Lidgard Brothers built the 22-foot (6.71m) mullet boat Valkyrie for Stuart Naismith in 1936, continuing their long-standing reputation for these yachts.

Photographer unknown, New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa (1994.162)

Roy Lidgard examining the bow of the motor sailer Rongomau on the slip at Lidgard's shipyard.

Photograph by National Publicity Studios, courtesy of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga / Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections (895-A51488)

The 62-foot (18.9m) Fidelis set a new record in the 1966 Sydney–Hobart race. Lidgard Brothers built this triple-planked kauri keeler to a design by its owner, Vic Speight.

Photographer unknown, Sea Spray Collection, New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa

John Lidgard designed and built the One Ton Cup racer Renegade for himself in 1969. The yacht won a Hobart–Wellington race the year it was launched.

Photographer unknown, Sea Spray Collection, New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa

LIDGARD FAMILY

Three generations of the Lidgard family have influenced New Zealand boat designing, building and sailmaking for nearly 100 years.

Mullet-boat beginnings

Lidgard brothers Vic (1892–1974), Roy (1895–1967), Fred (1898–1977) and Mike (1902–1960) began the family’s boatbuilding tradition as young men during and after World War I. They made their initial reputation designing and building mullet boats.

Fred, Roy and Vic would become the most expert and influential men associated with these yachts for the next 60 years.

LIDGARD FAMILY

Keelboats in the 1930s

In 1932, Roy, Fred and Mike founded Lidgard Brothers Boatbuilders. They became well known for their 30- to 40-foot (9.14–12.19m) keelboats.

By 1946 they had established a second yard, managed by Fred, on Roy’s property at Kawau Island in the Hauraki Gulf.

A second generation

After World War II, the next generation followed in the previous generation’s footsteps. Roy’s son Jim (1920–1967), Fred’s son John (1931–), and their sister Betsy Lidgard’s son Chris Robertson (1927–) were apprentices at the yard, along with Jim Young.

These young men all went on to establish themselves as prominent boatbuilders.

LIDGARD FAMILY

Sails and ocean racers

Vic’s son Jim (1946–2003) learned sailmaking from Leo Bouzaid and in the 1970s established Lidgard Rudling Sailmakers – later Lidgard Sails. His sails featured on many successful offshore yachts, including the winning 1993/94 Whitbread boat, New Zealand Endeavour.

Fred’s son John (1931–) designed the notable ocean racer Matuku (1955). He established his own yard in 1959 and that year built Bob Stewart’s Patiki, the first of the famous Stewart 34 class. He continued designing influential racer–cruisers for 30 years. One-tonner Runaway, which he sailed, was part of the winning team in the 1971 Southern Cross Cup series.

Roy’s son Jim (1924–1967) designed successful 18-footers in the 1950s. He managed what had become Lidgard Shipyards in Auckland.

In a terrible blow to the family, Roy, Jim and a grandson were drowned in a shipwreck off North Cape in 1967.

LIDGARD FAMILY

The Lidgard legacy

A third generation of descendants continues the Lidgard boatbuilding tradition. It includes Lidgard Sails, Lidgard Boatbuilders and Robertson Boats in Auckland, and Lidgard Yacht Design in Queensland, Australia.