So the Honolulu Advertiser is reporting today that the Kiele V's mast had snapped twice in the past. That implies some sort of design problem with the vessel, as its fairly unusual to see mast snapping that often. The US Coast Guard had inspected the vessel in September 2006, fairly recently. From the article:

According to catamaran builder Choydesign's Web site, the Kiele V was built in 1980 for Hyatt Maui developer Chris Hemmeter at a cost of $550,000 and was named after Hemmeter's daughter, Kelly. It was built specifically for tour use and was considered a pioneering luxury tour catamaran, according to the Web site.

It was 54.5 feet long, with a 65-foot mast and a passenger capacity of 49.
The last full-scale inspection of the Kiele V was completed in September 2006. The vessel passed inspection and was certified for safe use for the next five years. The Coast Guard conducts smaller-scale inspections of vessels like the Kiele V every year.

Which leaves me with some questions. First, was there a serious design flaw in the vessel? Second, do sailing conditions in the islands -- heavy winds and seas -- create so much stress on tourist boats that they are more prone to failure or may be more prone in the near future as the fleet ages? To my eye, there are very few new boats on the water and most are 20-years old or more (masts may be younger, of course). Lastly, is it wise to take out boats in conditions with 40 mph gusts? Conditions do change very quickly in the islands and sometimes this is surely unavoidable. But still good questions to ask. .

Related Posts: Breaking News -- Fatal Catamaran Cruise Off Maui

—Alex, 03/27/07