Tide In / Tide Out
Following on from yesterdays post, these two photos are from Mary Guthrie’s collection & are most likely from the same day c.1935, we get a glimpse of the launch in yesterdays photo.
Its that classic scene everyone having a great time ashore then oops – where did the tide go 🙂
Certainly the Manukau Harbour, most likely Titirangi / French Bay area.
Any one able to ID the launch?
French Bay – Sailing Sunday
This photo c.1935 was sent to me by Roger Guthrie. The location is French Bay.
The rather chic young woman in the dinghy is Roger & Graham Guthrie’s mum – Mary, wife of Ivan Guthrie. At the time of the photo Mary (maiden name Marion Alexander) was not married so the ‘older’ women with the parasol could have been her chaperon. The young bloke rowing looks very capable of getting them ashore safely 😉
Now is that an Idle Along in the background & is the boat sailing below, one as well (its from the same day)?
LADY JULE RIP
photos & details ex Kerry Clarkson (owner)
Lady Jule was built in 1939 for the Pollard family ( Henderson & Pollard ?) of Auckland by Dick Lang. I understand that she was built just before Lady Margaret (Peter Boardman’s stunning Dick Lang launch).
Kerry Clarkson purchased her in 2008 and along with a friend brought her down the coast from Houhora to Clevedon in August of that year.
She is 38ft plus duck board making her 40ft LOA. Her beam at the widest point is 11ft 4inches making her a very beamy old girl for her age. She is an extremely seaworthy and strongly built vessel of single 1.1/4 kauri plank carvel construction.
She is powered by a 6 cylinder 120hp Lees Marine Ford, installed new in 1976, and will cruise all day at 18-1900 rpm. (8-8.5 knots).
Currently hauled out for some rib sistering, recaulking, anti-foul & hull paint job. I understand her owners have relocated outside of Auckland & she is for sale & is very well priced. Interested parties could contact Kerry on rooclarkson@gmail.com or on 0274574 756 .
Harold Kidd update
Sorry to rain on this man’s parade too, but that history is not right. LADY JULE was indeed built by Dick Lang in 1939 but not for the Pollards. It was a tumultuous year with the outbreak of war so launch building news was not high priority in the newspapers. My best guess is that she was built for Gordon Hunter and was his first boat. Gordon’s son Don provided that info. Gordon sold her in 1944 to buy ROYAL SAXON. I think the purchaser was Edward Morrison of Herne Bay. The Frankham brothers, Jack & Stan bought her in the early 1960s and kept her until c1984. Their brother-in-law Noel Pollard (of Henderson & Pollard) crewed on her extensively during that time and again when his mate Jack Allen of L.R. Allen Ltd had her briefly. That’s the only Pollard connection, and it’s extremely tenuous.
Her original engine was a petrol Buda (for which my father was agent)
23-07-2016 Update – Lady Jule wrecked at Rocky Bay, Waiheke Island
Very sad to report that on July 19th 2016 Lady Jule broke free from her mooring in Rocky Bay & was wrecked on the rocks. See link to story below
26-07-2016 Update
Photos of the ‘wreck’ below. When first reported on ww there were no photos available, the below have now appeared, perhaps the term wreck is a little too severe, some (like Jason Prew) would consider that hull a good candidate for restoration 😉
IDA MAE (Playmate)
photos ex Peter Sample (owner for 25 yrs)
Following on from the post on Playmate 2 days ago, above are photos of the launch when she was Ida Mae.
The black and whites photos are from Ted Swales, the original owners son. He thinks they were taken in 1942 just before she was sold to the Air Force.
The later, colour one is at Owhiti Bay Waiheke in 2006.
Harold Kidd Info
She was built by Sam Ford in 1936 for Roy Swales of Epsom. Her original engine was a 2 cylinder National 20hp diesel, later replaced with a Fairbanks Morse while in RNZAF service. Harold suspects she went to Nelson after she was sold off by the RNZAF.
Click link to view photos of her during the war in Fiji https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/09/02/playmate-ida-mae/
Recent photo (Kerikeri) ex Nathan Herbert
Update from Peter Sample (former owner)
I owned Ida Mae from 1982 to 2007. I had known Ted Swales, the original owners son, for a few years beforehand and when he found we had just bought a Sam Ford launch,named Ida Mae he told me about the one his family owned when he was a boy, named Playmate.
He told me that the RNZAF had purchased her in 1942 for service in Fiji and as far as he knew she had never come back.
He showed me photos of her in Whakataka Bay.
A couple of years later when I was burning multiple layers of paint from the hull I came across the old wartime registration number scribed in the timber. Something about that number rang a bell so I got in touch with Ted and asked him what the number was on their Sam Ford launch. He told me number 414. I said to him we have her in my back yard.
