ELIZABETH- Part III
Some early SWS adopters might remember the first stories of the discovery and rescue of the Tumlaren ELIZABETH in the North Island of New Zealand. For those of you who missed then…
Tumlaren Sailing New Zealand Style
Well here’s the final chapter thanks to Pip Todd in Mangonui, NZ
ELIZABETH, New Zealand’s only Tumlaren, now residing in Mangonui, Northland has been featured in earlier SWS articles over the past year. She was relaunched following a full restoration at the end of November 2022 - coincidentally a year to the day that she arrived in Mangonui by truck from her previous grassy home.
The majority of her restoration had been completed before the winter months. Following the removal of the cabin top and gutting the interior, the kauri hull was sanded, resplined and fiberglassed. The interior was then scraped back and painted. New curved laminated beams for the deck, combings and a forward hatch were assembled and a plywood deck installed and also glassed over – ensuring at least another 60 years of life in her yet.
Sadly, as her rudder no longer existed a pattern was cut, oak planks measured and new gudgeons cast. Royal blue topsides and a cream decking paint gave her a classic smart new outfit.
Unfortunately, the original wooden mast no longer existed and with oregan almost impossible to source the hunt for a Dragon mast which fitted the required profile – in itself a rare find in NZ – was on. One was tracked down in Auckland – new and untouched for 15 years. Sails were constructed to the original Tumlaren plans and suddenly ELIZABETH was ready to be launched.
She now sits happily on her mooring in Mill Bay, Mangonui in the Far North of New Zealand awaiting her new life. At this stage future plans for ELIZABETH are to race her with the Mangonui Cruising Club on Doubtless Bay and take her south to race against other classics in the Tall Ships Race in the Bay of Islands in January and the Maharangi Classic Regatta north of Auckland later in the summer.
“ A boat in a harbour is safe but that is not what boats are made for “