Tuhoe slipped — at sixth try

Press, 7 August 1982, Page 1

Tuhoe slipped — at sixth try

Crewmen watch from the bows of the former coastal trader Tuhoe after the sixth, and finally successful, attempt to get her into the cradle at the Lyttelton slipway.

At an age. when most wooden ships would be a rotting hulk — she was built 63 years ago — the old Tuhoe was hauled from the water on Thursday for the first time in 20 years. A Marine ■ Department inspector from Dunedin will examine the 33Tinetre vessel on' Monday to decide: how much work has to be done to regain her marine survey certificate.

Because of the lightness of her wooden hull, her two right-turning propellers, and a breeze, there were problems in slipping the Tuhoe. It took six attempts to line up the Tuhoe with the slipway, before she was successfully got on to the cradle.

A member of the Tuhoe Preservation Society, which leases the vessel from the Cure Rowing Club at Kaiapoi, said that it would be “one hell of a dirty job” to clean the vessel.

However, he was confident that members of the society would be able to restore her.

It was expected that the Tuhoe would be in the slip for about two weeks. Much of the work on her would be done on a voluntary basis, but the society had funds, to meet some of the restoration costs.

, The Tuhoe sailed to Lyttelton three weeks ago from her berth of the last 20 years at the Kaiapoi wharf.

If she can be restored, the preservation society hopes to use her as a “working historical exhibit” taking sightseers on two-hour cruises on the Waimakariri River.