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LINDA

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LindaLinda oldLINDA

LINDA story by Ken Ricketts

I first saw LINDA in 1946, when Roy Swales owned her. She is a another beautiful example of Colin Wild’s work, built in 1927 for E.J. Kelly, with huge grace & beauty. Linda had a 50/90 Loew Victor sleeve-valve (Knight’s patents) engine, sitting in the middle of the engine room, which was a large cabin, devoted solely to the engine, with only the toilet, as an extra, making the engine look very tiny.

The Loew Victor was replaced with a GM Detriot 6-71, in about 1947/48, & when I took the pic Christmas 1948, she had the GM, — note the large side exhaust pipe needed for the GM, (about 5 or 6 inches I recall). She later had a Volvo for a period, & presently has a 6 cyl Gardiner Diesel.

She had a cast bronze plate, screwed to the centre of the rear cockpit wall, just below the top of the tuck, with the words “Colin Wild Builder, 1928”, which I beleive is still there today.

The Swales lived in Fernleigh Ave Epsom & they owned the NZ Lead Works Ltd in Morrow St Newmarket.
She suffered a massive fire whilst unatended on her moorings at Waikeke in the mid 1980s, & I later saw what was left of her, bundled on to a barge, up in the mangroves at Beachaven North Shore, one day when we were going for a run up to Herald Island, on my own boat, TIARRI, so as the tide was in, went over to have a look, & I would never have beleived that anyone could ever have faithfully & beautfully rebuilt her to her original glory, but Robert & Russell Brooks & their family have done an amazing job, — well done.

Gay Dawn

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Gay Dawn

GAY DAWN – My late parents Ralph & Wyn Ricketts boat 1956 to 1970 is already well documented by me on the CYA Launch forum, link below. Refer there for info in “The Real Gay Dawn Story,” which I wrote to dispel many myths & much misinformation about this beautiful unspoiled example of a classic boat.
photo & copy ex Ken Ricketts

http://classicyacht.org.nz/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=2084

Gleniffer

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Glenifer

RALPH RICKETTS, TREVOR DAVIS & CREW ON GLENIFER CIRCA 1932 019

GLENIFFER – Was built by Chas Bailey & Sons Ltd in October 1930 for N & K Taylor with a 40hp Gleniffer marine engine. At the time the above photo was taken, handed on to me by my late father about 1960, she was owned by the late Trevor Davis, son of the late Sir Ernest Davis, who owned her from 1934 to about 1936, & my father was on board every trip, because of his outstanding mechanical knowledge. She originally had a 6 cyl Glenifer petrol engine, – hence the name. — replaced in the 40s with a 6cyl Crusader petrol engine, (which he ran on Kerosene) by Percy Jennings, mayor of Paeroa & owner of the Paeroa Picture theatre, who kept her at his bach at Ruffins Bay Coromandel much of the time, & who was a good friend of my parents. She later had the Crusader replaced with a 6 cyl Ford Diesel. The Jennings family owned her for many years, as I recall, till at least the later 70s or early 80s she was built by Baileys in 1929
photos & story by Ken Ricketts

16/03/2014 – crew photo added to post, c1932 during Trevor Davis ownership

Connie V

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Connie V

Connie V a Connie V

CONNIE V
She is one of 3 sister ships WANDA II (for Fred Porter) & DOREEN ( for Gordon Mace ) later renamed TANGAROA. DOREEN had & still has as far as I know 1 x 6LW Gardiner & WANDA II had 2 x 6cyl Scripps petrol engines later replaced of course with diesels.

photo & story ex Ken Ricketts

modern photos ex current owner – Gavin Cook

Photo below of Connie V (Feb 2015) ex Harold Kidd

01-03-2016 photos ex trademe ex Ken Ricketts

Juanita

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Juanita

JUANITA – 36 ft built by Allan Williams at Milford Creek for Cyril Bertrand of Bell Rd Remuera in 1950/51 had Osco converted Ford V8 originally — now 6 cyl Ford. Supposed to be sister ship to Aoma also built by Williams.Photo Ponui Island c.1952.

