Daisy Belle

Posted on by

Daisy 1

Daisy Belle - Putaruru May 2016

DAISY BELLE

Ian McDonald sent me the above photos of the Daisy Belle, the b/w photo was taken by Ian c.1980 at Arid Island. The colour photo is her today (May2016) hauled out at Putaruru, uncovered & rotting away. Her owner is supposedly going to restore her – he better start soon or she will be lost.

Can any of the woodys supply more details on the vessel? I’m thinking the ww followers that belong to the ‘The Workboat Study Group’ must know of her & her past.

Yesterdays story on Max Carter & his boats, received the viewing numbers the man desired, highest in the last 2 months. Very proud that waitematawoodys could showcase his work & record it for future generations to enjoy. Special thanks must go to Chris McMullen for his efforts in securing the material, all too often our maritime history is lost.

A friend of mine, Ray Oxenham, sent me the video link below, what a great idea, perfect for somewhere like Waiheke Island 😉

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FSilodrome%2Fvideos%2F1116234575111819%2F&show_text=0&width=400

Input from Harold Kidd
DAISY BELLE was built by W.G. Lowe & Sons in 1940 for Vella and Bronlund and had a new 88hp Kelvin. She hit Spray Rock c1970, was bought as a hulk and rebuilt by Baileys. In 2002 she was owned in the Bay of Islands by Darien Boswell with a Gardner 8L3.

DAISY BELLE was apparently fishing throughout the war owned by Peter Bronlund and S. Vella and was part of the Auckland Seine Boat Association. She was considered for war work on 9th June 1942, examination work at Fiji, which the similar craft ZUYDER ZEE and KAIWAKA later did. I really doubt if she did any war service anywhere.
Registered as AK62 she was entitled to pass the Auckland boom defence without examination, but as a fishing boat.

Input from Ian McDonald
Daisy was originally a trawler pre-war and Darien Boswell (Boz) found her derelict on piles at Beachaven ? & after purchase, set about restoring her. I think Boz told me that she also did service during the war on the harbour defence booms. She has a Gardner 8L3B he got from either Ernie Seager or Shorty Sefton.

Input from Bruce Pullman
The extract below on Daisy Belle is from a book called ‘High Tide’ by Bernard Rhodes (photos by Brian Moorhead). Bernard Rhodes is a boat builder on Waiheke.

Screen Shot 2016-08-02 at 9.56.39 am

Screen Shot 2016-08-02 at 9.56.54 am

Screen Shot 2016-08-02 at 9.57.05 am

Screen Shot 2016-08-02 at 9.56.26 am

 Input from Wayne Mason
The photos below were taken last week when Wayne spotted the Daisy Belle driving from Taupo . The nearby neighbour in Putaruru says she is owned by a Dutchman who was renting a mooring in Tauranga but thought on the hard  would save him some money . He’s planning on restoring or rebuilding .

Input from Stuart Johnson

Stuart sent me the photo below that he believes is of ‘Daisy Bell’ (AK24) which didn’t quite make the wharf in Mansion House on he believes Anniversary Day 1959. From memory ( Stuarts 91) the crew managed to get ashore and find their way to the ‘Snake Pit’ whilst they waited for the returning tide.
Kauwau Picnic 002

03-08-2016 update  ex Barry Davis

Below is a very low res photo of Daisy Belle taken in July 1974 before conversion to a pleasure craft. Interesting to note that the forward port holes have been sealed.

Screen Shot 2016-08-03 at 1.24.57 PM

09-08-2016 Photo below ex Baden Pascoe

Daisy Belle in Flight

31-08-2016 Input from Ian McDonald – Correction to comment that she is owned by a Dutchman.  The owner is not Dutch, is from Tokoroa  & known to me personally, and it was me who put him in touch with Darien when he purchased her.

Below is a photo taken from the helm, of  Rex McDonald on the foredeck circa 1983
Rex McDonald on Daisy Belle

03-09-2016 Update  –  3 pic’s below emailed to me by Ian McDonald that Rex McDonald took about a week before she was lifted out in Tauranga & taken to Putaruru.

16-07-2020 Input from Stephen Green – refer below the undated newspaper clipping below regarding the Daisy Belle.
His father, John Green was on the USSCo Katui in the early 1960’s.
 
IMG_7526
 
17-07-2020 Input from Nathan Herbert – Daisy Belle also went aground on the point at Hobbs Bay very much high and dry in the early days. Photo below.
 
IMG-3796

17-01-2023 UPDATE ex Paul Drake – “I saw her for the first time a few days ago, in Putaruru. She was spotted by my passenger, who was visiting from overseas, as we passed through town heading north from Taupo. Top marks to him. Checking WW the last photo appears to be 2016. I am surprised that she still exists, but clearly there is no hope. Note the anchor, ready for letting go. Also, nice mast.

