Boat Of The Week: This Gorgeous Cruiser Was Inspired By A Classic British Sports Car

The colours, lines and even a cool helm seat that raises through the Mulder Healey 1800’s roof harken back to the 1960s icon.

By Howard Walker 28/11/2022

For fans of classic British sportscars, the name Healey is guaranteed to conjure up deep waves of nostalgia. Back in the ’60s, the low-slung, wire-wheeled, oh-so-pretty Austin Healey 3000 was ranked right up there with the likes of Jaguar’s E-Type and Aston Martin’s DB5.

The two-seater was the creation of passionate engineer, designer, Monte Carlo Rally winner, pilot and one-time runabout boatbuilder, Sir Donald Healey, who died in 1988 at the age of 89.

Fast forward to 2022, and there’s a brand-new Healey making waves, this time a sleek, elegant motor cruiser commissioned by Sir Donald’s grandson, David Healey.

Colours, lines and even the square forward windshield unite the classic Austin Healey 3000 with the just-launched Mulder Healey 1800 yacht.

Built of lightweight aluminium by the Mulder Shipyard in the Netherlands from a design by leading Dutch naval architect Guido de Groot and an offshore hull design by Vripack, the Mulder Healey 1800 is a floating tribute to that iconic Healey 3000.

Everything from that ice-blue and white two-tone paintwork, to the curvy transom, to hull windows shaped like the two-seater’s chrome fender badge, to the raked-back, stainless-steel-framed windshield on the yacht’s roof. It’s all Healey 3000-inspired.

The yatch was designed to be able to cross from southern England all the way to the Med.
Courtesy Mulder Yachts

“Yes, it’s very much a tribute to my grandfather’s best-known sportscar and my own personal favorite Austin Healey,” David Healey told Robb Report. “Guido de Groot did a great job of incorporating the car’s key design cues.”

But it was the grandson who came up with arguably the motoryacht’s coolest Healey 3000-inspired feature: the levitating helm seats.

At the touch of a button, an oversized panel in the roof powers open. Another touch of a button and the helm seat slowly rises on a huge hydraulic pedestal. It allows Healey to steer the yacht perched behind that low, Healey-style windshield using controls mounted on the armrests.

The coolest feature are seats that raise by hydraulic lift to let the helmsperson enjoy a sportscar-like experience behind a tiny windshield.
Courtesy Mulder Yachts

And if he needs company “up top,” the two additional first-mate seats on the port side can also rise-up through the roof.

“The whole idea seems quite mad. But when you’re up there, sitting behind that low windscreen with the wind in your face, it feels like you’re driving a sportscar,” says Healey, who recently retired from his family-run Healeys cider-making business in England’s Cornwall.

“My wife tells me her only disappointment with the system is that there isn’t some kind of James Bond eject button to shoot me off the boat.”

A better view of just how high the helm and companion seats lift to go through the roof panel above.
Courtesy Mulder Yachts

Healey also says much of the decision to build the yacht was down to his wife Kay (the yacht is named MYK, short for My Kay) who became tired of her husband’s love of sailing. Seems Mrs. Healey was over “pulling-in sails” and not knowing when she was going to arrive into port.

“Our brief to the designer and naval architect was pretty simple; the boat should be capable of 20 knots, in six-foot-plus seas, and cruise in comfort from Cornwall down to the Mediterranean.”

It was also Kay who oversaw the interior design and layout of the cabins. She called for two main cabins—a forward guest, and a master suite amidships. One innovative feature of the master is the central dividing partition that can transform the space into two separate cabins for when the entire Healey family goes cruising.

The curvy stern.
Courtesy Mulder Yachts

As for the rest of the layout, the main salon opens out on to an oversized back deck and features deep windows to flood the space with light. One of David Healey’s “touches” was the addition of power-lowering forward side windows for extra ventilation. He also specified windows in the aft deck overhang to add light.

Steps from the salon lead down into a spacious galley, which includes a small office area so Healey can keep involved with his cider business. Throughout the entire boat, underfloor heating takes the chill out of Cornish summer nights.

Healey says his favourite space aboard is his so-called “boys’ room.” That’s where the yacht’s twin 600-horsepower Volvo D8 straight-six turbo diesels live, along with generator, watermaker, fuel polishers and tanks holding 4,542 litres of diesel.

