Planet: 47 Feet Beddoes Trading Vessel
Build Date
1859
Boat Builder
Beddoes
Length
47 feet
Beam
11 feet 9 inches
Building Planet and Her Life in Nelson
Built in Auckland by Beddoes, presumable George Beddoes who had a boatyard in Torpedo Bay. Beddoes started business in a partnership but this dissolved in 1860. After this he hired Charles Bailey as an apprentice. Bailey would go on to play a big part in NZ yacht design and builds in his day. With Planet being launched in 1859 she was most likely built by George Beddoes and his partner.
It is unknown who Planet was built for or where she was for the first few years of her life but by 1867 she was working in Nelson. Planet was used to deliver cargo and mail between Nelson, Motueka and Riwaka. In the 1900s the Marlborough Sounds was added to Planets trading runs. In particular, she was used to carry timber from the Mace and Holland mill at Okiwi Bay to Nelson.
This only lasted a few years though as in 1909 Planet was laid up at Haulashore Island.
References
To research planet we used the Port Māpua Maritime Museum exhibition, the Nelson Provincial Museum photo collection and the National Library.
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