134
RETROS AND CLASSICS
JOHN MACFARLANE
The
Brin
Wilson
story
Part I
THE LATE Brin Wilson is regarded as one
Wilson left school soon after
of the best boatbuilders of the modern
and commenced his boatbuilding
classic era, a man who left behind a legacy
apprenticeship with Joe Wheeler, a
of fine timber boats and a boatbuilding
Bayswater-based boatbuilder who
company that continues to operate
specialised in small clinker dinghies and
successfully today. This is his story.
runabouts. During his time with Wheeler,
Born in 1923, Wilson grew up in
“Brin Wilson left
behind a legacy of
fine timber boats...”
Wilson built several 18-footers, a class
most of WWII working with Associated
Boatbuilders and helped build 34m
Fairmiles for the Navy.
Wilson married Marie after the war in
1947 and they moved to Kawau Island,
where he built a house and wharf on a
block of land they’d bought at Speedy Bay.
Onepoto Street in Devonport, just up from
he became passionate about. He owned
really good sailor and mainsheet hand on
the Wakatere Boating Club (WBC).
the 18-footers Jeanette, Macushla, Tarta,
her father’s 18-footer Athena.
Fascinated by the boats at the WBC,
then bought Komuto from boatbuilder
Wilson was befriended by Jack Brooke,
Jack Logan. Later, after the war, Wilson
joined the Air Force and was about to
but they’d recently opened a branch at
who took the youngster sailing on his
represented New Zealand in the 18-footer
be shipped out to Fiji. But his mother
Smelting House Bay on Kawau, which
keeler, an experience which decided
class in Macushla and Komutu.
intervened and informed the authorities
was run by Fred.
Wilson on a boatbuilding career then and
Wilson met fellow boatbuilder Fred
At the beginning of World War II Wilson
At the time Fred, Roy and Mike
Lidgard were trading as Lidgard Bros
he was a boatbuilder and therefore
Boatbuilders at Hamer St, Auckland,
Wilson, John Lidgard, Sam Mason
there. He built his first boat, the Z class
Lidgard’s daughter Marie through yachting
exempt from call-up. Bitterly disappointed
and Tim Lees worked with Fred building
Caradoc, before he was 15 years old.
and the pair started dating. Marie was a
at his mother’s intervention, Wilson spent
all manner of boats: dinghies, yachts,
134
Boating New Zealand
Wilson’s first boat, the Z class Caradoc
Fifteens built in New Zealand. Wilson
school and during school holidays.
“Dad was a really had taskmaster
loved living on Kawau and often went deer
– we weren’t allowed to have holidays like
shooting to augment the family dinner pot.
everyone else, we had to work,” recalls Bob.
The Wilsons had two sons while they
factory he built on Porana Rd capable of
– who both fondly recall their early
containing two boats, but by the 1960s
years on the island and helping Fred
he’d moved to a bigger factory (that he
with his boatbuilding.
also built) on Wairau Rd with a shed
Although passionate about Kawau,
capable of holding four or five boats.
By then Wilson had five staff, led
back to Auckland for its better business
by foreman Robert Black, including
opportunities, moving into a house in
Jack Logan whom Wilson had recruited
Hurstmere Rd, Takapuna owned by Boris
from John Salthouse. Logan became
(Borie) Beachman.
responsible for most of the engineering
Wilson’s first boatbuilding contract in
work while Black – a fantastic tradesman,
Auckland was building a 9m, Bill Couldrey-
according to Bob – was given a minority
designed motorsailer for Beachman in his
shareholding in the company by Wilson.
backyard. Named Endeavour, she is still
sailing today.
Wilson and Brinsley Eric Thomas set
The yard was busy through these years,
building at least six Matangis and two of
the larger Camelot motor-sailers – both
up BET Wilson, and Wilson built the 11m
designed by Bob Stewart – and several
launch Waihora for Logan Nix – another
single-skin, displacement launches to his
launch still around today – before setting
own design, all around the 10m length. Bob
up the workshop to build plywood
and Richard remember him drawing these
runabouts, including many as kitsets for
launches on the kitchen table at night.
the Farmers’ Trading Company.
His first apprentice was Bill McKay, and
“I was always keen on design and I
used to watch him get started [on a boat]
other employees included Chris Roberston
then I’d have to go to bed. And in the
and John Spencer, both of whom have
morning I’d race out of bed and there’d be
featured in previous columns. Another
a boat drawn,” remembers Richard.
who approached Wilson for a job was
capable as a designer, as boats became
– suggested he should join someone with
increasingly expensive he preferred to
a proper design office and steered him
stick to building rather than designing.
