HOMECOMING QUEEN
Built by Auckland’s Percy Vos in 1936, the 11.5m sloop Tangaroa has returned home after a 60-year absence and, thanks to the kindness of her former American owner, will become a living part of New Zealand’s maritime heritage.
Tangaroa’s 85-year story describes a colourful, adventurous arc and her return to New Zealand is an extraordinary climax to improbable twists and turns. She spent most of her post-NZ years around the Hawaiian Islands and, as the locals there would say: “Aloha – this gal ain’t done yet.” A new chapter beckons.
Tangaroa’s launching from the Percy Vos shed, and the carving commissioned by Jo.
She was born in Percy Vos’ shed in Westhaven’s Hamer Street, built for a Mr Jas Inkster of Bayswater. Auckland’s John Brooke designed her – he was renowned for his inexpensive-to-build-yet-exciting-to-sail yachts, and he based his concept on a larger vessel penned by Scandinavian K Aage Nielsen. Nielsen’s boat featured in a 1933 issue of Rudder magazine.
Brooke’s design was a masthead sloop built in triple diagonal plank kauri. Pohutukawa was used for her stem and mahogany for the interior, with hatches and skylight in teak. The lineage of owners following her 1936 launching is a little unclear, though we know that in 1953 one of them added a doghouse. But to appreciate Tangaroa’s unlikely career path from then on you need to settle back into your chair with a glass of your favourite syrah – and concentrate.
She was designed by Auckland's John Brooke.
OFFSHORE
She departed our waters in 1961 when she was sold to a young Hawaiian couple – Stuart and Jo Byam. Though she had been raced enthusiastically by her previous owners (Messrs Bates, Stretton and Green of Auckland), the Byams intended to sail her back to Hawaii and adapted her for cruising.
This involved lopping off a significant section of her spruce mast to reduce her sail area and simplify sail handling. The surgery, says Jo, significantly cooled the relationship with the gob-smacked former owners who’d spent years optimising the yacht’s sailing potential.
Jo, it turns out, now lives permanently in Waverley (near Christchurch) – and has done for many years – and when Tangaroa was formerly ‘reinstituted’ as a New Zealand boat in May this year, Jo was on hand to fill in much of the little yacht’s unknown history.
Stuart and Jo soon after buying Tangaroa.
“Stuart and I met in Hawaii – he owned a small Hartley sailboat and taught me to sail – and we married. Soon after he decided – a little impulsively – that he wanted to become a farmer in New Zealand. So we arrived here to buy a piece of land. But the authorities advised us against it – and I think even he eventually realised it wasn’t a good idea.
“Instead, we happened upon the beautiful Tangaroa lying in Bayswater and decided – a little impulsively – to buy her and sail her back to Hawaii. Our voyage began with a shake-down cruise to Great Barrier Island, and from there to Rarotonga, the Society Islands and then to Hawaii. We were relatively inexperienced bluewater sailors, but she was easy to sail and never gave us any trouble.”
Before they left, Jo commissioned a central North Island carver to create a Maori embodiment of Tangaroa (the guardian of the sea) – as much a reminder of her time in New Zealand as something to keep them safe during their voyage. The carving did its job – they arrived in Hawaii in November 1962.
The original builder’s documentation, and US Customs form for the yacht’s entry at Hawaii.
“We had such fun introducing her to our friends,” says Jo. “Hundreds of romances blossomed on her – and who knows how many children were conceived on board?”
A year later they sold her (Jo kept the Tangaroa carving) and, after the new owners spent many years cruising between the Hawaiin Islands, they in turn sold her (in 1977) to Allan Rey Jonsson and his sailing buddy Lloyd Edward Printup. In 1978 the Byams (with memories of New Zealand still lurking in their psyches) immigrated to Waverley. Stuart passed away in 2015.
Allan eventually retired and moved to California to be closer to family. No longer able to sail Tangaroa, he had passed her on to his son, Eric. Years later, when Eric realised his and Tangaroa’s lives would evolve in different directions, he decided it would be good to return her to the land of her birth.
Fun times sailing around Hawaii.
His investigation into the best way to do this eventually led to discussions with Auckland’s Larry Paul (a member of the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust, and Waitangi skipper). And the initial conversation, says Larry, was a little bizarre. It began on April 1st 2019 with his phone ringing and flashing up an unknown number from California. On the end of the line was the very chipper voice of Eric Jonsson.
“I have been reading your website (classicyachtcharitabletrust.org.nz),” said the voice, “and am most impressed with the work being done in New Zealand to restore and sail historically significant classic yachts and launches.
“My family has owned a New Zealand classic yacht – Tangaroa – since 1977. The yacht is based in Hawaii where our family lived. Dad has now moved to mainland USA and is no longer able to sail her. We believe now is the time for her to return to her roots. Would the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust be interested in taking her on?”
Tangaroa on the way to Wayne Olsen’s shed, and her rejuvenated saloon.
Larry admits to thinking – ‘is this an April Fool’s prank from a mate or a genuine attempt to return a significant piece of New Zealand’s wooden boatbuilding history to New Zealand?’
“Eric, we have quite a fleet of vessels in the Trust and would be unable to take her on, but I would be happy to help you meet your father’s wishes in having her returned to New Zealand. The best way might be to identify an interim local skipper with a passion for classic wooden boats and assist in recommissioning and sailing her in New Zealand until a long-term custodian can be identified to care for her.”
Eric and his dad were most agreeable to this strategy and the lengthy process of building a shipping cradle and organising shipping from Hawaii to Auckland was put in motion. Tangaroa left Honolulu in November 2019 and arrived in Auckland on December 8th. She was trucked to Horizon Boats in Stillwater where Wayne Olsen replaced her decks, tidied up the cockpit lockers, rebuilt and repaired hatches and skylight and added a galley, head and holding tank.
