LUANA – CLASSIC GENTLEMAN’S MOTORBOAT 4 SALE – First Time In 32 Years

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LUANA – CLASSIC GENTLEMAN’S MOTORBOAT 4 SALE – First Time In 32 Years

Todays WW story was a tough one to write because the featured classic wooden launch – LUANA has been on my bucket list for the last 20 years, when asked “when are you buying a bigger boat” my answer was always – “Its not for sale”. Now it is and it is me thats not in the market.

A Snap Overview • Designer/Builder – T.M. Lane – 1920 • 47’ x11’6” x 3’3” • Carvel Kauri planked • Ford120hp  Diesel engine (c.1986)

In the classic wooden boating world, larger craft rarely come on the market, more often they are ‘passed around’ the extended family. A lack of past owners also tends to ensure these craft remain unaltered (eg the wood butchers haven’t played around with them) and they have good maintenance records.

In my eyes there are 5>6 big classic New Zealand woodys that are in a league of there own. Some slip out of the group and go down hill and some come back under new ownership / refits.

How you value these boats is a challenge – the normal factors come into play e.g. provenance, size and condition etc, then you have to add in two wow factors – 1.The boats visual appeal. 2. Does the combination of everything else give her the X factor. There is a famous quote by the USA designer – Herreshoff, the sums it up – “If as you walk/row away from your boat and you do not look back over your shoulder – you own the wrong boat”. Closer to home our own Harold Kidd said to me once – “Dear boy do not be under any illusion – it is a beauty contest”

Well LUANA is one of the top 6 boats and her owner for the last 32 years, has asked the Wooden Boat Bureau to assist in identifying the next custodian of LUANA. Price? That would be the worst first question to ask, monies money but there will have to be some hand holding before you get onto the dance floor.

In a sentence – an elegant classic with pedigree and class, very original both inside and out and impeccably presented, one of the jewels of the classic NZ fleet.

.Expressions of interest and request for more details to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN WOODEN MOTOR BOAT – CAMIRA

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CLASSIC AUSTRALIAN WOODEN MOTOR BOAT – CAMIRA

As a result of the story during the week on the Australian motor-sailer MID PACIFIC, WW was contacted by Sydney WW reader Blue Edmonds who sent in todays photos of the 1956 woody – CAMIRA.

Blue commented that CAMIRA was designed by the same gent, Norman Wright & Son as MID PACIFIC. Her builder was Jack Clark.

Some specs – 40’ x 12’6” x 4’. Forward motion is from a Perkins M135 + her sloop sail rig.

There is an impressive fleet of these motor boat / sailers cruising up and down the eastern coast of Aust., keen to learn more about them.

CLASSIC WOODYS FROM RIWAKA INLET – A PHOTO UPDATE

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CLASSIC WOODYS FROM RIWAKA INLET – A PHOTO UPDATE

A good friend, John Burland, used to split his year between Germany and Motueka in Nelson – a rather handy arrangement for WW, as John has a great eye for photography and a passion for mooching around waterfronts.

Regularly, WW would receive a welcome ‘dump’ of photos from the Riwaka Wharf, Harbour and Marina, giving us a wonderful glimpse into the local classic boating scene.

Those visits have become less frequent over the last few years as life has got in the way, so I was particularly chuffed to receive an email yesterday containing a fresh gallery of classic wooden boat photos.

Some familiar faces make an appearance, but it’s always reassuring to see that the TLC is continuing, along with plenty of new additions to the collection.

Whenever I see boating communities like this, I can’t help feeling a little envious. The loss of so many traditional waterfront working and storage areas around the Waitematā Harbour has played a significant part in the decline of our classic wooden boat fleet. And perhaps just as sadly, we’ve also lost many of the people, skills and facilities that once made keeping these beautiful old craft afloat part of everyday boating life.

It’s great to see that Riwaka is still keeping some of that tradition alive.

STOLEN AUSTRALIAN CLASSIC MOTOR-SAILER WITH A KIWI TIE-UP

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STOLEN AUSTRALIAN CLASSIC MOTOR-SAILER WITH A KIWI TIE-UP

WW was sent a heads up by John Dawson with a YouTube link to the video above. John stumbled across the video while trolling YouTube, when I checked it out, how could I not with a title that reads ‘A Stolen Sailboat, a Kidnapping and a Stabbing – The Mid Pacific Story’, I see it also appeared on the Australian blog – Southern Wooden Boat Sailing which I’m a big fan of, but I missed this story. It is a cracker story about a theft of a 1960’s classic wooden motor-sailer, from Morten Bay, Australia and the plan was to sail to New Zealand and sell her. Things didn’t so as planed – click the youtube link and enjoy.

You might like to check out the SWS blog – https://www.southernwoodenboatsailing.com/

INPUT ex RUSSELL WARD ON THE RECOVERY

SHOULD I PAY FOR A SURVEY ON A CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT

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SHOULD I PAY FOR A SURVEY ON A CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT

Short answer yes, best money you will ever spend.