By this time, sons Bob and Richard,
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However, while Wilson was more than
a young Bruce Farr, but Wilson – rightly
towards Jim Young.
4mm
6mm
9mm
12mm
18mm
Initially Wilson had set up in a
lived on Kawau – Bob and Richard
in 1952 the Wilsons decided to move
BS1088 –
MERANTI
The yard also built Dragon class
yachts for the likes of Bob Stewart, Robert
although still at Milford School, were
Stone, Danny Green and Laurie Davidson.
expected to help out sweeping floors after
Bob remembers the Dragons were all
1110247
launches, ferries, and the first three Flying
GABOON
LIGHTWEIGHT
beautifully built in Honduras mahogany,
approach to boatbuilding, and he had
conscientious fashion, Wilson spent some
an innate understanding of the structure
time with the official Australian Dragon
of a timber boat and how to maximise
class builder learning the various tricks to
its strength. He was held in such high
their construction.
regard by his peers he became the
He was a good tradesman and believed
in leading from the front.
“He was on the tools all day and did
changed over to multi-skin, glued
night,” says Bob. “And the boatbuilding
boatbuilders such as John Lidgard.
was flat out, two guys planking one side,
Wilson also possessed an unrivalled
two the other and it was a race who could
knowledge of kauri: how to select it, cut it
finish [their side] first.”
and store it. He kept huge stocks of heart
kauri, and he always knew how to cut
as expensively, or as inexpensively as
it to best advantage. According to Bob,
the client required. For example, some
there was never any sap kauri used in any
Matangis were finished to a high standard
Wilson built-boat and even the joinery
while others were finished off much
doublers were built in heart kauri.
Wilson played an important role in
finishing was important, and equally when
the one-ton era, as has been detailed in
it was a waste of time and money.
recent columns. In 1965, Wilson built the
“He just knew how to get a good
finish, without going overboard. If you
sanded the bilge, he would give you a
one-tonner Rebel, his own design inspired
by the Dick Carter Tina of Melbourne.
Following her launch, Rebel won seven
serve [telling off]; but if you didn’t sand
of eight races in the RAYC winter series, and
the correct place he also give you one,”
encouraged by her success, Wilson entered
says Richard.
Rebel in the 1967 Sydney-Hobart where she
Pathfinder under spinnaker
1110231
conservative attitude also meant Wilson
construction later than some Auckland
more simply. He understood when good
Boating New Zealand
Lloyds inspector for New Zealand. His
the accounts, quotes and designing at
Wilson had the ability to build a boat
136
Wilson was conservative in his
with splined planking. In his typically
Brin Wilson designed
and built Tempo
finished 12th, the first New Zealand boat,
1971 SCC, which included the Sydney-
ahead of Jupiter and Renegade.
Hobart race, which he won. Runaway and
Wai-Aniwa, skippered by John Lidgard
trials run by the Royal New Zealand
and Chris Bouzaid respectively, finished
Yacht Squadron for the 1969 One Ton
second and third, and New Zealand took
Cup, which were eventually won by Chris
out the SCC team win.
Bouzaid and Rainbow II.
Undaunted, Wilson and sons Bob
Wilson then built the S&S-designed
Quicksilver, considered one of the finest
and Richard entered Rebel in the 1968
timber boats ever built in New Zealand,
Southern Cross Cup (SCC), which included
campaigning her in New Zealand and
the Sydney-Hobart race. Rebel was again
Australia, including the 1973 SCC,
the top New Zealand boat in 9th place,
although she only managed 25th in the
ahead of Renegade and Outrage.
Sydney-Hobart. Sadly, this campaign
This began a hectic period for Wilson
would prove to be Wilson’s swansong. A
of building and sailing one-tonners,
year or two earlier he’d had a cancerous
beginning with Tempo, a Wilson design
kidney removed, but the disease came
for Norman Vitali and Cliff Johnson, then a
back with a vengeance and Wilson died
number of S&S one-ton designs: Satanita
in October 1974, aged just 50.
