Category Archives: 1930’s

Miss Ponsonby

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MISS PONSONBY
photos ex Charlie North. details ex Harold Kidd

In early May, Charlie North commented on ww that he was currently rebuilding a replica of Miss Ponsonby after acquiring the original boat some years back. Harold chipped in with details on her (below) & I invited Charlie to share the project with us. If you have a good look at some of Charlie’s photos you will see he is a serious collector – I can spot a vintage car, classic motorbike & what a appears to be an E-Type Jag. Remember to click on the photos to enlarge.

Firstly some history – Miss Ponsonby was built by Sam Granros in late 1932 or early 1933. She took part in the Masport Cup races on the Tamaki River in 1933 nominated by Ponsonby Cruising Club. Her racing number was S21. Her inboard engine was a 100hp Hall-Scott. She had a long handicap and was more a fast runabout than a racer.

Sam Granros was a Finn who came to NZ in 1904. He built a lot of speedboats and launches in St. Mary’s Bay and at 12 Hackett Street, Ponsonby, for example,Hilma, Nurmi, Alma, Ramona, Ramona Jr. (1930), Cygnet I – II – III, Esther, & Miss Ponsonby, all go fast outfits.
Sam later moved to Oneroa and died in 1946.

I’m sure Charlie will add some more details re the engine etc.

 

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The Mighty P Class – Sailing Sunday

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THE MIGHTY P CLASS – Sailing Sunday
ex Yachting NZ

A pictorial history of New Zealand’s mighty P Class yacht

Whilst trolling around the Wellington Classic Yacht Trust facebook page I uncovered the above gem that utilizes the two formats of a slide show and video clips to showcase the history New Zealand’s mighty P-Class featuring images and footage from the 1920s to 2013.
The clip has been assembled by P Class expert and historian Gun Caundle, from photos collected while researching for his book ‘Our Secret Weapon’, a history and stories about the P Class. While 15 minutes long its great viewing & I’m sure most woodys will bothe relate to it & probably recognize some of the people featured. Enjoy 🙂

Rautangi

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Rautangi on patrol - original

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RAUTANGI
photos & details ex Don Barry

The top photo of Rautangi running at full chat shows Don’s uncle Tim on the cabin top, to quote Don “mad as a cut snake – pipe in his mouth holding fast against the wind… OHS would have a field day” Chances are she would have been petrol powered……. She is flying a PATROL burgee, anyone able to suggest the origin of the burgee?
I’ll sure HDK will enjoy this photo, matches his attitude to helming launches 🙂

The 2nd photo is again of uncle Tim, who was a regular on Rautangi.  With him is here  is Don’s uncle Doug.

Rautangi was built by Collings & Bell& launched on the 18th May  for Mr. L. Stericker. She measures 37′ x 9’6″ x 2’8″ & is currently midway thru a major refit happening at Katikati in the Bay of Plenty but due to changing personal circumstances is listed for sale on trademe.

More photos showing her past here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/02/23/rautangi/

Below is a copy the boats official song.

Rautangi - front page [#2] 2

Rautangi - inner page [#2]

Harold Kidd Input

Love it!
Les Stericker was a well-known petrol-head with his racing hydroplanes all called HUM BUG. I think there were 5 of them, the last a “Blimp” type built by Collings & Bell in November 1929, 12ft 6in with a 32hp Elto 4 cylinder outboard, the top go-fast gear of the time. He was a precision engineer in Newmarket. No doubt the 6 cylinder side valve petrol Thornycroft RD6 engine (photo below) in RAUTANGI was well breathed upon.
As for the “Patrol” flag, Lees and RAUTANGI did a lot of NZPBA and RNZYS mark boat etc work.

The RD 6 Thornycroft engine when launched

Thornycroft RD6

CYA 2016 Classic Yacht Regatta

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CYA 2016 Classic Yacht Regatta
photos from Simon Smith, Rod Marler, Peter Loughlin & myself

Yesterday (06-03-2016) was the final day of the 3 day regatta & the weather gods delivered the goods to finish the regatta on a high note.
I’ll let the photos tell the story but really need to say that the new venue & host club, the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron was a winner with everyone, perfect venue for our event & the crew at the RNZYS were fantastic.
I’m sure race results will be view able on the CYA website, I’ll post a link when they go live. Enjoy 🙂

Remember to click on photos to enlarge

Day 1 – sorry working

DAY 2

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Day 3

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Prize Giving

CYA Regatta Fleet @ RNZYS

PLUS – some great up close photos on Jason Prew’s facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/jason.prew/media_set?set=a.10154699374602178&type=3

Typhoon – Sailing Sunday

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TYPHOON – Sailing Sunday
photos ex Kerry Pearson, details ex Lin Pardey via Harold Kidd

Typhoon she was built by Fellows and Stuart Shipyard, Los Angeles Harbour, probably 1938 or so, & has been moored in North Cove at Kawau Island for 10+ years, slowly deteroiating. Many have offered advice that due to her fastenings (galvanised nails) the surrounding timber was so badly rotten the vessel was beyond saving. On top of this her cabin sides and deck structures are also rotting.

