Tag Archives: Ernie Lane

MOETAPU REGATTAS 1909 – 1919 – A REMARKABLE CLASSIC BOATING ARCHIVE

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Slightly different format today that sees us featuring the Moetapu Regatta’s 1909 > 1914. Moetapu is located in Pelorus Sound, Marlborough. The story was shared with us by Roy Jones from the Picton Clinker & Classic Boat Club. Roy pulls together an amazing newsletter for the club and is one of my must read items each month.
Roy contacted WW last week following up on a WW story I ran, sourced from the clubs newsletter. At the time WW was seeking intel on an old photograph of a launch pictured at the Moetapu Regatta.
Roy commented that from a very distant source, they have determined an identity of the craft, ZEALANDIA.  Roy has cropped together (his words) a story on the Regatta’s for the clubs newsletter. And today we get to share it. Many thanks Roy 🙂

Moetapu Regatta, 26th December 1909 – 1914 – Roy Jones

Some time ago we wondered at the name of a motorised craft featured at the Moetapu Beach picnic 26th Dec 1911.

I was contacted recently by Ms Victoria Gitting, who was sent a series of photographs and albums by a relative, Mr Ian Pinkerton, who is the great great great grandson of Mr William Ross Brownlee, the Havelock timber tycoon who established Blackball.

The albums are cherished by Ian and include a selection of photographs of the early Moetapu Regatta’s from 1910 – 1914

It was delightful to see the boat flotilla’s of so many styles and of the races they ran. The photo has a date of 27th Dec 1909

Considering the date of 1909 it is remarkable the number of motorised craft even then!

Attached is the article from The Pelorus Guardian and Miners Advocate newspaper with race results for the 1911 event.

I wish we knew the race course length to enable their speed to be calculated from the time elapsed in the race.

With the wonderful Glass Plate photos, we can zoom right in close without the modern day pixilation occurring and noting the flag on the stern of the craft below, and the race results, the only craft detailed shows it as Zelandia, the only named craft with ALA in the name.

A considerable crowd attended these regatta’s a scan be seen for the crowded steam boat Pelorus, the hulk of which is still seen on the side of the road at Blackball Harbour a short distance from Havelock on the road to Nelson.

The craft that indicates ALA on the flag at her stern, suggests her name is Zealandia.

This is the Kaituna River which flows into Havelock and is now just a trickle by comparison.

I notice that Mr J.W. Brownlee owns The Weka and is both mentioned as starting badly and only finished one round yet is mentioned as Weka winning easily, maybe there is a Weka and a Waka as both are mentioned. I presume that this is Mr John Brownlee who also commissioned Ernie Lane in Picton to build our Ruru in 1920. Ruru was also was fitted with an oil engine as it motored from Picton to Havelock shortly after being completed. There are some delightful old style photographs of early Marlborough and of how the locals enjoyed their recreation, watching yacht and speedboat races.

Dressed in their finery for the day out no matter how uncomfortable it would have been in frock jackets and formal hats to long dresses & wide hats. Kids too!Very little sign of food hampers.

The steam tug Pelorus, used by the Brownlee Timber mill to tow sailing ships up the Pelorus River to Blackball.

Gosh….   that punt is crowded and not a life jacket to be seen.

The beach Promenade

A fine Club house and starters box, is it the first of the Pelorus Boating Club rooms?

This is the current condition of the steam tug Pelorus, shown earlier in the article, lying alongside the road between Havelock and Nelson. The bank of the stream behind the hull is full of the offcuts from the sawmill that existed on this site at Blackball. One can walk the steam and see the ends of countless flitches discarded from the milling process.

In a more highly populated area than Marlborough, this hulk would be restored by a larger engineering company and be a usable steam tourist attraction.

Pelorus lies about where the bowsprit of Lindstol sits in this photo.

HAROLD KIDD INPUT – There were many launches called ZEALANDIA, usually because they were fitted with a Zealandia marine engine built by Hoiland & Gillett in Auckland. Tom Le Huquet built at least two for Hoiland & Gillett and T M Lane & Sons did another for them in 1910; there was a twin-engined smart launch built at Riwaka by Arthur McNabb in 1912 (not the pictured boat at Moetapu), one in Rotorua by Robinson & McIntosh in 1909, one in Dunedin in 1910 and this one at Pelorus. There were probably others.

