Luxury boating | customised motor yachts | starboard status symbol

A gleaming new fleet of bespoke motor yachts does the rounds of Sydney Harbour

It’s not every day a man asks you if you’d like to see his engines. Bruce Scott does, and it’s hard to refuse. If what’s below deck on the highly polished, immaculately designed and kitted out 73ft motor yacht Komotion has half the wow factor, it’ll be worth the descent.

Scott’s two 1650-horsepower Caterpillar diesel engines are as clean as a whistle, and the engine room is so neat it could just about warrant an Airbnb listing. The inventory includes two generators, a stabiliser that looks like a giant pleated white beach ball and neat self-contained accommodation for the tender.

Whitehaven ducks all lined up in front of the Sydney Opera House. Photo Ken Butti

Komotion is one of four that comprise the initial build of customised craft by Whitehaven Motor Yachts, a company Bruce and Julie Scott set up with Keith and Victoria Hanson in 2010 with the aim to blend leisure boating that catered to the most demanding yachties and international luxury quality finishes. To date two flybridge versions, one with a sunbridge, and a racy coupe have been delivered.

It is perhaps not surprising that Komotion boasts six fridges. Scott made his money in refrigeration and logistics. The former boss of Scott’s Refrigerated Freightways sold his family’s business to motoring and logistics group AHG for a reported $116 million last year.

Julie Scott, an interiors temptress, clearly loves nothing better than over-water oneupmanship. There are hidden pantries, ice-makers, a butler’s pantry, masses of clever storage and plush furnishings, and single level dining whereby the galley is just a dignified lurch from a sensational free-standing dining table which could seat 12 if it had to. Alfresco areas abound.

Designed and built for Australian conditions, with bespoke interiors. Photo Ken Butti

The master cabin is pretty much the full 18ft width of the vessel, and has a generous bathroom and Hollywood length dressing table. The finishes throughout are high-gloss walnut.

Excess All Areas was invited on board (with permission to snoop) to sip a cold chardonnay as the convoy cruised out from Sydney Wharf, at Pyrmont, past the Opera House and Garden Island and Taronga Zoo to shoot the breeze around Cremorne Point before returning to the two-hat LuMi for lunch and a briefing.

Keith Hanson brings a wealth of practical experience to the partnership, with a history of off-shore ocean racing and long range cruising around Australia and a dealership in the craft best suited to do both. Keith and his son Ryan Hanson oversee the work in the New Ocean Yachts boatyard in the Taiwanese port of Kaohsiung.

Named for the pristine beach in the Whitsundays, the Whitehaven craft are designed in Australia for Australian conditions in conjunction with naval architect Jason Kao, and handcrafted by master tradesmen in Taiwan. The fit-out is as bespoke as a client wants it to be and includes European fabrics, leathers and fittings. Expect to pay around $2.5 million.

According to a Fairfax Media report, the recreational marine industry is worth $7.5 billion to Australia’s economy. Some five million Australians are said to take part in some form of recreational boating each year. By September 2015, sales of more than 30,000 boats had been recorded for the year.

Such has been the interest in luxury boating, one prominent Australian real estate agency recently started selling luxury motor boats, along with million-dollar mansions.

The Hansons and the Scotts will be banking on fair tradewinds.

Guests on board the Whitehaven Flybridge. Owner Bruce Scott, centre back, wife Julie Scott, far right. Photo Ken Butti