Tag Archives: Colin Wild

Okareka (Fergy)

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OKAREKA (formally FERGY)
photos & details Kent Dadson & Ken Ricketts. Edited by Alan H

Looking for lots of clarification today. Today’s launch was built by Colin Wild & reportedly launched c1940’s (but her owner, Kent Dadson, has been told 1952). She started life named Fergy & is approx. 35′ long.
She was built for Don Brown of D. D. Brown Ltd & had 2 x Graymarine flat head 6 cyl 90 hp petrol engines. Ken Ricketts commented that she was one of the very first boats that had mufflers fitted to petrol engines with above water exhausts – most boats popped or roared along in those days, but Wanda II, Connie V & Fergie were all virtually silent,  from idle up to cruising speed. The petrol engines were later replaced (c.1965?) with twin Ford 2701Es diesels (Lees conversion). Her varnished coamings went white, very early in the peace, pre 1953.
1954 photo of her below in Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island.

Any help in confirming the above & filling in her past would be appreciated.

FERGY 1954 DENNIS BROWN BY C WILD - IN MANSION HOUSE BAY

Update from John Blundell – Ted Copsey and his son Peter were the Fergusson tractor agents based in Pukekohe and they rented some space at the back of Fisher and Blundell Ltd in Newmarket around 1960 – thence the name Fergy 😉

August 2015 Photo at Gulf Harbour

12-02-2025 INPUT ex KARYN KLARWILL – In September 2024 work began on Okareka by Tim Beck who purchased her to share with his young family.   Tim has had the guidance of his father-in-law who has just finished helping restore the 1959 bridge-decker Kotuku. So far Okareka has been surveyed, cleaned, new front windows, engines serviced, the hull caulked, puttied, primer and antifouled applied, topsides, decks and cabin tops painted while on the hardstand at Northcote Point.  She will eventually need more work including new carpet, the squabs recovered and perhaps even a name change.
Okareka was relaunched on 22 December 2024 in time for her new family to enjoy the summer. Okareka will be moored on piles in the Wairoa River in Clevedon.

Little Tasman

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LITTLE TASMAN
details from Russell Ward

Russell was the bearer of some great news last week – the Colin Wild built Little Tasman, has found a new owner. Over the last few years numerious woodys have sent me photos of Little Tasman hauled out at Point Wells. I’m told a while ago a 4sale sign appeared, now I wish I had know – there are a few woodys out there that would have snapped up a Colin Wild built launch with the provenance that LT has. Wild built her for Albert Spencer & she was called Tasman & was a trial for his next (larger) boat also called Tasman so #1 then became Little Tasman. In the sepia photo above she looks to have a good turn of speed – I don’t imagine Albert Spencer would not have been chugging around the harbour at 7 knots 🙂

I’ll let Russell time his tale about Little Tasman.

“My memories of her go back to the mid ‘60s when all was Radio Hauraki, psychedelia, Beach Boys, Strolling Bones and Beatles. Oh and sheilas. Boats were somewhere in there and Bon Accord harbour was the stage. Mansion House was still privately run and the authorities didn’t know about the “Snake Pit”. There were usually several mullet boats nosed into the beach and crews in varying stages of recovery/rehydration. You couldn’t get your anchor to hold reliably in the bay because of all the bottles on the bottom!

The Kawau Yacht Club was pretty moribund, although the AMYC were making preliminaries to taking it on (my old man was on the committee of AMYC) so we had great hopes.
Mrs Lidgard was in residence, Skip Lawler had the Fairmile Ngaroma alongside the wharf for a while, and the Comettis had a fantastic garden. My potted history of the Christmas holidays.

The Ward family (no relation) had Little Tasman at that time and it was party time. If I said that one of the mullet  boats that had rafted alongside one memorable noisy night, was pushing off at just before sunrise because “they didn’t want to get us mulletties a bad name”, you get the picture.

But enough of that (it was just to get the old salts of Cobweb Corner reminiscing about their misspent youths). I have always been keen on machinery and when Harold Kidd mentioned that Little Tasman had a Stearns, I wondered what sort of engine they made. No pictures in my books. It was pretty obvious that there must have been classy because they were going into classy boats. American of course. And Stearns Knight made sleeve valve engines for their cars, the assumption that there was a connection was there. But no, no relation.