Update from Ken Ricketts (01/06/2013)

JUANITA; ( Pronounced jew-a-neat-a, by the original owners)
 A sister ship to Aoma, built a year or 2 later, circa 1953, also built at Milford Creek, by Alan Williams, for Cyril Bertrand, a clothing retailer of Auckland City, who lived in Bell Rd Remuera. She was originally powered by a mid blue painted, Osco converted, Ford V8, under a box, as with Aoma, in the same position, which perhaps may have been just a tad too far forward, as she tended to look as if she was perhaps burying her bow just slightly, at speed.
The Bertands were family friends, & we cruised most weekends with them, for 4 or 5 years, when I was a lad, until they sold her. As you will see, in the above pic., I took in North Harbour Ponui Island, circa 1955, She did not have a sweep in the deck, but interior layout was almost identical, to AOMA.
When she was sold, she lived for a good number of years, at the Sandspit Warkworth, had a 6 cyl For Diesel fitted, & was maintained I believe, by Lees Boatbuilders, for the then owners, in very original condition, as at that time.
Have not seen or heard of her, for a number of years, so perhaps others could fill in the gaps, & drop me an email to kenpat@ihug.co.nz
Update 18/06/13
Juanita was owned by Ernest & Rae  Blumenthal from circa the mid
60s to the 1990s I was told today, by a friend who knew her very well, when they had her.
She had a 6 cyl Lees Ford the entire time of ownership by the Blumenthals.Mr  Blumenthal died, & Mrs Blumenthal retained her for a period after his
death, & then sold to a butcher called “Nick” …??? & she moved to
Mahurangi.She appears to have later moved to Taupo, because she was seen for sale on Trade Me,” at Taupo, post 2000, & was seen not too long after that, passing through Warkworth on a transporter, going North, & I now suspect, she is in the B.O.I area. — Have a sleuth keeping an eye out up there, for me.

Faye (LADY FAYE)

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FAYEFaye

FAYE – 32 ft Owned & built by Fred Steel of Bayswater in 1948 (one of 2, the other, Adara, owned by Des Donovan & (Andy’s brother). Both were built by “20th Century Boats” (Steele & Donovan) in Sydney St Takapuna. Adara was later lengthened by 6 feet.

Faye originally had a Willys Jeep 4cyl petrol engine which F. Steel later replaced with a 6 cyl Hercules diesel. He owned her for many years. Very roomy for 32 ft. We cruised with them most weekends in the 50s when my parents had Juliana.

photo & story by Ken Ricketts

Faye & Adara

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Faye & Adara

FAYE & ADARA – The twins, as mentioned above. Together c1954 in Islington Bay, Rangitoto Island. They were 2 of the biggest volume, roomy, & well planned for living, 32 footers I have ever seen, that sat well in the water & slid along beautifully tidily in the water at about 8 knots cruising speed.

The interior living space was unbelievable. — FAYE even had a large full boat width, owners stateroom, with full double bed in the aft end of the boat, — a rare luxury in that day & age of vessels under 40 ft, in my experience. a wonderful comfortable boat for longer cruises. Both were built by “20th Century Boats” (Steele & Donovan) in Sydney St Takapuna. Adara was later lengthened by 6 feet.

EL CAPITAN

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EL CAPITAN

EL CAPITAN. This boat has a fascinating story. A genuine Chris Craft design & specs, built of 2 skins mahogany in 1960 on his farm, by the owner at Ohakea. Still has original 2 x 6cyl 90hp Chrysler Crown Petrol engines (still only done 750 hours since new). Was used on Taupo & at the Sounds from 1960 to 1974 & then put back in shed at Ohakea for maintenance & never moved until owner died & she was sold to Tony Mitchell a professional self employed boat builder at Lake Rotoiti 8 years ago who has restored her beautifully in his spare time. She was relaunched Dec. 2012 & had been in the water 3 minutes when this pic was taken — I was at the relaunching at Lake Rotoiti.
She had never had a call sign, as the original owner was radio ham & used his ham call sign for marine use. —
I was instrumental in Radio Spectrum Management allocating ZMEC to her for life.

photo & story by Ken Ricketts

Barbara W & Juliana

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Barbara W & Juliana

Barbara W & Juliana tied to Russell Wharf c.1952, on deck of Barbara W are Harry & June Julian (owner of Barbara W’s son) at that time, Fred & Agnes Steel owners of “FAYE” at that time & Ralph & Wyn Ricketts owners of JULIANA — 2 of 9 boats doing a Northern cruise in company under the guiding hand of Harry J who was a commercial skipper on his family tugs plying the coast mostly for sand & he was an absolutely brilliant seaman – he died a few months ago in his 80s (Barbara W had an 8 L3 Gardner Diesel & Juliana had a 6cyl Leyland Diesel)
photo & copy by Ken Ricketts