Rowena

Posted on by

40756666_2159624564359740_3107389940799897600_n

ROWENA

Todays boat comes to us via Lew Redwood’s fb & shows the vessel Rowena. It was captioned – Feb 1948, Rowens fishing launch.
To me it doesn’t look like a working fishing boat, any of the woodys able to tell us more about her & the location?

11 thoughts on “Rowena”

  2. Yep, that is the golden mile of boat building. The guy holding the dinghy line looks like one of the Lidgard boys. Looks more like a pilot boat to me and I’m sure she is tuck stern looking at the seating along the stern. The semi reverse shear in the bow is not from a Vos drawing board. Bloody nice boat never the less. I will see if John Lidgard know about her.

    Like

  3. I agree with Dave. It does look like the same spot as all those other launching pics of Vos launches.

    Like

  6. The Name on the boat in the picture looks to me to be spelt `RORENA’ which which ties in with previous comments the pictured boat is not ROWENA.

    Like

  7. According to my records,(list compiled by Doug Robb) different boat, different name. The Port Taranaki RAWINIA was launched on 2/9/61 at Doug’s yard at Timaru. She now belongs to Graham Metge who is not far off finishing a massive refit. The one in the photo looks like a tuck stern boat.

    Like

  9. The wharf looks like concrete to me, not sure it’s Russell. The moored boats are too offshore. The ropework looks a tad dodgy; what’s the fellow on the stbd quarter doing? And the ropes on the port bow don’t seem to be going in the right direction! Nice dinghy.

    Like

  10. ROWENA, was built by well known boat builder Doug Robb of Timaru,she is one of four near sister of similar size,all 48 ft long approx, and were all piolot launch’s. The first was built , was for Timaru(name escapes me),she is still afloat and for sale recently,The second named Tauranga and for Tauranga harbour board,still afloat in good order ,berthed Havelock Marina Marlborough,the third ROWENA,was built for the NewPlymouth harbour board and last known to be in Opua Bay of islands,and the last sister wasnt built by Robb,although he set up the frames for her build on the west coast also a pilot,and the only one built without bulwarks and she is now in Napier.Three of them named after harbour masters wives except for Tauranga and the west coast vessel,which was named for a past long serving Harbour master.—I do not think the Rowena pictured is the Harbour Pilot,as she has a broken sheer and looks like a square stern,all the above where double enders with sweeping sheers.
    John Elliott (past owner of Tauranga)

    Like

  11. Don’t know anything about “Rowena” but the “fishing launch” thing might be because her owner was a keen fisherman. The term “fishing yacht” was used in the UK; “Mary Islay” the John E. Powell design to which “Korora” was built was described as a fishing yacht.

    Like

Leave a comment