CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – TEMPEST

The 30’ classic wooden launch TEMPEST recently made an appearance of tme, bidding reached $395 and the listing was withdrawn. Hopefully the seller realised its real value and has found a genuine buyer. Would be keen to learn what became of her.

In the meantime some background – built in 1964/5 by McGeady and powered by a Ford 100hp 6 cyl. diesel engine.

She has appeared several time on WW starting back in 2014, looking very salty, then in 2022 looking very sad and again in 2023. WW 2014 https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/26/9340/

WW 2022 https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/15/tempest/

WW 2023 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/20/tempest-a-peek-down-below/

Her recent history is that her owner spent hundreds of hours restoring her and then during Cyclone Gabrielle she was struck and sunk on her mooring by a much larger floating foot path (concrete boat). Her owner also experienced  a medical incident and the rebuild is beyond his physical resources and he has made the hard call to find a new custodian.

TEMPEST is #3 of 4 boats that Norm Fairlie had built for him by Mc Geady in the 1950s >1970s period.

She was purpose built in kauri and mahogany for him c.1964/5 by McGeady in his Summer Street, Ponsonby premises , specifically to fish for Tuna in the World Game Fishing Competition held in NZ in March of that year, which he won in her.

TEMPEST’s hull had been started by McGeady to be a boat he had intended for himself but he was persuaded by Fairlie to sell her to him & finish her to Norm’s requirements i

Fairlie owned her simultaneously with his other larger McGeady boat the 38 foot CHALLENGER which McGeady built for him in c.1962. He fished for Tuna in the contest off TEMPEST, & Billfish off CHALLENGER & came second in the overall contest

Fairlie later sold her to his then business partner Mr Bert Grimshaw-Jones, who lived on the banks of the Tamaki River, where he kept her at the bottom of his garden, for a number of years,