Kialoa III (S&S Maxi)

Kialoa III was one of the most well known of Jim Kilroy's maxis to wear the famous 'Kialoa' name, and photos of her under full sail downwind are still impressive even today. Kialoa III is perhaps best remembered for her line honours victory in the 1975 Sydney-Hobart race when she broke the race record with a time of 2 days, 4 hours and 37 minutes. This was a time that wasn't beaten for 21 years.

Kialoa III was a 79 footer designed by the New York design office of Sparkman & Stephens and a maxi-rater under the IOR (70.0ft). She was a heavy displacement design but a powerful boat that was at home in many of the offshore classics of the era, including the Southern Cross Cup and Clipper Cup. She also made an appearance in New Zealand for the 1976 Dunhill Cup after her record setting Sydney-Hobart effort, and later on underwent significant alterations at the Auckland yard of McMullen & Wing with a new stern and keel. Kialoa III went on to win a number of major races, including setting a new record in the St Petersburg-Ft Lauderdale race during the 1977 SORC.

Kialoa III on launching day in 1974 at the Palmer Johnston yard (photo Facebook)

What 10,000 square feet of sail looks like - spinnaker, blooper, mainsail, mizzen and mizzen spinnaker set.

The video below shows Kialoa III and her arch rival Windward Passage enjoying the downwind conditions during the 1975 Sydney-Hobart race. The video starts with an interview with Jim Kilroy and the sailing footage commences at 3:50. 

 

Kialoa III seen here finishing the 1977 Transpac (photo Phil Uhl)

Kialoa III during the 1977 Southern Cross Cup series (photo Guy Gurney)

Kialoa III running down the Sydney coastline during the 1977 Southern Cross Cup series (photo Guy Gurney)

A magnificent shot of Kialoa III running downwind off Sydney Heads with all sails set during the 1977 Southern Cross Cup (photo Guy Gurney)

Kialoa III and Windward Passage in a close battle off Sydney Heads at the start of the 1977 Sydney to Hobart race (photo Phil Uhl)

Kialoa III soon after the start of the 1977 Sydney-Hobart race (photo Phil Uhl)

Kialoa III seen here soon after the start of the 1977 Sydney to Hobart race (photo Facebook)

Gybing required plenty of advance warning!

Kialoa III, as a sloop, racing Condor of Bermuda

Kialoa III racing in the 1980 SORC where she finished fifth in Class A and 20th overall (photo Guy Gurney)

Kialoa III in her modern configuration

Kialoa III as seen recently above (2022) and below (2023) (Facebook)

Jim Kilroy has written a book about the Kialoa days called Kialoa US-1: Dare to Win, available here Kialoa Book

Article updated May 2024