Category Archives: 1950’s

Tangaroa (Seaway)

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TANGAROA @ GH 26.4.16-9

TANGAROA (Seaway)
details ex Bill Burrill, photos ex Ken Rickets

According to Bill Burrill, Seaway was built in 1953 for Fred Brake, of Riverview Rd, Panmure, by the Lane Motor Boat Company, for whom, Fred, worked for about 8 years & which was right next door to his family home. Fred was also the harbour master for Panmure, in that era, & kept Seaway at the bottom of his garden on a pile mooring & slipped her on a railed electric slipway that he built on his property.
Fred B sold her to a Mr Gray who owned the station at Man o war bay Waiheke (which he later sold to the Spencers) in approx. 1955. He died in 1959 & Max Burrill bought her through the Guardian Trust, off the estate in 1959. He changed her name to from Seaway to Tangaroa upon purchase. Max Burrill died in 1984 &  Bill Burrill, his son, bought her off his mother. Bill sold her this year (2016) to Allen Heatley.
She was moored at Pine Harbour but is now berthed at Fairway Bay, Gulf Harbour. The Heatleys intend to live aboard for the next 12 months whilst they build a property in the area.

She was originally powered by a P6 Perkins diesel when built which was replaced around 1960 with a 6-305 6 cyl. Perkins diesel & 5 years later this was also replaced with a horizontal 6-354 Perkins diesel, to fit under the floor, thereby giving more cabin room. The 6-354 died in 2000 & Bill  replaced it with a 100hp 4 cyl. Yanmar turbo diesel, which she still has today.

05-09-2018 Update – Interior photos below ex trademe via Ian MacDonald

Update 21-09-2021 Photos added

Margaret Joy

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Margaret Joy MYSTERY LAUNCH 02-04-2016
photo ex Robin Elliott

Today’s photo is another that Robin has sent me from a collection of photos from the Whangarei Cruising Club Collection, as far as Robin knows, all are from the 1940’s early 1950’s & and were taken by Palmer Photography in Whangarei (1910-1999). Most by the late Graeme Palmer and possibly some older ones by his father.
The distinctive placement of the porthole window on the cabin sides might help ID her, she also appears to have a good turn of speed.

The Woollacott website http://www.woollacott.org.nz/ lists both a Ghost & a Wolf, the images of Ghost appear to be a smaller vessel. No photos of Wolf.

So woodys who can ID this one? The boat was ID’ed by Nathan Herbert as Margaret Joy

Mondays ww post will be a  trip report from James Dreyer (Laughing Lady) on the Palm Beach International Boat Show, in James words “I have kept the focus on wooden or partially wooden craft, with a little American excess and muscle thrown in for good measure.” – Make sure you check it out.

Miss Vauxhall

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Miss Vauxhall

MISS VAUXHALL
photo ex Robin Elliott

Todays photo of the woody runabout, Miss Vauxhall, is from Robin’s collection of photos from the Whangarei Cruising Club Collection, as far as Robin knows, all are from the 1940’s early 1950’s & and were taken by Palmer Photography in Whangarei (1910-1999). Most by the late Graeme Palmer and possibly some older ones by his father.

While the boy at the helm is deep in concentration he no doubt is having the time of his life. Can any woodys ID the design of the boat & even better whose the skipper ?

16-01-2017 Harold Kidd Input

I’ve just come across an article in Sea Spray  (below) on Dick Hartley in which he discusses, most lucidly, the evolution of his designs. There is the same pic of MISS VAUXHALL as well as her sections, pointing out that he could just as well built her in ply in 1947.

 

16-08-2020 UPDATE ex Peter Morgan – HDK was correct the boat is a Hartley. Peter M has commented that his father – Jack Morgan, of Paine Bros (North Auckland) Ltd, General Motors dealers in Whangarei, in 1947 asked Richard Hartley, then a young (b. 1920) boat builder in the town, to design and build Miss Vauxhall. She was powered with New Zealand’s only Mercury 25-hp Thunderbolt in-line 4-cyl. 40 cu.in. outboard. Paine Bros stocked and sold Sea Craft clinker dinghies and Mercury outboards. In the above top photo the young skipper is Roger Morgan, aged 11. In the photo below (very low res), supplied by Peter M, taken in the early 1950’s at Russell in front of the Duke of Marlborough Hotel. Jack Morgan is standing in Miss Vauxhall, while son Roger is holding the transom. Miss Vauxhall had a top speed of 27 mph (23.4 knots), measured by timing between the ends of the Paihia and Russell wharves and measuring the distance off a hydrographic chart of the area. Miss Vauxhall could pull water skiers up from a deep-water start on a single ski.

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Mystery Launch 24-03-2016

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MYSTERY LAUNCH 24-03-2016
photo ex Robin Elliott

Another mystery launch from Robin’s collection of photos from the Whangarei Cruising Club Collection, as far as Robin knows, all are from the 1940’s early 1950’s & and were taken by Palmer Photography in Whangarei (1910-1999). Most by the late Graeme Palmer and possibly some older ones by his father.

