Lake Taupo Classic’s

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Lake Taupo Classic’s
photos ex Jason Prew
Over the xmas break Jason had the day boat Otira at Lake Taupo & sent in the collection of photos below. Jason commented that his photography was not 100%, as steering Otira and taking pix in a narrow river was a little challenging 🙂 They look pretty good to me Jas.
There is an impressive collection of old wood on the lake. Click photos to enlarge 😉

Maybe one of the Taupo ww followers can ID a few on the boats? They have see below

Update from Paul Drake. Check out the comments section for lots more info. AH

The vessel with the torpedo stern is MAXIE (Logan Bros,1903), ex Paremata,Wellington, where she received her Bruce Askew designed make-over in the early 1990’s. She has a Logan Bros builder’s plate. Has been at Taupo for 20 years. She is 36 feet by 7 feet. She is double skinned, the outer being fore and aft. This info from Wooden Boat Magazine, number 125, of July/August 1995, p.88. Article written by the then owner who did the make-over, which kept him occupied for 5000 hours over four and a half years.  She is neglected and hasn’t been seen at sea for many years. About 5 years ago she almost sank at her then Acacia Bay mooring. She deserves much better.
Other vessels in Jason’s photos, starting from the top: SEVERN (Logan Bros) featuring raised bow (good) and extension aft (bad). Then ADELAIDE, ex ADELAIDE V, (Collings and Bell, 1924),   built for Capt Charles Palmer. Twin screw – unusual for such a vessel. Then GYPSY, a fairly ordinary hard chine job, then an unknown small hard chine boat, then MAXIE, then MOERANGI (Logan Bros 1906). Then a Mason Marine Clipper, name unknown, then REGORDETTE (not sure of spelling), ex VENTURE, an ex Air Force launch. Then RUAHINE ex WHIZZBANG, and next to her to the left, BELL BIRD. Then ROMANCE (Bailey and Lowe 1914) then ALICE ex WATER WITCH (Charles Peers Simcock1879, Kaukapakapa, rebuilt at Taupo 1990 – 2000, wood fired steamer, currently for sale by overseas owner), then SIR FRANCIS, ex FAIRY (Collings and Bell 1916), then IRENE, locally built but wait, she’s steel, so what is she doing on a woody’s site! Then MOANA ROA ex MAUREEN M (Owen Woolley,1962), then OCEAN MIST (the middle one) but she is concrete! Finally SIMBA (Hartley). Featuring twin V8 petrol engines.
Quite a collection. Well done Jason.

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13 thoughts on “Lake Taupo Classic’s”

  1. 20-09-2022 Comment ex Barry Gurnell re Moerangi

    I would like to say what a great job the owners have done on this vessel
    History of Moerangi in Northland
    I crewed on her for 20 years she was brought by Hugh Cox – Smith in 1939 and when
    hostilities broke out she was taken over by the Navy as a auxiliary patrol boat with Hugh Cox- Smith
    as skipper and had 2 ratings she rang coastal anti mine patrols and stores to naval establishments on the
    coast she had a machine mounted forward on the deck Moerangi also took personal and stores out to the
    Claymore while she was engaged in salvaging gold from the sunken Niagara of Whangarei and is reputed to have
    carried some of the bullion back . Stan Gurnell brought of Hugh cox smith and was one of the early boatso do coast
    Guard work in Whangarei with a big orange flag with Coast Guard on it and we did a number of rescue
    She was known as the gost on the Whangarei as she was very quite and very little wake.

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  2. MAXIE is still at her berth in the Boat Harbour at Taupo (Nukuhau side). Recently she received some overdue maintenance and is once more in pristine condition. Obviously well loved but still not used, as far as I can tell. Looking forward to seeing photos of her in the Sounds nearly 100 years ago!

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  4. The Maxie was used by (if not owned by) my grand father. They lived in Lower Hutt in the 1920’s and often took her across to the sounds. I have good pictures of her in the sounds after my grandfather’s return from the WW1. I would like to find her and get her back into the family and would be grateful for further information.

