Katrina II: How one family’s history is entwined with this K-class beauty
Built by Percy Vos for the well-known sailor Jim Faire in 1956/57, Katrina II was the darling of the harbour, collecting trophies galore in regattas and races. Fast forward 75 years and today Jim’s great-granddaughters now loving cruising and racing aboard the boat, says their father Jonathan Tuohey, who co-owns the beautiful K-Class as part of a syndicate, and both of their grandfathers.
Katrina II was reportedly Jim’s favourite of the 17 boats he owned over the years, and he kept her until 1964, selling her to a family, who sold her to another family, who eventually sold her to Warren Tuohey, who in time sold a share of it to his son Jonathan - who as it turns out, is married to Laura, Jim’s grandaughter.
Today, grandfather Warren, Jonathan, Laura, and the three girls - Rosa (13), Margo (11) Eleanor (8) continue their involvement with the boat, along with Laura’s father, Peter Faire, a long-time Katrina crew member, making sailing and boat maintenance a popular conversation at family dinners.
Family snapshots over the decades: Left and middle: Circa 1960-62, the original Faire Family cruising on Katrina, probably at the bottom end of Waiheke. Rosa, Margo and Jon more recently. Photos / Supplied
Jonathan and Laura have taken the girls to most corners of the Hauraki Gulf including Kawau, Man o War Bay and Rakino and they get out racing when the conditions are right. The eldest, Rosa, has really loved it, and has picked up sailing through school.
Jonathan says sailing is a chance to appreciate the connection to their heritage. ”The girls love connection with the past, the fact their ‘grandpa Pete’ and ‘grandad Warren’ used to sail on Katrina, they feel a special bond with the boat.”
It’s also an opportunity for the family to unplug and unwind and he says they like the slow pace, and are all great swimmers. Waiheke is a favourite destination for all of them.
“From the Faires to the Fultons, then Howsons via Bartletts and back to us, we are the first and fifth family to own the boat – it was designed and built as a racing and cruising boat and has always been owned by families.”
ABOUT KATRINA II
Katrina II is a Bob Stewart designed K Class, built by Percy Voss in 1956/57. She has collected trophies consistently over the last 8 decades. Regarded by many as the most beautiful of the K Classes, Katrina II has a kauri hull and decks, and was restored in 2021 by Peter Brookes.
Type: Classic Yacht: 1940’s to 1970’s | LOA: 12.50m | LOD: 12.50m | BEAM: 2.72m | DRAUGHT: 1.85m DESIGNER: Bob Stewart | BUILDER: Percy Vos | PLACE BUILT: Vos Sailyard | BUILT: 1957 | LAUNCHED: 1957