IDA MAE (Playmate)
photos ex Peter Sample (owner for 25 yrs)

Following on from the post on Playmate 2 days ago, above are photos of the launch when she was Ida Mae.
The black and whites photos are from Ted Swales, the original owners son. He thinks they were taken in 1942 just before she was sold to the Air Force.
The later, colour one is at Owhiti Bay Waiheke in 2006.

Harold Kidd Info
She was built by Sam Ford in 1936 for Roy Swales of Epsom. Her original engine was a 2 cylinder National 20hp diesel, later replaced with a Fairbanks Morse while in RNZAF service. Harold suspects she went to Nelson after she was sold off by the RNZAF.

Click link to view photos of her during the war in Fiji https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/09/02/playmate-ida-mae/

Recent photo (Kerikeri) ex Nathan Herbert

Update from Peter Sample (former owner)

I owned Ida Mae from 1982 to 2007.  I had known Ted Swales, the original owners son, for a few years beforehand and when he found we had just bought a Sam Ford launch,named Ida Mae he told me about the one his family owned when he was a boy, named Playmate.
He told me that the RNZAF had purchased her in 1942 for service in Fiji and as far as he knew she had never come back.
He showed me photos of her in Whakataka Bay.
A couple of years later when I was burning multiple layers of paint from the hull I came across the old wartime registration number scribed in the timber. Something about that number rang a bell so I got in touch with Ted and asked him what the number was on their Sam Ford  launch. He told me number 414.  I said to him we have her in my back yard.
He was rather speechless for a while and within a couple of days was at my place sitting inside.
He confirmed evidence in the hull that she had been twin screw.for a while. She had originally been launched with a single Ailsa Craig engine which was far too small. This was shifted over and a second Ailsa Craig fitted. It was plain to see where the shafts had been as the cut ribs still existed where the shafts went through the hull and the replacement pieces of planking of a couple of feet long where the shaft logs had been. I later replaced the ribs along with many others but the twin shaft evidence still exists.Ted said she was fitted with a single Fairbanks Morse when the RNZAF had her but I do not remember if this was done by the Swales or not.
Whenever Ted was on board he always referred to her as Playmate.
The logs I had showed she was in Napier in 1970 probably in her original state. She had a 90hp 6 cyl BMC sealord in her at this time and was still in when I sold.
She made a few sailings up the coast to Tauranga while based at Napier for Big game fishing at Mayor Island and it made interesting reading in the log of the non stop voyage up the coast stopping at Gisborne for fuel.

Owners I am aware of
Wyness of Auckland who I think had Shipbuilders do the alterations in the early 70’s
Eric Boisen of Auckland up to about 1981
George Mabey of Coromandel
Peter and Liz Sample Westpark 1982 to 2007
Aksel and Susan Jepsen Kerikeri

09/03/2015 – Photo pre WW2 ex Ken Ricketts ex B Worthington

08-01-2016 photo of Playmate in Opito Bay, Kerikeri ex Baden Pascoe