The interior, like this main suite, is contemporary with beautiful woods and fabrics.
Courtesy Mulder Yachts

Flat out, the big Volvos can punch MYK to a top speed of over 41 km/h, and cruise comfortably at 37. Ease all the way back to a trawler-like 16 km/h and she’ll run for over 1,200 nautical miles—that’s Cornwall to Gibraltar and the gateway to the Med—between fill-ups.

Part of the yacht’s speed and rugged offshore capability is down to the patented “Slide Hull” semi-planing design by Holland’s Vripack studio. Its claim to fame includes impressive stability and a smooth ride in rough seas, coupled with low fuel consumption.

The square windshield is inspired by the famous sportscar.
Courtesy Mulder Yachts

So, will there be a Healey 1800 Mark 2? According to Healey, work is already progressing on a second boat, but this time it’ll be built by the Pendennis Shipyard, in Falmouth, England, in Healey’s beloved Cornwall.

“It’s exciting to think of a Healey boat built here in Cornwall,” he says. “I’m sure that would make my grandfather proud.”

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8 Fascinating Facts You Didn’t Know About Aston Martin

The British sports car company is most famous as the vehicle of choice for James Bond, but Aston Martin has an interesting history beyond 007.

By Bob Sorokanich 01/05/2024

Aston Martin will forever be associated with James Bond, ever since everyone’s favourite spy took delivery of his signature silver DB5 in the 1964 film Goldfinger. But there’s a lot more to the history of this famed British sports car brand beyond its association with the fictional British Secret Service agent.

Let’s dive into the long and colourful history of Aston Martin.

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What Venice’s New Tourist Tax Means for Your Next Trip

The Italian city will now charge visitors an entry fee during peak season. 

By Abby Montanez 01/05/2024

Visiting the Floating City just got a bit more expensive.

Venice is officially the first metropolis in the world to start implementing a day-trip fee in an effort to help the Italian hot spot combat overtourism during peak season, The Associated Press reported. The new program, which went into effect, requires travellers to cough up roughly €5 (about $AUD8.50) per person before they can explore the city’s canals and historic sites. Back in January, Venice also announced that starting in June, it would cap the size of tourist groups to 25 people and prohibit loudspeakers in the city centre and the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello.

“We need to find a new balance between the tourists and residents,’ Simone Venturini, the city’s top tourism official, told AP News. “We need to safeguard the spaces of the residents, of course, and we need to discourage the arrival of day-trippers on some particular days.”

During this trial phase, the fee only applies to the 29 days deemed the busiest—between April 25 and July 14—and tickets will remain valid from 8:30 am to 4 pm. Visitors under 14 years of age will be allowed in free of charge in addition to guests with hotel reservations. However, the latter must apply online beforehand to request an exemption. Day-trippers can also pre-pay for tickets online via the city’s official tourism site or snap them up in person at the Santa Lucia train station.

“With courage and great humility, we are introducing this system because we want to give a future to Venice and leave this heritage of humanity to future generations,” Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said in a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter) regarding the city’s much-talked-about entry fee.

Despite the mayor’s backing, it’s apparent that residents weren’t totally pleased with the program. The regulation led to protests and riots outside of the train station, The Independent reported. “We are against this measure because it will do nothing to stop overtourism,” resident Cristina Romieri told the outlet. “Moreover, it is such a complex regulation with so many exceptions that it will also be difficult to enforce it.”

While Venice is the first city to carry out the new day-tripper fee, several other European locales have introduced or raised tourist taxes to fend off large crowds and boost the local economy. Most recently, Barcelona increased its city-wide tourist tax. Similarly, you’ll have to pay an extra “climate crisis resilience” tax if you plan on visiting Greece that will fund the country’s disaster recovery projects.

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Omega Reveals a New Speedmaster Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics

Your first look at the new Speedmaster Chronoscope, designed in the colour theme of the Paris Olympics.

By Josh Bozin 26/04/2024

The starters are on the blocks, and with less than 100 days to go until the Paris 2024 Olympics, luxury Swiss watchmaker Omega was bound to release something spectacular to mark its bragging rights as the official timekeeper for the Summer Games. Enter the new 43mm Speedmaster Chronoscope, available in new colourways—gold, black, and white—in line with the colour theme of the Olympic Games in Paris this July.

