MV Tuhoe at berth at Kaiapoi

Photo Courtesy of B Greenwood

MainPower supported the Kaiapoi community's wish that the MV Tuhoe and it's pilot vessel, Esa-Lei be retained in the town and transferred to community ownership. Through sponsorship funding of $35,000 the Kaiapoi community was able to retain the vessel and ownership is now vested in the hands of the community under a charitable trust.

The MV Tuhoe was designed and built by George T Nicol, Auckland Ship Builders and was launched in 1919. Sha has a triple Kauri hull and was built as a two masted auxiliary schooner under sail. Today MV Tuhoe is powered by two 1942 Atlas Imperial 120 horsepower diesel engines.

MV Tuhoe has been involved in no less than thirteen sailing incidents, all within the estuaries and rivers of the North Island, prior to coming into the North Canterbury region. She has also survived two on board fires.

She was purchased by Kaiapoi Shipping Co in 1962 and worked between Kaiapoi and Wellington until November 1963 when the roll-on roll-off ferries made direct shipping from Kaiapoi no long viable. Tuhoe was laid up until 1980 when she was purchased by the Cure Boating Club Inc and her restoration began. A dedicated team restored every working part to full marine standards and in 1982 the MV Tuhoe Preservation Society Ince was formed to take over management of the vessel.

MV Tuhoe recommenced her working life on31 October 1983 when the first tourist sailing took place between Kaiapoi and Kairaki and return. The tourist trips ran through to 2001 when the Cure Boating Club put her up for tender and her future became unknown.

In January 2004 a tender jointly submitted by MainPower New Zealand Ltd and Kaiapoi Electricity Ltd was accepted and teh MV Tuhoe Kaiapoi Rivertown Trust was established ensuring the Tuhoe would remain in Kaiapoi and her future would remain on the Kaiapoi River.

For more information contact:

Kaiapoi i-SITE, Raven Quay, Kaiapoi

Phone: 03 327 3134 or Email: info@kaiapoivisitorcentre.co.nz

 

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