Tag Archives: Sam Ford

Peerless

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Peerless, Panmure Basin
Milford Creek1
Pierless & Maryanna, Tiri, 1930’s
Peerless
Milford Creek2
Peerless, Westhaven
Peerless, North Shore Times 1982
Devonport News
History of Peerless

PEERLESS

Designed & built by Andrew Petersen in 1913, Andrew was assisted Sam Ford, who at the time was a young boatbuilding apprentice. Peerless has a wonderful history that has been well documented, thanks to previous owners, one of whom, Bert Tansley, owned her for 50 years. Today she is berthed in the Milford Creek Marina & has had a for sale sign on her for several years. A very pretty original boat that desires a new custodian.
Update from Russell Ward:
Peerless is a delightful little boat. I used to see her moored at Devonport when I took the ferry to work. 
I was speaking to an elderly lady from Bayswater. She regaled me with tales of how her father (I guess Ber Tansley) used to pull her ashore for the winter at Landsdown Road Bayswater. It was a whole day affair –the old boys used to do it by muscle power alone.
She went to Kawau at some stage and was offered for sale. That is when I took the pix.
The 1982 article was by Paul Tichener.
05-05-2020 Update – photo taken by Ken Ricketts at Kawau Island, 2002
Peerless 2002 Kawau Island

Maka Maile

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Maka Maile
Maka Maile 2013 Riverhead Hotel

MAKA MAILE
Not sure of builder, originally had 1 engine of unknown make replaced with 2 x Ford V8 flat head petrol engines in about 1948 at Westhaven & Ken Ricketts remembers viewing the work in progress. Owned c.1947 by a very quiet reserved couple named Lennox-King.

Harold Kidd Update

MAKA MAILE (correct spelling) was built by Sam Ford at Ellerslie in 1937 for R.E. Farrell of Titirangi and named after his father Percy’s one rater centreboarder built by James Clare in 1898 with which Farrell had dominated racing on the Manukau. She originally had a Chrysler Crown plus an Adams but they were replaced by twin Scripps Ford V8s. Later gain she had a BMC Commodore and a Ford. She is now back in the Farrell family.

CHAPTER 2
Update from Ken Ricketts post meeting the current owner on 19/05/13
She is now owned by a Mr & Mrs Nick & Raeleen Prentis, & kept at the moment, at West Harbour Marina. They bought her in April 2004 off Mr Ken Farrell, who had stored her for over 25 years in dry storage, initially in the Glendene area, & then he moved her to McLeod Rd Te Atatu, where she was, when bought by the Prentises. They bought her more or less as an empty shell with no engines or interior, & he believes she may have had two unmatched engines, he thought perhaps a Fordson diesel & maybe a petrol engine.
He has now fitted 2 x 4 cyl Nissan Diesels. & has spent since April 2004 working on her, & making her ready for the water again, having amongst other things recalked the bottom, & resurfaced the topsides, & has been rebuilding in the interior, which is still not quite finished. She has only been back in the water for a month, after all those years, (as at 19.5.2013), & I think it’s really great that she’s back with us again — a lovely boat restored, & saved for posterity, and an important part of the Sam Ford history, & our boating heritage as a whole. Long may she be with us.

Menai

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Menai

Menai
When I was recently out at the NZ Traditional Boat Building School I spied this old (ish) photo on the wall of Menai, the 1936 Sam Ford designed launch, taken prior to the wonderful restoration by the late Peter Smith. While she looks very smart in this photo she was very sick down below. Another one thats on my bucket list.

Matatahi

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Matatahi

Matatahi Waikawa Marina c.1991

Matatahi Waikawa Marina c.1991.

Maristella

Maristella

MATATAHI

A typical example of Sam Fords work built c.1938. In the1940s & 50s she had 2 x 4 cyl Ford diesels with a single side exhaust on the starboard side with both engines going in to a single outlet. Photo taken c.1954 in Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island by Ken Ricketts. Photo quality poor as taken from a 8mm movie but had to include her as she is a lovely looking launch.
Another one that seems to have disappeared off the radar so if anyone can bring us up to date that would be great.

Juliana

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JULIANA; Built 1930 by Sam Ford owned by Ralph & Wyn Ricketts from 1946 to 1956. She originally had a 4cyl “T” head Thornycroft petrol engine circa 1920s, this was replaced by Ralph in 1947 with a 6 cyl Leyland Cub Diesel, & again in 1956  with 4 cyl Buda Diesel. She went to Whangarei for a few years when sold & then to the Algie family at Algies Bay from about 1972 to 1995 — they replaced the Buda with a 6 cyl Ford. She was sold to a fisherman in New Plymouth for several years & ended up back at Tamaki River about 2006 as a bare hull absolutely nothing in her. Bought by present owner Fraser Wilson who is in the final stages of major restoration /rebuild on her with an unbelievable transformation. One pic of her is taken in Judges Bay by the Parnell baths in 1947, by Ken Ricketts, a few months after his parents bought her & had given her a fairly major refurb at that time & the other is of her a few months ago during her restoration, in the boatbuilders, Tony Mitchell’s shed at Lake Rotoiti where she will live, when back in the water.
photos & copy by Ken Ricketts

Castaway (Islander) & Alofa comparison

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Castaway (Islander)
Alofa

Interesting comparison Castaway (Dick Lang) was launched in 1947 as “Islander”. Her sister ship Alofa was built by Sam Ford. Note the different bow, “Islander” has a clipper bow. photos – Castaway ex Alan Houghton, Alofa ex Ken Ricketts