Bill’s Boat – this story needs a happy ending
Over fifty years ago I regularly helped a friend in Gisborne who was building a Tahiti ketch.
He was a most fastidious person and stories associated with his obtaining a
kauri tree in Coromandel, shipping the trunk to Gisborne where he milled it
into ten metre long planks, and then going about construction are legendary.
When it was fully planked, bulkheaded, decks and cabin tops fitted, along
with lead keel, Bill had to vacate the premises he was working in. He bought
an industrial property, built a workshop and accommodation on it, and
shifted the boat there as well.
At that stage Bill had other distractions and covered the boat hull under a
corrugated iron roof at the back of the property, and never did any
more work on it.
He recently passed away at a ripe old age and his Executors have asked me to
assist with its disposal in view of my knowledge of its history and
background.
I have recently inspected the boat closely and can confirm it is in the same
perfect condition it was in when I helped Bill move it fifty years ago
(albeit suffering from a thick layer of dust and cobwebs which have accumulated
over that time)
It was primed with a coat of red lead primer, inside and out , prior to
moving. The boat was well caulked and there appears to have been absolutely
no movement in any of the planks since, and I suspect if dropped in the
water today, the hull would barely leak a drop.
In its current storage situation it is impossible to photograph it properly
but I have done what I can to illustrate aspects of its construction. The photo on the trailer was taken during its removal about fifty years ago.
Many of these boats were built worldwide, and Googling “Tahiti ketch”
accesses a huge amount of information on them. They are not every
yachtsman’s cup of tea, but for someone with a taste for classic
yachts, and the ability to complete the fit out, acquiring this boat could be
a dream come true.
Ian Miller
09 4250952
