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| P. Vos premises and staff, 1942. |
Jado was designed and built in 1958 by the renown Auckland boatbuilder Percy Vos. Percy had learned his craft under the guidance of another great builder, Ernie Harvey, who had in turn apprenticed to Chas Bailey. He eventually opened his own operation and in 1936 the P. Vos building and 100 ton slipways were constructed at 38 Hamer St, near Westhaven. He built everything from dinghies up to quite substantial commercial vessels, including the Korea car ferry seen in the photo below which was in service until the completion of the Auckland Harbour bridge in 1959. During WWII business was plentiful for boatyards such as his, with P. Vos Ltd contributing to the Navy's order for Fairmile B patrol craft among many other craft. The business continued well into the late 70's (?) and examples of it's output are still quite plentiful today, a testament to the quality of materials and methods used.
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| A.B. Donald premises, Hobson St, 1916. |
Another large slice of New Zealand's maritime history is Auckland's Donald family. Scots immigrant Alexander Bell Donald had helped pioneer the interisland trading game, growing fruit and vegetables in the Pacific Islands, then shipping the harvest in their own vessels to Auckland, where it was sold through the premises they owned on Hobson St for many decades. A B Donald Ltd was passed down to Alexander's son, John, and by the 1930's it's operations in Samoa, Fiji, Tahiti and the Cook Islands had expanded, and in Auckland it now included Produce Markets Ltd with subsidiaries in Hamilton, Hastings, and Wellington, plus automobile dealerships for Armstrong Siddeley, Renault, Rover, Holden and Chevrolet and others. Upon John (Jack) Donald's passing in 1945, son Alexander (Bob) Donald returned from WWII to run the family business.
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Jado with the car ferry "Korea" behind, this was also built
by Vos but was retired the following year when the
Auckland Harbour Bridge opened. |
In 1958 Bob Donald commissioned Percy Vos to build an 18' open launch for use at the family bach in Paroa Bay, in the Bay of Islands. She was to be named Jado, an abbreviation of "Jack Donald", in memory of both his father and his elder brother Jack, who had died in 1950. She was launched in the latter months of 1958, and towed north to Opua, where she was launched and motored past Russell and around the peninsula to the family property at Paroa Bay.
These gorgeous photos were taken at Jado's launch and sea trials by the NZ Herald. Copies were generously provided by Jim Donald.
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Percy Vos at the slipway, Jim Donald and his
Mum looking on. Note champagne bottle
hanging from Jado's bow. |
With the passing of Bob Donald in 1972 A B Donald Ltd was dissolved, and care of Jado went to his son Jim. When the original Ford 10 sidevalve gave out he returned the boat to P Vos Ltd for an upgrade. She was fitted with the current Lees Marine Cortina motor, converted from tiller to wheel steering, and a small cabin added. When the family sold the Paroa Bay home in 1983 Jado was sold on to Jim's uncle Euan (Bob's younger brother), who had her returned to more or less her original form, although now powered with a Nanni Kubota diesel.
As Euan's health began to fail in the mid-nineties Jado was sold - still within the family - to "J. D." Donald, who renamed her Fishing Machine, converted her once again from tiller steering to a lever system, and operated as a fishing and hunting guide on Lake Tarawera. She was moored opposite his Spencer Rd property and was well known around the lake area during this time. During the early 2000's she was the victim of a savage easterly blow on the lake, and JD was unable to row out to her in the severe conditions. The bollard was torn out of the foredeck and she washed up under a neighbours jetty. The salvage efforts did further damage, splitting the stem in an attempt to drag her out.
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| As sold by Bill Carter, 2007. |
JD sent her to Bill Carter of William's Cabinetry and Marine in Whakatane for repairs, but for various reasons nothing was done and she sat for some years, outdoors and inadequately blocked, causing a 100mm hog in the keel. At some point JD lost interest in fixing the lengthening list of issues and went back to work with a new alloy boat instead.
Bill Carter had hopes of restoring Jado to her former glory, but never found the time and in 2007 sold her to Peter Murton, then of Wellington. Peter built a frame and slowly straightened her keel, repaired the stem, and replaced some floor timbers which were damaged, and then began advertising her in 2008. In 2009 she was returned to Auckland under new ownership, and a restoration to her original configuration is currently underway.
Any information, memories, corrections or photos relating to this boat are very welcome.
Kerrin Worsfold, April 2010
worsfoldfamily@gmail.com
In 1958 Bob Donald commissioned Percy Vos to build an 18' open launch for use at the family bach in Paroa Bay, in the Bay of Islands. She was to be named Jado, an abbreviation of "Jack Donald", in memory of both his father and his elder brother Jack, who had died in 1950. She was launched in the latter months of 1958, and towed north to Opua, where she was launched and motored past Russell and around the peninsula to the family property at Paroa Bay.
With the passing of Bob Donald in 1972 A B Donald Ltd was dissolved, and care of Jado went to his son Jim. When the original Ford 10 sidevalve gave out he returned the boat to P Vos Ltd for an upgrade. She was fitted with the current Lees Marine Cortina motor, converted from tiller to wheel steering, and a small cabin added. When the family sold the Paroa Bay home in 1983 Jado was sold on to Jim's uncle Euan (Bob's younger brother), who had her returned to more or less her original form, although now powered with a Nanni Kubota diesel. 
