Raindance 1980’s

RAINDANCE > Nona C > Lady Gai  

When I purchased the boat she was named ‘Nona C’, after the then owners (Craig Colven, Auckland Harbour Board pilot boat skipper) daughter. He told me the boat was previously named ‘Lady Gay’. I had no connection to the name Nona C & was in the process of reverting back to Lady Gay when I was advised of another launch called Lady Gay, not wanting to confuse things I decided to chose a new name & chose the name ‘RainDance’.

At the time I was unaware of the Celtic spelling of the word Gai & discovered it when given a copy of the Dunsford Marine pre-purchase survey commissioned in March 2003 by a Dr. Rex Ferris. Had I known about the Gai spelling I would have retained the Lady Gai name. I obtained Rex Ferris’s address (East Coast Rd, North Shore, Auckland) from the survey & did a google search which resulted in the Auckland District Health Board employment link & I contacted Rex & Sharon Ferris. Retired, living in Tauranga.

Like myself he knew little about her past, there are still huge gaps e.g. the 1930’s > late 1970’s but below is some history I have gained.

Peter Gill, the motoring journalist, bought the boat in 1987 & at the time had a waterfront property in the Upper Harbour (near Paremoremo wharf) with a mooring put down. He saw the boat advertised in ‘Trader Boat’, she was moored in the Tamaki Estuary & he purchased her for about $7,000. He cannot remember the name of the owner but was told the boat was built by the Lane Motor Boat Company in 1928, there is however some discussion that she may have been built by ‘Collings & Bell’. She had a single cylinder Bukh diesel that was later replaced with an 6 cylinder Ford (he thinks). The owner told Peter that she had been based at Great Barrier Island as a ‘long-liner’ fishing boat for many years prior to him buying her.

When she was moored off Peters house, she took in quite a bit of water, and it was necessary for him to go out as often as twice a week and operate the manual bilge pump. He hired a tradesman who specialized in old boats, and he decided that it was the stern gland that was the problem. He had her hauled out and they filled the stern gland with tallow. It was not a one hundred percent fix & she continued to take on water. Peter was never very comfortable with the boat & to use his words ‘we never went far in her’. She was not a pretty boat in those days with a cabin top that looked like it had been made from a plywood car case, see montage photo above, small because its not pretty 😦

I have spoken to Peter several times but have never unearthed when & to whom he sold her. At some stage, I think post Peter’s ownership, she sank on her mooring in the Upper Harbour & remain submerged for several weeks. Given the swallow tidal nature of the area this had no major negative effect on the boat & some say probably helped in preserving her.

The next chapter is amusing – the mast only of the boat was visible from the Salthouse Boat Builders yard at Greenhite & the tradesman there were running a sweepstake as to how long she would remain submerged before the owner rescued her. During this period two of the Salthouse young boat builders – Blair Cole & Kelly Archer (who both went on to become well respected boat builders in their own right) hatched a plan as to how they could buy the boat. They tracked down the owner & both approached him ‘independently’ with offers for the boat as-is-where-is, one offer being very very low & the other very low, the owner faced with the cost of salvaging the boat accepted the ‘low’ offer. The boys hauled the boat out at Salthouse’s & started a major restoration; Bob Salthouse once told me he remembered the boat & that had to give the young boys a guiding nudge occasionally (thank god!). Half way thru Blair bought Kelly’s share & moved the boat to his property to finish the restoration. Blair & his wife cruised the Gulf extensively in the boat in the 1990’s. I have spoken to Blair & he has no record of who bought (or when) the boat off him. I’m pretty sure it was Rex Ferris in 2003.

In 2005 the boat was for sale on the hard at Bayswater Marina, I looked at her at the time but she would have been too much of a time burden for me at the time. The boat was purchased by Craig Colven who undertook major hull work (replaced some planking, caulking, ribs, floors & keel bolts) & the installation of a new 45hp 4 cylinder motor & replacement of all other machinery, electrics and plumbing. Devonport craftsmen’s Robbie Robertson (deceased) & Charlie Webley undertook the work. Craig, over a 2 year period commissioned this work but never fully completed her as his wife did not share his passion for the sea. I purchased her in mid 2007 for what I considered a bargain given what Craig had spent on her.

I then undertook over the next few years what is called a rolling restoration i.e. I used the boat each summer but hauled her out in winter & continued the project. I retained the services of Milford based wooden boat builder / guru Geoff Bagnall for the big stuff, there were several areas of rot that needed to be removed plus we made her more ‘comfortable’ in terms of helm, hatch layout. I rolled my sleeves up on the rest.

I’m thankful for the care bestowed on the boat over the years – everyone that has rubbed up to her has helped get her thru the last 80+ years.

Like most owners I would love to fill in some of the gaps, so if anyone knows anything about her – please post here or email to

waitematawoodys@gmail.com