ALMA G & ALMA G II
photos & detail ex Harold Kidd
Here is the first of a series of game fishing images taken by Tudor Collins at the Bay of Islands, which Harold would guess to be from the period around 1950-55 . The images were bought at a flea-market by Sharon Knight who has made them available via Harold for all of ww followers to relish.
This first one (today) shows ALMA G on the left and ALMA G II on the right.
ALMA G was built by Collings & Bell for E.C. Arlidge in 1922, the first of a series of splendid 35-36ft game-fishing launches built to Charles Collings’ renowned concave-convex planing hull design for the Bay of Islands. Her original configuration was the same as ALMA G II alongside her in this pic. ALMA G II was built as ZANE GREY for Mervyn Arlidge (for use by Zane Grey) in 1927. Other similar launches were MANAAKI and OTEHEI for F. Elliott (1927), LORNA DOONE for A. A. Holmes (1927) and AVALON for Peter Williams (1927). All were fitted with 6 cylinder Redwing 85-100hp marine engines.
Zane Grey’s visits to New Zealand with his mates caused an explosion of interest in game-fishing and added lots of US dollars to the NZ economy, culminating in the Collings & Bell’s commission from Zane Grey to build the 46 footer FRANGIPANI for fishing in Tahiti, launched in 1932.
ALMA G appears to have had a recent modernisation. Does anyone know when this done and who was the builder?
Photo below of ALMA G in her original configuration c1950, before the alterations.
Update ex Bruce Overhill
Bruce spent many hours on the refurbished Alma G in 2004 chasing Marlin. He commented that she can still catch them and was holding her own against all the big boats in the Bayleys fishing competition out of Whangaroa Harbor.
Below are a couple of photo to show the changes that she has had done.
28-04-2016 photo below of Alma G ex Hylton Edmonds via Ken Ricketts
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I fished on her in Jan 1964 with Francis – nice old boat.
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My father Captain Pat Williams owned Alma G 2 I believe in the 70s
She was moored in Russell
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Hi Ken, liked your comments of 5 Nov – seeing Alma G sitting lonely out from your Resort in Paihia. Stayed at a Resort over Christmas and had a view from my window – right out at Alma G – sitting by herself. I thought of you right away Ken.
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I fished from Alma G 11 with Francis Arlidge in 1963.
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I was munging around the yacht club and ran into Darryl, owner of the Alma G. He was finishing up with a re-power of the beautiful old girl. She should be back on the water very soon.
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New photo added. AH
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Yes we relaunched and put her back to the original name on her 50th birthday. Mervin Arlidge and our three year old daughter did the relaunch. Quite a number of the old time skippers attended.
Lee & Dave Smith
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ALMA G II was on permanent mooring right in front of the resort I was staying at, a few weeks ago, in the middle of Paihia, to the left of the wharf, & looked really lovely, by what I could see. However she didn’t move in the 2 weeks I was there, & no one went aboard. She was the only boat moored in this part of the beach at that time & looked quite lonely actually — KEN RICKETTS
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The modifications were very Americanized
She’s painted blue now, I wonder if they have fibre glassed her or if they really enjoy painting. She looks extremely smart.!
A neat post I look forward to tomorrow’s.
It is fortunate, George is out fishing at the moment and I have been informed fish is for dinner. 🙂
Pam
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All those “Zane Grey Club” launches were pretty much identical originally, ALMA G, ZANE GREY (ALMA G II), OTEHEI, MANAAKI, LORNA DOONE and AVALON.
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Interesting, Even the sheer line has been changed Harold.
Some big changes were made to her.
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And another photo ex HDK
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She’s obviously charmed!!!
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Wow!!! She’s looking good. Full on for fishing!!!
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More photos added
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Alma G’s windows are shaped much like the Laughing Lady’s. From what I can see.
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And ALMA G II is back as ZANE GREY again.
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Yes but the point is that she was altered some time before this pic was taken c1955. I want to know when and who did the work.
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Looks like a lot of fun but haven’t they been a tad greedy? I hope they got them all eaten up!
A photo of Alma G’s new look would be neat to see.
I was wondering if, in the days of these photos, did game fishing boats go as far out wide as they do today? Or in other words were the game fish found closer to the cost in those days and more plentiful ?
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Oh really what has he changed? I grey up in the Bay’ and she has been there in the same configuration all my life. Cabin looks Sam Ford-esque
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Alma G is owned by an architect Rob Donaldson, who upgraded her recently. Ian
Sent from my iPhone
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