Miss Picton > Mitre Peak

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Miss Picton > Mitre Peak
photos ex Charles Collings / Bill Wilson Collection via Ron Wattam

The above photo was sent to me by Ron Wattam whose wife’s grandfather was Charles Collings. Given this we can assume that the launch above is most likely a Collings & Bell, so the question is, can anyone name her & the year of build / launch. And if that happens, where is she today?

Harold Kidd Update

MISS PICTON launched 7/12/1933 for Captain M Steele of Picton. Later MITRE PEAK.
She was very similar to DONALD SUTHERLAND launched in January 1936. MISS PICTON was built to replace TINOPAI which C&B built for Steele in November 1932 but which was destroyed by fire when only a moth old. They were identical but TINOPAI was painted a dark colour, not white like MISS PICTON.

Update 31-09-2019 photo below ex Len Redwood’s fb

Screen Shot 2019-07-29 at 2.16.11 PM

13 thoughts on “Miss Picton > Mitre Peak”

  1. Pingback: Tinopai | waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news – updated daily

  3. Not a bad effort 🙂 For what it’s worth, the previous (or maybe still current?) owner also owned the Ussco Bar & Bistro in Gisborne, thus the most recent name change. The boat has made several trips between Gisborne and the Marlborough Sounds.

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  4. I received an email from CYA launch owner (MV Mapuna) Mark McLaughlin yesterday saying that he felt that the mystery launch (Miss Picton > Mitre Peak) was for sale in Picton. I contacted the broker, Vining Marine & they have advised that their records show the vessel was originally ‘Donald Sutherland’ then ‘Sea Hawk’ & is now ‘MV USSCO’. Photo below. As Harold Kidd mentioned in his update, Donald Sutherland was very similar to Miss Picton, so Mark close but no cigar 🙂

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  5. Barry is quite right.
    I have one of Chas Collings’ own glass quarter plates (cracked) showing St Mary’s Bay during an ultra low tide in the 30s. Most of the launches and yachts are aground. A bunch of these plates were left behind when the shed was vacated.
    I’ll dig it out and send a scan to Alan.

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  6. Behind Miss Picton can be seen the AHB dredge Hapai working inside the breakwater. At the time St Marys Bay was quite shallow and the dredging in this area allowed keel yachts to remain afloat at low tide.

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  7. I know nothing about the launch but can confirm that she is being launched from the Collings & Bell slipway. The C & B jetty is to the right and our launch the “Waitangi” can be seen moored off the end of the jetty. My father belonged to the Ponsonby Cruising Club and the launch to the right is tied up to the Club Jetty a section of which can be seen behind the launch.

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  8. PS MISS PICTON was built to replace TINOPAI which C&B built for Steele in November 1932 but which was destroyed by fire when only a moth old. They were identical but TINOPAI was painted a dark colour, not white like MISS PICTON.

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  10. MISS PICTON launched 7/12/1933 for Captain M Steele of Picton. Later MITRE PEAK.
    She was very similar to DONALD SUTHERLAND launched in January 1936.

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  13. Think she is Moana Lua, launched 1935. I will try to compare with launch photos I passed to current owners, as I am not sure re aft staunchons.Current owners Phillip and Helena Hamlin

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