Tag Archives: Mystery Launch

Lady Ellen

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LADY ELLEN (Mystery Launch 25-06-2015)
photo ex Jason Prew

At the recent CYA visit to Chris McMullen’s workshop, Jason & crew arrived in the Tino Rawa Trust 1902 Logan Bros. day boat Otira (below).

On route Jason photographed some of the wooden boats moored on the Tamaki River – an amazing number of craft.
Can anyone ID todays launch & provide details on her?

Update from Shane Billingham – She is Lady Ellen , is on dads wharf, unfortunately in bit of a sad state.  Was owned by my grandad (Harry Collard) for years (from 60’s? would need to check with mum).  Now owned by Ian collard since early 1990ish, unfortunately deteriorating.

Otira- 1902 Logan Bros

Otira- 1902 Logan Bros

21-11-2016 Ken Ricketts has been digging into Lady Ellen’s past in regard to the boats original name & existence of an axillary engine. See below.

Input from Ian Richards (grandson of the second owner) edited by Alan H

“Lady Ellen was renamed after my grandmother, it was granddad who had named it after his wife Ellen who was JR’s mother. I do not know the original name of the boat but will see if I can find anything out.”

Input from Cameron Collard (son of present owner – Ian Collard) edited by Alan H

“My Grandfather Harry Collard brought Lady Ellen in c.1962.  I think  (his original log books are still on the boat so all the details are there) from Mr Richards. I was told Mr Richards renamed the boat after his wife Ellen. Also told it was taken to Fiji by one of the previous owners – has second log for an axillary engine and mountings for forward tanks however both had been removed by 1962. In the 70’s the fore deck was re-canvassed and then a few years later the cabin top was glassed both done by Lanes. In 1985 the 96Hp 6 cylinder Lees Ford was replaced with a 135HP Lees Marine Ford.
After my grandfather passed my father purchased the boat in 1990. My father has been overseas for the last 5 years, hence the present condition.”

Update – 26-04-2017 ex Ken Ricketts

 

Mystery Launch 12-06-2015

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Mystery Launch 12-06-2015
photo ex Dean Wright

The photo of the above launch was taken by Bay of Islands based professional photographer Dean Wright,  so again I assume the location is up ‘North’.

Can anyone ID the vessel & supply any details on her?

Ngarunui

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NGARUNUI
photo ex Dean Wright

The photo of the above motor-sailer (or maybe its more a launch with a steadying sail) was sent to me by Bay of Islands based professional photographer Dean Wright so I’m assuming the location is ‘North’.

Can anyone ID the vessel & supply more info on her?

Details from Robin Elliott

Its Ngarunui. To my mind she is the best looking boat in the Bay. Could do with a more sympathetic colour scheme, the lolly blue doesn’t appeal to me,  but that’s just being picky.

Jim Young built about 1955, so I assume a Young design as well. Registered with the AYMBA by J.A.K. Spicer and C.R. Pollard in 1957 with dims of 48ft x 46ft x 11ft 8 in x 4ft 3 in and a 165hp diesel of undeclared make.

She was based in Whangarei when I moved up here around 2006 but has lately been moored in Te Uenga Bay (Parekura Bay). Haven’t seen her out much recently but we did sight her a couple of times over the summer.

Harold Kidd Update

According to Lloyds Yacht Register she was designed and built by J.H. Young in 1955 for J.A.K. Spicer and C.R. (Russ) Pollard. She is 48’x46’x11’8″x4’3″ and was originally powered with twin GM 165hp diesels of 1942 vintage (obviously ex-USN) + an 11hp Coventry Cub. Beautiful craft!

25-01-2016 Update

As ID’ed by Russell Ward (3 June 2015) Ngarunui has 2 prop shafts, one above the other. See Ken Ricketts photos below.

NGARUNUI 2 prop 4

27-01-2016 Update

Stewart Lodge (current owner) reports that Ngarunui had a single 165 6-71, and this was replaced with a 210hp version of the same. Always had the aux engine mounted behind the main with shaft above. The current engine is a Doosan (Korean) commercially rated engine at 200hp, solid mounted.

Mystery Launches – Onerahi, Whangarei

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Mystery Launches – Onerahi, Whangarei
photo ex Nathan Herbert, most likely ex National Library

Time for a ‘who can put a date on the above photo & ID some of the launches in the bay. You will need to enlarge the photo.
.
WW – Tip of the Day – Now I assume that ww readers know how to ‘blow-up a photo ? If not see below.
1. Click on the image
2. Scroll down on the black panel that appears & click on the tab that says ‘View Full Size’ (on the right side of the panel).

