Tag Archives: Collings & Bell

CLASSIC GAME BOAT – ALMA G II – RE-LAUNCHING CEREMONY 

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CLASSIC GAME BOAT – ALMA G II – RE-LAUNCHING CEREMONY 

Yesterday we covered the relaunching of the 1927, Collings & Bell built game boat – ALMA G II.

Co owners (brother & sister) Shelly and Brett Arlidge, grand children of the original owner – E C Arlidge, hosted a very proper ceremony, with a welcome, a history of the boat, a Waiata and formal blessing. With the restarts of a working boat yard in the background and large crowd I have attempted to record the ‘formal’ parts of the ceremony – TURN YOUR VOLUME UP.

One of the missions of waitematawoodys is to archive this content for future review and reference. I encourage you to spend a few minutes and take in the wisdom being shared. 

THE WELCOME

HISTORY OF ALMA G II

WAIATA

BLESSING

CAN ME PUT A NAME TO THIS CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – WENNA

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CAN ME PUT A NAME TO THIS CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – WENNA

Trolling thru the WW archives recently I came across a folder from back in 2017, from memory one of the WW readers found an old photo album (below) that had been discarded and sent in a collection of random scans taken from the album. Sorry but I have not recorded the senders name.

A lot of the photos were damaged but several were in good shape. 
Todays woody story features a launch hauled out near Sam Ford’s yard. 

Can we ID the boat

INPUT ex NATHAN HERBERT – boats is WENNA – see WW link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/09/17/8768/

INPUT ex HAROLD KIDD – She was built as WENNA for Eric O’Neill of Ponsonby in 1925, probably by Collings & Bell in whose yard she is shown hauled out. In 2014 she was RANGATIRA, owned by George Emtage and Pam Cundy at Whangateau. They reverted to the name WENNA.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ALMA G II Restoration Updates #3 & #4

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ALMA G II Restoration Updates #3 & #4

We have been following the refit / rebuild of the1927 Collings & Bell classic wooden launch – ALMA G II for a while now, the last WW story was back in December 2023 Dec 2023 and I have a confession to make – Update #3 slipped between the WW cracks so today you get a two-4- one 🙂

UPDATE #3 from Sian Steward at CMC Design below – 

“So much has been going on in the last few months, the team have been working very hard and things are looking great.

After the long long months of initial work of bringing all the bones of the Alma G II back together and many coats of white paint in the hull interior we moved onto the next phase.

The hull has been double skinned with kauri planks, filled, fared and prepped for fiberglass. It was a shame to say goodbye to seeing all the beautiful original timber underneath, but a boat that floats is the ultimate goal.

It’s good to have all hands available for this aspect of the build, working together makes the tough job of glassing much more streamlined and quicker. No one wants to draw out glassing for too long and we are grateful it isn’t a regular part of our day-to-day job..

More full suited days in the hot hot heat bogging and readying for paint. This is where the restoration really looks like it is getting somewhere. We have been going since last April and these milestones are meaningful to both the workers and the boat owners.

The Alma G II has been carefully rolled once more and the whole process starts again on the port side.

From there, back to upright and some more detailed discussions on the interior finishes and fixtures. The owners are keen to honor the traditional elements of the boat and have been sourcing some really lovely items from navigation lights to the bench top surfaces.

Top coat paint colour choices are being made and we keep moving on…”

UPDATE #4

“Further updates on the Alma G II. We have layers of paint going on!   More hard work has been done in these last few months with the Lees engine going in, fiberglassing, long board sanding and bogging and fairing.  Real backbreaking stuff. Onward we go with paintwork and then the interior fit out. “   

LINKs TO PREVIOUS STORIES FOLLOWING THE PROJECT

WW May 2023 Story https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/01/restoration-of-alma-g-ii-begins/

WW Dec 2023 Story  https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/12/06/alma-g-ii-restoration-update-2/

CLASSIC LAUNCH RAIRA – BEFORE THE WOOD BUTCHERS GOT HOLD OF HER 

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CLASSIC LAUNCH RAIRA – BEFORE THE WOOD BUTCHERS GOT HOLD OF HER 

The top photo is the 1915 launch – RAIRA, moored in the Waihou River, Te Aroha.  RAIRA was built by the McLeod brothers, Ted and Ray + J. Verran at Bayswater,  Auckland.  – to a  Collings & Bell design.