So, what do we get in this nicely-wrapped, Olympics-inspired package? Technically, there are four new podium-worthy iterations of the iconic Speedmaster.

Omega

The new versions present handsomely in stainless steel or 18K Moonshine Gold—the brand’s proprietary yellow gold known for its enduring shine. The steel version has an anodised aluminium bezel and a stainless steel bracelet or vintage-inspired perforated leather strap. The Moonshine Gold iteration boasts a ceramic bezel; it will most likely appease Speedy collectors, particularly those with an affinity for Omega’s long-standing role as stewards of the Olympic Games.

Notably, each watch bears an attractive white opaline dial; the background to three dark grey timing scales in a 1940s “snail” design. Of course, this Speedmaster Chronoscope is special in its own right. For the most part, the overall look of the Speedmaster has remained true to its 1957 origins. This Speedmaster, however, adopts Omega’s Chronoscope design from 2021, including the storied tachymeter scale, along with a telemeter, and pulsometer scale—essentially, three different measurements on the wrist.

While the technical nature of this timepiece won’t interest some, others will revel in its theatrics. Turn over each timepiece, and instead of a transparent crystal caseback, there is a stamped medallion featuring a mirror-polished Paris 2024 logo, along with “Paris 2024” and the Olympic Rings—a subtle nod to this year’s games.

Powering this Olympiad offering—and ensuring the greatest level of accuracy—is the Co-Axial Master Chronometer Calibre 9908 and 9909, certified by METAS.

Omega

A Speedmaster to commemorate the Olympic Games was as sure a bet as Mondo Deplantis winning gold in the men’s pole vault—especially after Omega revealed its Olympic-edition Seamaster Diver 300m “Paris 2024” last year—but they delivered a great addition to the legacy collection, without gimmickry.

However, the all-gold Speedmaster is 85K at the top end of the scale, which is a lot of money for a watch of this stature. By comparison, the immaculate Speedmaster Moonshine gold with a sun-brushed green PVD “step” dial is 15K cheaper, albeit without the Chronoscope complications.

The Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope in stainless steel with a leather strap is priced at $15,725; stainless steel with steel bracelet at $16,275; 18k Moonshine Gold on leather strap $54,325; and 18k Moonshine Gold with matching gold bracelet $85,350, available at Omega boutiques now.

Discover the collection here

 

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Here’s What Goes Into Making Jay-Z’s $1,800 Champagne

We put Armand de Brignac Blanc de Noirs Assemblage No. 4 under the microsope.

By Mike Desimone And Jeff Jenssen 23/04/2024

In our quest to locate the most exclusive and exciting wines for our readers, we usually ask the question, “How many bottles of this were made?” Often, we get a general response based on an annual average, although many Champagne houses simply respond, “We do not wish to communicate our quantities.” As far as we’re concerned, that’s pretty much like pleading the Fifth on the witness stand; yes, you’re not incriminating yourself, but anyone paying attention knows you’re probably guilty of something. In the case of some Champagne houses, that something is making a whole lot of bottles—millions of them—while creating an illusion of rarity.

We received the exact opposite reply regarding Armand de Brignac Blanc de Noirs Assemblage No. 4. Yasmin Allen, the company’s president and CEO, told us only 7,328 bottles would be released of this Pinot Noir offering. It’s good to know that with a sticker price of around $1,800, it’s highly limited, but it still makes one wonder what’s so exceptional about it.

Known by its nickname, Ace of Spades, for its distinctive and decorative metallic packaging, Armand de Brignac is owned by Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy and Jay-Z and is produced by Champagne Cattier. Each bottle of Assemblage No. 4 is numbered; a small plate on the back reads “Assemblage Four, [X,XXX]/7,328, Disgorged: 20 April, 2023.” Prior to disgorgement, it spent seven years in the bottle on lees after primary fermentation mostly in stainless steel with a small amount in concrete. That’s the longest of the house’s Champagnes spent on the lees, but Allen says the winemaking team tasted along the way and would have disgorged earlier than planned if they’d felt the time was right.

Chef de cave, Alexandre Cattier, says the wine is sourced from some of the best Premier and Grand Cru Pinot Noir–producing villages in the Champagne region, including Chigny-les-Roses, Verzenay, Rilly-la-Montagne, Verzy, Ludes, Mailly-Champagne, and Ville-sur-Arce in the Aube département. This is considered a multi-vintage expression, using wine from a consecutive trio of vintages—2013, 2014, and 2015—to create an “intense and rich” blend. Seventy percent of the offering is from 2015 (hailed as one of the finest vintages in recent memory), with 15 percent each from the other two years.

