LADY K
The photos above go the launch LADY K come to us from Lan Krules and we see her in a mud berth at Kailua, Firth of Thames.
Ian commented that her owner told him that LADY K was built c.1970’s and is kauri planked.
She may have been a ‘rescue’ boat at some time in her life, looking at her I think she is close to needing to be rescued her self:-)
Can we learn more about LADY K
MATUA
Mooching around Milford Marina yesterday waiting to meet someone and I spotted a woody that is new to my eyes – MATUA. Enlarging the photo I can read her home port as ‘Whangaparapara, Great Barrier Island’
What do we know about MATUA.
INPUT ex John Wicks – She’s a converted lifeboat, and a nice example of the type. In her previous incarnation she was one of the old island liner “Matua’s” lifeboats, hence the name. For several years she was here at Hobsonville Marina, in the ownership of the Redwood family. I don’t know who has her now.
INPUT ex GRAEME SAPWELL – a mate of mine Dave Cox bought her from marine haulage’s yard at Hillside Road, Glenfield back in the late 70s . It was then just an abandoned open life boat. He repaired the hull and built the cabin on it and fitted an old 2 cyl Dorman engine. It also was kept at Milford marina at the time.
Speaking of Milford Marina – there is a major make-over happening there – the days of the loose planked board walks that you had to climb ladders to access your boat at low tide are numbered. Totally new design that is up there with any of Aucklands other marinas, sadly I suspect the berthing rates will be going up, which could be the end of some of the tired old woodys currently residing there.
MAXIE
Just when you think you know all the classic wooden boats out there (well at least all the pretty ones) up pops another.
Todays woody comes to us via the USA, boat designer Tad Roberts posted the story of MAXIE on fb.
Tad told us that MAXIE was designed and built by the Logan Brothers 1903. She was rebuilt with a larger deckhouse to the drawings of Bruce Askew in the early 1990’s.
She measures 36’ x 7’ and is built of double-planked kauri.
Power is a 65hp Ford diesel with a 2:1 reduction gear turning 13’x18’ prop, giving her a max speed of 10 knots. Comfortable cruising is 9 knots at 1750 rpm.
I did some sniffing around in the WW back library and discovered that back in Feb 2018 we had a wonderful insight into MAXIE’s past from Greg Noble – lots of details and photos at the WW link below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/02/12/mavis/
You’ll sell how todays photo didn’t jog my memory.
So woodys – where is MAXIE these days.
INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – Lake Taupo. MAXIE has been here for many years. She berths next to ROMANCE and gets a lot of attention from passers-by for all the wrong reasons. She has been neglected for a long time and is covered in lichem (moss) and the rest. Until yesterday. Her owner started a major cleaning job yesterday. She will clean up really well and then she may be for sale. Better days ahead for MAXIE. She deserves it.
INPUT ex HAROLD KIDD – MAXIE was bought by a Wellington buyer and arrived from the Sounds in 1923. She was later put up for sale as Logan-built. Going back to 1903, H.H. Harris of Pelorus ordered a 30ft launch from Logan Bros which was shipped to Picton in October 1903. Harris called her LIGAR. In 1904 he ordered another launch from Logan Bros, a 36 footer which was “similar to MATAREKA”. I am certain he named her LIGAR as well and that she was/is MAXIE. I don’t know who christened her MAXIE, possibly the Kennys. PS MAXIE could have been named after the racehorse Marvin Maxie a leading thoroughbred around 1920. The Kennys were too late on the Picton waterfront scene to have been involved.
Mystery Wooden Boat & Location
The woody photo above popped up on Lew Redwood’s fb and in the photo we see a launch being craned out of what probably was a back-yard building site.
The name on the crane is H.J. Hensley, does that ring any bells out there.
Keen to learn – location / date / builder / boat name.
SUSIE BELLE – A Peek Down Below
Todays woody photos come to us from John Dawson and feature the spirit of tradition launch – SUSIE BELL, built in 1986 by Don Brooke to a G Wheeler design.