SOS – SOUTHERN MAID – CLASSIC 1929 MOTOR LAUNCH NEEDS SAVING

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SOS – SOUTHERN MAID – CLASSIC 1929 MOTOR LAUNCH NEEDS SAVING

The 42’ 1929 wooden motor launch – SOUTHERN MAID, built by E.R. Lane in Picton has just popped up on tme with a call out for someone to help save this significant southern woody. Current owner is unable to continue the upkeep of the vessel and the call has gone out for a new owner to step up.

As we can see from the photos below, she hasn’t always been in the ‘as presented for sale’ condition.

There must be a woody follower in the South Island that can bring the SOUTHERN MAID back to the condition she deserves. ( thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up)

CLASSIC LAUNCH – STERLING – Can We Help Out

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CLASSIC LAUNCH – STERLING – Can We Help Out

Todays woody – STERLING was built by Ernie Lane in Picton and launched in 1925. Lots of details and photos in this April 2019 WW story – link here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/04/03/sterling-2/

Last week WW was contacted by STERLING’s owner who advised they were in the process of getting her back up to speed for her 100th next year. They commented that with the help of a tame boat builder, they have removed the dodgy timber and replaced with good Northland Kauri, pulled the engine out and given it an overhaul, reconfigured the main cabin and will replace the very agricultural duck board and raise and reconfigure the aft cabin. Along with a full rewiring, she should be good to go for a wee while. 

That’s all good news put they have a wee problem – in pulling out the old 6 cylinder Ford Lehman, it was discovered that the cast manifold is beyond repair and are reaching out to see if there are any woodys that might know know where they can get a replacement.

So question today is – can we help out, someone must have one in a shed somewhere.

A REPLICA ERNIE LANE CLASSIC 1920 CLINKER

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A REPLICA ERNIE LANE CLASSIC 1920 CLINKER

I’m a big fan of the Picton Clinker & Classic Boat Club, they seem to have the mix right when it comes the wooden boating community. Recently I was chatting to Roy Jones (Roysie) who among other things pulls together the clubs newsletter. Roysie mentioned a project he had been working on and promised a story – and today woodys we get the enjoy that story – I’ll hand over to Roysie to tell it.

“Fifteen years ago The Picton Clinker & Classic Boat Club was gifted a 14ft clinker hulk which came with a remarkable provenance. Built by Ernie Lane in 1920 for Mr John Brownlee, son of the timber tycoon, William Brownlee of Havelock, the boat was in a sorry state and owned by Club Member, Noel Johnson.

Noel’s initial attraction towards Ruru was that, when he lived in Havelock as a child in the mid 40’s, he can vividly remember Ruru resting in the creek near the present causeway, whilst owned by the Havelock butcher, Mr Johnny Buncombe. Playing in Ruru, he would often be chased off and Noel miraculously relocated the boat again in 2003 on the Holdaway farm near Blenheim.

The Holdaway’s had purchased Ruru in 1948, from Johnny Buncombe for 100 Pounds, and who himself, had bought her from the Brownlee’s in 1933. 

Now in a very sorry state, Barry Holdaway gave the hulk to Noel who intended to restore her. Aged 80, he realised it was beyond him, and Noel wisely gifted the craft to the Picton Clinker & Classic Boat Club in an effort to preserve her,  and it worked.

Ruru as restored in Jan 2010

Ruru is the Club’s flagship and is utilised on all the club runs as such. Roy had a little to do with the restoration and always admired her lines as created by Ernie,  she was now available for all to view and admire. So last Christmas he borrowed Ruru for a week and after setting her up,  took her lines off and drew them up on the computer. From these he created a table of offsets and after lofting out, began construction early in the New Year.

Ernie created a built-down style of deadwood almost a bustle, presumably to ensure the engine could be low as possible and with a fairly level prop-shaft, but this was difficult to recreate. 

He must have steamed the kauri planks tightly to achieve the curvature around the stern deadwood rebate. Roy elected to use Meranti 9 mm marine ply rather than timber purely due to supply constraints. While gluing the lands removed the need for nailed and roved laps, it still required steamed American Oak ribs. This was the only job Roy required assistance with and co-opted a couple of retired members in the club to assist with the morning’s task. Peter Baker & Keith Henson willingly helped out and this is the norm amongst the Clinker Club members, advice and assistance is most often always freely available.

