Tony Morrison on the impressive bow of his boat which has been drawing plenty of attention in Napier. Photo/Warren Buckland
Tony Morrison has always enjoyed chasing a bargain - a good deal.
So, as a lover of boats who has owned them and competed in them for "quite a few years", a little nautical number tied up at Terragona in Spain caught his eye as he scanned the internet last year.
Although his eye was also caught by a large boat in Canada which had a dodgy propeller and was loaded with wheat.
But the 30m luxury boat in Spain easily got the nod and he began to make a few enquiries with the English owner who lived in Majorca.
One thing led to another and now the sleek and stunning Carly is tied up at West Quay.
It has been getting plenty of attention from quayside regulars and passersby.
Mr Morrison smiled as he recalled the reaction from one couple who stopped to admire the boat a couple of days after it had arrived - and believed they had come across a Russian billionaire or a European count stopping in at Hawke's Bay as part of a world cruise.
"They asked me where I had come from - and I told them 'Puketapu'," he said.
Mr Morrison and wife Liz are indeed from Puketapu, and Mr Morrison spent many a year running orchards growing pipfruit and grapes. He also became a successful property developer which allowed him to enjoy his passion for boating.
"The biggest boat I've had, before was a 25-footer," he said.
"This is 105 feet."
Despite being 30 years old there is not a mark, a scratch or a scuff on any of the remarkable leather, suede, polished timber and fabric interior fittings and furnishings.
Which is not surprising given its previous owners, Mr Morrison said.
It was built in Italy - one of just 14 type "105" luxury boats of that model built.
The Onassis family had it briefly before a Saudi Arabian prince took possession and used it to cruise the Mediterranean for a few years.
Then it was bought by Spain-based English music entrepreneur Ray Murphy - who managed the Spice Girls as well as a string of other acts.
"The Spice Girls ... they've been on it."
He would often hire it out - the King of Spain and his family also holidayed aboard.
"Yes, it's got quite a history."
When he spotted it last year he made contact with Mr Murphy and said he was very interested.
Mr Murphy's response was "come on over and stay with us" - which Mr Morrison and his wife Liz duly did.
"He'd bought Margaret Thatcher's holiday house and we stayed there."
Mr Morrison said the first time he stepped aboard and inside the boat he was hooked.
It has a large main carpeted lounge with a stunning walnut centre table, polished fine timber and leather fittings and a suede ceiling.
There is one large guest bedroom "the blue room" where maple dominates, and there are four guest rooms with en suites.
In the main bedroom burr walnut glows in the bathroom, where the soap holders are marble.
As Mr Morrison saw for himself, there was not a mark on it.
It had been immaculately cared for.
"It's just brilliant. A gorgeous thing and as good as it gets. I thought I'm getting old now - 'this'll do me."
Even the engine room is spotless.
The boat was loaded aboard the vessel Super Servant 4 at Palma and spent two-and-a-half months being transported to Auckland.
Mr Morrison persuaded the former skipper for Mr Murphy, Phil Rymes, to come out and help run him through the systems, and take the helm from Auckland to Napier. He and his wife were now in the process of sorting out the furniture and fittings for their new floating home which had been packed throughout the boat for its delivery.
He also has local Alex Foreman, who spent years overseas working on similar boats, aboard.
Mr Foreman wanted to return to the Bay and heard about the boat and offered his help in setting it up.
"There's a bit to learn," was how Mr Morrison put it.
He is looking to do a couple of coastal runs when all is ready.
The Carly (named after Mr Murphy's daughter) has a range of about 1250 nautical miles.
It is a luxurious but comfortably homely craft and looks a million dollars from every angle.
As for what it cost Mr Morrison was not prepared to come up with the figure, but reiterated that he was looking for a bargain at the time and got one.
"It was just good timing."