Category Archives: 1940’s

Safari

Posted on by
2
SAFARI HISTORY
 
From recollections of Zelda Batterton (Nee,  McGuire) eldest daughter of Trevor Innes McGuire.
8 December 2012
 
Safari was built by refrigeration engineer and inventor Trevor McGuire during World War II.
Trevor was a business ownerwho had several businesses over the years. One of these was a business making refrigerators for Bond and Bond, Fisher and Paykel and McAlpine. He also had a building business in Fiji and a sawmill in Samoa. Trevor was also a founder of the Royal Suva Yacht Club. Prior to McGuire refrigeration he owned a saw mill located in the Waitakere ranges where the firm ran a Kauri logging business.
 
During the war the refrigeration business manufactured sectioned coolrooms and commercial refrigerators, which were invented by Trevor. Some of these were used by the Americans to store their deceased soldiers in before they were shipped back to America. The business was originally in Manukau Rd in Epsom, with about 6 employees, and the boat was built in a field out the back of the factory. A new factory was later built at 25 Fairfax Avenue Penrose. The refrigeration business was eventually sold to Fisher and Paykel around 1947, and the Paykel families were known to be onboard Safari during for weekend excursions.
 
Boat designer Dick Lang was a friend of Trevor’s, the two met in Fiji and the plans used for the boat were Dick Lang’s. A sister boat,  “Zephyr” was built later using the same plans. Zephyr was built by the Ellerslie Mayor at the time Horace Whyte, also a friend of Trevor’s . Zelda recalls going into the forest to collect Pohutukawa for the knees. Apparently they had to be carefully selected to be the right shape but in those days it was okay to chop up native trees. The NZ sourced kauri timber Safari was built from came from Newmarket, most likely from Odins Timber Company.
 
Safari was launched around 1940 in Mechanics Bay after being shipped by truck from Manukau Rd.
Trevor’s wife Madge did not like the water but she always came out on Safari to do the cooking. As “petrol” was still scarce, anyone coming out on Safari would donate war time petrol coupons. Trevor always wore a hat and had a cigarette dangling from his lips. He also had a ‘twinkle in his eye.” Zelda says they were very lucky children to have such fantastic parents and a brilliant childhood. Many hours were spent on the boat although due to the shortage of petrol this was mostly around Waiheke and Rangitoto Island.
 
[Just between us Zelda say’s with a smile] Safari had 26 people on board to go out and meet the NZ warship Achilles. Trevor took Safari across the bow of Achilles and a loudhailer boomed out “Will that launch please get out of the way”, whereupon Trevor apparently said “We’re smaller than them, they have to give way.” Madge was not impressed.
 
During the war Safari’s boat ID number was 1263. All boats had to have a large number for identification. A boom was placed from Devonport to Bastion Point to deter enemy vessels, with a small gap in the middle that was closed at night. Trevor came back too late one day to meet the curfew and had to stay outside the boom, where spotlights would be beamed across the boat during the night.
 
In the early years Safari was extended in length by Trevor McGuire, Zelda seems to think from 33 or 34’ to 38’ 

Zephyr

Image

8

Zephyr

ZEPHYR

Zephyr was designed by Dick Lang & almost certainly built by him circa early 1940s.

Photo as she was, in 1948/49, taken by me at Schoolhouse Bay Kawau — wonder where she is now? .Possibly had a converted truck engine at that time. Have no other history or info — Ken Ricketts just liked the look of her when he took the photo. If anyone can help with more info please post.

18-02-2020 Update ex Andrea Collings

Andrea has located a couple of photos, see below.  Reproduction is not the best but we roll with that.. The one on the skid, is from when Andrea’s grandfather first brought her.  Andrea commented it has her grandmother, uncle (and she thinks her aunt). Andrea  believes she was having her motor removed.  Her grandfather (Mac Kelly) thought she was to thirsty and put a smaller engine in. 
The 2nd photo is of her has Mac standing and one of his sons sunbathing on her roof.
Andrea is not sure of dates for these photos but believes it would have to be in the 1950’s.
Zephyr remained in their family until about 1985 when she was sold to a man from Auckland who Andrea was told was the gent who took her bridge off. After that Andrea didnt know what happened to Zephyr until she received an email WW and then read Logan’s post.
Andrea has promised to continue to track down any more information and photos, so it can be added to her story.

Nor West

Posted on by
22

NOR WEST Port Side AUGUST 2012 Nor West

NOR WEST
One of 2 identical boats built by Garth Lane at Panmure circa 1948-50 both had 2 x Ford V8s originally. Both were used extensively for game fishing for many years. No info on ownership, but always admired there futuristic, low, sleek, appearance. Both had the engines in the stern, with V drives a la LADY SANDRA.
 Marina photo (ex trademe) was taken in the Sounds where she has been living.

