Korora

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KORORA
photo above & details ex Harold Kidd

I posted on Korora a few weeks ago but I have just received the above stunning b/w photo of her + a copy of her APYMBA Certificate from Harold Kidd, these + Harolds discussions with the son (John) of past owner Guy Tattersfield have cleared up some confusion regrading ownership dates & vessel details.

Korora is 28′ long with a 8′ 10″ beam & 3′ draft. Built of 2 skin kauri on opposite diagonals.

She was owned by Guy Tattersfield of Glendowie for many years (at least 1953 to 1967 according to RNZYS & APYMBA records and the Tattersfield family). The Tattersfield’s have no recollection of who built her and when. They’re pretty sure she wasn’t new when Guy bought her and there may have been a name change at that point. According to Ken Ricketts she was owned by Mr & Mrs John O’Meara for a period of approx. 4 years from c.1996. She is recorded in the 2013 Panmure Yacht & Boating Club Year Book as belonging to a Mr Fred Roach but in fact is owned by his brother Bob Roach. She is moored in the Tamaki River. The O’Mearas told Ken they bought her off a Mr John Mayhead of Remuera who owned her for a number of years (possible 30>40 years).

Interestingly, she shares her APYMBA number, 107, with a launch called TUARANGI which had it in 1935 (no other details on that launch, but not the Lidgard TUARANGI of 1950) and also the Bell Bros’ CAVALIER II of 1920-25, which is a mystery to Harold. Harold doesn’t think for a moment she’s that early, but it’s possible. In a conversation with John Tattersfield, who’s in the office next to Harold’s, he also commented that he doesn’t think she’s an early boat despite her “tramtop” configuration. She’s built very heavily and quite different in shape from ,say, a 1920’s or 1930’s tramtop. John said her construction is reminiscent of Shipbulders’ work.

colour photos below ex Ken Ricketts

05/11/14 – Photo below ex Paperpast ex Nathan Herbert – refer notes from Nathan & Harold Kidd in comments section below.

05/03/2015 – ‘New’ photos ex trademe

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32 thoughts on “Korora”

  1. Seeing that APYMBA certificate brought back memories. When it later became the APYA I was asstnt. registrar for Secretary Bill Crump in 1960/61. Hand wrote many a registration including all the then new Patikis.

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  2. Pingback: Korora Saved | waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news – updated daily

  3. Hi Thre
    I’ve just purchased Korora such a stunning boat.
    She sank on her mooring 2-3 years ago and was taken back to a farm to dry out.
    She is now heading to our heritage farm to be worked on.
    Tony

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  6. Hi my name is Lyn Currie
    There is three shear holders in Korora
    Bob Roach ph 0272181499 Paul Morrison ph 0292 963038 Lyn Currie ph 0274 961514 Email lyn.currie2013@gmail . com
    sad as it is we are all to old to keep up the maintance so we are going to sell her on trademe in the next couple of weeks
    it would be real great if we could sell her to a person that had the time to bring her back to the good looking ship that she was

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  8. Have just been talking to the owner, Bob Roach, on the phone, & as he does not have a computer, he has asked me to convey to all involved, his sincere thanks & appreciation, for all the work & great results that have been achieved in respect of his lovely little boat. He tells me his son is organising him a hard copy, so he will be able to retain this for his own enjoyment, & also pass a copy to the new owners when he sells her, which he feels he will probably reluctantly have to do. — KEN RICKETTS

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  10. As a comparison, I would compare my own much loved TIARRI, which, what is left of her at the moment, has been in the weather for a number of years, as found in the post SOS. — Whilst the most recent images of her are much newer than KORORA the darker areas on the topsides have similarities in my view, — but as I said before, we all have our opinions, & they should all be mutually respected, without scorn or derision & with dignity.
    In my view, we demean ourselves, by scorning the views of others, who have honestly & knowledgeably held views, at variance to our own, on any topic. — KEN RICKETTS

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  13. PS Without wanting to further labour the point, this is precisely how myths are generated. Pelion piled on Ossa. Assumption piled upon assumption, and we have a new truth.

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  14. I guess the absurdity of your leap of faith to “green staining” got to me, Ken. How on earth can you justify that conclusion from a black and white download of a screened scan of a photocopy of a 1935 press pic?
    Perhaps those marks are the shadows of aliens? That makes as much sense to me than that Joe Lobley would be about to launch his brand new boat with “green staining and weathering”.
    That’s my opinion……and we differ.

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  16. OMG, surely that’s just the shadow of some bushes? Next she’ll turn out to be Noah’s bloody Ark!

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  18. Was just taking a close look at the pre launch pick of KORORA (JOAN) & it would seem by what appears to me to be, fairly substantial staining on the lower parts of the hull, near the stern, that this could be the sort of green stain & weathering caused by leaving her exposed to the elements, uncovered, for a lengthy period, & it would seem to me, she could have been built over perhaps a number of years, right where this pic was taken, if this is correct. — Absolutely marvellous to have this great pic. — KEN R

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  21. Well done guys — a great job — I’ve passed the info. on to the past & present owners that I have been working with — makes it all worth while when we collectively get a result like this — KEN R

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  23. Excellent sleuthing, Nathan. That’s her all right. Joe Lobley was a flag officer of Ponsonby Cruising Club for many years and had many launches. He was a printer and lived at 31 Faulder Ave Westmere in 1935. Her first name was JOAN after Joe’s daughter, and she was just one of several launches called JOAN in Auckland at the time.
    I showed the pic to John Tattersfield who agrees that’s she’s KORORA (nine clerestory windows, no ports in the coamings etc) and says that the APYMBA registration certificate has “Joan” in pencil on the back.
    Well done!!

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  28. I must remember that line in case I am ever introduced to an attractive old dowager.

    “Let’s face it, you’re wholesome, but a bit idiosyncratic.”

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  31. It is odd that Guy Tattersfield, a very experienced yachtsman (ALTAIR/JANET etc), did not include details of the builder in his application for registration with APYMBA when he bought KORORA in 1953. He would certainly have known who built her.
    I have rationalised this to myself with the thought that she was built by an amateur of no reputation whom Tattersfield did not think worthy of mentioning. Let’s face it, she’s wholesome, but a bit idiosyncratic.
    The Scripps Ford V8 marinisation was one of the few marine engines reasonably available in the immediate post-war years.
    This would all fit with Ken’s theory.

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  32. With HDK’s comments, together with the “unknown factors,” conjecture & speculation re her history & “date of birth,” together with the “Scripps V8 being made in 1950, I wonder if perhaps she could have been built in the early 50s, with that as the original engine, & built to the spec. of the classic designs of the late 20s & early 30s era, by, or for, an enthusiast of that concept. —
    Just a thought. — KEN R

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