Tag Archives: Ruamano

CLASSIC LAUNCH RUAMANO – A JOURNEY GONE WRONG

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NZ Herald Front Page 02-01-2001
NZ Herald Inner Page 02-01-2001

CLASSIC LAUNCH RUAMANO – A JOURNEY GONE WRONG

Over the years there have been several mentions on WW of the loss of the 43’ Collings & Bell built launch – RUAMANO launched in 1925 at Freemans Bay, Auckland. 

Let us not pussy foot around – loss is the wrong word. At the time maritime authorities used stronger words e.g. ‘crew abandoned it’ / ‘questioned the need to abandon’ / ‘vessel was not in a life-threatening situation’ / ‘crew appeared to have simply had enough’ / ‘lack of experience may have been a factor’ / they bit off more than they could chew’. 

On New Years Day 2001 the NZ classic boating community lost one of its finest craft, and reading the reports it appears it did not need to have happened. 

Recently WW was contacted by Denis O’Callahan, past co-owner of the wonderful Colin Wild built woody – TASMAN. Denis commented that he had been working on preparing a summary of the logbooks from the TASMAN. Nine volumes from 26 December 1971 to 12 December 2020.

In the back of Volume 6, 24 October 1998 to 27 July 2002 Denis found taped in the clippings from the NZ Herald, dated 2 January 2001, the front page and an internal page telling the story of the loss of the RUAMANO.

In the TASMAN log, dated Tuesday 02-01-2001 while the launch was cruising the Mahurangi area a note was added to the log book that read “Newspaper from Warkworth reported loss of RUAMANO on fool hardy attempt to repeat 1925 circumnavigation of NZ (see clipping at end of log)” . The photos above are scans of the original NZ Herald press clippings ex the TASMAN log, given to Alan H at WW.

I encourage WW follower / readers to take the time to read the NZ Herald news stories and make your own decision on the sad event. As always you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them.

Masthead from the NZ Herald below (page too large for the scanner).

Ruamano RIP

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RUAMANO RIP

In the bundle of prints I received from Bryce Strong were the above photos of the 1925 Collings & Bell built launch – Ruamano. Sadly she was abandoned in 2000 off the West Coast of the North Island. I have not come across many colour photos of her, so published these to showcase what a fine ship she was.
Reading reports of the incident she might have been saved, it would appear that her crew were a little too hasty in climbing off her. You can read more about the incident in the first WW story link below.
 
Given the passage of time, maybe someone would like to tell us more about how she came to be abandoned.
 
 
 
 
17-07-2020 Input below from Tim Hanna
 
As I understand it the crew were in fact business associates of the owner and skipper. Supposedly they had to be in certain places at certain times to fit their business schedules and this played a part in putting pressure on to go round the top and head south in a marginal weather break. Deteriorating conditions forced the boat to head south west – out to sea – and a vicious cross sea developed. The skipper was handing his boat well and the boat was handing the conditions well but nobody else was. I believe there was no one fit to relieve the skipper on the helm and he eventually became completely exhausted. In the mean time the demands to abandon the ship became increasingly insistent and so the call was put out. Ironically all the busy chaps then had to sail off to Korea on the logging ship that took them off. The abandoning of the boat was extremely hazardous and it was apparently a wonder that nobody was injured. The boat’s brand new engines were running perfectly and the only damage was caused by running alongside the freighter. I believe a fishing boat spotted her some time later but she was by then swamped and no attempt was made to salvage her.Its a sad story and I feel for her owner as he had done an outstanding job restoring her to absolutely tip top condition.
 
08-09-2020 Update
Brian Fulton (MV Silens) sent in the photos below of Ruamano that were given to him by John Griffiths. John’s father owned her for approx. 18 years (dates unknown). They used her to get from Jack & Jill Bay to their house at Hauai Bay, on the Rawhiti Peninsula in the Bay of Islands. In the days before roads we put in.

Ruamano

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RUAMANO

The above photos ex the FB page of Lew Redwood show the 1925, 46’,  Collings & Bell built launch Ruamano in February 1926 on an extended cruise of the South Island’s West Coast sounds.

The bottom photo sees her alongside the wharf at Picton & her crew being welcomed in Nelson, her owner / skipper A.H. Courts is on the far left in the photo.

Sadly Ruamano was ‘lost’ (abandoned) at sea in 2000, off the West Coast of the North Island – read / see more at the links below.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/05/02/ruamano/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/03/17/ruamanu/

 

 

 

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RUAMANO

Another of those very special parts of our history & heritage & part of the group that could perhaps include vessels such as LINDA, LADY GAY, WIRIHANA, RAIONA, etc., She was built for the Court family of John Courts Ltd major department store owners in Queen St Auck, in the late 1920 or early 1930s. was 46 ft long, & was sadly lost at sea, off the West Coast post 2000, by the owners of the day, who abandoned her at sea during a circumnavigation attempt around NZ, which she had previously completed once before, in her earlier days,. They left, in inappropriate conditions, struck high seas off the West Coast of the North Island, were taken off by a merchant vessel in the area, & they abandoned her with the engine running, & left her to founder ( she was seen a few days later by another merchant vessel still with the engine idling) — very sad ending for a very beautiful lady.

When built she had 2 Redwing Petrol engines which were replaced about 1947 with a single Graymarine 6-71 diesel, a 2 cycle diesel engine, — virtually a GM Detroit, marinised by Graymarine, which she had until her demise.

During the mid 40s she had her original dodger replaced with the beautiful stainless steel dodger which she has in the pic, which must have cost a fortune, but suited her very well. I only ever saw her once with her original dodger & have known her since 1946. I took the pic in Matiatia in 1949 She belonged to Jim Luke of the Claude Neon Lights Ltd family, of Glendowie whom I knew, in the later 40s & 50s.

Story & photo supplied by Ken Ricketts

NOTE: In a later posting of waitmatawoodys I will expand on the ill fated circumnavigation story. alan h