Feadship is not only one of the greatest superyacht builders of all time but also one of the most prolific. Numerous Feadship superyachts are very well-known and enjoy international superstar status, but there are also many of them leading a secretive life in full privacy. One of these yachts, which has recently come to the surface, is Kahalani.
The owners were so proud of their new pleasure craft that they turned its naming ceremony into a truly memorable, royal-type event. There were guests from all over the world and hundreds of personnel attending. The new yacht even enjoyed its own “guard of honor” comprised of members of the Light Infantry. The owner flew them in specifically to welcome Kahalani with bugle sounds, like royalty. It was a Saturday, on January 16, 2010.
The new Feadship was luckier than most pleasure craft in its category. Instead of going from owner to owner, with multiple refits, transformations, and name changes, the awe-inspiring vessel enjoyed stability for more than a decade. Throughout this entire time, it has had one owner and the same captain and chief engineer since day one. Even better – the captain’s wife is also the yacht’s purser (the administrative and financial manager), and the duo has stayed loyal to Kahalani this entire time.
Photo: Cecil Wright
Having the same owner since launch meant that the 2010 Feadship was carefully maintained and used lightly. Yachting connoisseurs would be surprised to know that the venerable Kahalini has just a little over 4,000 hours of engine time and that it has never ventured out further than the Mediterranean despite its top-tier capabilities. The Med was Kahalani’s only playground for 13 years, which contributed to the yacht’s mysterious aura to this day.
This decade-old Feadship also boasts its original interiors, and they are truly worth admiring. You might think that Kahalini is most likely outdated, especially because it never had to deal with the stringent demands of the charter market. Still, you’d be pleasantly surprised to discover how tings really area. Kahalani is almost shockingly contemporary, bold, and glamorous. If it were to compete today against younger models, there’s no doubt it would snatch a few design awards. In fact, Kahalani is already an award winner.
Back in 2011, after its debut, it won the Interior Design Award for displacement motor yachts in the 100-199 feet category at the prestigious Showboat Design Awards. The one who created these award-winning interiors was the Paris-based Remi Tessier, one of the masters of superyacht design. Everything from the loose furnishings to the smallest decor item was a bespoke creation carefully added by Tessier.
Photo: Cecil Wright
One of Tessier’s finest touches was the exquisite white-and-black color palettes with a spectacular light and dark contrast. It’s what gives Kahalani its timeless elegance, together with the strategic use of precious woods such as Macassar ebony with sycamore inlays. This high-end interior design looks clean and glamorous at the same time, and it’s totally unique compared to today’s standard Scandinavian style onboard most yachts.
Although highly sophisticated and even sumptuous, Kahalani was ultimately meant to operate as a family pleasure craft, which is why its configuration mimics the comfort of a vast mansion. Out of the six en-suite staterooms, one was specifically designed as a children’s room. As you would expect from a 55-meter vessel with an 891 GT, it can comfortably accommodate up to 12 guests and a huge 13-person crew.
The configuration includes two spacious salons (the bridge deck one is full-beam, which is a rare feature for typical superyachts). The same deck houses a spectacular circular setup for formal indoor and outdoor dining, boasting a huge round table for 12 and sophisticated semi-circular sliding doors made of glass. Outside, these doors lead to large exterior areas for lounging and taking in the views.
Photo: Cecil Wright
The vas sundeck reveals a huge jacuzzi that can be easily spotted from a distance, a fully-equipped bar, and a second generous area for al-fresco dining, also big enough for 12 guests. Another generous lounge area with built-in seating can be found on the main aft deck. Comfortable stairs lead to the yacht’s swimming platform, with easy access to all the water toys.
As powerful as it is stylish, Kahalani was built for performance. It was designed in-house by Feadship’s De Voogt naval architects, famous for their engineering innovations. The massive vessel carries enough fuel to cover more than 5,600 nautical miles (10,300 km). Its twin Caterpillar engines allow it to hit 15 knots (27.7 kph). Despite the exclusive private ownership, this Feadship was also built to MCA and complies with several yachting classifications that enable charter operations.
Photo: Cecil Wright
Luxury charter cruising might be Kahalani’s future. The bespoke Feadship entered the market for the first time earlier this year, and it is still up for grabs. It’s asking for a whopping €42,5 million ($45.7 million). Still, this superyacht is also fully worthy of its beautiful Hawaiian name, which could be translated as “Heavenly Place.”
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