Jack Brooke Cruise Collection #2 – Ngatoa 1928- 29
Jack Brooke Cruise Collection #2 – Ngatoa 1928- 29
Thanks to Robert Brooke for making these remarkable cruise drawings done by his father, Jack Brooke, available to ww followers. Jack produced a hand drawing on each cruise. Todays post is the second of several – enjoy.
The above drawing records the travels of Ngatoa during what I assume was their annual Christmas / New Year Cruise. They certainly clocked up some miles – with White Island to the South & Great Barrier to the North. From the drawing of White Island it would appear that she was very active at the time.
This one does not list the crew.
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Woof!
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Robin’s like a dog with a bone where there’s the faintest whiff of an Emmy!
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Dave’s younger brother John, took over Silver Fern from Dave when he bought Mercedes. John also took over Mercedes, at age 15, when Dave was sent up to Japan with J-Force in 1945.
John Taylor of course is well known in RNZYS circles as the long-time owner of the Stewart 34 Paprika, his son is Andrew was a key member of the Team New Zealand Americas Cup winning crew.
A.G. Taylor, jeweller by trade, was a great supporter of Auckland yachting and Richmond Yacht club in particular. He was also a fine amateur cinematographer and was the creator of most of the 1930’s and 1940’s film that we have all seen from time to time. Regatta days, the wartime boom defence, Richmond Club races, Nga-toa cruises, beach hakas – all made it on to film. He was one of the few people to have had access to colour film just after the War.
In the 1980’s Richmond Yacht Club transferred some of it to videotape and sold copies as a fundraiser. John Taylor (who was also a jeweller, in Howick) still has/had a lot of it and I saw most of it during visits to him and assorted yacht club meetings around that time.
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Dave, your grandfather owned NGA TOA in partnership with Gordon Ferner (“Boy”) Bellve from 1944 until about 1950. Boy Bellve carried on as sole owner I think until he died in 1963. In 1950 your grandfather bought the B Class yacht HOUHERE from Leo Bouzaid.
I also think that your grandfather was the owner of the Logan keel yacht NGAHAU before that (1940-4). He had owned the first 12ft Silver Fern, SILVER FERN, when living at 49 Shelly Beach Road in 1936 (if I’ve got the right A.G. Taylor), the 14ft Y Class IOLANTHE in 1937 and the sailing dinghy GOOD BAY for the Richmond Cruising Club winter series races in 1946.
It looks like the Shelly Beach Road Taylors were mighty active yachtsmen during that period as brother Dave Taylor also owned a heap of boats including the Emmy MERCEDES.
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My Grandfathers name was Arthur Gordon Taylor he owned the boat sometime round the 1930’s- 40’s. He was the previous owner of NGA TOA. Just wondering if you could share any more information.
Reguards Dave
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Can’t help with crew list on this one, but it should be mentioned that, during the course of this “cruise” NGA TOA won line and handicap honours in the Auckland-Tauranga race. The keel yacht entrants were IORANGI (scr), NGA TOA (1 hour), QUEENIE (2h45m), WAIRIKI (3h25m), VANITIE (3h10m) and MAHAKI (3h45m).
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Hi Robert,
Thank-you for your reply.
I have great respect for the drawings as ink requires a very relaxed hand. Once the ink hits the paper it’s all on.
Very nice. Thank-you for sharing them with us.
Regards, Pam
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The drawing of White Island is real art
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Yes they were all done with pen and ink on his drawing desk
Robert
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Awesome!! Love the expression on the shags faces. They realy do look just like that. : )
Perhaps one of the Brooke’s can tell me, are they pen and ink?
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