TUG TALK

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“TUG TALK” June 2010 Newsletter of the Vintage Steam Tug

William C Daldy Preservation Society Inc. __________________________________________

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Hi all,

Well once again we are in winter mode, and we will need help with various tasks above and below decks. Don't be shy in coming down on a Saturday, even if it is for just a few hours. I thought that we had two new members last weekend, when I arrived on board, but no, it was only Les and George who had disguised themselves for some unknown reason, with coal dust. Strange people, those who work below!

Les Glass cleaning the boiler tubes Richard and I are still battling for our grant applications. They (Lottery Grants Board) keep changing the goal posts, so quite a lot of extra work has had to be done, and a heartfelt thanks goes out to Richard (our Treasurer). Without his diligence and expertise I would find the task very difficult. Thank you Richard. Some of our members visited the TOROA on Saturday on their open day. The work that they have achieved is of a very high standard, but still a long way to go. I would think that a complete rebuild is what is required, but if and when she is finished she will be a fine sight on the harbour. Our own plans for docking are in limbo until confirmation of our grant applications, and if we are not successful we will not be able to sail for the next season. This is the harsh reality of the costs that are incurred in running a vessel such as the WILLIAM C

DALDY. The committee has approached the Big Brother organisation which is world wide with 280,000 members. We have offered a complimentary cruise and light lunch for their Auckland branch. We are offering this cruise to show that we are aware of the

good work this society does, and some of their members interested may be in joining our society. Thanks to Beverley (our secretary) for this suggestion. SEE YOU ON BOARD.

AlexAlexAlexAlex

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Work on the Tug The boilers have been thoroughly cleaned and the aft boiler is being made ready for its survey; all valves have been de-mounted, cleaned and refurbished, about 40 boiler tubes have been removed and new tubes to be installed, a number of new fire bars have been cast and are ready to fit into the boilers. The engines, pumps and fittings are being checked before we’re in steam again next season. p.1

NOTICE TO MEMBERS

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the WILLIAM C DALDY PRESERVATION SOCIETY

VENUE: The Rose Centre School Road, Belmont TIME: Saturday August 1, 2010 commencing at 2.00 pm BUSINESS: Annual Reports from Heads of Departments Financial Statements Election of Officers; President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Marine Superintendent Galley & Catering Officer Charter Secretary

All nominations for positions on the Executive Committee are from the floor of the meeting and no proxy votes are accepted. The quorum for the meeting is 30 members

Any notices of motion which members wish to present must be with the Secretary by July 21, 2010

Annual Subscriptions are due after the conclusion of the AGM

Afternoon tea and coffee will be provided. Members please bring a plate.

B Minton Secretary

Work has continued on the steel bulkheads to remove any rust and repaint, the anchor hawse pipes, winch & mushroom bases have been painted. Two of the companionway ladders have been repaired, varnished and are ready to re-install. The fire hose reel boxes have been extensively repaired and painted and new signage is to be attached.

Bevan Tinker & Richard Parmee on the varnishing The teak fuse box in the wheelhouse that was made by Neil Hudson, has been repaired, varnished and re-installed with the interior of the wheel house itself to be tidied up. Neil is also making up a larger tray to fit over the aft winch for serving snacks and finger food for the passengers – a requirement of our Liquor Licence is to provide food with alcohol. Alex has fabricated stainless steel brackets for it, and stanchions off the frigate Canterbury are to be used for supports.

We thank the small team who regularly turn up to do the necessary maintenance, for without this help we would not be able to keep the tug operating. There is plenty to do this winter lay-up. If you can spare several Saturdays to help with the work PLEASE, don’t wait to be asked, come on down to the Daldy. Other times can be arranged if Saturdays are not suitable.

