RATA – A Woody Project
Anyone up for a project? Woody Jeff Norris recently sent me the above photos of Rata, she was once the fastest launch on the Kaipara back in the 1940’s/50s. It once had a petrol V8 Fairlane engine in it.
It was owned by the Hargraves family from the Pahi region many years ago, that was before it had a conservatory built on it.
Originally it would have been a flush deck speedboat and as such she won all the races in its early days.
So woodys – can anyone share more on her past & is anyone tempted to take her on? She will need more than just a spray with Wet&Forget 🙂
Harold Kidd Input – RATA was built for Ted Hargreaves of Batley in February 1911 by H.N. Burgess of Judges Bay with a 6hp Automatic engine. She was 27ft x 6ft 6ins. Still in the Hargreaves family in the 1960s. There are several photos of her from the 20s through to the 60s at the Matakohe Museum. A thoroughbred and a very worth restoration project!
???Pollards????
???Pollards????
Lost Boat – Taurima
The other day in the NZ Herald – SideSwipe section a reader was trying to track down her families (Neil & Janice Hudson) old motorsailer. Its called Taurima & was built in 1977 by John Gladden at Milford. She had an interesting past – she sank at the Poor Knights in 1996 & was towed to Tutukaka by Grant Ogle Salvage. She then sat just of the motorway in Albany for approx. 5 yrs & then in c.2000/1 was sold to someone in Tauranga. Neil is now 85 and would love to know what became of the boat.
Can anyone help the family out with info on Taurima?
