Medway

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MEDWAY
Taupo woody Paul Drake  came across the launch Medway the other day, on the hard at Mana Marina (Wellington).Paul recalls that she was at Taupo in the 1960’s and is clearly a sister ship to Lidgard’s Monterey. 

Previously on WW there has been discussion relating to three launches built at the same time, they were Monterey, Almaray & possibly Tangaroa. Paul wondered which of the last two Medway is, as there almost differently has been a name change. WW link below to Monterey, where you can see the Lidgard factory / shed at the time of building. https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/14/monterey-2/
Paul commented that although in great need of a thorough paint, her good bones show through and one would think that she  will tidy up very well. 

Input from Harold Kidd – According to the APYMBA records, MEDWAY was built by “Woods” of Auckland in 1952. In 1962 she was owned by Larry Bruce Johnston and then had a 100hp Ford diesel.

8 thoughts on “Medway”

  1. Digging into the murky depths of what I laughing call my brain, I remember a neighbour I’m Kildare Street St Heliers building a very similar vessel to Medway. His name was Woods, a builder I think. We kids often visited to clamber aboard…no doubt to the frustration of the builder.
    I seem to remember he took her down to a shed at Glendowie to finisher off. Again my doubtful recollection was she caught fire..either Jason or any one of a dozen ways a shed full of dry timber might burst into flames.
    To back the above I will consult a sister who, being older at the time, might remember more. THE AUCKLAND star or NZ herald would probably have reported a fire, but as Paper Past only have searchable articles up 1948 I think, we wont find much as I am sure the vessel was being built c1952
    Regards,
    Ross

    PA

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  2. The GAY DAWN was not built by Lidgards, but by the was designed & built by original owner/builder, Bill Waters, on an empty section, in St Heliers Bay,– (refer images on previous posts on ww), & launched in September 1953. —
    My father bought her off him 3 years later in 1956..
    I also watched her being launched at Okahu Bay when new. — KEN R

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  3. Medway was owned by Barry Davenport, the Cook Strait swimmer, for a time during the 70’s and kept at Milford marina.

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  4. Larry Johnston also used to own the ATLANTA (known in his stewardship era as the ROTOITI) in the later 1940s50s. — KEN R

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  5. MEDWAY was never one of the 3 boats built at the same time in 1946 that are shown in the image of the Lidgard shed for that year, as seen in previous ww post. KEN R (edited)

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  6. According to the APYMBA records, MEDWAY was built by “Woods” of Auckland in 1952. In 1962 she was owned by Larry Bruce Johnston and then had a 100hp Ford diesel.

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  7. GAY DAWN was NOT a Lidgard boat she was designed & built by the original owner Bill Waters on an empty section @ St Heliers bay in 1953, & my father bought her off him in 1956, also I saw her being launched at Okahu Bay at 1953. (refer images on previous post) — KEN R

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