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Review: Whitehaven 6000 Flybridge

The Whitehaven 6000 Flybridge sets new standards for top-end luxury boats.

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Looking like an elegant luxury boat from a sophisticated European yard with down-under robustness, the Whitehaven 6000 begs to be called a superyacht, as its finish and quality belies its modest length.

 

WHITEHAVEN 6000 FLYBRIDGE

Whitehaven 6000 Flybridge boat

The Whitehaven Motor Yacht range is the result of 40 years of Australian maritime involvement by Keith and Ryan Hanson, blended with the experience of one of the finest boat manufacturing regions in the Asia Pacific. Taiwan-made boats now have a long reputation for quality, associated with long-established and recognisable names – Horizon, Nordhavn, Johnson and Ocean Alexander luxury boats are all built there.

New Ocean Yachts is no newcomer either. They build some of the finest vessels up to 115ft (35m) in length, while the company president is a naval architect, responsible for some terrific hulls over the years and this Whitehaven is no exception.

A variable deadrise for soft entry, combined with spray strakes and the inverted chines running far aft and flattening, gains hydrodynamic lift and makes for a dry ride. It knocked down the spray at around 30kts and turned smoothly from chine to chine.

The chines start high and run aft, ending at the beamiest part of the hull below the waterline. From there they flatten out and the beam width is carried all the way aft.

Keith explains that “by maintaining the beam we have maintained the sea-keeping benefits of the variable deadrise and gained stabilising effects from the flattened chines. It’s added lift and reduced wetted surface, which reduces resistance and results in greater speed and economy.”

The flared bow section creates buoyancy forward which reduces the ability to bury the bow and take solid water on board – and when you are out there in the lumpy stuff, less green water on deck means greater stability with minimal free surface effect.

 

LAYOUT

Layout on Whitehaven 6000 Flybridge

Approaching this vessel from astern gives you a feeling that this is something special. From astern the high full railing that surrounds the hydraulic swimplatform is reassuring. Lower it to wading depths and it could act like an impromptu plunge pool. With a 450kg lifting capacity it can handle big toys on the back – with a stern garage housing a 3.2m tender with 20hp Honda four-stroke, you could alternatively enjoy the expansive area free of clutter or load a three-seater jetski without issue.

 

ENGINE ROOM

To port of the tender garage is a watertight transom door which leads you down to the engineroom. First impressions are that this is a fish processing area, with a highly polished stainless steel bench looking hygienically ready to fillet the pelagic catch. It’s really a workbench with sink.

Above it the AC panels encased in industrial boxes are clearly labelled and well away from the living areas. Forward are two 1036hp C18 common rail diesel Caterpillar powerplants, the rest of the engine room laid out in big yacht fashion.

Compressors are elevated to eye level forward of the engines and the batteries are stowed below the floor, keeping the weight low.

 

COCKPIT

Whitehaven 6000 Flybridge cockpit

Above the waterline the elevated cockpit is a platform for alfresco living. The Whitehaven Motor Yachts designers understands that, while it the Whitehaven 6000 Flybridge is built to go places, on average more than 90 per cent of time aboard is going to be at anchor and therefore it should feel as easy as life shoreside.

Commercial-sized double drawer refrigeration takes care of entertaining needs without stepping inside – one drawer can hold the drinks and the other the fare for the barbecue on the starboard side. Both sides are tucked in away from the breeze for all-weather usage.

Direct internal access to the flybridge is available via stairs on the starboard side. Multi-purpose in function, it is far from just a place to drive a boat from. A wet bar, flip down television, comfortable leather lounge with capacity-increasing slide-out double bed make it another zone altogether, topped off with effective air-conditioning and an upper balcony.

Custom leather helm chairs are accented with the same high-tech fabric inserts found in Aston Martin seats – this boat is about luxury as well as function. It’s fitted with a clean dash, touchscreen navigation, electronic engine and thruster controls, and a bonus joystick by Yacht Controller for docking. The joystick located on the port side, combined with opening window is a very simple way to bring her in port side to. Precision is further enhanced by the twin disc gearbox, allowing more precise adjustments.

The yacht control features are repeated on the starboard side of the flydeck, giving you vision of the whole transom and the entire starboard side. That’s enough for most people, but in giving more than you expect, a wireless yacht controller is suppliedon a lanyard.

