MANUNUI
The 42’ Manunui was designed and built in 1939 by Bill Couldrey for Percy Colebrook, back in 2013 she appeared briefly on WW (link below) but the photo was very poor, now thanks to Lew Redwood fb and Harold Kidd we get to see her in her finest and learn a little more about this very smart launch.
Couldrey was a stunning craftsman, in fact one of the few boat builders preferred by Arch Logan.
When launched she was powered by a 55hp Benz diesel. The Benz lasted until 1963 when it was replaced with a 100hp Perkins diesel.
In 1942>44 Manunui was commandeered from Max Colebrook and taken to Fiji as a Naval patrol vessel.
In the 2013 story it was mentioned that Manunui had possibly headed south to Wellington, HDK has confirmed this, she calls the Boat Harbour marina in Wellington home.
Would love to see some up to date photos.
Input from Simon Smith – these photos were taken approx. 3 years ago and show Manunui motoring round Wellington harbour. Simon commented that her elderly owner is struggling to give her the attention she needs as he lives a 2 hour drive away from the marina.
Update ex Hylton Edmonds c.1981 > 1982
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We are the proud owners of Manunui and over the last year or so have done extensive repairs and renovations.She is a very strong and well built boat with all inspections and boat builders comments very positive about her condition for being 85 years young.
Manunui is in the Seaview Marina, Petone, Wellington.
Bill and Judy
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My father purchased the boat off Max Colebrook in late 1970 when it was moored in Hobson s Bay. It was then moved to Half Moon Bay and likely had the alloy dinghy put on it around that time. In 1971 it had some planks in the hull replaced after a complete paint strip.
Fifty plus years later I still have fond memories of that boat. From memory I think it was sold after 2-3 years.
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Manunui turned up in Havelock for a while in the mid 1980’s through to early 1990’s which would have been not long after the Half Moon Bay marina photos above were taken. She was berthed next to Lady Karita in Havelock for a while and they made a very fine sight together.
Not sure how many owners she has had in southern waters. She is a lovely ship indeed!
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The yellow funnel whilst it has been in place for a good number of years now, was a later addition, not seen until quite a while after WWII.
Her original exhaust outlet was just above the waterline out the tuck about 1/3 of the way in towards the centre from the outer edge, & is more or less visible in the early image of her. The funnel may have been fitted, at the same time as the Perkins, in the 1960s. — KEN R
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Hah, nothing like a bit of “date controversy” .
The photos I sent Alan were taken approx. 1981 – 1982 when she lived at Half Moon Bay Marina (and he may not have read those dates I “tacked” to the last photo) – when as “keen young rose tinted glasses wearing teenagers” we were trying to get the old man “over the line” to buy her, (sadly unsuccessful!) for her to be sold not long after.
Gun racks from her War Service days were still in her at that time. Photo of gun rack added to main story ex Simon Smith. Alan H
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Sorry, I told that ensign story in a previous story about the ship. Being forgetful and repetitive domain of the aged.
I was too polite to point that out, I just thought you had a bad case of ricketticitis :-). Alan
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Oh, have always loved that ship ever since I first saw her over 50 years back but forgot her name. She is beautifully proportioned (what would you expect of that provenance?) and that funnel just sets her off a treat.
Excuse the chitchat, but in ’67, I was in HMNZS Ngapona and her HDML (Manga) was doing the customary trip to attend the Waitangi Day celebration. When it was over, we went up to Whangaroa and coming back we were having a helluva of a dusting in a heavy swell and the aft deck was mostly awash as Manga slid sideways down the wave and buried her leeward deck before shaking it off and then repeating. It was the tail end of an awful trot of tropical cyclone. Mananui was coming down the coast too and having a much nicer time of it. As we came past, her owner dipped his ensign (a proper seaman.) Most of our crew were pretty seedy with Manga’s dancing and I went aft to dip ours in answer. Great… decorum satisfied. Then we drew ahead of her and then she caught us up and dipped again. So I waded aft to return. When we then overtook her again, he dipped yet once more and, by then thoroughly drenched, I again dipped ours.
At that point, our skipper roared “Leave the flipping thing down!” (not quite his words but you get the gist of it). We sagged off for comfort and never crossed again. Mananui -thanks for reminding me of her name.
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.I was going to query the dates too but felt that maybe we were going to get more photos of her from those eras. Do you have any Manunui photos to add Murray from your vast time on the Hauraki Gulf ..
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Perhaps the 70’s not 40’s as I dont believe that Samuel Parker was building his alloy dinghies back then or Jim Young his flying bridge launches or Richard Hartley his GRP yachts .
Very true Mr Deeble 🙂 , but I’m a trusting lad and believe what people (photo tags) tell me. Alan H
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More photos added. Alan H
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MANANUI was moored at Gulf harbour for about 18 months, several years ago now, & was used fairly regularly during that time.
I spoke with the owner one day who told me he lived in Wellington & had brought her up here to do a year or so’s cruising in Auckland waters, & was also going to spend some time with her, further north & south, with periods in each place, before finally returning her to Wellington, — where she now once again, obviously resides. — She had the yellow funnel during this period. — KEN R
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John
Send to waitematawoodys@gmail.com. Thanks for sharing. Alan H
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I have a photo of Mananui on the rocks in McKenzies Bay (or by the beacon). Let me have an email address to send you a copy. John Newsham.
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I visited the Manunui about 3 years in Wellington. Her elderly owner has owned her for over 25 years and lately she has needed some work as he was finding it difficult to maintain her properly. As a child our family had the pleasure of cruising on her when owned by Max Colebrook.She was always in first class condition and was taken up annually in her shed below Paritai Drive.
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