I contacted an old colleague in the US to see what he could find. And Richard Durgee sent me a raft of pics and adverts (refer below). They are 1924 and 26 so just right timing. I am fascinated that they have an amazingly modern head. Prod rod of course and the combustion chamber apparently in the piston.  You remember –what the Chrysler invented in the ‘70s for the Chrysler Hemi! Nuthin’ new out there, son. ’S all been dun before apart from nukes. Most marine engines were side valve –slower flame propagation and plenty of low down torque”.

Remember click image to enlarge

Tasman

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Tasman

photo ex Peter Loughlin

Peter L sent in this b/w photo of the 1927 Colin Wild Tasman pictured above. Anyone able to ID / date the launches behind her?

And now some eye-candy, a photo I took of Tasman in Sullivans Bay, Mahurangi.

08-02-2021 UPDATE – Photos below ex Nathan Herbert of Tasman at Whakatakataka Bay (OBC) late Jan 2021. Looking very sharp under new ownership.

Wirihana Who ‘Built’ Her?

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WIRIHANA

Todays post is in two parts – first an attempt to ID some of the Colin Wild crew that built Wirihana. Chris McMullen, the caretaker of Wirihana had been looking through a box old of Wilson and Gould family photos & uncovered todays photos. Chris’s guess on a date for the above photos is 1933. Even thou its over 80 years ago one of the ww followers may recognize a relation. So folks – dig out those old family albums & lets see if we can put some names to the faces.
Col Wild and Mr Martyn Wilson are on the right. The man with the black hair holding the dog may be young Jack Gould who was (Chris believes) Mr Wilson’s step son. That needs to be verified. The Gould Family still own Wirihana to this day.

The 2nd part is to try & confirm what became of the earlier Wirihana, as pictured in the photo below. The ‘smaller’ Wirihana was also owned by the Wilson family. There is a family photo album recording a cruise on her. The album is dedicated to ‘The Crew of the Wirihana 1930-1’.
Chris wonders if the original broke her mooring. Interestingly there are some photos (not in the subject album) showing the wreckage of a wooden vessel but regretfully no details. Could it be that the current Wirihana was a replacement?

Looking forward to some interesting feedback. If you know anyone that had family or a relation that worked at Colin Wild’s yard in the early 1930’s can forward this ww posting on to them & ask for their help with ID’ing the people.

And lasting I could not do a Wirihana post without a photo showing how magnificent she is today 🙂

Update from Nathan Herbert

The below press clippings from the NZ Herald (2nd August 1933) make interesting reading. Wirihana (1) was relaunched on 01/08/1933 after an extensive overhaul at Lanes yard, the work included a new keel – so the questions are

1. Was the work done following an oops ?

2. Was W1 renamed, as W2 (Colin Wild) was being launched around this time?

Harold – where are you?, put down that legal brief & join in 🙂

Harold Kidd Input

My reconstruction of this tangled web is as follows (and some of it is conjecture).
1. Lane Motor Boat Co built WIRIHANA (1) for Joe Wilson in 1929. There is an image of LADY GAY (1) on Lanes’ slip at Mechanics Bay and she’s indistinguishable from WIRIHANA (1). photo below added by AH


2. She flew a “Wirihana” flag because “Wirihana” is maori-ised “Wilson” (and is nicely euphonic).
3. Colin Wild built WIRIHANA (2) in October 1933.
4. The quote above concerning WIRIHANA’s overhaul in 1933 is from the NZ Herald (owned by Wilson) but there’s an almost identical quote in the Herald of 17th November 1933 but referring to the boat as “J. M. Wilson’s LADY GAY”.
5. Clearly, WIRIHANA (1) was renamed LADY GAY while getting her big overhaul at Lanes in 1933 and after WIRIHANA (2) was launched. Her cabintop was altered drastically to provide full headroom so that her earlier semi-bridgedeck style disappears.
5. Wilson kept LADY GAY/WIRIHANA until July 1935, shortly before LADY GAY (2) was launched.
6. He then sold her to H. Walker and I lose sight of her, obviously with an agreed name change.
7. Sooner or later we’ll find out what Walker called her and say “Of course!”.

