CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – TAURIMA – A Peek Down Below
Todays woody is the 1961 classic launch – TAURIMA. Built from kauri with double diagonal planks. She measures 36’4” in length, with a beam of 10’6” and draws 3’7”. Forward motion is via a 110hp Lees Marine Ford diesel engine that gives her a cruising speed of 6>7 knots. In recent years TAURIMA has enjoyed a ‘rolling restoration’ and appears to be presented in very good condition.
TAURIMA made an appearance on WW back Feb 2017 link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/02/13/24919/ Lots of chat in the comments section on designer / builder – the thinking is possibly based on a Billy Rogers design and a home build. The interior is a tad cluttered but this is a reflection of her current use eg live-a-board, a big black sack and a few hours would see her looking smarter 🙂
Built in Wellington in 1929 by B.J.L. Jukes in Balaena Bay. Jukes had built in 1926 two sister ships – Vagabond and Nereides. Ruapani was commissioned by the NZ Govt Tourist Dept for use on Lake Waikaremoana, to carry passengers from Hopuruahine to the Lake House Hotel.
When the hotel closed in 1965 she was sold to Peter Ash’s company – Waikaremoana Launch Services. Ash replaced the original 40hp Thornycroft petrol engine with a Perkins 84hp diesel and operated her on the lake for another 11 years.
In 1976 Ash sold Ruapani to her first private owner, Noel Tong, who sold her in 1984 to her present owner – Ken Menzies, that woodys is 38 years ago, very impressive.
Menzies initially kept her on the lake, but in 1990 trucked her to Evans Bay, Wellington (his new home). The move was a very lucky break for Ruapani as Menzies engaged well known Wellington boat designer – Bruce Askew to undertake a major rebuild / restoration of Ruapani. The work involved redesigning the above deck area to a style similar to Nereides, below deck the engine was shifted aft to accommodate two large cabins forward. The change to salt water necessitated upgrading a lot of her ‘hardware’ and the addition of freshwater tanks – life on the lake equaled a permanent supply of fresh water.
These days Ruapani is berthed in Picton Marina and is a wonderful boat for cruising the Marlborough Sounds. Ken Menzies commented that Ruapani was maintained very well by the original launch master Frank Smith and she remains in sound condition after 92 years.
The gallery of photos above date from when Ruapani was on Lake Waikaremoana in the early 1930s, thru to approx 2004. The top photo is a recent shot and perfectly shows what a magnificent woody Ruapani is. And a lucky woody to have had 38 years of continuous ownership at the hands of a devoted owner.
The photos were shared with us by Ken, and the details I have extracted for numerous WW comments and newspaper clipping.
A Helping Hand Needed
Alice Morrison is the owner of the classic woody launch – Taurima (WW link below) which is currently in Tauranga. Alice has been trying for months to move her to Whangaroa, or at least Whangarei but due to weather and availability she has not yet been able to. So woodys – anyone out there that could help Alice relocate Taurima? Alice is prepared to pay, but is short on intel on who could / would do this. You can comment in the WW comments section or contact Alice direct at alice.morrison3@gmail.com https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/02/13/24919/
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????
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?
I was contacted recently by Alice Morrison with the news that she had just bought a 1960 (circa) Billy Rogers sedan launch named Taurima. She is 36′ & constructed of double diagonal kauri. Unfortunately the previous owner didn’t know much history about her so Alice is hoping that some of the woodys out there can shed some light on her?
She is obviously a sister ship to Margaret Anne https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/10/03/margaret-anne-2/ , both very lucky boats as they both have lady owners 🙂
So woodys can we help Alice?
14-02-2017 Update ex Alice M – She has a 110hp Lees Marine Ford. The previous owners were Kevin & Bryce Thorne from Whangarei but the vessel has been moored in Opua or Jacks Bay in the Bay of Islands. I have asked Bryce to find the contact details of the owners before him. All he knew was that it used to be in Auckland where the owner used it to take him from the city to Waiheke all the time.
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