William Steer > Graham John > William Steer
The c.1950’s built launch William Steer has made a few cameo appearances on WW, but todays photos come to use from Hagan Parvin’s fb via John Dawson.
William Steer was built in Nelson by Don Calder and launch in 1961 at Motueka. At one stage her name was changed to Graham John, but has reverted back.
Believed to these days call Napier home.
Anyone able to enlighten us more her past.
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Don Calder was my uncle. He built the GJ behind his in Coutney Street Motueka based on a half model he developed himself. She was originally 36ft long, ran a 6-cylinder Ford and was used to service the family property at Torrent Bay and cruised Abel Tasman and the Sounds. Don died only a few years after she was launched. The next owners lengthened her by 2 meters, changed the engine, named her the Graham John and used her for commercial scalloping for a short while. Around this time the topsides were painted red and decks and cabin cream. Later the topsides reverted back to white. To my knowledge she has never carried the name William Steer. She spent virtually all her life at Port Motueka until moving north a couple years ago. I have a couple of old photos of her in her original 36ft state but am having difficulty uploading them. Great restoration job
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The Red hull in the photo looks like the William Steer double ender trawler. She was built by the Greymouth Harbour Board and launched as the William Steer in 1963 as the Harbour pilot launch.
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Here is the page with the pictures.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/327555497357697/permalink/5391411340972062/
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There is a little confusion here.
The William Steer the red displacement boat in one of the pictures of Graham John on the handstand.
I am still unsure of the original name.
Cheers Marc.
I have had to make a new account as I couldn’t log in here.
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