Workboat Wednesday – Moata

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Work Boat Wednesday – Moata

Baden Pascoe sent me the photos above of the 1937 WG Lowe built Moata, owned by Fin Horder, who is doing some nice work on her. Baden commented that its nice to see a classic work boat still doing her stuff and being understood.

Extra cool to see the problem solved by not nailing ply over her decks.

Moata made a cameo appearance on WW back in April, click the link below to see a great b/w photo of her c.1960 on the Clevedon River.  https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/04/04/moata/

Any One Heard of ‘France Craft’, or better still own one?

The bronze bow fitting / boatbuilder’s plate below, is for sale on trademe – thanks to Peter Thorpy for the listing heads up.

6 thoughts on “Workboat Wednesday – Moata”

  1. ah this thread is awesome (in early 2024!). I have just bought a wee wooden sailing dinghy that was reportedly built by Arnold France in the 1950s for his family. It has the France Craft brass bow fitting and despite its age is in really solid condition just needing a light restoration. I plan on calling her Te Ihutai after the christhcurch estuary where we will sail it. If the information here is correct https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/5f13/france-helena-ruth it would have been built when the family were loving in Sumner and sailed on the estuary. It hasn’t travleled far in 70 years as i will again sail it on the estuary and live in Redcliffs just up the road from Sumner.

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  2. Pingback: Moata | waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news – updated daily

  5. I have only scraps on Arnold France but here they are. Maybe some wise Cantabrian could add some more..

    Back in 1941 he had launched a John Alden designed ketch named Windswift that took him 3 years to build. He and his family lived on board her in Lyttelton Harbour for 3 or 4 years. She was sold to Wanganui in 1957 and in 1965 was reported ‘heading for the Solomon Islands”.

    https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19411027.2.44?end_date=1949-12-31&items_per_page=10&page=4&query=france+yacht&sort_by=byDA&start_date=1939-01-01&title=CHP

    https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19411030.2.63?end_date=1949-12-31&items_per_page=10&page=4&query=france+yacht&sort_by=byDA&start_date=1939-01-01&title=CHP

    In 1959 he built a 30′ centreboarder named Gazelle (sail number B-32, NZYF 1127) to a “France / Alden” design which was featured in Sea Spray December 1959 and “considered to be the first of its size in fiberglass”, As Gazelle III, she is still listed with YNZ.

    In November 1969 Sea Spray reported that Gazelle was for sale and that “France is building another centreboard craft, shoal draft for cruising”,

    This new yacht is possibly Truant NZYF 1140 owned by K.& N. Alcock of Christchurch in 1971. Listed today as Truant II by YNZ

    In 1972 Arnold France owned Pegasus Sail number 1836, which was launched around 1971 or 72, and registered with the Banks Peninsular Cruising club. Pegasus dropped off the NZYF registration lists in the mid 1980’s and today YNZ has 1836 as a vacant number.

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  6. France Craft were one of the first fibreglass (Sorry!) boats built in NZ. They were designed and built in Christchurch by Arnold France. These runabouts had a distinctive bulbous bow above water.
    France also designed and built (for himself) what I think was the first GRP keeler in NZ, around the 10mtr mark, a keel/centreboarder. He also produced and marketed his own jet drive.

    N.B. The mighty “Ranger” just hauled out up here, but I imagine there have been plenty of photos of her?

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