'Any tourist to Auckland who either sails on or even just admires the Ted Ashby now working from the Museum in Hobson Basin would find this documentary a fascinating and dramatic introduction to these unique working boats of the Hauraki Gulf, once a proud fleet, now reduced to a handful'
Tessa Duder - author and sailor

'...This is a fascinating video and likely (IMHO) to add to the company’s medal tally. We owe Gaffrig a big vote of thanks for their tenacity in recording the original footage and in now producing this record…. The film runs for a little over an hour and I sat, engrossed, as the story unfolded. Ted Ashby looks wonderful as she sails around the harbour and under the Harbour Bridge in the care of her volunteer crew(s). The historical shots and interviews very nicely round out the story…'
Larry Robbins, CEO New Zealand National Maritime Museum

Ted Ashby - Big Rig of the Gulf - has taken 10 years to complete. The film follows the construction of a new scow built for the New Zealand National Maritime Museum in Auckland. The original construction footage shot in 1992 includes a timelapse from 3 angles, and the building process from timber milling to launching.
The New Zealand trading scow's history and Ted Ashby's story is told by the people involved - the designers, builders, sailmakers, historians and the people whose vision made the project possible. The atmosphere of an era past has been recreated. Modern techniques plus new and old footage enable the viewer a look at a history almost lost.
The Ted Ashby was the first new scow to be built for many years and there is unlikely to be another with the same authenticity.

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