Category Archives: Non Waitemata

El Alamein

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EL ALAMEIN

The above photos of El Alamein (now named Ranui) show her c.1956 when she was in commercial charter on Lake Taupo. (photos ex Google ex Karen Moren via Ken Ricketts)
Some history below from the Ranui website

Formerly known as El Alamein, the ‘great dame’ of Taupo charter boats started her sailing career on Lake Rotorua after World War II.

Ranui was launched as El Alamein on 29 January 1945 for use by patients of the Rotorua Convalescent Hospital after the Second World War.

Named after that part of the Middle East where New Zealand servicemen distinguished themselves in action, the 32-foot kauri cabin launch was donated to the convalescent depot by the Patriotic Fund: Joint Council of the Red Cross and St John. Specially designed for use on Lake Rotorua and for passage through the Ohau Channel to Rotoiti, she was built by McGeady and was capable of seating up to 40 passengers.

For the first 4 years of her life Ranui was an open boat, with a small cabin and bunk room up forward captained by William J. Pollock. She was a familiar sight, often carrying up to 40 convalescing soldiers, many in wheelchairs, on Lake Rotorua excursions as part of their rehabilitation. She played a big part in easing the soldiers back into civilian life.

Ranui was sold in August 1949 as the numbers of ex-service patients dropped and maintenance costs rose. She was trucked to Lake Taupo on 24 August 1949 and purchased by Ron Martin – the money from the sale was returned to the Patriotic Fund Board.

Two years later one of Taupo’s old-time residents, Noel East, put on a full cabin and was first to have Ranui surveyed.

The next owner was from Hawke’s Bay and used her privately before selling her to one of Taupo’s most familiar commercial boat operators – Jim Storey. He had Ranui surveyed and used her commercially for many years, taking visitors out on Lake Taupo tours for fishing and sightseeing.

In 1980 Ranui was purchased by Graham Twiss and he continued taking visitors out on Lake Taupo tours and fishing for a further 34 years.

Ranui has recently been refurbished by her present owners, Sarah & Jamie Looner & again is operating as a charter boat on Lake Taupo. Click link below to view photos of her today.

El Alamein / Ranui

Lady Pat

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LADY PAT

Built by the Lane Motor Boat Co. – Lady Pat measures 30’9”  x 9’ x 2’9”. Older photos & more details can be viewed here: https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/06/27/lady-pat-2/

Her owner Philip Simpson has just finished giving her some TLC at the Mana Marina, Philip had the help  of boat builder Maurice Dickie with the specialist.
Still to be added is the spray dodger.

09-12-2018 Input from – past owner Peter King (Motueka)

“These few words just to add my pennyworth to your historical records of dear old Lady Pat.  I”m 84 now and  miss her terribly still. Her photo along with mine will be on my funeral program.

I Peter King purchased Lady Pat from Tim Reilly in 9/95 and spent many very happy years cruising, fishing and overnight on moorings in Queen Charlott but  mainly  in Pelorous until the boat was sold in 7/2008 because I had lost my crew and also could not afford the overall cost any longer.    I never recorded those 13 years in a log.  However I do have a v ery interesting one written by a man called A.J. Bradshaw who purchased Lady Pat in Whangarei in November 1970 and sailed her down to  Tuna Bay with Abbie King-Turner as crew.  The boat  was later sold when Bradshaw died  in January 1980 .. In 2000  I had a meeting at sea with a man in a small boat who recognised Lady Pat and he turned out to be Bradshaw”s son.  After some later correspondence between us the son sent me his late fathers remaining. boat records but including  only 3/4 photos

Best of luck putting all the historical pieces  together  I would dearly like to see the end result some day…. Kind regards Peter King”

Wairangi

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WAIRANGI

I was sent the above photos of the 35′ launch Wairangi by Annette Evans, Wairangi belonged to her late father & Annette is about to undertake a restoration project. Before commencing work Annette is keen to see if ww can shed any light on the boat. They are keen to find out more on her original design, so any help identifying her original design or past owners would be greatly appreciated.

The boat now resides in Marlborough but it originally came from Dunedin and was known to the area as a pleasure launch in the Otago Harbour area before and immediately after World War II.
It’s believed that she was originally built in Auckland in 1932. It was owned in the mid > late 1950’s by a Mr W McCulloch (potentially well known in Otago), then it was transported by rail to Blenheim in aprox 1961, it belonged to a Mr R Foster of Dunedin.

The photos show her being prepped for her 1961 rail journey from Dunedin to Blenheim.

The 2016 Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition wrapped up yesterday with the legendary beers & bangers 🙂


Over the weekend I read Harold Kidd & Robin Elliott’s booklet – ‘The Mullet Boat -A NZ Yachting Icon’, produced for the exhibition, it really is special. Grab a copy from Boat Books in Westhaven.

