Category Archives: 1930’s

Meander

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MEANDER

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photo & details ex Harold Kidd

A classic Sam Ford bridge decker of the mid-30s, Meander, seen here about to be craned into the Waitemata on 31st August 1937. She was built by Sam Ford at his Ellerslie property for Syd Guest of Whangarei, 32’ x 9’6” x 3′ and powered by a Graymarine 6-91 de luxe.

She was a stock Ford 32 footer of his “streamlined class” and had been on display at the Auckland Winter Show.

She took part in NAPS out of the Bay of Islands and Whangaroa in 1942-4, skippered by Syd Guest with deputy skipper Murdoch McDonald and crewmen Dick Hutchings, Kelvin Lacy, Jack Cumming, Chris Rogers, Bert Young and Will McNaughton. She had patrol number Z33.

Meander spent most of the intervening years in the North but was bought by Aucklander David Vaasen in 2005.

Photo update (2x colour) from Mark McLaughlin (Mapuna) of Meander underway near Westhaven in 2007.

Ken Rickitts commented that she was an example of Sam Ford at his best, particularly the varnished tuck, very rare in those days, Ford only ever did 1 or 2 that Ken knows of. Fantastic to see her again after over 50 years, a beautful boat – Ken R

Harold Kidd Update

Ken is right about MEANDER, she’s a gem.

Sam Ford is sometimes sneered at for lack of build-quality and poor materials. In fact, you got what you were prepared to pay for and his top-quality boats were top-quality boats. Nobody, however, sneers at his designs which were “state of the art” by their contemporary international standards. Most have lasted, as-built, over the many years since their construction and are still stunning examples of motor-launch design.

I have been researching Sam intensely for some months and am continually impressed by the man.

Tuirangi

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C35 – pre doghouse
F35 – with doghouse

photo & details ex Ken Ricketts. edited by Alan H

Tuirangi’s original sail number was C35, but changed to F35 when the federation created the new “F” class, she remained F35 until the current system was created.

Built by A. (Bill) Couldrey & originally owned by Jack Allen, son of Henry Allen, (Tiromoana, the 1938 37′ Couldrey designed & built launch). Jack owned her from the late 1930’s until well into the 1970’s (even possibly the early 1980’s). Jack was a fitter & turner by trade, who was trained by Ken’s father, who said Jack was the best apprentice he ever had.

During WWII Jack was called up to join the war effort, in the Airforce, overseas, so Tuirangi along with a number of other yachts & launches, was pulled up on the sand at Judges Bay beach & covered with what was effectually a custom built hull fitting shed, of very strong timber & boarded up for about the next 5 or 6 years & she eventually sailed back on the world again in 1945.

Jack was a very traditional yachtie, of the highest order, adhering to all the best & oldest traditions of yacht racing. He refused for a great many years to even have an auxiliary engine, preferring to “row” the Tuirangi to her anchorage or moorings, when entering a crowded bay, or when there was no wind, (or both), with her dinghy. It was well into the 1950’s before Tuirangi had her first Ford 10 car engine conversion fitted.

When Jack married his wife Doreen, in the mid later 1940s, many thought he would soon replace Tuirangi with a launch & follow in his father Henry’s footsteps (Tiromoana). But no, not even when their children came along, did he falter in his love of sail.

It was only after the children arrived he actually fitted the engine, Ken recalls on many occasions seeing perhaps a dozen or more, pure white “pennants” flying from the stays & halliards in the late 1940’s & 50’s. Jack made one further concession to marriage & children when added the “dog house ” to the rear of the cabin top, to make for more comfortable family cruising.

While Jack passed away a year or 2 ago its hoped that Tuirangi maybe still alive & well – any more info on her past & current whereabouts would be appreciated.

Update from Neil Chalmers

Tuirangi is currently moored at Mahurangi . New photo shows her before Jack Allen fitted the doghouse.

