The 13.8m Elite Kaeā, which means to wander or roam in te reo Māori, is a new and high-profile attraction at this year’s Auckland Boat Show.
Kaeā is the first new build from the up-and-coming yard, Marra Marine of Tauranga. Tauranga, a harbourside city on the east coast of the North Island, is increasingly standing out as a destination for boat building and superyacht refit services and offers superb facilities for yachts up to 50m in length.
Designer Bill Upfold of Elite Marine Design says that his client ultimately wanted to travel between a marina berth in Wellington, the country’s capital city at the bottom of the North Island, and the Marlborough Sounds, an unspoilt boating mecca in the upper South Island, where he had a berth in the township of Picton, and a holiday home. The distance between the two islands is around 20 nautical miles but with significant current and windy southern latitudes, can be challenging.
The brief therefore was for a seaworthy and efficient commuter boat, with the ability to provide for weekends away, with a classic-modern style.
To be safe and comfortable on challenging crossings, the boat is built with lightweight ply-foam-glass construction above and triple-ply vacuum-bagged hull below for strength and weight savings.
Kaeā will be able to transport its crew across the Cook Strait in around an hour: with an efficient drive train thanks to shallow prop tunnels and reduced shaft angles, it can cruise between the two islands at a speed of 27-28 knots, reaching a top speed of around 32 knots.
The boat is notable for its highly crafted finish – both exterior and interior are exceptional. It’s easy to live in, both inside and out, with panoramic windows in the saloon providing visibility, sleeping accommodation for four across two cabins, an open plan saloon and discreet services such as an electric drop-down galley window and bifold doors. The cockpit has plenty of space and storage, and a signature Upfold sliding transom door disappears into the structure. For berthing, there is a second helm station in the cockpit.
Kaeā and Marra Marine will be at the Auckland Boat Show, 5-8 March 2026.
About Marra Marine
Kaeā was Marra Marine’s first build and securing the project was a milestone for Tim Marra who had built many high-end boats for other brands and established an excellent reputation for superyacht refits including warranty repairs, planned maintenance and teak work.
“While we’ve established the business over the years, the driving force has always been to create quality boats under our own name,” says wife and co-director of the business Maddie Marra. She and Tim started together from a home garage in 2018, and built up its reputation, workshops, machinery and most importantly the team to prepare for this project.
“A boat build is such a journey to go on with a client, it’s special and personal. We always wanted to live by what we wanted our business to do and to be.”
The sweet spot for new builds by Marra Marine sits in the 12-18m size bracket, which is well serviced by both haulout and work spaces in central Tauranga.
With the build of V001 of the Elite 13.5m Kaeā behind them, Marra Marine is eager to talk with potential customers for V002 and they are excited about showcasing the vessel at the Auckland Boat Show.