A 1920s Scow set to ply the Kaiapoi River

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Northern Outlook

From local democracy reporter David Hill:

Kaiapoi could soon have a second iconic boat on its waters.
A newly formed trust, fronted by Waimakariri deputy mayor Neville Atkinson, has purchased a 1920s scow which will soon be returned to Kaiapoi to be restored.

The Alwin G Heritage Trust made a deputation this week to the Kaiapoi-Tuahiwi Community Board about its plans for the scow, known as Success.

‘‘I didn’t think I would ever get back involved with an old ship, but I would have to say I’m pretty excited about where this could go for Kaiapoi and the district as a whole, and for maritime history,’’ Atkinson said.

While the Success has not operated at Kaiapoi before, it was similar to other vessels which operated in the port town in the past and the boat had a local connection.

‘‘It used to have sister ships which came in and out of Kaiapoi in the 1930s,’’ Atkinson said.

Launched at the Port of Auckland in 1925, the 66-foot long scow was originally known as Alwin G.

In the 1930s, Success was based at Whitianga transporting telephone poles, silver birch and glass sand and it sailed around the North Island for a number of years as a coastal trader.

It is thought the scow was renamed Success when it was owned by Jack Hall, grandfather of Kaiapoi resident Tony Hall, and was based at Warkworth.

‘‘Tony contacted me and said his family is very interested in what we are doing,’’ Atkinson said.

In 1963, Success moved south to Wellington where it operated as a motorised refuge barge, transporting a variety of cargo.

Success joined with another scow, Portland, which regularly visited Kaiapoi, to rescue survivors from the Wahine disaster in 1968.

The scow suffered an engine fire and sank in 1995, but it was salvaged and transported to Nelson where it was restored and returned to the water.

The Success was still afloat on its moorings in 2008 at Elaine Bay, in the Marlborough Sounds, where it operated as a muscle barge.

Today the Success sits above the slipway at Nelson.

‘‘They are due to do some work on the slipway, so we’ve got to get her out and back to Kaiapoi soon,’’ Atkinson said.

He says the trust is negotiating with the Waimakariri District Council and hopes to secure a lease or license to occupy former red zone land next to the Coastguard building on the north bank of the Kaiapoi River.

The trust is raising funds for the project and plans to build a temporary building to house the scow during its restoration.

The scow’s four litre, six cylinder Gardiner diesel engine has been restored in the North Island and will make its way to Kaiapoi soon.

Atkinson said the ultimate goal would be to get the scow on the water carrying passengers.

‘‘The trust has a completely open mind about how that will happen, but the intention is to share it with the community, whether that be public viewings and tours in the shed or out on the water.’’

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