Winsome: 49 Foot Wells Launch
1947
Build Date
Gordon Wells, Lionel Wells, Norman Wells
Boat Builder
49.5 feet
Length
12.5 feet
Beam
Build
There is some mystery around the build of the Winsome. Built by Gordon, Lionel and Norman Wells it is the only pleasure boat built by the Wells brothers and one of only a few not built at Wakatahuri. It is believed their brother Francis Wells knew the Bradey family and they asked him to build the Winsome. He couldn’t build the boat and instead suggested they employ Gordon.
However it came about, Gordon and Lionel traveled to the North Island and spent 10 months in Paremata building the Winsome for Philip Bradey and his family.
The Winsome was built on the site of the Bradey family’s sawmill. This mill provided all the white pine timber needed which was milled and dried on site before the boat build started.
Once Gordon and Lionel Wells had mainly completed the planking of the hull, Norman Wells joined them to complete the boat. Then Doug and Paul Bradey also helped to finish the interiors of the boat.
With the Winsome completed just after World War Two, it is said the New Zealand government was suspicious of how Bradey could afford such a vessel. He was audited but was able to prove that he had been keeping the timber and copper needed in store ready for the boat for years.
Engines
When the winsome was launched it had a 4 cylinder 80 hp Paxman Riccardo diesel. In 1955 the Paxman was replaced with a 100 hp Leyland diesel engine. Then in 1978 a auxiliary Lees marine side motor was installed in preparation for a trip around the South Island which Francis Wells joined Bradey for. There is also a story that the side engine was needed for the Winsome to take Bradey and Francis Wells to Raratonga. The plan was to collect Wells engines for his new boat the Valmarie and bring them back to NZ. But the dates don’t seem to add up for this and they didn’t make the trip anyway. In 2021 the main Leyland engine was replaced with a Perkins 6354.
Bradey Family
The Winsome was owned by the Bradey family from its build through to 2021. During those years it was used as a pleasure launch, often traveling around the Marlborough Sounds. In the 1960s it could also be seen moored at the Nelson Yacht Club during P Class races in Nelson.
Today
In December 2021 the Winsome was purchased by Gordon Wells grandson Nick Wells and his partner Christina Hardy. The Winsome can be found in the Nelson marina when it is not at Wakatahuri.
References
To research the boats built by Claude Wells and his sons we used the book Boats For A Lifetime by Yvonne M Fell.
Related Posts
Valmarie – Built by Francis Wells the Valmarie was the largest boat built at Wakatahuri
Majestic – Fishing boat come Marlborough Sounds delivery boat in World War Two
Southern Isles – A pleasure launch/fishing boat built by Tom Wells
Silver Dawn – Built to be a passenger launch the Silver Dawn was later adapted to a mail boat and then a fishing boat