Work Begins on Iconic Australian Cruiser, Kokomo II

Iconic Australian cruiser MY Kokomo II is undergoing a transom extension and a variety of other works at Rivergate under the guidance of highly experienced project manager, Marty Johnson.

An icon of Australian waters, MY Kokomo II, is currently in the capable hands of Australia’s best marine tradespeople as she undergoes a hull extension at Rivergate Marina and Shipyard.

Guided by Rivergate project manager, Marty Johnson, MY Kokomo II will undergo a large scope of works in the duration of her stay. This includes a transom extension, as well as a full repaint, various interior works and the addition of new teak decks.  

While the refit on the 37-metre beauty is set to be complex in nature, it’s a job that Marty is more than capable of managing, according to Rivergate General Manager Andrew Cannon.

“Marty has been with Rivergate for nearly seven years now and has extensive knowledge and experience in refit and repair of superyachts,” says Andrew. “He has a background as a chief engineer on boats, so he is well suited to manage this kind of work.

“Kokomo II is a beautiful old boat, built by Lloyds Ship Holdings in 1986. It’s an Australian boat that’s been around for a long time, and its one that everyone knows. One of the really unique features of Kokomo is due to its age, it’s just bespoke. The interior of Kokomo is something special, and it’s timeless.”  

Projects such as the refit of Kokomo II provide tremendous benefits to the local marine industry businesses and workers.

During the entire refit, there will be at least 20 different contractors selected to work on the boat from different trades, including (but is not limited to) fabricators, painters, shipwrights and electricians.

“Most contractors that will be working on the boat hail from businesses either within the Rivergate precinct or locally in Brisbane, such as our fabricators doing the extension works, Aus Ships, and the painters that get the principal workload, Millennium Marine Australia,” says Andrew.

“The biggest challenge we have with any refit is coordinating all the trades to be able to work in close quarters with one another and get that schedule right so that we don’t have issues throughout the whole project. However, there’s a reason we’re recognised as Australia’s leading refit destination and one of the top three international superyacht shipyards – it’s because we pick the best people for the job at hand.”

Rivergate will be documenting the transformation of Kokomo II with timelapse cameras, web stories and video interviews with the tradespeople working on this project. Make sure you’re following our Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram accounts to stay up to date on the latest Kokomo II news!