He was rather speechless for a while and within a couple of days was at my place sitting inside.
He confirmed evidence in the hull that she had been twin screw.for a while. She had originally been launched with a single Ailsa Craig engine which was far too small. This was shifted over and a second Ailsa Craig fitted. It was plain to see where the shafts had been as the cut ribs still existed where the shafts went through the hull and the replacement pieces of planking of a couple of feet long where the shaft logs had been. I later replaced the ribs along with many others but the twin shaft evidence still exists.Ted said she was fitted with a single Fairbanks Morse when the RNZAF had her but I do not remember if this was done by the Swales or not.
Whenever Ted was on board he always referred to her as Playmate.
The logs I had showed she was in Napier in 1970 probably in her original state. She had a 90hp 6 cyl BMC sealord in her at this time and was still in when I sold.
She made a few sailings up the coast to Tauranga while based at Napier for Big game fishing at Mayor Island and it made interesting reading in the log of the non stop voyage up the coast stopping at Gisborne for fuel.
Owners I am aware of
Wyness of Auckland who I think had Shipbuilders do the alterations in the early 70’s
Eric Boisen of Auckland up to about 1981
George Mabey of Coromandel
Peter and Liz Sample Westpark 1982 to 2007
Aksel and Susan Jepsen Kerikeri
09/03/2015 – Photo pre WW2 ex Ken Ricketts ex B Worthington
08-01-2016 photo of Playmate in Opito Bay, Kerikeri ex Baden Pascoe
PLAYMATE (Ida Mae)
Details & photos ex Harold Kidd
Playmate was built by Sam Ford in 1936 for Roy Swales of Epsom. Her original engine was a 2 cylinder National 20hp diesel, later replaced with a Fairbanks Morse while in RNZAF service. The photos above show her (#72) at Lauthala Bay, Fiji with Mataroa (#71) & Doris
Harold suspects she went to Nelson after she was sold off by the RNZAF. She is often confused with the 1950 bridgedecker MY PLAYMATE built for M.V. Wilson of Awatea Road, Parnell by the O’Rorke brothers.
Details from previous owner Peter Sample
I owned her for 25 years during which time she was named Ida Mae. She has since been renamed Playmate by the new owner when I sold her in 2007. I had her history back to 1970 when she was at Napier but sadly nothing up to then after the Air Force disposal from service in Fiji after the war. She carried wartime registration 414 which could still be seen scribed into the bow planking after sanding back. Her Air Force number 72 is also visible.
With this old girls travel passport there must be a few stories out there on her ?. I’m yet to check but I assume she is the launch now owned by CYA members Aksel & Susan Jepsen. AH
LITTLE JIM
Little Jim is a rather special boat, almost royalty – blue blood 🙂 Designed by Arch Logan & built by Bill Couldrey in 1934 under Arch’s discerning eye.
When you start life with parents like that, when you get older & it comes time for some orthopedic surgery, only the best wooden surgeon will do – enter Peter Brookes, this artisan has worked his magic on Little Jim twice. The first time was a 2 year major refit in 2007/8, which saw strengthening work to the step and bow sections and a full interior reconfiguration. The keel was off & got new bolts & the systems were replaced or overhauled. Currently Little Jim is in Peter Brookes shed getting the finishing touches to an extensive renovation. Hopefully Little Jim’s owner Rod Marler will chip in here & walk us thru whats been happening to Little Jim over the last 12 months (photos ex Peter Brookes shed below).
And at the risk of falling off-side with the gaff-rig cohorts, Little Jim being sloop rigged is just so much more sailable (if there is such a word). No need to spend hours ringing around looking for crew, Little Jim is easily sailed by two.
When she was relaunched in 2008, Lew Barrett, one of the WoodenBoat Forum guru’s made the following comments –
“I like the textures and lightness in the handling of the interior. The glossy highlights of the trim (and the beautiful natural color of the wood) works perfectly against the subdued but flawless finishes of the cabinetry. The paneled locker doors and trim are simple but elegant. It’s exactly what we love about old wooden boats. They fully respected and retained the feel and sense of age while making her new. This is a really sensitive and demanding restoration objective to accomplish.The exterior is as clean and purposeful as the interior. It all really works to make a place you want to be.”
Our own Harold Kidd commented in 2008 at her relaunch
“it remains today an eye-catcher & a head-turner by any standards, so beautifully does form fulfill function. The aesthetics of its lines remain exquisite.
We are almost spoilt by the number of classic wooden yachts in & around our harbour, they are all special in their owners eyes but few are drop dead gorgeous – Little Jim is.