Colin Wild Launches at Waiheke Island – 1927 or 2015 ?

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Colin Wild Launches at Waiheke Island – 1929 0r 2015 ?
photo ex Peter Loughlin

This photo just ticked so many boxes I had to post it. Tasman on the left & Lady Margaret on the right – both built by one of NZ’s best – Colin Wild. Lady Margaret was launched in 1928 & Tasman in 1929. Photo taken two weekends ago at Kauakarua Bay, Waiheke Island by Lady Margaret’s owner Peter Loughlin.
You can see that magazines like ‘The Rudder’ were having a big influence on motor-boat design in NZ at the time.

I wonder if Colin Wild ever imagined the 87 years later these two would be side by side & looking this smart.

To the CYA boats doing the Motuihe Picnic today, play nicely together & enjoy the day / weekend. Photos please.

Same weekend – both boats heading home. Photos from CYA member John Bertenshaw’s very cool ‘First Boating Weekend of the Season’ post on the WoodenBoat Forum – its been running for several years & is loaded with great photos.
http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?120476-First-boating-weekend-of-the-season&p=4439832#post4439832

 

Miss Helen

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MISS HELEN

For the last 2 weeks I have had phone calls & emails from ww followers telling me about the ‘new’ classic launch that just appeared at OBC. The words being used are “totally immaculate, like new”  /  “newly restored and gleaming” etc.
She is visible from Tamaki Drive & is in fact the ex Bay of Islands game fisher – Miss Helen. Built in 1932 by Colin Wild. I have posted restored & ‘old’ photo as a comparison for you – I like the effort that has gone into keeping / making her very original.

So folks – who can supply more info on her? I would love to see the interior & learn a bit about the restoration.

We need her in the CYA launch fleet 🙂

(a big thank you to Mark Edmonds, Nathan Herbert & Lindsay McMorran for photos & details)

 

Harold Kidd Input

She was built in 1930 by COLIN WILD for L.E. McQueen of Wairiki Road, Mt. Eden as AUDREY M and had a 125hp Lycoming 8 cylinder engine. McQueen had her dodger raised to give 6ft 6in headroom in October 1931 and had fresh water cooling installed. He then sold her to A.L Davenport who renamed her MAHSEER. Davenport sold her to Whittaker in 1934 and he renamed her LADY HELEN. He sold her to L.A. Marquet who sold her to A.E. Fuller of Russell in August 1937. She was altered for gamefishing. In August 1942 she was severely damaged coming ashore in a gale at Russell and substantially rebuilt again. Again she was renamed, MISS HELEN to tie in with the rest of  the Fuller fleet, MISS IDA, MISS KNOXIE, MISS RUSSELL etc.
BTW the Register of British Ships says she was built in Russell, which is incorrect, although she was re-built there once or twice.
McQueen, of course, had WILD build WAIRIKI in October 1934.

The Register of British Ships says she was built in 1932, which is also incorrect. The RBS is a very dodgy resource, especially where the vessel was registered well after she was built, as here.

Input from Ken Ricketts

She belongs to Terry Porter of McMullen & Wing. – photo below during during restoration towards the end of last year.
Terry has done an absolutely fabulous job on her, splining, beautiful new interior, the whole bit. She is powered by a brand new 4cly high performance artificially aspirated inter-cooled Cummins Diesel. AH

Linda

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LINDA

photos ex Marlene Kendon & Robert Brooke

Several weeks ago I was contacted by Marlene Kendon, the great niece of Leo Swales (& Joseph Swales), now to the naive amongst us (thats me) in the early 1900’s the Swales were prolific owners of yachts & motor launches. Seems they changed vessels at least every two years. Some of the kin were even boatbuilders.
Marlene had in her possession two Swales photos albums, now I was interested, but when I mentioned the albums to Harold Kidd he instructed me to be VERY interested 🙂
I now have the albums & will be reviewing them with Harold & sharing with you all.

Amongst the collection were two loose photos of Linda – the 1927 Colin Wild launch that was almost destroyed by fire in the mid 1980’s & rescued by Robert & Russell Brooke.

