Des Townson completed the design for this boat on 2/4/1956. He built the prototype in a garage rented from a Mr Ted Old on the Great South Rd, Greenlane. (The Old house was situated opposite Atarangi Rd.) The building of the boat occurred during the winter of 1956. Construction was one skin of fore/aft cedar laid over one keelson to gunnel skin of kahikatea. One bulkhead was positioned forward of the mast step, and one at the rear of the cockpit.

The boat was launched in the spring of 1956, with a view to displaying it in the Boat Show to be held at the Tamaki Yacht Club later in the same year. Unfortunately, one day while Des was sailing, the hull fractured amidships on the port waterline area. The construction was just a bit too light for the loads the hull needed to withstand.

Des repaired the hull by stiffening the inside of the hull with ¼ x ¾ inch ribs at six-inch centres. The boat was then displayed in the Boat Show and as a consequence of the interest shown, twelve orders were taken and the Zephyr Class was under way. (This name has a better ring than the Atarangi Class !!!) The construction, needless to say, was changed and remained through the Townson building period as a three skin lay up.

Des sold "Atarangi" to the late Geoffery Jowitt. Geoff then sold the boat to Ken Lusty who was later to own the marine supply company Lusty and Blundell. Paul Bishop bought the boat in 1964 for 80 pounds and owned the boat for the next thirty-seven years. It is because of his care the boat remained in the remarkable condition at the time of my purchase in September 2001.

At some stage the boat was renamed "Talei" and was registered as a Moth Class yacht, number 8013. The only other change was the fitting of a longer mast and boom, in line with the dimensions the Class uses to this day. The boat appears to still have the original mast, boom, centre board, rudder, rudder stock, tiller, and tiller extension.

My objective is to restore the boat to as original condition as possible but with the ability for the boat to be safely sailed when required. Des has given me an old cotton Boyd & McMaster Zephyr sail, which will greatly assist with the authenticity of this project. The only item I need to complete the restoration is an old bronze goose neck which may have originally been fitted to the early boom.

Brian Peet.