Sometimes there is a fairy godmother out there & Lin reports that she has been purchased by one of the Kawau Island ferry skippers & he processes  skills & experience to look at her & decide if its do-able or just best to save all the good hardware for the next project. Will be interesting to near the outcome.

Any one able expand on her history?

Wairangi – heads north

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WAIRANGI- THE JOURNEY NORTH - PICTON TO AUCKLAND- PT 1- A CLEAN BUM FIRST

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WAIRANGI- THE JOURNEY NORTH - PICTON TO AUCKLAND- PT. 1- DEPARTURE DAY 1

WAIRANGI – Heads North
photos ex Owen Foster via Ken Ricketts

As previous noted on ww Wairangi has been sold & is relocating to Auckland, Waiheke  Island I believe. Owen supplied this collection of photos from the passage from Picton to Auckland. Wairangi was designed by Wren Carey & built by Andy Miller of Miller & Tunnage fame. For a 1934 vessel of her design she is unusual in that she was launched as a pleasure vessel, which goes against her looks that scream ‘work boat’ converted to pleasure use. Wairangi was the opposite as she became a Lyttelton pilot boat c1948.

To view / read more details of her past click here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/05/28/wairangi/

05-03-2016 Arrives safely at Waiheke Island

07-04-2016 – Wairangi getting a little love at Pier 21. Photo ex Rod Marler

Wairangi at Pier 21

11-04-2016 Update & photos below from CYA member Neil Williamson (owner of MV Safari & the mullet boat Arawa)

Currently doing some work on Wairangi at the moment and thought I would share some pics now the hull has been stripped back showing the planks in fantastic condition
She’s so well made and still in great nick. Great to work on ones like this.

26-10-2016 – photo below of Wairangi in Smokehouse Bay, Great Barrier Island 28/03/2016. ex owner via Ken Ricketts.

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Lady Mae (Antipodes)

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Lady Mae

LADY MAE (Antipodes)
photo & details ex Evening Post (paperspast) via Peter Loughlin

The above press clipping shows Lady Mae moored at Port Nicholson just after her arrival from Auckland in late November 1939. She was purchased by a Mr L Boielle, who renamed her Antipodes. At the time of her trip from Auckland to Wellington, under the command of Auckland yachtsman Mr D Wellington, she probably set a record for the passage for a craft of her size. Powered by a 38h.p. Ailsa Craig diesel engine, she did the journey in 76 hours. In my eyes a very pretty & sensible  launch.

Anyone able to enlighten us on what became of her in Wellington & later years. And if she is still around today?

Harold Kidd Update

I don’t know her origins (yet) but she was owned by Herbert Walker in Auckland in 1938 as LADY MAE, obviously then a recent rename. Walker sold her to Boielle of Wellington and he commissioned Dick Wellington to deliver her to Wellington. Dick had just got back from a Pacific cruise in his ketch SEAWARD and was waiting to go into the RNZAF. He was later killed on operations over Germany.
Boielle renamed her ANTIPODES but sold her to the Police in 1941 for use by the waterfront police at Lyttelton and sailed down in November. In 1943 she was chartered to the RNZN for boom defence work at Wellington . After WW2 she was retained by the Gorvernment, renamed ROTOMAHANA and used as by the Tourist Dept on Lakes Rotomahana and Tarawera.
She was 34’x9’6″.

PS Herbert Walker was a well-known dentist in Auckland. With his brother J.M. Walker, Herbert owned several launches including the 27ft DRAYTON built for them in late 1912 by H.N. Burgess of Judges Bay and the second 35ft DRAYTON built in 1916. In 1939, Herbert Walker was Commodore of the NZ Power Boat Ass which changed its name that year to the Auckland Motor Yacht Club.
I still can’t figure out the builder of LADY MAE, but she did have that name as early as 1935.
I suspect that LADY MAE is involved in the complex swapping and renaming of launches between the Walkers, with their DRAYTONs, David Teed, with his MAUDE T’s, W A Wilkinson, with his SPEEDWELLs and H.D. Heather, with his ROTHESAYs which is a nightmare.
Herbert Walker married Mary May Henderson in 1927. Just maybe she’s named after her?
Work in progress…..

OLIVE (Tokatea > Enna De > Waitika)

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OLIVE (Tokatea > Enna De > Waitika)
photo & details ex Baden Pascoe

Today’s post is of the very stunning small seiner, Olive, built for Morgan Hayward by Ernie Harvey. Morgan owned or was a partner in one of the Thames “Fish Sheds” as they called them in the old days. (Shortland Fish Co Ltd). Olive was later purchased by Sanfords.
Baden thinks in the above photo, Ernie is the man under the boat with braces on.

