A VANISHING FLEET—THE TRADING SCOWS OF AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND’S OWN. UGLY DUCKLING of SEA. (By P.A.Eaddy) Article in Auckland Star 17 July 1937) Born of humble beginnings, to grow thrive and blossom with the passage of time, craft of one kind or another with odd peculiarities and personalities all their own, have, since the days […]

Scow racing in years gone by. Stirring contests in Auckland waters. Smart vessels and hearty crews. (By P.A. Eaddy) Appearing in the Auckland Star 7 August 1937 The seafaring fraternity of the present generation would find it difficult indeed to visualise the Auckland Harbour some decades ago when the popularity of the old time regatta […]

THE DAYS OF SAIL PASSING OF THE SCOW – OLD BOATS AND THEIR SKIPPERS By THE LOOKOUT MAN – appearing in the Auckland Star 4 February 1933 Lacking the graceful lines and snowy canvas of the schooners, the ‘scows,’ typically Auckland craft, were a feature on the harbour 20 to 30 years ago, when they […]

Angus & Duncan Matheson Refer Matheson family write up.   George & David Darroch Refer Darroch family write up.   Captain George Spencer The below is extracted from the website ‘Early History of Auckland’ and the post ‘Captain George Spencer – What’s in a Stamp’ – author Get Financial Freedom – a blog by his […]

SCOWS IN THE NORTHERN COAL TRADE Reproduction of an unattributed article appearing on the website – http://boatdesign.net/forums/sailboats/new-zealand-scow Coal was first mined in Kawakawa River from 1867 and shipped out of ‘The Landing’ at Taumarere on the Kawakawa River, and then barged about two miles down to the ‘Loading Ground’ where larger vessels anchored. These ships […]

IN THEIR HEYDAY THEY COULD LICK THE STEAMERS (Author – Stephen With (undated newspaper article – possibly 1965)   The men who sailed the scows were a breed of their own – tough men in a tough job, sharing a common boast for their ships …. “The scows would set off down the Waitemata, as […]

SHIPS BUILT AT OMAHA Ships built at Omaha Nominated Builder – J S Meiklejohn & Sons Scows Lake Erie 1873 60.6 feet Lake Michigan 1876 60 feet Lagoon 1878 72.6 feet Ruakaka 1882 75.4 feet Hauturu 1888 61.2 feet Bee 1891 71.9 feet Schooners – unless noted Pioneer 1859 56.6 feet Ruby (Caroline) 1860 56.2 […]

HISTORY OF EARLY RACING IN THE AUCKLAND ANNIVERSARY REGATTA A history taken from the 150th Regatta brochure of the 1990 Regatta‘When a scow race was first suggested the idea was seen as an amusing absurdity and there was only one entry. Broad-bottomed, unwieldy scows had their place – as workhorses in the tidal reaches. “Hearing […]

MEMORIES OF LIFE ON THE COASTAL SCOW Republish of article appearing in the Nelson Historical Society (inc) Journal of November 1983Memories of Life on the Coastal Scows   Author: H J Williams   Working and living in Scows and the way things were done aboard them during World War I and the following ten years. […]

SHIPBUILDERS IN RODNEY COUNTY – D M DARROCH Foreword In the preparation of this pamphlet I have confined myself principally to the shipbuilders of Mahurangi and other places in Rodney County, and the vessels they built, excluding mention of any vessels launched – or builders – in Auckland. Also, there was a great number of […]

A REQUIEM TO THE ‘RIMU’ SCOW An old barge rides to anchor ‘Midst the hulks in ‘Rotten Row’ With ‘Irish Pennants’ flying from her mast Her decks are bruised and furrowed By the shingle barrow’s wheel And they dumbly tell the story of her past. She lies out there forgotten – No more ‘Home freights’ […]

The Return of the Jane Gifford The return home in May 2009. (Scow built by D Darroch 1908) As you will see from these earlier photos of the restoration taken in June 2006 the scow was stripped right back to the hull. The repair work is being undertaken by a dedicated team of volunteers led […]