TUATEA – Why Do We Have To Muddle With Things

Posted on by

TUATEA – Why Do We Have To Muddle With Things

I know an owner can do what ever they like to a boat, it is theirs – BUT it would be nice if owners came from the angle of refinement versus modernisation.

One of the photos ex Tauranga Library archives via Dean Wright, was the top two photos of Tuatea, the 1954 Lane Motor Boat Co built, 39’6” launch. This photo is dated February 1961 and show the game boat looking superb. The third photo is dated 1984 and the location the Bay of Islands, we see a fly bridge added to her. In a previous story a sage woody described her then paint job as ‘calf sh_t brown’.

The in the last photo we see her as she is today – trying to impersonate a 1980’s Riviera………

(yesterdays WW cap winner was K Rickets – who ID’ed the launch as Marline in SE Bay (Opo), Mayor Island, most likely shot from inside the Game Fishing Club)

07-04-2025 UPDATE ex DEAN WRIGHT

 The photo below of TUATEA has been colorised by Dean Dean Wright . The original was captioned – ‘Launch Tuatea 3rd Feb 1961’ and came from the Tauranga City Library Collection, Gifford-Cross Donation 1992, Photographer: Bay of Plenty Times.

AND WHY WOOD YOU – Photo below sent in by a serious woody boater – a tin can trying to …….. actually I do not know what they are trying to do 🙂

Discover more from waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news - updated daily - 14+ million views

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

4 thoughts on “TUATEA – Why Do We Have To Muddle With Things”

  2. Tuatea basically is her old self . She has just had a hard top and clears added lo tge flybridge. I am the partner of her just previous owner. She is still in the Whangaruru Harbour being enjoyed by others.
    She still looks like the last photo with the same color scheme

    Like

  3. I think the tincan owner might be onto something – it looks like it might be a vinyl wrap. Imagine how many woody’s could get there woody look wrapped on 🙂

    Like

  4. Don’t be mean about Midnight! 🙂 The poor owner is obviously ashamed at the ugliness of the thing, and knows that making it look longer will improve it’s looks. He also seems to understand that proper boats are made of wood, hence the veneer on that back porch arrangement. 🙂

    Like

Leave a comment