A new beach catamaran is on its way to Wai­kiki.

The Holokai, a 45-foot, 49-passenger catamaran, set sail for Oahu on Sunday from Portland Ore., where it was custom-built at Schooner Creek Boatworks.

The passage across the Pacific is expected to take 10 to 14 days, after which a christening will be held on Wai­kiki Beach in front of the Shorebird Restaurant. Then it will be available for sailings.

"Our whole team is filled with tremendous excitement and anticipation for this voyage and what it means for Wai­kiki," said Rich Stover, beachboy and boat captain, and now owner along with his wife, Soo.

The husband-wife team first met 10 years ago on the beach at Wai­kiki, where he was giving surf lessons.

"After we married, we had the opportunity to buy one of the seven grandfathered catamaran leases for Wai­kiki Beach, which virtually never come up for sale because they stay in families for generations," Soo said.