Doraine

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Doraine (a)

Doraine (b)

DORAINE
photos & details ex Rosemary Robinson

I get lots of emails at ww, which is great, but when I get one that starts off “Hi  Alan, I am the granddaughter of L.C. Coulthard, boat builder of Onehunga.” I get a little excited.

Rosemary went on to tell me that while sorting through her elderly mother’s possessions recently, she came across the original plans of a Coulthard launch, the ‘Doraine’ plus a few photos. Doraine was 26′ in length with a 8’3″ beam & was intended to be the prototype for a ‘reasonably priced family boat’.
Now according to Coulthard’s daughter Elaine (now 93) this launch was last seen on Lake Taupo about 20 years ago.  Rosemary would like to know if Doraine still exists (maybe under a different name?) and whether the current owners would like those plans and copies of old photos?
Apparently her grandfather altered her for a subsequent owner to extend to approximately 28′.

So woodys what do we know about Doraine? L.C. Coulthard launches have been robustly discussed on ww before – click the link below to view/read.

Lucinda

Now woodys you would have been disappointed with me if I had not also asked Rosemary the question “Do you have any other photos?” well I did & the answer was yes – so over the next week I’ll post some more 😉

Doraine launch day

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15 thoughts on “Doraine”

  1. I haven’t seen a Coulthard boat with prop and rudder anywhere but right aft. Dawn having been extended, would have hers more forward yes

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  3. Hi,
    I am the owner of ” Dawn ” a 28Ft Coultard vessel. Looking at photos I think she may not be Doraine. Her prop and rudder are well forward of the stern and lines a tad different. Built in 1936 she is now 80 and we moved her from Pine Harbour to a swing mooring in Wyuna Bay, Coromandel. She handled the trip across with aplomb considering we only had a very short window of acceptable weather.

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  7. looks somehow familiar, could be a great project for a couple of young lads with a lightweight turbo diesel and a liking for Moa ale

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  9. A 26 footer like that could be my next big project. Any chance at a look at the plans? Very pretty smart launch.

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  10. I think I have just discovered another iteration of Lucinda ‘ coamings… now I count 4 distinct profiles which have adorned her.

    Hey Paul- what became of Destiny?

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  11. Given the reference to Taupo, I would say this is DAWN for sure. Interesting that she was lengthened. Coulthard, in my view,built some very fine looking launches. As built, both DORAINE and LUCINDA approached perfection to my eye.

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  12. With regards to Dawn, no doubt cabin tops & windows can change over the years. However Dawn was closer to 29′. That said her prop and rudder were tucked under the stern a far way so although no-one ever suggested she had been extended, it could be a possibility. Others will have far more skilled eyes than I to spot any similarities or differences so best I leave it there.
    The current owner recently advised that she’s been moved from Pine Harbour to Coromandel Harbour.

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  13. The newspaper cutting is from the Auckland Star of 9th May 1939 and is either DORAINE or a clone of her.

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  14. What a beautiful small launch. I had thought she was the bridgedeckerised coulthard sitting in the mud in industrial Whangarei but has less rounded windows. So far as I can see she is the boat photographed by Whites in ’53 at Taupo, and posted in the ‘Unknown Launch” thread named Dawn. Still at Pine Harbour?

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  15. A superb beautifully proportioned example of the Coulthard art & very big volume for her size by the look of it– I do hope we find out more about her — lovely — looking forward to seeing the other photos KEN R

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