Sou East

Image

Reply

Sou East

SOU EAST

Identical sister ship to NOR WEST & used extensively at Mayor Island, for many years for game fishing both boats now have diesels — Nor West has 2 x Fords.
Ken Ricketts took this photo of Sou East in Mansion House Bay Kawau Island Christmas 1949

Ranui

Image

2

Ranui

RANUI,

Photo taken c.1950 by Ken Ricketts, before she had the 6 or 8 ft added to the back end, & when she still had her 2 original Ford V8 petrol engines, & was owned by Hec Goodfellow. She was built by R Lidgard circa 1947 was approx 38 ft long, at that time. She is a Chris Craft design, that Goodfellow had seen in the Pacific Islands, when he was a naval officer stationed there in WWII.

He was so impressed with the design, after the war he acquired a set of geinuine plans, & commisioned Lidgards to build RANUI for him. The family owned the boat for a great many years, & she was moored in Whakatakataka Bay, had an adjoining boatshed on the banks of the Bay in Ngapipi Rd, where she spent much of her time in earlier days, & was only seen on her moorings occasionally. In her later life, she lived much of the time at Christian Bay Takatu Peninsula during his ownedship, as he had a property there.

She was lengthened as above, in the later 50s or early 60s & the Ford V8s were initally replaced with 2 x 4 cyl Ford Diesels, when she was lengthened & these have later still been replaced with 2 x 6 cyl Ford Diesels. The last heard of about a year ago, she was living in the Sounds at the top of the South Island looking lovely.

Rakanoa

Image

21

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

RAKANOA
Story & b/w photos from Ken Ricketts (colour photo ex Russell Ward)
She was built by Shipbuilders Ltd in 1946. A magnificent 56 ft example of artisans work, in both design & build.
She is 3 skins Kauri, is enourmously strong, will last forever, & had the very best of everything that money could buy used, when she was created. She is still kept in beautiful condition at Gulf Habour.
There is no doubt in my view, she is an important part of a real dynasty, & one of the very few boats that have been in the same family from new, for that huge length of time. She was “modernised, in the 60s, & there were moderate combings alterations done in the cockpit area. She is shown on launching day &  pic I took at North Harbour Ponui Labour weekend  in 1948
She was orignally powered by a 671 Gray marine diesel, for one year, then replaced it with a 250 hp Herecules Diesel in 1947, she had this until 1981, when her present Gardiner 6L3 diesel was fitted.
Indeed a vey important part of NZs maritime heritage

NOTE: This posting has been edited on the request of the owner (the late) R Parker, the information supplied by K Ricketts was obtained without the owners knowledge or approval that it would be published in the public domain.

09-04-2016 – photo taken at Gulf Harbour (April 2016) by Ken R.

RAKANOA at GH 3.4.15

Dec 2016 Hauled out at Gulf Harbour – photos ex Ken Ricketts

21-09-2019 Update
Photo below sent to me by John Parker, the ‘great nephew of Ross Parker. It was ex the estate of his late father Wallace Parker.
Rakanoa
 

Lillian

Image

2
LILLIAN
Built c.1948 , originally named Lillian A,  a previous owner has dropped off the “A”.  She was owned for many years at Sandspit by an Ahuroa farmer called Peterson & had a fairly chequered life, having sunk at her moorings once because of the failure of some fitting. Lillian had a Kermath petrol engine later up to the 70s or 80s replaced by a Ford Diesel. Like so many her age, Lillian has had a lot of alterations through the years, she is however looking very lovely & a credit to her current owners.

Marline

Image

5

Marline

MARLINE

Built for Leon Warne, Ken Ricketts took this photo her 1st weekend in the water in North Harbour, Ponui Island, c.1948 –
Possibly she had a Kermath Petrol engine & the owner was intending to use her for game fishing. No idea where she is now so any updated info much appreciated

Update from Ian Miller

I think this is the “Marline” that operated out of Tauranga for many years as a charter game fishing boat. She was owned by Peter Brasting (I think I have spelt that correctly) and for one summer season in the 1960’s he operated on charter out of Gisborne Harbour. Murray Upton, another member of the Gisborne Yacht Club, and I helped Peter bring her from Tauranga to Gisborne that year. I have lost track of her since her return to Tauranga at the end of that season, and from time to time have wondered about her whereabouts as well. My wife and I now own “Alpheus” , and are members of CYA.

Ngapuhi

Image

Reply

Ngapuhi

NGAPUHI – Owned & built by Allan Williams, manager of Shipbuilders Ltd. at the time, in 1946 or thereabouts. Possibly had a Kermath petrol engine.
Photo taken by Ken Ricketts in Schoolhouse Bay Kawau Island Christmas 1948
Any more info would be appreciated.

Mistral

Image

7

Mistral

MISTRAL

Motor sailer owned by Barney Bensky of Barnett Barnett major furniture retailers of the day, in Dominion Rd Mt Roskill, built late 1930s or early 40s. He had her in the later 1940s & 50s. She had a Graymarine 4 cyl petrol engine originally. Not sure of builder, or what has happened to her in recent years.
Ken Ricketts who took the photo is interested if someone could bring him up to date.

MISTRAL -- AS AT 1.11.13 -- 2 MISTRAL AS AT 1.11.13 -- 1