STAR DRIFT (Lovely Lady)
photo ex Pam Cundy at Whangateau Traditional Boats
Now today’s post is looking very sad, but still afloat. The photos show Star Drift (if that is her real name) moored in Tryphena Harbour at Gt Barrier Island. The flying bridge (I hear you John 2Dogs) almost passes the test, so I suspect at some stage she has spent time in the hands of a good boat builder.
What do we know about her & given I do not know the date of the photo, is she still there & floating?
Harold Kidd Input
The boat was launched as Lovely Lady & was built by R.T. Hartley at Whangarei in 1951 to a design by Dick Hartley. She was 33’x11’x3’9″ and had a Scripps V8 originally. She was built for game fishing and is featured in the December 1951 SEA SPRAY mag.
Update 04-08-2019 Photos below sent to me by Tony Simpson, who spotted her on a trailer at Tryphena, Great Barrier Island.
waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news - updated daily 
Can anyone help me with contact details of the current owner of Star Drift (Lovely Lady)
LikeLike
Worm has had a nice feast of the deadwood.
LikeLike
New photos and details added. Alan H
LikeLike
My father and mother Monty & Dorothy McHugh bought “STARDRIFT” in the late 60’s. She had a 70 hp ford and Dad repowered her with a 100 hp Ford which gave her a good turn of speed. Mum and Dad had her for many years boating all over the gulf and up to the far north, Dad was heavily involved with Coastguard cutter work and used her extensively for this.She was moored at Hobson bay and kept in pristine condition.
I was looking at Stardrift last Christmas.She is a real mess…Dad would be horrified to see her like this.
LikeLike
Nath, I check about the My Girl dodger tomorrow. It is good to see another Hartley vessel here.
LikeLike
Her bilge pump goes 24/7 but every now and again a local GB resident comes along and starts her engine up with a throaty roar and a cloud of smoke. Ask Dave Jackson he knows…
LikeLike
Agree. Bullshit is allowed. My father probably still takes things he reads on the Internet seruously, I don’t. A whole tier down from the printed word
LikeLike
Please may I quote from our fearless leader’s dedication at the top of this page?
“Visiting this blog is like a bunch of people in the boat club bar, there will be stuff discussed you know, stuff you know nothing about and stuff you want to know more about.”
I have to sav, I have heard a lot of untruths spoken in bars and when the guys are suffering from intake of mind altering drugs like rum.
The point is that there is always someone in the discussion who knows the answer -these daze it can be the middle Ward daughter with the fastest thumbs on the planet (and Google) on her iPhone- who can provide the correct reference, words and music on any topic.
We don’t need that high tech. We have our dearlybeloved Harold Kidd who knows all and sees all.
LikeLike
Hartley was a very clever man IMHO. Pam,
I look down on Mahina from the balcony. She was a William Garden design from the ’60s. Originally had an open steering position -flying bridge- since walled in. Her original name was Oenuku or somesuch (don’t quote me). Still has a Gardner by the sounds of it.
BUT I have a NZ Harald clip of her launching so can be very authoritative on this one -that is when I have my scrap book in hand. Presently buried in the archives since we moved North.
The race is on, HDK what was her original name.
Thank you for bearing with me. Mahina has no bearing on the present lovely -if unloved- boat.
LikeLike
That would be a rather BIG assumption 🙂
LikeLike
Perhaps I didn’t make myself quit clear in my last comment above — perhaps I should have added, “or someone else,” in the paragraph, “Look forward to any input that may determine as to whether it was Parris or Lidgard, OR SOMEONE ELSE,” who can claim building rights for her.” THIS IS HOW I EXPECTED IT TO BE READ
LikeLike
Very very nice! I wonder if My Girl’s more enclosed dodger was done by Richard? Looks similar, was from Whangarei, and the owner just afterwards had a Hartley built….
LikeLike
Designer must have been very influenced by Huckins / Egg Harbour designs from that era.
LikeLike
Yeah right!
You gave WW followers a plain choice of either Parris or Lidgard.
That’s not “head-scratching”.
That’s pontificating for the sake of pontificating.
A little less pontificating from now on perhaps?
Just ask questions, perhaps?
There are a lot of people on WW who know more than you do and can supply facts, not wild conjecture.
LikeLike
Goodness, Hartley!
I struggle with the design, she’s pretty enough but when you see her in the real she looks massive, I think she is just so high wooded. The broad black boot top has been placed to help the eye, maybe if the paint work was restored it would help. That is a shame to hear she is quite rotten. I can apreciate what Hartley, Spencer did to help the amateur boat builders build boats.
I’m reminded of Mahina. A beautifully built boat and ought not compare the two but she is another that sits proudly high on the water. Have the woodys discussed Mahina?
Photo of Mahina (launched as Konoihi?)below. She was designed by William Garden & built in NZ, probably in the early 1960’s. When launched she was powered by a Gardner & Russell Ward, who supplied the photo & details, believes she still is.
LikeLike
Fantastic Harold, — none of us felt we knew for sure, & you are the one this time that had the perfect proof — will let the others know, as were all head scratching. Cheers. –K
LikeLike
Shall I tell you who REALLY built LOVELY LADY and sweep aside all that typical BS and conjecture?
OK it was R.T. Hartley at Whangarei in 1951 to a design by Dick Hartley. She was 33’x11’x3’9″ and had a Scripps V8 originally. She was built for gamefishing and is featured in the December 1951 SEA SPRAY mag.
An ounce of hard evidence like that is worth 3 tons of ill-informed guesswork.
I just can’t understand why we are still getting this stuff!
Ask questions on WW by all means, that’s what WW does best, but don’t try to hand down tablets from Mount Sinai!
Moses seems to have feet of clay.
LikeLike
She sat uncared for on a mooring down at Greenhithe off Salthouse’s jetty for several years. Was purchased by a local bulldozing contractor about ten years ago and given that she was full of rot then it’s a miracle she made it to the Barrier and still afloat. Sad that some boats are doomed for neglect. Would have been quite a raunchy looking boat in her hay day.
LikeLike
(note: Post contains misleading info)
I have known that boat since she was new, & her name was not STAR DRIFT, it was LOVELY LADY, — (although she looks anything but lovely now), — & after morning discussions today, with my old friends Jim Thomson, & John Lidgard, we have reached a consensus between us, although none of us is certain, which one it is, we are confident she was built either by Roy Lidgard or Roy Parris in the1950s & we do know & agree that she was built as the LOVELY LADY. & Jim T., tells me she he recalls was owned the Lidgard family one Christmas in the 1950s, as Jim recalls they had her at Kawau when he was there.
Interesting that this boat & name has come up now because, whilst I have always known both name & boats, I have always had a propensity to sometimes mix PLEASURE LADY as referred to in yesterday’s post & this boat LOVELY LADY up, because of the similarities of name & era of build.
Look forward to any input that may determine as to whether it was Parris or Lidgard who can claim building rights for her. KEN R
LikeLike
Yes, nice basic to start with, a little T L C and wow!
LikeLike
That’s a good boat under there. Watcha waiting for?
LikeLike