Felisa

Posted on by

FELISA

photo & details ex Harold Kidd ex John Blundell

Stan Blundell, of Fisher and Blundell, got his cousin Gerry Lane to design a 32’ x 9’6” motor-sailer for him in 1949. Gerry was then a school teacher but had served his time with Bailey & Lowe who had no job available for him when he came out of his apprenticeship at the beginning of the Depression. He never lost his skills and his love of boat building, however. Harold has heard a claim that the boat was designed by Garth Lane of the Lane Motor Boat Co, but says that’s incorrect.
Stan had her built by Phil Barton in St. Mary’s Bay. She was fitted with a 4 cylinder Ford diesel and, although lightly rigged, the Blundells used her sails to good effect in making passage and could get 8-10 knots under sail alone on a broad reach. Her coamings were teak and kept varnished. Stan named her Felisa as it is the Spanish equivalent of Phyllis, Stan’s wife’s name. Phyllis spent much of her early childhood in Guatemala and grew up bilingual.
The Blundells lived at Lynch Street in Point Chevalier. Felisa was moored off the property and took the mud at low tide.
Stan sold Felisa to Tairua, his son John thinks, around 1959, and she was later stationed at the Barrier. Harold had a report of her in 2000, owned by Callahan.
In one of the photos, she is on the mud off Lynch Street near a 20ft open cockpit hard chine launch designed by Ron Oliver, a design which won a Sea Spray competition. Several were built. The structure in the background is the old quarry on Meola Reef.
John Blundell would very much like to have Felisa’s recent history filled in.

Where is she now?

Update 27/01/2015 – CYA member Mark McLaughlin snapped the photos below of Felisa on her Tamaki Estuary mooring. The motor-sailer rig has been chopped ‘a little’.

 

Discover more from waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news - updated daily - 14+ million views

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

15 thoughts on “Felisa”

  1. Does anyone recall the launch Woodwind that the late Rodney Wilson had and kept at Hobson Wharf aka Maritime Museum when he was OC. Is this the same boat. If not, where did Woodwind end up. A relation by marriage of Phil Barton was asking me.

    Like

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

  3. Pingback: Felisa @ Oneroa | waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news

  4. Hi, I’m not sure if this will get posted but my husband and I own Felisa and have done since December 1999. If anyone is interested in her or what we have done in terms of restoration we are more than happy to spend time chatting about her! She is in the Panmure river, is hauled out every year at the PYBC. We live in Devonport (and likely the lady who spoke to John is my mother-in-law). We have spent years restoring her, and she is almost finished-the galley and instrument panel are yet to be done. The engine is a Perkins 4107 or 4108. John, you may be interested to know that the 1949 penny is still in the mast block in the head. We would very much like to be in contact with John Blundell about the history of Felisa, so please pass this on.

    Like

  7. It is great to hear that “Felisa” has been “found” and is looking as good as new.About 10 years back I remember meeting a lady who told me that her son had recently purchased “Felisa” and she was moored on piles near the Panmure Yacht Club.He lived in Devonport and was going to completely refurbish her. I can recall seeing a photo showing white painted coamings and was also told she had been fitted with a 6cyl Ford by the Gt Barrier owner. Re the boy on the deck I am sure it is one of the Fearon boys. They were family friends.
    John Blundell

    Like

  14. Felisa is now on the Tamaki Estuary near the Panmure Yacht & Boating Club. She still looks exactly the same as in the pics above, varnished teak and all.

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Great to see the pics of her, — kindles memories of this lovely motor sailer, & Stan Blundell, who was great guy, as well.
    Hope we can catch up with where she is now. — No doubt she had or has, an English Parsons version of the Ford diesel, as Fisher & Blundell were the NZ agents. — KEN RICKETTS

    Like

Leave a comment