Resident woodys spotter in the Hawkes Bay, Mike O’Dwyer sent me a note last weekend saying that he had been down at the Napier Sailing Club & heard the rumble of a V8 starting up. Upon closer inspection Mike spotted a rare appearance of Ella B.
As an aside Mike is the owner of the delightful 1902 classic ‘Janet’, built by Angus Sutherland to a design by Chas. Bailey Jr
Ella B (named after the owners granddaughter) was built by 77 year old Bill Brassington, an upholsterer by trade with a love of woodworking.
The build took six years & is still being tweaked. On the day they were fitting a new alternator & giving the motor a run. The boat was built from plans supplied by Glen L boat designs. It is the 24’6″ Monte Carlo, a long sleek barrel back inboard based on the styling of the typical finer Chris Craft of yesteryear. The steering wheel is out of a 1936 Ford.
Bill built the boat in it’s entirety including the trailer. Deck & windscreen fittings were made from mdf then cast and chromed. The hull is solid mahogany with a two pot finish.
Ellia B is powered by a 350 fuel injected Chev V8 which produces 400 hp. The Italian dash gauges are set into an ex Napier Sailing Club engraved silver salver trophy.
Given Bill’s trade, the upholstery is a work of art, total perfection.
Now here’s the thing..the boat has never been launched. When Mike asked Bill when that would happen he replied “it’s got water running through it now…it’s getting wet” 🙂
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 😉
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.
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.
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.
09-08-2016 Photo below ex Baden Pascoe
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
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.
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.
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.
07-11=2025 UPDATE ex BILL ENDEAN – Bill snapped the photos below passing thru Putaruru recently – not looking too healthy.
Max Carter & His Boats details & photos from Chris McMullen, edited by Alan Houghton (remember to click on photos to enlarge)
Max Carter was responsible for building a huge number of boats of all sizes in a relatively short time, refer lists below. Chris believes that Max producing his modified H-28 /29ft was the first serious attempt at building stock keel boats in New Zealand. Back then there were no fibre glass boats, no marinas and no travel-lifts in NZ. The industry was experimenting with epoxy resin & glass cloth.
Max was supported by Consolidated Chemicals (Epiglass), the Colmore William’s Bros & their ceo Trevor Geldard. The P-Class & other small boats listed below in big numbers were kit sets for amateur construction. These boats also used up what would have been waste wood in the yard. The idea was to introduce young people to sailing & ensure a future for the marine industry. It certainly worked, but Max never benefited from his effort.
When Chris was reviewing Max’s files he found a copy of a 1989 New Zealand Power Boat Magazine, which he had never seen it before. There is an article on Sandy Sands and Sea Craft. It talks about how Sea Craft increased their productivity by using methods learned by Sandy Sands while working for Uffa Fox. Chris’s previous observation about a possible Fox connection was right. Sandy Sands commented in the article “without people you have nothing”. Max realized the value of his skilled staff and treated them as friends. He stayed in contact with many for almost fifty years. There was a list of his ex employees and their addresses amongst his files.
When you consider the age of these photos the presence of all the health and safety gear – fluro jackets, disposable overalls & hard hats really stands out. Chris commented that there was the odd accident but nothing really serious.
All Max’s boats were built from medium kauri treated and will last forever (well a very long time). He had huge stocks of timber. At the time most boat builders built hull’s & decks & the owners finished them in their back yard. Max did some hull’s but mainly catered for the few that could afford a finished product.
The shed photos above are more reminiscent of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, Bristol, Rhode Island. While Max was way ahead of his time, unfortunately, New Zealand’s economy and small population was such that his operation could not survive. Sadly but wisely he closed the doors, sold the plant and leased the buildings.
To read the eulogy Chris McMullen gave at Max Carter’s funeral, click the blue link below
The photo with the 1/2 model is Max with Les Holt. Of significance in the photo is that the model was made by Chris. It was the Pipe Dream design featured in Francis Kinney’s book. The new version of ‘Skenes Elements of Yacht Design’. The portrait photo of Max shows the MY Du Fresne in the back ground. The yacht on the hard stand is the Rainbow II. Max has written on the back of the photo. “Built in seven weeks after lofting.! “ Another photo shows the kit set boat production. No CNC machinery, just a good man (Lindsey Stone) on the spindle moulder shown in the left of the photo. Another photo shows Max with his long time friend Laurie Davidson. The Stewart 28 is the Hop Scotch. Seems there are huge gaps. Photographers were always at the yard. Chris believes some photos were lost. Orinda and White Mischief were both Max’s designs maybe 40 years apart. The brand new Northerner struck Bollen’s Rock while racing through Tiri Channel. Her first race! Max was her skipper for the day. She was raised and repaired like new. Capt Warwick Dunsford, Owner Boyd Hargrave with the binoculars. (more photos & press clippings below) The H-29 was an H-28 with the sheer raised. It was an attempt to build a small(ready to sail) keel yacht that people could afford. Tom Beaton, Bryan Williams and Nick Panich in the photo. The Du Fresne was built for Mr J M Butland and the first H-29 for his son Mr JR. Du Fresne was a Laurent Giles design. The Butland Family were a well known boating people Thetis, Titan, Sirdar, Dufresne DurVille, Inverness and the brigantine Fritha were commissioned by the family. The Ta Aroa was a 60 foot Sparkman and Stephens design. A beautiful yacht built for Mr Doug Bremner. She had one of the first imported aluminium masts. A single spreader rig. The Calypso shown being launched with a crane was built for Max’s own use. The same design shown under construction is the Tamure. This was a Max Carter design & the second NZ yacht to do a circum navigation of the world. She was owned by the late Jerry Challet & Mac Nell. boatbuilder, Dave Baxter was on the crew. From memory (marine engineer) Terry Burling was part owner or crew. All the big Carter boats were launched by the A.H.B floating crane. There were no travel-lifts. Note the ships in the background.
The Sinking, Re-floating & Repair of Northener
Article below from the New Zealand Exporter magazine that tells the story about
the H-29 better. In the photo of the three builders bending steamed ribs on a H-29 they are from the left – the
late Eric Wing, Chris McMullen and Peter Sowman.
Check out the 1967 Prices
09-08-2016 A Tribute To Max Carter – by Nigel Armitage
Below is a link (in blue) to a downloadable file of rather nice tribute to Max Carter by Nigel Armitage. Nigel worked with Max on the replica scow ‘Ted Ashby’ project that he and Max were very involved in together at the Hobson wharf, Maritime Museum. Its an insight into the amazing work Max did.
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