CLASSIC WOODEN MOTOR-SAILER –  KAIKOURA – A Peek Down Below

The 36’ classic wooden motor-sailer – KAIKOURA was for sale earlier this year, and it must have sold because I had numerous people enquiring about her – she ticked a lot of boxes and her size was an added bonus i.e. not too big.

KAIKOURA was built in Wellington in 1959, builder unknown, for a Mr. Palmer, it has been commented that she was a ‘Scottish Drifter’ design. She was used as a pleasure craft by the Palmer, then Blundell families through the 1960s. In the early 1970s Kaikoura was commercially used by ‘Mana Island Transport Services’ then from 1972 till 1974 as the Wellington Police launch. Kaikoura’s fourth owner from 1974 to 1999 was Mr George Jannis. George added masts and sails initially and a new engine, new keel bolts and fuel tanks in 1988. Kaikoura made many trips to the Sounds over these 25 years, then finding a home there with a new owner till 2008. From 2008 to 2017 Kaikoura, now based in Dunedin, was frequently used as a harbour and peninsula pleasure launch and occasionally entering, and winning club sail races (in her class of one).  Ten days after taking ownership of “Kaikoura” in late 2017 her owners did the first of several trips to the bottom of Stewart Island, they also made a winter trip to Wellington, the Sounds and D’Urville Island.

Forward motion is via a Cummins B Series 6BT5.9 As you would expect for a Southern lass she is very well appointed.

Given my attraction to the work-boat look, in another life she could have been mine 🙂

SAD NEWS ON THE EX WWII NAVY 72’ SHIP – KUPARU News reports have her abandoned off Ninety Mile Beach on the West Coast of the North Island over the weekend. Crew all safe and rescued by helicopter. 2018 WW story on the vessel here https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/10/04/hmnzs-kuparu-hdml/