A nonprofit group dedicated to the conservation of humpback whales is seeking donations to replace equipment ruined when its research catamaran capsized at its mooring outside Lahaina Harbor.

The Pacific Whale Foundation’s 26-foot-long Ocean Protector didn’t sink to the bottom, but lost its engine, electronic equipment and a lot of lifesaving gear, said foundation President Greg Kaufman.

Foundation officials said the total bill was $45,000 and that insurance covered only part of the loss.

Kaufman said the foundation is scheduled to begin its annual research into humpback whales by early January.

The foundation said the vessel was found capsized Dec. 18. No one was on board.

Kaufman said the Coast Guard believes unusually gusty winds and waves may have caused it to capsize.

The nonprofit group, which has been operating for 33 years, was the organization that began the "Great Whale Count" on Maui in the late 1980s, positioning volunteers at key spots on Maui to count humpback whales at prescribed time intervals for a portion of a day.

The whale count is now done statewide on most islands, including Oahu, where it is coordinated by the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

Kaufman said its federal permits allow his group to conduct research on humpback whales and odontocetes, including dolphins.

He said in an attempt to reduce the number of vessel-whale collisions, the research group has been looking at finding "hot spots" where humpback whales surface frequently.

The group also conducts whale-watching tours on separate vessels in Maalaea and Lahaina.

Donations to help replace the lost equipment may be sent via pacificwhale.org. Click on "How you can help."