II for Ron Wilkie, Young Nick for Lou
Bob and Richard – in their early
Fisher, Kishmul for Ted Buchanan, and
20s – were faced with filling some big
Pathfinder for himself.
boatbuilding and sailing shoes. We
Wilson campaigned Pathfinder in the
1110208
Wilson also entered Rebel in the
discover how they fared next month.
n
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137
148
RETROS AND CLASSICS
JOHN MACFARLANE
The
Brin
Wilson
story
Part 2
Boatbuilder Brin Wilson’s death in
about fibreglass building runabouts, he
1974 left his sons Bob and Richard with
was less than impressed with working
big shoes to fill. Fortunately, both rose
with GRP all day, so when his father got
to the challenge of keeping the family
sick with cancer, he rejoined BET Wilson.
business going. Eldest son Bob Wilson left
left school aged 16 and started his
boatbuilding apprenticeship at the Naval
boatbuilding apprenticeship with his
Base, which he grew to hate.
father’s good friend Chris Robertson, who
Dad, but at the base when I finished a
job and wanted to start the next one, they
was working from a shed at Salthouse
“…one of their
first moves was
to rename the
company Brin Wilson
Boat Builders Ltd.”
Bros yard in Greenhithe.
He also did a lot of racing miles with
up boatbuilding in the USA for some
told me to go off and hide because I was
his father, including the Rebel campaign
months, before Wilson got the call that
working too quickly,” says Bob.
for the 1966 Sydney-Hobart race. Once
his father wasn’t well. He returned home
out of his time, Richard joined Lynn
to join his brother at BET Wilson.
After a couple of years Bob Wilson
left the base and started back with his
Carmichael in the original Chico, a
father. Shortly afterwards, Doug Bremner
Gary Mull design that Keith Eade later
could beat his disease, and despite the
asked him to work for his company Marine
produced in GRP. David Wylie, now the
gloomy prognosis, as far as he was able
Plastics, the Sea Nymph manufacturers
owner of Boat Haulage, was another
it was business as usual right up until his
which he’d recently bought from Wilfred
crew member.
death in 1974 at the age of just 50.
Hoelen. Bob says, while he learned a lot
Boating New Zealand
Meantime Richard Wilson had also
school in 1966, aged 16, and started his
“We were so used to working hard with
148
Bob and Richard Wilson
Richard Wilson and Wylie ended
Brin Wilson’s attitude was that he
The Wilson brothers were in their
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early twenties when they took over BET
Harlequin, a masthead cruiser/racer.
Wilson. One of their first moves was to
Harlequin went so well the Wilson
rename the company Brin Wilson Boat
brothers built one each: Tribute for Richard
Builders Ltd. Although both brothers were
and Graduate for Bob, plus Ruffian for
skilled boatbuilders by this time, neither
American Russ Johnson and a couple of
had much experience at book keeping or
others. These boats and many others kept
staff management.
Brin Wilson Boat Builders busy until the
while Richard managed the staff and did
introduction of Muldoon’s infamous Boat
While a large number of boatbuilders
the design work he was passionate about.
fell, Brin Wilson Boat Builders survived,
Like their father, both worked full time on
but things were tight for a time. Hoping to
the factory floor.
create more work, the Wilsons built the
The brothers were also fortunate that
12.2m yacht Marinero on spec. Hoping to
there were three decent commissions
sell her offshore, Richard sailed Marinero
underway, including the S&S designed
to San Francisco, but the market for timber
Lisa for Ron Wilkie, and the Bruce Farr-
boats was weak there and after a year
designed Kailua for John Senior.
without any interest, Bob Wilson moved
Quicksilver was back on her home
berth too. Prior to his death, Brin Wilson
Richard had another crack at an
Admirals Cup campaign with the Ron
Admirals Cup, and her racing form prior to
Holland-designed Spritzer, which was built
trials was impressive. Sadly, there weren’t
and launched in only 16 weeks. However,
the funds to campaign her in the Admirals
her masthead rig didn’t reach as well as
Cup, so Richard Wilson skippered her back
the fractional rigged boats and proved an
from Hobart early in 1974, after the 1973
Achilles heel. Spritzer is now in New York
Southern Cross Cup.
where she is being used as a training boat.
The Wilson brothers worked with many
Quicksilver in the trials for the 1975 SCC.
different designers. One favourite was
Quicksilver, skippered by Richard, finished
Bruce Clark, who they first worked with
the trials second behind the Farr-designed
on the 18m sloop Mertsi Louise for John
Prospect of Ponsonby, with the Brin
Spencer. Bob Wilson then commissioned
Wilson-designed Tempo third, winning the
Clark to design him the 12.2m yacht
SCC for New Zealand.
Toronui, “a great boat” he recalls.
Richard was essentially self-taught
ROLLING
DUFFEL BAG
her to Seattle where she sold quickly.
had intended to campaign her in the 1975
Enough money was found to enter
3/4 RASH SHIRT
Sales Tax in May 1979.