Propulsion System We originally installed a Stuart Turner P66 twin cyl. 10 hp engine in Ruru, but this was overpowered, so we swapped it for a P55 5 hp which  proved more appropriate, however, the Stuart Turner became  problematic for the numerous skippers in the Club. We have since settled upon a Lifan Chinese 6 hp and this has run well for 10 years, but is quite noisy. Roy considered this and, after speaking with new member, Tim Barton about his neat little electric 12ft’r, Billy O Tea, decided to also install an electric system in the Ruru clone.

With Tim’s advice on where to go for the Chinese supplier, Roy ordered a 4kw, 1000 rpm 48v dc motor and controller, which duly arrived about 4 weeks later without problem. At around $3,500 landed, he considered it reasonably economical.

Subsequent to that major decision, he continued construction, framing the deck and glassing same. Unlike Ruru, he made the top strake varnished with a sub belting along the bottom edge in a more traditional style. Lacking more traditional hardwoods for the beltings, standard Quila timber decking was utilised and machined to suit; merely because it is readily available and reasonably economical.

The dc motor is considerable, weighs about 30kg developing 39 N.M. 

The universal is a CV joint from a wreckers, and the thrust bearing just aft. The motor output shaft is 35mm!

Having decided upon electric propulsion, Roy decided to throw the cat another goldfish and fitted hydraulic steering to enable comfortable curved seating in the stern without a the tiller interfering with guests seated there. 

Once again, Roy went online and researched hydraulic steering systems. Having been quoted over $2000 locally, it cost less than $500 for a full set imported and landed at the door in 3 weeks.

The short S.S. rudder tiller penetrates the transom quite unobtrusively, to the ram below deck and can be disconnected from the rudder when removing for trailing.

The Electric system enabled a centre console with motor and battery installed beneath, leaving a huge area amidships, where an engine is usually placed. A forward curved seat fits neatly behind the curved foredeck coamings. The large 48v lithium battery required is situated under the front seat of the console, while the motor and drive train is beneath the foot level lid below the helm.

The 48v 100 amp hr lithium battery is the blue item & takes up the full width of the compartment. The silver item is the motor speed controller that came with the motor. The yellow lead is for connecting to the 48v  HD charger.

Roy purchased the 48v 100 amp hour Lithium Ion Battery from Auckland along with the new trailer, driving up and back being cheaper than freighting both down to Marlborough.

He also installed a GPS Plotter & Sounder plus a Victron battery management system from Burnsco. This is a magic device providing a shunt in the neutral supply and thus determines the present battery voltage, the currently used amps & watts, plus provides a range in hours and minutes left in the battery. It is supplied with a 50mm gauge but the best method of readout is by Bluetooth to a cell phone enabling all the readings on one screen.

The greatest dilemma with electric boat propulsion systems is range anxiety, knowing how long you can actually cruise for, at the present power usage. Well, the Victron system diminishes this to a normal fuel level concern, if you run at full power then your fuel range will be minimal, but with sensible throttle use many hours are available. Roy intends to calibrate the range from GPS speed, Shaft rpm & amps drawn. These are shown further on.

Tim provided his figures, and for example at 3.3 knots Billy O Tea draws 5.2 amps, at 5 kts she draws 22 amps but at 5.4 kts, draws 50 amps indicating her best hull speed is just below 5 kts. i.e. 100 amp hour battery at 22 amps =  5 hrs motoring, and you can always slow down!

We used GPS speeds & digital tacho rpm figures with the Victron gauge providing the current drawn. Roy will do similar with Toroa EV,   (her new name now she is completed.) Toroa means Salvins Mollymauk (and the EV is electric vessel!).                                                                          

Ruru like most clinker hulls is a very seaworthy craft and it is on record that when Ernie Lane completed her, she was motored around from Picton to Havelock by a Mr Doug Pickering. This is a daunting trip for a 14ft Clinker, even today, and he is reported to have had fuel trouble near Cape Jackson, Doug simply tied Ruru to some kelp while he cleaned out the fuel line of shavings!  Ruru was fitted with a Scottish Kelvin of about 5 hp from new and to have motored the 60 odd miles around the Cape was an impressive feat 105 years ago!

When one considers that she was built shortly after the First World War, it is remarkable that it was obviously intended she would have an engine from new.   It wasn’t a retrofitted engine installation as is usually the case with this vintage. Perhaps this would indicate the wealth of the original purchaser, Mr John Brownlee?

