MARAROA

Another photo from the very cool ‘NZ Cars Boats >>>> Utes Pre ’75’ FB page. Thanks to Nathan Herbert for the heads up.

The photo originally appeared in the NZ Herald, taken by a N Bennett in 1946. The question was asked – is the location Lake Rotoura?

Have love the old days when health & safety was un heard of. All dressed in their Sunday best, if they were an oops, swimming would have been a challenge.

What do we know about the vessel?

Harold Kidd Input – MARAROA was built for Lake Rotorua c1905 and was used by the RNZAF for R&R during WW2. This isn’t during that period as she wore the number W251 then. Nice pic of her. 

Help Needed On War Time Launch Numbers

Somewhere I have a booklet but can not put my finger on it……. I have been asked by Steve Pople, the owner of Royal Falcon, for some help identifying her war time number – Steve believes it was either 141 or 171. And was this number a NAPS number, coastal defence number or a war time fuel ration number ???

Anyone Able To ID The Location ?

I was sent the photo below by the Rotorua Museum, asking for help identifying the location. They though it could have been somewhere around Rotorua.

To me it looks more like Queen Charlotte Sound – but my recent travels could be blurring my vision 🙂