Acquiesce Sinks

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Acquiesce Sinks

On the sea wall at Okahu Bay, broken its mooring – until there is a positive ID, I wont say who it is but I suspect its one of the Norm Beetson’s 4 sisters 😦

Update @ 6.30pm – yes sadly its Acquiesce. She featured on ww in February. https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/02/25/11397/

Hopefully recoverable but my spotter says it did not look good.

Update 29/04/2015

Update again 29/04/2015

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64 thoughts on “Acquiesce Sinks”

  1. Photos of Rongo below ex Russell & ‘story’


    Rongo was reduced to matchwood in minutes when she went walkabouts from her very exposed mooring up north.

    When there is this much left when the waves subsided, she looked to have a lot fewer prospects than Acquiesce!
    Acquiesce is a lot more intact.

    Many boats have met their ends on the Okahu Bay stone walls: They are quite unforgiving.
    Rakinoa was one who tried to dash herself on the rocks some time back. Thankfully a passer by noticed and raised the alert. The incident and her tow to safety is recorded in Harry Julian’s book “Sea in My Blood” . I surmise that the conditions were a lot more gentle on that occasion.

    I also remember when I was a kid of maybe seven years seeing an heroic save at Okahu Bay. Father had taken me down to Okahu Bay on a Sunday as was often done in our family . It was a bit blowy from the East and there was a yacht obviously going walkabouts. There was a fellow in a dinghy frantically rowing out to her through the heavy seas in double quick time So determined: Must have been the owner! He scrambled on board and managed to break out the mainsail and he sailed her off with a few metres to spare amid much applause. These days they’d just ring the underwriters….

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  2. That was sad to hear you say you wouldn’t contemplate another do-up Nathan.
    I would hope you would consider commisioning a restoration and perhaps assisting in the future though. You have know doubt acquired a lot of knowledge and skills and have an eye for it. Im sure you shall continue to do the right thing, through ownership of several more classics, through the years.

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  3. Ok thanks Robin, I was really only generally speaking whilst this was in discussion.
    I do hope you and Kym don’t take it personally. Restoration has been my focus for a long time now with many years of boatbuilding of all sorts previously, as you know. As Harold said if I could wave a wond I would have all these old girls restored and back on the water. My thoughts run away on me as to how best preserve them all and more simply- life is too short…..

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  4. Hi Pam, the only damage done in salvaging was a lifted gunnel from the front strop Nick Lewis salvage marine, hoisted the bow up attaching his hi-ab to the remaining chain around the bollard so the divers could secure their strops fore and aft, remembering there was no bottom left.and at high tide, to get close enough was also submerged as first photo indicates.A very competent team, and a safe recovery, due to the stem and forepeak being so well built as vintagesteamer mentioned.

    .

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  6. I used to get the bunk up fwd in Naiad when we were out. Spent a lot of time looking at the beam shelf -whenever the beer induced nystagmus allowed it. I thought it was very strongly triced together at the time. Obviously our girl’s upperworks were holding her together quite well judging by the pictures. Bill Simpson used to say that old wrecks are interesting because you can see how the structure failed with time and decay (we were talking about the Edwin Fox specifically). Interesting in this case just how much abuse Acquiesce could take.
    The Viking’s funeral is a good end rather than her lingering around taunting everyone. Can we have a wake still? Some symbolic gesture perhaps to farewell a good ship?

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  8. Hi Pam, as the keel was ripped away and facing diagonally across her, there was no support for decks bulkheads, and cabin frames etc, hence every conceivable joint was torn apart, the only single items remaining intact, a small shelf on the lazerette bulkhead, with my dear Mums small wooden circa wireless, albeit soaked but intact.The author does not embellish, there was not a single fitting intact throughout the whole boat, regards Robin.

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  9. Looking forward to hearing from you both on the blog here in the future.
    Please find my comments were broad and not personal as I was tending to somehow resolve where and how other old classics caught out like this could be resurrected.
    I had thoughts to bring her here but George was threatening divorce (? ;-)) and made a quick retreat to the farm escaping the mad woman and boat yard and anyway I would have had to take the face of the shed off to get her in and how could I wheel her in the door without a keel. ( sledge) I realize she was an extreme case and it would mean virtually rebuilding the hull but it could have been done, however like Nathan said it would impose heavily on a person as it is costly in various ways.
    Look forward to hunting you out a new launch Robin.

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  10. Lovely sentiments Kym. After all these years you will be aware your wind weathered, rain ravaged salt soaked, crocodile encrusted, dingo dented father, did not present with sentimental tendencies, that said, all the heartfelt comments above, have left me lost for words.” Confortante Sapere”

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  11. Good on you dad for handling such a sad situation with a humble heart. Looks like you have so much support from fellow boaties, I have been so impressed by the support shown through all the kind words above. I woke the other night thinking “oh, couldn’t it have been placed in a park or backyard as a child’s playground?” “What will be will be, such is the sea, through turbulent times you try as you might, blue cat, not white.” (you’ll understand – from one eccentric to another – hehe)

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  12. When you click on the latest message in the comments section, it does take you to the last comment made. Also in the main ww post, if you click on the small grey icon with a number in it (see image below), found on the top right of the post, it will take you to a summary of comments on that post 😉

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  13. Alan, with some of these long entries, I often think you should organise a “Top of page” button at the bottom. It can be a long way to scroll to the top and maybe see what the subject actually was(!!!!). Not in this case though: We have stayed true to topic reasonably well.