(note: Interior photos ex Chris Miller ex 2010 CYA Classic Register)
Mystery Boat 30/08/2014
photo from snapshot book of H.D.Guthrie.
Roger Guthrie sent in this photo from his Grandfathers collection, the date is approx. 1925 & the location Waiheke Island.
The name of the launch is not known but Rogers suspects it may have been owned by the Lambourne family.
Anyone able to ID the boat?
If you are new to waitematawoodys, when ww first started there were some neat late 1920’s/1930’s old b/w boating movies of Waiheke Island & the Stein Family (Arran Bay) launch Waitangi, the Stein’s owned Waitangi for 20>30 years. Enter ‘Guthrie Family’ in the Search box & enjoy.
Update 31/08/2014
Photo below of Minerva from “Deeds not words” (pp 44) ex Derek Molander
Where Is She Now ? – Lady Ava
A very pretty launch that we need in the CYA fleet, so the question today is where is she hiding these days – the above photo ex Jason Prew was taken at the Mahurangi Regatta in 2006.
I hope I have the correct name – the only reference I have is the yellow pennant on her stern – Lady Ava
+ need details on her please 🙂 thx Harold – amended as below.
Update from Harold Kidd
Its MISS AVA, built by Ernie Lane at Picton in 1931.
I looked at her to buy several years ago and found her quite attractive. She went to Wellington about 1937, owned by Ernie Lamberg. She was in NAPS at Wellington 1942-3 as Z70. Her dimensions are 36’x9’8″ and she recently was powered by a 6 cylinder Ford diesel. There is a nice pic of her in the Boat Harbour at Wellington in NAPS in “New Zealand Naval Vessels” by Bob McDougall on page 105. She hasn’t changed much since then.
Update to the above from Harold
johntwodogs is quite right. Z70 in that image is not MISS AVA. I wish I had checked my copy of NZNV before posting, especially since the entry in my database had an asterisk for a doubtful piece of info. I have only just found it after 3 hours of searching in my library, face down in the wrong place.
NZNV gives only a couple of NAPS numbers for Wellington launches, Z73 for QUEEN CHARLOTTE and Z78 for ROSEMARY M. I’ve filled in a few, eg RAHEMO with Z76. So what is this Z70? She’s a weird-looking craft, quite large. The only Wellington NAPS boat that seems to correspond is KOTUKU, a 48 footer owned by Wm. H Smith about which I know nothing.
The image below is for the Wellington buffs to chew over. Courtesies to Bob McDougall who had no responsibility for my leap in the dark.
PS Of course QUEEN CHARLOTTE is Z72, NOT Z73 as in NZNV.
Updated ‘recent’ photos of Lady Ava ex John Wright. click photos to enlarge
John tells me the ‘young lad’ in the wheel house is ‘Captain Buck Rogers’
NGATAKI / JOHNNY WRAY SOUTH SEAS VAGABONDS
Big day down at the waterfront yesterday, we had over 200 people turned out for the Tino Rawa Trust re-launch of Johnny Wray’s Ngataki & the Harper Collins launch of the 75th Anniversary edition of ‘South Sea Vagabonds’.
Todays post is a photo essay of yesterdays events. As always, click any photo to enlarge 😉
Ngataki
Ngataki Memorabilia
South Sea Vagabonds 75th Anniversary edition launch
Friends of Ngataki (Andrew Fagan’s – ‘Swirly World & K. Hammond / A. Sully’s – ‘Seaward’)
The legand lives on
Something really cool – at the book launch Findlay MacDonald from Harper Collins Publishing advised that the Red Cross were the benefactors of Johnny Wray’s will, so proceeds from the book sales go to them, BUT the Red Cross has decided they will split the proceeds with the Tino Rawa Trust to help maintain Ngataki. How cool is that – remember the Red Cross next time one of their collectors rattles a money box in front of you – or more likely, you get a phone call.
Remember – the boat & the dockside exhibition is open Saturday & Sunday – see details below.
Click the link below to see some launch day photos ex Tony Stevenson
http://classicyacht.org.nz/cyaforum/topic/ngataki-restoration/#post-124899
Ngataki in the International Media
The relaunch & book launch is featured in the Oct 2014 edition of the Classic Boat UK
SYBIL FRANCIS
This one might be easy but I suspect not – her trademe listing said she was built in 1935 & is 36′ three skin kauri planked with a 10′ beam. Powered by a 120 hp Ford diesel.
Currently based at Great Barrier Island & been earning her keep as a fishing boat, she has had one owner for the last twenty three years.
Anyone able to shed some light on the old girl?
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