38 thoughts on “Daisy Belle”

  3. Hi, my Father used to work on Daisy Belle when she was a trawler (around 1953) and would love to share more information on her if you are interested.

    Like

  4. Daisy Belle also went aground on the point at Hobbs Bay very much high and dry in the early days. I came across a small blurry photo of it recently.

    Like

  8. Hi, I found a newspaper clipping about the Daisy Belle being taken under tow by the USSC Katui. The Katui responded to her distress call just off White Island after her engine seized due to it running out of oil. She was a trawler then. Is there a way I can add a photo of this clipping to the page, or can I email it to someone to do so? Thanks. stephen@vinmax.co.nz

    Like

  10. Elsie belle ended up a liveaboard. She sank on her mooring at bayswater area. Was salvaged and hull repaired on vos slipway. She ended up on pile berth in tamaki river. Near sank many times but was finally sold and hauled out at half moon bay travel lift. Trucked to a site out manakau. Then on sold to a property further south. Ended up getting chopped up and burnt.

    Like

  12. There was another ??Belle trawler built up from an army 45ft tug hull (same hull as “Sea Bee”) what has happened to her? does anyone know?

    Like

  14. I am sad to read Darian Boswell has passed away.
    I knew him in the 1950s, when he married Beverley. He was a very keen oarsman by my recall.
    Have tried to find him over the last year or so, & try to catch up & recall some of those lovely heady days at Mansion House, when we were all in our youth, looking to our futures.
    A fine man as I remember him. R.I.P. — KEN R

    Like

  15. I’m interested in the accommodation layout for Daisy Belle, I have found a similar sized hull and am thinking of building the same for me n my grandkids to play on.

    Like

  16. Sad to say Darien Boswell passed away a couple off weeks ago , Great guy as I spent many weekends with him when converted at Baileys.

    Like

  18. I was on board the Daisy when she sank in October 73 or 74. I still have the bell and one of the life preserver rings. I saw my Dad cry as she went down. I can fill in some of the gaps if anyone is interested. It was a big part of our family’s life.

    Like

  19. The Daisy Belle, while at Auckland Seine Boat Association was maintained by my father, Wally Rugg. Many a time I was on the boat when he was working on it, I think around 1957 – 1959, the Vella family were very close to our family and Dad used to borrow the boat for company picnics on Motuihe Island etc in the Gulf, I think I am right that I have a (the) spare bronze propeller shaft to this boat here at my house. There was a Lady I met Bunty Pople, I think again a connection with the Vella family and with her husband they owned the Daisy Belle, and two other Belle boats, All wonderful memories here, if possible I would like to keep in touch on this project.

    Like

  21. Well let’s hope she finds a new owner, and soon. It is amazing how a sorely neglected fine ship can rise phoenix-like from the ashes in the hands of a devoted owner.

    Like

  23. It guts me to see her looking like this! I definitely won’t be showing Dad the photos. We lived aboard her for 7 years through until the time that Dad sold her (2012?). But prior to that, she was used extensively by the family and friends for trips out to the barrier – mainly around xmas time. Most of my childhood memories involve spending time on or around her and mainly on the end of a paintbrush or roller!

    Like

  28. Daisy Belle was owned by Norm Newbe at the time she hit Spray Rock in late afternoon. ( just offshore from Garden Cove ,Waiheke.) Norm had a small upholstery shop in Hobson St. opposite where the Police station is today. She was still in fishing boat configuration when she hit the rock.

    Like

  30. Thanks Bruce Pullman for the interesting ‘High Tide’ extract.
    Shot into Trademe and, shiver-me-timbers, there was one in all it’s glory just waiting for me to press the button!
    👀 🙋 ⛵

    Like

  33. DAISY BELLE was apparently fishing throughout the war owned by Peter Bronlund and S. Vella and was part of the Auckland Seine Boat Association. She was considered for war work on 9th June 1942, examination work at Fiji, which the similar craft ZUYDER ZEE and KAIWAKA later did. I really doubt if she did any war service anywhere.
    Registered as AK62 she was entitled to pass the Auckland boom defence without examination, but as a fishing boat.

    Like

  36. DAISY BELLE was built by W.G. Lowe & Sons in 1940 for Vella and Bronlund and had a new 88hp Kelvin. She hit Spray Rock c1970, was bought as a hulk and rebuilt by Baileys. In 2002 she was owned in the Bay of Islands by Darien Boswell with a Gardner 8L3. etc etc

    Like

  37. She used to live at Gulf Harbour when I was growing up, then was a fixture in the Te Puna Inlet in Kerikeri. Owned at that stage (and possibly a liveaboard) by Darian Boswell who had the Ships Chandlery in Kerikeri.

    Like

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s