The Jenkins family aboard NEVER FAIL at Watson's Bay, probably in the 1950s.

Images(3)

Never Fail

Vessel numberHV000097

Owner Australian National Maritime Museum

Date1946

DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 5.49 m x 2 m (18 ft x 6.56 ft)

DescriptionNEVER FAIL is a wooden clinker construction launch. Like so many vessels it is planked in New Zealand kauri, with Australian timbers such as black butt used elsewhere. The motor was a single cylinder Simplex petrol engine, Australian made and one of the common makes available in the post war years. Dick Feeney and Len Healey from Bondi built the launch for themselvesf after the war in 1948 as a recreational boat for fishing and cruising Sydney Harbour. It was kept on moorings around Watson's Bay.

These simple and unobtrusive launches were generally unremarkable in themselves, but as a type they were one of the most common craft around Australia for family recreation and fishing trips. The Simplex engine and other makes of petrol motors were simple to operate and maintain and must have given rise to the name NEVER FAIL.

The launch passed on to the Jenkins family in Sydney's eastern suburbs, and they used it up until 1987, when William Jenkins donated the well-used launch to the Australian National Maritime Museum. It is now part of the National Maritime Collection.
SignificanceNEVER FAIL is a wooden motor launch built in Sydney in 1948. It is an excellent example of the many ordinary fishing boats and motor launches built in the post-war years that were used on waterways all around Australia. Simple and sound, they allowed many people to get out on the water and enjoy fishing or just exploring.