Robert Logan (Senior)

Robert Logan Senior (1837–1919) was a notable boat builder and the founder of the Logan boat building and boat designing dynasty.

He was born in Dumbarton, Scotland, in 1837, and was educated in Glasgow. By the early 1870s Robert was foreman of a boat-building firm of Robert Steele & Co in Greenock on the River Clyde. During this time he received a commission from his older brother James who had emigrated to New Zealand in 1864 and was now based in Auckland. He was to build a small steamer, named the Eclipse, for the service from Auckland to Riverhead at the head of the Waitemata Harbour and have it shipped there from Glasgow.

Subsequently Robert Logan decided to join his brother and together with his family emigrated to New Zealand, arriving in Auckland on the Zealandia on 15 October 1874. The family settled in Devonport, where he obtained a position at the Niccol boat building firm.

In 1878 he set up in business as a boat builder in Devonport, close to what was then called the Flagstaff Wharf. Initially business was difficult, specially as he had a large family to support.

In 1879 he received a commission from Arch Buchanan for the 20 ft yacht Lala for his son. Later that year Buchanan also ordered a second yacht called Lala II for himself, with which he hoped to win the Second Class race in the Auckland Anniversary Regatta. Logan decided to simultaneously build a second yacht as a private venture to show what he could do. He named it Jessie Logan after one of his daughters. The performance of Lala II and in particular that of Jessie Logan which finished second and first respectively in the Auckland Anniversary Regatta following their launch established Logan's reputation. However orders were still slow due to the economic downturn at the time and Logan was forced to sell Jessie Logan via a raffle, known at the time as an Art Union. Eventually however more orders were placed and the business prospered. As his sons came of age many joined him in his business. In approximately 1890 Archibald and Robert left to set up in business as R. & A. Logan. In 1892 they were joined by their brother John, and the firm became known as Logan Brothers. By this time Logan, his sons and the Bailey boat building family were the dominant yacht building enterprises in New Zealand. This dominance was to last until the 1930s.

In 1895 Logan Senior transferred his boat building business to the south side of Waitemata Harbour. By 1900 Logan had a shed 120 feet long by 50 feet wide which enabled him to build vessels under cover up to 120 feet long.

Based on his experiences in building lifeboats on the Clyde, he pioneered the use of frameless diagonally planked two and three-skinned boats in New Zealand. This method of construction consisted of two thinner layers of planks that were diagonal to each other (fastened with galvanised nails) and a third skin of planks (fastened with copper nails) running horizontally fore and aft along the yacht. When combined with the use of the locally grown kauri Agathis australis the resulting hulls were extraordinarily long-lived, being highly resistant to rot and damage.

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