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  14. Nice words, Ken. Well put.
    In the old days when a ship was beyond redemption, they used to burn her and scoop up the non ferrous for scrap. I hope they are recyling as much of her as possible and not just……
    Bereavement is a distinct process and must be worked though; in retrospect, we probably should have had a wake and toasted the old girl. Maybe we are doing that on line just now.

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  15. Very, very, touching Robin, your so well chosen words above, convey so much, what she meant to you, & what is in your heart, & be well assured, there are many of us woodys people who like both you & me, as I had almost lost my TIARRI, by her coming ashore under a later owner, share, as result of our own collective heart-breaking experiences, what it must be like for you.
    Perhaps, hopefully, another Beetson may become available for you to love in the near future. — Our thoughts are with you. — KEN R

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  16. To Alan, My most sincere thanks Alan, and all the Woodys, for the well wishing messages of support I have received. Vessels that have stood the test of time, and the men and women that built them, deserve the recognition they so rightly deserve by rebuilding. Many thanks to George and Pam for their thoughts going forward, alas, in this case not really an option. My Yacht, a fully varnished international 26ft mahogany folkboat Alona, moored for the past 20+ years, beside Acquiesce was left unscathed, so maybe boats have a quiet respect for each others qualities, who knows. I would have another Norm Beetson Bridgedecker in a heartbeat, im not eccentric, but my boats talk to me. I have always returned home safe with a smile. I will email Alan with parts I have salvaged that may be of some use to members, Once again, many thanks,,and fair winds, Regards Robin.

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  17. And she t-boned the Endeavour (who had 14″ thick planking for the ice) happily at anchor off Tiri. Blasting sirens and flooding Mona’s Isle with searchlights they just saw the helmsman blissfully asleep. The score was Endeavour 1: tug nil and the latter sank quickly in 14 ftms. She was quickly salvaged but probably wasn’t ready for the nek tide though.

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  18. Yes another was my old ride the Rakanui, one of Harrys men fell asleep coming up the harbour and she veered into one of the wharves at Devonport , smashed almost back to the wheelhouse, yet all these years later she is still running — multi skin hull though. And no we didn’t have a seat in the wheelhouse in later years.

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  19. I can’t help but agree with vintagesteamer. I’ve just been rereading the drama of the sinking of the towboat ALERT when rammed by RANGITOTO in 1929. Parry Bros had her raised and back in service in a flash. I just can’t see that happening today when the whole process would be stultified by the “modern” approach to such events.

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  21. Pacific got hit beam on by her barge too once, cracked half the ribs. Your story is all very well but as with any work, economies of scale. I suspect that hard work is still done on boats today too, they just don’t break in the same way.

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  23. Sit down a wee while lads and I’ll tell you a story told to me by one of the Emtage clan. Some years ago tug Glynbird was taking a barge up the Tamaki with supplies for the new Panmure bridge building. She got caught by her barge and got thumped heavily against the bridge pier. It did a lot of damage and, fast taking on water with the pumps going, they slipped the barge and raced off down to Lane Motorboat Co just down river. She had a centrifugal salvage pump driven off the Gardner and it could move water real FAST -if that gives any indication of her parlous state.
    Lanes slipped her then and there and did the necessary repairs and replaced a couple of planks and put her back in the waters so she could get back to work. I could still see the repairs when they pointed out.
    Contrast that with today. There would be lots of people gaping at it scratching their arses and shaking their heads; insurance assessors and OSH people walking round with hardhats and high vis jackets talking rubbish. Reports to all sorts of quangos.
    Paralysis by analysis.
    The late Merv Sefonte related that, during his time at the Vos yard, the Julian tugs used to come in sometimes with the arsends torn off by the barge catching up on the Parengarenga bar. It had to be repaired so the tug could be back out working -before the next tide.
    Men used to work real hard on boats; lives and livelihoods depended on it. They didn’t know they couldn’t do it, they just did it.
    Nowadays, we just know we can’t do that sort of thing so we don’t.
    Carry on!

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  24. Curious re: landfill. Perhaps it is just my background of farming families with spare land, but I’d have thought she could at least be plonked on someones back paddock with a cover over her for x amount of years waiting for that rainy day. Perhaps better as a memory rather than a skeletal reminder.

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  25. I think we shall hear from Robin on the blog soon. I have just spoken with him. He said the woodys had been very supportive. I shan’t take from his story but he is looking forward, as you have already said Al, to being back on the water in a classic again. He has a very smart little classic yacht for sale – perhaps a potential Sailing Sunday Post Alan.