AK2177 – Sailing Sunday

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AK2177 – Sailing Sunday

The first photo above is one of my favorites, its from the Tudor Collins Auckland Museum collection & the location is possible Russell in the Bay of Islands. Emailed to me by Ken Ricketts.
Can we put a name to her & possibly some history ?

Remember the Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition is on today – details below.

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Harold Kidd Input

It would be good to get the place established and we could work back from that by matching known boats in the vicinity. The time period is 1928-1935 when registered fishing boats were issued with four figure numbers. I haven’t been able to find out why this occurred but it lasted only until c1935 when all boats were renumbered starting from (probably) 1 in each port.
All the registers have disappeared bar a couple, Mangonui (MGN) is the only one I’ve been able to get at the National Archives. Most were burnt in a Wellington archive fire. A pity because they contained an enormous amount of info on each boat and owner.
So you have to painstakingly build up a new register from evidence such as this. Tudor Collins probably photographed this scene for a newspaper where it may appear with a caption such as “the opening of the duck shooting season in the Far North”.
The boat is clearly a 24ft mullet boat of the working type,; it is important to find out her name to fill another blank in the fishing boat register.
Any clues out there?

p.s. the boat’s number is AK2177, an Auckland registration, which rather rules out a Far North site. Maybe just off George and Pam’s yard and workshop at Whangateau? That was Collins’ home patch anyway.

p.p.s. Pam Cundy has asked around the Leigh/Matakana area and the consensus is that it’s Whangateau all right. A strong possibility is that the mullet boat is IDAHO owned by Huru Ashton, according to his nephew W. Finnigan-Douglas. IDAHO was altered by Harvey & Lang in 1914 so there’s a strong chance they built her.

Dauntless AK2233

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Dauntless AK2233

The above photos of Dauntless are from the Tudor Collins, Auckland Museum collection, emailed to me by Ken Ricketts.
Can any of the woodys provide more details on Dauntless & also the photo location, if my life depended on it, I would guess Whangaroa, but I have been wrong before 🙂

Interesting the passengers on board, not really looking like a day out fishing, maybe they were heading out to meet / greet a bigger vessel ?

Harold Kidd Input

There have been a lot of launches called DAUNTLESS over the years. This one bears a 4 figure Auckland fishing boat registration number of the type issued in the early 1930s but phased out by about 1935, so the date of the pic is around that period.
This is the DAUNTLESS that was game fishing out of Whitianga and Tauranga between 1927 and 1945 at least, run by Steedman and Chadban. I had always thought that this DAUNTLESS was the one built by Bailey & Lowe in 1911 for E. W. Morrison of Auckland, a standard Bailey & Lowe 35 footer like PRINCESS etc but these pics show a sloping transom that is quite unlike a B&L product. Maybe the stern was extended for gamefishing and maybe this is the DAUNTLESS that finished up at the Maritime Restoration School at Opua with the stern chopped off to a 32 footer?
Maybe it was chopped because the extension failed?
I’ve never been sure where this boat came from or went to, but Baden or Brian Worthington should know.

PS Maybe Charlie Millett did the stern extension? It’s the sort of thing he did during the winters in Tauranga.

05-10-2016 Paul Drake Input

Pics below showing DAUNTLESS at Taupo. She is the moored boat in the foreground in the first photo.

In the second photo, she appears on the extreme left, and the tumblehome is evident.

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11-02-2017– Photo below ex Baden Pascoe

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Rover

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ROVER

The above photo of Rover was sent in by Frits Schouten & shows her on a swing mooring between English Bay and ‘Doug’s’ boatyard in Opua, Bay of Islands.
Can anyone tell us more about her ? There is nice hull hiding under those sheets of marine ply 😉

More background here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/07/25/around-the-yards-karanga-kiwitea-rover/

Paihia Wharf Launch Hire

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Korora

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Moana (middle)

Paihia Wharf Launch Hire

Photo above of the shed on the wharf at Paihia advertising the various boat rides available, most likely taken in the early > mid 1940’s.
The signs lists Korora, Aroha, Moana for hire. I have photos of Korora & Moana – do not have one of Aroha – any woodys able to help out & also confirm the correct boats/photos?
Photo ex A Turnbull Library

Diablo- Auckland’s next waterfront apartment

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DIABLO – Auckland’s next waterfront apartment

With the average Auckland house price around $1 million the above 41′ Gladden designed/built trawler style launch would be an extremely affordable alternative. Sure with the 1978 build date its not a classic but with her d/d kauri (glassed) hull, its a woody a heart. Powered by a 120hp diesel, 6 berths & extremely well fitted out + all the fruit you would expect on a Marlbourough Sounds boat e.g. a heater. She is for sale on trademe, asking price $165,000 but in today’s market – who knows?
So woodys – sell the villa, buy a beach house somewhere & use Diablo as your Auckland base.