 

GALLEY AND SALOON

Saloon on Whitehaven 6000 Flybridge

Descending back to the main deck, the galley has notable features including a huge double-door refrigerator with freezer drawer below to bring all the convenience from land to the boat. The four-hob coo top concealed below the custom Corian bench is recessed to a decent depth to allow pots and pans to stay in place without the need for the less aesthetically pleasing fiddle.

If you are not cooking, you gain bench space with the gas strut-assisted lid closed. The flush bench runs to the most appealing galley sink I have seen – the material is a gorgeous dark grey graphite by Franke. It completes the unpretentious yet very stylish galley bench and the workspace is complemented by an ample island bench. Behind the cabinetry below the largest panel of glass possible is a concealed wine fridge and extra storage.

Forward of the galley is the saloon, the step up offering clear viewing from all the seating while opening side windows allow fresh air to flow in for natural ventilation. The arrangement is very social – dining at the table is possible for at least five people and casual seating with removable coffee table to starboard adds another five or six seats. A pop-up rotating television is available when needed with the AV gear subtly tucked away but always available forward of the starboard settee.

 

CABINS

Cabin of Whitehaven 6000

Starting with the third cabin, there is a perceivable difference between this cabin and some of the alternatives out there. The extra wide door creates a greater sense of space, the space between the over and under berths and the cabin wall is very generous even with the door closed, storage is ample and the berths are a good two metres long.

A shared bathroom takes care of the VIP cabin forward and the third cabin. It is stunning with a feature wall in the shower of scalloped grey and white tiles, teak seat and teak slatted floor. Access can be gained privately from the forward VIP stateroom or from the foyer for day head use.

The VIP cabin forward is more generously proportioned than most forward cabins due to the voluminous bow. The bed is not at a towering height and it retains plenty of space either side.

The master stateroom is impressive. I really like the separation of the bathroom from the cabin – it is on the same level as the forward accommodation and being the owner’s cabin has a few more refinements including dual showerheads (the standard one is movable and the overhead rain shower is recessed into the moulding above giving that extra space for vertically blessed occupants).

The same Italian-styled feature tiles adorn the shower cubicle and also feature on the vanity wall. Decent storage and a forward-facing head make for easy usage.

Stepping down into the master is a consummation of the Hanson’s achievement – full beam and full of superlatives. It is a space that rewards the owner with European-influenced design, flooded with natural light and finished with touches that are more than you’d expect at this price point.

 

THE VERDICT

Whitehaven logo

The Whitehaven 6000 Flybridge is large enough to excel at most cruising missions like travelling long distances to new ports, or sitting stylishly at a yacht club or anchored out.

With an elegant and sophisticated layout and the room to entertain lavishly, the Whitehaven 6000 Flybridge is at ease in any port and in all company. If you’re in search of a true yacht with the legs and luxury to enable you to travel to distant ports safely and in high-style, then get behind the wheel of one of these and see for yourself.  

 

HIGHS

• Sleek design

• Superyacht finish

• Big on space and function

 

LOWS

• Not much to not like

• Didn’t get to properly test it at sea

 

See the full version of this review in Trade-A-Boat #247, November / December 2014. Why not subscribe today?

 

WHITEHAVEN 6000 FLYBRIDGE SPECIFICATIONS

PRICE AS TESTED

Whitehaven 6000 Flybridge price: $AUS2,490,000 approx.

 

PRICED FROM

Approx. $AUS2,29m

 

GENERAL

MATERIAL GRP

TYPE Monohull luxury cruiser

LENGTH 18.29m including swimplatform and tender lift

BEAM 5.33m

DRAFT 1.47m

 

CAPACITIES

PEOPLE (NIGHT) 6-8

FUEL 5500lt

WATER 1000lt

HOLDING TANK 300lt

 

ENGINE

MAKE/MODEL 2 x C18 R6

TYPE Inline six-cylinder diesel engine

RATED HP 800 (each)

DISPLACEMENT 12.8lt (each)

PROPELLERS ZF four-blade NIBRAL

 

MORE INFORMATION

LAURIE COLLINS MARINE

K Pier, 103-115 Westhaven Drive

Westhaven, Auckland

Phone 09 376 6331

Web lauriecollins.co.nz

Photography: Supplied

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