| Burger 144 |  |
"The debut of Mirgab V at the Monaco Yacht Show is a
historical moment for the company. It represents a quantum leap in terms of our
capabilities and opens up a » new frontier in the
world market," said Burger owner David Ross aboard the yacht in Monaco, where he
and Mirgab V’s family had the honor of welcoming H.S.H. Prince Albert II.
Ross’ deep pride in the badge on Mirgab’s fashion plate stems from the
fact that the design and engineering of the yacht was completely the yard’s
doing. The insistence of Ross and his partner Jim Ruffolo to build primarily to
their own hull designs has allowed the company to control its own developmental
destiny, avoiding the trap where reach exceeds grasp. And now, with a large,
highly skilled workforce in place, the approach allows Burger to exploit its
strengths.
Cappuccino marble dresses the bedside tables and the master bath.
All of the joinery is makoré, its colors and patterns dictated by specific
milling techniques. Photography by Dana Jinkins. (Click images to enlarge)
And exploit those strengths Mirgab V does. Her fit and
finish showcase the craft ethos of Burger’s Wisconsin workforce, which is
largely of Dutch, German and Scandinavian ancestry and mostly second and
third generation boatbuilders.
In recounting the initial design brief, Douglas Richey, who
heads Burger’s in-house interior design team, said, "The clients described
themselves as a more traditional family, and said they wanted that type of
atmosphere, but with contemporary accents, and they encouraged us to suggest
special features." An unusually soft-spoken Chicagoan, Richey’s eyes fairly
danced as he toured through the "special features."
Unlike most U.S. yachts that receive guests at a starboard-side
entry, Mirgab V will typically moor stern-to, and her stern, with its
matched pair of boarding stairs and spacious aft deck sporting elegant Louis
Quinze–style teak chairs, begins both the welcome—and the yacht’s departures
from her
predecessors. Throughout Mirgab, the planked decks from
Teakdecking Systems were scrubbed and treated with a process that turned the
wood a pale, silvered tan. Almond-colored caulking eliminates the black lines
that often hijack exterior design schemes and imparts the look of desert sand,
while at the same time offering a cooler surface to bare feet.
The bridge-deck foyer showcases the
fluted column design and royal red onyx sole. The doorway leads to the VIP
suite (middle photo). Burger’s carpenters created myriad details, such as the
diamond-patterned floor inlay (bottom photo) on the passageway to the staff cabin
and galley. Top photograph by Dana Jinkins. Middle photograph by Matthieu Carlin. (Click images to enlarge)
Inside curved-glass aft doors, handsome cabinets flank a broad
expanse of golden onyx. Featuring concealed pullout counters, the cabinets do
double duty as an aft-deck service pantry and guest vestibule, while setting a
certain formality for the entire yacht.
Satin-finished natural makoré joinery accented by amboyna burl
creates a rich backdrop throughout, but it is especially grand in the main-deck
salon and master suite, where it showcases the joiner’s art from the tray
ceiling details down to the furniture and toe kicks. A pale wool and silk carpet
hand-loomed by Scott Group Custom Carpets in Michigan and textured solid-color
upholstery create contrast. Although the furniture arrangement appears
symmetrical—a pattern fostering serenity—the entire arrangement is offset to
port to allow a starboard-side traffic flow. While each of the large square
windows in the salon is fitted with Roman shades, acres of subtly striped cream
and gold silk organza draperies cascade to the floor from concealed rods. These
drapes can shield the room from the aft deck and the quay beyond, or for a
completely different experience, they can surround the entire room like a
shimmering tent.
Richey’s next special feature is a starboard verandah. A
20-foot section of bulwark opposite the salon’s seating area manually hinges
down to be in line with the passageway, offering guests unobstructed views of
the sea. More than just a French balcony, the verandah utilizes the starboard
passage as part of its area, so that guests can actually walk through a sliding
glass door to stand, or sit and enjoy the breeze.
The forward portion of Mirgab V’s salon is arranged as a
formal dining area, with a table that can expand to seat the entire retinue of
up to 14 in the owner’s party. A glittering 42-inch chandelier, each prism
permanently wired into place, only hints at the next special feature in
store.
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