THE SAILING SCOW RIPPLE – CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT HER
WW has been contacted by James McLaren who recently was mooching around the riverside docks at Warkworth and noticed a scow named – RIPPLE keeping the JANE GIFFORD company.
James and myself were unaware of RIPPLE and would love to learn more.
So today a question today for the Mahurangi River woodys – tell us what you know – old/new, wood?, builder, engine etc 🙂
INPUT FROM JOHN WICKS – Ralph Sewell’s Ripple. Not a scow – she has round bilges, though she has very shoal draft and a centreboard.
INPUT ex PETER MENCE – Ralph Sewell referred to her as a round bilge scow. Ralph designed and with Alison and Peter built her – launched on the beach at Okura in the 70s I think.
INPUT ex PAUL BARLOW – Ripple is a round bilge,drop centre board vessel.I owned her for several years when I was based in Coromandel town.She was built by Ralph Sewell (who also built the Breeze).Ralph used her as his family boat when he lived in Coromandel Town.Her shallow draft allowed her to be berthed in the creek at the end of the 309 road /Waiau river. Similarly,I had a jetty berth in Furey’s creek where she was berthed.
INPUT ex ROSS DAWSON – Yes, Ralph Sewell’s replica NZ trading ketch, according to Bill McCarthy little book “Blokes & Boats”, he notes..”built of Californian Redwood in just nine months, without any plans, by a guy who hated school and had no formal boat-building or engineering training, it’s a pretty impressive achievement.” He says that vessels like this were common at the turn of the century carting everything from livestock to gravel and timber all round the northern coastline. In later years Ralph built the brigantine Breeze now in the Maritime Museum…no plans, “a case of a great eye coupled with a natural talent.” “If it looks good from any angle, it’s a good boat, says Ralph.” (Ralph died 1999)
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in the early 1970s I was sailing down to the bottom end of Waiheke in my rotten old Piver Nugget. I was passing the Ripple, which I had not seen before. Ralph obviously didn’t like been overtaken so he called down the hatch. Alison appeared and proceeded to set the main topsail. It was already blowing like the proverbial bastard from the souwest. I had not met them at that point in time, so I was very impressed by this bit of daring do. Unfortunately the Ripple was all ready over hull speed, so there was no increase in her speed.
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my Dad used to help Ra,lph load train wheels at Kerikeri into Ripple
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two of the Biddick Bros. scows “Vesper” and “Vindex” were round bilged scows
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There is a nice large scaled (maybe 1/4th) Scow in the Dargaville museum. Cant add much more but I was told it was built down south some where (South of the Brynderwyns) and sailed up here…possibly in over the bar ….gots lots of other marine stuff there too…well worth a visit
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When I sold her a few years ago,I am pretty sure she went South,to the Marlborough Sounds – Havelock Marina-I think.
I now understand that she is back in the “family” ? Ralph’s son, Peter Sewell advised last time I spoke to him, that a family member now owned her ??
She sailed quite well and was well balanced with little weather helm experienced. The gaff rig made sail handling relatively easy,but I did add some Murray winches to ease the load on my old bones ! Ditto with a single roller reefing headsail arrangement.
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Yes, Ralph Sewell’s replica NZ trading ketch, according to Bill McCarthy little book “Blokes & Boats”, he notes..”built of Californian Redwood in just nine months, without any plans, by a guy who hated school and had no formal boat-building or engineering training, it’s a pretty impressive achievement.” He says that vessels like this were common at the turn of the century carting everything from livestock to gravel and timber all round the northern coastline. In later years Ralph built the brigantine Breeze now in the Maritime Museum…no plans, “a case of a great eye coupled with a natural talent.” “If it looks good from any angle, it’s a good boat, says Ralph.” (Ralph died 1999)
Ross Dawson
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Ripple is a round bilge,drop centre board vessel.I owned her for several years when I was based in Coromandel town.She was built by Ralph Sewell (who also built the Breeze).Ralph used her as his family boat when he lived in Coromandel Town.Her shallow draft allowed her to be berthed in the creek at the end of the 309 road /Waiau river. Similarly,I had a jetty berth in Furey’s creek where she was berthed.
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She was up on the Hard at Norsand for a couple of years and her relaunch would have only been a year ago. Aran at Norsand will know
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Ralph Sewell referred to her as a round bilge scow. Ralph designed and with Alison and Peter built her – launched on the beach at Okura in the 70s I think.
Peter Sewell will have the photos of her build.
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Ralph Sewell’s Ripple. Not a scow – she has round bilges, though she has very shoal draft and a centreboard.
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