MYSTERY LAUNCH – Cyrena
Yesterday we probably exceeded the volume of varnished wood allowed in a single wooden boat with the Arohanui story 🙂 so today we revert to an old black and white photo sent in by Paul Drake.
19-03-2021 Harold Kidd Input –
CYRENA was commissioned from Dick Lang by Peter Smith whose business as a marine engineer and the local agent for Alpha marine engines was next door in St Mary’s Bay. Dick built a lot of launches for Smith but his name was always secondary to Smith’s in the publicity. At this point Dick was about to take one of his many walkabouts, this time to Sydney, so CYRENA was completed by Sam Ford who had leased or somehow acquired his business. She was fitted with a big 25hp Alpha engine. I think Alpha were made in Denmark, but will check.
The hull was completed in August 1923 and the engine fitted in early November (when the engine got off the ship, I think). Smith sold her to the Manukau in November 1924. Gordon Ferner “Boy” Bellve bought her in January 1926 and brought her back to the Waitemata.
Boy sold her to A.M. White of Ngatapa, Gisborne and he had her trucked to Lake Waikaremoana in October 1938 as MARITZA.
So let’s keep it simple – what’s the name of boat and who built her and when ? Entries via email only to waitematawoodys@gmail.com – Closes and drawn around 8pm 16-03-2021. If more than one person gets the right answers, there will be a draw. I do not know the answer, so I’ll be relying on Mr Kidd and Mr. Herbert to help me out 🙂
Prize? – let’s make it a goody – a copy of the book – ‘Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy’ by Brian Peet.
waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news - updated daily 
Certainly was
LikeLike
Boy Bellve had the keel yacht CYRENA built by Collings & Bell in 1938. He sold her in 1943 and bought NGA TOA which he owned until 1953ish. He died in 1963 aged only 53. A great yachting character.
LikeLike
Thank you. My interest is my father sailed on Cyrena often with the Bellves and Boy was his BestMan at his wedding.
LikeLike
CYRENA was commissioned from Dick Lang by Peter Smith whose business as a marine engineer and the local agent for Alpha marine engines was next door in St Mary’s Bay. Dick built a lot of launches for Smith but his name was always secondary to Smith’s in the publicity. At this point Dick was about to take one of his many walkabouts, this time to Sydney, so CYRENA was completed by Sam Ford who had leased or somehow acquired his business. She was fitted with a big 25hp Alpha engine. I think Alpha were made in Denmark, but will check.
The hull was completed in August 1923 and the engine fitted in early November (when the engine got off the ship, I think). Smith sold her to the Manukau in November 1924. Gordon Ferner “Boy” Bellve bought her in January 1926 and brought her back to the Waitemata.
Boy sold her to A.M. White of Ngatapa, Gisborne and he had her trucked to Lake Waikaremoana in October 1938 as MARITZA.
LikeLike
Thank you. I think Boy Bellve owned both the A Class Keeler Ngatoa A17 and then the Ladybird.
LikeLike
Here’s a photo of Boy Bellve in Cyrena Cruising with Pacific. This photo shows the mast moved for’d, taller with a smaller crosstree than earlier.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Was the Cyrena ever owned by the Bellves of Herne Bay?
LikeLike
She looks like a slightly larger sister ship to CYRENA /MARITZA II, which was built in 1923, & this boat is probably built around the same period, & may well, I believe, probably be built by built by the same builder, (Dick Lang), as per history details of CYRENA, from an earlier post in woodys, part of which, according to Harold K., are as follows; “She was built by Peter A Smith, the Alpha marine engine agent in St. Mary’s Bay for himself in 1923. Like W R Twigg, Smith contracted to build launches, his input being the engine, which usually cost over half the total price. He contracted out hulls to local builders, usually those handy to his premises in St. Mary’s Bay. This hull was built by Dick Lang.” — KEN R
LikeLike