Recently woody John Dawson sent me the above b/w photo of a game boat in an unusual pose – I have never seen the days catch displayed as above. Skipper can’t have had much respect for the paint job.
A few minutes on the WW Search box gave me a match – the craft is the 1958 Lane Motor Boat Co. built 42’ launch – MOANA, as seen in the 2nd photo.
CLASSIC EX WOODEN WORKBOAT – ZORA AK71 – A Peek Down Below
Earlier in the year Ian McDonald advised the 1936, 50’ Lidgard built ex workboat ZORA was looking for a new owner, at the time the asking price (350k) was a little steep given the market but it appears she sold. They all do, it’s only a matter of price.
ZORA last appeared on WW back in Aug 2018 , lots of photos and details from her past at this link https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/08/08/zora-a71-workboat-wednesday/
ZORA is a fine woody and appeared to be very well maintained and presented. What we learnt:
• Built in 1936 by Lidgard Bros as a Seine fishing boat
• 15.2m LOH x 4.45m beam x 1.8m draft
• Powered by a Gardner 6L3B 150hp, cruises at 8 knots
• Carvel planked, with some of that ’thick plastic’ coating applied 😦
• All the bells and whistles for extended cruising + 5000L fuel tank
Crazy day celebrating xmas in November – overseas family visiting, so just had to do it………….
So woodys when I saw late yesterday that Ian McDonald had sent in the photo that appears above, I was so happy. Was probably the closest I’ve been to missing posting a story.
So the photo is tagged “An unidentified motor launch on Lake Taupo”. William Barbour Beattie for NZ Herald, 1950. (Luck Lib Heritage Collections)
I’m expecting one of the Drake Brothers to ID her and possibly say they own or owned her 🙂
INPUT EX GREG PHILPOTT – OKATAINA – Built in 1938 by Sam Ford in 1938 for the Beamish-Whites at Lake Okataina. Sold in 1939 to the Government’s Internal Affairs Department who were looking for a boat to “serve their ranger work on Lake Taupo as well as on occasions carry distinguished guests”. They required a boat that “could handle rough weather and give fair speed”. Hence the official flag. Later owners on Lake Taupo included John Henry Kay and Peter Redwood. The boat ended up in Auckland in late 1989 / early 1990 in poor condition and then found her way to Thames where she remains today.
24-11-2025 INPUT EX PAUL DRAKE – We, the Drake Brothers, were quite besotted with OKATAINA when Peter Redwood owned her, and before we owned ROMANCE. In 1975, OKATAINA ‘s Chrysler Ace petrol engine ended up in ROMANCE. Legend has it that in 1939, at the start of WW2, OKATAINA was put in her float-in shed at the Taupo Boat Harbour and the door locked, not to be opened until 1945. She didn’t fare too well and required fairly expensive rot repairs, so it is said.
26-11-2025 INPUT EX PAUL DRAKE – Photo below of OKATAINA at Taupo (late 1960s) when the young Drake brothers were besotted with her. These days she has rather more structure (flying bridge) and is painted – white. But back then, she had class! To our young eyes, anyway.
Proof of the feast and the reason I was so unmotivated to punch the keyboard 🙂 And guess what, we will be doing it all again on Dec 25th 🙃
Several months ago todays woody photo popped up on Lew Redwoods fb feed and I filed it away and for got about it 😦
Fast forward to yesterday and I was dong a file search on the word PICTON and up popped the image.
Aside from being a rather good b/w photo – the interesting thing tome is the number of smallish classic wooden launches moored.
Its a long shot but anyone able to dare the photo and possibly ID any craft.
And while on the subject to old images, I was reading a copy of the NZ Classic Yacht Association – Oct 1996 newsletter. Even though it was called ’The New Zealand Classic Yacht Quarterly’ the handle bar moustached sailors back then hadn’t swallowed the Kool-aid and were happy using generic terms like OLD BOAT 🙂
From previous WW stories we learnt that KITTY VANE was launched in 1956, designed and built by T.C. (Ces) Watson, Laurie Going (father of Hugh Going) worked on her as well. She is named after Katherine (Kitty) Airini Vane, a famous artist from Northland.
She was based at Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers Club at Tutukaka for many years, under the ownership of the Going family.
Yesterday I was contacted by woody John Dawson who sent in todays photos from her past.
We have two questions :- # 1 Did KITTY VANE find a new owner and if so can we get an update on the project. # 2 Is the last photo from her launch day
Back in July 2018 we ran a story on the 1910 classic wooden launch – PONTIAC, at the time we generated an enormous amount of intel on the vessel – link belowJul 2018 – https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/07/09/pontiac/
Now thanks to Ian McDonald’s eagle eye spotting a tme listing we get a greater look at PONTIAC. What we have learnt is PONTIAC was built by McPhersons, Frederick St, Dunedin, for a publican in Pt Chalmers. She was originally named REREMOANA. Built of single skin carvel kauri, 33′ long and with a 8’3″ beam.The current engine is a BMC Commander 4 cylinder diesel that gets her along at8 knots.
Amazing only 2 owners in that last 90 year – one 30 years and the other 60 years.
