A Century of Quality
Kavalk boats are built under the watchful eye of our 7th generation master boat builder.Our Story
In my early childhood, my father designed, developed, and set up production facilities for a very successful run of traditional looking skiffs, which are still produced in Croatia today. These were some of the very early worldwide attempts at combining traditional design elements with modern materials; nowadays, referred to as “retro” design. These early production skiffs and runabouts of my father’s were followed by several custom designs and builds of excursion/picnic vessels and speedboats for the elite and wealthy of what was a socialist, but still affluent enough, country. Some of the runabouts were mahogany, or plywood, or fiberglass, or combinations of these materials.
By the time the first “Mistral” was finished in the mid-1970s, my father’s dream of building a “special speedboat” had also become mine. We continued to develop and build more boats of the Mistral series but didn’t consider starting a business until our hobby became a very financially draining obsession. In the beginning, the few boats we sold in Vancouver were purchased by people taken by their styling and craftsmanship and have yet to change hands.
In January 1986, we exhibited a black-hulled 19’ mahogany Mistral in the Toronto Boat Show. Within a year, we had built and delivered more than half a dozen boats to the Muskoka area. All of these are still in original condition and mostly with their first owners.
– Tony Kazulin, 7th Generation Kavalk Designer and Master Boat Builder
Tony KazuliN
DESIGNER & MASTER BOAT BUILDER
I guess it was inevitable for me to become a boat designer and builder. After all, this is what my father has done all his life, as well as my uncles, my grandfather, and those before them.
While growing up I chose to spend my free time in my father’s workshop observing and learning all of the phases of boat design and development. My playgrounds were boat shops, factories, and the Adriatic Sea.
Both in his workshop and at home, my father, Velko, would design and make scale models of boats and furniture. The living room always looked like a toy shop. This greatly influenced my outlook on life, work, and people. Because of this, I always knew I would “end up” designing and building things; be it cars, houses, furniture, or boats.
With its piano-finish, African mahogany decks, and tuck-and-roll upholstery, the 19 is uncompromising.
Contact Kavalk
Telephone
+1 (613) 363-7288