Tag Archives: Phenella

CAN WE ID THIS MYSTERY CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – OMOKOROA

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CAN WE ID THIS MYSTERY CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – OMOKOROA

Todays story comes to us from John Dawson who sent in the photo above the bridge-decker classic launch hauled out.

The vessels name and photo location are unknown so keen to learn more.

To my eye there is an ‘interesting’ mix of styles at play – her hull and coach do not quite match in terms of design form. 

UPDATE – as advised by Nathan Herbert and Leigh Hume the launch is named OMOKOROA. Had lots of name changes – PHENELLA > WANGANELLA > KOTUKU > OMOKOROA. And has made numerous appearances on WW links below.Leigh Hume also commented – ‘The Omokoroa chapter of her life circa 1978-80 you could get from your correspondent Ian MacDonald as he and Roger Edwards rebuilt her on the Omokoroa slipway. The bridgedecker configuration shown was built by (Bill?) Ross and the photo shows her in 1954 shortly before re-launching off the end of Matahui point’. WW August 2018 https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/08/07/amokoroa/

WW July 2021 https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/07/10/omokaroa-omokoroa-saved/

WW April 2024 https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/04/25/omokoroa-april-2024-update/

WW June 2024 https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/06/20/om0koroa-phenella-wanganella-kotuku-omokoroa/

(photo ex Toby Hyman)

OM0KOROA (PHENELLA > WANGANELLA > KOTUKU > OMOKOROA)

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c.1950
2024

OM0KOROA (PHENELLA > WANGANELLA > KOTUKU > OMOKOROA)

The 36′ launch OMOKOROA has made several appearances on WW. Each story (links below) has told us more about her and her colourful past. The most recent story was in April where we saw she was nearing the end of another restoration. The name Lyndon Chambers is a common element in most of the stories and today Lyndon has shared with us a gem of a photo from the Western Bay of Plenty District Libraries collection dated c.1950’s. This b/w photo was supplied by Claudia Hume.

In the corresponding text we learnt so much more about her provenance and the many names that have graced her transom. Reproduced below”

“The Kotuku was originally the Phenella, built by Sam Middlebrook as a houseboat in around 1920 on the banks of the Uretara, helped by William Mulgrew and Noble Johnston. Sam lived in her until 1938, when he moved to Waihī. It was sold to Norm Blomquist who renamed her the Wanganella. Claude Hume bought a share in her, and took her over when Norm died in 1949. He engaged a boat bulder to rebuild her superstructure, then renmed her Kotuku. He kept her for 20 years until 1971 when H. G. Lomas of Waihī Beach bought her. She is said to have been taken to Tauranga in the late 1980s for repairs, and there has been no further record of her. The story of the Phenella/Kotuku is on pp 220 & 221 of Max Avery’s book “Maritime Tauranga”.

JULY 2021 https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/07/10/omokaroa-omokoroa-saved/
APRIL 2024 https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/04/24/omokoroa-in-former-times/
April 2024 https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/04/25/omokoroa-april-2024-update/