UPCOMING SAILINGS & CHARTERS ____________________________________________

We have again been approached by Ports of Auckland to operate the WILLIAM C DALDY for tours of the Auckland port and wharves with representatives of Ports of Auckland providing a commentary to inform people of the port's history. This is a part of the 2010 Auckland Heritage Festival. The tug will be berthed at, and passengers will embark and disembark from Queens Wharf at the set sailing times on each of three successive Saturdays; Saturday September 18: ) Sailing times daily ) Saturday September 25: ) start 11.00, finish 12.00 ) start 13.00, finish 14.00 Saturday October 2: ) start 15.00, finish 16.00 PLEASE check these sailing dates and times and if you can crew on any of these sailings advise the relevant Superintendent; the engine room, as stokers, deck crew, catering, or other capacity. P.2

The Committee is working hard to have Daldy ready for this early start for the season and your support is urgently needed to assist in preparing the tug and to have her fully crewed over the three weekend sailings. Your help will be vital to ensure another successful event. Please ring and indicate your availability to:- Alex Franklin, President; 0275 688 623 Bevan Tinker, Marine Superintendent; 021 801 402 Terry Carroll, Engineering Superintendent; 298 7609 Lorraine McMurtrie, Catering & Galley Superintendent; 0272 185 376

Tug Lines The tug AUCKLANDER

“Tidal surge damages gangway” The Dominion Post, Wednesday March 3, 2010. The gangway of the Tugboat on the Bay restaurant moored at Oriental Bay, was torn off its mountings during a period of strong tidal surges in Wellington Harbour. Customers have been using a second gangway while the main gangway is being repaired. It was possible that the tidal surge experienced in the harbour on February 28, resulting from the earthquake on the Pacific Coast of Chile may have damaged and weakened the gangway mountings. The Tugboat on the Bay is the ex Auckland Harbour Board steam tug AUCKLANDER renamed TAPUHI II. The AUCKLANDER was built for the Auckland Harbour Board by Fleming and Ferguson, Paisley, Scotland in 1956. Her boilers are oil fired with triple expansion steam engines and a bollard pull of 28 tonnes (WILLIAM C

DALDY, by comparison has a pull of 17 tonnes) and served the Auckland Harbour Board from 1957 to 1986. The AUCKLANDER was sold in 1986 and steamed to Wellington to be fitted out as a floating restaurant.

FROM THE ARCHIVES: The NZ Marine News; vol 37 (2),1987: “The Auckland Harbour Board’s old steam tug “Aucklander” arrived at Shelly Bay, Wellington, on 12th October 1986 for lay-up prior to conversion into a floating restaurant for the capital. Built in Scotland in 1957, the “Aucklander” was a firm favourite with ship lovers although Syd Buchanan, her Master from 1973 to 1978, described her as ‘difficult to manoeuvre at slow speeds and dreadful in heavy seas - the most uncomfortable barge I’ve ever been in’. Whatever her merits as a sea boat, the “Aucklander’s” days as a real ship are now over. In January 1987 the old tug went into the floating dock for the removal of her propulsion equipment and the start of a reconstruction that will drastically alter her trim and workmanlike appearance”.

The William C Daldy Preservation Society undertook to steam her to Wellington and in return would be able to obtain gear off the vessel not needed for its refurbishment. The crew for the voyage included John Hurst as Master, Captain Graham Sibley a Trinity House Pilot as the 1st officer, Graeme Wilkinson 1st Engineer, Murray Stone 2nd engineer and Wayne Larsen 3rd engineer. Crew included Alex Webster, Jimmy Cullen and Frank Renwick (both stokers off the

William C Daldy) and Les Lawsen. A cook was engaged. Neil Hudson also assisted getting the tug ready for the voyage. Firing the boilers started 7 days ahead of the day to sail, with Murray beginning the process by first burning kerosene, gradually warming the boilers through until the Weir air pumps could be started to ready the light diesel fuel for the burners and by the day before sailing, pressure was up and all equipment checked and operating correctly. The tug was fuelled and provisioned for the voyage.

