REHUTAI
details & photos ex Vinings Brokers ex Ken Rickets
If you believe the brokers listing Rehutai was built by Lanes in 1960……………. She is 43ft x approx 13ft 6in, carvel kauri hull, powered by a 120hp Ford diesel. Currently based in Waikawa.
Ken questions the 1960 launch date as he recalls her from the 1950’s & she was not ‘new’ then. Open for discussion but Kens view is she looks early to mid 1930’s & could even be earlier than that??
Any input / details would be appreciated.
Note – there was several steamers called Rehutai
Harold Kidd Update
Thank goodness Ken has learned to be more cautious with his prognostications. The owner should add not a “II” but probably a “VI” to her name to satisfy Ken’s obsession over names, because REHUTAI was a popular name for NZ launches, up and down the country.
I have told the owner of this boat her provenance, but he doesn’t believe me. He believes his own myths and maybe you can see why when the full facts are revealed.
This particular REHUTAI started life as an amateur-built 35 footer, partially built by a chap called Elley in Ponsonby who sold her to J.P. Aldred of Ponsonby. He had her finished off (most likely by Collings & Bell) and launched her in December 1919 as IRIHAPETI (maori for “Elizabeth”) powered by a 30hp Doman supplied by Collings & Bell. Aldred sold her to H.F. Butler of Remuera in November 1921 to commute to his property on Browns Island. Butler changed her name to NOMAD and kept her until about 1929, having repowered her with a 56hp Ferro around 1925. He sold her to Nops who sold her to W.E. Fullerton of Remuera in 1931. Fullerton sold her to Stan Parker in 1935 and he had her converted to her present configuration by Lidgards who added 7 feet to her amidships, taking her out to 42ft., renaming her ARAWA and having a 65/90 Deutz diesel installed.
After WW2 she was renamed REHUTAI.
Now who would believe that??
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There will be brief run down on the history and many faces of IRIHAPETI/NOMAD/ARAWA/REHUTAI in the March issue of Boating NZ together with a run down on PHYLLIS M/WAINUNU and Clive Power plus a nice pic of her.
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Perhaps the word “prove” I used above is too strong. Just say that the Air Force allusion is actually spot on and “corroborates” that this REHUTAI = ARAWA = NOMAD = IRIHAPETI.
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With respect there are lots of problems with this stuff. Lanes weren’t in the Tamaki Estuary in 1930, they were in Mechanics Bay etc etc. This “provenance” starts in 1990. Whether John East likes it or not, the provenance I gave above is correct and his further comments actually prove it.
You see the RNZAF took her over from Stan Parker (as ARAWA) in 1942 and took her to Laucala Bay in Fiji for towing. Fred Yates was her coxswain. She still had the Deutz diesel that Lidgards put in her for Parker. In 1944 she was shipped back and her cabin top further altered. She was then used by the Air Force at Picton (as ARAWA) for towing and r & r excursions for Air Force personnel from No.2 Convalescent Depot at Curious Cove. Her RNZAF number was W62.
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The Auckland Rehutai bridge decker ( above three shots – one on the travel hoist) was owned by my farther James ( Jim ) East from circa 1990 to around 2000. She was our family boat and did extensive cruising on the Hauraki Gulf. My farther ( he’s now 92) is a boatie’s boatie and this beautiful vessel was a very important part of his (our families) life. She was built by Lanes, when we were never really sure – popular guess was circa 1930’s at their boat yard up the Tamaki Estuary as she is triple skin kauri which was a popular construction method of the time. And yes, she a had a Lee’s marine Ford diesel ( I always thought it was 110hp but you may be right if it was 120hp ) The engine burnt 5 litres an hour at 6knots and she was flat out at around 9 knots.
There are some colourful stories around Rehutai; from being owned by the Airforce during WW II on duty from Hobsonville to Auckland city to running charters to the Poor Knights in the 50’s. None of these have been substantiated.
When we bought her in 1990, she was on the Kaipara moored up the helensville creek. She was transported by truck ( Boat Haulage) from there to gulf harbour marina, refloated and steamed up to Bucklands Beach Yacht Club Marina where she stayed permanently until she was sold a decade later.
Of all the boats my farther owned, this was the one I should have bought after the maintenance side of her became too much for him and he reluctantly sold her. If anyone knows where she is I would love to know. If this boat was for sale I’d be very interested in purchasing her back. John East – 021 762 222
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This boat was in our family 20 years – my dad who is now 91 lived and breathed this prineces of the inner gulf like she was a queen. I cant recount the the amount of time we got smashed beam on coming through covill channel coming back from the merc’s and the barrier: any idea where she is now ??
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Great stuff — thanks mate — really appreciate your input — KEN R
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Very cool story! Thats some solid info. Must have taken some bloody digging too…..
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Thank goodness Ken has learned to be more cautious with his prognostications. The owner should add not a “II” but probably a “VI” to her name to satisfy Ken’s obsession over names, because REHUTAI was a popular name for NZ launches, up and down the country.
I have told the owner of this boat her provenance, but he doesn’t believe me. He believes his own myths and maybe you can see why when the full facts are revealed.
This particular REHUTAI started life as an amateur-built 35 footer, partially built by a chap called Elley in Ponsonby who sold her to J.P. Aldred of Ponsonby. He had her finished off (most likely by Collings & Bell) and launched her in December 1919 as IRIHAPETI (maori for “Elizabeth”) powered by a 30hp Doman supplied by Collings & Bell. Aldred sold her to H.F. Butler of Remuera in November 1921 to commute to his property on Browns Island. Butler changed her name to NOMAD and kept her until about 1929, having repowered her with a 56hp Ferro around 1925. He sold her to Nops who sold her to W.E. Fullerton of Remuera in 1931. Fullerton sold her to Stan Parker in 1935 and he had her converted to her present configuration by Lidgards who added 7 feet to her amidships, taking her out to 42ft., renaming her ARAWA and having a 65/90 Deutz diesel installed.
After WW2 she was renamed REHUTAI.
Now who would believe that??
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Looks Chas. Bailey Late ’30s to me
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Actually this REHUTAI, reminds me a little of “LILLIAN A” – (now LILLIAN) — KEN R
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There is already a post on woodys of another REHUTAI, which appears to be built before this one. — Would love to be able to suggest to the owner of this one, he adds a “II” ( unless this one proves to be another of the very old boats that had a 1930s facelift, (bowlift if you like) like ROSALIND, MAVIS B & others, so everyone will know which one is which. — KEN R
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Another “Rehutai” was built pre-WWII by Ernie Lane in Picton, about 12m and a close sister to “Southern Maid”
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