Tag Archives: Erine Lane

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CLASSIC LAUNCH – GUNNER – A Peek Down Below

Back in Dec 2023 we ran a story on the  1940 Erine Lane built 43’ launch GUNNER, where we saw her dockside. Link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/12/28/mv-gunner-update/

Today we get a peek down below. She is a solid old girl, 1-1/4” kauri carvel planked and powered by a 6 cyl. 100hp Ford Lees D series that give her a cruise speed of 7 knots. As Ian McDonald commented “crying out for a Gardner” 🙂

GUNNER was originally intended for work and fishing in the Marlborough Sounds. However, she was requisitioned by the Crown during wartime and transported to the Devonport Naval Base in Auckland for final fitting out. After the war, Gunner was sold and began commercial fishing out of Leigh Harbour. During this time, she also operated a mail run to Great Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf. Around 1957, Gunner changed hands again and continued her commercial fishing career from Port Ohope. In 1973, she underwent a 3-year conversion from a working vessel into a pleasure craft. This transformation included extending the wheelhouse and adding an aft cabin.

Each to their own but she appeals to me, a very comfortable boat that could easily do laps on NZ.

SPIRIT OF TRADITION CLASSIC DOUBLE-ENDER WOODEN LAUNCH – BONITA

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SPIRIT OF TRADITION CLASSIC DOUBLE-ENDER WOODEN LAUNCH – BONITA

Over the weekend I was mooching around the upper harbour and came across the very smart looking double-ender above.

She is moored just off the old Salthouse yard / wharf and looks very new.

At a guess I would say approx. 28>30’ , would love to see the wheel house sans the covers.

Can anyone provide more intel on the vessel.

Ken Ricketts pointed out the she made a cameo appearance back in Feb 2023, photo below, nice to see the wheelhouse, James Hutchinson also commented that the boats named BONITA, built by Lanes. Details here for a peek inside the cabin. Amazing the difference a paint job makes. https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/07/07/borato/

INPUT ex CHRIS SALTHOUSE – The Vessels name is Bonita not Bonito and yes Eric Lanes of Picton built her in 1923, I bought her 2 years ago, steamed her across the Cook straight then trucked her to Auckland were we are slowly getting her in shape as time permits. Thanks for the interest.

LADY AVA – Unseen Sinking Photo

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LADY AVA – Unseen Sinking Photo

Back in June 2020 we ran 1/2 a story on the 1931 Ernie Lane (Picton) built launch – Lady Ava (once named Miss Ava). The original story was about her sinking but due to the then owners situation it was decided to ‘dilute’ the story e.g. no photo of her demise. Link to the 2020 story below.

Well three years have past so today you get to see her joining the submariners club. Last I heard she was secured near/alongside the Leader Boat Builders shed on the Panmure River. Photos below taken not long after her recovery.https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/06/04/alpheus-a-peek-down-below-lady-ava-sinks/

Can we get an update on Lady Ava’s current situation.

Update: More photos below ex Mark Laughlin

Le Reine > Patina

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LA REINE > PATINA

Todays photos were sent in by Mike Mulligan and are of his families old launch Patina which his father sold to buy the launch Ngaranui (tomorrows story) in the 1970’s

The 39’ Patina was built  by Erine Lane at Picton in 1913, from double planked kauri. Lane built her for C.W. Philpotts of the Sounds Motor Launch Co. as a passenger vessel. Originally named La Reine (The Queen). 

As launched she was fitted with a 20hp Bolinder semi-diesel reversing engine. Late she went fishing out of New Plymouth with a Fairbanks- Morse and also spent time in Tauranga. Around this time she was converted to pleasure use.

In Sept 2019 she was for sale at Chaffers marina, Wellington.In Feb 2020 she was still for sale – photos below and here – https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/02/29/patina-2/

(thank to Harold Kidd for early details)

MV Friendship + The Solution To Boating Withdrawal

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MV Friendship

 
Friendship was built on 1936 by Ernie Lane in Picton, South Island, for Tracy Gough, founder of Gough Gough and Hamer.
She is 50’ in length from kauri. Has been re-powered with a 471 Detroit. As built had an unknown 40 hp engine. 
We are told that once she had masts and sails and plainly, obviously before all the ‘fruit’ was added on the top of the wheel house.
Current home port is Napier. Thanks to woody Andrew Christie for the heads up and researching the item and photos.
 
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Where Is She Now? – Lady Ava

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Where Is She Now ? – Lady Ava

A very pretty launch that we need in the CYA fleet, so the question today is where is she hiding these days – the above photo ex Jason Prew was taken at the Mahurangi Regatta in 2006.

I hope I have the correct name – the only reference I have is the yellow pennant on her stern – Lady Ava

+ need details on her please 🙂 thx Harold – amended as below.

Update from Harold Kidd

Its MISS AVA, built by Ernie Lane at Picton in 1931.
I looked at her to buy several years ago and found her quite attractive. She went to Wellington about 1937, owned by Ernie Lamberg. She was in NAPS at Wellington 1942-3 as Z70. Her dimensions are 36’x9’8″ and she recently was powered by a 6 cylinder Ford diesel. There is a nice pic of her in the Boat Harbour at Wellington in NAPS in “New Zealand Naval Vessels” by Bob McDougall on page 105. She hasn’t changed much since then.

Update to the above from Harold

johntwodogs is quite right. Z70 in that image is not MISS AVA. I wish I had checked my copy of NZNV before posting, especially since the entry in my database had an asterisk for a doubtful piece of info. I have only just found it after 3 hours of searching in my library, face down in the wrong place.
NZNV gives only a couple of NAPS numbers for Wellington launches, Z73 for QUEEN CHARLOTTE and Z78 for ROSEMARY M. I’ve filled in a few, eg RAHEMO with Z76. So what is this Z70? She’s a weird-looking craft, quite large. The only Wellington NAPS boat that seems to correspond is KOTUKU, a 48 footer owned by Wm. H Smith about which I know nothing.
The image below is for the Wellington buffs to chew over. Courtesies to Bob McDougall who had no responsibility for my leap in the dark.

PS Of course QUEEN CHARLOTTE is Z72, NOT Z73 as in NZNV.

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Updated ‘recent’ photos of Lady Ava ex John Wright. click photos to enlarge

John tells me the ‘young lad’ in the wheel house is ‘Captain Buck Rogers’