And Neil – also pointed out the correct spelling of Tuirangi (now corrected). I used to think I was a shocker but Mr Ricketts is worse than me 🙂

Harold Kidd Update

Jack Allen had already ordered TUIRANGI from Bill Couldrey when war broke out in September 1939 with the intention that she would be launched before Christmas. However, she wasn’t finished and launched until after March 1940, understandably. Her first race appears to have been the Combined Clubs race to Matiatia in November 1940. Jack raced her consistently in the 4th Division with the Squadron for many years and did well with her.

Juliana > Marjorie Rosa

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JULIANA > MARJORIE

photos & details ex Ken Ricketts. Edited by AH

Juliana was built in 1930 by Sam Ford & owned by Ralph & Wyn Ricketts from 1946 to 1956. She went to Whangarei for a few years when sold & then to the Algie family at Algies Bay from about 1972 to 1995. She was sold to a fisherman in New Plymouth for several years & ended up back at Tamaki River about 2006 as a bare hull absolutely nothing in her.

Bought by present owner Fraser Wilson as a bare neglected hull, with no bulkheads, engine, underwater gear, mast or anything else. Wilson has just undertaken a major 3 year restoration /rebuild on her by boatbuilder Tony Mitchell in his shed at Lake Rotoiti where she will now reside. Ken’s comment was ‘while unrecognizable as Juliana, in my view stunning in her own right’.

Propulsion History

1930 (Original) — 4cyl Thornycroft “T” head converted petrol truck engine c1925

1948 — 6 cyl Leyland “Cub” Diesel 90 HP (29.4 B.H.P. RAC rating), installed by owner Ralph Ricketts

1956 — 4 cyl Buda Marine Diesel (ex Arcturas — Built by Mc Geady c1952 for John Warren & replaced by Warren with 6 cyl Ford) installed by owner Ralph Ricketts

c1978 — 6 cyl 100 hp Ford Diesel fitted by owner Brian Algie

2013 (October) 3 cyl  brand new Lombardini Diesel approx 60hp installed for Fraser Wilson by Tony Mitchell boat builder

Photos

1. The black & white photo of her hauled out was taken in Judges Bay by the Parnell Baths in 1947, by Ken Ricketts.

2. The sepia photo shows Ken Ricketts on board Juliana c.1947

3. The ‘all white’ photo is the bare hulk prior to the current rebuild.

4. Colour photos are from her relaunch as Marjorie Rosa

AH comment – she is very stunning & will be the belle of the lake, but if was me I would have followed Sam Fords original design a little more closely. But beauty is, as they say ‘in the eyes of the beholder’ 

Betty / Achernar / Achinar

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ACHINAR

photos & information ex past owners & Harold Kidd

as purchased by the Diamond family
1984 Clevedon River Jetty
post Lanes make over
Whau River Te Atatu Feb 1984
Name plate
Lake Rotoiti

BETTY / ACHERNAR / ACHINAR

Designed by well known yacht designer R.L. (Bob) Stewart and believed to be the only launch that Bob Stewart designed. 31ft in length, she was built by Collings & Bell in September 1939 for Bob Stewart’s father as BETTY. R L Stewart Senior owned her continuously until 1948-50 as BETTY. She was renamed ACHERNAR (not ACHINAR) when he sold her.

When purchased in 1984, the nameplates installed on the boat had the spelling as “Achinar”, and that is how they knew her during their long period of ownership. The current owners since 2008 have changed it (back?) to Achernar. So any mis-spelling of the name would appear to have occurred between the 1950’s and early 1980’s.

1984 saw a major refit and a flying bridge added at the Lane Motor Boat Co. on the Tamaki River and she was cruised extensively around the Hauraki Gulf and further afield for the next 20 years.

In 1993 the BMC diesel was replaced with a 6 cyl. Nissan diesel.

In 2008 Achernar was sold from Auckland to Lake Rotoiti (North Island). Another professional refit was undertaken for the new owners, including removal of the flying bridge. Achernar is now a regular participant in the annual Lake Rotoiti Parade of Classic and Wooden Boats (the photograph taken on the lake is courtesy of their website.)”

