Category Archives: Events

Ramona

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RAMONA
story & photos ex Harold Kidd
The photos above show the 25 footer RAMONA racing with the NZPBA in 1928 and in 1931. She usually raced in the “Cruisers, over 12 knots” races.
She was built by S. Granros of Ponsonby in September 1928 for F. J. Fawcett of Mount St. John.
Unsure what power she had, but it was obviously more than adequate.
Fawcett cruised and raced her until November 1933 when he sold her to Hans Molgaard of Tauranga who still had her in 1936. I don’t know her subsequent history, probably a name change as the popular song “Ramona” from the 1928 film of the same name became somewhat passé.
Her builder, Sam Granros was a Finn who came to NZ in 1904. He built a lot of speedboats and launches in St. Mary’s Bay and at 12 Hackett Street, Ponsonby, for example, HILMA, NURMI, ALMA, RAMONA, RAMONA JR. (1930), CYGNET I, II and III, ESTHER, MISS PONSONBY, all go fast outfits. NURMI was a 1926 20ft 6in speedboat with a 120hp Hall-Scott, although she was originally going to be fitted with a 6 cylinder Napier car engine which would have been pretty heavy.
Sam later moved to Oneroa and died in 1946.

NZPBA Championship 1929

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NZPBA championship races of 1929 on the Whau River (upper harbour)

The small speedboat in photo1 is OP-IT. She was built by Jack Brooke in late 1928,.and according to Harold Kidd & the Brooke family, that’s probably Jack racing her in the C Class outboard race)

Update from Harold Kidd

Photo 1 is certainly of Jack Brooke and his C Class (20 cu in) outbioard racer ‘OP IT which he designed and built himself. 
Photo 2 is MISS CLEVEDON (S2) and SPOT II (S15). MISS CLEVEDON was built and raced by T M Roberts and was one of the fastest in the over 20 knots category. I don’t know what power she had. Roberts also raced an outboard MISS CLEVEDON which had a 10hp Dunelt 249cc. Dunelt were upper quality English motorcycle manufacturers of the time who were trying to beat the Depression by getting into the outboard racing craze sweeping the world. SPOT II was a single step hydroplane built and raced by Alf Williams of Ponsonby. She had a “high-speed” Rugby 4 cylinder car engine, a favourite for marine use. The Rugby was built by the Durant Corporation and was the Star car rebadged for British Empire markets as there already was a fine English Star car, built in Wolverhampton and very like the contemporary Sunbeam. 
Photo 3 is HOBO (S3) which was built and raced by R. Mouat. She had a 6 cylinder Buick engine with which she won 2nd place in the Masport Cup in January 1929 at Wanganui. She was a crib of the American MARGARET III type.

Update from Colin Orum 30/03/2014

Photo 2 above is a photo of my grandfather Tom Roberts driving boat Miss Clevedon. I have heard quite a lot about his speedboat escapades from Mum now 88 and it was mentioned today. I thought to inquire if any information photos etc. were available. I was quite friendly with an old bloke at Waiheke named George Rose who(as a boy) new Tom quite well and used to tell me stories about his time with the racing boats. George said the power in Miss Clevedon was a Beardmore aero engine. Today Mum said the last she can remember is that Tom was taking Miss Clevedon on a practise run on the Clevedon river, struck a submerged log and sank, we assumed that it was recovered but unsure what happened after that. My brother has a cup trophy for Tom for Auckland speed boat champion around 1929-30.

My Girl – about time we had some older wood posted

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Harold – can you help ID this launch – thx

Harold Kidd Update

That’s the lovely MY GIRL, built by Dick Lang in late 1925 for C.B. “Tui” Waldron of the Wade who commuted with her. The square-bilge design was based on one by W.H. Hand. She was fitted with a 6 cylinder 100hp Scripps that pushed her along at over 18 knots. Waldron later took her to Whangarei and she was in NAPS as Z32 out of Whangarei in WW2. She survived at Te Atatu as recently as 2001 owned by Trevor Davies.

Help needed to ID launch

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Help needed to ID launch

A real mixed bag of vessels here. Must have been a regatta or speed boat racing.

Of interest to waitematawoodys is the fine looking launch in the centre with the canoe stern. Can anyone help ID her?

Harold Kidd Update:
There are numerous candidates for the canoe – sterned launch. I will work on ID-ing  her. It’s unusual to have a combination of a raised forward deck, a clerestory, a dodger and a canoe stern on a launch of what…36 feet? In the meantime, some possibilities are RONOMOR, HAZEL, WAHAROA, ROMA and DIXIE.
The little outboard racer is FLEETUN built by Collings & Bell in November 1928. That’s probably Charlie Collings handling her.
 
What I can advice is –
1.       It’s a NZPBA event
2.       It’s on the Whau River
3.       It’s some time after March 1928 and before they moved these races to the Panmure Basin in January 1930.

 

Centennial Rudder Cup Winner

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CENTENNIAL RUDDER CUP
Raindance the floating head office for waitematawoodys picked up another shiny thing at the CYA prize giving last night. Will sit nicely alongside the Motor Launch Trophy won last year.
This year Raindance collected the Centennial Rudder Cup, the trophy donated by Pauline & Harold Kidd to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Rudder Cup Race, one of the most significant events in our motor launch history.
Special mention should be made to my boat boy Simon Yates.

Dunkirk revisited ………..

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Dunkirk revisited ...........

Another great photo showing part of the CYA launch fleet on-route to the Riverhead Hotel. Thats my ‘Raindance’ at the front.
Photo supplied by Shane Anderson (Waimiga) from a friends camera on the cliff.

CYA Riverhead Launch Cruise – Parade of 26 Classic Boats

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CYA Riverhead Launch Cruise – Parade of Boats

Thanks to the camera skills of Jason Prew on Whistleblower, we have a ‘drive-by’ of the fleet off Lucas Creek on-route to the Riverhead Hotel.