Step onboard Gipsy and you’re not just stepping into a boat – you’re stepping into a story. At 35 feet long and built of heart kauri in 1946, this classic launch is more than a pretty hull; she’s a testament to a pioneering boatbuilder, a storied coastal community, and a slice of Kiwi maritime heritage that still holds water – literally and figuratively. Freshly restored and currently listed for sale on Tradeaboat, Gipsy offers something far rarer than most second-hand boats: provenance.
She was built in the post-war years by Nelson boatbuilder Jack Guard – a name that rings NZ maritime history bells. Designed for commercial duty, Gipsy was originally used to transport supplies to D’Urville Island and help in the hunt for humpbacks off the rugged Marlborough coast. Her lines are honest, her layout is practical, and her build is rugged but refined – she’s what happens when function meets craftsmanship.
Guard, whose heritage goes back to New Zealand’s early European settlers, was a self-taught designer and shipwright from Havelock. Earlier this month (May 2025), his grandson Darren Guard released (in a “how serendipitous” kind of way) an illuminating 40-minute documentary on YouTube, titled ‘Jack Guard, one of the greatest boat builders in New Zealand’. It’s available on The Gleam Fishing Channel, and it’s essential viewing for anyone considering Gipsy. The video includes archival photos, family history, and reflections from Darren on what it meant to grow up surrounded by the boats his grandfather built – many of which are still afloat today.
It is, in fact, one of two videos about the Guard family and their contributions to the maritime history of New Zealand. The other video, ‘New Zealand’s oldest fishing family of European heritage (1827) – The Guard family’, also found on the Gleam Fishing Channel tells the story of how 21-year-old stonecutter John Guard, living in England in 1813, was convicted of stealing a quilt worth just five shillings. At the time, even minor offences could result in harsh penalties, and Guard’s sentence was no exception — transportation across the globe to the convict colony of New South Wales. That moment marked the beginning of a remarkable journey that would eventually lead him to New Zealand, where he would establish one of the country’s most storied whaling dynasties.
Back to Jack. Similar to many other well-known boatbuilders and boaters in New Zealand, his early obsession with boats started at a young age – 11 for Jack – with his first dinghy, though his parents scuttled it, thinking it unsafe. Undeterred, Jack would go on to build dozens of vessels, many of them still beloved by fishers, ferry operators and families across New Zealand. He built Rex, Rex 2, The Gene, I’m Alone, and San Antonio – names still spoken with admiration in Island Bay and beyond.
But looking to Gipsy – because the boat herself is the star of this story. Darren remembers her “being owned by Mike Harris in the [Marlborough] Sounds doing a lot of scalloping.”
Today, she’s fully restored and fitted with a four-cylinder Perkins 4236 diesel engine, cruising comfortably at around 7.5 knots. Her topsides gleam, her systems are updated, and her soul remains intact. There’s full walk-around access, dual helm stations (including a smart little setup in the cockpit), and a deck layout that remains true to her working roots.
Below, she offers over 1.8m of headroom, two berths, and a galley that’s simple but functional. The electronics suite includes radar, plotter, autopilot, VHF, fish finder and depth sounder. She carries 700L of diesel and 200L of freshwater – enough for serious coastal exploring. Solar, inverter, LED lighting, and plenty of safety gear round out a setup that’s practical and reassuring. She’s recently been surveyed, with the report available to interested buyers.
All the restoration work has been done with respect – no gaudy fixtures, no modern clutter, just solid materials and honest boatbuilding. And with an asking price of $59,000 (recently reduced), she offers exceptional value for a vessel with this level of history and readiness.
If you’re in the market for a classic launch with real provenance, Gipsy deserves a close look. She’s more than a boat – she’s part of a story that started in the Marlborough Sounds nearly a century ago, and which still floats strong today.
Where is this boat to view??
Its on our sister publocation tradeaboat.co.nz