John goes on a mission again. Lady Gay.A vintage launch.

[John B]

This weeks sneaky side trip in search of information and old wooden boats led me to a factory in the south east of Auckland where LADY GAY is getting a major work over. Did I say major?( imagine raised voice on the major part)
This is photo I took of her last season .
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid29/pf5617a7b27dca8e82eb7df630905ca48/fd5edb48.jpg
Actually, I'll tell you something about this pic. No big deal, but I sent it on, where it got sent on and sent on and the next thing It was in our biggest national boating magazine credited to someone else.Talk about the green eyed monster. Pissed off to put it bluntly.
Anyway,...
Lady Gay, ( I've got the data coming but it ain't here yet) is about 50ft , a cabin style I don't know the name of because I'm a bit ignorant about launches, built of 2 or 3 skins of kauri in the diagonals and fore an'aft outer skin method so prevalent in old NZ boats. Copper fastened through the intersection of the skins and built with stringers, floor shelf , sheer clamps etc but very little in the way of frames or ribs.
She's built the same way as our old Waione in other words.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid29/p9bd6c48e293555bbbc4a06cc616a1eea/fd5edb5c.jpg
Apart from the gutting of the interior, new engine, rebuilding of many things, she has a newly CANVASSED deck( beautifully done)
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid29/pa0e5dd4cfb3c3db5ab55e54dab66e324/fd5edb4d.jpg
The people doing the work are very professionalbut sympathetic in their approach to the work and have been responsible for a few high dollar restorations around Auckland.

One of the features of the boat which you only really notice when you "look" is the beautiful transition of the flair forward to the tumblehome aft
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid29/p2b32c6eb48c885978379e40dce5d0589/fd5edb4b.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid29/p9f77cd51ed4b1afb443e4b23c000a3e9/fd5edb58.jpg

Actually, I thought she looked pretty good as she was, but they tell me that she had some lurking problems which needed to be attended to. Caught at the right time she is. She'll certainly be right for another 50 years or so after this lot.

[ 08-22-2002, 12:31 AM: Message edited by: John B ]

[Dave Fleming]

Raised Deck, Plumb Stem motor launch perhaps?

Truly is a fine looking lady, or so says I.

[John B]

Yeah that would do Dave, but I'm sure there will be a "local" name for it.I know what a Bridgedecker is, I know what a Sedan is, Flybridge, just have no edjamacation on that style.
Oh, I forgot to mention, she was lengthened by about 6 or 8 ft sometime back... '50's I think. And they've pulled the 370hp and replaced it with a 400 hp derated to 300 I think he said.( I dunno why!)Partly for the xtra room inside, probably because she wasn't ever going to plane properly so displacement it is. Preserve the hull better that way too I imagine.

[Dave Fleming]

JohnB, to my uneducated eye that ain't no planing hull. Somebody like MMD or Bainbridgeisland is much better qualified to 'splain to you the whys and wherefores of that hull design.

[ 08-22-2002, 01:21 AM: Message edited by: Dave Fleming ]

[John B]

I realise that Dave. She isn't. Having said that, that's never stopped people putting big motors in and trying before now has it? I suppose you'd have to call what she was doing in that first photo semi displacement. She's got great big trim tabs they used to get her bum back up when she's at that speed ( to get the squat out). I think they are taking them off and are planning on just cruising around at a more sedate rate than that photo from now on. Easier on the hull and she'll still do 10 around the place eh.

Man I'm sick of winter. It's about now I start "pining for the fiords" uuuumm I mean " summer".

[B. Burnside]

Gee, JohnB, that parrot that was "pining for the fjords" was not in very good health. You take care of yourself, now. We don't want you to go quiet on us.

[On Vacation]

I do see that the hull is diagonal planked on longitual battens. It must be double planked then like the older Huckins PT boats. Is it glassed also? Way ahead of its time for the years. They must have found an old Navy boat laying around and used the round chime form the sailing days for the area.

[ 08-22-2002, 07:33 AM: Message edited by: oyster ]

[John B]

She's built to the standard NZ method from about 1880 to say 1960 or so. After that they discovered glue didn't they. Cold moulding.
I'm sure she's three skin but it's possible that she's 2 skin which is why I'm not being definitive on it.
Waione is built exactly the same and she's 1907. Moana, Thelma, Prize, Tawera ,Ngatira, Ngataringa,Little Jim etc etc,.... virtually all the other boats ( yachts)I know are this method.
Pretty strong hulls and usually they are "maintained and repaired" as opposed to "restored". Not too many of them have had anything radical done like repairs to stems or deadwoods.
Take our Waione for example, She's had plenty of work done to her since 1907 but she still has her original deck and hull with no major surgery that I'm aware of.She on her 3rd or 4th cabin( on the original carlins) and perhaps 3rd cockpit, had a few rigs but that's all peripheral.

Lady Gay is similar in that I'd bet that apart from the surgery to lengthen her in the 50's or so ,she's had no major remedial work to rot. Just the big refresh and facelift like she's getting now.

OH, and NO GLASS Oyster.

[John B]

The accurate information on size and year built courtesy of Chad Thompson( project managing the job)

Her details are below:
Designed and Built by Colin Wild for Mr JM Wilson at Ngataringa Bay, Auckland 1934

Principal Dimensions:
LOA 14.02m 46 feet
DWL 13.72m 45 feet
Beam 3.64m 12 feet
Draft 1.36m 4 foot 6 inches
Displ 15040 kg 33090 lbs
We can be very specific as we have now taken off her a set of lines.