Tag Archives: Tempest

THE NORM FAIRLIE WOODEN BOAT FLOTILLA 

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REELEMIN II – BUILT BY DON NORTON C.1957- AS BUILT
REELEMIN II – 1 YEAR LATER c.1958 – WITH DODGER
CHALLENGER – BUILT BY McGEADY – LAUNCHING DAY c.1962
COMMANDER ONE AS BUILT BY ALAN WILLIAMS c.1962
TEMPEST – BUILT BY McGEADY C.1964
COMMANDER ONE LENGTHENED c.1969-70

THE NORM FAIRLIE WOODEN BOAT FLOTILLA 

Todays woody story follows on from yesterdays story on the classic wooden launch TEMPEST, which we identified as being built by McGeady’s for Norm Fairlie.  

We learnt that Fairlie commissioned several wooden launches in the 1950’s > 1970’s period. Ken Rickets expanded on them and who built them, then sent in reference photos of the Fairlie boats, as we see above today.

Norm Fairlie would have had to be one of Auckland’s boatbuilding yards best customers.

Nice to see the ‘fleet’ all together for reference.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – TEMPEST

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2014
2022
2023
2025

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – TEMPEST

The 30’ classic wooden launch TEMPEST recently made an appearance of tme, bidding reached $395 and the listing was withdrawn. Hopefully the seller realised its real value and has found a genuine buyer. Would be keen to learn what became of her.

In the meantime some background – built in 1964/5 by McGeady and powered by a Ford 100hp 6 cyl. diesel engine.

She has appeared several time on WW starting back in 2014, looking very salty, then in 2022 looking very sad and again in 2023. WW 2014 https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/26/9340/

WW 2022 https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/15/tempest/

WW 2023 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/20/tempest-a-peek-down-below/

Her recent history is that her owner spent hundreds of hours restoring her and then during Cyclone Gabrielle she was struck and sunk on her mooring by a much larger floating foot path (concrete boat). Her owner also experienced  a medical incident and the rebuild is beyond his physical resources and he has made the hard call to find a new custodian.

TEMPEST is #3 of 4 boats that Norm Fairlie had built for him by Mc Geady in the 1950s >1970s period.

She was purpose built in kauri and mahogany for him c.1964/5 by McGeady in his Summer Street, Ponsonby premises , specifically to fish for Tuna in the World Game Fishing Competition held in NZ in March of that year, which he won in her.

TEMPEST’s hull had been started by McGeady to be a boat he had intended for himself but he was persuaded by Fairlie to sell her to him & finish her to Norm’s requirements i

Fairlie owned her simultaneously with his other larger McGeady boat the 38 foot CHALLENGER which McGeady built for him in c.1962. He fished for Tuna in the contest off TEMPEST, & Billfish off CHALLENGER & came second in the overall contest

Fairlie later sold her to his then business partner Mr Bert Grimshaw-Jones, who lived on the banks of the Tamaki River, where he kept her at the bottom of his garden, for a number of years,

TEMPEST – A Peek Down Below

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TEMPEST – A Peek Down Below

Back in May 2020 on a road trip to Kerikeri I spotted the 30’ 1964 McGeady built launch – Tempest moored at the Dove Bay Marina, link below to that story. At the time she was looking a little un-loved. https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/09/13/korawai-an-update/

Prior to the 2020 story she made an appearance in October 2014, back then she was a well maintained woody. Link below, lots of detail there . https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/26/9340/

Fast forward to earlier this year she popped up on tme, so today we get a peek down below. 

Forward motion is via a 95 hp 6 cylinder Ford diesel.

ORDER VIA EMAIL HERE waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Tempest

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TEMPEST

Back in October 2014 we ran a story on the c.1964 McGeady built 30’ launch – Tempest. Link here for more photos and lots of details. https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/26/9340/

Fast forward to April of this year and I was mooching around the Dove Bay marina in Kerikeri and I spotted Tempest on one of the outer pile moorings. Sadly looking a little unloved but still a looker, so hopefully she will get some TLC soon.

It Is The Little Things That Make a Difference 

The launch Gay Dawn has been residing at Bayswater Marina for while and recently her owner removed the bow rail – wow – have to say, she looks very smart without it. Hopefully its permanent, and not away being re-chromed etc.

Tempest

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TEMPEST – #3 Fairlie Launch in a series of 4
photos & details ex Ken Ricketts, edited by Alan H

Tempest is approximately 30 feet long & is the 3rd of 4 boats that Norm Fairlie had built for him in the 1950s -1970s period.

She was the second by McGeady & built in his Summer Street Ponsonby premises  & purpose built for him in early 1964, specifically to fish for Tuna in the World Game Fishing Competition held in NZ in March of that year.

Tempest’s hull had been started by McGeady to be a boat he had intended to build for himself but he was persuaded by Norm F. to sell her to him &  finish her to Norm’s requirements i.e. for the sole purpose of Tuna fishing as above, which he won in her.

He owned her simultaneously with his other larger McGeady boat the 38 foot Challenger which McGeady built for him in c.1962. He fished for tuna in the contest off the Tempest, & bill fish off Challenger & came second in the overall contest, for his combined efforts in the 2 boats.

He only owned Tempest for a few months & then sold her to his then business partner Mr Bert Grimshaw-Jones, who lived on the banks of the Tamaki River, where he kept her at the bottom of his garden, for a number of years, at least in to the later 1960s.

Now fast forward –  she was bought in the later 1980s  by Des Finlay of Whitianga, who along with his partner Christine Johnson, had bought her in a derelict state at Gt. Barrier, taken her to their home in Whitianga & worked on her for a couple of years on their lawn, then relaunched her & sold her a year or two later to the Bennett brothers of Panmure.

The Bennetts have owned her for approximately 14 years, they love her to death & keep her in the Tamaki River, in great condition, by what we can see in the photos.

Norm F. told Ken that the original engine installation, was done by Bert G-J., assisted by Tracey Nelson, the usual marine engineer, used by McGeady for the majority of his boats. She was originally  & still is powered by a 6 cyl. naturally aspirated Ford diesel & the Bennetts believe she almost certainly still has the original engine.