Note: There is dockside talk that the vessel may have been linked to US Navy Admiral William ‘Bull’ Halsey during his WWII R&R in Auckland. 

Rotui

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ROTUI

photo & details ex Ken Ricketts

Early post war photos of Rotui the 1938 Chris Craft owned by Alec & Linda Walker , seen here with dodger & grained combings. Ken was given the photos by Helen Coggan, the daughter of a previous owner (Joe Coggan) of Tiromoana. Photo most likely taken by Henry Allen whose daughter, Esme, was Helen’s mother (Joe Coggan’s wife). The link being the Coggan’s & the Allen’s were good friends with the Walkers – Ken tales are always intricate 🙂

I have included a later photo, with painted combings, which shows how the vanished combing in the older photow, were more suited to her Chris Craft design / style. Alan H

Carrie-Fin

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Carrie-Fin

CARRIE-FIN

story & photo ex Harold Kidd

Built by Collings & Bell for the wealthy American sportsman Eastham Guild who lived in Tahiti.
She was commissioned as a direct result of Zane Grey commissioning FRANGIPANI from Collings & Bell and which motored up to Tahiti in March 1933.
CARRIE-FIN was named after Guild’s wife whose pen-name in gamefishing magazines was Carrie-Fin.
She was launched in January 1932 and was shipped to Tahiti on the MAKURA after a spot of gamefishing off Cape Brett.
She was 36’x8’4” and had twin 40-50hp Redwings.
Collings built lovely hulls, but that cabintop………………………….

Tawera

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TAWERA

Seeing we have a rather important yacht race (regatta) starting today, in vessels (AC72’s) that are light years way from what we call a yacht, I thought its about time I posted some photos of the rather beautiful 1935 Arch Logan ‘Tawera’. Seen here at the CYA 2012 Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition. Somewhere I have some interior photos which I will post when I find them, in the mean time you’ll have to take my word that down below is as smart as the topsides, a little like the cigar bar at the New York Yacht Club.

Menai & Valsan & her Owners.

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Menai 1947/8
Menai 1947/8
Valsan 1948
Menai 2008

Menai & Valsan & her Owners.

details & b/w photos from Ken Ricketts. edited by Alan H 

In the late 1930s, earlier 1940s, Arnold D. Baldwin, a successful business man involved in the paper & printing industries purchased the 1936 (’37?) Sam Ford launch MENAI & used her regularly until 1948, when he bought VALSAN, off Peter Annan, who had renamed her LADY EDITH, which ADB changed back to VALSAN.

ADB sold MENAI to his factory manager, Horry Whimp who loved her, at least as much as ADB & continued to pour money into MENAI, as ADB had before him. HW owned MENAI well in to the 1950s. During this stage of her life MENAI had a flat head Ford V8.

Ken Ricketts met HW’s son, Barry Whimp, as a 3rd former at Auckland Grammar in 1950, they were in the same year & became good friends, & had many happy moments together whilst away on their parents boats, especially at Kawau, at Christmas.

(b/w photos taken by Ken Ricketts show Menai over Christmas 1948 /1949  just after the Whimps had bought her, & taken at Issy Bay & Kawau. The photo of Valsan in Schoolhouse Bay was taken during Christmas 1948 just after ADB had purchased her)

Menai Specs ex Alan H

Sam Ford, Ellerslie, designed and built Menai for Mr W T Reynolds of Whangarei and she was launched at Panmure Basin on 24th of December 1937.She immediately left Auckland on launching and arrived at Whangareri 25.12.1937.

She has a most interesting history, during WWII as a Navy patrol vessel she towed lifeboats from SS Niagara to safety.  She spent many years big game fishing both off Tutukaha and Tauranga and she is fine sea boat. In 1985 new owners did major renovations including the superb varnished interior. In 2007 she was purchased by the late Peter Smith who spent 3 years bringing her back to the wonderful condition she is today.

