As launched Kenya II was a sedan launch, built by Lidgard’s in 1940. She is 47’6” long & powered by a 127hp 6LXB Gardner diesel that allows her to cruise economically at 8.5kts. Built from triple skin kauri.
Home is the Marlborough Sounds & she is 4 sale on trademe. A quick walk around that flybridge with a titanium tipped chainsaw would do wonders for her looks 😉
For more details on her past & photos click the blue link below. When you compare the photos above to the ‘as launched’ you will she that she could very easily be returned to her former glory. https://waitematawoodys.com/?s=Kenya+II&submit=Search
Today’s photo is another from the Auckland Museum’s Tudor Collins collection, this one emailed to me by Ken Ricketts. It shows the ‘New Golden Hind’, designed by Chas. Bailey Jr. & built at the Deemings Opua yard. She is anchored off Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island c.1940’s.
Leilani was built by building contractor & service station proprietor, Major Bailey, a friend of Ken Rickett’s family, on the Cnr. of Wheturangi & Green Lane Rds., & launched in 1949.
Currently owned by Jason Lockwood for the last 5 years. The previous owner had kept the boat at Coromandel for many years & eventually took her to Thames with a view to removing rot from the upper sections of the bow.
It was while at Thames that Jason saw her & bought her, then moved her to Kopu (photo above) – where she was for approx. 3 years. Jason moved her to his property at Thames town around 2 years ago.
When purchased she had a 6cyl. Ford diesel & was fitted with a shoe rudder prop & shaft, however whilst at Kopu these ‘disappeared’.
Jason had removed her paint & started a re-caulking process as part of a major refit / repair & refurbish, looking at the photo, taken by Ken (April 2016), this appears to have stalled & the coamings have reached the stage of disrepair, to the point where they will have to be demolished as they are semi collapsed.
Can we expand more on her history – design, past owners etc. Ken recalls that she was a late 1940’s build.
13-08-2016 Harold Kidd Input
She was built as FLORAE (Latin for “flowers”) not FLORAY. I think Lidgards built the hull and Major George Bailey finished her at his Wheturangi Road home. It was PERCY Coutts who owned her until he died in 1960. He bought my father’s business and renamed it Coutts Motors and was very successful importing fine cars, now part of the Giltrap empire on the same site in Great North Road. As LEILANI she had numerous owners after Percy Coutts, including A.G. Sibun of Bleakhouse Road, Ken Archer who was active in Coastguard with her, followed by B.J. Craies, and finally a spell in Coromandel where I photographed her in 1999. She’s not the game boat LEILANI that was at Mangonui, run by Don Lightband of course. In fact I can’t vouch for the fact that the LEILANI owned by Sibun and Archer is this one and may well be the game boat. No doubt WW spotters will pick that up and put me right with relish!
We have not had a pure game-fishing boat story in a while so when I was sent the above photos of Manana III from the Tudor Collins collection at the Auckland Museum, emailed in by Ken Ricketts, they got the ww fast track. In the photos above we see her off Cape Brett & alongside the wharf in Otehei Bay in the Bay of Islands c.1940’s. (apologies – two of the photos are very poor quality)
What can the woodys tell use about the boat, obviously not a local boat – the ‘Manana III – Miami FLA’ on her stern tells us that – who bought her to NZ, when, how successful was she & did she stay here or head off-shore again?
As a bonus today check out the amazing collection of nearly 100 photos on the salvage of the classic yacht ‘Penlena’ – not sure of the location, but thanks to John Bertenshaw for highlighting it on his facebook page 🙂
Today’s launch photo is from the Auckland Museum’s Tudor Collins collection. The photo quality is not the best, I suspect the plate was damaged at sometime in the past. The ww brains trust have come up with a big fat zero in terms of ID’ing the boat, so help from the woodys would be appreciated.
In terms of the location – given its a Tudor Collins image it’s more than likely to be the Bay of Islands or even further north e.g. Whangaroa? Input here too please 🙂
She was not a mystery for long 🙂 view details & photos on Harold Kidd’s 27 Sept 2013 ww story on Ranginui at the link below.
Ian McDonald sent me the above photos of the Daisy Belle, the b/w photo was taken by Ian c.1980 at Arid Island. The colour photo is her today (May2016) hauled out at Putaruru, uncovered & rotting away. Her owner is supposedly going to restore her – he better start soon or she will be lost.
Can any of the woodys supply more details on the vessel? I’m thinking the ww followers that belong to the ‘The Workboat Study Group’ must know of her & her past.
Yesterdays story on Max Carter & his boats, received the viewing numbers the man desired, highest in the last 2 months. Very proud that waitematawoodys could showcase his work & record it for future generations to enjoy. Special thanks must go to Chris McMullen for his efforts in securing the material, all too often our maritime history is lost.
