Current Vessels
Lizzie
Builder:Edwin Bailey
Place built:Wellington
Year built:1909
Construction:Carvel kauri on birch
LOA:22'
LWL:19'
Beam:7' 6"
Rig:Gaff sloop
Displacement:1000 kg
Owners:Wellington Classic Yacht Trust (2010- ); Graeme and Annette Robertson (Lyttelton, 1977-1986, Auckland, 1986-19??); Bernie Wilson (Lyttelton, 1975-1977); Richard Johnstone (Lyttelton, 1968-1975); Owen Tracy Gough (Lyttelton, 1968); Harry Collett (Lyttelton, 1949-19??); Cliff Heron (Lyttelton, 1937-1949) V. J. M. Boulton (Wellington, 1925, 1927); Charlie Neal (Wellington, 1912-1920); C J Ward (Wellington, 1909-1912)
Notes:Built for C J Ward of Wellington. Topsides raised 18" by Cliff Heron in 1937/8. Currently being restored to original configuration by the Wellington Classic Yacht Trust.
Photos: Ward family collection
Photos: Known as Linnet
Lines drawn by Robin Aitken
Bruce Askew's initial restoration report
Articles:
The first article below is contemporary and factual. The second article makes a lot of erroneous assumptions about her early years.
NZ Yachtsman 02 Nov. 1912
Traditional boats June 1987
Follow her restoration on facebook
Photo source:NZ Yachtsman 02 November 1912
Mystery
Builder:Joffre Kroening
Designer:Alf Harvey
Place built:Nelson
Year built:ca.1950
Construction:Edge-planked kaikawaka (also known as Kaiwaka or NZ cedar)
LOA:12' 8"
Beam:6'
Rig:Marconi
Displacement:Centreboarder
Class:Idle Along
Owners:Wellington Classic Yacht Trust (Wellington, May 2011-); (Auckland, Gary Matthews, 20??-2011)
Notes:Sail number I6. Representing Nelson, came second in the 1956 Moffat Cup held in Wellington.
Image gallery.
For the story of the Idle Along design see here.
Below is a story about Mystery, from "Sailors of 40 degrees South: stories from the Nelson Yacht Club 1857-2007", by Tracy Neal (p96):
In the late 1940s he [Jack Harris] was measurer for an Idle Along contest. Nelson brother Murray and Peter Bennett - also regular show-stoppers with their tap dancing - were sailing their IA Mystery.
"Murray said to Dad, 'Jack, there's something a bit dicey on this boat you'll have to watch when measuring it," said Kim.
Dad said, 'Christ! Why did you have to tell me that? I didn't want to know that.' When the Nelson boat came to be measured, Dad pulled out his ruler, threw it on the deck and said 'I've measured this boat in Nelson, I know it measures up so I want nothing to do with it - you jokers measure it', and he walked away."
The officials passed the boat.
Photo source:Anne Kroening
Mahoe
Year built:ca. 1903
LOA:31
Notes:Mahoe is a canoe-stern launch built between 1903-07. The builder is unknown. She shows characteristics of Logan-built launches. Logan Bros built several launches for Marlborough Sounds use during this period, but so far they remain unnamed. It is also possible she is a copy built in Waikawa during the same period. She worked as a mail boat until the 1920s
Her restoration is planned to begin around April 2013.
Photo source:John Creser