She is characteristic of the Ford design, a bridgedeck displacement launch, 10.97m (38 ft) length, beam 3.05m and draft 0.97m. Although there have been some substantial upgrades both the exterior lines and interior layout are original.

Construction: Single kauri skin (full length planking) over bolted and riveted frames and floors. The original upper works were built of kauri. In a 1985 major upgrade they were overlaid with 5/8 in teak and varnished.

Power: Lees-Marine 60hp Fordson diesel with 2:1 Lees-Marine hydraulic gearbox.

Harold Kidd Update

A few minor things about the above. MENAI was originally fitted with an 8 cylinder Lycoming engine which was changed to an Osco Ford V8 marine conversion, possibly during her NAPS service. Arnold Baldwin bought MENAI in 1942 when he was skippering her with NAPS and registered her as a British Registered Ship in 1948. According to those records and to the contemporary APYMBA records, Whimp did not own her at all, but that may well have been because he didn’t want to carry on the BR. Certainly, however, the BR records and the RNZYS records show that MENAI was 100% owned by C.B. Menzies from 1950 onwards. How Whimp and Menzies fit together, I have no idea.

Valsan – an ageless classic

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Valsan - an ageless classic

Valsan – an ageless classic

details & photo ex Ken Ricketts, edited by Alan H

One of our really magnificent ageless classics of all time & so wonderfully original & unspoiled. Ken commented that if you look at her you can see Couldrey, Ford & Lidgard all in her, the bridgedeck is classic later Ford, refer Lady Karita, the flair is very Couldrey — refer Tiromoana, the sheer line in the sweep in the deck could be all 3 & there are also resemblances in the shear & flair to Awarua, which of course was part Lidgard along with Ted Cooper.

Ken took the above photo of her Christmas 1948 in Schoolhouse Bay. She was launched as VALSAN, after the original owners two children – Valerie & Sandy. She was later sold to a publican, those surname was Annan & he renamed her Lady Edith, after his wife. When Arnold Baldwin bought her he returned her to her original name.

Her original engines were either Graymarine or Kermath, but Ken’s memory is leaning towards 6 cyl flathead 90 hp Graymarine’s. He remembers the instrument clusters & they had a polished metal backplate with the name in the middle at the top. These were replaced by 2 x Falcon 4.1L marinised petrol car engines in the 1970s.
Her present engines are 4 cyl. (100hp?) Mitsubishi diesels. In Ken’s opinion not becoming to a vessel of her stature. She has deep under hull exhausts now, amidships & bubbles away at the sides, used to be out the tuck just above the waterline, about 10 inches in from each side, when the petrol engines were fitted.

Harold Kidd Update

Ken is right with the engine brand this time (after having a bob each way). (Alan H called James Mobberley at Moon Engines & asked what the motors were) VALSAN was built by Lidgards for Alex Harvey Jr as a 38 footer with twin 90hp Grays. She was lengthened (as were so many of these big bridgedeckers) to 45ft by the time she went into NAPS as Z10 in 1942-3, possibly during the time she was being repaired after going up on the Castor Bay reef in February 1940. Peter Annan bought her when she was demobbed in 1944 and renamed her LADY EDITH. Annan had been the long-term owner of the big Logan cutter THELMA. In 1948 Annan sold her to Arnold Baldwin who changed her name back to VALSAN.

BTW Bill COULDREY’s surname is spelt COULDREY. (fixed. thx)

I think it’s just empty blather to “see  Couldrey, Ford and Lidgard” in her. The greatest influences of all were the styling themes seen in the US yachting magazines of the time, like RUDDER and MOTOR BOAT & YACHTING which influenced all local designers and owners a thousand times more than the Auckland designers and constructors influenced one another.

PS Peter Annan died in 1951 aged 82. He was a Master Mariner but had retired to the hotel trade when he bought VALSAN.