Rob O'Keeffe Joinery
Job profile: Whanganui Riverboat PS Waimarie restoration
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Rob and his company were actively involved in the restoration of the PS Waimarie, a vessel built in London, and transported in kitset form to Wanganui. Originally named Aotea, she was operated by the Wanganui Settlers River Steamship Co until 1902, when she was sold to Alexander Hatrick and renamed Waimarie.
For almost 50 years PS Waimarie, Queen of the River, plied the Whanganui, navigating the rapids and carrying cargo, mail, riverside dwellers and tourists along this major inland highway.
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She was taken out of service in 1949 and in 1952 sank at her berth in Wanganui. She remained buried in the silt and mud of the river until 1993, when she was salvaged by enthusiastic volunteers and moved into the Whanganui Riverboat Centre for restoration. On 1 January 2000 the restored Waimarie was recommissioned for her new life on the Whanganui River, as New Zealand's only authentic paddle steamer.
"During the restoration we needed somebody capable to do the interior woodwork for us," says David McDermid, from the Whanganui River Board Trust. "Vessels like the Waimarie were renowned for their attractive woodwork, so it had to be a quality job. Rob's building expertise and experience and standing made him the logical person to call on."
"This job was drip fed to us at first but we could see that it was going to grow," says Rob. "First of all we were asked to make the sashes for the windows. When the restorers realised that they couldn't make the frames themselves, we were asked to do the job and ended up making the complete windows – double hung windows on spiral spring balances rather than counterweights. Then they asked us to install them. Then they wanted us to make doors... and mouldings... and then we got on to the interior.
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"In the end they did the deck and we lined the coach roof and walls inside it." Miro, totara and rewarewa were among the variety of native timbers sourced by the restoration team, much of it donated but Rob arranged to get further materials. "We used a lot of recycled timber and were able to source enough miro from up around Turangi to pretty much do the whole inside of the boat."
"Rob and his team did a magnificent job of bringing out the best in the high quality timber we had available," says David.
To ensure authenticity Rob's team worked from old photographs and the designs that restoration engineer Gil Bycroft produced. "We were able to add a bit of our own flair into things in places in discussions with him."
"Altogether we were working on the project for about six months – not all the time, but when it came to the installation stage we had to work a lot of weekends. But it certainly was an interesting and enjoyable job, because it was something that the whole community was getting behind."
