HMNZS Tarapunga 1 (P3566/Q1187)
HMNZS Tarapunga flying her paying off pennant after many years service in the Hydrographic branch
Survey Equipment:
Fitted to Q1187/P3566 when converted in 1950-51
Both Q1187 (Tarapunga) & Q1188 (Takapu) shipped as deck cargo from Vancouver aboard SS Kootenay Park and arrived at Wellington on 30 April 1943. There they were unloaded by floating crane and underwent full commissioning trials.
It was intended that they would be used for anti-submarine patrols in the port approaches. They would replace the NAPS launches. Q1187 after commissioning joined the 124th Motor Launch Flotilla in Auckland.
As the war came to an end in 1945 the launches were concentrated at Auckland to pay off. Q1187 arrived on 30 June 1945 .
A second launch was required for survey duty so that Auckland Coastguard’s Cutter No. 1, formerly Q1187 reverted to the RNZN on 29 May 1950 and was given the pennant number P3566 in October 1950. She was converted to SML in March 1951 and commissioned as a survey vessel on 21 March 1951. In April she proceeded to Wellington to carry out surveys of the Cook Strait. From then until 1979 both vessels carried out surveys right across the New Zealand coastline mostly by themselves or as a pair. They would also work with HMNZS Lachlan & Monowai.
At the end of the 1978-1979 survey season Tarapunga was withdrawn from service and paid off in June 1979.
Renamed: Tarapunga as Mako 1980
Laid up 1945. Lent to Auckland Coast Guard 1947-50, Reserves 1951-80, Survey 1979-83, Wellington. Sold 3/84.
Left RNZN 1983. Reverted to name Tarapunga. Possibly moored Tamaki River. Now in Picton (2008) owned by Steve and Kim who live aboard at Picton Wharf (along with their cat). Destroyed in fire, March 2014
