Tag Archives: Brin Wilson

Merita – Launch Day

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MERITA – Launch Day
photo & details ex Murray Morrissey

Merita has featured in detail on ww before (blue link below to view the story) but when Murray sent me the above collection of photos from when she was built & launched back in 1965 they were just too good to add to the existing post. One photo shows her being towed through the Milford shops on-route to her launch off Milford Beach.
While there is some conflicting/confusing info on the original ww post, what I came tell you is that Murray has confirmed that Merita was built by his father in law – James (Jim) Dymock of Takapuna in his brothers (Bill Dymock) building yard behind the Waitemata Power Board in Taharoto Rd. The family are unsure of the hull design but the cabin top was designed by Brin Wilson. She was launched in 1965 in the Milford Creek where she spend her early days.

LINK >>>>   https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/08/24/merita/

Special thanks to Russell Ward for scanning the original photos.

Silver Sea

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SILVER SEA 1

SILVER SEA
details ex John Ellis & Ken Ricketts, photos KR.
(edited by AH)

Silver Sea is according to her present owner, John Ellis, a  36′ Alan Williams launch built in 1960. Powered by a 120 hp Lees marinised Ford diesel, driven by a vee drive, integrated into the gearbox & 2 to 1 reduction gear. Home has been Gulf Harbour for a number of years as John bought her off a Frank Steed 4 years ago, who also kept her at GH.

Given that she sports a chart of the Whangarei cruising area mounted in her cabin, it is highly probably that at some stage she spent time in the Northern region.
Its rumoured that she featured in a 1963 issue of Sea Spray magazine –  if anyone can find the article & scan, please email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com 🙂

During Jan 2016, Silver Sea was in Brin Wilson’s Gulf Harbour shed having some routine TLC, including tightening up the caulking & re-puttying, painting etc. Now ready for re-launching.

Silver Sea pre relaunch

Harold Kidd Input

I always thought that she was designed and built by E Buckland in the North around 1946. She was in Whangarei for many years owned by Buckland, then Richard Ahlers then came to Auckland when bought by Frank Stead in November 2001, but perhaps that 36 footer SILVER SEA(S) was another boat of the same name?

21-01-2016 Food For Thought

Chatting with Harold K on how she could possibly have been mistaken for an Allen Williams launch & Harold suggested that its likely that someone has seen the BANSHEE article in Sea Spray magazine (March 1963, see below) & jumped to the conclusion that SILVER SEA was a Williams.
Williams took several whole back page ads in SEA SPRAY later in 1963 showing BANSHEE so it was a well-known image at the time.
Anyone else able to expand on this supposition? May Ian Mason ?

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10-07-2016 Hauled Out At Milford Cruising Club

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Te Honu

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As Purchased

Re-fit Underway

TE HONU
photos & info ex Bruce Dickie & Ken Ricketts. edited by Alan H

Te Honu was built by Brin Wilson in 1963 & is 34′ x  10′  6″. Her first owners were a family by the name of ‘Tuttle’ or ‘Turtle’ according to one of her current owners, Bruce Dickie, Bob believes they were in the cartage business in the Takapuna area, She would have been one of the last boats Brin Wilson built in Porana Rd Glenfield.

She is presently owned by father & son team of boat builder Bruce & his son Logan, they bought her in February 2015 off a Mark Wilson, who had apparently owned her for approximately the last 15 years & had kept her at Pine Harbour.
Home is now Gulf Harbour & she has been hauled out  in the Brin Wilson shed for the last few months for a ‘makeover at the hands of Bruce & Logan, assisted by a number of members of their family.

She is stall largely original except for the flying bridge which Bruce is working at improving the aesthetics of during the refurb 🙂
She is still powered by the original 100 HP 6 cyl. Lees converted Ford diesel.

We look forward to seeing her back in the the water later in the year.

Harold Kidd Input

According to APYMBA records, TE HONU was built by Brin Wilson in 1961 for K S Turtill & Sons with a 6 cylinder Ford. She was 34’x32’x10’2″x3’6″. Later owners included well-known Accountant Jack Anderson of Blomfield Spa, Takapuna (1973).

The full ownership was recorded as K.S., M.I., P.H. and I.S. Turtill. Ken Turtill  (1914-2000) was an Army Captain in WW2 and a POW. He lived at 132 and later 258 Hurstmere Rd Takapuna around the time TE HONU was built by Brin. He was a student liaison officer at the time. Good bloke.

