Ronaki

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RONAKI
photos ex Pam Cundy at the Whangateau Traditional Boat Yard

I know nothing about todays launch other than that Pam & George saw Ronaki in Ruakaka a couple of years ago. She went onto trade me and was sold. The lifebuoy has 1912 on it so maybe that’s some indication of her age. A serious case of the ugly sister going on in the last photo.
Anyone know what became of her?, fingers crossed someone took on the challenge & restored her.

Harold Kidd Input

RONAKI has a picture in our “N.Z. Vintage Launches” at page 63.
She was built as a fast harbour launch by Collings & Bell for the Auckland Harbour Board in January 1913, a 38 footer powered by a big 55-75 hp H.C. Doman marine engine with a max of 14 knots. Photo below. After many years of service with AHB she was sold to G Hyauiason who had her bridgedeckerised. The RNZN took her over in 1942 for control service (at the boom, I think) but sold her in 1944 to J.A. Collins. My uncle Lou Wilson, MD of Morris Black & Matheson bought her soon after that. Lou certainly wasn’t the one who rowed over and asked for points for a V8. I really don’t know about that story, particularly where the V8 came from.
The AHB bought her back subsequently and fitted a Leyland. A group of us looked at her around 1986 but bought FERRO instead, principally because we were warned off the Leyland and favoured the Caterpillar in FERRO, plus she was much more original.
The other RONAKI was built as MANUKAU by Chas. Bailey & Son in 1914 for the AHB to use on the Manukau.

The photo below is from Ron Wattam & was taken during her sea trials.

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14 thoughts on “Ronaki”

  2. Can come one please send me an email I can send some pictures too 🙂 Would love to find out if ths is the Ronaki I have childhood pictures on! 🙂

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  3. Ronaki is at my place.in mangapai.
    was bought to house my son’s after our house burnt to the ground.was un seaworthy and no engine.
    now there is some progress.
    feel free to contact me
    grant

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  4. I owned Ronaki from 1969 until 1971. When I purchased her she was in very rough condition and on a mooring off Little Bucklands Beach. I had her slipped at Westhaven and had remedial work done to remove some rot in the cabins. In the restoration work we discovered the Ronaki name carved in the hull up by the bow that had been filled probably for cosmetic reasons.At that time she was powered by a Perkins P6 diesel which served surprisingly well with several trips to the Barrier and one as far as Whitianga. With her modest beam a trip in a beam sea always proved “interesting” and a particular boating friend insisted on calling her Rollnaki.
    Graham Watt.

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  6. Could be an association I didn’t know of, re the V8, as my dad in his capacity as an engineer & departmental manager in that era, of Mason & Porter, bought considerable equipment off Morris Black, at that time, & indeed for many years, so if it was the Morris Black gentleman, who owned RONAKI then, they may have known each other & my dad being an engineer, it could have been a call which was not at random & they may have thought, quite logically, my dad may have been able to help.

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  8. George is in the far north at the moment I shall ask him to pop in to Ruakaka and enquire about her where abouts.
    The photos are great Harold, thankyou.
    At the risk of offending, I don’t realy like the look of the tongue and groove lineing. But that was the lest of the old girls troubles.

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  11. RONAKI has a picture in our “N.Z. Vintage Launches” at page 63.
    She was built as a fast harbour launch by Collings & Bell for the Auckland Harbour Board in January 1913, a 38 footer powered by a big 55-75 hp H.C. Doman marine engine with a max of 14 knots. I’ve sent an image to Alan. After many years of service with AHB she was sold to G Hyauiason who had her bridgedeckerised. The RNZN took her over in 1942 for control service (at the boom, I think) but sold her in 1944 to J.A. Collins. My uncle Lou Wilson, MD of Morris Black & Matheson bought her soon after that. Lou certainly wasn’t the one who rowed over and asked for points for a V8. I really don’t know about that story, particularly where the V8 came from.
    The AHB bought her back subsequently and fitted a Leyland. A group of us looked at her around 1986 but bought FERRO instead, principally because we were warned off the Leyland and favoured the Caterpillar in FERRO, plus she was much more original.
    The other RONAKI was built as MANUKAU by Chas. Bailey & Son in 1914 for the AHB to use on the Manukau.

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  12. She is still looking exactly as I first saw her c1946 not withstanding she seemed to need some fairly serious TLC when the pics were taken, & also it seems fairly obvious in my view, that she was another similar “modernisation” & update concept to MAVIS B as per MAVIS B’s late 1930s update. —
    I actually think she looks lovely, & has balance & symmetry, & at least hasn’t been fiddled with constantly through the years.
    I recall she had a Ford V8 early post war, & was anchored alongside us in JULIANA, one day in Leigh, Christmas 1947-48, & the owner rowed over to ask my dad, if by chance he had a set of points for a Ford V8, as one set in his had just packed up, — (apparently there were 2 sets of points in those engines) — & he couldn’t start the engine. KEN R

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