Harmony on the harbour

A new book reveals the Logan family is as interesting as its boat designs, reports ROBIN BAILEY.

New Zealand's maritime history owes a huge debt to two men, Harold Kidd and Robin Elliot. Kidd is senior partner in an Auckland law firm. Elliott is general manager of a freight-forwarding company.

So much for their day jobs. They are equally successful in pursuing their other passion - researching and recording this country's marine past.

Their latest effort is The Logans, New Zealand's Greatest Boatbuilding Family, and the title says it all. The large-format allows the pictures of the lovely Logan craft to be properly reproduced. The words that accompany the pictures reveal the lives and times of the incredibly reclusive Logans.

Included in his foreword to the book, yacht designer and builder Des Townson has this to say:

"The static shapes of the Logan boats are fair from any angle but once under way they express a harmony which is difficult to define but understood in a similar way to some music, which has universal appeal.

"Apart from their grace, the Logan boats were much respected for their performance. The design parameters used were largely intuitive and based on experience. However, it is notable that when they are subjected to scientific analysis today, they are remarkably modern in concept."

The authors contribute the popular Vintage Viewpoint column to Boating New Zealand magazine. Their association began 10 years ago when Elliott was researching Emmy, the book that was to become the definitive history of the M-Class.

They met while delving into separate projects in the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron archives and found they had complementary interests.

Elliott: "We each have our own databases so our material can be matched one source against the other. This sometimes creates a certain amount of discussion, but eventually we manage to reach a conclusion that gets things as correct as is possible.

"Harold's interests lie more in the area of mullet boats, keelboats and launches. Mine veer toward sailing dinghies and centreboarders. It's a complementary effort and we can test ideas on one another."

Their story of the Logan dynasty begins with the arrival in Auckland from Scotland of Robert and his young family in 1874. He quickly established a reputation for his skills, for innovative use of native timbers and for the exceptional yachts he produced from his Devonport yard.

Sons Robert jun, John, James, Arch and Willie followed him into the business, setting up Logan Bros in the early 1890s. In a short time they became the foremost boatbuilders in the Southern Hemisphere. This business lasted less than 20 years but turned out some of the most famous yachts of those decades and several to follow.

Of Robert Logan sen's eight children, only Arch married. The others usually lived together in the same house in Devonport, Remuera and later in Newmarket. While the Logan boats quickly became well-known, the family's aversion to publicity and self-promotion during their lifetimes was almost pathological. They let the boats speak for them.

Now Kidd and Elliott have fleshed out the story with flair and tenacity. It's all there, the histories of some of the most famous Logan boats and insights into those who owned them. Many of them, restored with care, devotion and money, are still racing. For the New Zealand Herald Anniversary Regatta on January 28 they will be among the classic fleet racing back to Auckland from Mahurangi. Among the Logans due to finish off Orakei Wharf in mid-afternoon are Rawhiti, Little Jim, Spray II, Moana, Victory and Jessie Logan.

* About the authors:

Harold Kidd has sailed almost all his life. He began in P-Class and graduated to Idle Alongs, Frostbites, and eventually the unrestricted 12-foot Q-Class. In the 1980s he bought and restored the E-Class keeler Loloma. He also owns an interest in the 1880 Robert Logan yacht Jessie Logan and was the driving force in her restoration and eventual re-launching in January this year.

Robin Elliott began sailing in Frostbites, 12-footers and the 18-foot M-Class, one of the few traditional racing yacht classes that has survived the relentless march of progress. He owns a share in the 1947 Bob Stewart-designed Matara.

* The Logans, New Zealand's Greatest Boatbuilding Family, David Ling Publishing, is available from most booksellers and Boat Books at Westhaven ($49.95).