The company got orders for another
in design, and it was his passion. His
six of this design, including Innocenti,
first commission was a follow-on from
Quintessence, Allegresse and the slightly
a study plan his father had drawn just
longer Azzuro. Richard also collaborated
prior to his death, the 11.88m planing
with Clark on several other powerboats
launch, Guevara. Next was the 11m yacht
such as Infinito (14m), Idle Hour (11.6m),
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1210202
In the best tradition, they learned on
the job: Bob did the books and quoting,
SQUALL JACKET
149
Audacity (12m), Escapado (15.2m) and
Shannon Star (12m).
Another project was the S&S designed,
19.8 m powerboat Harrier for Doug
Bremner. Originally designed for steel
construction, the Wilson brothers had
the huge job of converting Harrier’s steel
construction into timber. This boat was
a step up in size and complexity over
anything their father had built – so big in
fact that moving Harrier out of the shed
required jacking up the roof.
By now Brin Wilson Boat Builders
had 20 staff, and although the company
maintained full order books throughout the
mid-to-late 1980s, things were slowing. At
one stage, the Wilson’s considered going
into GRP production with a Farr designed
9m yacht. Farr prepared some drawings,
but in the end the Wilson’s couldn’t bring
themselves to do it.
“It may not have been the smartest
thing to do – to walk away from that
drawing – but satisfaction-wise Bob and I
both preferred building boats in timber,”
says Richard.
The sharemarket crash of 1987 was
another blow to the business. Then in
1988, Len Pike approached the Wilson
brothers asking if they’d be interested in
taking on the boatbuilding operation at
were only around three boats in the
the recently-opened Gulf Harbour Marina.
marina. And I’m coming down the hill with
The sharemarket crash had made the
Wilson brothers realise that repairs and
maintenance was going to become an
location in Mairangi Bay wasn’t suitable
Bob. “Our first job was repairing a GRP
for haul-outs. They took up Pike’s offer, but
powerboat that had gone on the rocks and
it was a scary move.
ripped its bottom out. But we had little
Spritzer being built, 1979
1210204
“We were the first [business] there
and the early days were hard work”, says
down into Gulf Harbour Marina and there
Boating New Zealand
are we going to do here,” says Richard.
important part of future business, but their
“I remember the first morning coming
150
a van full of staff thinking, oh God, what
idea of what to do with GRP, we just had to
learn as we went along.”
Spritzer sailing
in turn leading to greater efficiency and
higher quality.
jobs: refits, insurance, maintenance, and
The Wilson brothers remain very
a few new builds. The new 100-ton travel
involved in the marine industry. Richard
lift at Gulf Harbour made a big difference
Wilson now has the role of Curriculum
to demand.
Leader of the Bachelor of Applied
In 2000 the Wilsons began questioning
Technology Marine programme, still
their future involvement. They realised
enjoys designing boats and until recently
the company needed a fresh injection
raced Zephyrs.
of enthusiasm, but after more than 30
Bob Wilson spent two years managing
years involvement, neither felt capable of
Oracle’s towboat in the 2003 America’s
mustering it. After considerable thought,
Cup, before taking over the management
the decision was made to sell Brin Wilson
of the Gypsy Moth IV rebuild after her
Boatbuilders to Nick Saull, who’d started
argument with Rangiroa Atoll in the
with the company as an apprentice aged
Tuamotu Islands. He currently manages
17 in 1985.
Osmosis Solutions for Saull.
Since taking over, Saull has expanded
The third Wilson son, Chris, moved
the company into new areas. He still
offshore some years ago and is now
carries out refits, insurance and
captain of the Janice of Wyoming, a
maintenance work, but has expanded into
superyacht built by Alloy Yachts for a US
osmosis repair work by buying specialist
businessman.
Mike Menzies’ operation, Osmosis
Brin Wilson Boat Builders Ltd has
Solutions, and adding an inflatable boat
come a long way from the days its
repair division.
founder built a motorsailer in his friend’s
Additionally, with the help of the
back yard. If anything, the company’s
MIA, he has instituted a total quality
rich history demonstrates that to be
management system (QCDSM, Quality,
successful over the long haul – in this
Cost, Delivery, Safety, Moral), enabling the
case, 57 years – a company must
company to more accurately track, manage
change, evolve and grow. Just like we
and document all work done in the yard,
all must do.
1210219
However, work increased as the marina
filled. The company picked up a mixture of
■
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151