22 FOGHORN dra pointed out that there are few welders on the island which has been a concern with stainless steel. Operating in Hawai‘i, sustainability is at the core of Ho- loholo Charters. In addition to choosing carbon infusion which allows for larger vessels that weigh the same as their current boats, the team is looking to improve the opera- tion’s sustainability by transitioning to biodiesel. They considered biodiesel in 1997 but ran into roadblocks such as lack of availability. Chandra explained that there were also engine components that they found didn’t handle the fuel well when they tried it nearly 30 years ago. Today, a biodiesel company started on Maui has expanded to Kauaʻi making the fuel more accessible and a realistic option for the operation. They are also hoping for more pricing sta- bility with the fuel switch. A significantly longer lifespan for the new builds adds to the company’s long-term sustainability efforts. The cur- rent boats have an expected life of 30-50 years, whereas the fleet under construction is estimated to last anywhere from 80 to 100 years. With Holo Nui in the final stages of construction, Chandra looked back to when they first began planning to build a new fleet. Though Kevin and Adrian have a passion for and background in boat building, Holoholo Charters was not a boatyard, and she noted that there has been a learning curve to taking on the build themselves. “When we were plotting this on a notepad 10 years ago, none of us could have anticipated the full amount of time and cost that goes into this,” she said. It’s been a long-term goal that they’ve saved for, and they’ve sourced additional funding through loans and grants, as well as participating in the Capitol Construction Fund. She noted that they’ve gained tremen- dous knowledge and understanding through the process of building and funding the first vessel which will only aid them when they move on to construction of Holo Mua. Their passion and determination has paid off with Holo Nui scheduled to launch this fall and the team hoping to start running tours on the new vessel by year’s end. As many pieces for the boats are constructed from molds, there have been times they could conveniently build parts for both new vessels at once. So, although official construction of Holo Mua will begin after the first vessel is complete, the next boat is already partially in progress. The team antici- pates completion of the second vessel in 2029. Once fully underway, celebrations will mark this milestone for Holoholo Charters. Chandra said they plan to have days dedicated to inviting the local community on board, as well as a broader outreach to travel agents. While fun events lie ahead, right now, the focus is on the final touches to get Holo Nui launched. Chandra noted that the team “really looks forward to seeing her come alive.” FOGHORN FOCUS They considered biodiesel in 1997 but ran into roadblocks such as lack of availability. Today, a biodiesel company started on Maui has expanded to Kaua‘i making the fuel more accessible and a realistic option for the operation. The team was able to find land near their current location to build a warehouse to construct the new vessels. Designing and building the sister ships themselves, Millett and the Bertschs can streamline maintenance in the future with shared spare parts for the identical boats and the capability to do any necessary work themselves. PHOTO: HOLOHOLO CHARTERS
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