A friend of mine, Ray Oxenham, sent me the video link below, what a great idea, perfect for somewhere like Waiheke Island 😉
Input from Harold Kidd DAISY BELLE was built by W.G. Lowe & Sons in 1940 for Vella and Bronlund and had a new 88hp Kelvin. She hit Spray Rock c1970, was bought as a hulk and rebuilt by Baileys. In 2002 she was owned in the Bay of Islands by Darien Boswell with a Gardner 8L3.
DAISY BELLE was apparently fishing throughout the war owned by Peter Bronlund and S. Vella and was part of the Auckland Seine Boat Association. She was considered for war work on 9th June 1942, examination work at Fiji, which the similar craft ZUYDER ZEE and KAIWAKA later did. I really doubt if she did any war service anywhere. Registered as AK62 she was entitled to pass the Auckland boom defence without examination, but as a fishing boat.
Input from Ian McDonald Daisy was originally a trawler pre-war and Darien Boswell (Boz) found her derelict on piles at Beachaven ? & after purchase, set about restoring her. I think Boz told me that she also did service during the war on the harbour defence booms. She has a Gardner 8L3B he got from either Ernie Seager or Shorty Sefton.
Input from Bruce Pullman The extract below on Daisy Belle is from a book called ‘High Tide’ by Bernard Rhodes (photos by Brian Moorhead). Bernard Rhodes is a boat builder on Waiheke.
Input from Wayne Mason The photos below were taken last week when Wayne spotted the Daisy Belle driving from Taupo . The nearby neighbour in Putaruru says she is owned by a Dutchman who was renting a mooring in Tauranga but thought on the hard would save him some money . He’s planning on restoring or rebuilding .
Input from Stuart Johnson
Stuart sent me the photo below that he believes is of ‘Daisy Bell’ (AK24) which didn’t quite make the wharf in Mansion House on he believes Anniversary Day 1959. From memory ( Stuarts 91) the crew managed to get ashore and find their way to the ‘Snake Pit’ whilst they waited for the returning tide.
03-08-2016 update ex Barry Davis
Below is a very low res photo of Daisy Belle taken in July 1974 before conversion to a pleasure craft. Interesting to note that the forward port holes have been sealed.
09-08-2016 Photo below ex Baden Pascoe
31-08-2016 Input from Ian McDonald – Correction to comment that she is owned by a Dutchman. The owner is not Dutch, is from Tokoroa & known to me personally, and it was me who put him in touch with Darien when he purchased her.
Below is a photo taken from the helm, of Rex McDonald on the foredeck circa 1983
03-09-2016 Update – 3 pic’s below emailed to me by Ian McDonald that Rex McDonald took about a week before she was lifted out in Tauranga & taken to Putaruru.
16-07-2020 Input from Stephen Green – refer below the undated newspaper clipping below regarding the Daisy Belle.
His father, John Green was on the USSCo Katui in the early 1960’s.
17-07-2020 Input from Nathan Herbert – Daisy Belle also went aground on the point at Hobbs Bay very much high and dry in the early days. Photo below.
17-01-2023 UPDATE ex Paul Drake – “I saw her for the first time a few days ago, in Putaruru. She was spotted by my passenger, who was visiting from overseas, as we passed through town heading north from Taupo. Top marks to him. Checking WW the last photo appears to be 2016. I am surprised that she still exists, but clearly there is no hope. Note the anchor, ready for letting go. Also, nice mast.
07-11=2025 UPDATE ex BILL ENDEAN – Bill snapped the photos below passing thru Putaruru recently – not looking too healthy.
The above photo appeared in the 19th Feb, 1947 issue of the ‘Weekly News’ (ex Mac Taylor collection) & shows the RNZYS fleet at anchor in Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island for the annual squadron weekend at Kawau, which continues to this day. Its a very impressive line up of classic’s that includes most of todays premier classic woodys.
New Classic Read
If you are looking for a ‘fix’ of classic sun & sailing this winter (in fact anytime) check out the new UK magazine at the news stands (got mine at Whitcholls).
Its called Classic Sailor & its publisher is Dan Houston ex Classic Boat magazine editor – & the best news, its only $9.50
The June issue (cover below) is the 9th issue, check it out, you’ll enjoy it. More info at classicsailor.com
Today’s post features an ex Navy survey launch, its name is hard to read but appears to be Penguin. She was built in 1944, is approx. 34’6″ long & powered by a 6 cyl. 100hp Ford D-series diesel. As they say in the modelling game – she was rather nice bones, quite a looker & I expect with a bigger engine there would be rather more zoom zoom than the current max of 10knts 😉
As you would expect from a Navy build, its built like the proverbial brick s_ithouse i.e. Australian hardwood.
Any woodys served on her & or can enlighten us on her past?. Home these days is the Marborough Sounds, photos ex trademe.