3. You can focus in on a selected area by scrolling the magnifying glass icon across the area & clicking, note only allows one ‘enlargement. If you click again it returns to the original (enlarged) image.
4. To exit the photo, click on the ‘X’ in the top left hand corner.
This works most of the times, unless the photo was a very small image to start with.

NOTE: Do not write in the ‘Write A Comment’ panel as copy here just gets tagged to the photo & does not appear on the main ww comments section e.g. unless people click on the photo, your comment is not visible (seen).

Iawai (Tidesong)

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Iawai (Tidesong)

The above photos were sent to me by Andrew Pollard, owner of the 1913 Tom Le Huquet launch Aumoe.
Andrew received them from the grandson of Aumoe’s original owner, Mike Brookfield.

Can anyone ID the launch? (done)

Harold Kidd (+ Baden Pascoe) Update

She’s the 55 footer IAWAI, built for Judge H.G. Seth-Smith of Russell by James Reid’s brother David Reid at Customs St W in late 1911. She had a 40hp (rated) heavy duty 4 cylinder Buffalo engine. She was the largest pleasure launch in Auckland at the time. Seth-Smith donated her to the Government in 1915 for war work. The Government sold her to R.B.S. Hogwood in 1922 and then she went to Auckland metal and carrying contractor A.W. Bryant and used for commercial work, heavily modified from this configuration, but looking very smart. I’ll post a pic later. Baden and I struggled over this pic for some time until Baden hit the spot.
In 1933 she was renamed TIDESONG and run by C.D. Cooper until 1938 when F.D. Cadman bought her and had her renovated by Joe Wheeler at Bayswater. She was taken over by the RNZAF as W95 by 1942 for towing at Hobsonville. She also possibly went to the flying boat base at Lauthala Bay. There is some confusion in the RNZAF records on this (and her correct W number).
Post war she was used as a hire launch at Gisborne and Tauranga. She finished up being a total loss when she sank at anchor in Shipwreck Bay, Northland on 23rd June 1972 when owned by Roy Callister of Browns Bay.

Photos ex Harold Kidd

23/02/2015 – A message from Shelley Arlidge , the Curator at the Russell Museum

Hi Alan,
I was able to narrow down the date of that photo of Iawai to about a five year window. Your commentators say that she was built in 1911. There was a Russell Regatta in 1912 after a gap of some years and then every year after that until the 1950s. There is a building in the background of your photo of Russell’s first town hall. It collapsed in a storm in 1916 and a new one wasn’t built until 1922. So this photo must have been taken in the years 1912 to 1916.

Mystery Launch – 06/12/2014

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Mystery Launch – 06/12/2014

This one should not be too hard to ID, I snapped the photo early on the Sunday morning of Labour Weekend at Onetangi. Given how close in they were, these guys must have been very optimistic about catching a fish for breakfast 🙂

Off to Patio Bay, Waiheke Island, this morning for the annual CYA Race Weekend / Xmas Party. Always a hoot & a great collection of beautiful old wood, so the camera will be working overtime.

Mystery Launch 18-11-14

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Mystery Launch 18-11-14

Now this ones a big ask – all I know is the current owner of the photo, Harold Kidd, bought the photo (a bit blurry) at an antique fair.
Come on classic woody spotters – who can ID her ? the very flat face of the cabin front, must help.

Mystery Launch 16/10 – Doris

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Mystery Launch 16/10

photo ex Heather Reeve ex trademe
The description on this post card says “Oldest wooden & stone buildings in NZ. KeriKeri Bay of Islands.”
Who can ID the launch?

Both Baden Pascoe & Harold Kidd have ID’ed her as the Fullers launch ‘Doris’

Mystery Launch 19/09/2014

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Mystery Launch 19/09/2014

photo ex Dave Jackson via Adrienne

All I can tell you about the above launch / motor-sailer is that she is a Brin Wilson sedan. Now there can’t have been many sedans around with a stick, so lets see what we can uncover.

Mystery Launch 10/09/2014

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Mystery Launch 10/09/2014

photo ex Ken Ricketts

Anyone able to ID or attempt to ID this rather cute small motorboat. The photo was sent to me by Ken Ricketts so I suspect he knows more than he is letting on 🙂 but what say you on the origins of this one? Its a big ask as these motorboats were the ‘taxis’ of the inner gulf & a lot were built.