GLENIFFER – Was built by Chas Bailey & Sons Ltd in October 1930 for N & K Taylor with a 40hp Gleniffer marine engine. At the time the above photo was taken, handed on to me by my late father about 1960, she was owned by the late Trevor Davis, son of the late Sir Ernest Davis, who owned her from 1934 to about 1936, & my father was on board every trip, because of his outstanding mechanical knowledge. She originally had a 6 cyl Glenifer petrol engine, – hence the name. — replaced in the 40s with a 6cyl Crusader petrol engine, (which he ran on Kerosene) by Percy Jennings, mayor of Paeroa & owner of the Paeroa Picture theatre, who kept her at his bach at Ruffins Bay Coromandel much of the time, & who was a good friend of my parents. She later had the Crusader replaced with a 6 cyl Ford Diesel. The Jennings family owned her for many years, as I recall, till at least the later 70s or early 80s she was built by Baileys in 1929
photos & story by Ken Ricketts
16/03/2014 – crew photo added to post, c1932 during Trevor Davis ownership
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Yes , when I was a kid Ernie , my father Gill Powell and Dave Jackson got together as a spec project to general tidy up and install the diesel
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I’m wondering if this boat is the same one that Erin Seager owned then sold it to John Spooner. As I was speaking to John Spooner the other day in Point Wells, where he now lives. He spoke fondly of the GLENIFFER.
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In her early days she had wind up windows which were still on her, when I first went aboard in 1947, during the Percy Jennings stewardship. They were complete with the chrome handlles, as with car windows, & as referred to above, by “vintagesteamer,” that worked the same way as car windows — you just wound them up & down — only boat I ever saw like that — I was aboard a couple of years ago at Gulf Harbour & the “wind up” setup had gone, but the holes where still there, as evidence of the “old days.” the window setup is evident, in the photo I sent Alan with my original post, taken in 1932, where one of the bridgdeck windows, can be seen slightly down from the top. – KEN RICKETTS
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She is now in Havelock, Marlborough Sounds and is home to a young couple and their son. A charming old girl and much loved. I had the pleasure of looking her over today.
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I am too, as she was an important part of my late father’s life, in the earlier 1930s — I have a pic of him with Trevor Davis on deck taken circa 1932 — KEN RICKETTS
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Belatedly, a comment: I remember her up on the slip (at Bailey’s I think). I was intrigued by the name “Gleniffer” because as a budding engineer, the design of Gleniffer engines intrigued me. They had a clerestory combustion chamber (you really wanted to know that -check http://www.sky-net.org.uk/gleniffer/).
She had suffered some impact hydrography and bilged herself seriously down Coromandel way. Most of one bilge (stb ??) was torn out by the rather one-sided battle. I had a peep on board -they were discussing whether to rebuild or not. She seemed dry inside: I guess she didn’t sink completely. I was taken by the interior: I can recall the side windows in the wheelhouse/saloon had chrome winders which I thought was so cool. I also seem to remember a sort of brown rexine trimming that, as a vintage car fan, I thought was unusual in a boat. Classy though. This would have been early ’60s. It would be interesting to see if any trace of what would have been a major repair of a number of strakes.
I am glad she lived again.
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The correct name is GLENIFFER, after her original high quality marine engine. Chas Bailey & Sons Ltd built her in October 1930 for N & K Taylor who sold her to Trevor Davis in 1934. He sold her to P J Jennings of Paeroa in 1937 and he sold her to George Manktelow of Paeroa in about 1959. He sold her to Malcolm Hahn c1982. The Gleniffer was replaced by a 6 cyl ChrisCraft (Hercules block) during the 50s, converted to run on power kerosene with a Model A Ford Zenith carb. She was kept at Ruffins Bay most of the time she was owned in Paeroa but is now (or was recently) at Gulf Harbour.
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