Kualani: Luxury 50ft Launch
Circa 1972
Build Date
Athol Burns/ Jorgesens & Sons Ltd
Boat Designer/Boat Builder
50′ 5″
Length
14′ 7″
Beam
Kualani’s Design and Build
Built for the prominent Wellington Businessman Hugh Carter, Kualani was designed to be luxury launch. As a top executive at McKenzies department store which was founded by his uncle Sir John McKenzie, Carter was able to demand the best.
As such, the brief he gave to the boats designer Athol Burns was strict. He wanted a boat that was able to handle the sea in all conditions, had the strongest construction possible and had impeccable workmanship. The engines needed to be the best available and installed to keep the noise and vibration to a minimum. Kualani started life with two Gardner 5LW engines which have likely been replaced now. The Kualani was also to have full head height and accommodation for up to 8 people.
Jorgensen & Sons Ltd. Were commissioned to build the boat in their Waikawa Bay boatyard. They used heart grade timbers with kauri throughout the hull and spotted gum for the backbone and framing. All the fittings and finishes inside were made with mahogany and the floors were covered with thick wool carpet.
Hugh Carter’s Tragic Death
Sadly, Carter only got to enjoy his boat for a short time as he died within a year of Kualani’s completion. Carter had donated $75,000 towards the build of the Carter Fountain in Oriental Bay, Wellington. The fountain was planned in honour of his parents. To enjoy the launch of the fountain Carter brought Kualani round to Wellington for the switch on which was scheduled for 16 March 1973. The following Tuesday night Carter disappeared at midnight while several of his friends were on the boat. Hist body was found at Queens Wharf the next morning. Carter was only 55 and left behind a wife and four children.
Following Carters death, his estates trustees put Kualani on the market. After this sale not much is known about the Kualani but in January 2022 she was spotted in the Bay of Islands by Waitemate Woodys.
References
To research Kualani we used jorgensenboats.nz, stuff.co.nz and Wikipedia.
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