Regent: 40ft Ronnie Wells Fishing Boat

The Regent’s Short Life

On his return to New Zealand after World War Two Ronnie Wells is thought to have sold his launch the Silver Dawn and built a new boat called Regent for himself.  He powered the Regent with a 4 cylinder GM and later a 6 cylinder Perkins.

The regent was licensed to carry passengers and Ronnie used her for charter fishing trips, excursions, and as a general passenger vessel.  He kept the Regent for many years but sold her when he retired to Havelock with his wife Winifred. 

The Regent was then used for commercial fishing until November 1982 which marked the end for the Regent.  She got into trouble trawling off the Otaki River Mouth in the North Island.  The sea was rough and the Regents trawl-net got wound up in the propeller.  The boats bilge pumps were not strong enough to keep up with the amount of water leaking inside and she sunk.  The Regent was never salvaged but the two crew on board were rescued by a helicopter.