Sounds Ranger

The above photo of Sounds Ranger was emailed to me by Frits Schouten & was taken by Frits in the Bay of Islands, sorry but that all I know.
I suspect the name  & style are a hint to her past

What do we know about her & her past?

Update 10-02-2022 – Photos below of Sound Ranger on the slip at Dargaville. ex Dave Stanaway

29-05-2024 UPDATE ex NORM JUDD

The following description by Kerry Johnson of the “Sounds Ranger.” is from the unpublished NZ NATIONAL PARKS AND RESERVES RANGERS’ ARCHIVE – a collection of written and taped memoirs of Lands and Survey rangers between 1952 and 1987. Kerry was Chief Ranger of the Marlborough Sounds Maritime Park from the 1968 to the 80s.

“Reading my note to Norm Judd, Havelock based ranger, re starting the Sounds Ranger brought back memories about those early days when I took over, among other things, the care and operation of the vessel. I wasn’t impressed with its overall condition. There was need to bring the launch up to Marine Department standards as soon as possible.
The problems included batteries not set up properly to provide backup if one set went flat, the stern tube the tail shaft went through contained a heavy oil for lubrication but would not function properly and no matter how much advice and effort I could muster this thick oil would ooze into the bilge. A few months down the track while cleaning the accumulation of grime from a circulating pump it literally fell apart. Thank goodness the boat was safely in her berth in Picton then!
Many improvements were eventually made but there was one incident that occurred one night when I think I was away. Late one rough, wet evening my wife received a call from the Harbour Board patrol to say the Sounds Ranger’s engine was chugging away in her berth with no sign of anyone on board and the doors securely locked! Now there has to be a logical explanation as to how this happened but I was never able to clearly identify the cause and that’s probably why the battery leads had been removed as mentioned in my note to Norm.
I’m not superstitious and while I learned later the same thing had happened once before, you can’t help thinking that there must have been some free spirit lurking about that stormy night and was about to take the “old girl” for a cruise in the gloom! “Stranger things have happened at sea.”
Thank you Norm for holding on to a note many (including myself) would have discarded long ago. As a friend commented recently when talking about recording family history, “even the milking cow’s name is important”.
Here’s the note
“Now a few directions in case you should be asked to take out the Sounds Ranger.
Batteries have been disconnected – under seat on starboard side, crescent spanner in tool box near batteries.
Before starting engine remove bucket from top of funnel – open hatch to engine room, light switch is on a beam just inside the hatch opening, that is if you stand on the engine room floor looking forward, the switch is on your right hand side on the back of the beam that forms the front section of the hatch opening. Move under the exhaust pipe along to the front port side of the motor. If you look around the actual front of the engine you will see a small wheel with finger grips around the outside (about 3” or 4” diam.)
This is the wheel that engages the bilge pump by simply screwing or rotating the wheel clockwise or in towards the engine. It should be in this position now, so to disengage the pump, just screw the wheel very slowly out. Do not on any account force the wheel too far out, or for that matter too hard in, otherwise it will stick hard. The pump has to be primed before it will start, this done on the starboard side of the engine. There is another light there with the switch by the light bulb, you will find an old kettle with water in it. You will see towards the front, a tap with an opening for the water to be poured in on the top. With the engine at low idling speed, turn the wing tap to vertical – pour water in slowly. I hold my thumb near the hole and when the pump looks like starting I block the hole with my thumb then turn the wing tap to horizontal.
To start the engine use the starter button on a beam in front of the light on the Port side of the motor, but you should only have to use this one when the engine is cold. It also pays to use the overload button on the fuel pump (when the machine is cold only) the button is on the front of the fuel pump.”
(Here there was a small diagram that showed the location of the overload button on the fuel pump.)
“Button should be pushed up, at the same time pull back the rack. Push the starter button until the engine starts.
Be sure to turn both lights out, on leaving the engine room.
To stop the motor just pull a string that hangs on a nail beside the top of the steps that lead into the forward cabin. Normal starting can be done by using the starter button by the compass. (This for some reason has given trouble in which case I have used the engine room button.)
Push throttle lever up to 1100RPM after about 20 minutes. I doubt whether it will be necessary for you to use the boat, and if you do, I don’t think the bilge will have to be pumped out. There is a hand pump in the engine room, the valve is on the side is off. If you have to use this rather that the pump on the motor please be sure to turn the wheel mentioned earlier to off position.
Remember that the motor is only 60 HP and will not pull up as quickly as the PR (Pelorus Ranger – Havelock based vessel) in other words take her quietly and don’t get into shallow water or you will get into trouble.
Hope this makes sense?”
“P.S. Key to door lock is under bucket by gas cylinder rear of wheelhouse.”

(All of this made sense but just being up with the detail didn’t necessarily mean I was any less concerned with the implementation! – Norm. My recollection is that SR drew about 6 feet and was 45 feet at the waterline.)