The Rescue of Tiarri – Ken’s Big Road Trip – 4 SALE > RIP

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The Rescue of Tiarri – Ken’s Big Road Trip – 4 Sale

photos ex Ken Ricketts

There have been numerous stories on ww around the demise  – grounding, sinking, recovery, abandonment & discovery of Tiarri. The discovery via trademe of her on a farm in a very sorry state sparked an SOS shout out on ww for an angel to wave their wand & find a good bastard out there prepared to take the rebuild project on. Well it worked & Garth Broadhead stepped up to the mark – today’s post records the start of the journey. There will be more & you’ll see it here 🙂

 26/01/2015 – A water blasting cleans her up & uncovers a few ‘blemishes’

UPDATE 03-09-2016

ww has had advice that is 4sale ‘as-is-where-is’ – all offers will be seriously considered.
Enquiries should be directed to the Marina Manager   enquiries@mahurangimarinas.co.nz

11-05-2019 UPDATE – Sadly Tiarri’s final ‘voyage’ was as a fire brigade training drill and the black scorched earth is all that remains 🙂 (photo ex Russell Ward)

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13-05-2019 Input and photos* / video* from Ken Ricketts –  Sadly in the end no one stepped forward to save Tiarri so the hard stand owners gifted her to the Warkworth Volunteer Fire Service for use as a fire fighting exercise.
I would just like to say a  huge thank you to you Alan and all the other woodys, who have written of her, inspected her, & tried to help to save her, in the various ways we all have, & put her back together, albeit in vain in the end. 
We all tried, & we could do no more than that, but to you Alan, most of all, if you had not published her plight, we would never even have been able to try. Thank you very much, I will be forever grateful. Ken R
(*Images & video, courtesy of the Warkworth Volunteer Fire Service)

32 thoughts on “The Rescue of Tiarri – Ken’s Big Road Trip – 4 SALE > RIP”

  4. Tiarri has been moved 90 degrees and now lies, minus her upper works, away from other boats at the cement works. I’m told by those in the know that she is to be the subject of a local volunteer fire brigade fire fighting exercise. Scheduled for 7 May.
    Last photographs, lads.

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  5. Confirming Tiarri is now going for FREE. Must be claimed or moved in the next few days or will be dismantled. I saw her at Warkworth today. A lot of work but definitely still do-able. Contact the marina manager if interested.

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  6. It’s not even a matter of buying her. The marina are about to demolish her in the next week or so -Serious! They have so much money outstanding on her, they need to cut their losses and are unlikely to recover any money -just spend more getting shot of her.
    The yard manager said she has to be got out of there in the next week or so if she is to be saved. C’mon some woodie! She’s been a good ‘un.

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  7. It was 19 yrs ago that TIARRI came ashore, in a North East gale on Opape Beach, an exposed surf beach at East Cape, where she was partially wrecked, as a result of the owners leaving her unattended, whilst they celebrated the millennium with friends who were in tents, on shore.
    For the last 19 years she has been languishing, waiting for a new owner to give her the necessary love & TLC, to put her together again.
    There have been 3 false starts, (refer previous writings on her history), all having come apart, the latest, & what will be the final owner , was Garth Broadhead, who has lost her to the Mahurangi Marina owners, who now legally own her, having taken legal possession of her. unless some last minute fairy godfather comes along, she will go under the chainsaw within the next 10 days, in just over her 39th year of life.
    With great sadness — KEN R

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  8. Thank you for your interest & comments Nath.
    As you know, she is & always has been a part of my life, & if you know anyone who could, “make her well again,” I will ensure we will all celebrate suitably, if she finds a new home, & someone to love her as I did, in my time of her stewardship, & I think she may well be available, for just what is owning on her marina fees, which to me, would seem a steal, even as she is.
    So please advise anyone who could be interested in her, that she is there, at the Mahurangi Marina. — KEN R

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  9. I didn’t realise she was for sale. On basic inspection and seeing as all the frames are there, it is not a hard job to fit new stringers to the portside bottom, and fit new diagonal planking. Reasonably large second hand diesels (v8 Perkins etc) are quite common having been replaced by lighter, more powerful motors, even as twins. I cant remember now if any stern gear is for sale, yes that will be a cost. Interior cost is really only bounded by budget; a functional basic interior can be quite affordable and easy, given that I imagine the levels etc are still in place inside. Heck, I have seen bigger boats with outboard motors!