I’m not sure if she was christened Tokatea when launched or if that was a later name change. Tokatea is the name of the mountain ridge between Coromandel town and Kennedy Bay. In the 1870’s Tokatea was the site of extensive gold-mining activity.

Baden does not know her launching date & is keen to learn more about Olive & what became of her.

Input from Harold Kidd

Lovely image of OLIVE. According to Chris Rabey, who knew her well, and please amplify these comments, Ray, Ernie Harvey built OLIVE in 1934 at Thames (I would have thought a shade earlier, perhaps). Anyway she was registered as suitable for wartime purposes as OLIVE in 1940 No. TS21 owned by L.M. Hayward of Thames with a 44hp Kelvin and dimensions of 43’x11’x4′.
She became TOKATEA much later when bought by the Government as a Fisheries Patrol vessel. Later again (about 1965) Bert Subritzky bought her and renamed her ENNA DE after his wife, the former Enna De Vera Davenport. I think it was then that Chris was on her.
I identified her, with Chris’ help, derelict at Lake Dunstan in 2008 and later at Oamaru in 2011, renamed WAITIKA.

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Below is a photo of Ernie Harvey on his 80th birthday.

Ernest-80th birthday

Photo of Olive/Tokatea at Thames c.1950’s ex Geoff Brebner

Tokatea

05-03-2016  Input from Baden Pascoe

Fore foot is exactly same profile as boat in photo. Just remember she has been built up, note the change in angle of tumble home, a sure sign of an extra plank.

23-05-2016 Photo below of Tokatea at Whangarei 1952 ex Geoff Brebner

Tokatea Whangarei 1952

Rautangi

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Rautangi

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RAUTANGI
photos & detail ex Nathan Herbert & trademe

Rautangi was built by Collings & Bell c.1935/36 for Mr. L. Steriker. She measures 37′ x 9’6″ x 2’8″ & is currently midway thru a major refit happening at Katikati in the Bay of Plenty. There is a 120hp diesel sitting in her at present. Owner needs to move her on due to ill health, details can be found on trademe.

As launch she was a very smart launch, nice project for someone.

16-08-2018 Update from Nigel Boyd

“Hi all
We have just purchased the Rautangi a kauri bridge decker featured on this website. She has been moved to my property 425 Krippner Road, Puhoi.

She was completely gutted and partly repaired by the pervious owner. I am told that she has been out of the water for 7 years.

We seek as much advice as possible on how to get her back into a usable state again. We have no previous experience in restoring wooden boats and done much reading on the internet. However, many conflicting views on how to do this properly has left us undecided on the way forwards.

I would much appreciate any guidance and advice on this project.

We welcome any visits from those who would like to see her and share their wisdom.

Regards
Nigel and Kim Boyd
0222596472

Miss Helen

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MISS HELEN
details ex Harold Kidd

We headed out at lunch time Saturday for an overnight trip to Waiheke Island. While Oneroa was like Ponsonby Rd on a Friday night we had talked ourselves into a pizza for dinner from the beach front wood-fired pizza wagon in Little Oneroa, so Oneroa it was. When the fizz boat day trippers departed at days end things were not too bad, still had to use strong words to question the intention of a Bayliner that was about to anchor on top of me 🙂
Highlight (after the pizza) of the weekend was getting to see the recently restored Miss Helen up close, she is one very good looking classic. I will let Harold tell us about her past.

She was built in 1930 by COLIN WILD for L.E. McQueen of Wairiki Road, Mt. Eden as AUDREY M and had a 125hp Lycoming 8 cylinder engine. McQueen had her dodger raised to give 6ft 6in headroom in October 1931 and had fresh water cooling installed. He then sold her to A.L Davenport who renamed her MAHSEER. Davenport sold her to Whittaker in 1934 and he renamed her LADY HELEN. He sold her to L.A. Marquet who sold her to A.E. Fuller of Russell in August 1937. She was altered for gamefishing. In August 1942 she was severely damaged coming ashore in a gale at Russell and substantially rebuilt again. Again she was renamed, MISS HELEN to tie in with the rest of  the Fuller fleet, MISS IDA, MISS KNOXIE, MISS RUSSELL etc.
BTW the Register of British Ships says she was built in Russell, which is incorrect, although she was re-built there once or twice.
McQueen, of course, had WILD build WAIRIKI in October 1934.

The Register of British Ships says she was built in 1932, which is also incorrect. The RBS is a very dodgy resource, especially where the vessel was registered well after she was built, as here.

To read more on Lady Helen & view older photos + restoration photos click the link below.

Miss Helen

Dropped the anchor near Lady Margaret (Colin Wild) & enjoyed a cleansing ale aboard with Peter Loughlin & partner Nicola. LM is looking very smart these days, with Peter doing a rolling restoration.

Lady Margaret PL