Tag Archives: Dick Lang

ETHEL C (Ethel Clare)

Posted on by
21

20140608_141616

ETHEL C (Ethel Clare)

Some days ww rocks – yesterday was one of those days, the planets lined up & everything fell into place.

Last weekend Nathan Herbert was out & about nosing around the Whau Creek with Jason Prew in one of the classic picnic boats when they came across the very neglected tram topper, Ethel Clare,  sitting on a pile mooring. Ethel Claire (as spelt on the name board) became the ww posting on Wednesday.

Next thing I get an email from CYA member Neil Chalmers, SY Gleam, telling me a RYC member, Colin Clare, has been trying to track down his father’s old launch – ‘’Ethel C’’. Neil had spoken to Colin and described the launch in photos that appeared on ww. In Neil’s words “I think you may have struck gold !.”

Next I contacted Harold Kidd who confirmed that ETHEL C was built by Leon Warne in late 1922 for Billy Clare. HDK thinks she was in fact started by Leon and finished off by Dick Lang as Leon went to Russell at that time and Dick took over his premises.
Ethel C was 30’x8′ and HDK supplied two b/w images which leave no doubt that Ethel Claire is in fact Ethel C. The close up shows a young Colin Clare sitting on the salon top.
HDK commented – “that she has a provenance a couple of yards long!!!”

Next I contacted James Mobberley at Moon Engines & Transmissions who is a member at the Te Atatu Boating Club on the Whau Creek & a classic nutter. James advises that the boat is known around the club as Ethel C & is owned by a Te Atatu Boat Club member who has owned her for between 10 >12 years. The current owner bought her off a gent by the name of Jimmy Sands who had her sitting on his front lawn in Avondale for 20 years.

Now I want this to have a happy ending – wouldn’t it be great to see her rescued & back in the hands of the family of the original owner 🙂

Make sure you check out the RECENT COMMENTS section to view ww follower feedback

Rata

Posted on by
4

RATA

Rata was built by Dick Lang in 1926 in St Marys Bay. In todays world she is rather unquie in that her owner is only the 2nd since 1936. Rata has recently completed a lengthly keel up ‘rebuild’.

She is 35′ long with a 3′ draft & powered by a 85hp Lees Ford engine, she cruises at 8knots.

Currently 4 sale on trademe. Hopefully the price of $45k includes a chainsaw to remove the ‘carry handle’ 🙂

Anyone able to provide any more details on Rata?

Jeunesse

Posted on by
8

JEUNESSE

b/w photos ex Keith Munro

Built & launched by Dick Lang in 1919, LOA 39′, Beam 11′, Draft 3′. Powered by a 180hp Hino, she is rather quick 🙂

Currently owned by John Wright

Colour photo was taken in November 2013 during the CYA Launch Cruise to the Riverhead Hotel.

Jeunesse

Image

1

Jeunesse

JEUNESSE

‘Probably’ built in 1927 by Dick Lang, the owner is looking for anymore details on her past. Previous owners include a Dr. McFarlane?? & TG Shaw from the cartage contracting firm.

Photo taken by AlanH on July 7 2013 as she was heading up the upper harbour. She is rather quick, from memory having had the same zoom zoom transplant as Falcon i.e. a big Hino (turbo?)

Harold Kidd Update

The 37 footer JEUNESSE was built for W J Harper and launched in March 1919 as RAMBLER. Harper changed his mind and renamed her JEUNESSE by the start of the summer of 1919-20. None of the magazines or newspapers say who built her but Dick Lang seems a fair bet as she was built in St. Mary’s Bay. Reportage on such things was pretty scant at that time because of the Spanish ‘Flu outbreak. She was fitted with a 40hp Reutenberg 4 cylinder engine. Harper sold the launch KOTIRO when JEUNESSE was built. He kept her until 1923 when he sold her to H Hewson. N C McLean & R Kirkwood owned her in 1926. She spent a lot of time in Whangarei after that. In 1951 she was owned by S H R Smith of Onehunga, Richard Leary in 1990, John Wright in 2003; that’s all I have.

Lady Margaret (Dick Lang)

Posted on by
15

LADY MARGARET

I post this as pure eye candy on a wet & windy day. Lady Margaret has to be one of the prettiest vessel’s in the CYA fleet, no matter what angle you approach her from she is dam near perfect to the eye. Her owner cares for her like a 73 year old lady should be.
Designed by Dick Lang in 1940. Powered by twin Fodens.

My Girl – about time we had some older wood posted

Posted on by
3

Screen Shot 2013-05-23 at 8.50.36 PM

Harold – can you help ID this launch – thx

Harold Kidd Update

That’s the lovely MY GIRL, built by Dick Lang in late 1925 for C.B. “Tui” Waldron of the Wade who commuted with her. The square-bilge design was based on one by W.H. Hand. She was fitted with a 6 cylinder 100hp Scripps that pushed her along at over 18 knots. Waldron later took her to Whangarei and she was in NAPS as Z32 out of Whangarei in WW2. She survived at Te Atatu as recently as 2001 owned by Trevor Davies.

Lady Adelaide

Posted on by
8

P1070615 Lady Adelaide

Lady Adelaide

1920’s Dick Lang designed & built. More info would be appreciated.

The original owner Charles Palmer was one of this country’s finest yachtsmen, founding the NZ Power Boat Association in 1905, the Motor Boat Patrol in 1914, the RNZNVR and being an able administrator with the APYMBA and the various yacht clubs until he died.

08-01-2016 photo at Kawau Island ex Tom Kane

Lady Adelaide Kawau2016

Castaway (Islander) & Alofa comparison

Posted on by
1
Castaway (Islander)
Alofa

Interesting comparison Castaway (Dick Lang) was launched in 1947 as “Islander”. Her sister ship Alofa was built by Sam Ford. Note the different bow, “Islander” has a clipper bow. photos – Castaway ex Alan Houghton, Alofa ex Ken Ricketts