TANGAROA (Seaway)
details ex Bill Burrill, photos ex Ken Rickets
According to Bill Burrill, Seaway was built in 1953 for Fred Brake, of Riverview Rd, Panmure, by the Lane Motor Boat Company, for whom, Fred, worked for about 8 years & which was right next door to his family home. Fred was also the harbour master for Panmure, in that era, & kept Seaway at the bottom of his garden on a pile mooring & slipped her on a railed electric slipway that he built on his property.
Fred B sold her to a Mr Gray who owned the station at Man o war bay Waiheke (which he later sold to the Spencers) in approx. 1955. He died in 1959 & Max Burrill bought her through the Guardian Trust, off the estate in 1959. He changed her name to from Seaway to Tangaroa upon purchase. Max Burrill died in 1984 & Bill Burrill, his son, bought her off his mother. Bill sold her this year (2016) to Allen Heatley.
She was moored at Pine Harbour but is now berthed at Fairway Bay, Gulf Harbour. The Heatleys intend to live aboard for the next 12 months whilst they build a property in the area.
She was originally powered by a P6 Perkins diesel when built which was replaced around 1960 with a 6-305 6 cyl. Perkins diesel & 5 years later this was also replaced with a horizontal 6-354 Perkins diesel, to fit under the floor, thereby giving more cabin room. The 6-354 died in 2000 & Bill replaced it with a 100hp 4 cyl. Yanmar turbo diesel, which she still has today.
05-09-2018 Update – Interior photos below ex trademe via Ian MacDonald
Update 21-09-2021 Photos added
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Many thanks Chris. Alan H
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Owner has been located now and mooring is under control…
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Tangaroa has broken her mooring line in Kerikeri river, she’s swinging around one pile. if anyone knows the current owner please ask them to contact Chris at the electric boat company on 021 637 911 and/or attend to the mooring below. I have tied her on as best I can for now but 40+knots forecast tonight!
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Does anyone have contact details for Allen Heatley
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Hi All, According to our records, Tangaroa was built in 1953. There is a sistership Seaway, Lanes 38 built in 1956, powered with a Ford 115hp, not quite under-floor. It is this one you have posted photos of at TeAtatu hardstand. Note the different windows in main saloon to Tangaroa. Seaway operated out of the Wade river to Little Barrier as a charter boat for many years and had a much stronger forward belting on Port side for coming alongside whatever jetty they had out there. I understand Lanes built about 8 or so 38 footers, same hull but they had different cabin configurations, some as flush-deck sedans, others with trunk cabins. Now a bit confusing with 2 Seaways!!
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Interior photos added. Alan H
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I had not heard of the 6.305 Perkins so of course had to look it up.
According to this list the original P6 as we know it, 288cu.in versions, had PA and PB models, whilst the 6.305 was known as the PC in Perkins coding
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Perkins_engines
I note the S6, which powered the original Vindex was a bigger engine, 377cu.in, both superseded by the 6.354
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The 5 bladed prop was almost certainly made by Michigan Wheel in the US and imported by Andrew Donovan who was the agent. It may not have been the original prop. I worked for and cruised with Andy on ‘Winsome II’ in the 1970’s. She was fitted with a 5 blade and it was very smooth. There was a Chris-Craft 327 cubic inch V8 maintained by Keith McGregor up front, so it was the perfect prop. No bite going forward from neutral like a 3 or 4 wide blade. They were designed for fast sports boats. ‘Winsome’ could hit 22 knots with a big rooster tail from the prop.
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According to the APYMBA records SEAWAY was built by Lane Motor Boat Co for Fred Brake in 1956.
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This post sparked a memory on a related topic (sort of :-). I have a cup won by an earlier (wind-powered) Tangaroa lm ’38 which I’ll email you pix of Alan. Cheers, Les
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That is a very nice Gulf cruising launch. I note she has a 5 bladed (narrow) prop. Can anyone tell me why this is better than a 3 bladed prop? This should be a discussion we sailors should learn from.
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