She is 34’4” in length with a 9’5” beam and draws 2’9”.
Built from wood with that very thick ’special’ top coat paint (f/glass) 😦
Forward motion is from a 60hp Isuzu Diesel engine.
What Became Of The Launch – PARMA
WW had an enquiry during the week in regard to the 1958 Brin Wilson designed / built 37’ launch – PARMA. WW readers may recall that back in August 2022 we reported that she had stuck one of the Auckland Harbour bridge concrete foundations and as good as sunk. She was assisted to Hobsonville Marina, hauled out and sat there for approx. 5 months. Then in December 2022 we made several call outs to any woodys looking for a ‘free’ project boat.
The threat was that she would be despatched to the crusher before Christmas if no one stepped up.
So todays question is – was she saved and if so is she sitting in someones paddock or did she head to the land-fill.
UPDATE – Great news – she was saved and now resides on the Kaipara Harbour. Photos & video below ex Zach Matich via Jason Prew. I understand Ron Matich was the one that did the refit / restoration – well done:-)
Te Atatu Boating Club 65 Anniversary Celebrations – full details at the link below https://www.teatatuboatclub.co.nz/events
CICELY II
Todays woody photo popped up on Lew Redwood’s fb earlier in the week and Harold Kidd commented that she was correctly named CICELY II and was built / launched in 1949 for the Methodist Mission in the Solomon Islands.
We can assume she never made it back to NZ, hopefully still afloat but most craft that headed to the islands came to a sticky end. Do we known her status.
What caught my eye was the hull profile so close to the 1/2 model built by Graeme Lidgard and his son Andrew that featured in Thursdays WW story on the Lidgard launch – MELODY.
REHIA 2024 REFIT – Report #2
Last we we reported in on the 1938 Colin Wild built launch – Rehia and its xxxxx underway at the Slipway Milford. Today we get an update on the work-in-process. With the current good weather Auckland is experiencing the team at the Slipway have not been holding back, in fact even Cam Malcolm has emerged from his engineering workshop to get ‘on the tools’ 🙂
Sometimes it is quicker to build new than try and save – so a new cabin door has been added to the work list.
The wonder finish Uroxsys (Alwood) always repays attention to prep, so the 100% back to bare wood will look stunning when it gets the treatment. Her owners will reap the rewards of this work for years to come, and as I said last week, you can’t spend too much on a Colin Wild craft 🙂
LINK TO #1 Report https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/05/03/classic-launch-rehia-gets-a-birthday/
MELODY
Todays photo above is most likely the launch MELODY, it popped up on Lew Redwood’s fb – with the boats name and possible date for the photo being 1940>1949.
The photo was captioned ’The motorboat MELODY at a jetty’.
Back in June 2021 WW was contacted by Donna Lewis, a kiwi living in Australia who had purchased a collection of 1/2 models from a garage sale on KAWAU ISLAND , the models made their way to Australia when the buyer immigrated. Fast forward they were getting on in life and wanting to down scale so they contacted WW and the models were sent back to NZ.
At the time of the 2021 story (link below – lots of chat in the comments section) we learnt that one of the 1/2 models was most likely MELODY (see below) and K Ricketts commented that the builder was Roy Lidgard and sent in a screen grab (refer below) of MELODY taken from a old home movie shot by KR c.1954 https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/06/29/lidgard-1-2-models-help-needed/
Are we able to learn more about the launch and what became of her.
INPUT ex K Ricketts – magazine article below + 2017 photos
Classic Wooden Boat <> Water Front Apartment
We know nothing about this 33’ woodys past life and how it ended up as a floating waterfront pad – but its a seriously cool, low cost accomodation option in Wellington.
The tme story (thanks Ian McDonald) says only $120 a week rent and that includes secure car parking and security gate. At <$20k its a bargain.
The stern ‘window’ is an obvious giveaway that dockside is her resting place, in fact the engine is not working.
Can we put a name to this former launch now apartment.
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