MV Tawa to be restored to former glory after 92 years

The MV Tawa will be restored by a new owner.

She was a sad, sorry sight as she was lifted by Whangamata Marina's boat lifter on to the back of a Boat Haulage trailer last week.

But the 92-year-old MV Tawa is to be restored to her former glory by a new owner and may yet be seen in our waters in the future.

The double-skinned kauri boat was first launched in 1925, according to one of the Tawa's former owners, Graham Hallen, a charter boat operator from Whangamata.

"She was a great old girl," Mr Hallen said.

"She's got a big heart - a Gardner engine with 3000cc each cycle and maximum revs of 900.

"I don't know what it was but she was great at catching fish and she was certainly a hard worker.

"One year we did a trip to the Aldermans 30 days in a row fishing for hapuka and not once did we come home empty.

"In fact, on one charter trip we came back with 70 on board and that says a lot for the boat."

Mr Hallen said he believed the Tawa was built at French Pass, near Nelson, and was first used on the cream run in the Marlborough Sounds, after which she moved north to a different role as a Whangarei Harbour Board tug.

From 1954 on she worked out of Whangamata with new owner, charter operator Laurie Jamieson.

"I bought it from Laurie in 1973. He was a great fisherman and taught me a lot. He operated charters but was also a commercial fisherman and had a big coolstore in Casement Rd - that's where everyone went then for their fresh fish," Mr Hallen said.

Numerous owners followed but the old girl has been sitting in the harbour, idle for the past 10 years.

I don't know what it was but she was great at catching fish and she was certainly a hard worker."

Graham Hallen, one of Tawa's former owners.

Now, she has gone to Auckland to a family of engineers who work restoring old boats.
Cameron Pollard, one of the new owners and experienced Gardner engineer, said he was a member of "a mad family who collects old boats and saves them from the chainsaw".

He said Tawa needed a bit of tender loving care but he would have her back in the water within three months.

"We can't leave it too long or she'll fall apart."

Mr Pollard is familiar with the workings of the Gardner engines and has already had the Tawa's engine running.

He plans to run her in the Auckland Anniversary Tug Boat race next year - along with other boats in the family collection.

"If I told you how many boats we have I'd have to shoot you," he said.

"It's probably in double figures - let's just say we have a flotilla."