ALL YARDS BUSY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 223, 20 September 1935, Page 5

ALL YARDS BUSY.

BOATBUILDING BOOM. SHORTAGE OF TIMBER. GIFT LAUNCH FOR MAKOGAI. So many ' orders have been received lately, both for commercial vessels and for pleasure craft, that Auckland ship builders are busier than they have been for years past, particularly as the recent dispute with the shipwrights, resulting in the men stopping woik foi several weeks, delayed the completion of contracts in hand; but the sudden revival of the shipbuilding industry, coinciding with increased activity m other building trades, has apparently taken the sawmillers by surprise, for most of the yards are complaining that they cannot get the timber they require. With two 50ft diagonal-built fishing boats under construction, Mr. Chas. Bailey said this morniDg that lie had had great difficulty in getting the timber he required. One boat was well on its way towards launching, the third skin being nearly finished, but the other was st-ill only a frame, and, unless he received within the next few days the scantling he had ordered, work on it would have to be interrupted, possibly for severa •weeks, as the millers would not promise to deliver the timber he needed before November.

Although both boats are the same length, about an inch under the 50ft limit, the maximum legal size for boat using eeine nets, and both have a draught of 6ft, the boats are slig Y different in design, one having a e&m of 13ft 6in and the other a beam ol^| 4 "- Both will be powered with P'f el engines, which are ready to be installed, but the engine of the first boat will develop 55 li.p., while that of the other will develop 66 li.p. After both boats, hare been, in commission lons SS2SS!*

for a reliable comparison to bo made between them, Mr. Bailey will build two more boats for the same owners on the lines of the one that proves to be the better. Two more fishing boats of a similar size, but to be frame-built, have also been ordered from Mr. Bailey.

"Shipbuilding Ims certainly revived a lot in the past few months,' Mr. Bailey remarked. "Our only regret is that we have had to decline orders because om shed is not big enough to accommodate any more vessels. _ I was surprises recently to receive inquiries regarding new trading vessels, and-it is possible that, as soon as I have fuliilled presen orders, I will be starting on the building of a schooner of about 100 tons similar to the Stratlicona, winch I built during the war for the Paw he Ca » lc Board and which was wrecked on the Minerva Kcef on her way to 1 aiming Island." Better Prices Wanted. j Similar difficulties in obtaining tiin-, her suitable for boatbuilding were men-1 tioned by Mr. K. Lidgard, who lias just, I completed a 22ft keelei for - • * " j j Stewart, of Takapuna, and a -Oft keelei for Mr. S. Sainty, of Stanley Bay, both j of which are now receiving theI touches and will be launched this month., Ho is at present engaged on two other keelere, a 30-footer for his brothor and a 35-footer for Mr. N. Percy, of Wade, as well as an 18ft runabout which Mr. F. C. Mappin, of Epsom, intend*, to use, on Lake Eotorua. When these are com- j pie ted ho is to commence the bl " ldl "« , of a 20ft keeler for Mr. C. lueeman, ( j Mount Eden, and the Icngtheningofi i. S. Parker's 36ft launch Nomad, which is to have another Oft added to it. , Engaged at present on the building o a fishing boat 40ft longwithabeam of 12ft Oin and a draught of 6ft, Mr. X. Lowe, of W. G. Lowe and Son, Ltd., I intends as soon as this vessel rcady for the water to lay the keel of i an JLStt launch for the leper etation at Makogai. This boat was a gift, said Mi. ' which his late father had promised to Makogai, but the yard had been so bu*y in recent months that, although timbers were already cut and shaped, had been unable to carry it fin the* few weeks, however, should see theft launch ready for delivery. Sim - tanconsly be would be, building whaloboat lor & iocal owner. JYlyle he

admitted that the industry was busier now than it had boon at this time last year or the year before, Mr. Lowe said that there was still much less work than in "boom" times. With the exception of the fishing boat, now almost completed, he had not built any large vessels recently, and had therefore experienced no serious difficulty in. obtaining timber. He understood, however, that, through work being hckl up for several weeks during the dispute with the shipwrights over rates of pay, several yards hf d had to undertake the building of two or more boats simultaneously, in order to deliver them on the due dates, and this had caused an abnormal demand for the immediate delivery of large quantities of shipbuilding timbers.

Tourist Launch. The construction of a. 45ft launch at Collings and Bell's yard has been delayed bv about six weeks, stated Mr. A. J. Collings, for lack of the necessary timber. = This vessel, which should be launched shortly, has been ordered by the Government Tourist Department foi the passenger service on Milford Sound, and will be powered with a Diesel engine. Another large launch has also been ordered from the same builders.

Another shipbuilder, Mr. P. Vos, who launched on Saturday last the 35ft keeler Rambler for Mr. B. S. Woollacott, of Stanley Bay, and is starting on the buildinn- of a. 28ft keeler for Mr. 11. L. Stewart, of Heme Bay, also remarked, in discussing the revival of the industry, that the sawmillers had apparently been "caught napping," he, too, having had difficulty in obtaining timber. It would be unjust, he said, to blame the sawmillers for not having sufficient stocks ion hand to meet the demand, which had come so suddenly that the shipbuilders 'themselves had been surprised. Had the shipbuilders anticipated receiving so many contracts, they would have ordered timber in advance.

At Mr. C. Wild's yard at Stanley Bav, where a 40ft launch for Mr. J. M. Wilson, of Remuera, a 42ft launch for a. well-known yachtsman and a 50ft keel yacht for Mr. W. Scott Wilson of Parnell, are nearing completion, the same difficulty of procuring timber was reported. Mr. Wild stating that, as a result of this, he would not undertake the building of any more vessels this year. The yacht which he is build in? I will be 33ft* long on the waterline and will be rigged as a with a» x>cr[mudauL mfiinfill. • - <