20-04-2021 Looking Very Smart These Days

St. Clair

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St Clair
photos & details from owner John Newton

The 34′ sedan St Clair was built for Lionel Barney by Brin Wilson in 1956 and is kauri carvel construction. ww readers may recall that it was used as a ferry for St Clair lodge at Vivian Bay on Kawau Island . Piers Barney who runs Norma Jean charters has recollections of collecting passengers from Sandspit when he was 10 years old, Piers had to stand on a soap box to see out of the wheel house.

She was surveyed for 39 passengers to Kawau limits and amazingly carried up to 20  x 44 gallon drums of diesel for generators and bags of wheat and meal for all the chooks and muscovy ducks at the lodge, so a really solid little launch.

Piers father Lionel used to enjoy racing it in fun races against other boats off Kawau Island Yacht Club where she did very well reportedly getting up to 13 knts with a 100hp Ford engine. She hasn’t seen that sort of speed since, perhaps because of the new heavier sedan cabin.

St Clair was bought by John and Helen Hager and refitted to a comfortable sedan in 2006 by Robertsons Boats. Current owners John & Natasha Newton bought her in 2011.

Kereru

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KERERU

Info & photos ex Sea Spray magazine ex Neil Chalmers

Following on from yesterdays post on the mystery Brin Wilson’s motorsailer – today we have Kereru (maori for pidgeon) another Brin Wilson designed & built 30′ motor-sailer. Originally built for Frank Pidgeon (……..Kereru).
She was the cover / lead story on the June 1960 edition of Sea Spray.
With a 86hp Ford diesel engine she would have had a good turn of speed when the wind dropped. These boats were very practical & attractive solutions to the power/sail dilemma , the only other that has come close is the fiberglass replica Logan 33’s, which unfortunately are no longer in production.

Anyone know where Kereru is today?

Update from Mark McLaughlin (article from NZ Herald 29 Jan 2011)
Kereru is now on Lake Rotoiti & since arriving she has had her saloon windows enlarged but is otherwise fairly original, and kept in great condition. There are also some photos of her on WW under the 2014 Wooden Boat Parade post.

Mystery Launch 19/09/2014

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Mystery Launch 19/09/2014

photo ex Dave Jackson via Adrienne

All I can tell you about the above launch / motor-sailer is that she is a Brin Wilson sedan. Now there can’t have been many sedans around with a stick, so lets see what we can uncover.

Awana

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Awana shed

AWANA
Awana is a Brin Wilson design, launched in 1967. She is 36′ with a beam of 11’4″ and powdered by a 120 h.p. Ford motor.
Her current owners Rachel McKinnon and Derek Molander purchased her in March 2014 from the estate of Neil Johnson in Whangarei. Johnson purchased her in July 2012 from Tauranga (seller unknown). Her new home is Pine Harbour.
Her new owners have already started work bringing her into prime condition, to date they have hauled her out and changed her cabin sides from a brown stain (owners words) to a light grey, at the same time all her were removed & re-sealed + anti-fouling.
Her new owners report Awana is a very sea worthy boat and are looking forward to a long future with her.
Like all owners they are interested in uncovering more of her past – anyone able to help?

 

Jan

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Jan

JAN

photo ex Russell Ward

Designed & built from kauri in c.1960 by Brin Wilson for the late Sir William Stevenson & family. Sir William owned many boats on numerous lakes around NZ , Jan being one of them. She still resides in a boat shed in the Okere Arm of Lake Rotoiti. Jan is well known on the lake & one of the boats I hope to see next weekend at the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade.
Check out http://www.woodenboatparade.co.nz to view more lake boats & the event. Boats are listed on the left side of the home page & grouped in chronological order.

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Mandalay

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MANDALAY

photo from Dave Jackson

It is very hard to design a sub 36′ launch (I’m guessing on her length) that looks ‘right’ i.e. that all the bits work together, in proportion. This very smart launch (in my eyes) ticks most of the boxes.

Input from Dave Jackson 16/11/13

Mandalay

Built by Dave Jackson & Graham Christian

Devonport, 1957

For Ken Quinton

Original – 4 cylinder Ford

Designed by Brin Wilson

Endeavour

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Endeavour – during her Kaipara motor-sailor days – was owned by Jack Matich and used for commercial fishing on the Kaipara. Now back in the hands of her original owners the Beachman family & on the Waitemata Harbour. Photo ex Zach Matich. Newer photo sans sailing rig.