The photo comes to us from the Auckland Library Heritage Collection – McLeod collection via a Nathan Herbert link.

The 2nd photo is from late 2015. Location is Woolshed Bay, Coromandel.

Last heard she was calling Waiheke Island home.

RSVP waitematawoodys@gmail.com

DOROTHY – Collings & Bell

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DOROTHY (Collings & Bell)

Back in July 2015 we shared a photo of the 1911 Collings & Bell built 35’ launch.  – DOROTHY, in the photo ex Barry Davis,  she was under power and looked very impressive. Note: the photo had been retouched many years ago. 

At the time of the 2015 story Harold Kidd contributed a wealth of intel on DOROTHY and her original owner – W.J. Quelch + her builders, Collings &Bell. Clink below to the story 

WW July 2015 story. https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/07/01/dorothy-2/

Through the powers of the WW archives, Lynley Stone discovered the 2015 story and reached out to share todays photo of DOROTHY and to advise of her grandfather – Lindsay Burrell Stone connection to the launch – I’ll let Lynley tell the story :

“ The above photo of the Dorothy – I think it was probably taken summer 1915-16. It is from my grandfather’s photo album. Either he took it, or it was a gift from the Frys. 

I have evidence that Roland Fry owned the Dorothy at least as early as September 1914. 

My grandfather was Lindsay Burrell Stone. His father Arthur was first cousin to Roland Fry.  Lindsay joined up when war was declared and sailed from Auckland with the Main Body of troops, leaving in September 1914.  

In a letter he posted from Colombo, en route to Egypt in 1914, he asked after The Dorothy and sent his best wishes to Roland. This indicates that he had developed some sort of relationship with the launch before he left.” (Photo ex Lindsay Burrell Stone album)

Sir Francis & A Cool Family Idea

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SIR FRANCIS 

During the week Paul Drake commented that every year he produces a family calendar for circulation amongst my family – brothers, children, nieces and nephews. What a cool idea 🙂

All family birthdays are included. Every year the birthday list grows longer.  Paul said it takes a bit of work, but it serves to keep family connected, and it pleases him to know that the calendar hangs on walls in England, Austria, and Australia, as well as in New Zealand. 

Every year I choose a photo of one of the familiesboats, for the calendar, this year it features SIR FRANCIS, a photo from the 1980’s, homeward bound on Lake Taupo. Paul brother Michael is on the helm, and out of sight in the cockpit is their mother. Looking at the phot you would think that SIR FrANCIS had just rounded one of the headlands on the east coast of the North Island, a great reminder that Lake Taupo can get little gnarly.

SIR FRANCIS has made several appearances on WW before and is of course is a 1916 Collings and Bell built launch. 

Paul remembers that as children, the brothers all thought that any vessel which was not Collings and Bell was rubbish! These days they are not so blinkered 🙂

I’m back on dry land now after 9 days mooching around the gulf – lots of woodys out and about – big story on Monday. Talking of big – the beast below was anchored in Bon Accord, Kawau Island on New Years Eve – the tender was approx. 48’ 

ALMA G II – Restoration Update #2

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ex fb

ALMA G II – Restoration Update #2

Last week B.O.I. woody Dean Wright popped into the CMC Design boat shed in Opua and snapped a few photos of the restoration of the 1927 Collings & Bell built launch – Alma G II. The last update was in May, link here to that story https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/01/restoration-of-alma-g-ii-begins/

The old girl is getting a serious refit, some diagonal planking being added to hold the old girl together 🙂 anything that gives her another 100 years of life is better than slowly decomposing on a swing mooring up some estuary .

Her Lees Ford has been reconditioned – check out this video of the test bed run.

https://fb.watch/oKseSMfJ5O/

Photos below of Alma G II is her early days earning her keep as one of the most popular big game boats in the Bay of Islands.

