Lorna Doon: Wells Built kahikatea Speed Boat
Build Date
Boat Builder
Claude and Maurice Wells
Length
22-24 feet approx.
Beam
5 feet
Building the Speed Boat Lorna Doon
Lorna Doon was a speed Boat built for Hedley Harris in his boat shed at Pukatea bay by Claude Wells and his son Maurice. Whilst working on the build they lived on Maurice’s launch the Silver Dawn.
Lorna Doon was built with a single skin carvel construction made from kahikatea and she was installed with a Hercules petrol engine. In Boats for a Lifetime Maurice Wells thought this engine was quite heavy for Lorna Doon but she was able to reach about 30 knots with it.
Lorna Doon is thought to be the last boat over 20 feet built by Claude Wells.
Its unknown what happened to her.
References
To research Lorna Doon we used the book Boats For A Lifetime by Yvonne M Fell.
Silver Dawn – 30ft kahikatea boat used for passengers, mail and fishing in its lifetime
Verden – The first launch built by Claude Wells at Wakatahuri
Pearl – 34ft launch Claude Wells built for himself
Noelene – 45ft launch Claude Wells built for Charlie Jacobson