Tag Archives: Lake Taupo launches

A GLIMPSE OF LAKE TAUPŌ’S CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING PAST

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A GLIMPSE OF LAKE TAUPŌ’S CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING PAST

Todays classic woody photo popped up on a fb page named ‘You Know Your’e From Taupo When’, the poster was Mark Gregory and he commented that the photo was dated c.1964.

Taupo certainly was a wooden boating hub back then. Hopefully Paul Drake can ID a few for us.

(Apologies if the photo has appeared before on WW)

INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – My brothers and I saw this wonderful photo for the first time ever a few days ago, and have had a ‘name the boat’ competition won by brother Nigel, who named 13. Others of us could only get to 10 or 11. Starting from the bottom second from left – KOTAHI (Bailey and Tyler 1912) Last seen at Auckland Zoo where she was an exhibit from 2013 until 2022. MARY – last seen on the Whanganui River. RAINBOW – last seen at Lake Rotoiti. REDWING – last glimpsed in a yard adjacent to the road leading south from Christchurch. Boats moored in the river, front row – from left to right – WAIRINGI (we kids called her THE FAT BOAT before we knew her name). KOTARE (steel, and still resident in The Boat Harbour). ARCADIA (Slattery about 1910) – also still in The Boat Harbour. Next is an un named boat, home built, which we called THIRTY FOOTER. And then DAUNTLESS, last seen at Milford Creek . Second row from left is NGARO ex APACHE (Lidguard). Behind her, almost invisible, is EL ALAMEIN now RANUI (Supreme Craft 1945) now on the Hokianga Harbour (since 2018). In the centre of the picture, between and behind KOTARE and ARCADIA, is VACUNA (Owen Woolley 1958, and well covered on ww for all the wrong reasons). Finally, in the distance and to the left. is FLYING SKUD (Lidguard – Kawau Island – 1953. Said to be wrecked in 1985 at Auckland). And the boys? Bill and Paul Bramley.

As an aside -The Taupo Boat Harbour or The Taupo Marina? I insist on calling it The Taupo Boat Harbour, but much (BUT NOT ALL) of the current signage calls it The Marina. The word is not even in my Oxford Illustrated Dictionary. There, I’ve had my rant.

Call For Help Re Arch Logan Yacht – TARA

Over the weekendWW was contacted by Gregory Schultz re help with TARA, I’ll let him tell the story –

“I have recenty volunteered to ‘tidy up’ Tara, which has been on display at the Matakohe Kauri Museum where it has sat for many years, albeit as a very sad exhibit. I have shuddered everytime i have seen it and decided to become an approved musuem volunteer to officially get  Tara looking like it should. Reputed to be the last boat Arch Logan built in 1938 its historic value is signicant. I have absolutely no intention of any restoration work as its present patina is how I think Tara should stay….bare paint in places…sails possibly original….even an unused Sails and Covers cotton spinnaker in it bag. What i intend doing is setting it up properly to suit its era. The sails will be set properly and all the sheets and haliyards replaced with the rope type used back then.
So with this in mind do any WW readers know of any old cotton rope around 1/2 inch dia or slightly under and preferably well used that someone might like to contibute to the cause. Also any history on this boat that can be kept on record at the musuem would be great. I cant find mention of it in Robin & Harolds book ‘The Logans’ or anywhere else.”Contact Gregory at. itzgreg@yahoo.com

STILL THINKING ABOUT DOING THE WOODYS CLEVEDON BBQ CRUISE THIS WEEKEND – RSVP waitematawoodys@gmail.com

CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH

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CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH

Earlier in the week WW was contacted by Jason Waterson re his recently acquired launch. Her current name is 5 O’CLOCK SOME WHERE, but in a previous life was named ELSIE MAY II.

Jason is hoping to confirm her design / builder, current think is Allen Williams and learn more about her past.  When Jason bought her she was on Lake Taupo and previously was in Napier. Forward motion is via a Fordson 40hp diesel engine.

Can we help Jason out.

Now if she was mine I’d we buying a small tin of a pant and returning the coamings (window surrounds) to a semi wood look, or similar – as per the photo of EILEEN PATRICIA below.

(photo ex Toby Hyman)

LAKE TAUPO CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH – ROMANCE – GETS SOME TLC

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LAKE TAUPO CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH – ROMANCE – GETS SOME TLC

Todays woody story is really prompt to Paul Drake the owner of the Lake Taupo based 1914 Bailey & Lowe built launch – ROMANCE to send in a story on the recent upgrade.

If it had not been for woody Steve Pople (MV Royal Falcon) recently mooching around the Lake Taupo docks we wouldn’t have know she had received some TLC.

