Nick Mulder is standing at the entrance to Mulder Marina in Warmond, Netherlands. It’s a spot where the 36-year-old feels entirely comfortable. His grandfather founded Mulder Shipyard in 1938, and Nick has been at the helm since his father, Dick, died in 2022.
“He involved me in all matters concerning the company from a young age,” Nick says, adding that he and his father shared an office for 14 years. “From conversations with customers and the bank to the construction of halls, I was allowed to be everywhere. That was educational.”
Everything he has learned went into the Favorite 1700 Anniversary Edition Summer. “This is a special boat for me because it is the first one that I built without my father,” he says. “We wanted to show that the company is alive and kicking and [going] in the direction we want to take.”
The Mulder Favorite is an homage to the elegant line of Favorite cruisers that has been built for nearly 70 years. Since 2010, 34 hulls of the all-aluminum, round-bilge, semi-displacement yachts have been delivered. Developed in collaboration with Guido de Groot Design, they vary in size from 50 to 72 feet.
Summer exudes class and refinement. Her lines are simple. The sheer is limited and runs unbroken to the transom. She references the classic styling, yet also looks elegantly modern with a straight bow and rounded transom. A beautiful detail is the edge that runs over the windows in the hull. The top of the railing runs precisely parallel to the roofline of the low superstructure, which continues straight into the side of the saloon. On the hardtop are a raked radar arch and a 420-watt solar panel array that’s recessed to allow the electrically actuated sunroof to slide over.
Mulder’s goals for the Anniversary Edition also included low maintenance and ease of operation. “That’s why you don’t see any wood on the outside and the decks,” he says. “The roof of the cabin and the gunwales are covered with synthetic teak.”
Boarding from the swim platform (there’s a Besenzoni passerelle for higher quays), I note that her rounded transom conceals a garage that can accommodate a tender up to 11 feet, 5 inches. Flanking stairs lead to the aft deck, which Mulder calls the best spot on the boat. “You can sit outside here, sheltered, and look out over the water,” he says. A U-shape bench is against the transom, and a seating area is in the hardtop overhang’s shade. The high-gloss, varnished teak table lowers electrically, creating a sunbed.
Just forward, a stainless-steel door and a window open to connect the salon and cockpit. In the salon, opening side windows and a sunroof add to the outdoor feeling. The salon layout does not differ much from other Favorite 1700s, nor does the layout of the Anniversary Edition’s three-stateroom, two-head accommodations. What’s special are the boat’s materials and detailing, done at a level that’s usually reserved for the shipyard’s superyacht line.
“The ship can handle the decoration of a superyacht,” Nick says. “My father taught me that it costs the same to build a beautiful boat as to build an ugly boat. I think it is fantastic to make really beautiful things, to show what we can do and to inspire people.”
Mulder tapped award-winning interior designer Roelfien Vos to style Summer’s interior, which has neutral tones for a light, airy ambience. Materials include marble, brass, wood, leather and upholstery from suppliers such as Hermès, Pierre Frey, Thibaut, Larsen and Dedar.
The result is what Nick calls “the most elaborate 1700 that we have built. This may well be the most exclusive 17-meter yacht in the world.”
In the galley, the marble harmonizes with the light oak paneling, which has solid frames and corners. The same marble is used in the heads, where “floating” toilets have custom, engraved control panels. The leather of the door handles (all have hidden hinges) is repeated in the lamps and other handles. A recurring theme is strips with buckles reminiscent of vintage suitcase straps. On board, they’re on walls and cupboards, evoking thoughts of long sea voyages.
That’s not to say the 1700 Anniversary Edition lacks modern technology. “All gadgets are easy to operate,” Nick says. “For the lighting, you can choose from various scenes on the dashboard that you can set yourself. In addition to ‘everything off’ and ‘everything on,’ you can also choose ‘soft’ or ‘evening,’ for example.” The same is true for the electrically operated window coverings, which the owner can adjust while lying in bed.
The system is powered by lithium batteries with a capacity of 25 kW. According to Mulder, owners can stay on board for four days without recharging via shore power. A 9 kW genset backs it all up.
As Nick starts the twin 480-hp Volvo Penta engines, I cast off the mooring lines. The 1700 maneuvers from the boathouse with childlike ease. We quickly accelerate to her top speed of 22 knots. “For Mulder, comfort is more important than absolute speed,” Nick says, adding that Humphree systems are fitted to reduce roll and pitch.
Even at slower speeds, this boat still feels at home. Her 4-foot, 1-inch draft and, if needed, her electrically lowered mast give her access to waters that many other 50-footers couldn’t reach.
Far too soon, we are back at Mulder Marina. With Nick at the helm, the family business continues to build on its excellent reputation as masters of Dutch yachtbuilding.
This article was originally published in the September 2024 issue.
