CLASSIC STEEL LAUNCH – MIRANDA

CLASSIC STEEL LAUNCH – MIRANDA

Back in November 2020 WW ran a story on the motor launch – MIRANDA – link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/11/05/mystery-launch-05-11-20/

At the time we learnt from Harold Kidd that MIRANDA was a 55ft twin-engined steel launch built by E.D. (Bill) Edmundson at Thorndon Quay and launched in June 1953 after 7 years of work. She became the unofficial flagship for the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club and did a trip to Sydney and back in 1960-1.

Fast forward to December 2025 and while Ken Ricketts was trolling thru a collection of back issues of Sea Spray magazine he uncovered todays photo. The caption recoded that MIRANDA was returning to Wellington from the double Tasman crossing (1960>61). The photo appeared in the March 1961 edition of Sea Spray.

Do we know where MIRANDA is these days.

LAST REMINDER FOR SATURDAYS LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE – 11am Parade start – details here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/07/28/tokatea/

Miranda

MYSTERY LAUNCH 05-11-20 MIRANDA

Back in early October we did a story on a collection of boating books and photographs that David Campbell-Morrison rescued from the rubbish bin. The owner of the collection was a D.F. Thompson and the material was from / dated the early 1930’s to the mid 1940’s. Any photos were of yachts except for the photo above. 

Can anyone help with identifying the motorboat, location and crew? Its quite a distinctive design so hopefully someone will recognise the vessel. Given it appears to be an aerial photo and the number of crew on-board and that the crew have all turned out on deck, my wild guess is that it may be performing a role of ‘mother-ship’ in an offshore yacht race.

06-11-2020 Input from Harold Kidd – MIRANDA was a 55ft twin-engined steel launch built by E.D. (Bill) Edmundson at Thorndon Quay and launched in June 1953 after 7 years of work.. She became the unofficial flagship for the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club and did a trip to Sydney and back in 1960-1.


REMINDER: Starting this Friday > Sunday – Auckland’s Waterfront Celebrates Yacht Designer John Spencer – Details Below