Tug Lyttelton Preservation Society

20/06/2026

Coming to our Trademe sales site very soon 3D printed replicas of the Tug Lyttelton and the updated Engineers Training Manual for any one who wishes to become a steam engineer on board our historic vessel

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/search?member_listing=3037536

20/06/2026

Joining the Tug Lyttelton Preservation Society isn’t like joining another man shed.
It’s the path to endless opportunities, friendships, challenges and rewards
https://tuglyttelton.co.nz/get-involved/
$35.00 for family membership

Get involved. Volunteer Sign up. We’re always looking for volunteers to help out with jobs on the boat through to helping us out within the organisation. If you’re keen to lend us a hand in any way, please let us know by filling out this form. Membership Sign up. Conditions of MembershipThe aims...

20/06/2026

Hi All,
Another very pleasant day weather wise out on Z wharf this week with 10 volunteers on board Tug Lyttelton.
John S and Colin were tidying up the pitch between the new decking by the toilets. Colin also continued assembling the new firehose crate.
Peter carried on replacing the steel strip to attach the wooden railing to on the Starboard side.
Andy was removing the old putty from the engine room skylights.
John T and Bruce carried on fitting the replacement wooden railings on the Starboard side.
Captain Dave was attending to rope maintenance.
Alf was busy with the paint brush as usual.
I continued striping back the old varnish on the old wooden steering wheel.
Godfrey was on cooking duty in the Galley, preparing our lunch and brewing up the hot drinks.
We also had a visit from Hydroworx to empty the sewage tank, which required a long hose, as there is no vehicle access to Z wharf.

Thursday Tug as usual next week the 25th of June, weather permitting.
See you there,

13/06/2026

Hi All,
No wind and not a cloud in the sky out on Z wharf this week, with 11 volunteers on board the Tug.
Peter and Godfrey were welding on the new replacement steel strip to attach the wooden railings to, on the starboard side.
John S and Colin carried on fitting the new replacement decking by the Forward hatch cover.
Captain Dave and John T were checking out the condition of the old wooden lifeboat and the pulley blocks on the Starboard side. It will probably never be used again in an emergency, but it is definitely an historic feature of the Tug.
Andy carried on painting and assembling the new fire hose crate.
Alf continued on with his mission to paint anything on the Tug that needs a coat of paint.
I was stripping off the old varnish on the beautiful original old wooden steering wheel in the wheelhouse.
Keith continued working on the Starboard engine valves down in the engine room,
Kevin was busy as usual in the Galley and also topping p the water tanks.

Thursday Tug as usual next week the 18th of June.
See you there,
Carl.

06/06/2026

Hi All,
A strong North Easterly blowing up the harbour this Thursday with 11 volunteers on the old Tug.
Dave M, John S and Colin finished off applying the Pitch between the decking by the toilets and started fitting new decking by the forward hatch cover.
Peter, John T and Godfrey carried on grinding and cleaning up the steelwork underneath the wooden railings on the starboard side.
Alf took advantage of the good drying weather to apply a 2 pot anti rust mix to the metal fittings on the port side.
I carried on varnishing the Wheelhouse interior.
Keith was down in the engine room working on the starboard engine valves.
Kevin produced one of his delicious hot soups for our lunch, accompanied by warm garlic bread supplied by Judy.

I have been asked by several people how the presentation I gave to the Victoria League at Riccarton House on the 26th of May went. I gave a 1 hour talk with 30 slides of Tug images covering the history and the upcoming restoration of Tug Lyttelton. I was right out of my comfort zone, but a good result in the end, as they generously donated $1,000 to our restoration fund.

Thursday Tug as usual next week the 11th of June,
See you there,
Carl.

25/05/2026

A couple from the archives. The 1st is the Royal Yacht Ophir and Tug Lyttelton as a paddle steamer circa 1901. The 2nd I'm unsure when

23/05/2026

Hi All,
12 volunteers on board the Tug Lyttelton this week.
The first task for the day, with all hands on deck, was hoisting a rather heavy Planer/Thicknesser that Captain Dave has acquired through his local Mens Shed, onto the Tug, using the Tug's derrick, which all went smoothly.
Dave M and John S carried on applying the Oakum to the replacement decking by the toilets.
Andy cleaned out and dismantled the old wooden firehose crate and measured up for a replacement one.
I got a coat of varnish on the wheelhouse interior.
Keith and Peter attended to maintenance down in the engine room.
John T and Bruce removed some wooden railings on the starboard side, to get at the steel work underneath, which needs replacing.
Alf was repairing and painting the skylights framework in front of the Galley.
Godfrey was on lunch and cuppa duty in the Galley.
We also had a visit from Michael Fowke, a long time Tug volunteer.

Thursday Tug as usual next week the 28th of May.
See you then,
Carl.

16/05/2026

Hi All,
A great day weather wise out on Z wharf this week with no wind and not a cloud in the sky. 13 volunteers on board. Fortunately, or maybe fortuitously , Kevin had purchased a 15 pack of sausages for our lunch. A good decision either way.
John T got 2 coats of primer on the new steel panels up in the Bow area that Joerg has recently restored/replaced.
Godfrey and Peter carried on where Lucas had started replacing the steelwork underneath the wooden railings on the starboard side.
Dave M and John S got rid of the surface rust off the steel under decking by the Forward hold entrance and got a coat of primer on it.
Bruce carried on with his restoration down in the museum area.
Colin disassembled the old green wooden seat in front of the galley and took the measurements for a replacement one.
Andy was figuring out the safest way to get up the main mast, to be able to sand and revarnish it.
Alf took advantage of the good weather to get another coat of varnish on the starboard side wooden railings.
Keith carried on with maintenance down in the engine room.
I carried on sanding down the interior of the wheelhouse.
It was good to see Captain Dave back on board, looking a lot better health wise, and getting back to his old self.

Thursday Tug as usual next week the 21st of May.
See you there,
Carl.

11/05/2026

volunteers at work. That is camera shy volunteers!

09/05/2026

I have just been shown this article from August '09 of the Hikitia and the Tug Lyttelton sharing the dry dock.. Thank you H Garlick of Whangarei.