Ohana Is a Powerful Regatta Beast Disguising as a Graceful Floating Resort

Ohana is a name that instantly brings to mind the Pacific area's culture and traditions, including sailing. It perfectly matches the head-turning silhouette of this Kiwi sailing superyacht launched over a decade ago. Ohana easily turns heads with its majestic sails and unusual dark grey hull, highlighted by striking yellow horizontal lines. Although a successful charter yacht, Ohana feels right at home competing in regattas.

In addition to this dual nature, this New Zealand-born vessel is also a winner on all fronts. Design-wise, it was shortlisted soon after its launch for numerous awards in multiple categories, including naval architecture, exterior styling, and interior design.

Performance-wise, it gained recognition during multiple professional competitions. In 2015, it dazzled at the Dubois Cup. Three years later, it ranked fourth at the prestigious Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta, where agile vessels have to circumnavigate the gorgeous islands of the La Maddalena archipelago.

Last but not least, Ohana even won awards for its successful charter operations. Thanks to its excellent crew, it got the "Charter Crew of the Year" in 2018.

At just under 50 meters (163 feet), Ohana is a sailing superyacht with an imposing stature. It came to life at a Kiwi shipyard in 2012. It was designed by the acclaimed Dubois Naval Architects and represented the 8th vessel created by this team in collaboration with the Fitzroy Yachts yard.

Officially a flybridge sloop (a one-masted sailing boat with a mainsail), Ohana is configured like a luxurious superyacht, with generous accommodations and sophisticated interiors. At the same time, with a proven regatta history, it's a fast and reliable boat that can delight guests with high-speed, adventurous sailing.

Thanks to the impressive length and 366 GT volume, Ohana can comfortably accommodate up to ten guests across five elegant staterooms, with enough room left for the quarters of a large eight-people crew.

The modern master suite is just as opulent as the ones found on large motor yachts. It includes a private en-suite bathroom, a generous wardrobe, and a separate office space. The five-cabin layout also includes two doubles and two twins. All of them feature elegant walls with wooden insertions and modern recessed lighting.

The spacious main salon, with an integrated area for formal dining, is even more inviting thanks to the large windows on each side, extending to port and starboard. This keeps it flooded with natural light during the day, also offering wonderful views. The salon also reveals a separate cinema area with plenty of space for everyone onboard – the most coveted spot for relaxing after a day of thrilling sailing.

Those who want to admire the yacht at full speed and get the best views can spend more time on the flybridge. Perfectly furnished with cozy seating and large cocktail tables, it becomes an excellent spot for taking all the action without sacrificing comfort. The other outdoor areas include plenty of space for sunbathing, lounging, and al-fresco dining with partial shading.

An elegant staircase connects all the areas on board Ohana, leading to a surprisingly large swim platform. A speedy toy itself, Ohana also comes with a rich selection of smaller toys, including water skis, paddle boards, an 11-meter (36 feet) Coupe tender, and a 5.8-meter (19 feet) Zodiac Milpro tender.

While the onboard guests enjoy lounging in the sun, dining in the open air, or watching a movie, this regatta beast cruises smoothly at 14 knots (11 mph/26 kph) and can cut through the waves at an impressive 18 knots (20.7 mph/33 kph). Its top-notch equipment includes one 1,400 HP Caterpillar engine and two 90 kW Northern Lights generators.

What makes Ohana extra special is that its builder is no longer in operation. Peter White-Robinson founded Fitzroy Yachts in the mid-90s. The yard's first launch was the 24.7-meter (81 feet) Spirit of Fitzroy in 1997. The Kiwi yard built increasingly larger sailing yachts, going from the 37-meter (121 feet) Moonbird in 2003 to the 50-meter (164 feet) Zefira in 2010. Zefira is the biggest Fitzroy Yachts model to date, closely followed by the 49.7-meter Ohana.

Sadly, just two years after Ohana's successful debut, the New Zealand-based shipyard had to shut down due to financial reasons. The 37.5-meter (123 feet) Escapade, launched in the spring of 2014, was the company's final launch and will always be remembered as its swansong.

Ohana is one of the few sailing superyachts built by this now-defunct New Zealand builder, which makes it rare and valuable. Those who want to find out what it's like to cruise onboard can find Ohana in the Mediterranean, with weekly rates starting at €180,000 ($196,500).