Memory (NZ)

Claimed to be to HB's Memory Design : Published 1911 

  
 

Memory
Memory in Fred Mann's yard at John Street, Ponsonby, ready to launch
(Image from Boating New Zealand

Prevviously 'Unknown' Build, Allegedly To Harrison Butler's Memory Design
The August 2016 issue of Boating New Zealand contained a profile of Lincoln Royal Wood (1899-1997). He owned, built, and had others build for him, a succession of wooden boats. Of particular interest is the part of the article that states that “by 1927 he had become a serious student of yacht design and persuaded Fred Mann to build him a boat to Harrison Butler's Memory design of 1911”. The resulting boat, called Memory and previously unknown to the Association, was launched in 1930, when Linc was 31.
The article continues, “The Depression was reaching its worst depths. He lost his job as a storeman in 1931. He decided to 'retire', never to have conventional employment again. There was no security for a wife and children. Instead he cruised the Gulf in Memory alone, living by fishing and trading with farmers, picking up jobs with Gulf friends. These adventures provided the tales for which he became famous”.
'Linc', as he was nicknamed, owned Memory until at least 1952. The article makes no mention of what became of her after that.
Although the article gives no dimensions for Memory, it is well illustrated with photographs of her and the many other boats that Lincoln Wood owned during his lifetime. The HBA knows of two boats that are confirmed builds to the Memory design, Avocet and Memory
Paul Leinthall-Cowman, the HBA's highly experienced Authentication officer and custodian of Avocet urges caution. He writes, “The photographs are definitely not of an HB designed Memory, the design is most likely HB but of a larger boat. Compare the scale, sheer, rake of transom and beam of Avocet or the original Memory. Great article but more research required”.
I was struck by the article's mention that “a serious student of yacht design”. It seems likely to me that such a person would build to a “cutting edge” design, one that had very recently been published. Thus I'd be looking carefully, first of all, at those designs published around 1927 . I suspect that, because the boat was called Memory, a popular name in the 1920s and 1930s, the design name has become muddled with the boat's name.

Memory
(Image from Boating New Zealand)

Memory Statistics
Built : 1930 by Fred Mann at John Street, Ponsonby, New Zealand
LOA : --' -"
Beam : -' -"
Draft : -' -"
Displacement : - tons TM

Memory Custodians & Home Ports
Lincoln Royal Wood (1930-1952-?) Devonport Yacht Club, New Zealand

Memory
Lincoln Royal Wood
(Image from Boating New Zealand)

Memory Links
Boating New Zealand website

Page last updated : October 2016

 
  

Top of page