Meet Eleonore, a retro-style, nearly 78-foot motoryacht built for a Dutch owner by Mulder Shipyard. While she may miss the technical definition of “megayacht” by inches, she’s no less interesting a project.
If you’re not familiar with Mulder, it traces its beginnings in Holland to 1938, thanks to Dirk Mulder, Sr., who was just 27 years old when he opened the doors of the yard bearing his name. He had experience building canoes and rowboats and had been studying yacht construction as well. Wooden sailboats were among the first vessels launched from Mulder Shipyard, and a steel-hulled sailboat followed in 1939. Motoryachts began taking precedence in the 1950s, and the yard began focusing exclusively on them two decades later. It specializes in the 20- to 30-meter (65- to 98-foot) range and has the next generation of Mulder family members carrying on the business.
Even though Mulder Shipyard has a handful of series-built boats, it also practices custom construction, which this “77 Classic,” as Eleonore is referred to, is a good example of. Mulder was one of five yards the owner requested bids from. Competitive pricing as well as its experience with yachts in this size range reportedly helped convince the owner to grant Mulder the contract. Featuring a rounded-bilge steel hull, Eleonore is built to the design of Theo Werner. Two guest staterooms, the owner’s stateroom, and the rest of the interior is outfitted in cherrywood, with curved doorways and doors in keeping with her traditional appeal. But modern touches like a tender garage fitted with a hydraulic door and twin Caterpillar C7 engines are appreciated as well. Eleonore is reportedly capable of an 11-knot cruise speed.
If you’ll be attending the Amsterdam in-water boat show in early September, you can see Eleonore in person.
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