Fleetwing Re-Launches

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FLEETWING RE-LAUNCHES

Late last week the Pollard brothers – Andrew & Cameron dropped Fleetwing back in the water after giving her a serious makeover. Other than shinny paint job, we are sure what has has been done to her, the brothers are a tad tight lipped on details.
What I can say is that looking at her stern there is a very serious new prop, a bigger exhaust & the addition of a set of trim-tabs, so me thinks that she has had ‘heart transplant’.
The big question is will they be entering the upcoming Rudder Cup launch race? Will be an interesting clash between Jason Prew’s My Girl & Fleetwing. I suspect that if we see an entry from the Pollards, Mr Prew will off to Westhaven marine chandlery outlets for a set to trim-tabs 😉
Speaking of the Rudder Cup, to date we have over 15 confirmed / paid-up entries, with a few more having to pay the late entry fee (>Nov 30th) – it will be a cracker event.
And CYA woodys – remember next weekend (Dec 1>2) is Patio Bay weekend – more on that in a few day.
Check out this WW link to read & view some of the history on Fleetwing. https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/11/09/fleetwing/
Video below of Fleetwing idling post launching.

UPDATE 08-12-2018  My spies snapped a photo of Fleetwing at speed, heading down the harbour toward the Harbour Bridge – looked fast was the comment.

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36 thoughts on “Fleetwing Re-Launches”

  3. 1100hrs: Classic Launch Race: Westhaven – Orakei – Westhaven

    I know Alan will be all poo poo silly launch racing, cruising etc etc, but it’s not our fault he brought a slow one 😛

    Be nice Jason – particularly if you want it promoted on WW AH

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  8. Talking about quick boats of the past, does anyone know what happened to HIRONDELLE, built in December 1926 by Dick Lang for D Swallow of Gillett Motors, Parnell?
    She was a vee-bottom 36 footer with a Curtiss V8 of 200hp, pretty exciting, but she just disappears from the record after 1935.
    She was DNS in her first race, the NZPBA Burt Cup race in February 1927 and doesn’t appear to have raced again, the only mention of her being in the APYMBA handbooks until 1935 under number 115.

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  9. Let the power race begin! Hope the exhausts will be loud, with car-type exhaust cutouts ?Adjustable ballast tanks the next big thing?

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  10. Given our lack of HP for the 2018 edition of the cup (which will be resolved by 2028) we will be hoping for a stiff, very short and very steep chop all the way there and…on the way back. Fingers crossed.

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  11. There was another ‘sleeper’ around in the 80s which was a really old red (ply?) launch of about 26ft with a real ugly low cabin. I saw it a number of times around the Waitemata, but never travelling at more than around the 10 knt mark. I was out the back of Rangi one day when I heard the sound of a real nice V8 approaching. I looked around and here was this thing doing about 35+ knts, passing everything else in sight on its way back to Auckland. Looking at it you would have thought it was ready for the scrap heap, so it was hilarious to see it was probably one of the fastest launches on the harbour at that time.

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  12. Who was the guy who owned that old displacement launch (somewhere in the B..O.I I think) which had a truck motor and planed at some ridiculous speed? I think he was also the one who had the windmill propelled trimaran which could sail in any direction ( 70s 80s) story was on TV at one point. Not Len Southward ? He lived on a peninsula I think, only accessible by boat.

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  13. After Pauline crashed her motorbike last year (and broke herself a bit too) we’ve neglected R2 for a year. She’s coming out for a birthday at Te Hana and won’t be back in time for Anniversary Day.

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  14. Yeah straight line throttles to the stop racing and a few corners thrown in the mix is far more appealing to us than a handicap race format blah blah blah. ( my opinion only obviously)

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  18. I have had my chainsaw sharpened !! For a small fee you can borrow ??
    Zach posted a while ago about the Disturber. She used to try and rotate around her prop in her race days.
    She could be a bit of fun to play with ??

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  33. Idling , oh no sir I think that could be the petrol powered bilge pump doing its thing straight after launching, cant wait to see her galloping down the harbour with one or two other late entries….

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  35. Alan I am a bit like a minister, I religiously view you emails every day and this one stands out for my wife and myself and would love to be put in touch with the current owners of Fleetwing as we have something we would like to compliment their boat with be it small but to us is very important. As you know that my wife is a granddaughter to Charles James Collings.

    Hope you can help us, and also love it every morning to read your emails.

    What length was this one?

    Thanks

    Ron

    On 26 Nov 2018 12:21 AM, waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news wrote: > WordPress.com > Alan Houghton – waitematawoodys.com founder posted: ” FLEETWING > RE-LAUNCHES Late last week the Pollard brothers – Andrew & Cameron > dropped Fleetwing back in the water after giving her a serious > makeover. Other than shinny paint job, we are sure what has has been > done to her, the brothers are a tad ti” >

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  36. She is looking stunning hard to believe she is the same boat. Relly looking forward to seeing how she goes!!!
    Where is she going to live? — Auck I hope.– KEN R

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