Tag Archives: Ferg

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – OKAREKA – A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – OKAREKA – A Peek Down Below

The classic wooden launch OKAREKA popped up recently on tme (thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up) The listing states she was built in 1952 by Colin Wild, is 36’ in length and powered by twin 75hp Ford 2704 diesels.Being sold as-is-where- is.
Can we learn more about her past.

Morning woodys – there was a typo in the spelling of the boats name it wasn’t Orareka its OKAREKA, previously named FERG AND FERGY. Sorry for the confusion – you can view and read more about her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/08/17/okareka-2/

30-01-2025 INPUT ex BARRIE ABEL – photo below of OKAREKA moored off Brooklands Boating Club on the Clevedon River.

THE REAL REASON FOR TODAYS STORY –   Sadly plans are a foot to close the winter haul out area at Little Shoal Bay, Northcote.  Yeap another one under the axe of Auckland Council. So woodys have your say, click the link below to sign the petition.  https://www.change.org/p/save-little-shoal-bay-boatyard

Okareka

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OKAREKA (Ferg)
photos & details ex Ian Nairn, Harold Kidd & John Blundell

Ian Nairn sent me the above photos of Okareka taken when his family owned her between 1961 & 1975 approx.. At the time Ian’s family owned the Britomart Service Station in Custom Street East, Auckland.
Ian is a member of an exclusive ww club, 3 of his families boats have featured on ww – Silver Spray, Lady Pat & Okareka.

Okareka was built by Colin Wild in 1952 (tbc) & when launched her original name was ‘Fergy’, the significance of the name being that her original owner Ted Copsey & his son Peter had the Massey Ferguson tractor dealership in Pukekohe. Copsey sold her c.1957 to Don Brown of Almorah Rd Epsom. It appears Brown changed her name to Okareka.
During the Nairn ownership period they added, with the help of Roy Parris, the dodger over the open rear cockpit. They also installed the twin Ford diesel engines (on the 25th July 1968).

NOTE: In an early ww post Ken Rickett’s commented that Okareka’s varnished coamings were painted white pre 1953, the photos above are dated 1964 so Ken’s memory bank needs rebooting 🙂 Also Ken states that her first owner was Don Brown, which clashes with the Ferg name / ownership link ex John Blundell – hopefully today’s post clears up these discrepancies.

More details on the vessel, her owners & recent photos here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/04/29/okareka/ – remember to read the COMMENTS section 😉