UPDATE 28-09-2021 – Photos below ex Bruce Rowe of Lady Kay berthed at the Thanes marina.
GAYELLA
photo & details ex Andrew Pollard
Designed by Norm Beetson, 32′ and built/launched by George Roberts in 1953. She is the second of Four sisters built. Acquiesce,Gayella,Naiad,Kakariki in that order i believe.
There was a Sea Spray article on them all in the 50’s titled “the four sisters”. There all still in existence to my knowledge.
Berthed at Panmure on the Tamaki.One family ownership since 1963.
Update from Harold Kidd
The 32 footer ACQUIESCE was built by Norm Beetson 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 Andrews family since his grandfather Shorty Sefton (Mr. Gardner in Auckland) bought her in 1963. Neat boats.
24-05-2017 Photos ex John Wicks – Hauled out at West Harbour Marina
Update from Ken Ricketts (refer shed photo)
Dec 2013 – she is in Brin Wilsons shed at Gulf Harbour & Ken went aboard & reports that she is in absolutely original in every detail, — the 2 x 6 cyl. Fodens still looking immaculate under the bridgedeck floor & the underwater fittings appear in still perfect condition.
Story & ‘newer’ photo ex Baden Pascoe
I have just received a heap of scanned photos from Barbara Weatherley (nee
Walling, yes the famous little Barbara W is named after her). In the album
they say this launch is “Virginia” at Mayor Is. Looks a lot like Rongo
before she was lengthened. I have a hunch the Owens Family (Bob Owens the
Tauranga freight mogul had something to do with her).Very nice looking boat.
Update & ‘as launched’ photo from Harold Kidd
Charlie Millett was a boatbuilder and launch skipper in Tauranga in the 1930s. He specialised in “modernising” launches by building up the foredecks on old low hulls. VIRGINIA started life being built by Tyler & Harvey in Auckland in November 1909 as a 35ft cruiser for the well-known sporting shop proprietor W.H. Hazard. Hazard often took her to the Bay of Islands and was one of the pioneers of big game fishing there. VIRGINIA made the headlines when she was attacked by a swordfish in 1918 and had to be beached for temporary repairs.
In 1925 Hazard sold her to U S citizens (Zane Grey & co?). John Mowlem of Tauranga had her in 1930 and kept her in service taking out game fishing parties, with Charlie Millett as skipper. It was found that the bash out to Mayor Island made her very wet so Charlie was employed to rebuild her. He did the same to many other launches including the Logan Bros SEVERN.
We have have some confusion –
After reviewing the photos above HK thinks there may have been a mix up in the caption on the photo/s. Harold has sent in a photo of Virginia taken by Charlie Millett on his slip at Tauranga in 1929. All he’s done by then is to extend the decks with hardwood beltings and install washboards to hold 2 swordfish.
Harold thinks she’d grown the tramtop under Hazard’s ownership and possibly the low bulwarks forward. There’s talk in NZY of Ernie Harvey modifying the cabintop in June 1910.
Baden’s image is very much later and shows that there appear to have been truly major changes since the 1929 pic, not the least of which is that her canoe stern has become a transom stern!
Now that’s all entirely possible, but I don’t have the photo I thought I had of her after Charlie raised the foredeck.
Therefore, logically,
Can anyone shed some light on this ??
A view of St Marys Bay with the wharf (left), several boats and boatsheds, premises of Collings and Bell, boatbuilders in St Marys Bay Road (left) and residences in Ponsonby overlooking the bay. An interesting collection of photos, same area but taken at different times. The ‘aerial’ one of all the boats stowed in the valley is fun – last boat out is the first one in for the summer.
Input from Harold Kidd (to photo A)
At the end of the wharf is the Ponsonby Cruising Club’s premises before the second storey and balcony was added. Collings & Bell’s original shed is directly behind. To the left of the PCC is the small building in which various things happened like Collings had his test tank, George Murphy lived when he was fishing with ETHEL which tied up alongside the jetty, and Des Donovan did some clinker work post WW2 with Fred Steele as “20th Century Boats”. I may have conflated some of these functions.
To the right of C&B’s slipway is the shed of Peter A. Smith, the engineer who was agent for Alpha marine engines (Danish-made I think) and who commissioned many launches from people like Dick Lang and Tom Le Huquet for customers fitting Alphas. He also traded in boats. Next right is the yard of Peter Barton who did repairs and hired out small boats, later joined by his son Phil, a true gentleman. Dick Lang and later Sam Ford were here and I think used Smith’s premises. I was born in London Street, just out of frame to the left (not terribly much after this image!) by which time the PCC was fully built up and C&B had built a large half-round shed at the back.
It really was the centre of the known universe.
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