Whakari Sinks
Heard a rumour in the weekend that was confirmed last night that the stunning 1925 Sam Ford launch ‘Whakari’ has sunk on her moorings in the Weiti River. Do not know anymore at this stage.
Horrible news, our thoughts go out to CYA member Gordon Cashmore & I’m sure all classic wooden boat owners will be hoping Gordon & family bring the old girl back to life – if they need any inspiration they need look no further than the Nereides post below.
This is the 2nd oops she has had according to Papers Past , 69 years ago (Aug/Sept 1945) she broke away from her Hobson Bay mooring & went ashore on the Orakei reclamation embankment.
Update from Gordon Cashmore (via Stephan Harris) 23/07/2014
Whakari is now safe and secure at the old Cashmore mill site in Silverdale. She is being repaired by Philip (blue) Holmes. The cause of the dilemma was a broken mooring line in one of the big blows a few weeks back that caused her to swing from the jetty and bang the keel on the papa bank springing the garboard and sinking. The 6.354 has been flushed and run up while at Gulf Harbour. This will be removed for access to the keel bolts etc so repairs/upgrades can be done.
Gordon wants her fixed for her 100th birthday. Stephen Harris, Gordons neighbour in Still Water.
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Gordon also tells me WHAKARI is still in their factory, has had about 1 days work since she arrived & needs about 3 months work — he has not had the time to get to it that he would like. — KEN R
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Have just got off the phone to Gordon Cashmore who tells me WHAKARI had a twin cyl Twigg engine, in 1940-41 & he would love to make contact with anyone who can point him in the right direction to find a Twigg of any number of cylinders, who would be interested in disposing of it. Contact could be made with me in the first instance, on his behalf, at email kenpat@ihug.co.nz — KEN RICKETTS
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How’s the rebuild going??
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A pity this thread has died. I would dearly love to know the real provenance of WHAKARI or, least, that part of her that remains from the gunwale down.
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PS Sam was only 19 in 1914!
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That’s good. Looking at the newspapers of the time, there is a report from Tauranga dated 3rd March 1926, “The (White Island Sulphur) company has purchased AND ALTERED a large launch which will run between Tauranga and White Island.” From subsequent newspaper entries, that launch was WHAKARI. So a 1914 build date is entirely possible, but who built her (can’t be Sam Ford as he was working as a shipwright at Mangawhare until he was called up for military service in WW1) and what was her original name (wouldn’t be WHAKARI as that’s the maori name for White Island)? I’m happy with the idea that Sam Ford altered her for the Sulphur company in 1925/6.
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Having a measure up of engine beds this weekend for a possable engine upgrade so will quiz him as to original build etc, he’s sharp as on most things especialy if it’s to do with parting with $’s haha.
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It says – Sam Ford 1914
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No, the first storey and the built-up foredeck with flare, replacing the work-boat topsides, was put on by Lanes for the Cashmores in the late 1930s and the second storey much more recently. See my comments on MAIBE/REGINA above.
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Lest I be struck down, I would wager early 1930’s with that sheer and flare.
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Gordon is very savvy.
On his application form did he say she was built by Sam Ford?
If correct, she can’t have been built before 1923.
The sulphur mining operation on White Island ceased in 1914 when the island erupted and all the personnel there died (except the cat).
The operation was restarted in mid-1926 by the Canadian company which owned WHAKARI.
There is a possibility that WHAKARI was an earlier boat rebuilt for this particular task and, in that case, there’s a chance she may go back to 1914.
If so, Sam Ford didn’t build her but he may have been the one who modified her for the particular job in 1925/6.
Does Gordon know who built her and what her original name was?
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Oh dear!
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Harold
On Gordon’s CYA application, it listed 1914.
Alan
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Perhaps I should be more transparent? Sam Ford didn’t start building on his own account until August 1923 when he (temporarily) took over Dick Lang’s yard in St. Mary’s Bay. The first mention of WHAKARI in available newspapers is in mid 1926. I think the earliest date for her is late 1925.
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Does that mean that Gordon thinks she was built in 1914??
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Whakari is now safe and secure at the old Cashmore mill site in Silverdale. She is being repaired by Philip (blue) Holmes. The cause of the dilemma was a broken mooring line in one of the big blows a few weeks back that caused her to swing from the jetty and bang the keel on the papa bank springing the garboard and sinking. The 6.354 has been flushed and run up while at Gulf Harbour. This will be removed for access to the keel bolts etc so repairs/upgrades can be done.
Gordon wants her fixed for her 100th birthday. Stephen Harris, Gordons neighbour in Still Water.
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I was stopped at the traffic lights at the corner of Wade River Rd waiting to turn in to Whangaparaoa Rd & she was also on a Regan Carriers transporter, (light green anyway), I think it was, stopped at the lights in Whangaparaoa Rd waiting as well, at the lights, to go towards Silverdale, last week, so it would seem it is right. She looked perfect on the outside, by what I could see as I went past, & I did my best to have a really good look. Must say I was a little surprised that she looked as if she hadn’t had a total bum clean before she left Gulf Harbour, but that would also explain that. —
Was talking to Gordon C a couple of weeks or so ago, in Ripples Café, when she was on the hardstand, at Gulf Harbour & she was fine then.– KEN RICKETTS
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