Mahina: 36ft Charles Bailey Snr. Yacht

Build Date

1890/91

Boat Builder

Charles Bailey Snr

Length

LOA 36 feet LWL 26 feet

Beam

6 feet 6 inches

Displacement

5 Tons

Mahina’s Build and Her First Owners

Although Mahina was built in Auckland by Charles Bailey Snr., she was destined for Wellington. The Wellington based syndicate that commissioned her build included J. R. Gibbons, Herbert G. Smith, William McCallum, Charles Archibald. Messrs Richmond also of Wellington is said to have brought into Mahina in 1892. But in 1896 Dr Fell of Wellington purchased Mahina from the syndicate. He painted her dark green or black.

In 1909 Dr Fell sold Mahina to William and Penwill Moore of Wellington. They owned her until around 1919. In 1910 they painted the boat white and added a skylight. 1911 they installed an auxiliary engine.

Mahina Becomes Romp

Up until 1919 Mahina was moored in Te Aro, Wellington but in 1919 she was moved to Evans Bay, Wellington. This presumably coincides with A. J. Ibbotson & sons of Wellington purchasing Mahina. At this time Mahina’s name was changed to Romp.

In 1929 Leslie J. Ibbotson of Wellington purchased Mahina/Romp and owned her until around 1937. At this point the ownership of Mahina/Romp becomes unclear but in 1961 Capt. W.R. Fell owned her for one year. In 1964 Rolf Nowak of Germany owned Mahina/Romp. He set sail from Whagarei with Don Reece of Canada with the goal of reaching Vancouver via a cruise around the Pacific. After this it is unknown what happened to Mahina/Romp.

References

To research Mahina we used the National Library and The Wellington Classic Yacht Club’s website.

Ailsa – 36ft later 47ft yacht built in 1909 by Tom Le Huquet.

Ethel – 28ft yacht built by Charles Bailey Snr. that scandalised Wellington.

Wylo – 30ft yacht designed by influential yacht designer Professor R.J. Scott

Waitangi – 74ft Robert Logan Snr. racing yacht that dominated the NZ regattas from 1897-1900