KOTARE
Last weekend Angus and Jenny Rogers sneaked away from OBC of a spot of Autumn cruising. The destination was Rakino Island and Angus reports it was perfect.
While there he spotted the launch Kotare at anchor in West Bay. Kotare is 25’ and built by Kingfisher Boats in 1951, they are still in business but these days they build aluminium boats down in Tauranga. Angus understands she started life as a crabber.
Angus commented that in his eyes Kotare is beautifully proportioned and an example of a reverse sheer that works.
Anyone able to tell us more about the launch and whether others were built . Fyi – Kingfisher in Maori is Kotare
Now each to their own taste – but I would be keen to see some colour introduced to the cabin sides – something like the boat below.
Input from Brian Worthington – The Kingfisher boats that build alloy boats now days has nothing to do with Bill Vissor that was original Kingfisher Boats building handcrafted
wooden boats in Tauranga.
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Kotare is rather quick too as anyone who has followed her out of the creek will know
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Other boats built by Visser (Kingfisher boats ) are Ma Cherie, Taimarino and several smaller boats
like the above also full new superstructure on the vessel Reo and full superstructure on Leeway.
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Lady glad is still happily on the lake and well looked after. Owned by the Marcus Wilkins.
I have another boat here with a cabin built by Bill on it. It was at moose lodge prior to the MOOSE being built.
Bills timber carving work is beautiful.
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LADY GLAD on Rotoiti (still?) is a Bill Visser 20 footer.
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she is one of the more used boats in Milford, another built by Kingfisher in there is the Ma Cherie on A pier currently getting another level on!
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I passed her going into Milford on Sunday
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The Kingfisher boats that build alloy boatsnowdays has nothing to do with Bill Vissor that was original Kingfisher boats building handcrafted
wooden boats in Tauranga.
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The Rotoiti boat bears strong resemblance to s Popular Mechanics design
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A similar boat is on Rotoiti, Solent, would make sense if kingfisher boats were always in the BOP?
Photo below added by AH
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