Kokomo: Armony and speed

Written by Carlos Serra

On board

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The competition to own the world largest sloop will never find a winner.The owner of Kokomo manages, however, to stand out with a harmonious design, with a discreet profile and a performance well much superior to those of larger designs.

Whoever saw, a year ago, the ver y tall rig of Kokomo manoeuvring among the fleet cruising Palma de Mallorca waters during the SuperYacht Cup would have perceived the grandeur of its dimension. It is, in fact, one of the largest sailboats built by Alloy Yachts to date and also is, nearly, the most superlative design of the prolific Ed Dubois. Its 63 meters carbon mast was on that date the tallest one manufactured by Southern Spars, and its main the longest 3DL sail ever made by North Sails. And although not everything is obvious from the distance, because the excellent proportions of its design confuse and hide the true dimension, it is for sure that its speed, its wake and the scale of its passengers are clear enough messages. The will of Kokomo’s owner was to bring together within a sloop rig the power that the 52 meters length of the machine offered, and although Kokomo is not the largest sloop in the world, it does occupy the first place as far as its vocation for speed: Kokomo shows against other single masted sailboats like Tiara or some Perini an obvious advantage in the rigging, in lightness and everything that, when we talk about sailing, expresses speed. The interior layout demanded by the owner, who already owned another Kokomo designed by Dubois and built by the New Zealander shipyard, was the one that set the final dimensions of the unit. Essential in that ideal accommodation was to bring together on the same level the outer poop deck, the saloon and the formal dining room, that would therefore constitute a continuum and would have the same importance, in the style of what we can see on a Perini and other sailboats over 50 meters. Dubois managed to enlarge the capacity of the superstructure, that on Kokomo extends much more than what is usual on his designs, without giving to the profile of this boat the massive presence that those glassed deck houses usually produce. He extended the projection towards the stern, he sank in the deck the main poop deck and produced an almost identical profile to those of his 40 meters designs but with much more capacity. Finally, he managed to obtain over the mentioned structure to position a fly bridge that is almost as ample as on the already mentioned ketches and that, in addition, could become the focal point of the activity both when the boat is sailing as well as when at anchor.
  

Approach towards the outside

The distribution of the main deck was carefully planned to both ensure the circulation and the exchange between the two inner atmospheres and the outer space supplement. In that layout it was also searched for the ease of use, that along with a rather relaxed decoration, would guarantee the approach of the guests towards the outer large windows, the deck and what is most important of the boat: the sea that surrounds it. When Kokomo is planning its cruising areas, mainly in the Mediterranean and the tropic, the outer areas play a key role.The fly bridge is accessed by a staircase arranged in the poop deck and whose free standing steps lean onto a stainless steel structure. Its steering positions are Kokomo’s brain when under sail, and offers to the occasional helmsman a perfect vision that extends from the bow to the stern, besides putting to their reach the buttons and the joysticks that control the winches and the captives for the manoeuvre. It is also that fly bridge that, with its folding bimini, a privacy and rest area for the owners or their guests, were they can shut themselves away from the onlookers or even from the crew. The aft deck, another outer area to be enjoyed, uses a large U shaped sofa and can be surrounded with folding parasols. Its utility is limited to the heat intensity, and for that reason it extends into the semi sunken poop deck that comes after and that enjoys the protection from the projection of the fly bridge. There, by the entrance height difference, there is a very large table for 10 guests followed by two comfortable sofas facing a central coffee table. All that area, communicated by sliding doors with the real saloon, can turn into a second saloon thanks to the sophisticated glass panels by means of elevator that close it on both sides. Powerful air conditioned flows air jets, whose nozzles are concealed by the wood grid in the ceiling, ensure the air conditioning at will and turn thus that terrace into inhabitable place regardless of how sultry the room temperature might be.

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