Lake Rotoiti 1953
Todays photo, ex Lew Redwood fb, is dated April 1953 & shows 2 launches moored at Okere on Lake Rotoiti, Rotorua.
Can we ID the boats, the nearest looks familiar but I can’t place it.
I’m sure the Drake Bros will solve it for us 🙂
And hows the photo below for a work place pic – this is the office for one of your family friends – Police Eagle chopper returning to base after the night shift.

Could the photos below, ex Jason Prew, be the same boat as above? Location = Geoff Bagnall Boatbuilder, Milford yard.
Not me sorry Jason…
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Hey Kieran, you didn’t use to own a V8 Sierra did you?
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Hi Allan, Kieran here, Tonys nephew. I’m pretty sure that’s not Westella, as you probably know she was my grandfathers, then my fathers boat. Ted got her off us about 20 years ago when we got Vervain (which still needs painting by the way!) Westella always had a prominent funnel and doesn’t have a raised foredeck. I am slowly putting together a piece on Westella. Hopefully uncover more of her fairly well documented past!
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Of course. Davy Judd replaced HIKUWAI with ROTOITI in 1951.
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The larger boat is the tourist launch Rotoiti
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The nearer boat looks like the tunnel hull HIKUWAI built by Chas Robinson at Rotorua about 1914 now UHURU at Milford.
Well spotted Jason.
Isn’t the larger boat behind her NGAROTO?
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Photos added. Alan H
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Pretty sure its Westella? Has a tunnel hull for minimum draft for going through the Ohau Channel. Ted Taiatini owns it now and has it store on land awaiting a refurbish.
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