Lamorna

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Lamorna c1950 Lake Taupo

LAMORNA

photo & details ex Paul & Nigel Drake

Lamorna was built in 1937 by Colin Wild for J Blundell & specifically designed for trout fishing on Lake Taupo. The photo above was taken in the 1950’s.

As boys, on the Lake, the 4 Drake brothers admired Lamorna from the family’s C&G 22 footer Sir Francis – which they still use constantly today. Paul Drake recalls his father telling him that Lamorna had twin engines that were fully exposed with a chrome rail on each side of the alleyway their only protection from stumbling bodies.

Lamorna was for sale on trademe for a long time until reasonably recently. She looks very different now, with a new dodger extending forward, and the usual fully enclosed fly-bridge. See photos below ex Nigel, taken of her moored off Herald Island – note,  these do not show the full extent of the fly-bridge.

Below are three great photos from Lamorna’s past. Thanks to Harold Kidd for pointing the Papers Past links  to me 🙂

14 September 1937 – at Colin Wild’s Stanley Bay yard

16 November 1937 – Undergoing sea trials on the Waitemata Harbour prior to being trucked to Lake Taupo

25 November 1937 – being loaded for transport overland to Lake Taupo. Love the truck !

An Update from Steve & Dylan Needham – 18/10/2014

Here are some photos of Lamorna since we took possession of her at Herald
Island Auckland. Starting with survey and then taken to Geoff Bagnal’s yard
to make Lamorna sea worthy for the Cook straight crossing. Transport to Mana
by truck as you can see we had to cut the flying bridge off because of one
bridge. Looked quite good without it but we decided to re-attach it and then
made the voyage to the Marlborourgh Sounds where Lamorna is berthed at
Havelock where we are restoring her. We have had a lot of fun with her and
look forward to summer.

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10 thoughts on “Lamorna”

  4. Hi, we are the new owners of Lamorna now based out of Havelock Marlborough Sounds, she has 2 twin ford 90hp diesels, we will forward new pictures, as we transported her from Auckland to Mana , Wellington by truck, just like her first expedition to Lake Taupo.

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  5. Hi All,
    My family have taken over the role of custodians of this fine vessel. She is now moored in the Marlborough Sounds getting abit of TLC. Any information you have would be much appreciated as I want to make a book of her history.

    Any help would be great.

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  6. Does anyone know what she is, or was, powered with, when new? — KEN RICKETTS

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  8. I’ve sent this on to Dave Trial, who owned and operated her as a game fishing boat, up north IIRC, and hopefully he’ll come back with more info on her history.
    She’s been moored just below Herald Island for a few years now. Still a handsome boat, and that flyINGbridge isn’t as bad as some.

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  10. Lamorna left the lake in the early 1970’s and was shipped to Tauranga and was based in Whitianga. Her owner was Mick Savage and he used her as a big game charter boat. Another one of my fathers customers.

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