DIOMEDEA – CLASSIC WOODEN GAME FISHING BOAT
Woody Angus Rogers recently came across a copy of Sea Spray magazine from October 1965 which had the 36’ Andrew Donovan designed wooden launch – DIOMEDEA on the cover. DIOMEDEA was built by the Lane Motor Boat Co.
The first thing that Angus noticed was how similar she was to her bigger sister the 50’ AROHANUI, also built by the LMB Co. and launched in early 1965. Which also graced the cover of Sea Spray in April 1966 (photo below).
DIOMEDEA was a magnificent build and spec’ed to the max – the article is an insightful read. Sea Spray magazine described her design / style as a ‘sport fisherman’, she had a beam of 11’11” and draft of 2’10.5”.
When launched she was powered by a Caterpillar turbo D330 4 cyl. 180hp diesel that gave her a top speed of 14 knots.
On one of my trips (Oct 2022) to Whangaroa I spotted DIOMEDEA docked at the Whangaroa Game Fishing Club marina. In the photo, below, she appears to have lost the hothouse that was up top when Dean Wright photographed her in May 2016, also at WGFC.
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Owner David Franks and for a jolly long time too now, whilst David has had Diomedia under his stewardship he has been a perfectionist in her presentation & maintenance, lovely boat, certainly one to be proud of, David fished initially out of Tutukaka & laterly Whangaroa for a good many years now….Diomedia & David have an excellent track record too….
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Design by Brian -marketing by Andy Donovan .
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I saw Diomedea up at Whangaroa last week. She was looking lovely and tidy with her varnish all tidied up. A well loved boat.
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I see my old ship ATHELVISCOUNT at anchor in the Sea Spray cover photo of the AROHANUI on Auckland harbour in 1966 thanks
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