Luxury for grey nomads

As increasing numbers of well-heeled members of the baby-boomer generation reach retirement age, manufacturers are increasingly targeting nautical grey nomads.

The latest pilot house motor yacht to be aimed directly at this market is the Hershine Voyager, a twin engined, double stateroom, semi-displacement vessel that makes its debut at this week's Sydney International Boat Show.

Imported from Taiwan by David Rowell of Rowell Marine, the 55 foot (15.8 metre) Hershine Voyager is being offered fully-equipped -- with everything from an RIB inflatable, concealed washer and dryer, four air-conditioning units and a double oven -- for $1.25 million.

 Fitted with both bow and stern thrusters, the 28-tonne Voyager can be tucked into and slid out of the tightest marina berths by just one person.

"This one person operation is one of the most important aspects of boating," David Rowell told BoatPoint. "What's the good of owning a luxurious yacht if you can't leave or enter the dock without tension because you don't have help?"

With the standard Volvo D9 575 turbo-charged engines, the Voyager can reach 20 knots but it will cruise economically at 12 knots. The glass fibre hull is fitted with Wesmar stablisers.

Although new to the Australian market, Rowell says the Sydney Boat Show vessel is the 259th hull of its type built by Hershine.

The package being offered to Australian buyers is top of the line -- from Ekornes recliner armchairs to a dishwasher, cooktop, microwave, freezer, Sony surround-sound stereo and a TV that doubles as a monitoring station for all the navigation equipment and the three closed-circuit Raymarine cameras that monitor the views fore and aft and the engine room.

The Voyager has two large staterooms, both with queen-sized beds, and both with their own ensuites. If extra berths are needed, the settee in the pilot house opens into a double berth.

The pilot house, which features a walk-around Portuguese bridge, has twin helm chairs and a lounge area for guests. Internal stairs lead up to the fly bridge or down to the saloon and galley.

The fly bridge has a separate lounge area and just aft is the wide storage area of the RIB tender. An electric winch allows the tender, which comes equipped with a 20hp outboard, to the launched and retrieved single-handed.

If you can't make the Sydney International Boat Show, more information is available at Rowell Marine.