I emailed Robert copies of the photos, one he had seen before (its already on ww) but the other (showing Linda underway) was a newbie to Robert. Robert returned the favour with four photos, two showing Linda as they purchased her in 1992, one of her half way thru the reconstruction. The final one has her off Salthouse’s in 1995, after the four year restoration.

Linda features else where on ww so hit the search box to see some early photos.

The story of the Round NZ Cruise of Karros II

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The Round NZ Cruise of Karros II
told by Jillian Inglis & sent in to ww by Jamie Hudson ex Peter Berrett

Click the blue link below to view the story 😉

Ernie’s gone fishin

The above folks is an exceptional read – 3 blokes – Ernie Seagar, Bill Boulton & Dave Jackson (owner skipper of Karros) in Feb 1985 undertook a 7 week circumnavigation of NZ that they loosely describe as ‘Gone Fishin’.
Its 18 pages long so grab a coffee / tea & find a comfy spot – I guarantee you wont be able to stop reading. Make sure you view the photos on pages 15>18. Teaser below

Screen Shot 2014-10-31 at 12.57.33 PM
I understand the story surfaced for the 80th birthday celebration for Ernie Seagar. In the photo below, Ernie is pictured in July 2014,  on-board Margo & Jamie Hudson’s classic launch, Lady Crossley, holding a photo of LC on her launch day, Ernie’s father had LC built by Colin Wild. Ernie’s grandmother launched LC.

Ernie Seagar onboard Lady Crossley

 

Rehia Z15

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REHIA
photo ex Scott Taylor & details ex Harold Kidd

Rehia was launched by Colin Wild on 26th January 1939 for Gordon Bartleet but was bought by Frank Pidgeon of the Ace Tyre Co shortly after. She was powered by a single 6 cyl. petrol Buda that was imported by Seabrook Fowlds and installed by Allely Bros. A newspaper report at the time said she had twin Budas, but was wrong. She was fully mobilised with NAPS in 1943 as Z15 with Frank Pidgeon as skipper and Ron Hunt (married Jack Brooke’s sister) as crew. Bill Ryan bought her about 1948 (or possibly straight from the postwar disposal sale). She was loosely referred to as a “shortened Amakura”.

Scott Taylors father Mac, crewed on Rehia during the war when she was on boom patrol at North Head. Below are the navy documents recording Mac’s time aboard. click to enlarge.

More Rehia photos & details here.   https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/23/rehia/

Lady Claire

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2014 West Park Marina
2014 West Park Marina

LADY CLAIRE

photos from Nathan Herbert & Papers Past, details from Harold Kidd & Jason Prew.

Lady Claire the 42′ bridge deck cruising launch was launched on 14th Oct. 1935. Built by Colin Wild at Stanley Bay for W.J. Reid of Herne Bay. Reid was Des Townson’s grandfather.

Lady Claire is currently owned by Bruce Carter. Colour photos at the marina.

 Harold Kidd Update

She was launched with a 160hp Lycoming but Stan Headland replaced that with a 105hp Kermath in 1952. G M Lagan owned her for a while around the 70s and Bruce Carter recently (still?). Lovely craft.
PS Wild used Lycomings around this time. WAIRIKI, the 39ft bridgedecker he built for L E MacQueen in October 1934 also had an 8 cylinder 160hp Lycoming, essentially the same engine as in the straight 8 Auburn car of the time.

04-07-2015 New Photo Below

Chris McMullen sent  the photo below in from his files. It was given to Chris by the late Des Townson. On the back is written  Lady Claire. 42ft OA Built by Colin Wild. For WJ Reid  1935. Who we know was Townson’s grandfather.
Chris once saw a photo of the same vessel on the wall of Des’s office. Hopefully someone has it still & a copy might surface on ww – a job for Bruce Tantrum maybe ?
Chris commented that when you look at both Lady Claire & Wirihana – one of the reasons for their good looks is the absence of safety rails forward.  These days health and safety concerns encourage safety rails which need to be one meter high as on commercial vessels to do much good, lower than that they can pitch you over the side. Wiihana is still ‘nude’ of rails but there are lots to hold on to on Wirihana.

Lady Clair (L) & Lady Eileen at Gulf Harbour May’14

Lady Clair (L) & Lady Eileen at Gulf Harbour May'14