Name Kahu Laid down 8 December 1978 Commissioned 17 May 1988 Launched 1978 Draft 2.4 m | Namesake HMNZS Kahu (ML400) Completed May 1979 Construction started 8 December 1978 Length 37 m | |
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Builder Whangarei Engineering and Construction Company | ||
HMNZS Kahu (A04) was a Moa-class inshore patrol vessel of the Royal New Zealand Navy. She was launched in 1979 as the lead boat of her class, modified to function as a diving tender. She was initially named HMNZS Manawanui (A09), the second of three diving tenders with this name to serve in the New Zealand Navy. As a diving tender she participated in the exploration and salvage work of the wreck MS Mikhail Lermontov in March 1986.
On 17 May 1988, she was renamed Kahu (A04) and recommissioned as the basic seamanship and navigation training vessel attached to the Royal New Zealand Naval College. Kahu is the second boat with this name to serve in the New Zealand Navy. Kāhu also is the Māori name for a New Zealand native harrier hawk. She was replaced in her role as a diving tender by HMNZS Manawanui (A09).
She remained in service for seamanship, Officer of the Watch training and as a backup diving tender until her decommissioning on 30 October 2009. The ship was sold for use as a pleasure craft on 18 February 2010.
Kahu was distinguished from other boats of the Moa class by the gantry on her quarterdeck and lack of funnels.