Lady Nell

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LADY NELL
photos & details ex Trevor McKay

Today’s post on Lady Nell is a request from her current owner, Trevor McKay, for some clarity on the information he has been supplied about her & also  an attempt to uncover more of her past.

The photo of her alongside the wharf is as Trevor bought her in February 2009 off Steve Hansen of Kauwau fame (he owns the big steel ex navy job in the back ground). Steve bought her from an insurance company after she was damaged off Snells Beach when a storm broke a large yacht loose and smashed into her. He repaired her and then Trevor bought her in an exchange/cash for the Bailey & Lowe launch ‘Countess’ about 5 years ago.

Steve told Trevor that Greg Lees (boatbuilder at Sandspit) had given him a bit of back ground e.g. built 1960ish, design and built by Jack Brooke (but Robert Brooke has later commented – ‘not one of Dads’), she lived a while in the Tamaki Channel, she was bought by the Snells Beach owner, Barry Cranston, from the Jones brothers of Auckland, who kept her at Pine Harbour. Cranston owned her for 3 or 4 years.

Rumour has it that Lady Nell was named after a ‘Madam’ from a house of ill repute 😉 in Ponsonby. Not sure if she was built for the lady or just named after her, this rumour supports the view that due to her roominess she had been know as quite a “Party” boat.
She’s powered by a pair of the small four cylinder Fords, 63 hp, when Trevor bought her she had mechanical gear boxes but he changed to hydraulic a couple of years ago.
She cruises at about 7.5 knots but is very economical.

So woodys – can we help Trevor out ?

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9 thoughts on “Lady Nell”

  2. I’m surprised that someone hasn’t yet come up with some provenance for this wholesome launch. I would think there’s been a name change somewhere in the her past. I’ve scratched around for Brook/Brooke/Brooks etc builders and owners but can’t find any match. Ray Beale is a savvy guy. I suggest you ring him, Trevor, to see if he can shed light on the Brooke bit. Of all people, he would know she wasn’t designed or built by JACK Brooke. So who was this Brook/Brooke/Brooks?

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  3. Far from it Pam. According to a survey done by “Beale Boats” in ’91, “The hull is hard chine and is kauri, carvel planking. The planks are fastened to a longitudinal framework of stem, keelson, gunnels and chines. The planking is accepted by a rebate in the stem and chines”. “All framing is kauri “.
    And so on it goes in some detail. He does say that she was designed and built by “Brooke”, however, Robert Brooke doesn’t seem to think so ! ?
    At some stage, this summer, I intend to come up to Whangateau and you might like to give her the once over ?

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