PERTH, Western Australia -- You may never have Greg Norman's golf game, but you'll soon be able to have his boat.

The two-time British Open champion has expanded his relationship with Oceanfast, a premier builder of luxury motor yachts, to to develop the "Norman Expedition Yachts" line of luxury yachts inspired by the man they call the "Great White Shark."

The first in the series will be Norman's personal expedition yacht. "Aussie Rules" will be a 228-foot aluminum-hulled luxury motor yacht engineered for long-range ocean cruising and exploration.

Greg Norman's "Aussie Rules," the first Norman Expedition Yacht, will be 228-feet long, with a 42-foot sportsfisherman on the aft deck. Click here for more images.

"Aussie Rules" and the "Norman Expedition Yachts" will be an entirely new classification of yacht unlike any other ever built. Each will provide the exploration essentials typical of a commercial expedition vessel without sacrificing the luxury of a traditional yacht -- a marriage of Jacques Cousteau's "Calypso" and a modern-day cruise ship.

Its design and engineering will allow it to undergo a broad range of expeditions and voyages from the Antarctic to the Amazon. Its aft deck will house a 42-foot Sportsfisherman and the equipment necessary to offload it and other watercraft including tenders and submersibles. A decompression chamber will be housed in its lazarette.

"Austal (Oceanfast's parent) is already one of the leading manufacturers of high-performance aluminum-hulled vessels and fast ferries, and the "Norman Expedition Yacht" will propel Oceanfast to its objective of becoming the world's leading luxury yacht designer and manufacturer," said Oceanfast and Austal Group Chairman John Rothwell. "Nearly a year ago, Greg sent us his mission statement for the project. From that, we were able to meet his requirements by designing the first full-displacement luxury yacht ever built by Oceanfast. His experience as a yachtsman and sportsman has and will continue to influence our design of the world's most unique and luxurious expedition series created. Greg has long been regarded as an innovator and his desire to develop this series of yachts is a testament to that."

In Perth for the announcement, Norman said, "Any yacht built is only as good as its specs, and 'Aussie Rules' is spec'd out better than any yacht on the ocean. My team and I have worked for more than 10 months, studying different options available around the world, and I finally settled with Oceanfast for many reasons. One, Oceanfast is one of the few builders in the world that could manage a project of this magnitude. Two, they are the premier aluminum boat builder in the world because of their experience generated through Austal Ships. And three, I have a history with Oceanfast, and whenever practical I strive to support Australian products built by Australian people."

Rothwell added, "Since acquiring Oceanfast, our market research has determined the company needs to add displacement yachts to its product line. Most motor yacht builders are offering steel due to their limited skills in quality aluminum construction techniques. With our huge collective experience we will be offering the superiority of aluminum instead of steel for displacement yachts."

"Aussie Rules'" beam will be 38 feet, and the ship will comfortably accommodate 12 guests in six cabins. Its power will come from two 2,000 horsepower CAT engines producing a top speed of 15.5 knots and its range will be approximately 8,000 nautical miles.

The vessel is scheduled for delivery in July 2002. This is the second Oceanfast yacht Norman has owned - the first was an 87-foot sportsfisherman purchased in 1995.

Oceanfast is a member of the Austal Group (acquired May 1999). Collectively, the Austal Group of shipbuilding companies has one of the most substantial product bases offered by any shipbuilder worldwide and employs more than 1,600 people at its three Western Australia Shipyards. Austal is a world leader in the design and manufacture of high performance aluminum vessels and is the world's largest manufacturer of fast ferries.