The boat builders

In our last issue we carried pix of some of the yachties and boaties who had been spending the winter months building new craft for the summer. We thought we had the boat-building in Nelson fairly well covered, but we found out recently that activity in this direction was far more extensive than we knew. We've been able to track down another seven men who are building or have just completed new boats, and since we know of the tremendous interest there is in boating in Nelson we unlimbered a camera and again focussed it boatwards.

John and Wally Drinkwater, Palm Avenue, Stoke, began this Hartley design 15-footer three years ago and completed it recently with a Falcon engine and Hamilton jet (it's complete down to a toilet).

Bruce Meikle hard at work on his new Hartley 17ft 6in cruiser (to be powered by an Evinrude 90 outdrive).

Gordon Wagner is building a Silhouette 17ft 3in bilge-keel sloop (Robert Tucker, England design), and the finished product is as seen

Brian Nash, Derby Street, Stoke, built this Hartley design 14ft 6in cruiser and trailer and added a 40hp Evinrude.

Dr Hugh Marwick, View Mount Street, is getting on with his 15ft 6in Hartley. It will be fibre-glassed.

Caravan builder George Phillips, Hill Street, Richmond, built this 14ft 6in Hartley runabout and trailer (powered by, an Evinrude 40)

Top Harte bdught a 16ft Plylite lapstrake kitset and spent many pleasant hours putting it together. He has a 43hp Penta on the stern.

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The Nelson Photo News

No 73 : November 12, 1966

The boat builders