Ngataringa & Tawera – Sailing Sunday

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NGATIRANGA – Sailing Sunday

Woody Alan Sexton sent me the above photos of Ngatiranga & advised she has just appeared on the hard at Sandspit. Alan was told she has been sitting in a shed in Wellsford for around 30 yrs. & she will be recommissioned & based at Sandspit Yacht Club.
Now I have floating around in the old head details that were told to me years ago by Steve Horsley but I do not trust the memory, so could a few woodys enlighten us with details on her & where she has been etc 😉

23-01-2017 Update
The photos below of Ngataringa are dated 2010 / 2011 & from Jacques De Kervor (emailed to me by Ken Ricketts), they show some of the damage resulting from her collision & the start of the repairs to her 3 skin kauri hull. Great to see her ready to return to the water – her owner, Greg Scopas, is a saint for hanging in there with the project.

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Help ID Tawera’s Crew
Over the xmas /ny break I dumped into woody John Simpson while anchored in Oneora Bay, Waiheke Island one day. John is a kiwi but Melbourne, Australia based these days. John had a request – read below

“Please find attached photo (circa late 1940’s/early 1950’s) of ‘TAWERA’, an A Class keeler sail no. A18 that was launched in 1935 and first owned by Scottie Wilson of Wilson and Horton fame.
Of the x5 crew pictured; my father Bryan Simpson is front (now, 92 years young, living in Melbourne and ex-Auckland Herald), Scottie is on stz (perhaps cleaning fish) with the ID of the remaining crew members unknown by me. The approximate sailing location is also unknown by me (perhaps near Waikapou Bay where Scottie had his bach on Waiheke Island, but not sure about that). Bryan is unable to recall details surrounding the photo.
Thank you for offering to post on waitematawoodys.
If any woody can fill in the gaps, that would be much appreciated.”

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11 thoughts on “Ngataringa & Tawera – Sailing Sunday”

  2. Ngataringa was owned throughout the 1960s by prominent Auckland architect Ray Thorpe of the firm Thorpe Cutter Pickmere and Douglas. My father worked for the firm until we moved to Melbourne in 1968. In 1966,as a 14 year old, I sailed with my father Harry and with Ray as skipper in the RNZYS Squadron Weekend on Ngataringa. I have some 1966 b&w photos of Ngataringa in Mansion House Bay and of other boats taken from Ngataringa on the Friday evening sail up to Kawau. Happy to email them to you if you would like to see them.

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  3. Yes Jacques de Kervor and John (not Tom) are craftsmen. They did a fantastic job. Jacques employed some modern technology (Styrotech CNC) to cut out the transom timbers. Replanking was a major.
    The photo looks like she was reversed into a shredder!

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  4. NGATARINGA had an unusual engine history, especially for a yacht .
    She still had her original Graymarine 4 cyl petrol engine ( which he says was based on the Wiillys Jeep, Continental engine when Greg bought her c 1997 which he replaced with a Ford diesel at that time, & has just today fitted her new 4 cyl Nanni ( Kubota). — KEN R

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  6. Confirm that’s Peter Hillyer on the right, later Mr. Justice Hillyer, a bloody fine guy, distinguished war record with RNZAF.

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  7. Nastyringa to give it it’s other name was owned by Mr (?) Thorp during the 70’s and I often sailed on it with his son Geoff.

    Re Tawera I think the bloke on the port side was Peter Hillyer QC. About 1966 I went on a 3 week cruise with Scotty Wilson on Tawera traveling South to Whitianga then via Great Barrier as far North as Whangaroa then back to Auckland.

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  9. NGATARINGA was severely damaged on her mooring at Algies Bay, by another boat which had broken its mooring, & drifted down on to NGATARINGA, about 2011, & was substantially repaired over the next few months, by artisan boatbuilders, Jacques De Kerver, & Tom Hughes, in Tom Hughes shed, at Snells Beach. She was then taken to her owner Greg Scopas Matakana property, where he has been finishing off the remainder of what had to be done, since that time, & now she is, I am told by Jacques, having a new engine fitted, at Sandspit, & looks as if she should be back in the water very soon. –I will have photos to add, taken at hat time, later today. — KEN R

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  10. Yes, Ngataringa. Was owned and extensively raced and cruised by Ray Walker in the 60’s who then owned Sanyo in NZ.

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  11. Think its “Ngataringa” not “Ngatirangi”. Doubt shes been in a shed for 30 years. Didnt she get damaged on a mooring about 4 years ago and was subsequently repaired. Maybe by Colin Brown?
    Could be wrong all round of course!

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