Seafaring songs for Catlins book launch

CAROLYN DEVERSON/150710

YEARS OF WORK: Author Mike McPhee signing copies of his book Catlins Bound, a history of his great-grandfather William McPhee and the ships he built.

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Seafaring songs, shanties and ballads helped to launch Catlins Bound at the weekend – a book detailing the work of ship builder William McPhee.

Mike McPhee, of Houipapa in the Catlins, has spent the past seven years researching and writing about his great-grandfather who built 11 ships.

The Maritime Crew, a sextet, from Auckland, performed at the launch and a follow-up tour has been planned for Niagara, Invercargill, Balclutha, Halfmoon Bay, Gore, Riverton and Dunedin.

William McPhee came from Nova Scotia to New Zealand when he was 19 and set up a successful building business with ships such as the Catlin, the Owake, the Anna, the Eliza McPhee and the Owake Belle. The first ship he built, the Nora, is commemorated in one of the houses of The Catlins Area School.

At the launch, Mike McPhee paid tribute to the many people who helped him, including Fergus Sutherland, who painted the ships in the book and is one of the publishers.

The book also includes a CD, from the Maritime Crew, and several line drawings of ship plans by Timaru boatbuilder Arthur Bates.

A model of one of William McPhee's ships, the schooner Owake, was unveiled at the book launch.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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