Through the tsunami and the leaks, a Napier patrol boat kept watch for 60 years

New Napier Sailing Club manager Justin Dwyer (left) and club stalwart and patron Paul Redman as the Watchman awaits its move to Tauranga in April after 63 years of service in Hawke's Bay. Photo / Paul Taylor

A wooden-hulled Napier Sailing Club patrol boat that almost disappeared in a tsunami when it had been in use for less than seven months has been sold after serving the club for more than 63 years.

The Watchman was clinker-built for the club, with the hull appearance similar to that of a weatherboard home, and was launched on October 31, 1959.

The following May 24, it was washed out to sea in the retreat of a tsunami generated by an earthquake across the Pacific in Chile.

Club members Bob Gunson and Bob Thompson were dispatched the following day and the boat was found and brought back to Napier.

Once back, it was pressed into use for numerous rescues of its own, in addition to the club roles of race-day patrol and, ultimately, start boat after the club moved away from starting races from its tower alongside Scapa Flow at the eastern head entrance to the inner harbour.

In 2008, it started the first race in the centenary year of world sailing body the International Sailing Federation.

But it has, over the years, outlived its usefulness.

There’s now a need to have a modern vessel with toilet facilities suitable for female race officers, and this was once a vessel with no women aboard.

There’s also no longer a need for space for the “big clock” and other space-fillers and functions now collectively replaced by an app accessed on a cellphone.

Besides, as wooden-hulled boats do, it’s had its leaking moments. However, these were overcome via a coating of more modern resins some years ago.

It’s been sold to Tauranga man Steve Wilkinson, not for the money, but with the club having found someone whose plan is a bit of TLC, he’s expecting to collect the boat in April and restore it.

Sailing Club patron Paul Redman said: “We are really happy to see it’s going to get another life.”

A replacement was bought second-hand late last year, precipitating the decision to sell when the club had not seriously considered its disposal, and when Wilkinson was visiting and asked what was happening with the old boat.

The Watchman was built in Invercargill, shipped to Auckland then transferred to Napier, while the replacement was bought in Wellington and pressed into service within a few hours of arrival on the opening day of 2023.

Apart from the regular club racing, it’s been used in the club’s summer regattas, and the North Island paper-tiger-class championships, as it will for the Ross 780 and Hartley 16 championships on February 8-10 hosted by the 131-year-old club, which is among the bigger sailing, yachting and marine clubs in New Zealand, with almost 1150 members and a near-weekly sailing programme.