Historic paddle boat for sale

Historic paddleboat and Wairoa River resident the Otunui has been listed on auction site Trade Me with a starting price of just $1.

The auction of the 108-year-old paddleboat closes on Sunday May 31, and as of 2pm on Monday, the bidding had reached $10,000. The steel-hulled, 60ft-long vessel weighs 16 tonnes and floats in 2ft of water with a cruising speed of five knots.


Peter and the Otanui. Photo: File.

Owner-operator Peter Koole brought the Otunui to the Wairoa around a year ago - and not much has happened to it since.

SunLive reported difficulties in both April and May last year when Peter encountered issues with some representatives from local iwi, as well as city and district councils over consenting issues.

Now, says Peter, it's time for a change.

'I've been operating the boat for five years and have carried about 10,000 people in that time,” he explains.

'Although I enjoyed showing people some of New Zealand's amazing scenery, it's time for me to move on to new projects.

'Anyone who has taken a cruise will know how special she is. It would be great for someone to decide to save the boat and help to preserve this important part of our heritage.”

Peter insists Otunui would make an ideal houseboat or a unique café, and comes with a galley kitchen complete with a gas stove, sink and a large fridge. It also has a toilet and bathroom shower/sink.

The boat is fully operational and surveyed to carry 48 passengers at a time.

It has a modern diesel motor, new hydraulic pumps and hydraulic motors on the paddlewheels. The paddlewheels operate to go forward and reverse to 'drive” the boat and the rudders assist with steering.

It has holding tanks, LPG heat and hot water. There is a 2000w Pure Sine inverter and an 85w solar panel to keep the batteries topped up. A separate 160Amp alternator also charges the house batteries for the inverter.

It was re-carpeted in 2014 and in 2015 given new "clears" (side window curtains) for better views. It also comes with a pull out sofa that sleeps two.

Otunui was built as a kitset in the UK in 1907, and shipped to New Zealand where she was assembled and finished. She operated on the Whanganui River before sinking in a flood in 1949 and laying abandoned until the 1960s.

Refloated and re- launched in 1973, the Otunui again carried passengers on the river before being moved to Lake Okataina and to the Waikato River at Aratiatia, carrying passengers that included the Queen, to the base of Huka Falls near Taupo.

In April 2003, a fire burnt her to deck level at Wairakei near Taupō and she was removed to the Coromandel. After a three-year restoration, the Otunui sailed to Paeroa on the Waihou River and operated from Te Aroha.

In 2010, the vessel hit the road again, moving to Mangakino on Lake Maraetai.

In 2013 the boat operated from Lake Whakamaru alongside Highway 30, and in April 2014, the Otunui was moved to the Waimarino Adventure Park/Wairoa River, Tauranga.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/motorboats/auction-892908052.htm

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