Mike's Corner

Greg Norman recently took delivery of his new toy, named "Aussie Rules", which he helped design. At 69.5 metres (228 feet) in length, it's the world's largest aluminum and composite private yacht. He had it built for only $70 million dollars. The company meant to build it for him "at cost" in return for the excellent advertising of having him as an owner, but they actually lost money on it.

When he first cruised into Sydney Harbor, onlookers remarked, "It's massive! Nearly three times the size of the ferries in the Harbor!" In addition to being opulent, it is also built for Jacques Cousteau-type fun and exploration. There is onboard diving equipment for 30 people including a decompression chamber and two huge compressors. Dives of all types can be accomplished by operating the Nitrox Mixing Panel onboard, enabling each guest's air tank to be customized with a mixture of gases.

To get the people out to those choice dive spots, or maybe just for having a bit of a splash, the following additional "small" boats are kept onboard: 42-Foot Custom Built "Game Fisher" Can be launched and retrieved from the deck. Perfect for a 4-person overnight fishing expedition. Has a gourmet galley for cooking up the catch while it's still fresh. 30-Foot SeeVee for a quick afternoon fishing trip. 22-Foot Novurania Equator with a meager 800 horsepower so you can get to the best diving sites ahead of everyone else. It has beach landing capability as well. (2) 18-Foot Hewes Bonerfishers for those special occasions when Greg and a close friend may wish to maneuver over the sand flats in Key West, Florida 13-Foot Narwhal Rescue Boat in case someone falls off one of those other boats. And finally, just for the hell of it, (4) Yamaha Waverunners!!! Good grief already! Kind of reminds me of one of those Russian Matryoshka Dolls where the little ones just keep coming out of the bigger one!