ROMANCE II
Romance II was built in 1919 by Bailey & Lowe. She is a rather quick old girl, always has been, as the older photos show. The colour photos were taken by Jason Prew at the 2006 Mahurangi Regatta, prior to her current owner Pauline Kidd purchasing her. Romance II had been on the Kidd’s bucket list for a very long time & has just been transported to Marco Scuderi’s yard (MSN Shipwrights) in Helensville for some extensive work that will see her returned to a style closely matching her ‘as launched’ configuration. It would be hard to find a project manager with a better eye & classic knowledge than Pauline’s husband Harold, so ww will be watching this project with great interest – rest assured there will be no fly bridge, solar panels etc 🙂
Rudder Cup photos (by Chris Miller) added
As always – you can enlarge any photo by clicking on it
28 Nov. 1929 photo added (ex Paperspast) below of Romance II being lowered into the water near Queens Wharf after being reconditioned (their words) at Mt Eden. Now you can see why she is so quick.
Zoom Zoom
Walter Bailey designed her for 17 knots which she exceeded with her original 15/21hp (rated) Sterling. That was replaced with the biggest Stearns available, a 35hp (rated), in June 1923. Other, more pedestrian, engines followed including a 4 cylinder Ford diesel post-WW2 and, most recently, a 6 cylinder 150hp Hino marine diesel by Moon Engines, which is a truly superb installation. We can see just under 20 knots on the GPS at 3100 but she’s tricky to handle at that speed because she’s really riding on the prop and “sensitive”, shall I say. We’ve removed most modern junk including the gas bottle and stove and the sink bench but are jibbing at removing the toilet and the deep freeze. Simplicate and add lightness!
Dimensions:
Basically she’s Bailey & Lowe’s standard 35 footer but tweaked in the sections. Beam is 8ft , draught 2ft 6in, displacement 4.2 tons wet.
Update from HDK (24/08/2014) see comments section for previous posts
Progress is good. There have been interesting questions to resolve regarding the new dodger in our efforts to re-create her as she was launched in 1919. When you are dealing with three dimensional and aesthetic issues based on a handful of contemporary images it takes a lot of careful thinking and analysis (not to say compromise). Marco is highly sensitive to these issues, thank goodness, so our weekly brainstorming is fun and productive. We are now down to millimeter issues.
One correction however, the camber of the dodger top IS the same as the camber of the main cabin top. Anything else does look wrong and is not borne out by a careful examination of the early images nor by the fossil evidence in the boat. The shapes of the four forward facing windows gave an illusion of a higher camber, but it is an illusion.
Marco keeps his website up to date with images:
http://www.mcnshipwrights.com/romance-ii.html
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Progress is good. There have been interesting questions to resolve regarding the new dodger in our efforts to re-create her as she was launched in 1919. When you are dealing with three dimensional and aesthetic issues based on a handful of contemporary images it takes a lot of careful thinking and analysis (not to say compromise). Marco is highly sensitive to these issues, thank goodness, so our weekly brainstorming is fun and productive. We are now down to millimeter issues.
One correction however, the camber of the dodger top IS the same as the camber of the main cabin top. Anything else does look wrong and is not borne out by a careful examination of the early images nor by the fossil evidence in the boat. The shapes of the four forward facing windows gave an illusion of a higher camber, but it is an illusion.
Marco keeps his website up to date with images:
http://www.mcnshipwrights.com/romance-ii.html
Photo added to main post AlanH
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The modern dodger is off and the new one being is constructed from careful analysis of original photos at Marco Scuderi’s yard in Helensville. We considered re-using part of the top of the recent dodger but discarded that idea when we found
1. it was made of tanalised pine……yuk
2. its camber was the same as the cabin top, when its camber was originally a tad greater (as it should have been for aesthetics).
Interestingly, there were ghosts of the original coaming levels and placement of vertical members still in the structure if you looked hard enough.
The galley in the port side of the cockpit is gone, to be replaced with full length seats/lockers to port. There’ll be just a portable Mr. Stove in place of her 1919 portable primus and a portable plastic basin in place of her 1919 portable galvanised basin. Out went the gas stove and oven, gas bottle and sink bench.
We reckon we’ll pick up a knot or two in reduced weight and windage (?).
The fuel tanks are out for de-rusting and painting.
Removal of these items has revealed at least 3 cracked or broken ribs which have been sistered.
Back in water in October is the plan.
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ROTOMAHANA was considered to be a “Baby ROMANCE II” when built.
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Basically she’s Bailey & Lowe’s standard 35 footer but tweaked in the sections. Beam is 8ft , draught 2ft 6in, displacement 4.2 tons wet.
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What are her dimensions, Harold? She sounds and looks fantastic!
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Walter Bailey designed her for 17 knots which she exceeded with her original 15/21hp (rated) Sterling. That was replaced with the biggest Stearns available, a 35hp (rated), in June 1923. Other, more pedestrian, engines followed including a 4 cylinder Ford diesel post-WW2 and, most recently, a 6 cylinder 150hp Hino marine diesel by Moon Engines, which is a truly superb installation. We can see just under 20 knots on the GPS at 3100 but she’s tricky to handle at that speed because she’s really riding on the prop and “sensitive”, shall I say. We’ve removed most modern junk including the gas bottle and stove and the sink bench but are jibbing at removing the toilet and the deep freeze. Simplicate and add lightness!
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Harold I find it appalling that your beautiful boat has taken so long to appear – she should have been there years ago — fabulous — I’d have started a post myself, “to get the ball rolling,” if I had picked up on it that she was missing — a huge credit to you & Pauline. — Long may your stewardship continue. – Can’t recall what sort of engine you said she had now, & can you tell us all, how much of the mechanical history do you have?– KEN RICKETTS
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What photos that? – you referring to the perched on a rock photo 😉
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Rudder Cup 2010 race photos added just for you Nathan 🙂
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Such a slick looking boat! She has similar ‘swish’ slung back looks as Rotomahana. Photo of her at speed in modern day required. I also like the photo of her being lowered by crane into the water that shows how her underwater gear is arranged
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As a pre-emptive strike, be advised that her coamings were PAINTED originally, and will remain PAINTED. So, please, please, no wailing about that?
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