This precisely crafted Champagne uses only the tête de cuvée juice, a highly selective extraction process. As Allen points out, “the winemakers solely take the first and freshest portion of the gentle cuvée grape press,” which assures that the finished wine will be the highest quality.  Armand de Brignac used grapes from various sites and three different vintages so the final product would reflect the house signature style. This is the fourth release in a series that began with Assemblage No. 1. “Testing different levels of intensity of aromas with the balance of red and dark fruits has been a guiding principle between the Blanc de Noirs that followed,” Allen explains.

The CEO recommends allowing the Assemblage No. 4 to linger in your glass for a while, telling us, “Your palette will go on a journey, evolving from one incredible aroma to the next as the wine warms in your glass where it will open up to an extraordinary length.” We found it to have a gorgeous bouquet of raspberry and Mission fig with hints of river rock; as it opened, notes of toasted almond and just-baked brioche became noticeable. With striking acidity and a vein of minerality, it has luscious nectarine, passion fruit, candied orange peel, and red plum flavors with touches of beeswax and a whiff of baking spices on the enduring finish. We enjoyed our bottle with a roast chicken rubbed with butter and herbes de Provence and savored the final, extremely rare sip with a bit of Stilton. Unfortunately, the pairing possibilities are not infinite with this release; there are only 7,327 more ways to enjoy yours.

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Bill Henson Show Opens at Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery

Dark, grainy and full of shadows Bill Henson’s latest show draws on 35 mm colour film shot in New York City in 1989.

By Belinda Aucott-christie 20/04/2024

Bill Henson is one of Australia’s best-known contemporary photographers. When a show by this calibre of artist opens here, the art world waits with bated breath to see what he will unveil.

This time, he presents a historically important landscape series that chronicles a time in New York City that no longer exists. It’s a nostalgic trip back in time, a nocturnal odyssey through the frenetic, neon-lit streets of a long-lost America.

Known for his chiaroscuro style, Henson’s cinematic photographs often transform his subject into ambiguous objects of beauty. This time round, the show presents a mysterious walk through the streets of Manhattan, evoking a seedy, yet beautiful vision of the city. 

Bill Henson Untitled, 1989. Archival inkjet pigment print 127 x 180 cm Edition of 5 + 2AP Courtesy of Roslyn Oxley Gallery
Installation shot of Bill Henson’s show,’The Liquid Night’ at Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery.

Relying on generative gaps, these landscapes result from Henson mining his archive of negatives and manipulating them to produce a finished print. Sometimes, they are composed by a principle of magnification, with Henson honing in on details, and sometimes, they are created through areas of black being expanded to make the scene more cinematic and foreboding. Like silence in a film or the pause in a pulse, the black suggests the things you can’t see. 

Bill Henson, Untitled, 1989 Archival inkjet pigment print 127 x 180 cm Edition of 5 + 2AP Courtesy of Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery
Bill Henson, Untitled, 1989 Archival inkjet pigment print 127 x 180 cm Edition of 5 + 2AP Courtesy of Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery
Bill Henson Untitled, 1989 Archival inkjet pigment print 127 x 180 cm Edition of 5 + 2AP Courtesy of Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery

Henson’s illustrious career has spanned four decades and was memorably marred by controversy over a series of nude adolescent photographs shown in 2008, which made him front-page news for weeks. This series of portraits made Henson the subject of a police investigation during which no offence was found. 

In recent years, Henson has been a sharp critic of cancel culture, encouraging artists to contribute something that will have lasting value and add to the conversation, rather than tearing down the past.

Untitled 2/1, 1990-91 from the series Paris Opera Project type C photograph 127 x 127 cm; series of 50 Edition of 10 + AP 2

His work deals with the liminal space between the mystical and the real, the seen and unseen, the boundary between youth and adulthood.

His famous Paris Opera Project, 1990-91, pictured above, is similarly intense as the current show, dwelling on the border between the painterly and the cinematic.

Bill Henson’s ‘The Liquid Night’ runs until 11 May 2024 at Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery.

Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, 8 Soudan Ln, Paddington NSW; roslynoxley9.com.au 

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