The Maori name ‘Patiki’, meaning ‘flat fish’, was given to New Zealand’s first class of ballastless daggerboard racing, designed by Arch Logan around the turn of the century. The new design was originally commissioned by the Parnell Yacht Club, and it differed from other racing classes of the day in that it was flatter on the floors than usual and had a shallow draft.
The low wooden hull with minimal overhangs was half deck and the rig was carried well forward with a shank head jib. The lack of a bowsprit, on that day, was especially notable. The first Patiki had a LOA of 18’6 “, but later larger and much faster boats were produced.
Of these larger vessels, a sturdy fishing patiki was built specifically to compete with the mullet boat fleets of the time.
One of these, the Kia Ora, was built by Arch Logan in Auckland for Bob Murray, and was launched in 1902.
The fish market was based on who could get their catch first. As ballasted mullet ships struggled to reach port, patiki owners were already ashore and selling their fish at the best prices. The boating performance was so successful that Bob Murray was able, in his first year of fishing, to buy three houses with the proceeds.
Kia Ora is the last patiki that exists.
It is built with kauri and measures 24’6 “LOA, beam 9 ‘, draft 1’3” with rudder up (otherwise 2’). Draft increases to 7’6 “when the steel daggerboard is dropped via a pivot system. The 40 ‘neck is made from Oregon in a typical Logan design.
Originally a grapple rigger, Kia Ora installed a Bermudan rigger in 1935 along with a bowsprit. Alf believed that she was the first fishing boat in Auckland to have a motor installed. The current engine is a 6.5 hp Katsura diesel.
In optimal sailing conditions (calm seas and strong wind), the Kia Ora has been known to plan on gliding, a feat generally reserved for survival conditions on ordinary yachts or large centerboard ocean racing boats.
Eventually patiki classes were kicked out of racing events because they were so fast that no one could compete and there weren’t enough of their own class to be a popular division in most early yacht clubs.
The last of the heavier construction work patiki, with the exception of the Kia Ora, disappeared in 1958.