The R Tucker Thompson, traditional gaff rigged schooner cuts a swaggering wake where ever it goes. Its a day charter ship and a good way to see the bay and how an old style ship works.
I went out for a sail on her in the 1980s, when Todd Thompson, one of the original owners and builders was the skipper. He and Russell Harris finished building and launched her in 1985. The vessel was started by Todd's father Tucker Thompson. She's in new hands now.
Here is a video of Tucker Thompson departing Russell. She does day trips around the Bay of Islands.
She also takes part in the Tall ships race every January. It is an amazing spectacle of traditional sail. Other vessels such as the Breeze from the maritime museum Auckland also enter the tall ships race.
There is also the biggest Hangi and sea shanty bands after the event at the Russell boating club.
 |
| Russell Boating Club |
It's in Matawhi Bay and it is a real social centre for the many yachty's in the bay.
In my very young days, the 1970s, the club used to be the fishermen's co-op shed. Fish were unloaded and weighed up and paid for, but now it's converted into one of the best boat clubs that i know of. Sorry i let my membership lapse all those decades ago..!
Spotted a few other classics about..
 |
| A gaff rigged yawl |
 |
| A gaff rigged ketch |
 |
| A sleek bermudan cutter |
 |
| A staunch bermudan cutter - Looks like a Lyle Hess design |
 |
| Looks like a Maurice Griffiths raised deck cutter |
The very shallow spot in Matawhi bay, where the above Maurice Griffiths cutter is anchored, is the same spot i first spotted nick skeates's wylo2 in 1990.,
 |
| Wylo2 sailing with nick skeates - Bay of Islands 1991 |
It's the distant past and a bit hazy, but this is probably the place i got the wylo2 building idea from.
No comments:
Post a Comment