FLEETWING
The launch above is Fleetwing and the photos were sent in by South Island woody – Pete Beach. Pete mentioned in a June 2020 WW story (link below – great read), that he once owned Fleetwing. The photos above are from when she was owned by Seymor Scott of Wharehunga Bay, Queen Charlotte Sound back in the 1940’s.
I’m a little confused – do we have two Fleetwings? In a November 2016 WW story we talked about Fleetwing being purchased by the Pollard Brothers and returned to Auckland and given a make-over. The hulls look similar but the boat must have had several ‘make-overs’. Check out the links below and let me know if we have the same boat. I’m sure Cameron Pollard will clear it up 🙂
2016 Story
https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/11/09/fleetwing/
2020 Story
https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/06/22/an-epic-tale-of-whalers-fishermen-farmers-commercial-launch-masters/
Sorry if I got my wires crossed – been a busy boy today.
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Looks like she is being prepped for another shot at wild wooden boat racing….. Another secret prop maybe….
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Hi, I owed the boat in the first photo (In the Marlborough Sounds) in 2012. I purchased it from a “Gentleman” from Dannevirke when it was birthed at Seaview Marina, in Lowe Hutt. He had bought her up from Picton the year before. God knows how….
She was in a sad state, sadly.
I was satisfied with the comments of the then owner and his Father in Law (who purported to be a diesel mechanic and said the engine was perfect.) Um it wasnt, before the ink had dried I discovered that it pretty much needed an full overhaul. I bought it from Trade me.
We started alot of work on the super structure, and I was waiting for a spot at the Evan’s Bay marina on the other side of the harbour, to live and work on her there, at a hugely cheaper cost than Seaview.
Over the course of that Winter, she started ‘disconnecting’ the wiring to the two bilge pumps all by herself and I got a few calls in the middle of the night to say the bilge alarm was going off… (Funny bunch over in the Hutt and I dont mean Haha funny) I lived in Wellington city at the time. This became tiresome…
During a messy relationship breakup I decided to cut my loses and sell her at a huge loss. I sold her to an old Salt from Plimmerton, who I understand removed the engine (A Scania), fuel tank, steering gear, gauges and the $1900 worth of Marine ply and swamp Kauri I had sold with her. He left her to rot in Plimmerton Harbour.
I would be pleased if the restored Fleetwing is the vessel I owned, but I think the keel is different, and therefore possibly a sister vessel.
BTW The nameplate on my Fleetwing was ‘Miss Fleetwing’, not Fleetwing.
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And jp wishes he had the Fleetwing pedigree lollllll
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I can tell you this fleetwing pictured has never been 26’ long or 7’ beam. You’ve got the wrong boat…… and the pollards wish she was capable of 46mph lol
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This Fleetwing was built in 1927, length 26′ x 7’4″ powered by 160hp V type 8 cyl Curtiss engine and sold on to W Parkinson of Ponsonby Auckland 1935. Her best speed was 46mph.
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Definitely the same boat. Fleetwing was my grandfathers boat up till the 60s then went to the mussel farms. She went through a few owners I saw her on a mooring in Paremata. I bought her to stop her being demolished and she finished up in garden in Whanganui before returning to Auckland.
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