The Netherlands-based builder Mulder Shipyard has been making a name for itself throughout Europe, with a variety of different motoryachts dotting shorelines, but the family-run operation is mostly unknown stateside. That’s about to change, however, now that there’s Strathearn based in Maine. The first Mulder 75 Wheelhouse, Strathearn may strike you as being quintessentially American in profile. Interesting enough, she’s actually thoroughly Dutch. And, she’s thoroughly the kind of “small” megayacht that appeals to owners who prioritize no-nonsense cruising.
Strathearn is an extended version of the all-aluminum Mulder 73 Wheelhouse, part of a series that Mulder introduced back in 1989. “Wheelhouse” is part of the name for both the Mulder 73 and Mulder 75 Wheelhouse because of the open nature of the main deck. The person at the helm—in Strathearn’s case, it’s the owner—is as much a part of the conversation as the family and friends gathered aft in two cozy seating areas. The aft-deck seating area even comes into play. On nice days, the door from the interior can be left open, as can the electrically sliding window in the aft bulkhead.
Here’s the view looking forward from the aft main deck. Strathearn’s owner originally was considering a smaller Mulder Favorite model, but upon seeing a Wheelhouse yacht at the shipyard’s dock, “it just struck me that the Wheelhouse was a lot more boat. It enabled us to do a lot more.” He, his grown children, and young grandchildren can all enjoy spur-of-the-moment trips and longer coastal cruises from their summer home in Maine, where the Mulder 75 Wheelhouse is essentially an extension of the house.
Something that particularly struck the fancy of Strathearn’s owner is this atrium-like setting. The profile of the Mulder 75 Wheelhouse lends no hint at this type of volume, but it’s a hallmark of Mulder motoryachts. It’s created by placing the primary saloon just a few short steps down from the helm. The galley is adjacent to it, too, making it easy to grab a drink and keeping a professional chef part of the family if owners decide they want crew.
Mulder Shipyard builds its yachts on a semi-custom basis, and Strathearn’s owner took advantage. There’s a classic-looking interior, in keeping with the owner wanting “a proper yacht.” All of the woodwork, from here in the below-deck master stateroom to the rest of the relaxation areas, was done by Mulder’s in-house joinery shop. Guests are treated to a forward VIP and two twin cabins with bunk berths, the latter ideal for the owner’s grandchildren.
If you were surprised by the atrium aboard Strathearn, you might also be surprised by this tender garage. It’s yet another feature found aboard other large Mulder motoryachts, allowing a RIB to slip easily into the water. Even though all of the yachts in the Mulder Wheelhouse lineup have shallow enough drafts to permit poking into some skinny waters—Strathearn’s draft is 5’2”—the shipyard is cognizant of making clients’ lifestyle simpler and more enjoyable.
That philosophy extends to each yacht’s engineering. Like her smaller sisters, the Mulder 75 Wheelhouse has a semi-planing round-bilge hull, a design renowned for comfort and good seakeeping. Strathearn’s owner and his wife know full well the importance of both, since they crisscrossed the world over the course of 25 years aboard a variety of yachts, including a 130-foot ketch. The owner adds that Strathearn, equipped with twin 715-hp Caterpillar diesels and Seakeeper gyro stabilizers, is sea kindly and steady, and proved particularly so when hitting choppy seas on her delivery trip from Baltimore, where Mulder shipped her upon completion, to New England. Though the owner doesn’t expect to push the proverbial pedal to the metal, Mulder reports a top speed around 22 knots.
With chilly temperatures firmly in place in New England, Strathearn has been put away until springtime. That points to yet another reason why the owner was attracted to this Mulder: the ability to haul her out for the season, something not so practical with a 130-foot ketch or other large yacht. Sure, Strathearn’s bow could be pointed toward the Bahamas or the Caribbean instead. But for a boat that’s as much of a home as the owner’s land-based house is, that just wouldn’t be… well, practical.
For further information directly from Mulder Shipyard about the Wheelhouse series, fill out our contact form.
Leave a Reply