A kauri launch that ferried passengers and cargo around the Bay of Islands for 50 years is facing an exciting future as a floating pizzeria.

The Bay Belle caught the eye of Rakino Island resident and global adventurer Kate Farrant, when it appeared as a deceased estate sale on TradeMe last year.

Lured by the boat’s beauty, she instantly recognised its potential for rehoming a popular seasonal restaurant - Woody Bay Pizzeria - previously run on Rakino in the Hauraki Gulf, by a fellow resident Alf Newton who had agreed Farrant could take over it.

The dream, Farrant said, is to have Bay Belle back on the water in time for next summer.

Newton has been schooling her in the art of making pizzas and fellow Rakino Islanders have been happily sampling her wares, Farrant said.

The Bay Belle, once a stalwart of Northland waters, is now in the Big Smoke getting a makeover to become a floating restaurant. Photo / supplied

While the vessel’s first excursions would be around the Hauraki Gulf nearest Auckland, Farrant also hoped Bay Belle canoperate around Great Barrier and Kawau islands and in the vessel’s once-familiar Northland waters.

For now, however, there’s a lot of restoration work to be done on the boat, Farrant said.

The Bay Belle’s hull has been cleaned, plywood cladding that was widely added around the boat was being removed, old paint sanded away, and caulking replaced.

“I’m hoping to do right by her, and to restore her to her former glory, painting her in her original launch colours and taking no shortcuts along the way.”

Farrant wants the Bay Belle to sport her original kauri exterior but said she is less likely to bring back the original interior, which included fantasia formica, a smokey blue wall paint, primrose coloured ceiling, and pink marble plastic linoleum floors.

The Bay Belle’s exterior will be returned to it’s original kauri state. However, the boat’s new owner has new plans for the inside, which is currently a blank canvas. Photos / supplied

Farrant said she is regularly covered in dust, exhausted, and has “a thousand things” on her mind but fortunately has the support and help of a group of good friends.

Together, they’ve put in countless hours of work at Hobsonville Marina to steer the dream towards a reality.

Farrant recently reached out online to other wooden boat enthusiasts for a repair product she needed and was overwhelmed by people’s enthusiasm for the project.

She had been gifted an artwork for the boat. Someone else had provided her with a photograph of the Bay Belle once saving a barge with engine problems, guiding it safely to a wharf.

Hundreds of people, including some of the boat’s former skippers, have shared advice, encouraging words, and offered to help, Farrant said.

She recalled the boat had launched friend and Waipu resident Greg Maddox’s career as a sign writer.

“There’s a lot of love and respect for this old girl (Bay Belle).”

Built by Deemings boats at Ōpua in 1960, the Bay Belle was first launched in 1961 as the Fullers Cream Trip ferry making deliveries and transporting passengers over a traditional shipping route that took in some of the Bay of Island’s most spectacular coastal sights.

The Bay Belle served as the passenger ferry between Paihia-Russell between 1973 and her retirement in 2011.

The Bay Belle spent 50 years as a passenger and freight ferry in the Bay of Islands. Photo / supplied

During that time the vessel helped make history with some of the country’s first female skippers of commercial vessels at her helm.

Eighty-five-year-old Jane Taylor was at the wheel for the vessel’s last trip in 2011, which made national news.

In 1966, Taylor was the Bay of Islands’ - and possibly New Zealand’s - first ever woman to captain a commercial vessel. She became skipper of the Bay Belle in 1970 and skippered it on its final Cream Trip voyage in 1973.

In its later role as a Paihia to Russell ferry, Bay Belle was skippered by Captain Charlotte Ebbett who described the boat as “a mentor, a trusty workmate, an on-the-job engineering tutor and, in the end, my best friend”.

Ebbett’s now offering her support to Farrant so she can take the helm for her upcoming business venture.

“I can’t help but feel I’m following in the footsteps of many other strong and powerful female movers and shakers,” Farrant said.

She appreciated how much the Bay Belle meant to a lot of people.

“I get the feeling that walking her decks again might be a nostalgic walk down memory lane for many people.

“I can’t wait to be able to share her with you again.”

Farrant is keen to hear from anyone who has photos, memories, or stories of the Bay Belle to share.

She is best reached through the boat’s Instagram page baybellenz or by email Baybellenz@gmail.com

Sarah Curtis is a general news reporter for the Northern Advocate. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, most spent court reporting in Gisborne and on the East Coast. She is passionate about covering stories that make a difference, especially those involving environmental issues.