REHIA.
A Colin Wild classic, built in 1938, & owned by Bill & Phyl Ryan of owners of H.J. Ryan Ltd ,manufacturing engineers, who lived in Hillsborough, & owned her for many years from about 1945. She was very much a part of Ken Ricketts life in the mid 40s & 50s & he was on her on many acasions — Bill & Phyl had 2 sons, Bob, & Jeff, who were his age & we were great mates.
REHAI had a 6 cyl flat head Buda petrol engine, circa 100 hp for very many years, which had an American, “Bendix,” gearbox & throttle control system, with just 2 tiny levers, — very rare in those days. She was always impecably kept & used regularly. Eventually the Buda was replaced with a 6 cyl Ford Diesel which she still has. She was sold by the Ryan estate on his death in the later 70s earlier 80s.
She is still absolutley original, & has never been “fiddled with,” & when last seen in Whakatakataka Bay a year or 2 go she was still “a picture of health & beauty”.
Story by Ken Ricketts, photo by Ken & Alan Houghton
waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news - updated daily 
REHIA UPDATE;
She is presently owned by Peter Reiber who keeps her at Westhaven & has owned her for about 4 years, The previous owner lived at Pakuranga & kept her in the Tamaki River.
She is looking absolutely stunning, & no wonder, as Peter R had her on hard for a period last year, & stripped every inch of paint & varnish off the hull & coamings & of course she quite literally looks like brand new now
She still has a Ford Diesel engine. — KEN R
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Further to all of the above info & comments, I have today seen her at Gulf Harbour where she is up for a little TLC, & am absolutely delighted to report, she is still exactly the same, right down to the tiniest detail, externally, as she was in 1946, when she first came in to my life. — KEN R
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Inclement weather old boy, probably lucky or I could have been blinded by the gloss
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And where are the photos ? doesn’t that ph take pics? -:)
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Spotted at Westhaven looking very sharp after a period at Horizon Boats, hopefully we will see her at Patio Bay.
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Hi Barry – I will certainly pass on your regards to Mum. She is now living in Motueka so is very close to you in Nelson. Jane
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Jane. I spent a summer cruise on Rehia with your Mum on board. Bill & Phil were wonderful folk. The whole launch experience was so great – for a kid just up from Christchurch. Please pass on my regards to her.
Barry Inglis (Nelson)
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Pingback: Rehia Z15 | waitematawoodys.com
And there was also some good footage of La Rosa in the episode, she was in the background but was still well captured in the shot, & was on a swing mooring in the Tamaki River adjacent to the Panmure Yacht Club.
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An tale from Ken Ricketts – posted by AH because KR has computer probs.
Ken was holidaying on the Gold Coast & had a pleasant surprize while flicking around the channels he came across the programme – Police 10/7.
After a few seconds of viewing Ken was surprised to view a segment on NZ policing. A NZ Police RIB was doing about 30 knots through the moored boats adjacent to the Panmure Yacht Club in the Tamaki River & the classic launch Rehia flashed on to the screen. The RIB drew alongside Rehia, police boarded her & took off a partially clad young man to the yacht club wharf after collecting another 16 year old off an adjacent smallish yacht. Both where they were taken in to custody by waiting Police.
According to the program Rehia who was all snug & tucked up on a wet afternoon on her swing mooring adjacent to the wharf when the owner who must have lived in viewing range of his lovely boat noticed someone moving around inside so rang the police, When apprehended the teenagers told the police they had decided to swim across the river but had tired or got in to difficulties & boarded the boats to rest. The program indicated charges were laid.
Small world 🙂
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Hello Jane,
I knew your family very well from when I was 10 years old (now 77) Bob & Jeff were childhood friends & carried right through in to married life. Feel free to email me at kenpat@ihug.co.nz & I will tell you much more. That flag was an Auckland Motor Yacht Club, (which no longer exists) flag & Bill & PHil were members of that club
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My mother just sent me the flag from the boat. It is blue with a white cross and a red propeller in the middle. Do you know if this is the standard flag for motor boats?
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Rehia had a close sister Talua. Slightly different and less happy wheelhouse on Talua with two panes instead of Rehia’s four and a bit more curvaceous. Talua was lengthened a little. Check her listing for comparisons between the two. I have only seen Talua once ever.
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Jane
Rehia changed hands about 6 months ago & her new owner has joined the CYA. She is at Westhaven on either X or Y pier. Half way down.
Cheers Alan H
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Bill and Phil Ryan were my great grandparents. I would love to know where the Rehia is if anyone knows. My mother, Susan Ryan, has wonderful childhood memories of holidays on the boat.
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NGARIMU was built by Fred Goldsboro in 1945. Muir (lovely man) bought her about 1961. She used to be mark boat for all the Law Society Regattas in the days when the Law Society had regattas and lawyers were real people (or at least some were).
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For some reason, in my post above, I said that my old man owned Ngarimu. Ngarimu of course was owned by Muir Chilwell (later Sir Muir) in the ’60s. The Wards had Ngakiwa -built by P Vos and Co in ’56. Roy Ward owned her ’62 – ’66 when he bought bridgedecker Naiad. Sorry to have missled you all.
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REHIA was launched by Colin Wild on 26th January 1939 for Gordon Bartleet but was bought by Frank Pidgeon of the Ace Tyre Co shortly after. The Buda was imported by Seabrook Fowlds and installed by Allely Bros. A newspaper report at the time said she had twin Budas, but was wrong. She was fully mobilised with NAPS in 1943 as Z15 with Frank Pidgeon as skipper and Ron Hunt (married Jack Brooke’s sister) as crew. Bill Ryan bought her about 1948 (or possibly straight from the postwar disposal sale). She was loosely referred to as a “shortened AMAKURA”.
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The Buda also had dual ignition with 12 spark plugs & a single dsitributor cap
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that should read early & mid 60s — we had a great new ywars party aboard her new years eve 1961
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Both are correct, the Bendix controls at least were put in during WWII & I was abd her many times in the early & mid 0s & the Buda petrol was in for a long time after that
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Yep, one of my all time favourites. My old man used to haul “Ngarimu” out at Percy Vos’s yard for the winters and there was always “Ngatira” -“Gonna get her in the water for Christmas” or so said her elderly owner but he never did. “Rehia” was always up too, and I fell in love with her then. Her style and detailing were just beautiful. Billy Ryan used to do all his own painting -never saw the boys. I remember the tiny levers for controlling the Buda -they seemed to be mounted on a casting that resembled a stag horn but with the top horn removed. I seem to remember having a discussion with Harold Kidd not too long ago as to her machinery -I think he said it was a diesel, but am sure she had a petrol engine at that time -early ’60s. I also seem to recall Billy Ryan saying that the Yanks put the Buda in for the War -maybe they provided it- but memory is a funny thing….
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