Johnson Mediterranean 58 Motor Yacht

It was an Indian summer's day when we boarded the Taiwanese-made but Italian-styled Mediterranean 58 with English-born boat dealer, Mike Gaffikin, on one of Australia's best cruising grounds.

Bottles of Scotch (or were they Irish?) whisky tinkled in the drinks cabinet and my made-in-China shirt flapped in the breeze as the American Detroit motors rumbled into life and we sallied forth towards a sunset tinged gold by the fires raging in Borneo (Okay, so I lied about the last bit).

A little fishing boat rocked in our wake as we headed down towards the mighty Hawkesbury River. The boat's occupants were using Japanese-made reels and chemically-sharpened hooks from Norway loaded with squid bait imported from California. Perhaps they were in pursuit of a NZ lemon sole.

I could have done with some cheap Thai food at this point. Or maybe a Bex. I'd just driven down to Akuna Bay marina in Sydney past a film crew whose set was made to resemble an Italian fruitshop. Don't ask me why, but it got me wondering.

Is it just me or do you, also, get the feeling in this open market, where borders are pretty things on computer documents, that you don't know whether you're Arthur or Martha, coming or going, what's up and down, and whether there is such a thing as national identity?

If you do feel this way, you shouldn't. At least not with this boat.

Conquering distance, crossing cultures, made to entertain as easily on the Med or in humble Cowan Creek, the Johnson 58 is a worldly kind of cruiser capable of going places and touring new coastal cruising grounds.

THE INSIDE STORY
When I stepped aboard it was, as mentioned, an Indian summer's day. Such days call for only one thing - air-conditioning. There's no point having such a lovely boat as this, with such a big, generous and gorgeous interior, if it's too hot to head below.

Luckily, the Johnson's 58's interior comes equipped with air, which makes it a great boat to spend a summer aboard - if not a winter or any season for that matter.

Big, tidy and comfortable, the interior comes like a cool change. The forest of wood lining beams down at you from all directions... A mixture of light Japanese ash and American oak (which makes a darn fine red if you leave it in the barrel long enough).

The woods themselves have a high-gloss finish and the high ceiling in the saloon creates a celestial sense of space. This is further enhanced by the white headliner and the abundant recessed downlighting, which casts a warm glow.

There's even an atrium of sorts, so when you step inside the 58 you don't feel as though you are staring at a boat's ceiling but, rather, at an expanse of fresh air.

The floor coverings were impressive, too. The blue and gold carpet in the saloon turns into a camel colour as it reaches out into the cabins.

Add to this gold door handles and smart check and tartan fabrics throughout and you have a picture of world-class style.

The saloon floor, recessed low in the hull, adds to the sense of space. On the starboard side is the biggest boat lounge imaginable. Couch-potato heaven runs for virtually the entire length of the saloon before curving into rounded armrests.

Such gracious curves are found all over the Johnson's interior. There are curved walls and rails and a spiral staircase leading from the saloon to the aft cabin.

At the foot of the saloon lounge is a coffee table and across from it an entertainment system comprising a big-screen television and a bar fridge. Drink-in-hand, feet up, this is the boat's best spot to kick back.

THE LOWER STATION
Just forward of the saloon, on the starboard side, is a podium. It's the province of the lower helm station which looks through a big curved windscreen to the bow. The view is clear enough to drive safely from here during inclement weather.

No prizes for guessing that the helm station is finished mainly in wood, though there are matt-black insert panels to take the engine gauges. The seat is a two-person bench affair.

I liked the way in which Johnson had positioned the Navigation Panel - for all lights and electronic equipment - right next to the wooden steering wheel so you can see what's happening at a glance.

On the port side of the podium is the dinette, with U-shaped seating for four - not large but then again you're probably past hosting family dinners. A clever touch was the way in which the leaves of the table fold up so you can step out without putting a foot in the lap of your guests.

Further forward and down four steps is the galley. It has blue Corian bench space big enough to carve a turkey and white sinks deep enough to hold a banquet-load of dirty Wedgewood.