With the helmsman and passenger sitting in the stern sheets. Toroa EV rides high in the bow but with passenger forward she sits nicely to the waterline.

Roy advised that Toroa EV took 5 months to construct at old farts pace… i.e. 5 hr per day knocking off at rum o’clock. He takes great delight in creating clinker craft, believing if the boat is pretty, it will become a 100 year boat. (only pretty boats last 100 years because their owners love them!)

The Picton Clinker Club members own many small clinker & classic style boats and are committed to salvaging and restoring these wonderful small craft, often saving them from various scrap heaps or bonfires.

Toroa EV Performance

Revs                                   Speed                                Amps

350                              2.1kts                                 2.4

450                              2.6kts                                 3.5

650                              3.4kts                                 6.6

800                              4.1kts                                 11.7

970                              5.3 kts                                16

1070                                   5.4 kts                                21

1250                                   5.9 kts                                39

As you can see, any attempt to exceed 5 knots hull speed causes the amps load to dramatically increase, up to about 4.5kt is very economical indeed but a little more and range diminishes dramatically. Exactly the same of a combustion engine I guess.”

CLASSIC 1923 DOUBLE END LAUNCH BONITA – GETS A BIRTHDAY

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CLASSIC 1923 DOUBLE END LAUNCH BONITA – GETS A BIRTHDAY

Over the last few weeks the 1923 Ernie Lane (Picton) built launch – BONITA has been getting some TLC at the Slipway Milford yard.

WW first spotted BONITA in Waikawa Bay, Marlborough Sounds in May 2022, at the time she was for sale, top photo below.

Fast forward to July 2024 and the launch was moored off the old Salthouse yard in the upper reaches of the Waitemata Harbour. Her new owner Chris Salthouse had transported her from the South Island to Auckland and given her a makeover which included a change of hull colour (blue) – as seen in the second photo below.

As part of the 2025 TLC the hull colour has changed again – this time a green sea mist colour. I like it but of the 3 ‘recent’ colours, the royal blue was my pick. I understand the dark blue was too harsh with the sun re seams opening up. TELL US YOUR PICK ON THE HULL COLOUR – VOTE BELOW

I understand that the next project is a new larger cabin.

There has been lots of chat on the correct spelling of her name – but it was BONITA when built and originally was working a Sounds passenger vessel.

Links below to past WW stories.

WW  May 2022 https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/07/07/borato/
WW July 2024 https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/07/02/spirit-of-tradition-classic-double-ender-wooden-launch/

CLASSIC WOODEN CHARTER BOAT – IRIS

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CLASSIC WOODEN CHARTER BOAT – IRIS

Back in March 2015 thanks to Chris Manning and Harold Kidd we had a wonderful insight into the 1923 Ernie Lane built 40’ launch – IRIS. Link here to view details and historic photos. WW March 2015  https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/03/19/iris/

Todays photo comes to us from the Nelson Museum via the Tauranga Library files, and is dated 1938.

AN INSIGHT INTO NZ’S UNIQUE MARINE ENGINES – Part Three

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AN INSIGHT INTO NZ’S UNIQUE MARINE ENGINES – Part Three

Todays WW story follows on from earlier stories – link below to Part One and Two 
As per pervious stories in the series the content has been pulled together by Ken Ricketts and ‘polished’ byPatrica and Ken’s daughter Corinne Pettersen. As always we have endeavoured to be as factual as possible but there will always by matters others will either know more about or be able to correct errors – so woodys do not hold back on commenting.

PART ONE – https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/04/04/an-insight-into-nzs-unique-marine-engines-part-one/

PART TWO – https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/04/12/an-insight-into-nzs-unique-marine-engines-part-two/

ROLLS ROYCE MARINE DIESEL ENGINES

ROLLS ROYCE 275 HP MARINE DIESEL ENGINE

ONE OF THE 2 ROLLS ROYCES THE ORIGINAL ENGINES IN OHORERE

KUDU WITH HER 137 HP ROLLS ROYCE ENGINES IN 1966

OHORERE WHEN NEW, WITH HER 2 X ROLLS ROYCE 6CYL. 275 HP DIESEL ENGINES

OHORERE AS AT 2025 WITH HER 2 X 770 HP MTU MARINISED MERCEDES BENZ DIESELS

MANAIA, WITH HER 2 X 6 CYL. 275 HP ROLLS ROYCE ENGINES

MANAIA INSTRUMENT PANEL

These are, as one would expect, a brand of engine that is quite rare, resulting from the cost of the engines to buy and the cost, equally, of parts for all maintenance. Also, while Rolls Royce has the name synonymous with perfection in all respects, it is my view that, in fact, Gardner engines are far superior in every respect, including noise, smooth running, longevity, maintenance necessity, and costs thereof. However, there are a few that are in the boats of today and yesterday. I personally know only three.

