MV Tiri – Radio Hauraki
I received an email over the weekend from Denis O’Callahan, owner of the classic launch Tasman asking for some help from the woodys – I’ll let Denis tell the story.
“I was sorting some memorabilia recently in preparation for the 50th anniversary of Radio Hauraki when I came across the old newspaper cutting above ex my mother’s scrap book.
As well as the MV Tiri and the Widgeon there is a nice woody and there must have been another vessel from which the photo was taken but I’m damned if I can remember either of them.
So can any Woody identify the launch and maybe even the photographer and his boat?
I certainly remember that day, our first out in the gulf (Nov 1966) before we had raised any kind of broadcasting antenna and here is the true story.
It was glassy calm and Captain Fred Ladd landed nearby with David Gapes and some newspaper reporters on board. Unfortunately when restarting, an engine flooded and cranking it flattened the 12 volt battery.
The Tiri had 24 volt batteries and we had lots of heavy cable on board so two of us rowed out to the plane in a dinghy and I climbed onto the wing. The cable hanging in the water pulled the plane in toward the ship so the guy in the dinghy had to tie the painter around a tail strut and row hard to keep them separated. Captain Ladd directed me to the battery compartment and I signaled to the Tiri crew to connect their end to the ship’s batteries. In a short time we had enough juice in the Widgeon’s battery to start the engines and we cast off the cable and the dinghy. So there I was on the wing with the plane taxiing around ready for take off. I had no option but to dive in and swim back to the Tiri.”
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1948 – 1950: My father, Captain John Robert Henry Trenbath was the mate on M.V. Tiri – Official Number 157765, Reg. Tonnage 69.26 on Home Trade. I have his Certificates of Discharge.
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I REMEMBER THE MV KAPUNI WAS A REGULAR RUNNER BETWEEN AUCKLAND AND GISBORNE WITH GENERAL CARGO IN THE 60’S. I LIVED AT WAINUI BCH GISBORNE IN THE 60’S AND PICKED UP EARLY BROADCASTS FROM RADIO HAURAKI. MICHAEL CLARK
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Gidday Ray, Tiri 2 was formerly KAPUNI
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The old newspaper pic is “Tiri” the yellow hull is “Tiri 2” ex ?? where are you Geof B??
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Great story!
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Yes one of the later (bigger) Banshee’s -they were renamed when he sold them.
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I’ve not seen 2 less similar boats!
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Have now studied the lines of the dodgers & window shapes in both dodgers, on both sets of photos, — (The one the existing post, & the new one above, & in fact they are slightly different, in their styling, so have now come to the conclusion that whilst this boat was definitely built by Alan W., & is a sistership to his own BANSHEE, it is in fact another one of several of the boats he built, after BANSHEE, which were all almost identical.– Now we still have to find out which one. — KEN R
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That is the BANSHEE built by Alan Williams for himself in 1966 — refer previous woodys post — KEN R
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I remember us on our launch Sobrine going alongside and mu giving them fresh baking, it was well appreciated.
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I think she may be an Alan Williams, but which one is the question– whilst I recognise her – can’t recall the name; She is very similar in the bow lines to COMANDER ONE. –Refer previous woodys post. — KEN R
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Possibly ” jandy ” owned by ron augustine.
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