MEANDER

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photo & details ex Harold Kidd

A classic Sam Ford bridge decker of the mid-30s, Meander, seen here about to be craned into the Waitemata on 31st August 1937. She was built by Sam Ford at his Ellerslie property for Syd Guest of Whangarei, 32’ x 9’6” x 3′ and powered by a Graymarine 6-91 de luxe.

She was a stock Ford 32 footer of his “streamlined class” and had been on display at the Auckland Winter Show.

She took part in NAPS out of the Bay of Islands and Whangaroa in 1942-4, skippered by Syd Guest with deputy skipper Murdoch McDonald and crewmen Dick Hutchings, Kelvin Lacy, Jack Cumming, Chris Rogers, Bert Young and Will McNaughton. She had patrol number Z33.

Meander spent most of the intervening years in the North but was bought by Aucklander David Vaasen in 2005.

Photo update (2x colour) from Mark McLaughlin (Mapuna) of Meander underway near Westhaven in 2007.

Ken Rickitts commented that she was an example of Sam Ford at his best, particularly the varnished tuck, very rare in those days, Ford only ever did 1 or 2 that Ken knows of. Fantastic to see her again after over 50 years, a beautful boat – Ken R

Harold Kidd Update

Ken is right about MEANDER, she’s a gem.

Sam Ford is sometimes sneered at for lack of build-quality and poor materials. In fact, you got what you were prepared to pay for and his top-quality boats were top-quality boats. Nobody, however, sneers at his designs which were “state of the art” by their contemporary international standards. Most have lasted, as-built, over the many years since their construction and are still stunning examples of motor-launch design.

I have been researching Sam intensely for some months and am continually impressed by the man.