Photo: Freedom Marine
A vessel’s destiny can have so many twists and turns that it goes from one honorable position to the opposite. A venerable boat that has served in New Zealand’s Royal Navy and was then converted into a luxury explorer ended up being used for illegal activities. Hopefully, a new, better chapter is about to be written in its history.
It’s not uncommon for former military vessels to be converted after a lengthy service so that they can gain a second life as pleasure crafts. M/Y Kahu, built in 1979 at Whangarei Engineering & Construction, was only used to patrol missions before it went on a different path decades later. In 2011 it underwent an extensive refit at Fitzroy Yachts after being purchased by the shipyard’s owner with the purpose of turning it into a premium family explorer.
The refit of the “Moa” class vessel with a length of 122 feet (37 meters) added to approximately 100,000 hours. Its owner at the time, Peter White-Robinson, told Superyacht Times that in addition to the upgraded electronics and navigation system, Kahu boasted a lot of new equipment, including stabilizers, a third generator, and a sewage treatment plant.
In terms of performance, the results were impressive – the former Navy vessel increased its range from 1,300 miles (2,000 km) to 8,000 (12,870 km) at a speed of 8 knots (9 mph/14.8 kph), with a fuel capacity that was almost double.
In terms of design, although all of its six cabins remained below deck, they were equipped with bathrooms and beautifully decorated. The galley became an ultra-modern family kitchen, and guests were able to enjoy a generous salon and a jacuzzi. But the fresh luxury yacht didn’t get to explore too much before it was sold once again due to the shipyard and its owner’s financial troubles.
Now, a decade later, it’s headed for auction. It turned out that its exploring capabilities were being used for all the wrong reasons - last year, it was intercepted in international waters, and its crew was arrested in a counter-narcotics operation. Sadly, the ship that was initially a patrol boat had become the exact opposite.
As the owner who was using it for illegal activities is now awaiting a sentence in the UK, Kahu is getting ready to go under the hammer. With an estimated worth of $1.3 million (£1 million), this venerable ship will hopefully gain back its dignity.
The refit of the “Moa” class vessel with a length of 122 feet (37 meters) added to approximately 100,000 hours. Its owner at the time, Peter White-Robinson, told Superyacht Times that in addition to the upgraded electronics and navigation system, Kahu boasted a lot of new equipment, including stabilizers, a third generator, and a sewage treatment plant.
In terms of performance, the results were impressive – the former Navy vessel increased its range from 1,300 miles (2,000 km) to 8,000 (12,870 km) at a speed of 8 knots (9 mph/14.8 kph), with a fuel capacity that was almost double.
In terms of design, although all of its six cabins remained below deck, they were equipped with bathrooms and beautifully decorated. The galley became an ultra-modern family kitchen, and guests were able to enjoy a generous salon and a jacuzzi. But the fresh luxury yacht didn’t get to explore too much before it was sold once again due to the shipyard and its owner’s financial troubles.
Now, a decade later, it’s headed for auction. It turned out that its exploring capabilities were being used for all the wrong reasons - last year, it was intercepted in international waters, and its crew was arrested in a counter-narcotics operation. Sadly, the ship that was initially a patrol boat had become the exact opposite.
As the owner who was using it for illegal activities is now awaiting a sentence in the UK, Kahu is getting ready to go under the hammer. With an estimated worth of $1.3 million (£1 million), this venerable ship will hopefully gain back its dignity.
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