Classic: The Revival of Classic Boating In New Zealand
Ivor Wilkins
Godwit - RRP: $95.00
Published: 01 October 2010
Waitangi, Rainbow and Ariki, Little Jim and Rona … these are the famous names of famous, elegant and magnificent classic boats that excite the attention of anyone who comes across them out on New Zealand’s coastal waters. Now Ivor Wilkins’ stunning coffee-table book Classic: The revival of Classic Boating in New Zealand celebrates their power and grace and the people who have restored them to their glory.
These boats are a direct link to this country’s remarkable maritime history. No sooner had the first European settlers arrived in Auckland, for example, than they held a regatta to celebrate. The first pure racing/pleasure yachts were built from the 1880s onwards by the famous houses of Logan and Bailey, and more than 100 years later many of these masterpieces are still going strong — largely due to our very durable, beautiful kauri timber. Their remarkable life stories of success, neglect and restoration tell the story of New Zealand’s history.
Renowned yachting writer and photographer Ivor Wilkins shares the stories of these beautiful boats from the Victorian and Edwardian periods and of the people behind them, showcasing the leading lights of the recent classic yacht revival movement. Each boat is a tribute not only to the original builders but also to their current owners and restorers, who have gone to what might seem incomprehensible lengths to bring them back to their former glory and return them to home waters.
Lavishly illustrated with contemporary and historic photographs, this is a landmark book that anyone with an interest in yachts, launches and sailing dinghies, our heritage, our coast and our history craftsmanship and design will cherish.
The Bookman has to say he has little interest in matters maritime and that the only time he ever goes on the water is when he is on a ferry to Devenport or Waiheke Island. However I have spent several happy hours browsing through this large and hugely impressive book, it must surely be the standout glamour book of the New Zealand publishing year. If you have any interest in sailing then I'm afraid you are going to have to stump up $95 and treat yourself to this stunningly beautiful book, the gorgeous photographs alone make it worthwhile. I'll add a few at the foot of this post but of course I cannot do justice to the magnificent photos as they appear in the book, many of them are superb double page spreads.My congratulations to all concerned. Wow !
About the author:
Ivor Wilkins is a leading international marine writer and photographer. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, his work has been published in a wide range of local and international publications, and he has produced three books on the BMW Oracle Racing team’s 2007 America’s Cup campaign and the official programmes of the 2000 and 2003 America’s Cup.
He has sailed extensively, including a voyage to Antarctica with the late Sir Peter Blake and a three-year cruise with his wife, Elspeth, from Scotland to New Zealand.
In a previous life, he worked as a political writer in South Africa. Two years aft er the seminal 1976 student uprising in Soweto, he co-authored the book SuperAfrikaners, an extensive exposé of the secret right-wing society the Afrikaner Broederbond, which underpinned the apartheid government. In 1983, he was awarded a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University.
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