The 78-year-old remembers as a boy getting rides on it off the coast of Kaikoura where his family lived at the time.
At 16 he was intent on becoming a commercial fisherman like his father, but that was not to be.
“No, I want you to stay and work on the farm. It’s my wish,” his dad said to him.
Mr Burrows has been a dairy farmer ever since but his love of boats and the sea has never ceased.
Four years ago, a friend pointed out Pakeha was for sale.
‘‘I’d always loved that boat . . .so I decided to buy it.’’
‘‘It’s been washed up on the beach . . .five, six times in its life and survived.’’
There was quite a bit of rot in it and so when it was brought to Careys Bay Marine Services in October 2018 it had to be stripped down and rebuilt.
The boat builders were able to rebuild Pakeha referencing old photos and Mr Burrows’ memory of how it was.
‘‘It’s always been one of the nicest, tidiest boats as a fishing boat,’’ Mr Burrows said. The boat was about a week away from completion, with just electric work to be done.
Mr Burrows and wife Nancy are planning a big trip to the top of the South Island this summer, including a visit to the daughter of the first owner of Pakeha, who lives in Waimate, and to the boat’s old home of Kaikoura.
