Tag Archives: Rosemary II

Mahara

Posted on by
25

MAHARA
photo & details ex Mike Ryan

Mike’s family has recently purchased Mahara, a Shipbuilders Supacraft that they are in the process of tidying her up after a year or two of neglect. She is currently out at Okahu Bay & Mike reports that Alan Boyd from ‘x-foul-e-8’ has done a beautiful job getting layers of anti fouling off below the waterline.
Mahara was one of four ‘sisters’ built by Shipbuilders Supacraft in the late 1940’s, early 50’s, the others being – Lady Eileen, Rosemary II & Rakanoa. They were designed (Rakanoa part) by the American trained Thomas (Tim) Windsor, the in-house designer at Shipbuilders Supacraft at the time.
I understand that Mahara is slightly shorter than the others ?

Can we supply anymore info on her past? I’m sure Russell Ward will drop in 🙂

The photo below (sorry about the quality) was taken approx. 10 years ago.

Harold Kidd Input

MAHARA was built for Graham Speight in 1946. Keith Kiernander, a well-known Ponsonby real estate agent, had her between 1959 and 1966. In 1966 she went to E & BM Senior of Herne Bay. In our scruffy launch GREENBANK we came up astern of Kiernander in this launch, or his next, perhaps, stationary in the Motuihe Channel with people rushing about on deck and broadcasting a very loud MAYDAY on the double sideband. There were two or three Orcas playing around his boat and he was seeking help in case his boat was sunk and his crew eaten. We split our sides, muttering quite uncharitable things about “bloody land agents”.

Rosemary II

Posted on by
6
Rosemary II

ROSEMARY II

In Mondays RNZYS post there was talk that the launch in the top right of photo 2 (above but small, click to enlarge) could be Rosemary II the 1946 Shipbuilders Supercraft – sister ship to Lady Eileen, Rakanoa & Mahara.

The great photo above of Rosemary II was sent to me by Nathan Herbert ex the National Library.
Whats says the collective brains trust? For whats its worth, I think not – not enough main cabin windows & no port holes between the aft cabin rectangular windows. I could be wrong, I often am 🙂

Todays post will have Russell Ward salivating 🙂

To read more on Rosemary II & see ‘recent’ photos check out this ww link

Rosemary II

Russell Ward input

Arrrgh! I’ll go blind! Styleeee!
Yep Rosemary ll in her prime in this and the upper part of the pic of the aerial view of the trot of boats in Westhaven. Ken, I can see Rakanoa in the window/ports arrangement aft and in a lot of the details. When I used to row past Rosemary in Westhaven in the early-mid ’60s she did not have those fashion pieces aft of the wheelhouse and the brightwork was rather severely dark. She was always there and never opened up, just waiting -Just like Crossley and even less used.
Comparing the earlier pix with my Whangarei series of pictures you can see how much style her original layout had. Those aft fashion pieces just softened the profile of what is really quite a high wheelhouse that looks a bit bluff.
OK here is a thought for you style hounds. Compare Rosie’s styling in this pic with Ranui in her original guise -take that aft shed off her present appearance and voila -some similarity. Never say that the local people were out of touch with the latest trends.
Well, I always jokingly say that I spring out of bed in the early morning and feel rosie all over -if she will let me. Yes, Rosemary ll does it for me and I hope she is alive and well and, I hope, not now fitted with a frying bridge aft.

Comment from Neil Manthel
(Neil – you posted this comment in the photo section so it does not appear in the comments section, posted it here Alan H.)

As the teenage son of the first owner,Noël Manthel I can probably fill in any queries about the Rosemary 11. The maiden cruise was to the Bay of Islands but spent its early years in wellington with some memorable crossing of Cook Straits. The twin American Redwing 90hp petrol motors needed to work hard to get to the cruising speed of 10 knots.Your photo could have been taken in the Marlborough Sounds.regards Neil Manthel

Rosemary II

Posted on by
15
ROSEMARY II
Story & photos by Russell Ward
One of my childhood sweethearts. She lay on the piles just off the Squadron Marina.
She was one of the four Shipbuilders SuperCraft boats built in the ’50s: Lady Eileen, Rosemary 2, Rakanoa (yep I know she started off as a Couldry design) and Mahara. They were designed by Thomas (Tim) Windsor who obviously had a very good eye and was American trained. He was still alive when I last heard and I hope someone has taken a history from him.
Hunters owned her way back then and she was always there when I rowed / sailed / motored past.
I took the pictures a few years back when she was up at Whangarei and available. A little down on her uppers, but still great. The old petrol engines had been replaced by the ubiquitous six cylinder Lees marinised fords and the interior scruffy.
I hope she hasn’t sprouted a dodger aft and a fly (hic) bridge. She was beautiful as she was.