ALOHA 34 Returned to the Pacific Ocean

[ALOHA34Guy]

Greetings All,

My username is ALOHA34Guy and I am an Australian powerboat driver who has "seen the light". So please be gentle as I feel my way around the genre', the forums and the east coast of OZ.
The real purpose of this introduction is to re-introduce an ALOHA34 build # 189 and HIN # 983631. This vessel was owned by Gary and Linda B, of Victoria BC, Canada who named her AMALTHEA.

This hardy vessel was widely reported LOST in the 2011 Cyclone YASI which struck north Queensland (AUS) and piled a lot of marina boats into a corner of the marina when the tsunami went up over the pontoon pylons and everything in the marine became mobile.
#189 finished on her side, resting on a pontoon above water level with severe paint and gel-coat damage but surprisingly no structural damage and no hull penetration. She went through an insurance process and then disappeared from the ocean for 4 years.

#189 was completely, expertly and perfectly returned to 100% seaworthy by a boat builder and shipwright who specializes in gel and fiberglass repair. I am so fortunate to have purchased #189 from him and have now registered and insured (a breeze) the vessel and she is now being prepared for an east coast major shakedown sail in May 2017. Prior to that, I will learn my craft locally from Townsville Breakwater Marina in the north QLD region.

So, finally #189 - AMALTHEA has been renamed "SV ELLI" on the bow it looks like "Elli" ... and she will become my home in January 2017. If anyone has contact with Gary and Linda - please inform them that AMALTHEA/ELLI is in very good hands and looks "perfect". I have their writings in my ship's log.
Cheers,
Mike Verney
Townsville, QLD
l.mikeverney@gmail.com

[robert sailor]

Great all around cruising boat, enjoy yourself. R

[Schrewsburyduo]

Hi Mike welcome! - pls post photos. Sounds like an amazing boat. What other systems? Curious the horse power of the diesel etc. I like the shape of the boat. The fin keel looks a lot like mine (Ericsson 32), but the stern seems slightly wider and beefier with a skeg mounted rudder. Is it cutter rigged?

[cgrabens]

Congrats! We found an Aloha 34 sitting in Tennessee, USA and have made it to Tampa, FL so far. Likely headed to the Caribbean this winter. Theres an Aloha 34 owners email group, and I can send you that info if interested.

[ALOHA34Guy]

Originally Posted by Schrewsburyduo

Hi Mike welcome! - pls post photos. Sounds like an amazing boat. What other systems? Curious the horse power of the diesel etc. I like the shape of the boat. The fin keel looks a lot like mine (Ericsson 32), but the stern seems slightly wider and beefier with a skeg mounted rudder. Is it cutter rigged?

Hey S-Duo, Engine is Westerbeke 27HP and has standard RayMarine instrumentation so far. These next 3 months will see all the instruments talking to a pop-up 19 inch touch screen hiding in the chart table when not in use. This will integrate Nav, Weather, WiFi and some camera security features for cruising north of AUS. At the moment Elli is sloop rigged but a cutter format is not out of the question yet. Is the mast back far enough for cutter rig on a 34? There seems to be enough room for a second rig forward. At the moment I don't know enough to comment further.
Cheers friend.

[ALOHA34Guy]

Hello CJG, I know of a yahoo based group but it is not so active. If you know of another I would be very interested. Cheers and THXs Friend.

[redpointist]

Yes that's the one I was thinking of. We asked a lot of questions initially, but not lately. They had a quarterly newsletter going for like 15 years but no one is maintaining it these days. However if you ask in the yahoo group I'm sure someone can send you the pdf containing all the old newsletters, which is a useful resource.

[ALOHA34Guy]

Hey Redpoint,
That's the one, the coordinator in retirement is a sailor called Les H in Ontario. He sent me the CD with absolutely everything including a known rundown of every ALOHA34 in the fleet. I found Elli under her first name "Amalthea" so I have completed the circle. Thanks for the info, please stay in touch. Cheers and THXs.
Mike V.