Todays classic wooden launch – MARGARET ANNE has been a hidden gem on the WW site – lots of reference to her in other stories but we have not had a chance to do a deep dive.MARGARET ANNE started life in 1960 with the best possible pedigree – designed and built in Tauranga by the renowned boatbuilders – Oliver & Culpin (launch day photo below)As with so many of the O&G craft she started life as a big game fishing launch and plied her trade in the Bay of Plenty and later the Bay of Islands. In my experience the best looking craft caught the most and biggest fish, so MARGARET ANNE has an impressive log book recording her catches.
She fully retains her original aura, character and pedigree. At the same time, a careful integration of modern systems and technology ensures the very latest in comfort and safety.
Because MARGARET ANNE is finished without exterior brightwork (varnish), maintenance is both affordable and a breeze.
Some specs – 42’ when launched (now approx. 45’) she has a 12’6” beam and is constructed via carvel planking, and is powered by a Ford 135hp diesel engine.Sleeps 8 (2x double berth cabins) + exterior shower / head.
MARGARET ANNE is an elegant classic with pedigree and class, and yes she is for sale – after nearly 20 years of ownership her owner has asked the Wooden Boat Bureau to find her next custodian.
So, if you’re looking for an exceptionally well built and maintained classic launch with plenty of life left in her, MARGARET ANNE is it. Given the current market, her owner is very realistic with the price expectation. Genuine buyers only to initially contact myself at the email below for more details and to arrange a viewing. waitematawoodys@gmail.com
NOTE TO KEYBOARD LOOKERS – stick with trademe for your vicarious boats for sale entertainment MARGARET ANNE is presented ready for cruising this summer
Back in December 2020 we ran a story on the ex workboat – MARIAN, at the time it was for sale and sadly all we learnt was that MARIAN was built by Alf Saunders, is 50’ in length and powered by a 6LX 110hp Gardner. We had no interior photos but were told that the conversion from workboat to pleasure craft had begun.Link to that story here Dec 2020 https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/10/16/marian-ex-work-boat-conversion-project/
Now fast forward to last night and when I was searching the WW files I opened one and found another file included. It was labelled MARIAN. How this does happen occansionly , something gets saved to the wrong place – Ill blame a lack of sleep 🙂
So woodys I’m very embarrassed to admit that back in January (2025) IWW was contacted by Charmaine and Dallas Hands, who advised they had recently purchased MARIAN and were looking for more information on her. They commented that she has had a partial conversion to pleasure boat but is in need of extensive work after being abandoned. They also mentioned they had information that her correct name is MARION not MARIAN, since finding an old photo onboard, see below.
So woodys can we help with more intel on the vessel.
Last week WW was contacted by Sharron French who during a review of her parents photo album and came across a couple of photos of her Dad on a boat named TUWHARETOA at Lake Taupo. The date would have been in the early > mid 1950s.Sharron did a quick google search and up popped the WW site and an article mentioning a boat of this name.
Reviewing the WW stories, the first one from June 2014, there was speculation that TUWHARETOA in a previous life may have been named – DAWN, but at the time Harold Kidd commented “I reckon TUWHARETOA could have been a different launch because she was owned by Sam Crowther who advertised her for hire only from February to May 1923, although it may have been a brief change of name.”
Then in June 2020 in another mystery launch story Paul Drake identified the launch in that story as being named RHODESIA, HDK commented that there had been talk that RHODESIA may have been TUWHARETOA, Paul relied “The idea that RHODESIA became TUWHARETOA is very interesting and quite possible. I remember her in the 1950’s. She had a raised cabin, to the full width of the original cabin, which was very well done. To my eye, she was a looker.”
Well looking at todays top photo, the launch certainly is a looker.
So woodys – the question today, probablybest answered by Paul Drake is – does today’s launch photos answer any of the confusion re DAWN / RHODESIA / TUWHARETOA.
Input ex Paul Drake – According to the book ‘Boats of Taupo’, published by the Taupo Museum, RHODESIA did indeed become DAWN and then TUWHARETOA. These photos are really interesting and show TUWHARETOA possibly when under the ownership of Ralph Ward, who purchased her in 1939. Ralph had come to Taupo for his health in 1918, having been gassed (and having contracted tuberculosis) in WW1. With no petrol being available for pleasure boats during WW2, Ralph replaced the petrol hungry 6 cylinder Studebaker with a single cylinder San Francisco Standard salvaged from the local boatyard, and converted it to run on unrationed kerosene. Ralph was clearly a good keen man. The previously quick DAWN became the very slow TUWHARETOA, but meant that the Ward family could spend days in the Western Bays, without encountering another boat. Later, a twin cylinder version of the San Francisco Standard was installed. Also able to run on kerosene, this heavy beast meant that she could achieve ‘about 8 knots’. That is what it says in the book, but 8 knots is unlikely, in my view. Sold by Ward in the 1950’s, she remained at Taupo until the late 50’s or early 60’s and then disappeared – said to have gone to Napier for refurbishing. Someone must know more! Thanks to Sharron French for sharing the photos. They have made my day.
As a result of Wednesdays story Dean Wright pointed me in the direction of the photos you see today. Same name, now slightly different e.g its been sliced in two – now TAI MARINO.
What we have learnt is that she is 40’ in length, built c.1968 by Kingfisher Boats in Tauranga, originally for game fishing.Kauri carvel planked hull.
Currently powered by a 120hp Ford (Lees) engine that gives her a cruising speed of 8 knots.
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