There is the KUDU, a large launch that, at one time, in mid to late 1966 to perhaps somewhere around the 1980s, belonged to the late Harry Julian. She is 63 feet long and powered by 2 x 137hp Rolls Royce 6-cylinder diesel engines. She was designed and built under Lloyd’s supervision in the UK in 1964 and sailed out to NZ as the end of a 20,000 km journey. However, the last time I saw her was on a visit to the Gold Coast in Australia, anchored in the middle of the center of Sanctuary Cove Marina.

Another of the RR-powered boats is the OHORERE, built by Percy Vos in Auckland for the government of the day to be a high-speed fisheries patrol craft, and designed by Thornycroft in the UK. However, she never reached anything close to her anticipated speed projections as required in the order from the government to the designers and builders. Large sums of money were spent collectively by the designers, Rolls Royce, and the builders to give her better performance, but they failed miserably, and she was ultimately sold to private ownership, where she has been used for many years now for fishing charters in Tauranga. As of now, Rolls Royce’s were replaced about two years ago with 2 x 770hp MTU marinized Mercedes Benz diesels and is capable of around 30 knots.

There is one more pleasure craft, an ex-Whangarei pilot boat and that is the MANAIA, which has had from new, 2 x Rolls Royce 8-cylinder inline 16-litre diesels. 

UNIVERSAL BLUE JACKET 6 FLAT HEAD PETROL ENGINES.

THE UNIVERSAL RANGE OF 4 & 6 CYL BLUE JACKET RANGE OF MARINE ENGINES

OTAZEL WITH HER UNIVERSAL BLUE JACKET 6 PETROL MARINE ENGINE. MANSION HOUSE BAY, KAWAU ISLAND c.1951

I am aware of one of these in New Zealand, which was in the OTAZEL, owned by Arch Tucket, in the late 1940s to the 1960s. He was the head of the patrol craft section for T.E.A.L. at that time in Mechanics Bay, and he fitted it to her on the hardstand at Okahu Bay in the winter of 1950.

G.M. ALLISON 1450HP, HOME MARINE CONVERTED, V12 AIRCRAFT PETROL ENGINE.

GM ALLISON V12 AIRCAFT ENGINE

REDHEAD, IN THE SOUTHWARD TRUST VEHICLE  MUSEUM IN PARAPARAUMU, AS SHE WAS LIFTED FROM THE SEABED IN WELLINGTON HARBOUR, AFTER HER  PROPELLER LOSING A BLADE, WHILST RACING & SINKING AS A RESULT.  

REDHEAD RACING A FLYNG BOAT ON WELLINGTON HARBOUR

The only boat I’m aware of that had one of these was Sir Len Southard’s champion racing boat, REDHEAD, which won, at one time or another, most of the cups and awards, as well as a huge number of races in her time. She was a real champion, designed, built, and raced by the late Sir Len Southward of Wellington, a brilliant engineer and philanthropist. John Bullivant tells has advised there was a second high-speed hydroplane racing boat built with a marine-converted V12 GM Allison petrol engine in the same era.

STERLING MARINE PETROL ENGINES

STERLING 6 CYL 1920 MARINE PETROL ENGINE PROBABLY SIMILAR TO THAT 

IN LADY STIRLING

STERLING 115 HP U.S. NAVY WWII FLAT HAD PETROL ENGINE

KERMATH 1928  225 HP SEA WOLF ENGINE IDENTICAL TO THAT IN THE TASMAN IN 1947

LADY STERLING IN QUEESNTOWN

TASMAN IN 1948 IN SCHOOLHOUSE BAY KAWAU ISLAND  

STERLING BUILT IN 1926 BY ERNIE LANE IN PICTON

LADY STERLING

The 52-foot, 105-year-old Bailey & Lowe-built ocean-going yacht, built in 1920 is named LADY STERLING. This yacht had one of these engines originally, and there were other boats that had them in the earlyish 1900s. 