SCHOOLHOUSE BAY KAWAU ISLAND – XMAS 1959 – BOATS & OWNERS

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SCHOOLHOUSE BAY KAWAU ISLAND – XMAS 1959 – BOATS & OWNERS
In todays photo Ken Ricketts has tagged as may launches as he can confidently ID and provided us with details of who owned the boat at the time of the photo + details on each craft. Hopeful Ken’s memory from 64 years ago is better than mine 😉 Photo by Palmer ex Lew Redwood fb. Engines are listed as on that day, a number had had other preceding engines, some mentioned and most have had other engines since.

  1. MARGARET S – Owner – Alec Stewart. Builder – Collings, & Bell c1919, Engine – Fay & Bowen 40hp petrol
  2. HUKARERE – Owner – Les Ravenhall. Builder– McGeady, ( hull& engine), & L Ravenhall (coamings & interior), 1949,  Engine – Perkins diesel.
  3. ROTUI – Owner – Alec & Linda Walker. Builder – Chris Craft, c1938-39. Engine – Ford V8 petrol        
  4. VARLENE – Owner – H T Morton. Builder – McGeady. Engine – 4 cyl Ailsa Craig diesel.
  5. APACHE – Owner – Harold Parkinson. Builder – home built by original owner in Capt. Springs Rd Te Papapa 1939. Engine – Chrysler Crown petrol.
  6. GAY DAWN – Owner – Ralph Ricketts. Builder (&designer), home built by Bill Waters 1953. Engine – twin 6 cyl Leyland diesels.
  7. MENAI – Owner – Clive Menzies – Builder – Sam Ford 1936/37. Engine – Ford V8 petrol, or perhaps newly fitted Ford 4 cyl diesel, – (original engine when built, 8 cyl Lycoming petrol repl., 1942 by Ford V8 ).

I think I have ID’ed REHAI , the 1938 Colin Wild built launch on the right, last launch – see below. 

03-12-2023 ADDITIONAL INPUT EX KEN RICKETTS – below is additional data ex KR, the accuracy of which is un proven so view as ‘maybe/could be 🙂

Some engine history & installation details of the above where known.

1. MARGARET S original or early days Twigg petrol engine.

2.HUKARERE original Less ( Ford?) marine petrol engine

3.ROTUI – original 

4. VARLENE –  original

5. APACHE – original

6.GAY DAWN original single flathead Studebaker petrol converted truck engine ex ROYAL FALCON painted bottle green.

7. MENAI – original 8 cyl Lycoming petrol engine

LADY MARGARET – original twin Fairbanks Morse diesels. These were side exhausted, out each side, below the bridgedeck, about 6 inches above the waterline, & were left in place for many years blanked off, after the Fodens were installed. 

Her Fodens to me, had a unique exhaust system, with 2 short stacks, one out each side of the cockpit cabintop, & were identical to those installed in Fred Porter’s MARNINE, during the building of her, for him, by Lane Motor Boat Co. 

Ted C. & Fred P. were very close friends, for much of their lives, & shared the same shed for the 2 boats, in Wakatakataka Bay, for a great many years, & both sets of engines were  purchased & installed at the same time. 

Fred P. was the M.D. of Mason & Porter Ltd, ( Masport), the huge engineering organization, & my father, Ralph Ricketts, was manager of the machine shop for about 30 years, & Fred asked my father to design, & for dad & his staff, to manufacture, the 4 exhaust/muffler units, for the 2 boats, which were a wonderful feat of engineering design, & a great success, as he was able to make the exhausts on both boats, almost completely silent, something that with those engines, was almost impossible, as exhaust back pressure, can be a real issue with all 2 cycle engines, which is what Fodens, GM Detroits, Commer TS3s, & others are also. — 

You never heard either of these 2 boats leave the bay, (Compare with original Police launch DEODAR I, which had 2 similar engines, or the navy HDMLs,  you could hear them coming around North Head, from Mansion House Bay Kawau Island, — well almost anyway!!).    

