When did you buy your Nordkapp and which dealer did you purchase from, and what was your buying experience like?

I had gotten to know Wills Marine at Southampton Boat Show but they actually invited me too to go and do some sea trials in Norway or Sweden as there were no 830s in the UK at that time. Sadly, commitments at home prevented that. But I kept in touch with Wills’ Head of Sales, Henry Turner, who is a thoroughly decent bloke in my view and finally, many months later, after a lot of mulling things over, I took the plunge and placed my order late last summer. Henry gave me a decent PX deal on Black Pearl which sealed it for me, as I didn’t want to own two boats simultaneously with all the extra cost and time that could entail.

JP at the helm of his Nordkapp Noblesse 830 ‘Norway Pearl’ on the day of her delivery.

How does the Noblesse 830 accommodate your typical boating activities, such as day trips, social gatherings, or overnight stays?

I wanted a sports cruiser similar to the Crownline in size but with an outboard, decent heads, and maybe room for two couples to overnight aboard as well. I also wanted to buy something that I would be ‘future proofed’ for a good few years to come. But the cockpit is very well arranged with an outside galley, so ideal for 6 or perhaps 8 on board for a day, with room to move about. There are additional deck and stern loungers – perfect for when anchoring at a delightful spot such as Newtown Creek on the Isle of Wight. ​The boat comes with a standard retractable Bimini. Of course, there are always compromises one has to make, but in general, I view the Noblesse as a fabulous all-rounder.

As a new owner, in what ways do you expect the design of the Noblesse 830 to enhance your enjoyment of boating?

The quality of this boat is beyond my dreams because I am used to the Crownline which, whilst cutting edge for its time in 2007 and perfectly adequate for my needs at the time, is not really that comfortable to sleep aboard. The heads in the 830 are luxury hotel level in comparison, which I hope will convince my wife to accompany me more often! The fridges and galley give us more options too and the electronics and navigation technology make it so much easier to skipper than my previous craft.

Discover the Noblesse 830

Can you share some of your most memorable experiences so far aboard the Noblesse 830?

Nothing will beat the day I took delivery in November last year. It was overcast but not a breath of wind on the Solent. It truly was as flat as a pancake! Henry and Mike from Wills Marine spent the afternoon with me on Norway Pearl and we spent the time pulling a few doughnuts and generally enjoying ourselves. I shouldn’t have thought many boat sellers would have extended such personal time and interest in a new buyer like me. I was in my little heaven, as I’d waited a good few years to be in a position to make this happen financially.

Henry has tried to persuade me that the sporty through-transom exhaust option was preferable because of the sporty growl it gives. But, in contrast, I prefer enjoying the quieter, more polite through-water exhaust option. The progress in engine management, digital gauges, chart-plotter options, which I inadvertently had included in my package, I’ve found to be a very exciting upgrade over former experiences. Likewise, my new windlass system, this is activated from within the cockpit, whereas before, I had to manually deploy the anchor. A task which could get pretty hairy if the sea was sloppy or a strong tide was running.

What are your favourite cruising grounds, and why?

Mostly central Solent from Chichester in the East up to Hurst Castle in the West so far. Frequently visit Newtown Creek, Cowes, Priory Bay, Osborne Bay, Beaulieu, Hamble and Lymington. We are usually driving back to London at the end of a day’s boating, so these are all within that range for a reasonable, ‘there and back’.

Have you had an opportunity yet to see how she handles in a variety of sea conditions?

Well, I’ve only had her since November 24 of course and the winter has been pretty foul most of the time. I’d done a lot of homework on the model range, so I kind of knew what to expect, but the Norwegians really know what they’re doing and the 830 certainly hasn’t disappointed. In fact, the Noblesse’s deep-vee hull holds the water as if it’s running on train tracks! It’s a flawless ride in a seaway.

Nordkapp Noblesse 830 – Photo by Patrik Westli

Have you customized or added any equipment to your Noblesse 830 to better suit your boating lifestyle?

I have always carried a handheld VHF which is a very handy bit of kit but decided to go for a factory-installed fixed Garmin 315i set, which is set just below the helm and doesn’t detract from the dashboard. I also wanted shore power, a bow thruster, (a revelation!), and the deluxe mattress topper (for the wife of course), plus some towing eyes on the transom for wakeboarding and the ‘ringo’ as there’s no room for a ski pole on this model. I went for the deck loungers too, which I’m sure will be a hit this summer! Decided too on the Mercury 300hp engine option, as I hope to do some long-distance cruising at some point in the future. The Noblesse’s cruising range is very adequate with this particular 4-stroke outboard and furthermore, she’s plenty fast enough at the top end too, even when carrying a full cargo!

I believe you’ve chosen to keep the boat ashore in a dry stack facility. Can you tell us more about this and why you favour this option?

My old Crownline, Black Pearl, had barely aged in 7-years of ownership and held her value well. So, for me, indoor stacking is most certainly the way to go. I need everything to work when it’s needed. I haven’t got money to waste, so I keep the boat out of the water, in the dry, which means my investment isn’t degrading.  The Premier staff at Trafalgar are great too and if one’s organised, you can nearly always have the boat in the water ready and waiting pretty much whenever you need it.

As an operation Trafalgar Wharf has been really good for me in the past. Recently of course, the facility was acquired by Premier Marinas. Like any change of this type, it’s my hope the customer experience will be maintained and keep its special appeal. I have to say though, sadly, the dockside fuelling point has, for some inexplicable reason, since been removed. This seems crazy, as the nearest option is Port Solent. The latter has a lock gate system and in high season this means you have to queue for dockside fuel. In the meantime, as I say, Trafalgar want everyone to refuel at Gosport, which, during last season at least, ran out of unleaded fuel on at least two occasions. Having my boat fuelled up and ready to go was a big reason why I opted for Trafalgar Wharf in the first place. But aside from this, it’s probably the most convenient access to the Solent for me which makes a big difference in busy periods during the summer.

What feedback have you received from your family and friends regarding their experience on your Noblesse 830?

Well, I’m still trying to get to grips with my close handling docking skills and I’m yet to take my family out. Most of them are ‘fair-weather boaters’, but now the spring sunshine has arrived… look out! I would like to think though, that when they do step aboard, they will consider her to be the absolute ‘bee’s knees!’ I’m sure they will.

Norway Pearl primed and ready for the off!

What advice would you give to someone considering buying a similar boat themselves?

Stick to a budget, as it’s quite easy to get carried away with choices and optional extras that you can quite easily do without. Some things are nice to have but not always ‘necessary’.

Build quality I found to be generally very good across the market though. Certainly, amongst the chief manufacturers.  But in my searching and evaluation process, I ended up shortlisting two or three strong contenders. I will say, however, that there really is nothing like going to a boat show to thoroughly check out a product in the flesh; taking care to look in all its nooks and crannies, meet with the people etc. Following this, it’s imperative too to properly sea trial your final choices/choice.

Do you have any great adventures planned for the 2025 summer season?

I have just finished reading Ian Furby’s great adventure with his Nordkapp. A story which I found to be truly inspirational, and which has made me even more desirous of extending my cruising horizons. I certainly fancy a run west to Salcombe, spend the night there and hopefully see the guys at Wills Marine too in the process. I have never been there, and it looks to be around a 3.5 hr trip or so from Port Solent in fair conditions. So, a great run down the Dorset and Devon coast with much to see and experience, and in due course who knows, maybe a Channel crossing…?

Thank you JP for sharing your story with Powerboat & RIB

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