Echo

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ECHO

details & hauled out photos ex Ken Ricketts, editing & on the water photos ex Alan H

Echo was built in 1935 in Onehunga by Coulthard & is an excellent example of an almost totally unspoiled original 32′ classic tram topper of the early to middle 1930s era.

Her present owner, John Rea, a retired boatbuilder himself, has had Echo for approx. 10 years & keeps her in the Wade River. She is powered by a 4236 Perkins Diesel, which was fitted in the 1970s.

During his stewardship, he has put a lot of time & effort in splining the entire hull, hence the permanent eggshell finish, a job, of which, she is well worthy.

John told Ken he bought her in Totara North, Whangaroa, where the previous owner, Graham Armstrong, had kept her for a good number of years (at least 10 he feels). Armstrong owned or leased a small shop on the foreshore by the boat ramp. Previous to this she belonged to the Ashby’s, a boatbuilding family in the Bay of Island, they upgraded the original dodger, which was lower & ‘squarer’ than the present raised version, which is a very practical modification & in Ken’s view, is still aesthetically balanced & acceptable.

John believes at one stage she was owned by a man of the cloth – a Reverend (name unknown) & that she was possibly on the Kaipara Harbour for a while. This possiblility is backed up by the fact she still has the same marine grade high quality carpet from way back & when vacuuming John is still getting black sand in reasonable quantities out of the carpet, which he thinks is West Coast sand.

A lovely boat, which must have an interesting history, so hopefully there will be some additions to this story from others to fill us in on the original owner & confirm the build date  & maybe even ID the ‘Reverend’ 🙂

Harold Kidd Update

This launch was advertised for sale by Serena Armstrong of Totara North in 1999 as being built by Les Coulthard in 1935. I had serious doubts about that at the time because she’s clearly much older than 1935. I cannot imagine Les building such a launch in 1935 as his launches of that period were much more up to date eg LUCINDA.
I can track an ECHO on the Manukau from early 1912, a flushdecker, which Les could have built because he was living at Mairere Road, Onehunga at the time but was only 23. That ECHO was built for Stan Vause who was killed in WW1.
My pennyworth.

Castaway & La Rosa On The Slip

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Two of the CYA ‘s launch fleet have been getting some late summer TLC

La Rosa

Ward House & Bob Stevenson  had their 1923 Ernie Harvey launch out recenty at Tamaki to take her underwater surface back to bare wood & treated with Chem Bar (the Altex equivalent of International Primercon), the topsides received a splash of paint as well- looking very sharp for a 90 year old.

Update 23-12-2019 La Rosa hauled out for some TLC, interesting to note the no growth of marine animals what so ever around metallic parts after being in the tide for 3 plus years. Note, no propspeed as well. Baden Pascoe supplied the photos and commented that if she had anodes she would have needed a tow to the slip.

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Castaway

Chris Leech’s 1947 Dick Lang launch seen here on the slip at the Devonport Yacht Club. Once a familiar sight on the harbour, lately its rare to see her away from her marina, Chris has almost earned the ‘floating man bach’ award 🙂  Hopefully this work will mean she is out & about more.

4 Norm Beetson Sisters

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Kakariki
Naiad
Gayella
Acquiesce

THE FOUR NORM BEETSON DESIGNED ‘SISTERS’

Thanks to Mark McLaughlin sending in a photo of Acquiesce we now have photos of all 4 of the Beetson designed sister’s. Interesting to compare the ‘changes’ over the years.

Apparently all four boats were featured in the 1950’s on the cover of Sea Spray, would love to get a scan/photo of the cover & the article inside the mag – Harold ???

Scroll down to the previous post for details on the 4 launches – Acquiesce, Gayella, Naiad, Kakariki (launched as Georgella)

Kakariki (Georgella)

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KAKARIKI (Georgella)

details from Harold Kidd & Andrew Pollard.photos ex trademe

Kakariki is one of the 4 ‘sisters’ designed Norm Beetson built, they were launched in the following order –  Acquiesce, Gayella, Naiad, Kakariki (launched as Georgella).

The 32 footer Acquiesce was built by Norm for himself in 1948 for himself at 70 Kildaire Ave, St. Heliers followed by the 33 footer Gayella in 1952 to the same design, built by George Roberts for himself at St. Heliers (Chrysler Crown), then Naiad by Stan Blake for himself in 1956 and Georgella in 1959 by George Roberts again for himself with a Fordson. Georgella was sold to the famous petrol-head Les Stericker who renamed her Kakariki. Gayella has been in Andrew Pollard’s family since his grandfather Shorty Sefton (Mr. Gardner in Auckland) bought her in 1963.

