Eclectic, eccentric mavericks
Exploring the country’s quirkiest boating club.
The Friendly Bay Boating Society’s headquarters are right where you might expect them to be. In Oamaru’s historic district, past the Steam Punk headquarters where an ancient locomotive snorts steam into the air. Past patisseries and galleries and nearby Adventure Books, where you can walk around the film replica of Ernest Shackleton’s James Caird, and access shelves full of almost every sailing book ever published.
On the corner of Tyne Street, the door of a weathered whitestone former warehouse has a hand lettered sign that says – Friendly Bay Boating Society. And in more florid font – Tyne Street Boatshed. The building exudes friendly and, as the door slides open, a collection of boating projects is flooded in light.
“That’s Duet – she was [legendary boatbuilder] Lionel Jefcoate’s first build.” Mike Harris pulls dusty covers off a nuggety little hard-chine planked hull. “She’s a bit neglected right now – I’ve just bought a Hartley Fijian that I’m refitting at Port Chalmers.”
Beside Duet is a shapely double-ended plank hull, partly decked, with a vintage Kelvin diesel sitting amidships. Highland Lass is chiselled into a name board which rests across the foredeck. “She was built in 1910 by Miller Brothers at Port Chalmers,” says her owner, Peter Thorn. “Then they sunk the boat for a year to pickle her in salt water.”
She measures 36 feet (10.9m) and eight feet (2.4m) on the beam. “She was built to ferry deer stalkers around Lake Hawea,” he explains, “so the width was limited to what could fit through the rail tunnels getting her there.”
The 20hp, two-cylinder Kelvin diesel was salvaged from a combine harvester and will be painted, polished and mounted as part of Peter’s rebuild project. The original engine was a Shacklock – from the foundry of the same people who built the coal ranges. “Yeah – it’s going to be a big job – and I’ve already got three other boats down in the harbour to look after.” He shakes his head ruefully.
The Friendly Bay Boat Society was formed in 2009 to organise an Oamaru Harbour Regatta as part of the town’s Victorian fete. “We’ve got a pretty fluid membership, “says organiser John Baster. “It’s about 12 or so at the moment – but it depends on what projects people have going.” The workshop/clubhouse is a former coal shed and blacksmith’s forge and is leased from the Whitestone Civic Trust.
“We have about eight boat projects underway by members – but the workshop area is completely cooperative – you just have to negotiate with the other users if you want to use it. Tools and materials tend to get shared with whoever needs them.”
Society members also hold informal on-water events. “Just to get people out sailing – that’s what it’s all about. We leave the workshop doors open at weekends so people