So fingers crossed Paul reads todays story and gets his ‘A into G’ 🙂

Lots photos and details on Romance in this Sept 2014 WW story  https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/09/22/8829/

MYSTERY LAKE TAUPO CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH 

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MYSTERY LAKE TAUPO CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH 

Todays craft appeared in the September 1955 edition of Sea Spray magazine. All we know is home was Lake Taupo and she was 25’ x 8’ x 2’3”, with a round bilge, professionally built from kauri, slept 4. And was powered by a ’near new’ Scripps V8 engine.

Must have been a zoom zoomed back then. I’m sure Paul Drake will help out with more intel.

(photo and details ex Sea Spray via Ken Ricketts)

MYSTERY LAKE TAUPO MOTOR LAUNCH c.1950 – – OKATAINA

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MYSTERY LAKE TAUPO MOTOR LAUNCH c.1950 – OKATAINA

Crazy day celebrating xmas in November – overseas family visiting, so just had to do it………….

So woodys when I saw late yesterday that Ian McDonald had sent in the photo that appears above, I was so happy. Was probably the closest I’ve been to missing posting a story.

So the photo is tagged “An unidentified motor launch on Lake Taupo”. William Barbour Beattie for NZ Herald, 1950. (Luck Lib Heritage Collections)

I’m expecting one of the Drake Brothers to ID her and possibly say they own or owned her 🙂

INPUT EX GREG PHILPOTT – OKATAINA – Built in 1938 by Sam Ford in 1938 for the Beamish-Whites at Lake Okataina. Sold in 1939 to the Government’s Internal Affairs Department who were looking for a boat to “serve their ranger work on Lake Taupo as well as on occasions carry distinguished guests”. They required a boat that “could handle rough weather and give fair speed”. Hence the official flag.
Later owners on Lake Taupo included John Henry Kay and Peter Redwood.
The boat ended up in Auckland in late 1989 / early 1990 in poor condition and then found her way to Thames where she remains today.

24-11-2025 INPUT EX PAUL DRAKE – We, the Drake Brothers, were quite besotted with OKATAINA when Peter Redwood owned her, and before we owned ROMANCE. In 1975, OKATAINA ‘s Chrysler Ace petrol engine ended up in ROMANCE. Legend has it that in 1939, at the start of WW2, OKATAINA was put in her float-in shed at the Taupo Boat Harbour and the door locked, not to be opened until 1945. She didn’t fare too well and required fairly expensive rot repairs, so it is said.

26-11-2025 INPUT EX PAUL DRAKE – Photo below of OKATAINA at Taupo (late 1960s) when the young Drake brothers were besotted with her. These days she has rather more structure (flying bridge) and is painted – white. But back then, she had class! To our young eyes, anyway. 

Proof of the feast and the reason I was so unmotivated to punch the keyboard 🙂 And guess what, we will be doing it all again on Dec 25th 🙃

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – TUWHARETOA AT LAKE TAUPO

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – TUWHARETOA AT LAKE TAUPO

Last week WW was contacted by Sharron French who during a review of her parents photo album and came across a couple of photos of her Dad on a boat named TUWHARETOA  at Lake Taupo. The date would have been in the early > mid 1950s.Sharron did a quick google search and up popped the WW site and an article mentioning a boat of this name.

Reviewing the WW stories, the first one from June 2014, there was speculation that TUWHARETOA in a previous life may have been named – DAWN, but at the time Harold Kidd commented “I reckon TUWHARETOA could have been a different launch because she was owned by Sam Crowther who advertised her for hire only from February to May 1923, although it may have been a brief change of name.”

Then in June 2020 in another mystery launch story Paul Drake identified the launch in that story as being named RHODESIA, HDK commented that there had been talk that RHODESIA may have been TUWHARETOA, Paul relied “The idea that RHODESIA became TUWHARETOA is very interesting and quite possible. I remember her in the 1950’s. She had a raised cabin, to the full width of the original cabin, which was very well done. To my eye, she was a looker.” 

Well looking at todays top photo, the launch certainly is a looker.

So woodys – the question today, probablybest answered by Paul Drake is – does today’s launch photos answer any of the confusion re DAWN / RHODESIA / TUWHARETOA.

