Veteran Kereru to lead Rotoiti's classic fleet

The Kereru is ideally suited to the life of a classic lake boat. Photo / Supplied

The vessel chosen to lead this year's Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Parade is the veteran 1960s launch, Kereru.

Kereru, the latest addition to the almost-famous squadron of classic boats that parade on Lake Rotoiti each Waitangi Day weekend, is a fine example of the work of renowned Auckland boatbuilder Brin Wilson.

Furthermore, she is just the latest Wilson launch to now be whiling away her days on the Rotorua lakes.

Sir William Stevenson, a man with a great and abiding love of these beautiful lakes, was also a keen fan of Wilson's launches. He owned three 1960s-era Wilson launches and once had Wilson boats on lakes Tarawera, Rotoiti and Taupo all at the same time. The Stevenson family still has Jan, a superbly maintained 9.75m Wilson launch, at the family retreat on Lake Rotoiti's Okere Arm. Kereru is now her new marina mate, living on the jetty right alongside her shed.

Built by Wilson in 1960 for well-known Auckland businessman F. D. Pigeon, Kereru was an obvious play on her owner's name - Kereru being the Maori name for New Zealand's indigenous wood pigeon.

She was originally commissioned as a motor sailer. Based in Kawau's Bon Accord Harbour, she was used for pleasure cruising, fishing, collecting guests and stores from around the Hauraki Gulf and the occasional trip down to Auckland.

She has a typical kauri-planked Wilson hull, weighs 5.8 tonnes and, when first launched, came complete with a small sailing rig.

Although this measured only just more than 22sq m and consisted of only a mainsail and jib, it was apparently enough to enable her to sail around the Gulf. The sails and rig are now gone and Kereru gets around Rotoiti by motor alone, at a respectable 8 knots.

In typical Wilson fashion, she is planked with 2.5cm kauri. Her ribs are at 15.2cm centres and there are two bilge stringers on either side.

Around the sheer there is 7.6cm of timber, and a 5cm rim and 2.5cm decking on top of that means she is a solid little vessel.

Many of Kereru's original fittings were advanced for her day. She features a sophisticated electrolysis-prevention system (although this is unlikely to be called into service now as electrolysis is not usually a problem on the lakes).

Kereru's original engine was an 85hp diesel with a straight drive. This was later improved by the fitting of a 2.1 straight drive reduction box and the addition of a more efficient propeller.

Although Kereru had a succession of owners during her 50-year life on the Hauraki Gulf, she is still, apart from that sailing rig, in near original condition. Her 3m beam and shallow draft means she is ideally suited to the life of a classic lake boat.

Her new owners are the Rathbone and Gardner families from the Okere Arm of Lake Rotoiti. As a way of welcoming her to this small community, she has been chosen to lead the fleet in this year's annual Classic and Wooden Boat Parade on Saturday, February 5.

This event, now one of the largest gatherings of classic inland waterway boats in New Zealand and a perennial crowd favourite, sees the historic fleet parade alongside State Highway 33, at the western end of Lake Rotoiti, between 10-11am.

As always, the parade will be sent on their way by the firing of an old cannon and led out of the Okere Arm by a brace of magnificent Arawa waka.

Historic parade

What: Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Parade

Where: Okere Arm; Lake Rotoiti

When: Saturday, February 5

Start: 10am

More info