The photos above show the 25 footer RAMONA racing with the NZPBA in 1928 and in 1931. She usually raced in the “Cruisers, over 12 knots” races.

She was built by S. Granros of Ponsonby in September 1928 for F. J. Fawcett of Mount St. John.

Unsure what power she had, but it was obviously more than adequate.

Fawcett cruised and raced her until November 1933 when he sold her to Hans Molgaard of Tauranga who still had her in 1936. I don’t know her subsequent history, probably a name change as the popular song “Ramona” from the 1928 film of the same name became somewhat passé.

Her builder, Sam Granros was a Finn who came to NZ in 1904. He built a lot of speedboats and launches in St. Mary’s Bay and at 12 Hackett Street, Ponsonby, for example, HILMA, NURMI, ALMA, RAMONA, RAMONA JR. (1930), CYGNET I, II and III, ESTHER, MISS PONSONBY, all go fast outfits. NURMI was a 1926 20ft 6in speedboat with a 120hp Hall-Scott, although she was originally going to be fitted with a 6 cylinder Napier car engine which would have been pretty heavy.

Sam later moved to Oneroa and died in 1946.