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KALOKE is a wooden Dolphin built in Japan. S&S called these boats Mermaid 24's. She was built to S&S plans # 1497-S. More information on this design can be obtained by clicking here. Kerry has taken a few minutes off from his sanding to send us some pictures of KALOKE as she was 35 years ago before his father, Walt, sold her, and as she was found in Mystic, CT in the Fall of 2006 - when Kerry bought her back!
Here is Walt and KALOKE in 1973 ready for launch on the ways at Pine Island Marina, a small tidal marina in Stony Creek where they wintered the boat. He kept her on a mooring inside the Thimble Islands. KALOKE's name comes from the first two initials of the Lange kids' names - KAren, LOri, and KErry. Walt bought Kaloke in the middle 1960's from an American who got her as a gift for helping a Japanese company land a ship building contract in the US.
This is Kerry and his father Walt standing in front of KALOKE who, after many years, is about to head back home to Stony Creek and a new life. We first heard about this boat from Gene Connolly, former owner of Passage (and now owned by Michael Gooch-Breault) who sent in the following letter. This website was then just a gleam in the webmaster's eye...
Kerry is working on KALOKE's story but this is what we have now. In the Fall of 2006 Kerry heard of a black wood "Dolphin" for sale in Mystic, CT. On a whim he and his father drove up to take a look at her. Their old boat had a blue hull, and looking carefully, they could see this boat was originally blue!
The short story is now KALOKE back in Stony Creek with Kerry hard at work restoring her. Below, in the quonset hut, is KALOKE's 'new' home while she undergoes her restoration. You can just see the same railway she used 30+ years ago to get to her water.
The next 2 pictures are KALOKE at Mattituck on Long Island's north shore.
Kerry sent in the following pictures of the work in progress. She already looks beautiful!
Garboard plank out
Interesting stern 'pulpit' ?
Beautiful compass housing - Where to put it?
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November 16, 2008
Kerry reports the mast has been refinished and new garboard strakes have been fitted. Its slow going...
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June 5, 2009 We received the following from Kerry (minor edit)
KALOKE-Update: Bottom hss been seam-compounded, topsides are back to blue, white boottop, red bottom. Still in the tent, cabin is still a mess. I"m glad I kept picking away at her. I may even launch her and just let her soak and swell dockside for the summer right in the creek. It's a tidal creek but it's only soft mud she'll be in at low tide. She is starting to look like the photos of her from the '70's!!
Stay in touch, KERRY
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August 6, 2009
Your webmaster got the following note from Kerry
August 4, 2009
Ron,
Finally launched last Sunday. She is leaking more than I thought she would. Mostly around where the keel - centerboard trunk meet.
Trunk is stainless steel. I should have run new caulking in this area. Trying to address the the trouble spots with "Slick Seam" a water proof putty like material.
Kerry
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Enclosed were 20+ pictures on a cd that are an incredible record of a hard job well done. Kaloke has been out of the water 8 years! To accomodate those pictures we have set up a special page called Kaloke's Launch, August 2, 2009 which you can see by clicking the link below.
Here are a few teasers to get us started.
A really great picture! Kaloke afloat in her same tidal creek she called home some 40 years ago. What it took to get her here is the stuff of great restoration stories, that only Kerry really knows, and only those of us who have restored boats can begin to appreciate. Kaloke is a wood Dolphin, with a wood hull, another dimension.
Kaloke on that old marine railway ready to go - with her team. Kerry father must have had a special feeling at this moment with his old boat ready once again on the ways. We need that 3rd crew's name... Lucy!!!
Kaloke at the end of the long railway through the grass down to the creek. Her mast will get stepped on the seaward side of the low RR bridge. This scene is a long way from the usual marina with its travel lift placing most of our boats in their element.
For more pictures about this launch click here.
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