DAWN
photo ex Steve Forsman
Yesterday on ww there was some chat in the comments section about the launch Dawn. Steve Forsman commented on an existing ww post that his grandfather c.1960 had owned a small, approx. 26′, launch named Dawn, that was moored in Tauranga Harbour.
Harold Kidd commented that this was most likely yet another Dawn built by Arch Logan (allegedly) for J C Spedding c.1922 but bought by Dr. Stenhouse for game fishing at Mayor Island in 1932. She was a fast boat with a 40hp Scripps.
Steve sent me the photo above last night & speaking with Harold he commented that the reference to Arch Logan building her is from a 1932 Auckland Star piece when Spedding sold her to Dr. Stenhouse of Katikati. Bill Couldrey fitted her out for game-fishing (obviously recommended by Arch) and his uncle(?) Capt. Couldrey delivered her to Tauranga for Stenhouse.
Harold feels it’s equally likely that she was built by Logan Bros under a different name but without any photo reference has been unable to ‘squirrel’ out the detail as yet. He said that you can see a resemblance to Coquette/Logan 33 if you squint a bit. One fact nags Harold – the fact she had a Scripps engine in 1932 because Lanes were Scripps agents.
To quote Harold “too many DAWNs!”
Steve would love to hear what happened to his grandfathers boat, so if anyone can add to the above – please do.
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That boat was indeed called Dawn. She was 28′ 6″ as I recall and was owned by Dr Stenhouse of Katikati some time earlier. Who Stenhouse sold her to I don’t know but, my Father, Alan McDonald from TePuke, bought her from a woodwork teacher at Tauranga ( boys college I think ) named Peter ( Dempsen ? ? ), circa 1961 ? who told my Dad that she was a 1927 or 1928 Arch Logan build, and she then had a Lees 40hp Fordson, with decompression lever, situated for’ard of the cabin bulkhead. He registered it for long-lining as TA215 and did the weekend fisherman thing for about 5yrs, selling his catch to Laurie Jarrett at the Mount. She was moored in Pilot Bay. Dad then sold her to Paul Neilson, a Mount businessman ( Neilson’s fashions I seem to recall ), and he on-sold it after a short while to a bloke who long-lined it out of Bowentown. She broke her mooring in a storm and ended up beached on Matakana Island, was refloated & repaired and subsequently went long-lining out of Whakatane. During a big flood of the late 60’s or early 70’s she was moored alongside the wharf, her lines were too tight ( apparently ) and she was damaged & broke loose and drifted out to the bar where, I seem to remember Dad telling me, she broke up and was never salvaged. Somewhere I have a USB stick which probably contains a pic of her as TA 215. The mast had been re-instated and there was a wee steadying sail as well. Alas, that particular Dawn is no more.
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New photo ex Steve Forsman of his grandads boat
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My uncle said the engine was changed to a Ford. Didn’t say if it was before or after they bought it. Don’t think they had her long but I do remember they removed the mast and put it behind the garage after it got caught on the rail bridge…
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That’s an interesting thought for a bow rail.
Designed to slammm you head first into the water when your toe catches on it.!!!!
She’s ever so sweeeeet though!!!
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