Woody Nelson Trip

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Nelson Woody Trip

Woody John Sankey sent me the above photos from his early September Nelson visit.
The first photo shows the double-ender Trade Wind & Manana stern on – both very smart, small ships.

The other vessel is Eclipse, we are light on info but do know that she was built by James McFerson in Dunedin in 1907.
Current owner got her off a deceased estate & believes she may have been owned by a Ronny Kingston.
The owner had her out of the water 4 years ago and spent $7k on some new planking.
Apparently always been a cabin boat.  A little overdue for a bottom clean 🙂

Any woodys able to expand on what we know about Eclipse?

Harold Kidd Input
There was a Dunedin ECLIPSE in 1907, probably built by Knewstubb. This one was built in November 1922 by James McPherson at Dunedin for W. Webber of Ravensbourne. There was another ECLIPSE in Picton and Blenheim around 1910 owned by Palamountain (10hp Kapai engine) and another on the Kaipara and Wellington. The Wellington and Picton boat were probably the same.

PS I confirm that this ECLIPSE was owned at Lyttelton in 1953 by E.E. Coombes and in 1973 by R.J. Kingston.

A Call For Help

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HAUITI – 1929

A Call For Help

I was recently contacted by John Ellingham, a kiwi now residing in country Western Australia. Johns inquiry centered on two little ships (Iranui & Hauiti) that were built in Auckland in the early 1900’s. Johns interest is mainly on Hauiti, because of a family link. This Grand father Alf Hassall was a shareholder in this vessel with Faulkners and was killed aboard her off Whakatane in 1931.
John has researched as many avenues as he can but I would like the gaps filled.
Any photos of the Hauiti / Manurere / Morocotcha / Three Kings would be appreciated.

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HAUITI – 1929

HAUITI / MANURERE / MOROCOTCHA / THREE KINGS

Built 1906, possibly by Logan Bros, for  either the Tolaga Bay Lightering Co., Gisborne Sheep Farmers Company or Messer’s Glover Lockwood and Holder.

Length 47.75′ x 11.75′ x 3.66′ with a 21.32 Gross Tonnage / 5.92 Reg Tonnage. Originally Powered by two Standard Frisco petrol engines each 24 BHP. Used as lighter for transporting wool bales to vessels anchored off shore. Sister ship to “Iranui”

Sold in 1929, according to reports by the Gisborne Sheep Farmer’s Company Ltd to Barley & George Falkner and Albert Edward Hassall of Tauranga -‘Mount Ferry Co’ & renamed – Manurere. Converted from cargo vessel to passenger. Only made one trip found unsuitable. Converted to (a) Seine boat. (b) Trawler depending on which report you believe. Re engined with twin Gardner Diesels.

First registered 1932 – ID 153993 – 13/1932 – 06/12/1932  Port of Auckland (IR). Registered to Esther May Hassall (John Ellingham’s Grand Mother, John’s  Grand Father was killed on board Manurere off Whakatane on 29/03/31, dragged into winch by coat tails).

Sold again in 1933 to Mrs Bertha Robinson Auckland & renamed Morocotcha. Possible engine change 03/01/1934

Sold again in 1937 to McFarlanes Fisheries  (mussel / oyster farmers ) & renamed Three Kings. Reg  AK 516    06/03/1937

Registry closed 17/05/1948 – Believed to have foundered in Firth Thames with wreck located 15/12/62. Salvaged by Bert Subritzky 16>30 December 1962. Engines salvaged, hull scrapped.

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IRANUI

IRANUI

Built  1900 possibly by Logan Bros, Auckland for a Mr Glover of Tolago Bay. Delivered to Tolago Bay as deck cargo aboard “Flora” 23 October 1900. Records also show the ownership as Glover Lockwood and Holder. Later articles refer to “Iranui” being owned by the Gisborne Sheep Farmers Company. The full title of this company was Gisborne Sheep farmers Frozen meat and Mercantile Co who had a store in Tolaga Bay.

Her use was as a Wool Lighter and Towing. Mainly out from the Uawa River to larger vessels anchored off shore. She measured 42 ft O/A – 10ft beam – Draft 2ft 3 inches aft  Carried 10 – 15 tons cargo under hatches. Power came from a 10hp Union Oil engine ( Supplied by Messers Ryan & Co)

The last known reference to “Iranui” is in 1918 (Papers Past Poverty Bay Herald 6 May 1918) where it is reported that she had been slipped at Gisborne and was returning to Tolago Bay.

NOTE: This “Iranui”  is not to be confused with the vessel “Settler” wrecked at Tairua. Confusion arises via the article ex NZ Museums web site reference Kelvin engine gifted by David James Mays Mason with comment by Daniel Hicks “MV Settler was ex “Iranui ex “SS Settler“ build 1905 by C. Bailey Jnr Auckland.