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  5. I owned a 16ft hartley called sprayman red and white from lake taupo just wondering is it still around.

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  8. MAXIE was probably the 35 footer built by Logan Bros in October 1904 for Harris of Picton (possibly originally or at one time named PORT LIGAR). Kenny of Picton operated her for many years. If so then she’s quite like MATAREKA I. She spent some years in Wellington 1929 to 1939 when she was owned in the Hutt. Logan Bros built SEVERN in 1910, one of their last launches before closing down.

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  9. Outstanding summary, thank you Paul. I believe the bow of Pihanga is sitting down by the bridge having been recently moved out of the Taupo museum. My Great Grandfather owned her and a few others during the hey-day of the 1920’s trout frenzy. I believe Harold owned a sistership. Sadly Pihanga ended up as my Grandmothers textile and Singer sewing machine sales and service office down by the Harbour-masters office (probably through mishap) with a door in her side for entry. My Father was born in a tent under a poplar next to the ‘shop’ in 1930. We had a bach in Taupo and as a child I spent many an evening admiring the classics of Taupo, I still do when I’m down there which is quite regularly. Hence my interest in Bridgedeckers etc. in general and subsequent acquisition of Lady Margaret. Funny how things work out…..

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  10. I went to kinloch with Otira today, saw “my clipper” and a few random others, there’s an interesting boat in 2 mile bay I’ll get a shot of in due course…. Also I have seen an Otira-Esk boat recovered from the Btm of the tokanu tail race…. Pics also to follow

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  11. The vessel with the torpedo stern is MAXIE (Logan Bros,1903), ex Paremata,Wellington, where she received her Bruce Askew designed make-over in the early 1990’s. She has a Logan Bros builder’s plate. Has been at Taupo for 20 years. She is 36 feet by 7 feet. She is double skinned, the outer being fore and aft. This info from Wooden Boat Magazine, number 125, of July/August 1995, p.88. Article written by the then owner who did the make-over, which kept him occupied for 5000 hours over four and a half years. She is neglected and hasn’t been seen at sea for many years. About 5 years ago she almost sank at her then Acacia Bay mooring. She deserves much better.
    Other vessels in Jason’s photos, starting from the top: SEVERN (Logan Bros) featuring raised bow (good) and extension aft (bad). Then ADELAIDE, ex ADELAIDE V, (Collings and Bell, 1924), built for Capt Charles Palmer. Twin screw – unusual for such a vessel. Then GYPSY, a fairly ordinary hard chine job, then an unknown small hard chine boat, then MAXIE, then MOERANGI (Logan Bros 1906). Then a Mason Marine Clipper, name unknown, then REGORDETTE (not sure of spelling), ex VENTURE, an ex Air Force launch. Then RUAHINE ex WHIZZBANG, and next to her to the left, BELL BIRD. Then ROMANCE (Bailey and Lowe 1914) then ALICE ex WATER WITCH (Charles Peers Simcock1879, Kaukapakapa, rebuilt at Taupo 1990 – 2000, wood fired steamer, currently for sale by overseas owner), then SIR FRANCIS, ex FAIRY (Collings and Bell 1916), then IRENE, locally built but wait, she’s steel, so what is she doing on a woody’s site! Then MOANA ROA ex MAUREEN M (Owen Woolley,1962), then OCEAN MIST (the middle one) but she is concrete! Finally SIMBA (Hartley). Featuring twin V8 petrol engines.
    Quite a collection. Well done Jason.

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  13. Can anyone come up with the name of the double ender with the torpedo stern ?
    Harold wrote an interesting, brief, account on the design of these hulls in the recent Belle Isle (Belle Ile) post. He also featured a photo of Major Lanes SLIM JIM 1905. Worth a look.
    Ta for the photos Jason.
    P

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