LIVE FROM NEW ZEALAND – A Bit Of Tahoe In St Arnaud New Zealand – Lot’s Of Photo’s!

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Even the spark plugs are cooler in New Zealand!

Another huge thanks to Phil “Duster ” Andrew and Steve Lapkin for getting all our engines running and ready for this years boating season!

Click, click, 60 times today

This year saw the running of the 21st New Zealand Antique & Classic Boat show at beautiful St Arnaud In the Nelson Lakes district of the South Island of New Zealand.

Steve Lapkin and his families Century

Classic Century collector Philip Andrew invited Californian Steve Lapkin to come and experience the show and to see his family’s old 66 Century Arabian previously named Ruthie L and now named Miss Tahoe.

There she is!

Leaving Phil’s home early Thursday am to catch the Interisland Ferry across the infamous Cook Strait to the South Island the reunited friends had three hours to catch up, a time that was spent productively.

Lets see here.

We discovered thanks to the Century Boat FaceBook page that the owner of Phil’s Arabian, before Steve’s Dad had been John Even. Both Brad Atkinson and Frank Miklos were able to identify the chap in a photo Phil had put up on the Century FB page of the boat with the Greave Cup some years before she was delivered to the Lapkins in Tahoe. The chap was John Even from Dubuque Iowa. Amazing what the internet can provide.

name says it all

We drove off the ferry towing Phils 58 Resorter and headed South stopping off to see the worlds most unique WW1 Aeroplane Museum. The Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre.

She ran when we had it in the barn

Thats one hell of a prop

Cool

 

Then it was a pleasant 1.5 hour drive through the wine growing region of Malborough remarkably similar to Napa in California.

Phil’s Century’s all lined up

Friday morning we rose early for a photo session on the lake, some of the shots you saw yesterday.

Let’s do this. LOVE THE SHIRT

Saturday is Showday and plenty of boats showed up. Steve was on the water in a shoot boat provided by organizer Pete Rainey and his brother Bill.

The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming!

Action on the water gets underway about midday with parades and race events and was crowned today with an aerobatic display of from a WW2 Russian Fighter the mighty Yak.

Thats a lot of race there

That looks like the gold varnish thing on that Cobra?

Oh, wait, Dang that little sucker is cool as hell! LOVE

It’s more than a boat, its a Pal A Me -No?

Texture, Patina, and life!

Dash love

Dash Lust

LOVE! Great now I am gonna be looking at Fargo’s

Here is a quick link to a short history on Fargo Trucks.

Perfect color

Yes a Buick.. Hey, we like foreign cars here?

Okay, okay, I know more boats.. Hold your horses!

Get it.. Horses… power.. Okay, Okay.. BOATS

GO!

GO!

Phil and his new Hands hat

Dang

More MY LOVE fun

M, XL, XXL

Hold on

Hey Mate! And Miss Mate

Smoking, and drinking,

Are we there yet.. Yes dear, in about 4 hrs

What was that?

Pure art

Pure magic

Wonderful

BABY CHAMPS!

Number 148… It was made after 147.. I think? Then 149 came into the picture.

He’s happy to be driving, she is happy he is happy, The son is happy to find the joy of life and well.. the look of pain of going along for the ride is universal!

Someones been out running hard in their boat! I know that smile

Ya, ya, and ya!

Quick, I think we are gaining on the steam boat!

Smoking in this case can save lives!

 

Great name and graphics

The Katz’s finish is worldwide

Blue!

WHAT? Tractors?

That is cool as all get out

No really! I need to get out of this story somehow!

WOOOHOOOO! It was one big story!!!!!

And a HUGE thanks to Phil and Steve Lapkin for the wonderful reporting. WOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!, You can visit Steve Lapkins photo website HERE

20 replies
  1. Greg Lewandowski
    Greg Lewandowski says:

    Wow, that looks like a really good time! That Fargo truck sure does look like an old Dodge Power Wagon.

  2. Troy in ANE
    Troy in ANE says:

    Just for the record: Since this will be my last weigh in before Dora. (Leaving Thursday or Friday)

  3. John F Rothert
    John F Rothert says:

    Wow….this post Rocks! Great pix and scenery….but the rocks?
    In the header this guy have big rocks to pull those perfect boats right up on the rocks??? They need to get off their rocks….oh..you know what I mean….
    Great to see friends across big water Going Boating!
    John in Va. Dora bound….road or air…up to carona

    • Philip Andrew
      Philip Andrew says:

      John you are spot on there. Two things that cause us grief are the rocks and the sand fly’s. The sand fly’s die in their thousands with audible slaps. The rocks are not so easy to deal with. Most of the owners use carpet squares set under the boats to pull them up on. It’s not perfect but it helps.

  4. John F Rothert
    John F Rothert says:

    did you catch the tires on the steam traction engine? Wow…cut up modern tractor tires and attached portions to the iron wheel rims…..labor of love there.

    John in Va.

  5. Royce Humphreys
    Royce Humphreys says:

    I am surprised that there was not any Hamilton Jet Boats as the Hamilton Jet Drive was developed in Christchuch by Jon Hamilton and his father…Great photos of a fun event!

    • Philip Andrew
      Philip Andrew says:

      Hey Royce, we’ve got a dozen classic Hamilton Jets here at the show. Just too many pictures to post. Ha. I will get pictures of jets today.

  6. CenturyMike
    CenturyMike says:

    Thanks to our NZ friends displaying their thoroughbreds for us! Especially the Great Blue Ghost of the Kiwi Coast 🙂 (tried to rhyme but not in my dna) Beautiful boats and looks like a great time!

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