Rongo

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RONGO (II)

The above images of this rather grand & large launch have me stumped as to its identity, I’m sure its easy but today my mind is a blank. Photo says c.1930

30/05 – appears the collective brains trust agree on Rongo – thanks team 🙂

Harold Kidd Update

I’m certain it’s RONGO (II) when owned by W. Cecil Leys in 1930. She was built as GLADYS II by Bailey & Lowe in 1919 for Chas. Court of Stanley Bay and fitted with a 150hp Sterling Model FM 6 cylinder engine. Court sold her in 1930 to Leys who had her lengthened 10 feet and renamed her RONGO. Leys owned her until 1942 when she went into NAPS as Z20. Subsequent owners included R W Butcher (1942-44), Joe Moodabe (of the Civic Theatre) (1944-47), W J Henry (1947-49), W A (Wilkie) Wilkinson (1949) W A Kenny of Picton (1964) by which time she had a 1955 Gardner 5cylinder diesel. She came back north but went to pieces at Algies Bay in July 2007.

Update 2

1. Rongo went into NAPS with a Chrysler fitted around 1938, so they probably left that in throughout hostilities as ex-USN Chryslers (and GM/Graymarine 71 series) were standard issue, for parts rationalisation.
2. Walter Bailey designed her and Bailey & Lowe built her. I would have thought that she was manifestly Bailey & Lowe, not Lanes (although I do accept that all launches do default to Lanes in the case of doubt [and I won’t repeat my conceit that Garth built them all by himself at the risk of being flamed again by Alan]).
3. Mike Moodabe never owned her. It was his brother Joe, and then only briefly, from when she came out of NAPS in 1944 until 1947.

 
PS [sackcloth and ashes] a bit of misinformation I created myself…..I have now found the reference to Chas. Court selling GLADYS II to Sir W. Cecil Leys .. ….it was in October 1927, a lot earlier than I had thought. It was hard to pick out which of the references were to RONGO (I) and which to RONGO (II) (OMG here we go again!).
 
The 35ft RONGO (I) is very interesting. She was built as MOLLIE for Capt Somerville by T M Lane & Sons (really) in December 1911 equipped with an 18hp 4 cylinder Scripps. Capt. Somerville sold her to Percy Colebrook around late 1913. Colebrook sold her to Leys in August 1919 while he was having the second MOLLIE (later ALCESTIS/RAIONA) built by Joe Slattery. Leys had her extensively modified (cabintop raised, lengthened by 3ft etc) and renamed her RONGO. The work was done by Lanes who fitted a big 100hp Scripps in 1926 for which they were the agents.
When he bought GLADYS II and renamed her RONGO II in 1927 he sold RONGO I to J T Julian of Remuera. Julian retained the name RONGO and sold her to C W H Ronaldson in 1938. I lose track of her after 1940 but will work out what happened to her one day…undoubtedly a postwar re-name.
It’s all a bit convoluted……………
 
Update 3
Sorry to bang on about the RONGO tribe but I have found that it was Chas. Bailey who modified MOLLIE (I) for Cecil Leys in 1919 into RONGO (I). Lanes had their hands full with LUANA. At that time there were 5 big (45ft+) launches being built around the Waitemata; Collings & Bell with MARGUERITE (later LADY UNA), Joe Slattery with MOLLIE (II) (later ALCESTIS/RAIONA), Bailey & Lowe with ATATU and GLADYS II (later RONGO II) and Lanes with LUANA. The huge postwar demand was hard to satisfy but Chas. Bailey didn’t attract any orders for big launches for some reason.

Update from Baden Pascoe:

(refers to colour photo in slide show)

This is how she looked when I saw her. In my files I found she was a NAPS vessel, no Z20, 1/7/42 -27/12/43.

She had a 6L2 installed the same engine Joan had fitted. Conrad Robinson still has this engine at Warkworth. One good thing about NAPS, your boat came back with a very nice engine. At this time she belonged to R.W. Butcher of Auckland. The man in the white hat is dad, he could not get over the length of her and was concerned that she was hogging while they lifted her. He supervised the blocking of her keel once she was slipped. Very nice boat, shame she got wrecked. Very Lanes looking though!!

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8 thoughts on “Rongo”

  1. An update as Rongo history late 1950s through mid 60s. She was owned by Charlie Hole who lived at Curious Cove and provided launch services for the Manning family for a number of years. He replaced the Chrysler motor which became temperamental with the 5 cylinder Gardener late 50s. Charlie sold Rongo to Bill Kenny (Red Funnel Launches) then later Graeme Copp operated her as a charter.

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  2. Last time I saw the Rongo she was in Picton lovingly being cared for by Gary Kenny that was about 8 years ago.

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  3. Have just been talking to a gentleman called Brian Gilbert, who worked on, & knew RONGO II, in the mid 1980s to mid 1990s, when she belonged to an Erriie Gordon, & was moored at Gulf Harbour, still with the Gardner. She passed to family members when he died, & she may have gone down Whitainga Tauragna way, for a period. — KEN RICKETTS

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  4. Sounds like RONGO II as in Baden’s photo. Is that her? RONGO I went to Wellington and I’m asking the Wellington CYA people if they know what happened to her.

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  5. So which Rongo was berthed for a number of years at Gulf Harbour, Harold? I recall her very long and quite narrow and dilapidated.

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  6. Rongo was lengthened in 1930.There were two Rongos, but I don’t want to confuse susceptible people, especially after the silly stuff over numbering the numerous Lady Margarets. The last thing we need is some blah about Rongos too.

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  7. Below is a reply Ken Ricketts from early yesterday, he tried to post but had computer problems.

    “it just might be a little bit like a lengthened “Rongo,” — Mike Moodabies old boat he owned in the 30s & 40s, by the bridgedeck style & length she would have been before she was obviously lengthened, however have never seen or heard anything about Rongo being lengthened. — fascinating — never ever seen her before as she is in the pic, — you could never forget a boat that individual. — Am really hoping we can find out for what her name is, & whilst she looks a bit like a Baileys to me, once again, who knows???

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  8. Yep, I think it’s “Rongo” too. I remember her from her Picton/Kenny life, and being shown where she was lengthened. If I remember right, Graham Hayter wrote an article or two in “Seaspray” during the late 50s about a trip in her to D’Urville Island.

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