MV Kalinda was built by Lars Halvorsen Sons in Ryde and launched in April 1950 in Sydney Harbour. She was then transported to the USA where she was subsequently sold to a car dealer in Los Angeles. Legend has it the next owner won the boat on a dice game called ‘Craps’ and renamed her ‘Hardway’. The winning dice are still rolling around in the bilges to this day.

She had many an owner and name but most excitingly a colourful life hosting parties, acting as a floating office, sporting a red roof and even had a spa in the cockpit!

In 2007, our love affair started online (as so many do these days) when we saw her for sale on the Internet in Seattle USA. After an agonising amount of paperwork, hoop jumping and logistics, Kalinda arrived home in Newcastle on board a cargo ship 6 months later.

The Restoration

The cool climate of North America was kind to this old girl so we were blessed with some perfect bones but a large task to restore MV Kalinda to her former glory. After being told ‘you’ll never get an old boat like her into commercial charter’ the challenge was set. Ensuring her original character was retained, award winning shipwright and vessel master, John Spry, lovingly stripped out 60 years of clutter and installed new features including diesel engines, waterproof bulkheads and fire and bilge systems. She has been pampered with a new roof, paneling, painted and varnished throughout, a new galley and head and decked out with period furniture.

Seven years later, our love affair with this unique example of hand crafted history continues to blossom. Now we would like to share the excitement and romance of a bygone era with you.