Input ex Paul Drake – According to the book ‘Boats of Taupo’, published by the Taupo Museum, RHODESIA did indeed become DAWN and then TUWHARETOA. These photos are really interesting and show TUWHARETOA possibly when under the ownership of Ralph Ward, who purchased her in 1939. Ralph had come to Taupo for his health in 1918, having been gassed (and having contracted tuberculosis) in WW1. With no petrol being available for pleasure boats during WW2, Ralph replaced the petrol hungry 6 cylinder Studebaker with a single cylinder San Francisco Standard salvaged from the local boatyard, and converted it to run on unrationed kerosene. Ralph was clearly a good keen man. The previously quick DAWN became the very slow TUWHARETOA, but meant that the Ward family could spend days in the Western Bays, without encountering another boat. Later, a twin cylinder version of the San Francisco Standard was installed. Also able to run on kerosene, this heavy beast meant that she could achieve ‘about 8 knots’. That is what it says in the book, but 8 knots is unlikely, in my view. Sold by Ward in the 1950’s, she remained at Taupo until the late 50’s or early 60’s and then disappeared – said to have gone to Napier for refurbishing. Someone must know more! Thanks to Sharron French for sharing the photos. They have made my day.

CLASSIC WOODEN BOATS – TAUPO MOOCHING

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CLASSIC WOODEN BOATS – TAUPO MOOCHING

Most of todays woodys have appeared on WW before but its always nice to see that they are being cared for.

A woody, my lips are sealed, was at the lake doing a recce on a woody there and snapped a few photos for us.

Also today we share a couple of photos from a recent project on CENTAURUS, owner Angus Rogers is a talented DIY’er and after the recent re-power took on upgrading the dash. See below 

‘OLD’
‘NEW’

CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CLASSIC LAUNCH – JAN MAREE

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CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CLASSIC LAUNCH – JAN MAREE

Recently WW was contacted by Hamish Moore regarding the classic launch – JAN MAREE, that in Hamish’s words is in the family stable and has resided on Lake Taupo for many a year. The family are short on her history and Hamish was wondering if any of the WW followers might know more about her.
The WW post on the Vindex RENA brought some more thoughts to Hamish’s mind and having recently had JAN MAREE surveyed for insurance and the gears have been turning to find out more about her. 

What we think we know about JAN MAREE – she was in the Bay Of Islands owned and used by one family line and ownership changed to another family line, Taupo based.  Her specs are 33’9” x 10’9” x 3’3″
What everyone would like to know is :-

• Confirm design (Vindex?)- • Who built her and where • Tales of her life on BOI 
She lives in a shed on Lake Taupo  and is enjoyed by family members for fishing, recreational and sightseeing. 

JAN MAREE was recently hauled out and trucked to Auckland and underwent some TLC.  • New Heart transplant, now a 320 Cummins • Hull Maintenance and replacement of all skin fittings.  • Remove and plug all redundant fittings.  • New Dash and systems upgrades, to complement the new Engine package.  • New Paint and varnish.  The above work was completed by :-
• The Boatbuilders, HMB, • Ray Bryant Marine • Halfmoon Bay Electrical.  • Gloss Boat, Tāmaki Park 

CLASSIC KAURI BUILT WOODEN LAUNCH – TOROA – A Peek Down Below 

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CLASSIC KAURI BUILT WOODEN LAUNCH – TOROA – A Peek Down Below 

The 26’ carvel planked launch – TOROA has made two previous appearance on WW, links below, but today thanks to Ian McDonald’s eagle eyes and tme we get to have a gander down below.

Her listing states she was built in c.1955 by Chas Bailey & Sons. After an early life in salty water she moved to Lake Taupo in 2014 where still still resides.

Forward motion is from a 1980’s Ford 4cyl. 80hp diesel engine, that gives her a 6 >7 knot cruising speed.

The photos above are combination of 2012 and present day – she needs some TLC but appears to be a good low entry level floating Taupo bach or bring her home to the Waitemata 🙂

WW Oct 2014 https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/07/toroa/

WW Oct 2021 https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/10/14/toroa-gets-a-birthday/

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH OTEHEI – Flashback

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH OTEHEI – Flashback

Wednesdays WW story on the ex game launch – ALMA G II, gave woody Gavin Bradley a nudge to send the above photos of his wooden classic – OTEHEI.

Gavin commented that the date was 29 years ago (1995) and Craig McInnes was doing the work of 5 men.OTEHEI was designed and built c.1927/8 by Collings & Bell and had several ’sister’ ships, ALMA G II being one of them. Her first owner was a Frank Elliott and she worked out of Zane Grey’s camp at Otehei on Urupukapuka Island in the Bay of Islands. 

OTEHEI spent some time on Lake Taupo before returning home to the far north, where she residues today.

Lots of photos and intel in the two WW story links below – particularly the 2017 story.
WW Aug 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/08/28/otehei/ WW Jan 2017 https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/01/10/otehei-2/