LADY STERLING has, in recent times, been in the Queenstown area, but she has traveled many thousands of sea miles, with numerous crossings of the Pacific Ocean in her long life. 

Around the end of WWII, she belonged to Stan Waters. She passed shortly after to Lloyd McIvor, a dentist, who sailed her several times a year to Fiji and other Pacific islands to attend to the islanders’ dental issues.

TASMAN WITH A STERLING 6CYL DUAL IGNITION 115HP WWII U.S. NAVY PETROL ENGINE.

A reference in part 1 of this series was made in the comments section by Denis O’Callahan, related to the TASMAN having had a WWII ex-US Navy 6-cylinder flathead Sterling petrol engine at some stage, pre-1975. I have researched this engine and found the following information and images related to it, which I am confident may well be the engine he was referring to.

A quote from Tom Ball in 2016: “I have acquired this engine recently. It is a six-cylinder marine engine with dual ignition. It is 115 HP with a water-cooled exhaust. These Sterling petrol engines were made in Buffalo, New York. The engine supposedly was in a naval ship of some sort and may have come from the naval yard there.” – unquote

As I also said in part 1, I was aboard TASMAN, Christmas 1947 with my father one day & owner, Jack Brooke, lifted the bridgedeck floor & showed us her huge bottle green 225 hp overhead valve Kermath Sea Wolf  petrol engine, identical to that in the above image.

I could see by its size & overall concept, it was a fairly old engine, & perhaps the original, & in the circumstances, I have taken what to me, is a logical view, that this engine was probably replaced around 1960ish by the Sterling, due to old age , &/or perhaps maintenance issues, as well as huge quantities of petrol it must have consumed. Also, it was usually pushed at high speed most of the time by Jack B who was a speed fiend, when it came to his boat, which must have given the engine a hard life.  

19-04-2025 INPUT ex RUSSELL WARD – “I have a little input into Tasman when she had the Stirling engine in the early -mid ’60s. We used to describe it as a “Sterling Dolphin” in the day. My mother had a business connection with her then owner Dr Jim Sprott and I had the chance to see over Tasman and especially to view her engine. It was a four cylinder T head type engine -two blocks of two and quite tall. Certainly painted green with lots of brass -It ran delightfully smoothly and the owner averred that it was not too thirsty if throttled back. His suggestion was that the Americans installed the engine during the war to get more speed out of her. It certainly was a very old vintage- looking engine and had none of the looks of the more modern engines.

Dr Sprott later decided to replace it because of the petrol it used and maintenance. It was offered to MoTat who refused and my father wouldn’t allow me to have it and the word was that it was scrapped. RIP.”

26-04-2025 INPUT ex DENIS O’CALLAHAN – below further information regarding the Sterling engine in the launch – TASMAN

In 1970, TASMAN was purchased from Dr.Jim Sprott by my friend Allan Tyler and his dad Eric.

She had a Sterling 6 cylinder petrol engine with dual ignition and we were told that the original engine may have been a Kermath.

We had many adventures with this engine. One time at Tryphena she would not start and we found the Bendix Spring was broken. To our relief we found several spare springs in the locker so it must have happened before.

The Sterling was replaced in 1976 with a Lees Marine 6 cylinder Ford diesel. New stainless steel fuel tanks amidships replaced the old copper tanks under the aft deck which became the water tanks. The old Sterling engine went to scrap but we retained the name plates which were passed on to the new owner of TASMAN, Stephen Cashmore.

Photographs of these plates are below and the following is my interpretation:

Silver badge “Sterling”. THE ENGINE OF REFINEMENT FOR THE FINEST BOATS THAT FLOAT.

Small Plate. US NAVY. BU. ENG. NO. (Bureau of Engines Number) –  11725

Large Plate. STERLING ENGINE CO.

                        BUFFALO NY USA

            BUILDERS OF MARINE ENGINES

                       SERIAL NUMBER

                            US L61678

           ROTATION AT FLYWHEEL C.C. (Counter clockwise)

         C.W. HAND SCREW PROPELLER

                 HORSE POWER 220

                RPM MAXIMUM 2200

        WITH PROPELLER LOAD AND

            FULL OPEN THROTTLE

     ENGINE REVOLUTIONS MUST

     EQUAL OR EXCEED 1900 RPM

               FIRING ORDER

                 1 4 2 6 3 5

          TAPPET CLEARANCE

           INLET 020 THOUSANDTHS

    EXHAUST 025 THOUSANDTHS

In 2019 I visited Buffalo New York on a cruise through the Erie Canal and Great Lakes and looked for the old Sterling works.

