A complete change from the noise and thunder of the recent powerboat weekend at Lake Rotoiti, the Antique and Classic Boat Show attracted a different demographic altogether. Nelson turned on a beautiful day, bringing out the best of a beautiful setting. Centre stage had been taken over by the aristocracy, the “Royal Kerr Bay Motor Boat Club” (but there was loads of room for the commoners).
We didn’t make it on the first day, so missed out on the big parade, judging and some of the boats didn’t return for Day 2. On the other hand, we also missed out on the big crowd. It was a kid’s paradise, with the kids ranging from 5 to 80.
There seemed to be a certain similarity between the boat owners:
The steam powered boats are a delight to watch on the water, gliding along at surprising speed, their engines almost inaudible.
Such a relaxing way to travel!
Not all of the boats were steam powered. This beautiful Chris Craft, for example:
Sailboats were also well represented. This Idlealong was being sailed single-handed. I believe they could take a crew of four or five in heavy weather (perhaps why they were so popular in Wellington?).
My wife was thrilled to find an example of the little outboard her family used on their dinghy at Lake Taupo, “Mr Johnson”. (The hours and hours she spent in little boats as a child paid dividends years later when she became an extremely good Laser sailor, competing at national level. All to do with brain development, I believe.)
For me, the nostalgia came not only when I saw a beautiful wooden Finn class yacht ( I used to race one of those for years), but also when this Triumph TR3 turned up. My first sports car, back in 1968, was a TR2, identical apart from the grill. It was the same colour, same red upholstery. What memories!
