New toy for Graeme Hart

Robyn and Graeme Hart. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Super rich Graeme Hart has bought himself an expensive new toy - a fishing boat that cost between $8 to $10 million.

The 20m U-21 is modelled on Auckland's maritime police catamaran which cost a paltry $2.8m in comparison.

Hart, Australasia's richest man worth $6.7 billion, also owns a $100m luxury motor yacht, Ulysses. His properties include a cliff-top Glendowie mansion in Auckland and a house on a large block on Waiheke Island.

Publicity-shy Hart wouldn't talk to the Herald on Sunday.

But an insider said: "He was sailing around Auckland harbour and saw the police boat and thought it would be a cool boat to have."

Hart approached Teknicraft, which designed the police vessel. He wanted a 20m fibre glass boat capable of speeds up 50 knots.

It took a year to design and 18 months to build. It was overseen by boat builder Composite Projects.

U-21 has four water jets driven by quad engines. It is used for fishing and diving trips and for transport to and from Waiheke Island.

It is controlled by a single joystick and the main deck has a huge saloon area and galley, leading to an upstairs lounge and wheelhouse via a spiral staircase.

It can sleep seven people in five cabins.

Richard Kriletich, who manages Hart's marine and property assets, said if the Herald on Sunday published anything about the vessel, "you will hear from him".

Teknicraft and Composite Projects spokesmen said they had been instructed not to comment.

In March, Forbes magazine named Hart as Australasia's richest man, and 144th richest in the world with a net worth of US$5.3bn ($6.7bn), up almost $1bn from the year before.

Hart, who is in his 50s, is ahead of Richard Branson, Donald Trump, movie directors George Lucas and Steven Spielberg and Apple computers founder Steve Jobs in the rich-list stakes.

His business interests include printing, bookselling, stationery, a food conglomerate and pulp and paper company.