KATHERINE – A Peek Down Below

Back in Feb 2020 I wrote on WW that launches like Katherine would be the future of classic / spirit of tradition boating – in a nutshell – stunning looks, voluminous interior and low maintenance.  Katherine was built is 2013 by Robertson Boats, her design lead by Conrad Robertson. But her roots go back much longer than that – back to the Hokianga Harbour where a workboat played its trade, the hull of which ended up in a farm shed. The hull was moved to Robertson’s yard in Warkworth, where a mould was taken off the old hull, as an aside – the old hull was refurbished and repurposed as a charter steamboat.

When you view Katherine, her lower hull is glass and from the green section up she is wood – the best of both worlds in terms of water ingress and maintenance. Katherine was purchased in Jan 2018 by accomplished professional boat builder Allan Hooper who immediately started reviewing and enhancing the launch, this included designing and adding the rig and a lot more mods. I challenge anyone to show me a sub 40’ launch with more internal volume, with the same standard of fit out, there is even sound proofing built in 🙂

Some specs – 38’ in length, 9’6” beam and draws just 3’. Forward motion is via a Lombardini 60hp diesel engine, new in 2013, this gives Katherine a comfortable cruising speed of 8 knots. A consideration in these days of raising fuel prices, Katherine only sips 3.5L an hour. Fuel capacity is 330L and water 750L. An added bonus is the 6’6” headroom.
WW has good readership amongst the serious woodys on the USA WoodenBoat Forum, one of the WBF guru’s once commented on Katherine –  ‘Like that, vertical stem, raised deck, spoon stern. What else would you want’.

The Wooden Boat Bureau is looking for a new owner for Katherine, interested parties seeking more information – contact waitematawoodys@waitematawoodys

26-01-2023 SOLD