SEAWAY FAIR
photo ex Colin Pawson
A bit of a mystery this one, I seem to recall her hauled out at Milford Marina a few years ago & boat builder Geoff Bagnall enclosing the cockpit. I would be very surprized if Mr Bagnall had anything to do with the penthouse addition.
Some good bones here – anyone able to supply further info on Seaway Fair?
opps – based on Ken R’s comment re the name & blowing the photo up, I think she is called Seaway Fair – have amended headings.
Harold Kidd Update
SEAWAY was indeed built by Lanes for Fred Brake in 1956. She was 38′x35′x11′x3′ and had an 85hp Graymarine petrol engine. Brake sold her to A E Hayman in September 1958 when he had Lanes build him SEAWAY FAIR.
Things get very confusing from then onwards.
I think what happened was
1. N T Burrill of Redoubt Road bought SEAWAY from Hayman in 1961 and changed her name to TANGAROA, which she was until at least 2003 when I spoke to her owner, Bill Burrill at Mahurangi. She had had a series of Perkins engines and then had a 100hp Yanmar.
2. I think that SEAWAY FAIR gradually became known as SEAWAY as well as SEAWAY FAIR.
3. If I’m right, then she was sold by Brake to A V Beckett of Castor Bay in 1973 and in 2011 she was for sale on Trade Me with a 120hp Ford.
21-07-2022 Input ex Angus Rogers – below photo from Rakino Island 01-05-2022
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New photo added. Alan H
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Have read all of the above nobody seems to know much about Seaway Fair. She was build in1959 as Seaway Fair and had a Perkins in her when I brought her. She now has a Volvo 130hp that has been in her for the last 26 years’ The top was designed by Geoff Bagnall and myself and was put on by.Geoff at Milford . also so sounds funny these guys talk about penthouses etc but when it is cold and raining really is nice to stay dry( Tony Geldard) PS she has never been Tangaroa or any other Name but Seaway Fair (39.Feet)
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Seaway Fair was just lifted here (Hobsonville Marina) for a wash and anode change. Tony still owns her. That flyING bridge (I hate brokerisms like “flybridge”) is quite small and doesn’t really spoil her looks, having been kept back in all four directions from the edges of her cabin top so it doesn’t overpower the look of her.
While I agree that many of the flying bridges added to older boats are eyesores,and sometimes even dangerous*, the looks of some craft can actually be improved by the addiion. The later bridge-deckers provide examples of this; a properly designed, open bridge on the after cabin top behind the bridge deck looks tasteful and quite in keeping with the style.
* Dangerous? Yes, putting a full headroom, fully enclosed solid flying bridge on a smaller launch not only looks hideous, but can seriously degrade stability.
While it is great that people are restoring the old boats and keeping them in period, many of the old girls are actually used regularly for boating purposes. They have to be “fit for purpose”. Older boats were built in an age when there wasn’t the huge number of boats around, and there weren’t any marinas. Frequently vision from the helm station is not good. Bridge deckers in particular suffer from poor vision astern – a problem when reversing into a marina berth (Don’t ask how I know this!) – they just weren’t designed for it. An open flying bridge, on the other hand, gives 360 vision and makes running safer and close quarters handling both safer and easier.
In some cases restored vintage and classic craft are best suited to (and are often just used for) classic boat gatherings and events. There’s nothing wrong with that whatsoever; i admire the dedication and hard work (and money) that goes into getting and keeping the boats in that condition, but if you.re using the boat for cruising, some compromises with tradition may have to be made.
While wood is my favourite boat building material, and I have a love of the more traditional craft; power, sail, pleasure boat or working girl, I deplore the snobbery imported from the northern hemisphere that holds that only this or that type of boat is a “real boat”.
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We all have our own point of view, in respect of “additions &/or alterations” to boats, & there are those of us, that are of the view, that when a gifted designer of the ilk of Logan, Couldry, Wild, Ford, Salthouse, Upfold & many others, to go through the spectrum of time from the early 1900s to the 2000s, & name but a few, it is saddening, when to us, “REAL boat lovers,” that the beautiful symetry, character, & aesthetically flowing & beautiful lines of classic craft, built & crafted in days gone by, are “mutilated,” & turned in to somethjing ugly, by the addition of superstructure that almost always. does not follow the character of the boat, or the designer & era, from which it comes.
If someone wants something of the style of a “plastic fantastic” of some of todays builidng concepts, then they should buy one, not mutilate the otherwise everlasiting beauty, of the great boats & great boatbuilders & designers which are our wonderful & priviledged heritage. — Said with much pride & love of, & for, our great classic boats, & their wonderful designers & builders. — KEN RICKETTS
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Cheers Cameron – just remember waitematawoodys is a blog i.e. ‘a website or web page on which an individual records opinions’ 🙂
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So what if they have had hard tops fitted ! Commenting on certain additions that have been made to boats over the years is childish. The whole point of boating in nz is to have fun on the water and not getting feedback from individuals about the “penthouse” apartment etc etc. If the owner of sedboat didn’t like it he would cut it off or not purchased it to start with. My views only. Cheers
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The top was put on by bagnall. I find it really amusing reading the same people say the same smart arse comments about other peoples boats.
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She was here on G-pier at Hobsonville (nee Westpark) Marina for several years, owned by Tony (Somebody) who according to friends who met him recently still owns her. i think she went to Gulf harbour from here. I agree she’s too small for an enclosed flying-bridge, but I’ve seen far worse!.
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SEAWAY was indeed built by Lanes for Fred Brake in 1956. She was 38’x35’x11’x3′ and had an 85hp Graymarine petrol engine. Brake sold her to A E Hayman in September 1958 when he had Lanes build him SEAWAY FAIR.
Things get very confusing from then onwards.
I think what happened was
1. N T Burrill of Redoubt Road bought SEAWAY from Hayman in 1961 and changed her name to TANGAROA, which she was until at least 2003 when I spoke to her owner, Bill Burrill at Mahurangi. She had had a series of Perkins engines and then had a 100hp Yanmar.
2. I think that SEAWAY FAIR gradually became known as SEAWAY as well as SEAWAY FAIR.
3. If I’m right, then she was sold by Brake to A V Beckett of Castor Bay in 1973 and in 2011 she was for sale on Trade Me with a 120hp Ford.
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Fred Brake was the harbour master for the Tamaki River, from the later 40s or early 50s, to about the 70s — a colourful & dedicated boatie, with a delightful hospitipal lady wife, who reminded me a little visually, of Ma Kettle, from the films on Ma & Pa Kettle.
Both of their boats had Perkins 6-354s & were circa 36 — 38 feet. Unfortumnaltrel I fdn’t have a pic of either of them at this stage, but may be able to get one. — KEN RICKETTS
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i thnk she is almost certainly a boat built for the late Fred Brake of Riverview Rd Panmure by Garth Lane’s Lane Motor Boat Company, in the 1950s, & was the second of 2 almost identical boats Lanes built for him in that era, the first being the SEAWAY .
Lanes shed was right next door to Brakes house, & she was built as SEAWAY FAIR in th e1950s & had a 6-354 Perkins diesel. Th Brakes lived around the corner to, & were very good friends of, my parents, Ralph & Wyn Ricketts — KEN RICKETTS
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tony owns seaway and she does slip at milford
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