Is This The Best Restoration Of A Sub 36’ Wooden Classic Launch
Todays woody has made a few guest appearances on WW. I first bumped into the 34’ Kailua when she was owned by Waiheke woody – Graham Guthrie. Graham looked after her like one of the family, retaining master tradesman – Mark Stapleton, as the ‘hired-hand’. Mark looked after the annual maintenance and undertook any structural repairs when and if required.
Kailua was designed and built in 1961 by Bob Salthouse using double skin kauri, with teak/mahogany combings. As launched (b/w photo below) she was named Lady Beryl. She was built for L M Lincoln of Glen Eden, and to quote Harold Kidd ‘there were further clones because it was such a damn nice boat’.
Back in 2016, Graham sold Kailua – it was a slightly unusual sale i.e. the buyer wanted a Waiheke Island mooring, which are almost impossible to buy – but there was an easy solution – buy a residents boat and acquire the mooring 🙂 Only one problem , the buyer fell in love with Kailua. So next thing she is being hauled out at the Nautique yard for the biggest birthday of her life, we are talking a no budget, no expense spared re-build (refer photos below of the process).
If you walk the docks as much as I do you learn that most marinas have a lot of boats whose owners became addicted to the restoration process, then when finished realised that there were other things happening in their life that rate higher on the family ‘to-do-list’. Now fast forward a couple of years and her owner has purchased again and their instructions are very short and sweet – sell Kailua please.
So woodys, if you are looking for a turn-key classic launch that without a doubt is the finest in the sub 36 feet category – Kailua is your boat. Initial expressions of interest to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
SOME INFO:
Kailua is a very deceptive classic, she is fast – several years ago James Mobberley from Moon Engines, shoe-horned in a 160hp turbo Hino engine & this provides Kailua with the means to lift her skirt & dance i.e. 10>12 knots cruising speed. She won the CYA Rudder Cup launch race in the 2009/10 season.
Moon’s have done the same transplant to several other classics (Falcon and Romance II) placing them all in the serious zoom zoom category (for old classic wooden craft). The one difference with Kailua is that her owner in 2016 commissioned a super yacht standard engine insulation fit-out, so unlike her sister re-powers, she now has a subdued hot-rod purr 🙂
Included in the 2016 re-build was new paint job and Uroxsys varnish treatment inside and out. Professionally re upholstered, carpeted and new teak flooring + new galley and head set up. Viewing her, what is so cool is that her owner has retained the fittings that make her what she is – a very special classic woody.
For seriously interested parties – I have a copy of the 2016 Beale Boats structural survey, prior to the re-fit and the vessel will be hauled out from December 3rd for her annual maintenance, thereby providing interested parties the opportunity to view the vessel out of the water.
I’ll be bold and make a predication – if Kailua does not sell soon, her owner will re-list her in late 2020 and most likely achieve a sale price $50k above what she can be acquired for today.
Some one wanting a state-of-the-art, fully restored, fast and good looking woody – to view / entertain friends and business associates on for the America’s Cup and associated events will snap her up.
Lady Beryl
