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Jacqueline – a 22-foot 1964 Riva Ariston once owned by former US First Lady Jackie Kennedy – captured the hearts of the judges and took the top award – the Jens Hansen Trophy – at the 21st NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show in early March.
This year’s event – at Lake Rotoiti in the Nelson Lakes National Park – drew a record 155 entries (up on last year’s 130) and featured a colourful, eclectic range of clinkers, steam launches, motorboats and sailing dinghies, attracting some 2,000 boating fans.
Jaqueline is owned by Wellington businessman Bruce Judge – a self-described ‘classic boat fanatic’. He’s owned a variety of legendary vessels over the years, and his current stable includes the gleaming Baby Thunder – a replica of a famous US racer – built by Whangamata’s wooden boat wizard, Harry Nordberg. A regular entrant at the Boat Show, Judge previously (2013) secured the Jens Hansen Trophy for Best Vessel Overall with his Chris Craft Blondie.
He has always coveted the sleek creations designed by Italy’s Carlo Riva and began a global search for one about three years ago. “Rivas are legends. They’re widely-regarded as the pinnacle of wooden boat beauty and creativity. I was very lucky to find Jaqueline – she’d spent all her life in Monaco – and other than fitting a new 350hp Crusader/Chev 7.4-litre V8 to replace her seized engine, she’s completely original.”
Getting the V8 installed and the boat ready for this year’s show was ‘touch-and-go’ – she was only relaunched a day before the event. The new engine caused the delay: “It was very tight – only about 10mm of play either side, and we had to build new engine bearers. I think we had the engine in and out about 20 times.”
Boat show judge Ashley Johnson said Jaqueline was a lovely looking boat with a great story, long life and marks of wear. “It’s always a hard show to judge and this year there were multiple boats in every category that could have won awards. I like to see the effort people put in to enjoy what they’ve got – and the story behind the boat is always important.”
CENTURY REUNION
There isn’t, but if there WAS an award for the show’s Most Poignant Boat story it would almost certainly have gone to Miss Tahoe – a 20-foot, 1966 Century Arabian.
She belongs to Wellington’s Philip Andrew – another collector who freely admits to being a classic boat ‘nutter’. How nuts? Well, he owns four Century classics – they were all at the show – and says he’s always preferred the design/style of the mahogany-built vessels over their great rivals, the Chris Crafts.
“They’re both American legends – and the rivalry (which extends to their fan base) is a bit like that between Holden and Ford. I’ve always found the Century boats a bit jazzier and edgier with more ‘pop’ and ‘pizzazz’ than the Chris Crafts.”
He found Miss Tahoe advertised on-line in 2006. Equipped with a 250hp Ford Interceptor V8, she was lying at Lake Tahoe (it straddles the California/Nevada state line). He’d never been to Lake Tahoe – checking out the boat was a good excuse to change that – and besides, it was his 50th birthday. Of course, he bought the boat and shipped it back to New Zealand.
A year later he went back to Lake Tahoe for the annual Concours d’Elegance boat show. There he was introduced to Steve Lapkin – a well-known marine photographer who’s covered numerous America’s Cup campaigns – and showed him a picture of Miss Tahoe.
“Oh man,” said Lapkin, “that brings back memories. My family had a boat just like that when I was a kid – I wish I knew what happened to her. As astute readers will have guessed, after a detailed (and excited) exchange of memories it turned out that Miss Tahoe was indeed the ‘lost’ boat. She was originally named Ruthie L – after Lapkin’s mum.
“But you know what’s even more bizarre?” asked Lapkin. “You have the only Century Arabian in New Zealand. My boat – which I use for photography – is a Rayglass Protector RIB. It’s certainly the only New Zealand boat on Lake Tahoe.”
So began a strong friendship. Several years later Andrew received a manila envelope from Lapkin. Inside was a key on a fob with Lapkin’s father’s handwriting. “If the key fits Miss Tahoe’s ignition I’ll know for sure she is the family boat.” The engine fired into life.
After much cajoling over the years, Andrew finally persuaded Lapkin to visit New Zealand and attend this year’s Lake Rotoiti Show – and get reacquainted with the boat.
“It was quite an emotional meeting,” says Andrew. “Steve spent quite a bit of time on Facetime talking to his brother in the US, sharing the experience. Very satisfying for everyone.”
She belongs to Wellington’s Philip Andrew – another collector who freely admits to being a classic boat ‘nutter’. How nuts? Well, he owns four Century classics – they were all at the show – and says he’s always preferred the design/style of the mahogany-built vessels over their great rivals, the Chris Crafts.
