Please select your home edition
Edition
PredictWind - Wave Routing 728x90 TOP

Do it on an empty stomach

by John Curnow, Global Editor, Powerboat.World 27 Aug 2024 23:00 PDT
Gliding along with the Terrara 39 © Salty Dingo

Now I bet you thought that means this editorial is going to be about seasickness. Uh-uh. Actually, it is about hospitality. More specifically, Turkish hospitality, which is incredibly generous, and always involves heaps of food. Don't eat for a week beforehand kind of thing, and be prepared for the obligatory food coma afterwards.

Alas we are nautical, not gastronomic here at Powerboat.World, that must mean the Terrara 39 is built in Istanbul, Türkiye. Indeed it is, and before it gets wrapped and put on the ship for Australia or New Zealand, you'll be there to drive it, and the party afterwards is where you'll get to see why the paragraph above is so important.

Never fear, for guiding you along the way will be Paul Kennedy, a Master Shipwright of some 42 years of experience, and the builders are led by a third and very proud generation in an 'old school' yard. That means hands on, and the Terrara's hull is hand-laid E-glass of 14 layers, to be as light as possible for the process, deliver high tensile strength, and offer enhanced flexibility to make curves. The deck and superstructure are a mix of solid and honeycomb construction.

Why so detailed so early? Well, the Terrara is not really a first up kind of boat. That's rare. When you get here, you know a thing or two, as well as the pointy end from the blunt. You want certain things, and you want them to work properly, and last. Also, when you look at the options, you see that there is an inline single 6 to take you into the low 20s, then a pair of fours in V-Drive format to get you into the mid 30s, and finally a twin D6 IPS setup to take you into the higher 30s. Horses for courses...

At a starting point of AUD849,000 landed and taxes paid (for now), it is compelling. There are a lot of boaters wanting an elegant sheerline (including a slight reverse at the prow), sculptured tumblehome, a very much traditionally oriented Downeast style in the Pilothouse, and then the odd, nice touch, such as the one-piece windscreen. Now if someone said wood, well, you're covered there, and it can be light or dark, big grain or soft, gloss or matte. Your call...

That's kind of the point here. What are you aiming to do? Maybe not so much utterly bespoke, as it is customised inside the existing framework. Paul, and his wife, Bahriye, so there's the Turkish connection BTW, have gone into this to make your ownership journey a very personal experience and curated adventure, not a shipwreck. This is the defining ethos for the whole evolution that stems from the original Terrara 18 picnic boat of about 15 years ago, that was built by Kennedy Shipwrights.

One of the best ways to get a handle on a boat, swiftly, is to look at the brightwork and timber flourishes. "We intend to keep the quality right up there," said Kennedy. "We will be there in Istanbul up to three times during each build."

The recent Sydney International Boat Show (where they handed out Turkish Delight to visitors) was a chance for the Terrara 39 to do her thing, which she did with great aplomb. "People were hopping on board, and stating 'This is really good, and it's got a lot more room than I thought it did.' That's terrific news, and we can do a lot of interior layout changes that would be a no price variation. Much of it comes down to colours and finishes (like gloss level), and with the hull, as long as it is in the International Paints catalogue, you can have it."

"It's all about being customisable, to nearly any level, for serious boaters wanting to do serious boating activity," said Kennedy. "Some are downsizing, others are on the way up the scale. I feel that the interested parties have been around boating a while, and they know exactly what they want."

"I believe in simplicity in boating. Not being overly complex with gadgets and technology, and just being able to get out on the water for a reasonable price. This is certainly resonating, with many commenting about how much more boat they can get with us than elsewhere. Quality is crucial to the whole equation. I am a boatbuilder, and the team creating the Terraras are boatbuilders. This is where our focus will be; with the boats." As an adjunct to it all, Paul's Brother-in-Law knows the builder personally. i.e. they're pretty tight...

Sometimes more is just, well, more

It is not just the Terrara 39 that is garnering interest. "We've definitely got plenty of enquiries," said Kennedy. "There's also distinct interest in our 53, which has a more sport yacht kind of feel. The factory has a 60 in build for the USA right now, so once more information comes out about that, I think that too will grab its fair share of attention."

"These are shaft drive boats, which definitely appeal to a particular kind of buyer. The 53 will be at the AUD2.4M mark landed (plus any options), and the 60-footer is more like €2M at the factory (plus any options). I think we will have a great story to tell for some time to come," said Kennedy in closing.

Right oh. Powerboat.World has an abundance of material from right across the globe, and if you cannot find something, just try the search button right up the top of the landing page, above our logo. If you cannot find what you want or wish to want to add to that, then please make contact with us via email.

Finally. Please look after yourselves.

John Curnow
Global Editor, Powerboat.World

Related Articles

The power of tech
What is the cost of safety? How do you measure it? More importantly, how do you appreciate it? What is the cost of safety? How do you measure it? More importantly, how do you appreciate it? Posted on 2 Jul
Some thoughts on provisioning for distance sailing
A new perspective on provisioning and time spent at sea One of the great joys of distance racing unfurls the moment that the dock lines are untied. Suddenly, the myriad packing lists that inevitably define most trip-planning efforts become about as relevant as a tax return from eight years ago. Posted on 1 Jul
Bill Guilfoyle on the 2025 Transpacific Yacht Race
Bill Guilfoyle discusses the 2025 Transpacific Yacht Race When it comes to offshore sailing in the United States, the biennial Transpacific Yacht Race reigns supreme for its distance and promise of off-the-breeze sailing angles. Posted on 1 Jul
Jazz Turner completes Project FEAR
Drama right to the end in her non-stop, solo, unassisted navigation of the British Isles Jazz Turner has completed Project FEAR, her non-stop, solo, unassisted navigation of the British Isles in her Albin 27 yacht. A flotilla of supporters met her in Seaford Bay, which grew and grew the closer they came to Brighton Marina. Posted on 1 Jul
One thing. One big, very fast boat
One thing that opened the door, another made us enquire some more - 50 knots! Yes. It was one thing that opened the door, as it were. One thing that piqued the curiosity enough to go, ‘I'll take a look at that!' One thing that when you're trying to crack in excess of 50 knots... Posted on 30 Jun
A brief history of marine instrument networks
Hugh Agnew has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge One man who has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge, is Hugh Agnew, the Cambridge-educated mathematician who is one of the founders of A+T Instruments in Lymington, so I spoke to him to find out more... Posted on 25 Jun
Harald Findlay on the 2025 Edgartown Race Weekend
A Q&A with Harald Findlay on the 2025 Edgartown Race Weekend When it comes to racing sailboats on the East Coast of the United States in the summer months, few places are as classic as the waters surrounding Martha's Vineyard's northwestern flank. Posted on 18 Jun
Sailing and the summer solstice
Celebrating sailing and the longest day of the year If you love long evenings and early mornings, this is one of the best times of the whole year, as the summer solstice (Friday, June 20) and the entire rich expanse of summer are about to burst into bloom. Posted on 17 Jun
Video Review: The Amazing Cure 55
Composite Construction meets Cruising Convenience It was two years ago at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show that I talked to Dave Biggar about his ideas and plans for the Cure 55. At the 2025 show I got to step on board the yacht and see how his ideas became reality. Posted on 17 Jun
The Big Bash
Every summer the tournament rolls into town. A short format of the game. Fun and excitement abound. Every summer the tournament rolls into town. Local and international players. A short format of the game, run over a relatively compact six-week season. Posted on 15 Jun
Hyde Sails 2024 - One DesignV-DRY-XArmstrong 728x90 - Wing FG Board Range - BOTTOM