Cruising the Ohinemuri and Waihou Rivers

History of Tamati

Tamati was built 1902 by Bailey & Lowe in Auckland. From 1900 onward, Bailey & Lowe were one of the preeminent motor launch builders supplying launches to all parts of the country. Tamati is 32 feet and has a kauri planked hull with hardwood (Jarrah) ribs.

She was used as a private boat for many years then in the mid 1930s she was owned by a family from the Spa Hotel in Taupo and was used as part of their tourist business. Guests could enjoy fishing and sightseeing excursions as part of their visit. During the war she was tied up and seldom used. After the war she was bought by a family who used her as a private boat for many years and with various owners from the 1950s through to the 1980s.

In private ownership Tamati had her cabin raised twice. She looked a lot different to the time when she was well known to the Spa’s guests in the 1930s. In 1998 she was in need of a lot of tender care and was purchased by Dave Hindman of Hokitikia who, with loving care, completely restored the hull and rebuilt her into the paddle vessel as seen today.

Dave relaunched her in 2001 and operated Tamati on Lake Ianthe at Hari Hari as a tourist venture for many years and on sold her to present owners Colin and Gloria James who operate Tamati from Historical Maritime Park in Paeroa.

Kiteawa

Berthed at the HIstorical Maritime Park Kiteawa cruises on the Ohinemuri and Waihou Rivers. Price is $35.00 per head per adult and $15.00 per head per child. Disabled and wheelchair access to the vessel is available. Please contact to confirm wheelchair width before booking.

The pontoon vessel Kiteawa was built in the USA in 2004. These pontoon vessels are used on the central lakes in America. Kiteawa has a 4-stroke, ninety h.p. outboard motor. She has a length of 7.39 metres and a beam of 2.4 metres. Kiteawa is surveyed to carry 14 passengers.

Maritime Park purchase this vessel from Percy Ginders who retired after doing river cruises on the Ngunguru River, Whangerai.

Ariana

Berthed at the HIstorical Maritime Park Ariana cruises on the Ohinemuri and Waihou Rivers. Price is $35.00 per head per adult and $15.00 per head per child. Ariana is surveyed to carry 16 passengers.

Ariana has a length ,of 9.90 metres (34′) and a beam of 2.4 metres.

Ariana was built in 1923 by Lane Brothers of Judges Bay and was used as a pleasure boat and at the end of the 1940s fell on hard times. Eventually she was sold and refurbished as a long-liner fishing boat. With a 2 tonne capacity fishhold Ariana worked the seas for 30 years. Unfortunately, whilst at anchor on her mooring on the Weiti River she was holed and sunk. John Lidgard gave her a new lease on life redesigned as a 1900s ferry boat for the Waihou River. Her design was based on the Northern Steamship Company’s “Little George” which carried passengers around the Coromandel from the 1880s to the 1920s.
Peter Vandersloot brought her to the Historical Maritime Park where she has been doing river cruises.