“Aucklander” departing for Wellington

She set off on Friday 9th October 1986 for Evans Bay Wellington with her last Auckland Harbour Board crew and TV cameras at the wharf to see her off. The sea conditions were slight with a light following wind and she made good time down the coast with the crew working 4 hours on and 4 hours off on the wheel, yawing at times in the Pacific Ocean swell. It proved to be a good, safe trip with the only dramas being a blocked fuel line and when the engineers operated the boiler soot blowers to clear the tubes – resulting in soot and muck all over the helmsman and watch keeper. Severe gale conditions were experienced in Cook Strait approaching Wellington heads where the Pilot was picked up (neither John nor Graham being licensed pilots) and the tug proceeded up the harbor to tie up at Shelley Bay wharf. All crew enjoyed a ‘slap up’ dinner after the voyage, courtesy of the new owner. (An account of the delivery voyage from John Hurst & Murray Stone)

The AUCKLANDER was working together with the WILLIAM C DALDY on the Auckland Harbour for a number of years and one of our members, Ronald McKenzie – the Society’s immediate past Patron, sailed the WILLIAM C DALDY as Master on the first trip after she had been handed over to the William C Daldy Preservation Society and skippered her on numerous occasions in the early years. One very memorable occasion he recounts was when a passenger fell over the side as the tug approached the berth – the passenger however was quickly saved thanks to the very quick action by the crew in launching the boat and pulling him from the water, wet but uninjured. After 15 years as patron of the Society, Ron has decided to step aside but will continue to support the Society in any way he can using his network of contacts. Ron, a Master, Foreign Going Ship and a Pilot Licensed for the ports of Auckland and the

Manukau Harbours, has piloted several thousand vessels around the ports of Auckland and Onehunga. He has a good record of service and has piloted ships on an irregular basis as a relieving pilot. He was until recently Operations Manager - Marine Services Division with the Ports of Auckland. Ron was instrumental in arranging a berth at Devonport’s Victoria Wharf and having the piles repaired for the WILLIAM C DALDY to lie alongside. He has worked continuously in the background supporting the tug’s presence in Auckland and arranging free towage where necessary for bunkering services. ____________________________________________

NAUTI’ BITS Did you know

It’s to Fake! (flake) To fake down a rope is to lay a rope on deck to allow it to run freely when the anchor is dropped or a heavy hawser is run out. The origins of to fake down in this context, now more commonly written as flake, are not certain. However, Henry Mainwaring in his Seamans Dictionary, first written in the 1620’s, makes the maritime world’s meaning quite clear – “a fake is one circle of any rope or cable that is coiled around”. We typically fake down (flake) the heavy mooring lines tied to a light heaving line ready for berthing.

For smaller ropes the simplest fake is a tight flat round single layered coil sometimes called a cheese. The derrick block & tackle lines cheesed down on WILLIAM C DALDY’S fiddley deck not only looks good and can be walked on safely, but ensures that the rope will be free running when needed.

The derrick rope flaked down on William C Daldy’s fiddley

I am grateful for the ‘reminiscences of the past’ from John Hurst, Ron McKenzie and Murray Stone included in this newsletter. The intent of the newsletter is to share information and items of interest with members. If you have any articles or photos to include in the newsletter we would love to hear from you. Please contact the Secretary or Editor p.3

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Tug Talk Newsletter If not delivered, please return to: William C Daldy Preservation Society Inc. PO Box 32033, Devonport North Shore City 0744, New Zealand

June 2010

ADDRESS

Patron Keith Ingram

Your 2009-2010 Executive & Committee

President Alex Franklin Mob: 0275 688 623 afrankli@manukau.ac.nz Vice President Stephen Anderson (W) 373 3386 (H) 575 9501 stevelaw@hathi.co.nz Marine Superintendent Bevan Tinker Mob: 021 801 402 bevanct@yahoo.com Secretary & Publicity Beverley Minton 021 156 112 (H) 479 1902 bevmint@xtra.co.nz

Treasurer Richard Parmee 021 659 800 rosecentre@xtra.co.nz Engineering Superintendent Terry Carroll 298 7609 ntcarroll@slingshot.co.nz Charter Secretary Bev Scott (W) 622 1722 (H) 624 3373 Mob. 021 411 988 clubbelair@xtra.co.nz Catering & Galley Superintendent Lorraine McMurtrie 0272 185 376 Home: 473 0255 lorraine.mcmurtrie002@msd.govt.nz

Newsletter Editor Don Henwood 483 7130 adhenwood@paradise.net.nz

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