MEOLA
photo & details from Barbara Cooke

Barbara & David Cooke spotted Meola in Whangamumu on the way home from there Christmas cruise. The owner rowed across for a chat saying that he spends a lot of time fishing and diving around Whangaruru and Whangamumu. She sports a Gardner motor and her early years were spent as a general work horse ie towing, shunting and hauling on the Auckland Harbour. Great to see her so well kept.

More details please, I’m sure the ‘work boat’ boys can supply info on her past.

Update from Russell Ward
Press cuttings above showing Meola –well just the tops of her masts in Drunken Bay (Islington Bay, Rangitoto Island) .
She was under the command of a navy officer (who else could show such skill). Rumour was that he was going inside the rocks off the point.
Once again, Arataki and the crew with a barge were on the spot pdq to salvage.
Amazing how many times Arataki managed to salvage the navy’s coastal foulups before the papers got the story.
No such luck this time.

Russell Ward Update #2

Russell remember that when she was new, she had her fwd mast hard up against the wheelhouse and the engine exhaust coming up through a funnel just behind. The pic below from Bob McDougall shows it well. Nowadays, her mast is set a little more forward or it was when I took the below (colour) pic in 2007.
I seem to remember that she was all engine space and storage forward of the aft end of the wheelhouse  –never saw down aft.

Russell wonders if she had a Kort nozzle that the Navy put on her perhaps to improve maneuverability?  Maybe the twirly wheel reverse on Meola is being confused with the Kitchen rudder that the old navy utilities boats (particularly the so called Cattle Barge) A wheel was used to move a set of cups that went around the propeller to ahead or behind the prop. This gave astounding mobility for the coxwain to avert maneuvering cockups.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchen_rudder
The navy derivative had a beautiful casting for the tiller with a handle for steering curving above a wheel for reversing,  diagram below of the Navy Kitchen rudder showing the twirly wheel.

MV Meola (model) 04/03/2015

photos & details from Grant Morrell

Below is a selection of photos taken during the building of Grants 1/24th scale model of Meola.  Construction was an on and off affair  over a 7 year period. The model is radio controlled and has sound and lights. The 3 photos on the water were taken on 03/03/2015 just after Grant completed the after boom rigging. Still to come are guard & weather rails.
A brilliant project & the attention to detail is spot on. Click photos to enlarge.