Open/Close Toolbox
Copyright is retained by the photographer and/or contributor. Please do not reuse without permission.
Format: Story
Linked To
Location (city or town)Photograph
Copyright
Copyright is retained by the photographer and/or contributor. Please do not reuse without permission.
Menu
Melva-S
My Story
DescriptionAnother fishing boat that is special to me is the Melva-S. The S, being for Skelton and was named after the daughter of Dave Skelton the man who built and owned it. It was built in Cobden and was 40 foot long [12+m] but was later extended by about six foot or [2m].
The striking feature of the Melva-S was the sloping windscreen of the cabin, as in those days, cabins or wheelhouses were without exception square. Another feature was, that it had a sail at the front, that could be opened up to give you a bit of extra speed with a trailing wind. I went out fishing on day trips with Dave Skelton and his son Reg, three or four times, and was always sea sick.
Once I must have been having trouble with my ears from noise, so I stuffed some paper into my ears, I pushed it in so far, that after coming ashore, I had to go to the doctors to get him to pull it out, even after Mum had, had a go with tweezers. One time I was even allowed to steer the Melva-S in from the sea over to Greymouth bar and into the harbour, all with Reg standing by my side. That was very scary but exciting.
ContributorBrian McIntyre
The striking feature of the Melva-S was the sloping windscreen of the cabin, as in those days, cabins or wheelhouses were without exception square. Another feature was, that it had a sail at the front, that could be opened up to give you a bit of extra speed with a trailing wind. I went out fishing on day trips with Dave Skelton and his son Reg, three or four times, and was always sea sick.
Once I must have been having trouble with my ears from noise, so I stuffed some paper into my ears, I pushed it in so far, that after coming ashore, I had to go to the doctors to get him to pull it out, even after Mum had, had a go with tweezers. One time I was even allowed to steer the Melva-S in from the sea over to Greymouth bar and into the harbour, all with Reg standing by my side. That was very scary but exciting.
ContributorBrian McIntyrePhotograph
![''Melva S" at Greymouth wharf.](/img/placeholder.gif?1773707079 "''Melva S" at Greymouth wharf.")
Relates to
Category Information
Category TagfishingMenuBy Topic | Growing Up
MenuBy Topic | Growing Uploading google map....
West Coast New Zealand History (18th May 2015). Melva-S. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 10th Apr 2026 15:50, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/1175