When American entrepreneur John Staluppi called with an audacious question—”Can you design a yacht that goes 50 knots?”—it launched one of yachting’s most legendary partnerships. Octopussy, built by Dutch yard Heesen to Frank’s innovative design, shattered the previous speed record by achieving 53.17 knots. Staluppi would later call Frank “the world’s best naval architect,” and this achievement proved that Dutch naval architecture could compete on the world stage.

While Mulder Design would become famous for its speed records, the studio had been quietly pioneering semi-displacement, round-bilged yachts capable of exceeding hull speed since the late 1980s. Moonraker represented the culmination of this research, reaching 66.7 knots during sea trials in Norway to become the world’s fastest megayacht. The innovative GRP hull featured a wharped bottom cobined with a unique trim tab system that delivered exceptional performance across all speed ranges—proving that speed and comfort weren’t mutually exclusive.

Blowzy showcased Mulder Design’s versatility beyond record-breaking speed. This gracious wide-body megayacht reconciled seemingly contradictory requirements: a voluminous interior with sumptuous open deck areas, ample toy storage, and a cavernous boathouse—all while maintaining sleek performance lines. The innovative hybrid propulsion system combined a gas turbine-driven booster jet for 38-knot sprints with two diesel wing engines for efficient 27-knot cruising, establishing a Mulder hallmark of engineering elegant solutions without compromise.

The World is Not Enough represented the ultimate expression of Mulder Design’s high-speed expertise. At 42 meters and capable of 67 knots, this Millennium 140 superyacht claimed the title of the world’s fastest motor yacht—a record she holds to this day. This marked the third time Mulder Design achieved the distinction of creating the fastest yacht in the world. Bas supervised the hull construction, realizing a design with a progressive deadrise hull that delivered minimum noise, zero vibration, and exhilarating comfort at cruising speeds in excess of 50 knots.

Spectre marked a new chapter with Mulder Design’s innovative High Speed Cruising Hull—delivering, compared to conventional displacement hulls, up to 40 percent increase in cruising speed without requiring additional engine power or lightweight construction. This spectacular 69-meter yacht, the ninth Staluppi project with Mulder Design, won four prestigious international awards in 2019, including the World Superyacht Award for Best Displacement Motor Yacht, proving that innovation wasn’t just about going faster—it was about going smarter.

After four decades at the helm, Frank Mulder stepped down, entrusting the studio’s future to Bas—a graduate of the same Haarlem naval architecture school where Frank’s journey began. Frank’s decision to retire came with the confidence that the studio he founded was in capable hands, with over 1,000 designs built and a reputation spanning from high-speed performance yachts to elegant displacement vessels.

Mulder Design’s 45th anniversary brought full-circle recognition when Frank Mulder received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Boat International Media. The judges praised an “unparalleled career” that saw more than 1,000 Mulder Design yachts launched, from Octopussy to Moonraker, World Is Not Enough and Spectre—an oeuvre of excellence spanning decades. As Bas leads the studio forward, the Mulder legacy continues: an unwavering commitment to hull efficiency, a refusal to accept compromises, and the belief that every yacht should make both its creators and owners proud.