I found that Sterling had been taken over by Phillips Petroleum in the late 1950s and the assets moved to Kansas.

The Sterling Company dates back to about 1903 and many speed records were held by boats with Sterling engines.

STERLING TEE HEAD 4 CYL PETROL MARINE ENGINE SIMILAR TO THAT AS DESCRIBED BY RUSSELL WARD ABOVE THAT HE COMMENTS WAS INSTALLED IN TASMAN IN THE 1960’S AFTER HER ORIGINAL KERMATH SEAWOLF

THE LAUNCH STERLING

I have researched extensively but have been unable to source an image of the 3-cylinder, 27 HP Sterling engine, as referred to below by Harold Kidd and in the launch STERLING as pictured above.  

Input from Harold Kidd: This STERLING was built by Ernie Lane in Picton in 1925 for L.J. Steele as a passenger vessel to carry 60 passengers and had a 1924-built, 3-cylinder, 27 HP (rated) Sterling marine engine with a bore of 4.5″ and a stroke of 5.5″. Dimensions are 34′ x 9′ x 3’9″.

HALL SCOTT DEFENDER V12 PETROL 630HP MARINE ENGINES

NGAROMA WITH HER 1 HALL SCOTT DEFENDER V12 PETROL ENGINE, & 1 GLENIFFER 8 CYL INLINE DIESEL ENGINE, WHEN OWNED BY JIM LAWLER

These Hall Scott Defender petrol engines were used in all Fairmiles during WWII wartime service. When sold into private ownership after the war, all were immediately replaced by diesel engines of various types, brands, and sizes, except for one privately owned Fairmile called the NGAROMA, owned at that time by Jim Lawler. This vessel retained one Hall Scott engine for around two years before replacing it with a second, opposite-handed, 8-cylinder inline Gleniffer Diesel to match the existing Gleniffer 8-cylinder engine he fitted when he purchased the NGAROMA, creating a matched handed pair.

There were also two RNZAF MIAMI CLASS American patrol craft bought by the RNZAF around 1948. One, W275, was sent to Lauthala Bay, Fiji, by the RNZAF, while the other, W276, remained here. W276 had two Hall Scott Defenders mounted in the stern and vee driven.

W276 WITH HER 2 HALL SCOTT DEFENDER V12 PETROL MARINE ENGINES  

JUNKERS GERMAN DIESEL AIRCRAFT ENGINE TO BE HOME CONVERTED FOR MARINE USE 

JUNKERS DOUBLE ACTING DUAL PISTON 6 CYL estimated at c.1000HP GERMAN AIRCRAFT ENGINE.

This boat (W276) as featured above, was sold in the 1960s to a Mr. Canavan, a retired senior Air Force officer. He employed two marine engineers to convert two German two-stroke Junkers aircraft diesel engines (probably the same or like those in the image above), which, as far as I can interpret, seem to have been around 1,000 hp each. He acquired and converted them for marine use, replacing the two Hall Scotts with these engines. 

This was a long and very expensive task for Mr. Canavan. During this process, she was moored adjacent to the up-harbour end of the Naval Base and was still painted air force grey. During the installation she acquired four very large exhaust pipe holes near the deck line at the stern.

These engines, like the engine in the hydrofoil MANU-WAI, required hot engine oil to be pumped through them for 20 minutes before cold starts. The two engineers, as mentioned above, eventually finished the project and went off to find Mr. Canavan so he could be present for their first start. While they were away looking for him, he turned up, went out to the boat, saw that they were ready to go, and pushed the buttons. They started but immediately seized up as they had not had the hot oil process completed first.

When the two engineers came back, they were naturally furious that after all their hard work, it had all come to this. So, as one would expect, they just picked up their tools and walked off the job. Eventually, Canavan got two more engineers to rebuild the engines, and while they were in the process of this, one day, when they were brazing with bottled gas, the stern end of the boat caught fire, and the aft 20 feet or thereabouts was destroyed. 

The insurance company sold her “as is, where is,” and someone bought her, chopped off the burnt-out back end, and fitted her, in her now shortened form, with two 6/71 GM Detroit diesels, added new pleasure craft-type coamings, and called her the LADY SOMETHING? or SOMETHING LADY?. This work was all done on the hardstand at Half Moon Bay Marina.

