Build Date
1903
Boat Builder
George Niccol
Length
74 Feet 3 Inches
Beam
21 Feet 4 Inches
Altair’s Early Years
Built in Auckland in 1903 by George Niccol, Altair was a ketch-rigged hold scow. Her first owners were Hugh Munro Wilson and Ernest Athole Edgecumbe who owned her from 1903 to 1907 and George Valletort Edgecombe who owned her from 1903 to 1906. In 1907 John Wilson & Co. Ltd., purchased her. This company would later become the Wilsons (NZ) Portland Cement Ltd. Between these two company names they owned Altair until 1925 and during this time she was used to transport cement.
In January 1926 Altair had two 24BHP oil engines installed but in the same year she was also stranded at Orewa Beach. James Douglas Bell was her owner at this time having purchased Altair in 1925. He owned her until 1934 when his business James D Bell Ltd., took ownership until 1937. Eric Llewelyn Barker owned her next until 1940 when Henry Trevor Parry and Ivor Owen Parry purchased her. It is unknown what Altair was used for between 1925 and 1937.
Draft
5 Feet 3 Inches
Weight
63.41 GT / 57.24 NT
Official Number
115200
Altair Meets Her End
The Parry brothers would own Altair first under their own names and then in 1940 until 1943 under the business name Parry Brothers Limited. This company was at one time the biggest providers of tug and barge services in NZ. They started using scows to transport general cargo in 1934 so Altair made a good addition to their fleet in 1937.
In 1937 Altair was travelling from Gisborne to Auckland when her skipper saw the scow Rangi had capsized near Motutapu Island. He signalled Mt Victoria for assistance but was unable to help himself because Altair was deemed to underpowered to be of assistance and the weather was stormy. Sadly, many of Rangi’s crew were lost and Rangi would later break up.
In 1943 the crown requisitioned Altair for service in World War Two. She travelled to Sydney in convoy with Haere to start war duties but she never made it. Altair is said to have had engine trouble and as such was being towed when she ran aground on Long Reef, Sydney before even arriving for duty. The weather had been rough and with no engine Altair wasn’t able to complete the journey. She would remain there for at least a year but what happened to her next is unknown.
References
To research Altair we used the book A History of New Zealand Scows and their Trades by David Langdon.
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