Photography by Chris Lewis of New Zealand
A new and advanced league of super sailing yacht
The latest Kokomo or Kokomo 2010 as she is affectionately known) was delivered to her owners in March by the builders Alloy Yachts
At 58.4 metres she is the largest yacht the largest ever built in New Zealand, the largest designed by Dubois Naval Architects of Lymington although they have designed larger that have yet to be launched and she is the twentieth Dubois design to be built by the yard.
The draught of such a large a yacht is the major consideration because access to harbours and beautiful anchorages would be severely limited if the ideal (for performance) fixed keel draught were constructed. Indeed it would probably not be possible for many yacht construction companies to launch a yacht with over 6 metres of draught.
A lifting keel is therefore crucial and Kokomo 2010 has just that; a 100 tonne bulb attached to a 30 tonne steel fin. The steel casing of the bulb is filled with lead and when in the fully lowered position this keel gives the yacht a depth of 8.1 metres (26.5ft). When raised, the draught reduces to 4.8 metres and allows access for Kokomo to most of the desirable harbours and anchorages of the world.
Although the steering is hydraulic, Alloy yachts have developed a feedback system, which senses the load on the rudder and through a separate motor gives feel to the helm. This is another first for Kokomo 2010 and it makes steering her an especially delightful experience.
Stability, depth of keel and hull form have all been designed with performance in mind but to give the power to get the best on this unique design the rig must match the hull and it was decided to dispense with any concern for Panamax mast height or indeed for passage through the Suez Canal, under the new bridge. The rig height of Kokomo is 74 metres off the water, which means that to voyage from the Pacific to the Atlantic Kokomo must sail under one or other of the Capes.
Viewed in isolation, with no scale apparent, no man on deck and no other relative object within sight, Kokomo could be 20 metres long, not almost 60; her proportions are that of a more modest creature of the sea. It is only as one approaches one can appreciate her immense size and power and only when one is sailing her, to windward particularly, can one appreciate just what an achievement has been reached.
Specification
- LOA 58.4m (191.59ft)
- LWL 52.2m (168.96ft)
- Beam 10.9m (35.76ft)
- Draught (keel raised) 4.8m (15.75ft)
- Construction Aluminium
- Engine 2 x Caterpillar diesel C18
- Gear box 2 x ZF 2300
- Propeller 2 x Hundested
- Thrusters American Bow Thruster
- Generators 2 x 69kw Caterpillar C4.4
- Fuel Capacity 50,166 litres
- Water Capacity 12,690 litres
- Sails Doyle Sails
- Sail Area 914m2
- Winches Alloy Yachts
- Furlers Reckmann
- Mast and Boom Southern Spars
- Designer Dubois Naval Architects
- Builder Alloy Yachts
- Interior Designer Redman Whiteley Dixon
- Project Manager Peter Wilson, MCM
- Launch March 2010