So woodys who can ID this one?

Reproduction of advertisement below ex Robin Elliott

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Sirius

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SIRIUS - 1

SIRIUS
info ex Les Sharman via Ken Ricketts

Sirius was built by Owen Woolley in 1956. She is 32′ long & is powered by a 4 cyl Ford diesel, which owner Les says is 90 hp.
Les bought Sirius in 1999 off a retired car dealer called Fraser Chapman. She was moored in Thames at that time.

Les spoke to Owen Woolley before he died, when he lived in the  Warkworth area &  Owen told him she was the first boat he built, after he completed his apprenticeship & she was built at Panmure. Sirius is berthed at Gulf Harbour

Any of the woodys able to supply more info on her earlier days?

Harold Kidd input

According to APYMBA records this SIRIUS was built by Owen Woolley in 1956 with dimensions 32’x29’8″x10’4″x2’9″ and had a 52hp Fordson diesel. Her owners in the period 1960-73 were G.D.B. & J.M. Chambers of Hinemoa St., Birkenhead. There seems to have been another SIRIUS in 1957 owned by D.H. McMillan of Lunn Ave., Mt Wellington, with a different registered number but it could be the same boat, I suppose.

Off Gt. Barrier 2003

SIRIUS OFF GREAT BARRIER 2003

17-04-2016 photos c.1990’s, ex past owner Fraser Chapman via Ken Ricketts

The rebirth of Juanita

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The Rebirth of JUANITA
photos Greg Lees & Alan H

Yesterday I was privileged to be asked by Greg Lees to attend the re-launch of the 32′ classic launch Juanita, a 1951 Allan Williams (Milford Creek) built beauty that has  just spent the last 4 months in the Lees Boatbuilder shed at Sandspit. In Greg’s words she was in for a ‘refresh & to bring her back to her original appearance’ – well Mr Lees, I do not think she has ever looked this good before so you have exceeded the brief, but we have come to expect that from the yard. Greg commented that Juanita’s new owners (Nick & Anna Davidson) contribution to the work was huge, every weekend for the 4 month period.

Juanita has had a busy life having called numerious places home – Auckland, Whangarei, Lake Taupo, Whitianga & now Sandspit.

Juanita’s past has been well documented on ww – some links below for details & photos

Juanita

Juanita

I took the photo of her below late last year, moored off Greg’s wharf looking very sad & tired as she awaited her turn in the shed. Arohanui was in-residence at the time mid restoration. One of the reasons Nick chose the Lees yard was the long association the yard & Greg personally has had with Juanita, in fact Greg told me that he once got very close to adding a flybridge to her, luckily that never happened 🙂

Again I’m so pleased to see so many of our classic launches being returned to their finery – so woodys who’s next in the shed?

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Took the opportunity to have a  peek at Karros hauled out & chat to Dave Jackson, with a 14′ beam she is a rather pretty big bottomed old girl 🙂

Mystery Launch 19-03-2016

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MYSTERY LAUNCH 19-03-2016
photo & details ex Robin Elliott

The above photo is another ex Robin Elliott’s Whangarei Cruising Club collection. Photo most likely from the 1940’s > early 1950’s period and taken by Palmer Photography in Whangarei (1910-1999). Most by the late Graeme Palmer and possibly some older ones by his father.

With the swordfish graphic on her bow she has a slightly familiar look to her but my memory bank isn’t sparking today, so woodys – anyone able to ID her & the two vessels in the background? The #38 might help – race?, fishing comp?.

Mystery Launch 16-03-2016

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MYSTERY LAUNCH 16-03-2016
photo & details ex Robin Elliott

Another photo sent in by Robin ex the Whangarei Cruising Club collection. Photo most likely  from the 1940’s >  early 1950’s period and taken by Palmer Photography in Whangarei (1910-1999). Most by the late Graeme Palmer and possibly some older ones by his father.
In the photo the crane was from ‘S.G. Bignall, Ph 2802, Whangarei’,  also the gent holding the stern line has only one arm (no left arm) so maybe that helps in ID’ing the launch?

A little bonus viewing today – check out the latest (March-April) on-line addition of the USA ‘Classic Yacht’ magazine. Lots of great motorboat & yachts featured in this issue – link below

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/ClassicYacht/classic-yacht-march-april-2016/2016030901/

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Rongotai

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RONGOTAI – Mystery Launch 09-03-2016
photo ex Robin Elliott

The answer is Rongatai – details in the Comments Section

Long over due for a serious mystery launch post. Robin has sent me a collection of photos from the Whangarei Cruising Club Collection, as far as Robin knows, all are from the 1940’s early 1950’s & and were taken by Palmer Photography in Whangarei (1910-1999). Most by the late Graeme Palmer and possibly some older ones by his father.

So woodys who can ID this one? I’ll give a Lake Rotoiti Wooden Boat Parade 2016 Calendar to the first correct answer, backed up with some form of proof & for the record neither Robin or myself know anything about the launch.

Note: Ken R – you only get one attempt, you can’t blast out 5 names & expect to win if one of them is correct 😉

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