The question of the day is – where is Acquiesce?

Kakariki is currently for sale on trademe

Mark McLaughlin Update

ACQUIESCE was for sale a couple of years ago at the Panmure Bridge. I had a look over her when she was on the slip there. Her owner at the time told me she was repowered c.1965 with a 4cyl Fordson. She now resides on a swing mooring at Okahu Bay.
NAIAD was up at Te Atatu recently, GAYELLA is on a pile mooring up the Tamaki Estuary and KAKARIKI (GEORGELLA) is at the Thames boat harbour.

Johnny Wray’s ‘South Sea Vagabond’ to be re-printed

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I have read a lot of books but only one 4 times.

The Story of Johnny W building Ngataki & cruising the South Pacific is a must read / own for any classic wooden boatie.

Click on the link below & then the ‘Vagabonds’ section to hear Jim Mora on the National Radio talk about the upcoming relaunch of Ngataki & the re-print of the book.

Enjoy.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/20140221

Poll on future ww content

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Normally on a Monday I try to post something special to kick the week off, & I will later on, but first I would be interested in your feedback on waitematawoodys & ask you to select your answer from the 3 questions below. If there are other topics you would like to see covered list them in the comments section of the poll.

 Thank you . Alan H

Sailing Sunday – Seaward

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Sailing Sunday - Seaway

Seaward

photo ex Shane Anderson

The photo of Seaward above was taken last week at Kawau. She has just had a major makeover & is looking very sharp, unlike myself who is very hangover 😦 so hopeful others will expand on this very historic yacht.

Update & Some Great Yarns From Harold Kidd

I spent many hours trying to establish her provenance and wrote a series of articles about her in Boating NZ. They also dealt with her extensive ocean racing and cruising career which rivaled Ngataki’s . Links below, read 1>5 😉

SEAWARD5 SEAWARD4 SEAWARD2 SEAWARD1 SEAWARD 3

Lady Margaret (Oliver & Gilpin)

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LADY MARGARET – WHANGAROA

photos ex Dean Wright

There have been numerous Lady Margarets featured on ww, it was a popular name & must have been a good luck charm, as most as still afloat.

The above LM is 42′ in length & was built in Tauranga by Oliver & Gilpin c.1958. Harold would say ‘she has the typical O&G flair for dramatic style’.

She spent a lot of her life chasing game fish. The photos above were taken by Dean Wright in the Whangaroa Harbour.

Wakatere

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WAKATERE

photos & details ex Ken Ricketts 

Built in 1939 by Roy Lidgard  & was based at Mercury Island as the Island managers boat, for a period in the later 1950’s – early 60’s.

The shed photos of Wakatere were taken by Ken when he recently inspected her on the owners property in Te Atatu. She is currently undergoing a protracted major refit, which started in the early 1990’s & it appears work has stalled on her.

She still has her 60hp 4 cyl Ford still in place, having been refitted after an overhaul, as part of her present restoration.

The hull has had a major work over, having been splined & sheathed in fibreglass 😦 . In addition a little rot around the deck lines has been removed & some fairly major refastening work, in respect of the ribs.

She was lengthened to 40 feet a good number of years ago, so she in fact now looks a little different to her sister ship Isa Lei (Taipari), search Isa Lei to view. She still has her special tuck lines.

Harold Kidd Update

WAKATERE was built by Lidgards for Ray Vincent, the well-known truck wrecker and repairer. She was in NAPS as Z27 between 1942 and 1943 with Ray as skipper. P.D. Simmonds of Tauranga owned her in the early 1960s when she had a 90hp Graymarine.

Milford Creek Needs A Bridge – yeah right

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Milford Creek Needs A Bridge - yeah right

MILFORD CREEK aka WAIRAU COVE BRIDGE

There has been a lot of chat lately about the need to provide pedestrian access across the creek, in the old days there was a bridge, a very tall bridge. It did the trick, but these days a bridge needs to accommodate two mobility scooters side by side & be accessible by the blind. The options that have been tabled are a joke, all we need is another tall bridge. If you are on your scooter or blind or both, I suggest you use the existing footpath, a little longer but a lot safer than any bridge, even a modern one.

The photos in this ww post are from the Milford Cruising Club historical archives & show the area in the good old days. To find out more about the club visit http://www.milfordcruising.co.nz

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