NGAROMA
The above photo of Ngaroma, with the #85 on her, was sent in by Lew Redwood & is ex the NZ Herald heritage image collection.
She was built in 1910 by Collings & Bell & when launched, called Hazel. You can view photos of her on this link, when she was rigged for big game fishing https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/05/07/12500/
Anyone able to ID the other two woodys? & as a wild shot – what they were up to i.e. an event?
Photos below of Hazel ex Jason Prew – Okahu Bay 2003 – before her one way trip to NZTBS 😦
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PS COUNTESS’ double cabin is a dead giveaway. Well done!
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Brilliantly spotted, Nathan. It’s the Bailey & Lowe 35 footer COUNTESS, also in that 1919 Big Tree race.
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Certainly Maroro, then maybe Countess?
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I have spent far too much time checking this image out, especially trying to make sense of the reversed numbers at the left foot of the negative but I reckon it shows some of the slower entrants in the Big Tree handicap race for launches in the Ponsonby Cruising Club Regatta of 29th March 1919 and I’m pretty sure No.2 boat is MARORO after all. The image pixelates too readily to be sure but they were both in the same race.
NGAROMA was then owned by Vere Harrison and MARORO by her builders, the Matheson brothers. Still working on No.3.
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Thanks Alan for another HAZEL/NGAROMA post. Don’s still with us and I am still printing out your featured posts for him each day. He’s 94 now and still pretty good. He was thrilled to see Ngaroma this morning and again tonight after I checked for any further comments. Thanks also to Jason Prew for sending in the 2003 Okahu Bay photos. It’s quite fitting as Okahu Bay was a major part of Don’s life before he went to live in Whitianga.
Great comment from Vintage Steamer.
Nice to see that Ngaroma made it through to 2003 even if her condition wasn’t up to a restoration. That’s only 14 years ago. Quite recent really.
Good to see another post milestone the other day.
I actually get more out of woodies than Don these days but it does give him his daily marine
interest dose. Keep up the great work. Really enjoy the comments from your regulars.
Merv, pp Don Ross.
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PS Both images of NGAROMA in the earlier post may look as if she has a transom stern but careful inspection shows that it’s a canoe stern. NGAROMA didn’t become MISS LIDGARD; the owner of NGAROMA sold her to upgrade to MISS LIDGARD.
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The image wasn’t used by the Herald apparently. However it’s after early 1916 when Stonex bought her and she was renamed NGAROMA. The two boats astern are conventional launches of the 1905-10 period. The boat immediately astern is very like MARORO and the one behind her looks like the first KIRITA (Logan Bros, 1906) but there’s simply not enough showing to be sure. On top of that, these early launches changed their configuration almost every year, so Good Luck!
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Perhaps I need to visit Specsavers too. Am I right in seeing Ngaroma aka Hazel/Miss Lidgard “wearing” a conventional stern and yet the same vessel on the hard at Okahu Bay with a canoe stern?
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The “other two woodies” – not merely ‘others’ but the most magnificent, and indeed strange. I would have thought both were H-class mulleties, but the ketch rig on one, the too-far forward set of the mast on the other, and the not-quite drop-stem on both preclude that. What an amazing diversity of 1910+ vintage wooden craft!
Steven Webster
owner of 1913 H-class Waitere II since 1972 (now looking for a new family owner!)
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New photos added. Alan H
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SpecSaver moment – it is #84
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She’s a fine wee boat. A good looker!
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Yes it does look like 84 !!
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Alan I think you need glasses, I see number 84
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