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Water Ways Ray Pendleton |
No place to go for
world class cruisersI can't believe how many times I've been asked the same question in the past week: "What's the story on that boat over at Waikiki Yacht Club?"
It's no wonder people are curious because "that boat" is a sleek, 131-foot, all-white motor vessel with its name -- CV-9 -- and its home port -- George Town, Cayman Islands -- inscribed across its 27-foot-wide transom.
And while such world-cruisers are common in ports like Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Hawaii is unlikely to see more than one visit here in any given year.
Regarding its name, those with a naval background may have already guessed the boat was named after the U.S. aircraft carrier Essex (CV-9) of World War II and Korean War fame.
The boat's original owner had been a naval aviator aboard the USS Essex, so when CV-9 was launched by Seattle-based Delta Marine in 1995, he christened it in the carrier's honor.
I got this and other information from CV-9's skipper, Hammond Oldham, as the yacht's present owner, an American businessman, prefers to stay out of the spotlight and remain anonymous.
Including Oldham and his wife Molly (who is also a licensed skipper), it takes a crew of eight to operate and maintain this floating mansion as it cruises around the world.
After a multi-month voyage through French Polynesia, Oldham told me, CV-9 made a stormy, nine-day passage from Tahiti to Oahu, only to discover its only available berth was at the commercial wharf at Aloha Tower Marketplace.
As the harbor's surge and the wharf's old, black-tire fenders were creating havoc with the yacht's gleaming white fiberglass topsides, the skipper and crew were delighted when they learned there was room at the WYC guest dock.
During a guided tour, I learned the yacht is powered by two 705-horsepower Caterpillar diesel engines that allow it to cruise at 12 knots while consuming fuel at about 40 gallons per hour.
Its combined fuel tanks hold 10,000 gallons, giving the boat a range of some 3,500 nautical miles. It has two 80-kilowatt generators to provide electricity and two water-makers that, together, can fill the boat's 2,500-gallon tank in a day.
CV-9's interior is totally air-conditioned and it has accommodations for 10 persons in five staterooms that include a master, a VIP and three guest cabins. All are provided with satellite TV, VCR, stereo CD and individual climate control.
The yacht's other creature-comforts include a main/dining saloon that is richly paneled in wood from a single Canadian elm tree.
There is also an aft-deck dining area, a sky-lounge entertainment area (both with wet bars) and a flying bridge that overlooks the boat deck where there are the "toys" like a Waverunner and a 17-foot rigid inflatable.
CV-9 will be spending just a few weeks here, rather than the months it spent in French Polynesia for the same reasons Hawaii doesn't often attract world-cruisers.
First, our islands are the most isolated in the world and we have few natural lagoons for safe anchorages. Then, to compound the problem, our state planners have historically limited our man-made harbors' facilities to barely meet the needs of our resident population.
Fortunately, there are a few private yacht clubs in Hawaii where the welcome mat is out for the cruisers of the world like CV-9.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Ray Pendleton is a free-lance writer based in Honolulu.
His column runs Saturdays in the Star-Bulletin.
He can be reached by e-mail at raypendleton@mac.com.