Launches at Waipu Landing 1953

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Waipu Boats

photo & details ex Colin McKenzie ex New Zealand Herald Jan 1953.

A flotilla of launches & the scow Rahiri seen here at the Waipu Landing at the start of the celebrations to mark the arrival of the Nova Scotian settlers there 100 years previously.
From the left:
#1 Bridge decker on left (was owned by Mac Kelly, Beachlands) Colin has forgotten the name of the launch.

#2 Highland Lass (Jim Somner, Waipu)

#3 Bluebird, (John Munroe, Papakura)

#4 Spindrift, (Gordon McKenzie, Clevedon – Gordon was Colin’s father & Commodore of the Clevedon Cruising Club)

#5 Rahiri (Jock McKinnon, skipper). The remains of Rahiri are now to be seen in the sands/beach at Blackpool, Waiheke Island.

24 thoughts on “Launches at Waipu Landing 1953”

  1. Hi Andrea, Thanks for that update – ever since posting that Waipu Landing photo I have been trying to remember that name Connie Marie, and now thanks to you I have it. I used to row our clinker dinghy a lot accompanied with Hope &June in their dinghy – those were very happy days.
    Cheers Colin

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  2. Hi colin,
    My apologies, it must have been the Connie Marie?. Im told Mac had her befor zephyr.

    Thanks, Andrea.

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  3. Hi Andrea – the bridge decker in the Waipu photo is definitely not the Zephyr – Mac Kelly purchased the Zephyr after owning the launch in that photo

    Cheers, Colin

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  4. #1 owned by mac Kelly (my grandfather) is the zephyr.
    From what i can tell his wife and children, hope, june and possibly sidney and/or David on deck.

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  6. The Highland Lass is the boat recently mystery featured at Whangarei basin. The Bluebird is the boat now at Whangaroa moored out from the Boyd Gallery as Lady Vi.

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  7. Hi Colin, I meant to get a photo over the summer when we were at Kawakawa Bay, but didn’t get a chance. Still my intention though, but might have to wait until next summer.

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  9. SPINDRIFT is now owned by Bruce Ashby and is moored at Kawakawa Bay. Still looks the same, except the varnished saloon has been painted.

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  11. Re Jock McKinnon and Rahiri….Jock was married to Maude “Tiny” Gordon of Awaroa Bay Waiheke Island.Her nephew,Colin, as far as I know, still lives on the property.

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  12. Another beautiful photo shown above. Jock Mckinnon was my wifes great grandfather and my father in-law Ian Mckonnon (past owner of Lady Rae) has mentioned alot about been a young lad having trips aboard RAHIRI whether been picking up big logs to moving stock to the various islands. She was very well loaded at times from some of the photos i have seen. Jock was certainly a very well known bloke around the gulf as his name seems to pop up alot in books regarding the Hauraki Gulf. Also alot of well looked after woody’s are nearing or have reached a century of years old. And not to forget how long it took for the tree to grow that was used for our boats. Probably still around for another 100 yrs. Those big flash plastic boats line up at boatbuilders yards by their 10th birthday for refits. Need to have shares in Shell or BP

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  13. Most entertaining scripts, but am not sure that Riviera owners would agree –they’d be biased anyway & not impartial like us!!! — KEN R

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  14. Hah. Im sure they look over at the “old girls” in amazement wondering how one can cook a fillet of fish or a pot of mussels without having a $12k genset humming away under thr feet just to defrost thr butter in the microwave. Mind you I’m positive they are baffled how the “old girls” can possibly have arrived at sed spot without not one but two 32 mile radars fitted, accompanied by the latest “sat nav split screen double overhead plasma johnson rod” set up that made the mastercard squeal in terror just a month ago. Its always interesting to hear of the uncharted rocks or drifting sand banks that a good number of sed white plastic boats appear to try and hurdle even with the latest gear. Maybe next haul out they could fit a set of wheels to thr hulls ? My rants over. All the best Cheers c.

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  15. I couldn’t agree more Cam! The amount of times we are told passionate stories about all new skegs, rudders, pistons etc is amazing. And the amount of times I have faked agreement that the new enclosed flybridge suits ‘it’ very well….

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  16. The Riviera owners have perhaps become a different species from us too?
    Do they cook with primuses in the cockpit? Do they hoist a kerosene lantern on the forestay of after evening civil twilight? Do they set a jib to stop the rolling in a cross sea? Do they have a bucket and chuck it?
    Not doing such things could very well be a marker of genetic drift.

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  17. Studying the “herds of rivieras” that gather around the coast of hauraki gulf islands and northern waters is a very interesting experience. The proud owners after partaking in copious amonuts of “lunatic juice” start to compare how much horsepower they have lurking under their cabin soles. After exhausting that subject they then compare engine makes. This is probly the only way of determining the differences in this breed of plastic beasts ! Finally after they have beaten thr chests enuf they start to boast about how much money they have spent on repairs and or overhauls of sed engines. All of course out of earshot of their “galley slaves” who are of course inside discussing the new kitchen and bathroom at home that they will be getting on return from the latest voyage. C

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  18. Interesting. If I see them rafted up over Christmas, perhaps it will be some sort of mating procedure?

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  23. I love this photo, because (CYA aside) the equivalent of this today is a gathering of identical-apart-from-length white Rivieras which represent the boating community throwing individuality out the door in favour of size.

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  24. The McKenzie’s I would say, almost certainly bought the SPINDRIFT off H T Morton, who had owned her not too long before that, until he bought the VARLENE. SPINDRIFT still looks the same in that pic by what we can see, as when he owned her. Shame Jock & the RAHIRI have both gone now, — a great scow & a great & very colourful bloke & skipper– KEN RICKETTS

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