“They’re both American legends – and the rivalry (which extends to their fan base) is a bit like that between Holden and Ford. I’ve always found the Century boats a bit jazzier and edgier with more ‘pop’ and ‘pizzazz’ than the Chris Crafts.”
TORPEDO LOVE
One of the most unusually shaped vessels at the Show was Lady Grace – a replica of a 1945 17-foot Fairliner Torpedo design – a work of art in her gleaming mahogany, teak and maple hull.
The boat belongs to Papakura’s Chris Prier and is another striking example of the magic that happens within the walls of Harry Nordberg’s Whangamata workshop. She’s magnificent and certainly impressed the judges – they awarded her the Mathieson/Jeffcott Trophy for the Best Motor-powered Craft.
Prier enjoys classic boats but compared with others his enthusiasm is a little more rational. Lady Grace is a first for him – though he’s previously built a plywood American skiff (stitch-and-glue construction). The Torpedo is a more complex build by a factor of thousands. “There’s not a single straight line in her – that’s why I gave her to Harry to build. He’s good at solving this sort of thing.”
Prier’s love affair with the American design began when he spotted one in a Wooden Boat magazine – it was being restored. “They’re very rare – only 32 were ever built, and there are only six in the USA. I began to research the design and was very lucky to be offered (by the restorer) the original offset measurements as well as the original blueprint. Lady Grace is the first to be built to that blueprint. She’s hull #33 and the only one outside the USA.”
The Torpedo was designed by Los Angeles naval architect Dair Long in 1945. He had something of a reputation for penning speedy vessels (60 knots+) used during WWII, when the New Zealand and Australian navies used them as sea rescue boats. At the end of the war the Torpedo represented his foray into the recreational boating market.
Nordberg converted the offset measurements to metric before drafting them into CAD and creating a 3D model to ensure accuracy. All parts were then cut by a CNC router. Her construction required the kauri battens to be steamed and bent, before the 3mm marine ply was diagonally mounted. It was all vacuum-bagged to fuse the timber perfectly, resulting in a very strong build.
She’s powered by a 283 Chevy V8. Obtained where? Well, the classic boat fraternity is nothing if not incestuous. The V8 was the original engine in Bruce Judge’s Chris Craft Blondie – Prier bought it when Blondie was repowered. It drives the Torpedo to about 35 knots.
NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show results
Best New Craft : Mahogany, a 4.9m powerboat built by the owner to Glen L’s Malahini plans. Owned by Kingston’s Mal Craven.
Best Restoration: Annie, a 14’ 5” carvel-plank vessel launched in 1920 by members of the Wellington Italian fishing community and used in Cook Strait for about 30 years. Owned by Picton’s Phil Jones.
Port Nelson/House Parts Best Rowed Craft: Bella Barca, a 17’ 6” rowboat built in 2017 by Nelson’s John Harris and the owner, Mapua’s John Stevenson.
CWF Hamilton Trophy for the Best Jet-propelled Craft:
A 20’ Glastron CVX20 built in 1976. Owned by Christchurch’s Janvier & Sue Marchand.
Johnson Family Trophy for the Best Sail Powered Craft:
Kotik, a 21’ 7” gunter-yawl trailer-sailer, built to an Iain Oughtred/Ian Milne traditional Scandinavian design. Owned by Dunedin’s Ian & Alison Milne.
Mathieson/Jeffcott Trophy for the Best Motor Powered Craft: Lady Grace, a 1945 Dair-designed 17’ Fairliner Torpedo. Owned by Papakura’s Chris Prier.
Best Outboard Motor Boat: Magic, a 1956 15’ runabout built in the UK alongside the Healey sports car and one of two in New Zealand. Owned by Auckland’s Phil Shaw.
Eventiac Award for the Best Themed Display: The General. Based on the original Arch Nicholls design for the power boat Fay, owned by the current owners’ family in the 1930s. Fitted with a flathead motor in the 1950s. The boat’s towed by an immaculate Fargo truck. Owned by Mike & Judi Edridge of Rai Valley.
Ron Culley Trophy for the Best Steamboat: Gypsy – built by Russell Ward in 1988. Owned by Christchurch’s Lesley Colsell & Allan Familton.
People’s Choice, voted for on the day: Solitaire – a Glastron GT 150 with a 75hp Stinger, as seen in the James Bond movie Live and Let Die. Owned by Leithfield’s Todd Johnson.
Jens Hansen Cup for the Best Vessel Overall : Jaqueline, 1964 Riva Ariston. Owned by Wellington’s Bruce Judge.
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