MELANIE – TRACING THE HISTORY OF A CLASSIC GAME LAUNCH

Thanks to an email from John Dawson we are able to clear up any confusion around the provenance of the classic wooden game boat – MELANIE.

In the top photo we she MELANIE c.1959 as built by Brian Donovan (brother of Andy) at 21st Century Boats.

In April 1965 her owner,Len McCracken, sadly drowned returning to the vessel one evening at Mayor Island.

Late 1960’s her new owner, John Lee had MELANIE refitted as a bridge-decker at the Visser yard and changed her name to LEEWAY. She then went into charter fishing the Mayor Island grounds.

Harold Kidd advised the last he heard of the vessel was c.2015, in Havelock North.

Any update on where she is today.

(Special thanks to Harold Kidd, Brian Worthington & the Andrew Donovan collection)