Tag Archives: Major Bailey

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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Awatea @ Thames

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Mystery Launch @ Thames

Awatea @ Thames

Check out the mud berth, these guys must get a few seasons out of their anti-fowl paint, 1/2 the day they are high & dry 😉

The above photo was sent in by Nathan Herbert & we have no details on the launch. Aside from the luggage rack on top of the cockpit roof , she is quite a pretty ship, in my eyes.

Anyone able to tells some more about the vessel?

Update – a collection of photos below from Nathan Herbert & Ken Ricketts from over the years – my question is – whats the current name of the launch, can a Thames woody confirm she is named ‘Awatea” ? (It is – thx Jason P)

 

 

 

Updated Details (ex Ken Ricketts) Her original name was Flolaine after the owners wife Flo & daughter in law Elaine, & was built by & for Major (a Christian name) Bailey, in a shed, a behind his Caltex Service Station, (Southdown Motors),  in Penrose, in 1958. She is now Called Awatea. – She is powered by a 6 cyl 80/100 hp Ford diesel .
She was not built with a flying bridge but one had been added by an owner somewhere along the way, back around the 1970s/80s, when she was living at Westpark Marina.

The Baileys owned her for several years & replaced her with another 34′ launch Major B. built in the 1960’s called Christine (photo below)

CHRISTINE in the 1970's

05-04-2019 Update ex Sandra Hobbs

My father owned Awatea for well over 40 years, Arthur Anthony was his name and we moored her for many years at Half Moon Bay Marina and then Westpark Marine and finally Te Atatu Boating Club. Arthur renamed her Awatea the name of one of his father’s boats. My Grandad’s name was Mark Anthony and another boat of his was Rangi that was wrecked at Norfolk Island 1951 on there way to Sydney to Horbart. Arthur built the flying bridge on Awatea also put a new engine in and the bow thruster so he could manage her by himself. We have wonderful childhood memories of all the summer holidays away and the many many happy day trips with our own children. Arthur would of liked a yacht but with three girls in the family went for space and comfort. Awatea’s last few years with Arthur was on the hardstand at Te Atatu Boating Club where he visited her everyday to potter. His mobility wasn’t what it used to be but he could still get on her on the hard so that is where she stayed until his passing. A few weeks before his passing he said it was okay to sell her once he had gone. We are so pleased she is looking loved and giving another family happy memories. Thank you for all the happy memories. Sandra Hobbs

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!