CLASSIC WOODEN LAKE BOAT – HEATHER DAWN – A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAKE BOAT – HEATHER DAWN – A Peek Down Below

Thanks to the eagle eyes of Ian McDonald who spotted the 21’ ex workboat – HEATHER DAWN on tme, today we get to have a gander at this craft that has an interesting back story.

Built in Glasgow Scotland in 1950 by Darroch and Espie Boat Builders, she carries the serial no 1666. D&E were famous boatbuilders, particularly lifeboats for major shipping companies back in the day. So HEATHER DAWN started life as a lifeboat, built from oak and was bought off a tug called DASHER in Auckland. Her wheelhouse and decking a later (NZ) addition, being made from kauri.

Powered by 30hp Yanmar 3 cylinder shaft drive, giving a cruising speed approx. 6 knots. Very well fitted out – the diesel oven / heater caught my eye.

I can just see HEATHER DAWN fitting in very well with the Lake Rotoiti (Nth Is) flotilla.

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2 thoughts on “CLASSIC WOODEN LAKE BOAT – HEATHER DAWN – A Peek Down Below”

  1. the tug DASHER in a previous life was the Otago Harbour Board tug OTAGO. I was mate on her when we took her from Dunedin to Taranaki in I think 1979. After working in the Maui oil field for a few months she was taken to Auckland where an American bought her renamed her DASHER 1 and removed her steam engines and boilers. She had a beautiful little 2cyl steam steering engine which Russell W would have loved.
    Her hull was later committed to the deep. I wonder what happened to her other lifeboat?

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