Tag Archives: Claude Wells

Glenlee

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MV GLENLEE

Glenlee is one of the historic Marlborough Sounds Launches, she was built around 1908 by Claude Wells for the McNabbs to service their Crail Bay guest house Glenlee.

In her time Glenlee has also been used as a mail boat and commercial fishing boat. Last two owners (approx 60 years) are both relations of the original builder
She is made from double skin kauri & measures 39’, with a beam of 9’. The zoom zoom comes from a 6 cyl. Ford diesel with pumps out approx. 120hp.

Currently moored at the Okiwi Bay South, Grove Arm, Queen Charlotte Sound, she is for sale on trademe. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads up.

Input & photos from Cameron Pollard– Glenlee had a Regal engine (see below) originally, followed by a Lister Blackstone, then a Detroit & a Ford

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Glen-Lee

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GLEN-LEE

The above photo was taken from Grove Arm Jetty, Queen Charlotte Sound, South Island by John Burland. As John commented she is very New England lobster boat – ish. (John would know; he has spent a lot of time there)

Can we ID her?  I would also be interested to know more about the open sail boat in the background.

Input from Dick Hall – Vessel is ‘Glen-Lee’ built in 1911-12 at Crail Bay in the Marlborough Sounds.
Set up by the owner G McNabb but completed by Claude Wells of Wakatahuri.
Owned by the Orchard family of Kenepuru Sound for many years and was used as a mail launch and general passengers.
First engine was two Union petrol engines bolted together and in later years, a Regal petrol, Lister Blackstone, then a 3/71 GM. She now has a 120hp Ford and is fairly slippery.
Current owner is Lex Wells who is a relation of the Wakatahui Wells family.
A good write-up about her and other Wells vessels in the book ‘Boats For A Lifetime’ by Yvonne Fell, nee Wells.
Cutter in the back-round is wooden ex Outward Bound now in private ownership .

Input from Harold Kidd – She was at the Moetapu Regatta in December 1910 owned by G McNab so she’s a tiny bit earlier than Dick says. Once described as “the workhorse of the Sounds”.

Majestic

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MAJESTIC

Details & photos ex ‘Nelson Mail’ via John Burland (edited by Alan H)

The 14.5m Majestic started life back in 1937 as a commercial trawler & cray boat in Nelson. Built at the famed Wells family boatyard at Whakatahuri at the head of Pelorus Sound by her ex owner Lionel Wells and his late brother Gordon. She was built to their father Claude’s design, using Marlborough Sounds kahikatea (white pine) for the double-skinned planking, and heart rimu for the deck beams and stringers.
The brothers fished out of Port Nelson for many years, trawling for snapper, gurnard and flounder. Wells eventually bought his brother out and took the Majestic cray fishing from Milford Sound for 15 years.
He sold her in 1978 and Majestic continued its fishing career from Greymouth before finally being brought back to Nelson.

Two & half years ago Majestic was facing the chainsaw but was saved by the Motueka owner of Cotton Heavy Haulage in Richmond, Lynn Cotton who gradually restored her at the Richmond boat yard. The fish hold has gone and the accommodation has grown to allow for eight people. The few rotten planks were replaced and rimu and macrocarpa were specially milled to fit out the interior.
Most notably, the old superstructure was removed and replaced with a new one, each to their own but I would have chosen something closer to the original.
In the six years the boat had been idle the 190hp Gardner diesel had seized, but that was soon remedied and on the trip across Tasman Bay to its new mooring at Port Motueka it produced an average 8.2 knots.

Below are photos from her re-launch. One shows 95 year old ex owner/builder Lionel on the left with Lynn Cotton.

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