REHIA – still had her original engine, but the installation had a number of unusual special features about it & its installation. It was a Buda 6 cyl flathead, painted grey, with dual ignition (12 spark plugs), with a single 12 position distributor, with double sided rotor, which to me, seems inappropriate, as one benefit of dual ignition system, is the safety factor of having a separate back up, in event of failure of 1 system. She also had a Bendix reverse control system on the manual gearbox, which was operated by a little 6 inch lever, in a dual reverse lever/throttle control, console mounted unit, with an emergency long lever, for a manual linkage control alternative, poking through the floor, by the helm, that could be quickly connected, in event of failure of the Bendix system. I knew the boat & Ryans so very well, & in all the years I knew them, I never knew the Bendix system to fail. The Buda remained for a great many years, during their very long stewardship & was eventually replaced by a 6 cyl Ford Diesel, as I recall, around 1980ish. — KEN R           

When You Sell On-Line You Have Little Control Over Who Buys Your Gear 🙂

Tinopai

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TINOPAI

Back in Oct 2015 we ran a ‘mystery launch’ story – the boat was ID’s as Miss Picton (later named Mitre Peak) thanks to Harold Kidd we learnt that Miss Picton was built by Collings & Bell for a Captain M. Steele of Picton and was launched in December 1933.

Miss Picton was a replacement for Steele’s 45’ launch Tinopai that was also built by Collings & Bell and launched in November 1932, sadly Tinopai was destroyed by fire in Marlborough Sounds just on month after being launched.

Today thanks to a NZ Herald press clipping, sent in by K Ricketts we get to view the short-lived – Tinopai

Oct 2015 Miss Picton WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/10/28/mystery-launch-28-10-2015/

INPUT EX HAROLD KIDD – vastly better photo 🙂

Proof I’m A Nutter – suffering from post AB’s loss blues so Sunday afternoon was spent polishing the engine and upgrading the old engine box insulation 🙂

Ronaki – Collings & Bell

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RONAKI – Collings & Bell

In my communications with Sue Rivington re Sundays story on the launch – Leone, we uncovered that her grandfather also owned the launch – Ronaki. There are several vessels with that name on WW, but this one last appeared on WW back in August 2015, the two photos below ex the team at Whangateau Traditional Boat Yard are from then when Ronaki was jn storage in Ruakaka, Northland.  At the time we learnt that she was built as a fast harbour launch by Collings & Bell for the Auckland Harbour Board in January 1913, a 38 footer powered by a big 55-75 hp H.C. Doman marine engine with a max of 14 knots.

The last photo above is of her, ex Ron Watton, during her sea trial. After many years of service with AHB she was sold to G Hyauiason  (Sue Rivington’s grandfather) who had her bridgedeckerised.

The RNZN took her over in 1942 for control service (at the boom, HDK thinks) but sold her in 1944 to J.A. Collins. Harold’s uncle – Lou Wilson, MD of Morris Black & Matheson bought her soon after that. The AHB bought her back subsequently and fitted a Leyland.

The photos above come to us ex Sue’s family album/s, Sue commented that the background in several of the photos is at Sandspit. They used to own the farm there above the Motor Camp and out down the point to Brick Bay and around to Kanuka Road. Sue’s father sold the farm to developers in 2015 – now a subdivision. There maybe more than one launch in todays photo gallery – I would appreciate your views on the below and anything else that you see-
1. Are the launches #746 and #1661 the same launch

2. Is #748 the ‘bridgedeckerised’ launch Harold refers to above

3. Is the dark hulled launch another launch or part of the evolution of Ronaki

Back in 2017 WW got two comments added to the 2015 story. A Graham Watt advised that he owned Ronaki from 1969 > 1971, when he purchased her she was moored off Little Bucklands Beach. Graham immediatly undertook repairs to the boat at Westhaven as she was very ‘run-down’. Back then a Perkins P6 powered hr. The second comment was from a gent named Grant advising that Ronaki was on the hard at Mangapai, Whangarei, Northland and work was underway to refit her. We haven’t heard anything since then so very keen to learn the status of Ronaki.

INPUT ex Nathan Herbert – Three boats shown: First one possibly Miss Aussie then progress photos of the single-sheer Ronaki being rebuilt into raised foredeck bridge-decker. Third and dark painted boat is the Iorana in original guise.