CLASSIC LIDGARD KETCH – TE TAINUI – Flash Back Friday

Chatting with the team at CMC Design earlier in the week the subject of hero projects came up, and quickly turned to the 2017/18 restoration of the TE TAINUI.

The team a CMC Design completed all the white oak cabinetry including full galley refit, trims and latches, saloon table, console instrument panels and other interior elements.

Sian from CMC pointed me to the ketches fb page. Below I have uplifted some of the history behind TE TAINUI.

It is believed in ‘recent‘ times TE TAINUI went over to over to Australia, can anyone update us on whereabouts.

A Brief History –

The wooden 51 foot Lidgard designed ketch for Frank Harding (Chief Engineer Auckland Gas Co) was to be called Te Tainui, for the express purpose of a round the world cruise that Frank and his wife and another couple planned to undertake. NB there is some question on which Lidguard designed the boat, after CMC Design requested information direct from John and also Garry (Jim’s son, John’s cousin) Lidgard, both have confirmed unlikely that either (John, Jim or Roy) were involved. The mystery continues!

Commissioned in 1970, with building commencing in 1971 by boat builder George McLean in his backyard in Auckland over the span of a decade.

In the time it took to complete the vessel the Auckland suburbs had seen a boom and houses had been built so densely around him, the boat needed to be craned out to free it from its urban shackles, which was sure to have been an impressive sight.

The Te Tainui used some of the last four lots of heart kauri felled in the Coromandel. With two lots being used to build boats at Salthouse, the remaining two were used for Lidguard boats. The lengths of the timber were sought after to make grand boats such as these, where the length of the planks were a key part of the build.

Frank Harding specified a ‘range of dual systems’ throughout due to the nature of purpose.

Te Tainui duly set sail on the planned cruise but only days into it returned (suggested incompatibility amongst the crew) to anchor off Herald Island and remained there ‘untouched’ until Don Brooke and Max Hall bought it some time in 1976-77. Their first task was to dump trailer loads of tinned provisions (for the world cruise) left since Te Tainui returned to the mooring many months earlier.

1978 Don Brooke sold his half share of Te Tainui to Michael Meredith (Max and Michael were good friends and neighbours). An ongoing programme of upgrading and modernising commenced, including;

* installing wet exhaust-original dry exhaust up the mizzen mast

* fitted steel framed fwd windows main cabin

* fitted morse controls to enable gearbox and throttle operation from dual stations

* modified the sheer line to make it true

* redesigned/rebuilt the aft cabin (by Salthouse)

* re wired the electrics

* fitted autopilot and fish finder

* fitted self furling headsail equipment

* rebuilt layout/lockers aft deck and steering control pedestal

* built teak seating aft and installed new davits

* a redesign of main cabin and table to accommodate 10

Te Tainui was the official Squadron committee/mark boat for the International Citizen on class series-Stewart 34’s. It was held annually and attracted many notable international and leading NZ skippers. In one regatta Russell Coutts’s boat collided front on with the stem of Te Tainui (anchored) and sprung a number of planks! A major refastening job at Salthouse’s. Apart from regular cruising and diving trips throughout the Hauraki Gulf, Bay of Islands, Great Barrier and the Merc’s, Michael used it extensively for client (both local and international) day trips. Due to an impending move to Sydney Max Hall assumed full ownership of Te Tainui in 1994.

In late in 1999 to two American couples Todd and Louise Nelson and Mark and Sandra Eads purchased it from Max as a joint venture in Nelson, New Zealand for a substantial sum of $215,000NZD. After four or five years of sailing they reached as far as Singapore. One couple went back to the USA and the boat was again sold.

William Anderson picked up his new boat Te Tainui in Singapore and sailed it back virtually single-handedly to New Zealand via Australia with his wife. The trip was made more comfortable by the recent inclusion of air conditioning throughout the boat, a welcome addition to satisfy the American owners no doubt and appreciated in light of the large 360 degree windows in the main saloon.

William (Bill) a Naval Architect, lived on the boat for a time at Mission Bay, Auckland

In 2007 he sold the boat on to Rosie and Doug Horman, hailing from Cornwall and Melbourne respectively, who had sailed over from England for a new life in New Zealand. They needed a bigger boat and the Te Tainui was the grand dame they were looking for. Brought up to The Bay Of Islands, the boat was kept on a swing mooring now where the new marina docks stand at Opua. Their love for the boat was apparent with it being used every weekend for local trips to Whangamumu, down to Great Barrier Island and beyond. The quiet engine and panoramic views from the saloon were some of the great features of the boat. They entertained guests regularly and often slept up top enjoying the breeze and the views.

The plan was to take the boat back to England to repeat a circumnavigation of the country. Alas, it wasn’t to be, Dough was tragically taken ill and the boat passed into new hand once more.

Luke and Lisa Aaron of Melbourne Australia, purchased the boat in 2017. Again the boat had cast a spell on its owners and a loving restoration projects began in Opua, Bay of Islands in mid 2017. They had great vision to create a clean modern look while keeping true to the beautiful features of the boat. Local craftspeople and boat builders spent 18 months bringing every aspect of the boat up to the highest standard, with modern additions including state of the art electric blinds. A fresh feel throughout was accented by beautiful bespoke white oak joinery and soft neutral furnishings. The couple intended to keep the boat in the Bay Of Islands to enjoy with their family with trips over from Melbourne while on breaks from their construction business.

Historical info complied from files from the Te Tainui, and info supplied by previous owners Michael Meredith and Rosie Horman.