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  11. Its amazing what Garth Broadhead can do and get away with. Apparently he has paid the Mahurangi Marina, according to his mother, but her son cannot be contacted as he is in the outer islands, so looks like all the effort in preparing trucking etc we are not likely to see any payment for. His gracious thanks below is a joke as he has made no attempt to pay. Please be aware Garth Broadhead does not pay and the excuse of not be able to contact him has worn thin. I would stay well clear of the man.

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  13. I gave Garth Broadhead suggestions as to some excellent people who would be suitable for the things he was requiring, at his request, after he contacted me in respect of TIARRI’S history, & he decided to call them & made his arrangements with them. The result is very sad & very embarrassing for me, as I passed the contact details on to him in good faith, & in my wildest dreams I could not & did not foresee this result. — Sometimes, when we try to help people, it so sadly turns to acid drops, & this is one of those occasions . Like those directly involved, I too have tried to contact Garth on a good number of occasions, in every way I can, but like them, no response has been forthcoming to date.
    I believe he does spend considerable amounts of time in other countries, in the course of his work, for lengthy periods.

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  14. Its is nice to read comments about the journey of Tiarri but I would like to inform the followers of the non payment for the work carried out in good faith to make this journey possible. The shoring up of the vessel for the journey by a reputable boat builder and the transport operator who neither have received payment from Garth Broadhead, also note his comments above. Garth Broadhead does not respond or acknowledge emails or phone calls has not attempted to make any contact so I would not recommend to anyone to assist in helping him with his project. Ken Ricketts you are aware of this also.

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  18. What’s the story on the hard chine launch in the background of the stern-on pic at Warkworth? I like

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  20. She’s had a water blast so went up to Mahurangi Marina to see her yesterday, & whilst she is looking “more presentable,” unfortunately it has also shown up some areas of rot in the mahogany in the coamings which will of course need to have the surgeons scalpel, perhaps even, rather drastically, but the main hull, except the later added bait boxes & stern platform in one tiny part, still appears perfect .
    I believe she will be under some sort of cover in the next few days.
    Have taken a pic or 2 & sent to Alan. – KEN RICKETTS

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  22. Thanks for all the encouragement, Woodys! An especially big thanks to Don Mattson of Hutcheson Boats who stiffened TIARRI for her journey, Karl Butler and his team at Mahy Cranes who lifted her and Bob Wylie and the boys who delivered her so safely up to Warkworth. Their collective professionalism was invaluable and deeply appreciated. My particular gratitude goes to Ken for guiding her home and recording her journey when I was unable to, although I do of course consider that my leaping cat would have looked superior to the Spirit of Ecstasy! Her problems are manifest, but all resolvable given time, sweat and treasure. Ashley has already started to sort out the slight hogging forward where she’s been inadequately supported during her tribulations, to which she’s already responding well. Soon she’ll be covered and in February work will commence in earnest. Her coamings are a particular issue as I would like to restore her original brightwork, but it is unclear at this stage if their condition will support that, which may led to subsequent call to replace or live with paint… Timber is also an interesting question: she was originally constructed of tanalised Fijian kauri and my preference would be to restore her with same, although I understand that sourcing heart, boat plank cut timber is a challenge – although possibly nothing that a trip to Fiji wouldn’t resolve 😉 I would appreciate Woodys’ thoughts on the wisdom of this, any advice on sourcing and possible alternatives. It’s going to be a roller-coaster and I’m looking forward to the challenge!

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  24. She had a lot of shrubs and bushes growing under her I hope the tempory bulkheads and supports done their job their a bit of rot in the coamings cockpit sole not to flash flybridge a sorry state topsides very dry will be a good project for someone

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  25. Also on a cursory inspection of the hull & coamings, she appears to have zero rot anywhere that I can see, in the main structures, & only in a coupe of bait boxes added ender the stern platform by a later owner, & the flying bridge, thanks to me having had the idea to use tannelised timber throughout. KEN R

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  26. Glad you are enjoying it Nathan, there are some great shots coming up, of her on the Harbour Bridge & others of landmarks along the journey.
    She was wrecked at 3am new Years morning 2000 & had lain in that spot for about the last 8 years without moving – KEN R

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  29. I do indeed have peace about her now Pam & thank you for the kind thoughts & words.
    I have just sent the rest of the story in pictures of her journey from Fanshaw St to the marina, to Alan, so the complete journey should be posted soon. Hope it may be of a little interest.– KEN R

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  30. Must pop over to see her Garth.
    Mahurangi Marinas and services is a perfect stop over. A hospitable business on the river.
    Ashley and the team are very helpfull, capable. A nice relaxed scene for careening and setting about Tiarri’s restoration.
    Have fun with this!
    Pam
    Perhaps you shall have some peace about her now Ken.

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