ARONA (Martini)
details & photos from Ken Ricketts & the Clipper facebook page
A Mason Clipper that was the end result of Tony Mason’s good friend Chris Shields asking Tony in 1961 to design and build a 33ft Sports Fisherman for him. It was the first of only two 33s ever built, power was Detroit Diesel 6V-71 giving her a top speed of just over 30mph. She had a huge cockpit and large saloon and all the Clipper creature comforts, a great launch that still lives today and still as good as the day she was launched. (comments ex Tony Masons nephew on the Clipper facebook page)
Chris Shields sold Arona which was her original name, to an old, now deceased friend of Ken Ricketts, the late Rick Brown. Rick bought her in the early 1970s & owned her for about 2 or 3 years.
He sold her still with her original name, but somewhere along the way, someone changed it to Martini. The name of Arona can be seen clearly by the tuck on the side of some of the photos if enlarged.
Rick had quite a number of boats, in his very full & busy but short life.
She was sold with the 6V-71 going beautifully & in well very loved condition, as far as Ken knows she still has the 6V-71, but this may have been replaced later with a 8V-92. According to Tony’s son, she is, or was, when he saw her last, in Tauranga, which is where the painted combings pics were taken. It is always so sad to see the beautiful varnished mahogany finish has disappeared off so many of Tony’s masterpieces these days.
The 1961 launching day photo was taken at the main ramp at Westhaven Marina & shows Tony Mason sitting on the foredeck, Richard Hart, Tony’s factory foreman, also aboard, and Tony’s wife Red, bottom left.
Ken would love to fill in some of the gaps in her life, if anyone knows anything of her history, post here on ww or email Ken on kenpat@ihug.co.nz
Lots more Clipper photos & info can be viewed by searching Mason Clipper on facebook.
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your ambition would exceed your ability if you were to drop an 8V-92 Detroit in a skimmer like that. More likely a 325 cu.in. fuel pincher or even the “Oldsmobile” V8 diesel, a gasser with diesel heads.(and a dud to boot)
and in Ken’s post above for “yoong” read” young”
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HI ken, my grand father was the original owner of ce la vie (Tony betts) and was wondering where she is now, it brought a tear to my mums eye knowing she might still be around.
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Much of the early life I posted of FONDAROANA was gleened directly form Tony Mason’s nephew, a totally dedicated lover of, & historian on, his uncle’s boats, ( refer the “Clipper faceook page”) & Philip Shields & althoug both have much to contribute & tend to think Philip has added some very accurte & corrective detail of which I could not have been aware of.
Also, THE C’EST LA VIE, on the hard stand, at Gulf Harbopur, referred to above, has proved not to be theTony Mason boat, but another built by John Spencer in 1974 which is powered by 2 x GM Fuel Pincher 210hp V8s & belongs to a Mr Hildich, – a nephew of the late Fred Hildich who owned GULF STAR for many years in the 70s & 80s. –All the Hildiches are a very dedicated boating family — KEN RICKETTS.
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The APYMBA records I referred to above do confirm that she was built as FONDORONA (although that could be an error for FONDARONA I suppose) and that C.A. Shields of 15 Cremorne Road, Herne Bay owned her until 1966 when Henley bought her as I said above in the face of a contrary provenance put forward by Ken Ricketts.
If anyone should doubt my quotes from APYMBA records, I can usually post a copy of the record on line. Unfortunately the records I have pertain only to launches that were registered at the time the APYMBA’s card system was abandoned. Robin Elliott had the foresight, years ago, to relieve them of their card index and registration slips before they were turfed out.
Thank you Robin!
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ARONA UPDATE;
I have had contact forn Philip Shields, Chris Shields’ son, who has given me the following by email;
Chris Shields did not sell to Brown but to Philip’s father, Peter Henley. This was in 1965/66.
He sold the boat to Brown in 1973/74.
Chris sold the boat after a short ownership, though Philip cannot remember why, after the effort of having it built, and finishing off some of the interior himself.
It’s original name was FONDARONA, a play on Chris’s wife’s name Rona.
Peter Henley renamed it ARONA, so her “real” name is apparently FONDARONA
During Peter’s ownership, she lived on one of the first marina berths at Westhaven, right beside the Squadron rooms.
Philip says that aside from a little summer cruising, he used her extensively for game fishing
out of Russell, mainly & it was a good boat in flattish water, and quick too if you wanted feed the
6V/71.
He says she had very little skeg and being of light construction was quite skittish when being handled at low speed in any sort of breeze.– KEN RICKETTS
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I took a photo of C’EST LA VIE on the hardstand at Gulf Harbur 2 weeks ago, (see above), which sadly looks nothing like her original, beautiful, varished mahongony, classic beauty, as at today, having had a block of flats added, on her cabin top & an all white exterior, with light green touches here & there, & have given a copy to Alan.– KEN RICKETTS
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That would make sense, I thought Venezia looked bigger than 33 but didn’t know that there was a 36.
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Venezia is a (the only?) Clipper 36, I suspect she was originally the second Clipper Argo, which was the third Clipper built for Pete Miller’s father. There is a Clipper 33 for sale in Picton/Nelson (listed on Tradeaboat) which looks like C’est la Vie, unfortunately she has been “improved” significantly from her original form
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The one at Hobsonville (nee Westpark) Marina carries the name “Venezia” in gold on a nicely varnished name board on her equally nicely varnished cabin coaming. Looks to be in pretty close to mint condition – beyootiful!!
(combings are what I get on my comb after I’ve run said flea-rake through my rapidly disappearing hair.)
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The technical & build data etc I have used, is taken from the “Clipper facebook page” which is in the hands of Tony Mason’s nephew who appears to be a huge authority on the boats — he is featured as a yoong boy, in the 1960s, in a number of them — KEN RICKETTS
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Her name is C’EST LA VIE, & you are correct re the twin screw — she originally had 2 x 300 HP Interceptor ( Ford) V8s — I presume she has diesels now — KEN RICKETTS
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There’s a post on her coming up — I’ve taken a pic of her at Gulf harbour & have written her story, which is with Alan H., which hopefuly will be published shortly. Have also given him a pic of her as she was built, & am bound to say how disappointed I am at seeing her today, compared with her original classic beauty — she was a superb example of the “Mason Magic” — KEN RICKETTS
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Pete Miller’s brilliant Mason Clipper site correctly states her original engine was a GM 6-71, (the 8V92 did not exist at this time). It further notes her as now being fitted with an 8V92 but I think this is most likely in error, that is an enormous engine, far too big for a launch of this size. Maybe she is fitted with a GM V8 “Fuel Pincher”
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Beaut boat- one of my favourites. There is another 33 in concours condition on Westpark, with the Clipper 24 style stepped cabin. From memory I think she has twin engines.
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According to the APYMBA records this Mason Clipper ARONA was built in 1964 and was owned between 1968 and 1973 by L.J. P. Henley of Crescent Road, City, if that’s helpful, although it doesn’t square with Ken’s timeline.
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