03-09-2016 Input from Russell ward
Below is the provenance of Penguin, scanned from Bob McDougall’s fine reference NZ Naval Vessels.
The pic of her on Lachlan with the flurry of activity (and look at the size of those davits! In contrast with the wiry matelots) dates from 1950 and is a well known RNZN picture.
The radial davits were replaced by Whelan type that swing out at the turn of an Admiralty Patt over engineered bronze caused switch. Luxury!
In passing, look at that cut out in the skeg. She’d turn on a dime in confined waters with a kick ahead as did Sam Ford’s bridge deckers that were similarly done. Many boats of the time were like that.
Seabird is owned by Omaha boat builder Colin Brown who very recently bought her off Dave Gould, an ex New Plymouth long-liner who told Colin he had owned her for a good many years & had bought her off another New Plymouth fisherman.
Seabird is 19′ long with a 7′ beam & powered by a crank handle start, 1 cyl Yanmar, salt water cooled diesel, – so no batteries or cooling systems to worry about.
Colin does not know a lot about her early history, except that she was built in 1940, in New Plymouth & used for longlining, most of her life.
Colin reports she has a little bit of rot in one plank, as a result of having been sitting for quite a period.
New Golden Hind photos ex Gavin Bedggood & Roger Welch
Yesterdays story on ww featured a great photo of several motorboats & yachts on the beach in front of the Deemings Yard in Opua, Bay of Islands. The photo came from the Coralie Hilton collection, Coralie’s maiden name was Deeming (her father) & her mother was a Bedggood, so that’s how Gavin came by these photos.
In yesterdays story the ‘main actor’ was the 93′ ketch ‘New Golden Hind’, today I have posted more photos from Coralie’s collection, these ones show her build & post launch.
The New Golden Hind was a Chas. Bailey Jr. design & built Deemings for a Mr. Jenkins.
Below is a link to a great blog read about a Pacific cruise aboard the New Golden Hind. The story is by Roger Welch & documents his father, Henry Thomas Welch, on a 1940’s cruise aboard the New Golden Hind to the Pacific Islands . Some of the photos above relate to this story. They are more photos at the link below
http://beyondeyelevel.com/446/aboard-the-golden-hind-1940/ “My Dad, Henry Thomas Welch, was raised in the little country town of Te Awamutu in the Waikato area, the mid North Island of New Zealand. He was an only child, and grew up during the Great Depression. His Dad, Thomas Henry Welch, was by all accounts a hard-working man, with a strong Christian sense of duty to his wife and family. In those days everyone had to work, so it was the case that Dad virtually grew up working in the family butcher shop. I have a framed black and white photograph in my boardroom of Dad on horseback in the 1920s outside the butcher shop. Despite gaining his University Entrance exam (UE) at Hamilton Tech, he was unable to afford to go to University in Auckland. By 1940, at the age of 26, I suppose that he was frustrated with a small town existence and wanderlust took over. Dad got away to crew on a 90 ft yacht that was sailing to the then remote Pacific Islands, a young man’s dream. As far as I can determine he had no previous sailing experience. From a short note signed by Mr. Jenkins (the owner of the boat) I gather Dad signed aboard as a paying crew. Very much on “a wing and a prayer” as there was precious little money in the family kitty in 1940.
I recount the story of Dad’s trials and tribulations aboard the ketch he called “Golden Hind”, named obviously for the famous ship that carried Sir Francis Drake on his epic voyage around the world. According to a newspaper clipping (“Auckland Star”) at the time the ship was actually named the “New Golden Hind”, and owned by Mr. H. R. Jenkins. The ship was a 94 ft schooner, although subsequently dimensions are given as 93 ft overall, with a 22 ft beam, and 10 ft draft. The ship in the previous year had made a similar trip, which constituted her maiden voyage. According to the “Star”, “She behaved well in all weather encountered, and the engine which was used much of the time as the winds were light, never gave any trouble.” In addition to Mr. Jenkins, and the crew, the party aboard includes Miss Culford Bell, and Mrs. Harrison, of Auckland, Mr. W. E. Mitchell of Nelson, and Mr. Welch, of Te Awamutu. Dad paid a princely sum of five pounds a week for the trip, as working crew, and in this regard, please see letter in the gallery from Mr. Jenkins”
YESTERDAYS QUIZ WINNER WAS NATHAN HERBERT BEING THE FIRST TO GET
‘New Golden Hind, Chas. Bailey Jr. Deemings, 1939, Okiato (Opua)’
Nathan, well done. I email you re which framed print you want from Robert Brooke’s boat – Beautiful Boats.
23-06-2016 update from Harold Kidd – photo below of Chas Bailey Jr. wishing Jenkins well on the departure of the yacht on its Pacific voyage.
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