Tag Archives: Florae

The Boats of Major Bailey

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FLORAE > FLORAY > LEILANI
FLOLAINE > AWATEA – @ Te Atatu BC 2014
FLOLAINE > AWATEA – @ Thames 2016
CHRISTINE – 1970’S

The Boats of Major Bailey

Major (christian name, not a rank) Bailey built four launches that we are aware of – thanks to Ken Ricketts and Graeme Varcoe today we get to see them together, excluding the last built, those name is not recorded. 
The First built was – Florae / Floray (seems to have had an identity crisis over time) , later named Leilani and currently high and draw in a Thanes paddock.

Second was  – Flolaine, now named Awatea

Third was – Christine

Fourth – unknown – anyone able to help with details. Amusing (in hindsight) launch day story below ex KR.
The Launching And Near Sinking Of #4 Boat

KR commented that Major Bailey had some radical views on boat systems and fit out. With the fourth boat he developed a steering system which was or looked like half a petrol or oil drum encircling each propeller and turning right left which was supposed to direct the prop wash and steer the boat but when you turned the wheel absolutely nothing happened, as much of the prop thrust water just went out the back and the prop thrust was simply lost completely.

#4 had two 6 cyl. second hand Fords, very poorly home converted, and badly installed in the stern with detached vee drives, along other bits & pieces. All the underwater gear seemed to leak through the hull and added to almost sinking post launching, refer below.

KR commented that on launch day she almost sunk immediately on launching and would not steer. The yard would not lift her out again due to a dispute, so they steered her as best they could with the engines as quickly as they could downstream to Eastern Marina Services (Terry Burling). There they beached her on the ramp, to effect urgent matters to make her seaworthy and steerable. 

The boat had all sorts of unique bits about her all of which mostly designed by Major Bailey and mostly just did not work.

KR also commented that #3, Christine was very ugly, with the hull, all rough and showing all the planks & seams, and the flare was horrible with a slanting forward deck line at the bow. He was putting more & more radical & impractical ideas in the succession of his boats as they went on.

So woodys it appears and KR agrees that Leilani was the pick of the bunch 🙂 I wonder what became of the fourth build ………….

LEILANI (Florae / Floray) + Jolly Roger

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LEILANI (Florae / Floray) + Jolly Roger

In the photo above the launch on the left is Leilani, she first appeared on WW back in March 2016, link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/08/13/leilani-floray/ At the time she was high and dry in a paddock in Thames, second photo.

Thanks to Harold Kidd and Ken Rickets we learnt a lot about her – probably designed and built (hull only) by Lidgards and Major George Bailey finished her off. Named Florae / Floray when launched, her original owner was Percy Coutts, more details on her owners in the link.

In her day she was a very fine looking woody, will be sad if she dies a slow death – anyone able to update us on the status of the Leilani.

In the photo the launch in the background is Jolly Roger, built in 1956 by Roy Parris in the mid to late 1960’s this boat was owned by Clive & Bernice Irvine. The Irvines eventually purchased the house besides the Panmure Bridge and berthed the Jolly Roger on the jetty at the bottom of their property. This was probably around late 1960/1970. She made an appearance on WW back in Oct 2015 link here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/10/15/jolly-roger-2/

  I spotted her berthed in the Whangarei Town Basin in March 2020, photo below

Leilani and Centaurus

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LEILANI & CENTAURUS

I recently received the above b/w photo of the launch Leilani, sent in by Graeme Varcoe. This photo was taken during the period of ownership by Alfred Sibun. Graeme comment that Sibum was so taken with the Leilani that he sold her and built a launch in the same style. This boat was the Centaurus and was one of the last to be built at the Baileys shipyard. The second photo above is of the Centaurus.
Harold Kidd has perviously supplied the following provenance on Leilani – she was built as FLORAE (Latin for “flowers”), but at times her name has appeared as Floray . Harold is of the belief that Lidgard’s built the hull and Major George Bailey finished her at his Wheturangi Road home. Percy Coutts owned her until he died in 1960. He bought Harold’s father’s business and renamed it Coutts Motors and was very successful importing fine cars, now part of the Giltrap empire on the same site in Great North Road.
As LEILANI she had numerous owners after Percy Coutts, including A.G. Sibun of Bleakhouse Road, Ken Archer who was active in Coastguard with her, followed by B.J. Craies, and finally a spell in Coromandel c.1999. 
 
The photo below (ex Ken Ricketts) was taken of Leilani c.2016 looking very sad in Thames, owned at the time by Jason Lockwood – can anyone update us on the current situation / status of the vessel ?
You can read more on her at the WW link below – check out the comments section – good banter around her name 🙂
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Leilani (Florae / Floray)

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LEILANI (FLORAY)

LEILANI (FLORAE / FLORAY)

Leilani was built by building contractor & service station proprietor, Major Bailey, a friend of Ken Rickett’s family, on the Cnr. of Wheturangi & Green Lane Rds., & launched in 1949.
Currently owned by Jason Lockwood for the last 5 years. The previous owner had kept the boat at Coromandel for many years & eventually took her to Thames with a view to removing rot from the upper sections of the bow.
It was while at Thames that Jason saw her & bought her, then moved her to Kopu (photo above) – where she was for approx. 3 years. Jason moved her to his property at Thames town around  2 years ago.

When purchased she had a 6cyl. Ford diesel & was fitted with a shoe rudder prop & shaft, however whilst at Kopu these ‘disappeared’.
Jason had removed her paint & started a re-caulking process as part of a major refit / repair & refurbish, looking at the photo, taken by Ken (April 2016), this appears to have stalled & the coamings have reached the stage of disrepair, to the point where they will have to be demolished as they are semi collapsed.

Can we expand more on her history – design, past owners etc. Ken recalls that she was a late 1940’s build.

13-08-2016 Harold Kidd Input

She was built as FLORAE (Latin for “flowers”) not FLORAY. I think Lidgards built the hull and Major George Bailey finished her at his Wheturangi Road home. It was PERCY Coutts who owned her until he died in 1960. He bought my father’s business and renamed it Coutts Motors and was very successful importing fine cars, now part of the Giltrap empire on the same site in Great North Road.
As LEILANI she had numerous owners after Percy Coutts, including A.G. Sibun of Bleakhouse Road, Ken Archer who was active in Coastguard with her, followed by B.J. Craies,  and finally a spell in Coromandel where I photographed her in 1999. She’s not the game boat LEILANI that was at Mangonui, run by Don Lightband of course. In fact I can’t vouch for the fact that the LEILANI owned by Sibun and Archer is this one and may well be the game boat.
No doubt WW spotters will pick that up and put me right with relish!