CLASSIC YACHT  – NIOBE – Sailing Sunday

CLASSIC YACHT  – NIOBE – Sailing Sunday

Back in Jan 2022 we ran a mystery vessel story using sa photo sent in by Travers Reynolds, the photo was taken by a FG Radcliffe from the early 1900’s and the location was near the Whangarei Heads.

Thanks HAROLD KIDD and Janet Watkins we learnt the yachts name was NIOBE and the photo was taken near Manganese Point when owned by Janet’s grandfather – A R Pickmere, who sold her in 1906.

Fast forward to the xmas/ny break and Lew Redwood posted two wonderful photos of NIOBE on fb. The photos are tagged c.1904, so during the Pickmere ownership period.

BUMPER WW STORY TOMORROW (Monday) – TRIP REPORT / PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE 2025 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE

Mystery Launch (Elizabeth) & Yacht (Niobe)

Mystery Launch (Elizabeth) & Yacht (Niobe)

Woody Murray Deeble sent in the above photo of a woody launch loitering around over the xmas /ny break. Murray commented that she maybe named Elizabeth, it drew a blank with me (a common occurrence these days), can anyone ID the launch and tell us more about her?

Help Needed From The Rag & Stick Brigade 

WW was recently contacted by Travers Reynolds who had recently inherited the old original photograph below, taken by FG Radcliffe circa early 1900s possibly near the Whangarei heads. Travers is keen to know if anyone can identify the boat.

UPDATE The launch is called Elizabeth and ‘lives’ a pole mooring at Te AtatuThe yacht is named named Niobe, well spotted Harold Kidd. And confirmed by Janet Watkins, with the following comment – “Yes it is Niobe, taken from near Manganese Point early 1900’s when she was owned by my Grand father A.R. Pickmere. He sold her in 1906 when he took delivery of the launch Kiakoa built for him by Bailey & Lowe.”