WOODEN LAUNCH ROYALTY – ROYAL SAXON & LUANA AFLOAT

Last week WW was contacted by Tom Rowling in regard to a story we had run on the yacht BEACONLIGHT. Tom reminded me that he was the owner / custodian of the 33’ classic wooden launch – ROYAL SAXON, built in 1930 by one of New Zealand’s best boatbuilders – Colin Wild.

Now I didn’t need to use the WW search box because ROYAL SAXON is one of the most beautiful woodys afloat and has been on my radar for a long time. ROYAL SAXON is just perfect to the eye, which is a challenge in a sub 35’ craft. She is also probably one of the most photographed classic woodys in NZ, due to being moored off Kaiteriteri Beach, Nelson, most summers. Kaiteriteri is the gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park and all commercial tourist craft go past her as they head to the national park.

The top photo above of her at Kaiteriteri, I took in March 2019 while holidaying in the area – WW story & more photos at this link https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/03/08/royal-saxton-varlene-a-trip-to-abel-tasman-national-park/ . In the 2nd photo, ex Tom, we see ROYAL SAXON  last summer off Fisherman Island in the Abel Tasman National Park.

Tom sent in several photos and commented that the bow-on photo was taken by reporters in 2003 when he retired as Master of the Golden Bay after 30 years in their employ.

The photo of the two ‘gents’ shows the previous ROYAL SAXON owner – Rick McCay (on the left), handing over the register of the ROYAL SAXON in Tom’s cabin aboard the GOLDEN BAY in Auckland on the 5th August 1995. Copies of the register at the bottom of todays story.

Now Rick McCay esq. is a charmed man having owned and owning two of the most elegant classic wooden launches in New Zealand- ROYAL SAXON and LUANA, I would have questioned his sanity selling ROYAL SAXON if it wasn’t to buy LUANA, built in 1920 by M T Lane and seen below in the two Bay of Islands photos.

Back to Tom, he has owned ROYAL SAXON for 30+ years and commented that she is 95 years old and still continues to give pleasure to family, friends and visitors to the bay. 

Tom also shared with us another in the Rowling fleet, a vessel he had built in 1994 at the ‘The Boat Yard’ which was attached to the Maritime Museum in Auckland at the time. Tom named her after the first commercial tourist launch that started operations at Kaiteriteri in 1955. The vessel is kauri planked, red gum ribs, teak gunnel strip, masts and spare dragon. She’s rigged as a gaff rigged sloop. In Tom’s words – all old looking to fit in with its owner. She sails beautifully and reasonable dry unless you drive her hard. The plan is similar to the sea scout cutter but reduced in length by 2 feet to make it easier to sail single handed. Photo below on the beach at Karterteri.

ROYAL SAXON CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRY – Click photos to enlarge