There's a fridge and freezer, lots of pantry space, even more drawers and cupboards, and fittingly, I found some gold-leafed cutlery ready and waiting to spade into Spode plate.

A nice touch was the kitchen tidy, a little garbage bin, which automatically opened when you flung open the cabinet door behind which it was hiding.

WALK THIS WAY
Down another step is the starboard-side guests' cabin with twin single beds, a lowboy, big portholes through which light streams, shelves and hanging space. The choice of fabric - a green, blue and red tartan (Ed: the McLockwood clan's perhaps?) - was smart for the valance.

The guest's cabin has an ensuite - as do all three cabins aboard - which includes a standing-height shower, Vacuflush toilet (like a 747's), and a big sink and vanity.

Gold accents on the taps, plugs and toilet-rollholders add a sense of class - if such a thing can exist in taps, plugs and toilet-roll holders.

The forward guest's cabin might have been the master cabin, such is its space. There's an island king-size bed, his and her hanging lockers, and as many cupboards as you'd find in an inner-city apartment.

Twin oval portholes (they are more like bay windows with shelves before them) and a nice overhead hatch with wooden shutters let in the light.

The ensuite is big enough for one person to dress in comfort. The floor is pretty strip-laid teak.

Follow the clever spiral staircase aft from the saloon and you'll find a cabin big enough to sleep Pavarotti and two other tenors. The theme for the fabrics is burgundy and camel, with regal blue, royal red and gold piping for the bed's valance.

There's even a bedhead, twin bedside tables with reading lamps, a dressing table with a swing-out stool, and a pop-up mirror in case you need to touch up the lippie, darling.

A full-length dressing mirror lets you check out the clobber before stepping out to the yacht club.

Storage in the aft cabin includes a great many drawers and cupboards and wardrobes and room to pack a catwalk of clothes. The doors to the cabin are those nice oval, ship-like things, and the engine room nearby sounded fairly well insulated.

GOING PLACES
Atop the aft cabin is a deck big enough to stage a lunch for the Australian 11. Left uncluttered, there's room for a social gathering of some standing and, since there's a hardtop, rain won't dampen your parade.

While the boarding platform is nearby for an early morning swim, access to the foredeck or sundeck is just as immediate. In the European tradition there are moulded walkways backed by high safety rails. In fact, all the stainless deck fittings on this boat appear to be substantial.

Take the stairs up - note there are no ladders - and you'll find a modest flybridge. It's been kept low and sleek for aesthetics and to keep the centre of gravity down. It hasn't a bimini top for shelter, but at least it blends in with the boat's lines.

The view from the bridge across the bow is great for the skipper, but for docking you may need to dash down to the third station which hides behind a hatch in the cockpit.

Coupled with a Nobel 16hp bow thruster (a sensible Gaffikin addition) the boat can be spun on its length and eased in and out of tight marina pens better than some smaller vessels.

Atop the hardtop is a low-profile davit for the Sea.Doo Explorer tender - another nice twist from Gaffikin - while the engine controls were soft-touch electronic types from MMC.

With an upgrade from standard 550hp engines to 735hp models, you need to be careful shifting the throttles... It takes only about 10cm of travel to go from zero to almost 1500 horses worth of thrust.

UP, UP AND AWAY
A stretched version of the 56-footer, the new Johnson 58 surges to planing speeds using a touch of trim tab. Its hull, which runs flat on the water, is from the pen of Bill Dixon, who designs Moody and Taswell yachts to more than 30m in length.

The big 735hp Detroits sound powerful, if not a tad noisy from the bridge. We cruised like royalty - 22kt at 2000rpm and 18kt at 1800rpm, which are the most fuel-efficient speeds.

Though we managed 24 knots at 2100rpm, the boat, for one reason or another, was not pulling full revs of 2300rpm.

A million dollar boat isn't for everyone, but the Johnson 58 is exactly the kind of vessel you'd own after you've flown first-class for most of your life, done business deals in 47 different countries and now, at last, you demand something to get away from all that.

It's a lot like the Olympics, really... A multicultural event with the best of a whole lot of nations packed under the one roof.