Tag Archives: Valmarie

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH VALMARIE – HOW DID IT COME TO THIS

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1
2013

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH VALMARIE – HOW DID IT COME TO THIS

I was mooching around the Whangarei waterfront during the week and spotted the launch VALMARIE hauled out at Dock5.                                                                 I did not recognise her until up close and spotted her name board. Even then I had to do a count / location of port holes and cabin widows to confirm she was the same vessel that last featured on WW back in April 2014  https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/04/10/valmarie/

Back in 2014 VALMARIE was for sale on tme and looking very smart. Another example of how quickly these woodys can go downhill if they do not get any TLC The last photo above was from 2013.

And on the subject of classics going down hill – I am very happy to report that the classic wooden launch – TRINIDAD has a new owner and been moved closer to Auckland. Her days of neglect in the far north are over. I hear her new owner is already planning to restore the bright work ✔️

Valmarie

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12

VALMARIE

details & photos ex Ken Ricketts, Martin Bertold & trademe

Built by Francis Wells of Wakatahuru in the South Island, for himself & was built of double diagonal planking in kahikatea, started in July 1951 & launched in 1960.
Whilst originally built by Wells as a work boat for himself, as you can now see, she is a beautiful, very comfortable, heavy displacement pleasure craft that could go almost anywhere.

Wells owned her until 1981 & after he died in August of that year she was sold by his estate to Murray Harris of Nelson circ. August 1981. She passed to Eric Jacobson between 1985 & 1987, who renamed her Evangeline & brought her to Auckland. In May 1993 she was sold to Brent Haslet & Carol Rush of Auckland who sold her in 2003 to Craig Burrow of Taupaki, West Auckland.

She is presently owned by David Brown of Auckland who advised that the large chrome throttle controls came off the previously destroyed Fairmile Mana.

She is driven by a matched handed pair of Gardner 8L3 eight cylinder in line diesel engines. The motors were originally from the island trader Rana which Brown traveled to Rarotonga to remove, at the end of her life & then bring them to NZ for installation in Valmarie. She had a cruising speed when new of 9.5 knots & top speed of 11 knots.

She has been returned to her original name, somewhere along the way & is currently for sale on trademe.