Tag Archives: Water Gipsy

A Lot Of Boat For Not A Lot of Money

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Water Gipsy > Connie V > Robyn Gae 4Sale

The 1934 Cox & Filmer (Speedcraft Boat Co.) built Robyn Gae has had a very interesting & colourful life – you can read all about it on the WW link below. But to regular WW readers thats old news & not the reason for today story. https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/08/06/water-gipsy-connie-v-robyn-gae/ 

Robyn Gae has been ‘hanging-out’ on trademe for a very long time waiting for a woody to takeover her ownership, I in fact gave the sale a plug on WW just over one year ago, but still no takers.

It is rare these days to find an almost original condition classic that is just in a run-down condition. On face value, mechanically she is good, she has just suffered from a lack of exterior maintenance – in my eyes nothing that could not be fixed by a wooden boat enthusiast with the basic skills. Her interior is very ‘as-built’ but that is all good,most woodys have had square edged MDF cabinetry fitted & need to be gutted, give RG’s interior a good scrub with sugar soap & a lick of paint & you could go boating this coming summer & start a rolling restoration next winter. I suspect the right buyer could own RG for not a lot on money. Take a look at the wonderful old photos of her in the WW link & you’ll see the potential she has to be a stunner.

So woodys, we must know someone thats looking for an entry level classic……………..

Water Gipsy > Connie V > Robyn Gae

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Water Gipsy > Connie V > Robyn Gae

I was mooching around Westhaven Marina on Raindance last weekend & spied ‘Robyn Gae’, sadly looking very tired & crying out for a new owner to take her over. So sad I did not even take a photo 😦

There is a very well documented history of her by Harold Kidd & Martin Turnwald on ww at the link (blue) here.  https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/09/10/robyn-gae/
The photos above of her when she was named ‘Connie V’ are from the Tudor Collins collection at the Auckland Museum.

07-08-2016 – 2 photos added below  from the Auckland Museum’s Tudor Collins collection, emailed to me by Ken Ricketts.

ROBIN GAE - CONNIE V c1938

ROBIN GAE - CONNIE V KAWAU 1938

09-08-2016

Hi, My Dad, John Turnwald, has decided reluctantly to relinquish his ownership of the classic woody. Robyn Gae.
Do you know of anyone who would like to give her the pampering she deserves?
John’s phone = 827 3538.  Please negotiate directly with him.

18-08-2018 UPDATE
 
Robin Gae – has just appeared on Tom Nisbitt’s web site for sale, I’m told a coat of paint & its now double the purchase price. Nice of him to use some WW photos + video in his listing.
 
 
Same guy trying to sell the below launch
24-06-2021 UPDATE – Robyn Gae was spotted early June 2021 hauled out at the Te Atatu Boating Club, looked like it had recently had a coat of paint and had a for sale sign in the window – photos below
 

Robyn Gae

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ROBYN GAE
video ex Martin Turnwald, details ex Martin T & Harold Kidd, photo ex PapersPast ex Nathan Herbert

The video clip above is a little scratchy but features some good footage of the classic woody, Robyn-Gae, owned by Martin’s father, John Turnwald. There is even a cameo apperance of the 1919 Joe Slattery launch Raiona (at 1:30).

Robyn Gae started life as Water Gipsy & was launched in October 1934 for C. Miller by Cox & Filmer (Speedcraft Boat Co) with dimensions 32ft x 8ft 6in. She was a slightly extended version of a 30 footer built by Cox & Filmer for a Mr. Martin. Miller used Water Gipsy for a while and then she “disappears for a while. Ted Valintine bought her in 1937, renamed her Connie V after Mrs. V, had her lengthened to her final dimension of 38ft, with the provision of a cockpit, coaming and dodger over. The work was undoubtedly done by Lanes who also fitted her with a 6 cyl Chrysler Crown petrol engine in September 1939. That was after the Kawau petrol fire in January 1939 when Valintine scuttled her by chopping a hole in her hull, saving the boat (photos below). Valentine sold her to E.M. Henry & the Lambourne family bought her from Henry in 1939. She remained in the Lambourne family until 1956 or so but Lambourne obligingly changed her name to Robyn Gae on 14/11/49 at the time Lanes launched the second Connie V for Valintine.
She is registered as a “Her Majesty’s Ship” in London.
The Chrysler Crown engine was replaced later by a Commer TS3 two-stroke diesel . The bridge roof was raised about 20 centimeters way back in about 1979 Martin thinks, because a stroll on the bridge always ended with  a ding in one’s head . The beams were just that little bit too low and the bridge deck floor had to be raised a bit to accommodate the new engine.
The Commer has since been replaced by a Perkins & with this engine Robyn Gae is able to achieve a true 9.6 knots running a 5 blade prop.

Robyn Gae is for sale – for details contact Martin Turnwald at  mturnwald@bluewin.ch