TANGMERE

I was recently contacted by John Wicks who told me that Tangmere had been purchased by serial boat-restorer Dave Browne, who along with John Wright will be restoring the launch. With those twos credentials we can expect good things. ww will follow the project with great interest.
The guys we asking for any information on her origins and history – well gents thanks to ww & Harold Kidd we can help you, see below.
The photos of her moored off Te Atatu BC below are ex Nathan Herbert, the marina ones above are from John Wicks.

Input below from Harold Kidd ex Bill Endean, W.J. (Bill) Endean’s son & Tony Mason.
1. She was named after the RAF station in Sussex from which W.J. flew Lancasters in WW2.
2. The hull was built by Shipbuiilders Ltd. in 1949.
3. She had a 100hp Osco Mercury V8 conversion originally.
4. W.J. designed and built the cabin. Aeronautical influences are clear.
5. W.J. and Tony Mason were contemporary RNZAF officers and shared a common passion for planing hulls.
6. When W.J. sold TANGMERE to Ken Prangnell,most likely c.1958, he bought a Marlin 19 from Tony Mason and fitted a Ford V8. She was called HUBBLY BUBBLY after the exhaust noise at idle.
7. K. A. Prangnell still owned her in 1973. HDK photographed her hauled out at Te Atatu BC in 2009.

Any woodys able to expand on her ownership details?

02-02-2018 – Update From JohnSankey  via Ken Ricketts

She has been sold by Dave Brown, to his nephew, John Sankey, who has moved her to the Wade River, where he has big plans for a major T.L.C. programme

30-03-2018 Update – photos below of her hauled out & ready for some serious TLC 🙂