Kahawi is SOLD 31st August 2002. Thus she is no longer available
from:-
Val Wyatt's yard at Wargrave-on-Thames
'Kahawi' is a 30 foot (27 at the waterline, 32-33 length overall) Twin Screw Diesel motor cruiser, made by John Freeman Ltd. of Leicestershire in the UK around the late 1960's. She is possibly number 26 of only very few to have been built. Almost all of the marque were custom made to the purchasers specifications and it is rare indeed to find any two that are completely alike - particularly with regard to the internal layout - although even the hull moulding seem to have been modified frequently during the short production run.
(Please click on any photo for the larger full-page view)
The boat has four berths in two cabins, either end of the central
cockpit area. The rear cabin has been converted from twin bunks to one large double bed.
This gives considerable storage areas either side of the centrally fitted 100 gallon fresh
water tank.
On the far left bulkhead can be seen the top and side of the gas bottle storage locker,
(which makes a small dressing table in practice). Thick foam cushions with heavy covering
ensure a good night's sleep in this cabin! Above and to the side are drop-down lockers for
storage. The spare cushions just visible to the right can be placed on the lowered table in
the front cabin to make a double "V" berth for guests. To the right is a hanging rail and
drawer storage for clothing. The rear window is fixed and the two side lights can be slid
open; coupled with the louvred doors these give plenty of light and ventilation for this
area.
Spotlight over dressing table, fluorescent tube over the doorway.
The side view of the boat shows off the recently re-chromed windows and new hood fitted. Kahawi benefits from a wheel-house with toughened glass, the hood was specially made for us and we had extra panels added to clip over the side and rear screens to keep the sunlight(?) from "crazing" them. The cabin windows have all been removed, stripped re-chromed and professionally resealed within the last two to three years. The side decks provide a safe and adequate walk-around area, with plenty of grab-rails and hand-holds where needed. The S/Steel push & pulpit are fitted with fender storage cages. An outboard motor "parking bracket" is to the starboard rear side. This is very handy for loading onto a dinghy, whilst at anchor.
From the rear cabin two steps lead up to the center, or slightly aft of center
cockpit, which is covered by a custom-made fixed GRP wheel-house with tinted toughened glass
windows. Front windows are fitted with parallel-action screen wipers. Protection from the
rear is by a fold/roll down soft 3-section removable hood with zippers and clear vision
panels to side and rear. Steering is to the port side, with a movable helmsman's seat, twin
Morse lever controls and wooden inlaid ships wheel. The recently rebuilt dashboard houses a
range of instrumentation for both engines; with switches and fuses for lighting etc easily
to hand. Battery, fuel and water gauges are on a sub-panel, which along with the log,
compass and trim-tab controls sits above the dashboard. This area is where the charting
board is normally kept. The wheel-house also has netted hanging space overhead for
navigational maps and guides. On the starboard side the crew has a seat, there is an
extending boat-hook, inclinometre and the ship's bell.
Also overhead are fittings for the echo-sounder, VHF (with handset and external speaker).
Externally on the wheel-house roof there is a spotlight, (controlled from the helm position)
the radar reflector and twin VHF antennae.
Two steps down from the cockpit bring us to the front cabin
containing a low-level hanging locker to starboard and the toilet compartment to port. The
toilet has a porcelain washbasin in a tiled vanity unit with mirror above. There is a 240
volt shaver socket and fluorescent lighting. "The Head" is a standard sea toilet, but with
electric flush and emptying pumps. A 3-way divertor valve enables usage for inland
waterways (to a holding-tank) or overboard when at sea.
The galley area is totally enclosed in typical Freeman quality varnished woodwork, with
matched veneer or timber. There are Formica topped fold-back work surfaces to match the
table. Next to the hanging locker is the S/Steel sink with the refrigerator underneath.
There is a cutlery drawer and crockery storage in the centre and the cooker is in the
left-hand side section.
Above the hanging locker (to the left of the Fire Blanket) is a drink cabinet. Which
holds the essential Angostura bitters, Gin and other spirit bottles plus glasses.
The Toilet compartment can be seen to the right behind more storage; this time wide drawers
and another bottle storage cupboard, a wine rack this time! In this view we are looking
along the table, which has a telescopic single leg enabling it to drop down, to form the
center base for the dinette bed. The twin "V" berths have deep storage underneath and also
in a section forward. The far bow section has an access hatch to the chain locker with 20m
of chain to the S/Steel Danforth anchor mounted on the bow hawse pipe.
Here we see the forecabin, sporting her new ceiling lighting and roof lining fitted June
2001. Netting above the front bunk seat-backs holds even more storage on a book-shelf area
behind. A tinted Lewmar escape hatch allows access to the foredeck from the area in front of
the windows up forr'ard.
We have sat four-six people around this table, which is larger than it appears here.
The headlining has been renewed this season as have all the cabin lights, above the galley we have a fluorescent strip-light, elsewhere more typical brass fittings. This cabin is very warm and snug on those nights when you just want to curl up with a good book, or listen to the radio.
Seating, is comfortable and roomy, with a few "scatter cushions" around she can become a real home-from-home and, of course boating is such a relaxing break from the daily chores.
All-in-all, Kahawi is a very spacious boat - The Freeman 30 is more normally kitted out
for six people - we find two or four of us can enjoy a weekend or more away without feeling
unduly cramped.
As a family, or more often lately, just the two of us, we have had many a long weekend;
that has felt like a fortnight away, so easy is Kahawi to handle and to live in.
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