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  26. Nicely said Nathan. I did not mean any disregard to her owner. I was thinking on similar lines to Russell – when boat yards could take on repairs rebuilds with energy and experience and very quickly make it happen. We can still do it today but it doesn’t happen with the same zest.

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  28. Yep, easy to be starry eyed. There is not much left below the waterline and the keel is mostly gone. BUT they say that the hull is not the major cost in building a boat, so it must be do-able, but man, what a task. Ron Copeland did it with a big mullety once….. Just the planks -no keel set up in some female moulds when we moved in nek door oh so long ago.
    Remember that article in an early WoodenBoat in which a boatbuilding firm built a new hull around the rig of a schooner whose hull was old and tired and had been molested by inept boatbuilders.
    You would wonder if it is feasible to cold mould a new lower hull (off one of the sister ships and offer it up to the remains…….. Might even tolerate a tupperware layup……
    What an exercise for some Waitemata Woodies!
    But sometimes a Viking’s funeral is better than a slow death through inactivity.

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  29. Disagree; there’s so much else going on in each of our lives. This damage looks like an 8.5 out of ten destruction wise, which would just impose too far on the rest of the owners life/lifestyle to warrant the personal sacrifice.

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  31. I remember in the ’60s, when having a poke round the boatyards, seeing the lovely bridgedecker “Gleniffer” on the slipway at Baileys. She had cut a corner down at Coromandel somewhere been really bilged. Torn the side out of her.
    I could look up inside her wheelhouse through the hole. I still remember her side windows could wind down and up like the old cars. Had chromed handles. I also seem to recall that the side panels below them seemed to be pressed out of some brownish plastic or somesuch and had decorative embossed leafy parts on them. Someone might confirm.
    I guess it was just another job for the Bailey boys. Plenty of good Kauri, plenty of experience. Anyway she was not as damaged as our present girl under discussion, but it was pretty severe.
    She is still around.

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  36. Quel dommage! I really had forgotten that this sort of thing happened to nice boats these days. But then there was Rongo who died at a rather more exposed mooring at Algies -there was much less left of her.
    I guess all the avenues have been explored for the poor old girl. It is probable that all boats are under insured. One never expects the Spanish Inquisition or severe Easterlies.
    Sic transit and all that……

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  37. Pam
    I spoke to Robin 2 days ago & he is removing what hardware & fittings he can & may list them 4sale on ww to recover some money. Sadly like so many boats, she was under insured. Surprisingly Robin was very upbeat & told me he will be looking for another boat, so he will not be lost to the classic movement. Alan H

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  43. I really hope Acquiesce can be resurrected. Alan, please keep us updated if you hear any news as to what is to become of her? Cheers.

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  44. Don’t want to dwell on this too much, I’m sure seeing her in the real is quiet daunting for all.
    I have often felt there ought to be schooling for all Wooden Boat Building Apprentices for the restoration of craft that have had this misfortune. These types of repairs really do make the boat builder work inside out and teaches one just how and why a wooden boat goes together like it does. Repairs like this shouldn’t be so scary. Who’s going to take care of these old classics in the future. Why couldn’t this be built into the curriculum.

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  45. It breaks your heart!! — I’m sure every caring boatie in NZ is feeling for the owners right now, however, as above, with modern materials, & the craftsmanship & dedication of a master magician, hopefully, a miracle can be worked on her, she is a lovely part of our heritage. — KEN RICKETTS

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  50. Ron’s a master craftsman for sure.
    I agree, perhaps it is best for her to go to a farm yard shed where one of our fine back yard boat builders can see the job through afordably.
    I think when the restoration is as dire as this one, timbers, joins are stressed one is permitted to resort to modern method and materials as well as traditional boat building practices. Like you said Russell Ron did a mighty job it’s not all about throwing money at it, it’s the skills involved and the time to achieve it.

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  51. Sorry, I was a bit out of line there with the splines and tupperware. But I did watch Ron Copeland working wonders with very little at Bayswater in the ’70s with Nomad. Just the planks set up in outside formers and a big gap where there once was a keel.
    It all can be done but overcapitalises the boat a bit. Sad.

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  54. Yeah, but she would have had a bit or structure left. Unfortunately this is a total wreck – she has lost her keel, deadwood, floors and almost all of the ribs and planks below the waterline are gone or broken. damn.

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  58. That’s very sad. Even with my most optimistic hat on she looks to be beyond repair.

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  62. Also sad to see the total? wreckage of a Pied Piper, and an Alan Wright Variant. There was also a multihull parked on the sand by the changing sheds. Okahu Bay is very unforgiving in the NE blows.

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  64. I saw TV footage on the news on Chanel One in the mid day news today of Okahu Bay & saw one of the 4 sisters in that footage, so there is no doubt it is one of the 4 of them. It could only have happened s short while go, & I would say by the brightness of the day it was probably filmed mid morning, & she was floating normally on her moorings, at that time. KEN RICKETTS

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