Loosely translated from Hawaiian, “kaha lani” means “heavenly place.” While many megayacht owners think of their vessels that way, the owner of Kahalani is making sure she conveys it to the world from her nameboards.
The new 55-meter (181-footer) hit the water at Feadship’s Royal De Vries yard earlier this month. (On a side note, while they weren’t from Hawaii, buglers from the British Light Infantry heralded the moment, thanks to the owner flying them in for the ceremony.) If Kahalani’s name is familiar, it’s because it’s the same as that of another Feadship this yachtsman previously owned. He bought the 43-meter (141-foot) Sea Sedan on the brokerage market several years ago. While he enjoyed that experience, he wanted to build a custom yacht this time around, his first.
To make her stand out, he worked closely with De Voogt Naval Architects on styling. As a result Kahalani bears teak caprails on each deck, dark-grey accents on her superstructure, and rounded dogers, among other things – none of which, unfortunately, are visible in the only launch photo that Feadship released. Guess we’ll have to wait until delivery to see them – which is when the interior elements will be visible, too. The owner closely collaborated on those with Rémi Tessier, selecting hardwood soles throughout, complemented by Macassar ebody paneling inlaid with sycamore. Among the rooms of note is a dedicated children’s cabin, in addition to four other guest staterooms.
At the launch ceremony, the owner gave an impassioned speech about what it was like working with the design and build teams and how he’d considered a variety of leading yards from Australia to the United States before choosing Royal De Vries in Holland. Feadship released part of his speech, which included the following: “I made the right decision, and it is obvious to see why the skills and attention to detail that Feadship offers are the envy of shipbuilders worldwide. For anyone who appreciates fine craftsmanship and has a truly great passion for quality, this is without doubt the best place on the planet to have a yacht built. Thank you for translating my dream into reality.”
Or, summed up in Hawaiian, the sentiment would be, “Mahalo.”
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