TAURAKA
Now I’m not sure if Tauraka is her current name, but according to trademe she was built in 1912 by Fred Man for F.W. Chalmers. She started life as a gaff rigged sailboat with a 10 hp Frisco engine. About 1925 she went to Tauranga where she had 4 owners before moving to Lake Rotoiti about 2005. Currently powered by a Ford 4 cyl. 60hp diesel engine. The trademe listing says she sold for $4,020, at 32′ that is a huge amount of boat for the price. Someone got a real bargain.
Harold Kidd (brilliant) Input
It’s actually a bit more complicated than that. Fred Mann of John St., Ponsonby built a 24ft launch for Frank W. Chalmers in 1910 called GWEN. Chalmers worked for J.J. Craig. In December 1912 Mann launched another launch for Chalmers, the 32 footer, GWEN C. She had a 10hp 2 cylinder ‘Frisco Standard. Chalmers kept GWEN C until September 1921 when he sold her to Percy Carter of Tauranga. Carter changed her name to HELEN C.
Now Carter was a leading light in the Tauranga Yacht & Motor Boat Club and a yachtsman through and through. Although the launch had used an auxiliary rig beforehand, Carter rigged her right up as a schooner and took part in yacht races in Tauranga with her. There had been a number of such launch/yacht hybrids before that in Auckland but they were neither fish nor fowl and generally defaulted to their launch role. HELEN C didn’t and carried her rig for many years. She was allocated the sail number E79 by the APYMBA and raced in the 1932 Auckland Anniversary Regatta on 20m handicap and came 6th on line.
Carter sold her when he bought the Woollacott ketch MAY in 1953 and renamed MAY RAUMATI after a small yacht he had owned and raced in Tauranga pre-WW1. HELEN C’s new owner renamed her TAURAKA.
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Sold again last night for $6250 on trade me with a reserve of only $3000 I missed out again, I anyone knows of another classic on Rotoiti please let me know rob.watt1@outlook.com
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Beautiful boat RobWatt
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OOPS L13 =DOREEN
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Carter cruised her a lot and was at the Whangarei Regatta on New Year’s Day 1929 when she was entered in the Whangarei Harbour Board Cup race for launches over 8 knots on 25min handicap. L13, the 22ft mullet boat behind HELEN C, was not entered in the 1929 Regatta which had no race that year for mullet boats but she was on her way back from the Ocean Race to Russell.
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The photo with the mullet boats etc in the background looks like it was taken from Onerahi, looking towards the eastern end of Limestone island.
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PS In case there’s a thought that a 10hp ‘Frisco Standard would be a tiddler, here’s a link to one running.
The “10hp” is its rated horsepower. From the look of the image the engine would displace 3 to 4 litres and produce more than sufficient torque and power to knock a 32 footer along at waterline speed.
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It’s actually a bit more complicated than that. Fred Mann of John St., Ponsonby built a 24ft launch for Frank W. Chalmers in 1910 called GWEN. Chalmers worked for J.J. Craig. In December 1912 Mann launched another launch for Chalmers, the 32 footer, GWEN C. She had a 10hp 2 cylinder ‘Frisco Standard. Chalmers kept GWEN C until September 1921 when he sold her to Percy Carter of Tauranga. Carter changed her name to HELEN C.
Now Carter was a leading light in the Tauranga Yacht & Motor Boat Club and a yachtsman through and through. Although the launch had used an auxiliary rig beforehand, Carter rigged her right up as a schooner and took part in yacht races in Tauranga with her. There had been a number of such launch/yacht hybrids before that in Auckland but they were neither fish nor fowl and generally defaulted to their launch role. HELEN C didn’t and carried her rig for many years. She was allocated the sail number E79 by the APYMBA and raced in the 1932 Auckland Anniversary Regatta on 20m handicap and came 6th on line.
Carter sold her when he bought the Woollacott ketch MAY in 1953 and renamed MAY RAUMATI after a small yacht he had owned and raced in Tauranga pre-WW. HELEN C’s new owner renamed her TAURAKA.
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Good on you 🙂 And great news that she stays a lake boat. If woodys check out Saturdays ww post there is another great buy featured 😉
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Hi Alan,is still called Tauraka and will be remaining on Lake Rotoiti.You are right,it was a lot of boat for the money but I got what one was prepared to pay for it.Cheers Tracey Mackay.
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