SEA PRINCE
Long overdue for a b/w photo – todays woody is – Sea Prince. The top photo comes to us via Lew Redwood. The ‘coloured’ one was sent to me a longtime ago but I couldn’t ID the boat, which now in my eyes is the same as in the b/w one. The caption on the b/w photo reads M.C. “Sea Prince”, Lake Manapouri, N.Z. and that folks is all we know of this very fine looking launch. Initially looking at the b/w photo and given the lack of obvious safety gear, I assumed she was probably in private ownership. But in the colour photo there’s a fair crowd on-board – maybe health & safety rules didn’t apply on Lake Manapouri 😉
Can anyone help enlighten us around who designed / built her and what became of her.
16-01-2022 Harold Kidd Input – SEA PRINCE was built at Fairlie in 1947 by Jones Motors’ boat building division under S J Guard. She was built for the Wanaka tourist trade as MALIBU. She was a 30 foot hard chine vessel with a Kermath Sea Prince 100hp engine. She was sold in 1956 and renamed (then or perhaps earlier) as SEA PRINCE after her engine. An advertisement for her sale in 1956 calls her “hard chine”. I agree she doesn’t look it. Perhaps the chine was well-guarded (dreadful pun).
16-01-2022 Input from Scott Barnsdale – Sea Prince ended up as a fishing boat at Stewart Island, looking very different to the photos. Unfortunately, she disappeared from her mooring during a severe gale in 1987, never to be seen again.
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Malibu still exists as a static display at the Failie museum after her illustrious career as a passenger launch on Lake Tekapo, not the same boat as disappeared at Stewart Island I think
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New details added. Alan
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Sea Prince ended up as fishing boat at Stewart Island, looking very different to the photos. Unfortunately, she disappeared from her mooring during a severe gale in 87, never to be seen again.
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An advertisement for her sale in 1956 calls her “hard chine”. I agree she doesn’t look it. Perhaps the chine was well-guarded (dreadful pun).
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Looks round bilge 36-40ft to me
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New details added. Alan H
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SEA PRINCE was built at Fairlie in 1947 by Jones Motors’ boatbuilding division under S J Guard. She was built for the Wanaka tourist trade as MALIBU. She was a 30 foot hard chine vessel with a Kermath Sea Prince 100hp engine. She was sold in 1956 and renamed (then or perhaps earlier) as SEA PRINCE after her engine.
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Regarding White Cloud:
Built for Mr Len Buckby. He owned Fodenway, the Auckland Foden dealer. White Cloud had a 4 cylinder Foden. He also had the petrol station on the corner at Russell, up from the wharf. She was a surveyed charter boat. Her game poles were bamboo. Dad purchased her and then decided to put a bridge deck topsides on her. I designed the topsides and Garth Lane, Panmure, did the alteration. A wonderful job was done in solid mahogany, including a built-in cabin top hatch to remove the engine if required. Dad had problems with the Foden, so replaced it with a 6 cylinder Commer ( flat 6/3 opposed two stroke. We enjoyed many Xmas cruises. Dad then sold her and purchased Charisma….a 36 ft Vindex.
Leith Menzies.
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