Hilary Barry's outfit launches couple on a colourful quest

The curious tale of the retired boat builder, an email, Seven Sharp presenter Hilary Barry's sartorial selection, and a particular shade of green.

It all started with an email sent to the Seven Sharp inbox:

Dear Hilary,

I am a retired Boatbuilder living in the Warkworth area. When the first Covid lockdown came in March 2020, I decided to build a launch for us (beats doing boring house maintenance!). She’s nearly finished now, and it's time to choose a colour.

We both liked what we call “British Racing Green”, but none seem to be quite right until last night (Feb 2nd) when you appeared on Seven Sharp in a frock, which is exactly the colour we want (at least that is how it appears on our TV!).

Do you know what is the official name for the colour of your frock, or better still, could you point us to whoever made it (maybe it was you) where we might just be able to get a small offcut to analyse by spectroscope?

Thank you in anticipation.

Bill Townson

I'll be honest: I don't reply to every email we receive (the Johns from Rangiora really don't deserve them), but this seemed important — so I responded to Bill.

Hi Bill,

Thanks so much for your email. The outfit is this one.

But fear not. It's much greener in person than it is in this picture. Kate Sylvester calls it "BOTTLE", but I'd say it's more of your classic forest green. It's a great colour, and I think it'd look fab on your launch.

Anyway, take a look. She's probably got it in-store.

All the best,

Hilary

There was a brief passage of time before Bill replied.

Hi Hilary,

I’ve contacted Kate Sylvester, and they’re going to see if they can find an offcut for me.

So here’s hoping !! I’ll keep you posted.

Interestingly, the colour looks quite different on my monitor, which we have found is often the case. I’m hoping that the colour resolution on the TV screen is accurate, but a sample will soon clarify that.

Bill

Ten days later, Bill had an update.

Hi, again Hilary,

I received the sample of your Green dress yesterday, and (as we’d hoped) the colour is exactly what we are looking for!

I’ll send it off to my paint manufacturer now who can put it under their spectroscope, analyse the colour and match it exactly.

Finding the exact right colour has been quite a mission as there are so many shades of green, and after a while, your brain loses track, so it’s a great relief to finally get what you want.

Kind Regards

Bill

It took another two months to get the perfect colour formula and the hull of Bill's boat painted.

Once complete, I popped over to Bill's place just north of Auckland with my green Kate Sylvester skirt and top to carry out an official check of the colour match.

Behind the corrugated green doors of an enormous green shed (I think Bill really likes green) sat Songbird, both the name of the boat and Bill's custom-made green paint.

The boat's hull is the perfect shade of Kate Sylvester green, and Bill is thrilled.

It's the 12th boat he built for him and Mona, and the first motor boat — the others were yachts.

At 80, hoisting the sails was getting a bit tough on his body.

The launch will take the couple as far north as Whangaroa and down to Tauranga. They say that's far enough for them these days.

After four years building Songbird, Bill reckons it'll be another year before the boat's ready. But he's happy with the progress — and with the shade of green inspired by a Kate Sylvester outfit he and Mona saw on Seven Sharp one night.

Happy sailing, Bill and Mona.

Hilary.

* Emails abridged

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