Kokomo


A repeat customer and Alloy Yachts recently pulled off the yachting version of a hat trick with the delivery of Kokomo. She’s the third same-named yacht the team has collaborated on – and equally important, she’s the largest sailing yacht ever to be built in New Zealand. Her LOA: 58.4 meters (191’6”).


Designed by Dubois Naval Architects, which also designed the previous two builds for this owner and Alloy Yachts, Kokomo is a fast flying-bridge sloop. Besides marking a successful re-teaming of an owner, builder, and designer, she marks several significant milestones, many stemming from her owner’s emphasis on performance under a variety of conditions:


  • she’s the 20th Dubois design built by Alloy

  • her mast is the largest to date from Southern Spars, rising 74.3 meters (244 feet); it’s also the longest autoclave mast in existence

  • her sails are the largest set ever made by Doyle Sails; the asymmetric gennaker alone is 2,227 square meters (more than 23,970 square feet), also the largest the company has ever made

  • she features the largest captive winches that Alloy has made thus far (it casts all its own winches)

  • the raise/lower ballasted keel design is new for both Alloy Yachts and Dubois: a keel tower comes up through the yacht’s center, permitting the entire bulb to be raised and lowered

  • she’s the first Alloy to feature submarine anchors – launched and retrieved from the underside of the hull; underwater lights and cameras allow the process to be monitored, with the electronics linked to Alloy Yachts’ trademark SeaTouch monitoring system

  • her vast teak foredeck stretches all the way aft to the mast and is clutter-free due to plentiful under-deck storage for tenders (two of which were custom-made), their launching cranes, and sailing equipment alike

  • even the spa pool is inset into the foredeck, conveniently fitted with a teak cover when not in use.

    • Here’s a good look at the newest Kokomo, which is available for charter. (Contact any reputable charter broker to book a trip.) Note that there are five staterooms for 12 guests, plus six cabins for 12 crew, a nice guest-to-crew ratio. The interior decor, highlighted by dark wenge wood with light-tone wood accents and plentiful brown leather, is by Redman Whiteley Dixon. There's also artwork used throughout as brightly punctuating accents:

    Written by: Diane Byrne
    Diane M. Byrne is the founder and editor of the daily updated website Megayacht News. A longtime yachting writer, she also contributes to Yachts International, Boat Exclusive, and other magazines. She is additionally a member of the International Superyacht Society Board of Directors and Vice Chair of the U.S. Superyacht Association.