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The longest serving
of all the Wanganui riverboats. Design based
on the Maori river canoe and used in the
uper reaches of the Wanganui river. Winches,
cable and poles were used to traverse the
rapids. Thought to hold the riverboat record
for the fastest time from Taumarunui to
Wanganui, a distance of 144 miles and 239
rapids and this was achieved with two blades
broken off her three-bladed propeller. Still
in service on the Waikato river where she
runs a service to the base of the Huka Falls.
The tunnel-hull riverboat Waireka was removed
from the slip cradle at the end of Takarangi
Street, Putiki on 18 January 2000 as a result
of complaints made to the District Council.
The dilapidated Waireka had lain on the
Putiri cradle for seventeen months and had
become the target of vandalism. The hulk
was re-located to a site at the Balgownie
landfill, Heads Road, property under the
jurisdiction of the Wanganui District Council.
In early June 2000, Mr. Vance Crozier (part
owner of the hulk) said that on 2 May 2000
Waireka was transported from Wanganui to
a secure yard in Turangi. Mr. Gordon Ford,
an aluminium boat-builder, owns the yard.
The present intention is to rebuild Waireka
for further service on the Whanganui River
to be based on Taumarunui.
NZ Marine News Vol.47,
No.3, Vol. 48, No.4.
Waireka was launched on the Waikato River on
3 October 2005 as a tourist attraction.
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