sundaymorning

"Tupapau"

Tupapau (originally named Sunday Morning) is a Kenner Kittiwake 23' fiberglass sloop. Built by the Kenner Company approx. 1968 or1969, she was purchased new by me (Dick Wightman). My wife and I sailed her out of Portland, OR for several years, then, inevitably, traded up. Big mistake... we've owned five larger boats since then and not one of them sailed as sweetly as this one. When we moved up, she was sold to Ole Hansen, the owner of a northwest boating magazine called "Nor'westing". Ole renamed her Tupapau, (Too-pa-pow) or "Little Ghost" in Polynesian, and sailed her in Washington and British Columbia waters until the early to mid-1990's. She was stolen from him, and needed work when he eventually recovered her. He put her on ways, where she stayed for a number of years. In 1996, we ran into Ole and inquired about the boat. Upon learning of her status, we were able to buy her back, restore her, and give her to our son, Brent. Brent has sailed her out of Anacortes, WA since 1997. Here are the basic pictures and information:

Tupapau is a typical design of the 1960's, lofted by Carl Alberg with nice rise and full keel with following rudder. The cockpit is large enough for four people to go day sailing. She'll sleep four if you use the forepeak berths, but for overnighting, two is better. She steers easy. This design is not as stiff as the extra wide modern Clorox bottle boats, but she's great fun to sail in a blow, screaming along with rail under. She has teak rails, cockpit combings, tiller and grabs.

View of port side.	View of stern. Tupapau means "Little Ghost" in Polynesian, hence the ghost image.
Foredeck. Note that Tupapau has full rails and lifelines. The short jib tracks on the cabin top are for the working jib. There are genoa tracks on the side decks further aft.	Looking down on th cockpit. Both sides have access hatches. Two stern lockers hold the 6 hp Evinrude and gas cans. Teak door is access to the engine controls. Starboard access exposes a large capacity bilge pump that can be operated from the steering position if needed.
Looking foreward in the main cabin. There is a vee berth forward, but Brent uses the space for sail and other storage. Porta Potty is under the vee berth. Galley is split, with sink to port and stove/storage surface to starboard. Cabinets under both sides.	This is the port, or sink side of the galley. Behind the sink is a small ice chest.
Starboard or cooking side of the galley. Stove is alcohol.	Starboard quarter berth provides comfortable sitting headroom, and leg room extending under the cockpit. Companionway stairs are on slides and include storage within, as well as storage behind.
Port quarter berth mirror-images the starboard.

Here are the "vital statistics" as provided in the original brochure for the boat:

DIMENSIONS:
LOA 23' 7"
LWL 17' 9"
Beam 7'5"
Draft 2' 10" (!!! When you run aground, you just jump over and push her off!)
Displacement 3700 lbs.Sail Area 248 sq. ft. with 100% Fore triangle. Main 128 sq. ft. Jib 92 sq. ft.
#2 Genoa 150 sq. ft. #1 Genoa 202 sq. ft. Spinnaker 433 sq. ft.
BALLAST: 1500 lbs. lead inside
HULL, DECK, Hand laminated fiberglass to exceed Gibbs & Cox recommendations, using mat and
AND CABIN roving. 2 castings -- 1 piece hull, 1 piece deck, cabin and cockpit moulded in
TRUNK: gelcoat colors, including boot and cove.
CABIN PORT Plexiglass in annodized aluminum frames. Colorful port light curtains standard
COCKPIT: Self-bailing, moulded as part of deck; non-skid areas moulded in
HARDWARE: Highest quality bronze, many parts custom cast
FORE-HATCH: Large, for deck accessability, moulded in translucent area
VENTILATION: Opening fore hatch, sliding cabin hatch, louvered cabin slides with screens
UPHOLSTERY: 4" foam rubber with quality vinyl covers; vinyl cabin sole carpets are standard
HEADROOM: Ample sitting headroom for 6 footers; center area headroom is 54"
TRIM: Two colors standard. Interior is mahogany with varnish; the exterior is natural teak
SPARS: Annodized aluminum. Extruded sail tracks; spring loaded goosneck for roller reefing
RIGGING: Stainless steel with swagged terminals, bronze turnbuckles. Dacron running rigging
ENGINE: Outboard well with flush plug, for 3 HP to 6 HP standard length outboard
WIRING: To B.I.A. specifications, including switches, battery well under cabin sole
FRESH WATER: 18 gal. tank with hand pump at sink
BUNKS: Four; quarter berths 74" x 23"; V-berth 75" x 71"
GALLEY: Moulded fibergalss, with sink, drawers, stove space, storage, top-loading ice box
OPTIONAL Genoa gear • spinnaker gear • interior and navigation lights • cockpit seat
EXTRAS: cushions • bow pulpit • stern rail • lifelines • #1 winches for jib • halyard winch
• all chrome plated hardware • bow ventilator • seacocks • hinged mast step
Sail Plan Dimensions:
P = 24'-0"; I = 27'-6"; E = 10'-6"; J = 8'-9".
Sail Dimensions:
Luff Leach Foot Area
Main 24'-0" 26'-0" 10'-5" 128
Jib 23'-0" 20'-8" 8'-5" 92
#1 Genoa 27'-0" 26'-6" 15'-0" 202
#2 Genoa 25'-0" 24'-6" 12'-0" 150
Spinnaker 27.5' x 15.75' 433

Our beloved "Sunday Morning", which we bought in 1969 and later sold, then bought back after she was wrecked, restored, and then gave to Brent, is no more. Brent eventually took over our sloop "Dandy Lion" but kept Sunday Morning (renamed "Tupapau") under a shared use arrangement with someone else. That person had her on a cruise and put her on the rocks badly enough that the insurance company wrote her off. She will sail on in our dreams...