Miles Ostick (Percy Vos’ grandson) and Jo Byam at the formal handover.
Eric and Rey Jonssen – “it was time to return Tangaroa to her roots.”
Tangaroa’s formal handing-over function took place at the RNZYS in May. It was attended by Miles Ostick (Percy Vos’ grandson), and Jo Byam, who used the opportunity to reunite her precious Tangaroa carving memento with the boat. “I think it’s fitting that it now lives with the boat.” Eric and his dad had hoped to be there for the celebration but Covid-19 interrupted their plans.
The little sloop has now fallen under the custodianship of skipper Corey Rademaeker, who carried out the paint work and has spent considerable time re-rigging, completing the finishing work and fitting her out. Corey has built a small racing team and will see Tangaroa competing in Classic Yacht Association events. She is currently berthed at Gulf Harbour Marina.
Perhaps the final words in this prodigal daughter’s story belong to the magnanimous Eric. His well-wishing correspondence ends with this salutation: “The next chapter in Tangaroa’s life has now begun. To the new custodians – sail her, sail her, sail her...” BNZ
TRUMPY ICON FOR SALE
Launched in 1947, an elegant motor launch designed and built by one of America’s best-loved naval architects is on the market after a three-year, US$4m restoration that’s recreated her original splendour. Her price? Half of that.
Now named BB (originally Seaplay) the 80ft yacht was designed and built by John Trumpy. His legendary creations were often described as the ‘Rolls Royces’ of American yachting. She was built for George Codrington, then vice-president of General Motors – another in a long line of Trumpy boats commissioned by America’s wealthy elite.
BB’s new interior accentuates her history – period furnishings and glass light fittings – all offset by mahogany panelling, custom wood Venetian blinds, restored floor timbers and dhurrie rugs. And to get guests in the appropriate mood, facilities include a butler’s pantry with a fridge, coffee maker and ice maker.
There’s also a card room with a cocktail table and a large aft dining space with isinglass curtains that can be rolled up on warmer days, a curved banquette seating area and a dining table for eight. She has accommodation for six guests, with crew quarters and a Captain’s cabin. Navigation gear, though, has been modernised, and includes a Garmin GHC 20 autopilot and Garmin 8612 XSV MFDs.
Other modern features include a pop-up, flat-screen 48-inch TV in the master stateroom and an airconditioning system.
BB’s powered by twin (restored) 1961 234hp Detroit Diesels which give her a cruising speed of 10 knots and a maximum speed of 13 knots. Her range is 700 miles.
The yacht is currently moored in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. For more information visit Luke Brown Yachts. She is available for charter until she is sold. Visit www.nicholsonyachts.com. BNZ
TRUMPY HISTORY
The Trumpy shipbuilding legacy began in the mid-1800s in Bergen, Norway, where Casper Trumpy owned a shipyard. Son John grew up working there, and eventually secured a naval architecture degree in Germany before moving to the US.
He joined the John H. Mathis shipbuilding company in 1910, based at Cooper Point in New Jersey on the Delaware River. The yard built houseboats, tenders and yachts for some of the wealthiest American families, including the 104-foot Sequoia II in 1925. She later served as the Presidential Yacht between 1933 and 1977. After Mathis’ death in 1939, Trumpy became the sole owner of the company.
By mid-1942 the yard needed more capacity for government contracts, and relocated to Gloucester City, New Jersey, just downriver of Camden. In 1943 it was renamed John Trumpy & Sons, and in 1947 it relocated to Annapolis, Maryland.
Trumpy’s designs resonated with the increasingly wealthy Americans. His vessels featured a narrow beam and shallow draft – and were renowned for their speed. His graceful, architectural style was defined by a plumb bow emblazoned with signature ‘T’ scrollwork, vertical Pullman windows and a counter stern with canvas awnings.
His reputation had much to do with the high quality of materials, meticulous craftsmanship and the best construction methods of the time. The frames were of steam-bent oak, and the hulls were doubleplanked mahogany fastened with bronze screws.
A fire destroyed the Annapolis yard in 1962 and a year later John Trumpy died aged 84. The company continued under his son (John Trumpy Jr), but rising costs, a labour strike and the advent of cheaper fibreglass hulls saw the company dissolved in 1974.
A review in the August 1948 issue of The Rudder magazine described Seaplay (BB) as having ‘a well-blended combination of seaworthiness, sleek lines, good turn of speed, ease of handling, sturdiness, compactness with comfort, reliability, and the ability to go anywhere her owner desires’.
NEW BOATING NZ MAGAZINE EDITOR
FROM ITS SEPTEMBER ISSUE Boating NZ magazine will have a new editor – long-time Boating NZ editorial team member John Eichelsheim.
Well known to Boating NZ readers and the New Zealand marine industry, John is a writer and editor with over 30 years’ experience. He has supplied hundreds of boating, fishing and travel articles for domestic and international consumer magazines, edited magazines and publications, authored several books, and for the last 15 years, produced high quality PR material for marine industry clients and others.
John’s portfolio includes print and digital content creation, photography, video, television and radio.
John takes over from Lawrence Schäffler, who took the magazine from strength to strength during his near six-year tenure as editor. Lawrence is stepping away from the editor’s role to spend more time on the golf course.
John has been associated with Boating NZ magazine since 2002, firstly on the payroll as Associate Editor, and subsequently as a freelance contributor and contractor in a variety of roles. For the last several years John worked closely with Lawrence, serving as Boating NZ’s lead journalist and editorial assistant.
John is pleased Lawrence has agreed to continue contributing feature stories and editorial assistance as required.
