SEA BEE – Part 1
On my trip up North this week I spotted Sea Bee berthed in the Whangarei Basin. Looks to be a very recent recipient of a conversion from work boat to cruiser.
Lovely lines and great use of colour.
Anyone able to tell us about her past?
Update ex Linda Holdaway – this is the same Sea Bee owned for many years by Ian Boyce. She was designed and built by Harold Saunders, we’ve been told. Brett Stanaway bought her in 2014 from Steve Greasley up in the Kerikeri inlet and we worked solidly on her every spare hour we could find, and launched her unfinished in 2016. I went and talked with Ian Boyce while he was still alive. He said she was originally built in 1965 for a partnership between Dave Baker and George Cornwall and was called CB when launched. They bought 4 kauri trees in the Coromandel and had them railed to Saunders’ boatyard in Mana Harbour.
09-04-2020 Input from Brett Stanaway
Below are a few photos of Seabee the day she was launched, a couple of her when she was still working and a couple of her the day we bought her.
I know I’m A Nutter
Anyone else got all 8 editions of the CYA Classic Register? fyi – there is actually 9,
one was reprinted due to an embarrassing oops – and yes I have that one as well 🙂
waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news - updated daily 
Pingback: Sea Bee – Part 2 | waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news – updated daily
New photos added. Alan H
LikeLike
Hi Brett
Email the photos to me at the address below & I will add them to the WW story.
waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Kind Regards Alan H
LikeLike
Hi Baden I would be happy to post the photos of her launching although the quality is not good but can’t figure out how to post photos on WW any suggestions
Cheers Brett
LikeLike
Brett, can you post the photos of See Bee launching.
LikeLike
Seabee was definitely launched at Mana before the yard was demolished Harold’s daughter Rob has sent us photos of the launching. Possibly one of the last built there although I have been told the Orion was the last out of that yard ? Seabee went through small ships survey in 1966 so I think our dates are reasonably accurate
LikeLike
I have a feeling that the Saunders boatyard in Mana was demolished quite sometime before 1965.
LikeLike
Yes, I can remember when she was new as her home port was Whitianga. Had a Dorman that gave a lots of trouble. Initially they used her for cray fishing and she had one of the first Power Block pot haulers in NZ. Dave and George also used Howards Dories as tenders. They soon went tuna trolling in her and were one of the first in NZ to use this method.From memory Dave went to the states to learn about the science of these fish. Before this they Owned the Alf Saunders build Admiral and they were ship wrecked on her.
LikeLike
Yes Ian McDonald you are right. It is the same Sea Bee owned for many years by Ian Boyce. She was designed and built by Harold Saunders, we’ve been told. Brett Stanaway bought her in 2014 from Steve Greasley up in the Kerikeri inlet and we worked solidly on her every spare hour we could find, and launched her unfinished in 2016. I went and talked with Ian Boyce while he was still alive. He said she was originally built in 1965 for a partnership between Dave Baker and George Cornwall and was called CB when launched. They bought 4 kauri trees in the Ciromandel and had them railed to Saunders’ boatyard in Mana Harbour.
LikeLike
Sea bee is owned by my cousin Brett Stanaway. He has been doing her up at Whangarei for a couple of years. There are a few photos around of her fishing on the West Coast and out of Tauranga.
LikeLike
Sea Bee Looks very much like the one owned by Ian Boyce & his son (Mick ?) at Mt Maunganui who cray fished it for many yrs. possibly a Saunders ?
LikeLike