Mystery Boats & Location
photo ex Scott Taylor ex ‘Old Auckland’
Today’s post is a wee bit of a mystery, from back in the days before we had acres of marinas. The one thing I do know is the mooring fees would have been affordable, these days you have to sell of a child for medical experiments to afford to berth your boat close to the city.
So woodys where is it & can we ID any of the boats?
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Bridgedecker in the distance is Silens
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I worked for John Gladden in 1970, just finished a 5 yr apprenticeship at the dockyard in Devonport. I can just remember the hull of Mata Hari being started before I left for Canada, where I now live.
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Thank you, John, for correcting the Bagnall blunder, beating me to that by half a day. Thus is “history” created.
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Further to my comments yesterday re the Milford creek/Matahari saga I would like to correct Kens comment that she was by Geoff Bagnell. Geoff is the current lessee of the boat building shed in Omana road and would have been a youngster in 1971 (comment corrected AH). My understanding is that the shed was built by Eric Webster on his land and he leased it to John Gladden. John G.built many fine vessels there including one for me in 1976. Also, I am sure John told me he had built Matahari for Eric.
I am still intrigued by the launch I thought was Matahari in the old photo. It appears to have windows set into the topsides ,like Matahari,and could be about 36ft. It would not surprise me at all if Eric decided to lengthen her, drop in another engine and re-invent the exhausts.
It would be nice to find out when the old photo was taken.
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Well, it’s not Webster’s RITA W, but wasn’t there a Webster RITA too c1960?
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The boat in the original pic subject of speculation, cannot possibly be the MATA HARI, because that boat, clearly visible,has a single centre mounted mast, which the MATA HARI has never ever had, she is still exactly as she was built. Refer to the pic I took of her out of the water, at Geof Bagnalls earlier this year & the “twin masts” are clearly visible. — I know this is original beyond all doubt, because the present part of the family who built her, & who owns her today, has told me she is still totally original. — Sorry about that Murray — KEN R
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I’ve never seen Mata Hari out and about in all these years. She is a bigger boat that the one in the pic, surely.
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Forgot to add MATA HARI is 42 feet long, & lives & always has lived at the bottom of the Webster’s garden — fabulous spot & of course she was built in the Milford Creek — KEN R
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That’s absolutely right Harold, she has 2 x 6 cyl 120 h.p. Lees Ford diesels up 2 dry stacks, one either side of the deck forward of midships — looks like a double mast.
I have met Tom Webster the present owner & son of the original owner, now deceased, who had her built in 1971, & she has lived in the same spot all her life –Very rare, for a professionally built boat, for all these years. — KEN R
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Nooo Mata Hari is a very big boat for the creek, the biggest in pic would be 36ft? There are pics of course of an older Webster boat around the place. Nonetheless the boat in question is where MH is moored now.
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It’s not the MATAHARI — have taken pics I will send to Alan
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I thought MATA HARI had twin dry stacks going up the mast, or was that later?
John Blundell will know……
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The Pirate Shippe was hard to port.
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I will go with John Blundell as it does look like the Matahari to me, and I have heard many tales of the goings on in that shed when the tide got to high to go home…
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If we could have had just a wee glimpse of the Pirate Ship we’d know we’re on the right track.
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I am 99 percent certain that it is Milford creek, the photo being taken from the Inga road bridge. The 4th boat up on the right looks like the late Eric Websters launch and it is tied up to property he owned. His large house is just out of the shot.
It definitly is not Meola creek near Ralph Watsons place. I know that area well.
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Yep, Murray. I agree -you could see his boat from the road. A fleeting glimpse out of the corner of the eye as you started to go up the hill at the west end of Meola Rd. That is why I thought it was up there -fitted with the pines and the houses. You could start breathing again then -the smell of the organic tip was a bit ripe sometimes.
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Jetties and slips in the foreground with the shed look like Milford as does the curve of the creek, however large house in the background doesnt look right, poss Meola creek I recall visiting Ralph Watson up there to view one of his ketch designs.
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yes I would say Milford creek too. There were numerous pine trees around in her mangrove days!
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Milford (Wairau) Creek is my pick too. Kept LOLOMA there for a while but she kept hitting the sill (ssssh).
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There are some well established houses close packed on the land behind which is not very elevated. Might have to do some gunk holing sometime……
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Lucas Creek? It has to be a deep creel at low water to allow sufficient depth for 3.5 foot draft at low water.
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Cox’s or Meola Creek? I’d like to live alongside it for the reasons Hon Ed sez. The War Dept not impressed with muddy creeks: You can’t have everything!
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Milford Creek?
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