With her back end chopped off and her new coamings fitted, she looked very short and fat.

WAUKESHA HESSELMAN, LOW COMPRESSION, SPARK IGNITED DIESEL ENGINES.

WAUKESHA HESSLEMAN, SPARK IGNITED, 6 CYL DIESEL ENGINE.

WAUKESHA HESSELMAN SPARK IGNITED  LOW COMPRESSION DIAGRAMATIC VEW OF ENGINE DESIGN.

AWARUA WITH HER 6CYL WAUKESHA HESSELMAN DIESEL ENGINE.

LADY RAE, STANDING IN, FOR IDENTICAL SISTERSHIP, GALA LASS.

There were only two boats fitted with the 6-cylinder version of these engines, which had around 100+ hp. 

They were Ted Cooper’s built and owned AWARUA, which for the first couple of years had a Redwing petrol engine. He later replaced this with a Waukesha Hesselman 6-cylinder diesel, which she had for the remainder of his stewardship. A later owner, replaced it with a Ford diesel.

The other boat was the GALA LASS, which had an identical sister ship, the LADY RAE. 

GALA LASS had a Waukesha Hesselman diesel from new for the entire time of ownership by the original owner, Tony Hurt.  The LADY RAE had both one and two engines at different times, both with petrol or diesel, as was appropriate during her early years. I have not been able to locate an image of GALA LASS. I have substituted an image of LADY RAE in place of GALA LASS. 

STELLA – CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT SOS

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20+ years ago

STELLA – CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT SOS

Last week Andrew Motte-Harrison commented on one of the stories that he had a old kauri launch ’currently deteriorating behind his farm hay shed’.

Andrew believes she was originally named STELLA and alsp possibly named TOILER at another time. Possibly built c.1910>15 by Lane Bros in Christchurch (thats a new one, was there such a place?). Andrew described STELLA as a line fishing boat.

Andrew also commented that when they had her up at the Nelson Marina, talking to an elderly boat builder up there years ago, he passed on what he understood to be some of her history.  He thought she had been working out of Bluff, Hokitika and perhaps Oban in years past (back then)

As the photos show the boat is in need of some serious TLC, starting with a few hours with a water blaster- inside and out. And maybe a session with a tungsten tipped chainsaw and then a new cabin. Her hull deserves saving.

The last photo was taken  over 20 years ago, before being hauled out.

So southern woodys anyone looking for a project, STELLA is located 20 minutes south of Murchison, approx. 2 hours out of Nelson.

INPUT ex DICK HALL – Built by Ernie lane in Picton for the Boese family with a low cabin and rails instead of bulwarks. Later purchased by well known fishing identity Jimmy Aldridge and converted by Jack Morgan with new wheelhouse, bulwarks and new air-cooled Lister. Jim crayfished mostly outside Tory Channel. Next owner Alex McKenzie from Blenheim who re-named her Toiler but after a few years sold her for a bigger vessel. Fished out of Picton all her life before going to Nelson for pleasure conversion. Her original name was Elaine then Toiler. Never Stella while in Picton

MYSTERY DOUBLE ENDER WOODEN LAUNCH – PATINA

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MYSTERY DOUBLE ENDER WOODEN LAUNCH – PATINA

Todays photo was sent in by Heather Espin and comes to us ex a photo album from Bryan Walden. Walden was one of the first boat brokers in Auckland and he categorised the boats he sold. 

The location to me appears to be Wellington and the boat has a the distinct look (double-ender) of a vessel that would have crossed Cook Straight with ease.

Can anyone confirm the location and put a name to the launch.

The boats PATINA, built in 1913 by Ernie Lane in Picton – more here https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/10/17/classic-wooden-boat-patina-le-reina-a-peek-down-below/

CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT – PATINA (Le Reina) A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT – PATINA (Le Reina) A Peek Down Below

The 39’ wooden launch PATINA, built in 1913 by Ernie Lane in Picton has made several appearances on WW but we have never had a decent gander down below. Today thanks to Ian McDonald and tme we do .

I have included a link below that will give you a summary of all the previous WW stories. 

Built from double skin kauri, when launch she was named LE REINE.

The forward motion is via a Yammer 54hp Diesel engine.

https://waitematawoodys.com/?s=Patina&submit=Search