Kaleena

Vessel numberHV000081

Sail Number221

Designer Alan Payne (1921 - 1995)

Date1958

DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 11.12 m x 7.53 m x 2.9 m x 1.43 m (36.48 ft x 24.71 ft x 9.51 ft x 4.69 ft)

DescriptionRon Swanson built KALEENA in Jimmy O'Rourke's boatshed located between the 16-foot skiff club and the Middle Harbour Yacht Club at the Spit, on Middle Harbour NSW. It was launched in November 1958, and was one of the first three of the class to be sailing, along with sister ships MARIS and CHERANA.

The first owner was Horrie Godden, from the Middle Harbour Yacht Club, and he raced KALEENA extensively. As well as the Sydney to Hobart races between 1959 to 1968, KALEENA raced in a 1963 event from Whangerai NZ to Noumea, the early Sydney to Brisbane races which were an event proposed by Godden, and then the Brisbane Gladstone races that followed on from the latter race. KALEENA had a number of high places in all these events but never managed a win.

After 1972 the yacht did not race again and the new owners cruised KALEENA along the Queensland coast, living aboard over winter before returning to Sydney for the summer months. In 2006 the yacht remains in use as a family cruising yacht, in excellent condition. The Tasman Seabirds were built to robust scantlings and were ideal craft for offshore sailing.
SignificanceKALEENA is a timber racing and cruising yacht built in Sydney NSW in 1958. KALEENA was one of the first examples of the Tasman Seabird class of ocean racing yacht designed by Alan Payne. It was built by Ron Swanson and took part in eight Sydney to Hobart yacht races, coming second on handicap in 1960.