But with the current depressed market the temptation is not to or at least ‘ask a friend’ i.e. someone who thinks they know more than you. A dangerous option.

I tell people that what you end up with is a to do list for the inevitable ‘rolling restoration’.

BUT – if you decide to be a DIY’er , this article from a UK publication titled CLASSIC SAILOR (I think its RIP) is a good starting point.

WHERE IS THE CLASSIC LAUNCH WAIRUAMA

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WHERE IS THE CLASSIC LAUNCH WAIRUAMA

Back in November 2014 (the very earlier days of the site) WW ran a brief story on the classic wooden launch -WAIRUAMA. Over the next 3 years the comments and photographic input just mushroomed. There was a lot of debate as to who designed / built WAIRUAMA, link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/11/29/wairuama/

Then in late 2017 we went into radio silence and nothing since.

Until yesterday when I was contacted by a gent who advised that he had an item engraved with the message – ” With best wishes from the skipper and crew of the Wairuama 26.5.43”. Given the date we could safely assume the ‘skipper and crew’ were her war time NAPS crew.

So woodys do we know where WAIRUAMA is today, would be nice if we could reunite the item with the boat. Ps Given the price of gold these days, have not disclosed what the item is – joke 🙂


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A GLIMPSE OF LAKE TAUPŌ’S CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING PAST

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A GLIMPSE OF LAKE TAUPŌ’S CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING PAST

Todays classic woody photo popped up on a fb page named ‘You Know Your’e From Taupo When’, the poster was Mark Gregory and he commented that the photo was dated c.1964.

Taupo certainly was a wooden boating hub back then. Hopefully Paul Drake can ID a few for us.

(Apologies if the photo has appeared before on WW)

INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – My brothers and I saw this wonderful photo for the first time ever a few days ago, and have had a ‘name the boat’ competition won by brother Nigel, who named 13. Others of us could only get to 10 or 11. Starting from the bottom second from left – KOTAHI (Bailey and Tyler 1912) Last seen at Auckland Zoo where she was an exhibit from 2013 until 2022. MARY – last seen on the Whanganui River. RAINBOW – last seen at Lake Rotoiti. REDWING – last glimpsed in a yard adjacent to the road leading south from Christchurch. Boats moored in the river, front row – from left to right – WAIRINGI (we kids called her THE FAT BOAT before we knew her name). KOTARE (steel, and still resident in The Boat Harbour). ARCADIA (Slattery about 1910) – also still in The Boat Harbour. Next is an un named boat, home built, which we called THIRTY FOOTER. And then DAUNTLESS, last seen at Milford Creek . Second row from left is NGARO ex APACHE (Lidguard). Behind her, almost invisible, is EL ALAMEIN now RANUI (Supreme Craft 1945) now on the Hokianga Harbour (since 2018). In the centre of the picture, between and behind KOTARE and ARCADIA, is VACUNA (Owen Woolley 1958, and well covered on ww for all the wrong reasons). Finally, in the distance and to the left. is FLYING SKUD (Lidguard – Kawau Island – 1953. Said to be wrecked in 1985 at Auckland). And the boys? Bill and Paul Bramley.

As an aside -The Taupo Boat Harbour or The Taupo Marina? I insist on calling it The Taupo Boat Harbour, but much (BUT NOT ALL) of the current signage calls it The Marina. The word is not even in my Oxford Illustrated Dictionary. There, I’ve had my rant.

Call For Help Re Arch Logan Yacht – TARA

Over the weekendWW was contacted by Gregory Schultz re help with TARA, I’ll let him tell the story –

“I have recenty volunteered to ‘tidy up’ Tara, which has been on display at the Matakohe Kauri Museum where it has sat for many years, albeit as a very sad exhibit. I have shuddered everytime i have seen it and decided to become an approved musuem volunteer to officially get  Tara looking like it should. Reputed to be the last boat Arch Logan built in 1938 its historic value is signicant. I have absolutely no intention of any restoration work as its present patina is how I think Tara should stay….bare paint in places…sails possibly original….even an unused Sails and Covers cotton spinnaker in it bag. What i intend doing is setting it up properly to suit its era. The sails will be set properly and all the sheets and haliyards replaced with the rope type used back then.
So with this in mind do any WW readers know of any old cotton rope around 1/2 inch dia or slightly under and preferably well used that someone might like to contibute to the cause. Also any history on this boat that can be kept on record at the musuem would be great. I cant find mention of it in Robin & Harolds book ‘The Logans’ or anywhere else.”Contact Gregory at. itzgreg@yahoo.com

STILL THINKING ABOUT DOING THE WOODYS CLEVEDON BBQ CRUISE THIS WEEKEND – RSVP waitematawoodys@gmail.com

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – VIOLETTA – A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – VIOLETTA – A Peek Down Below

Back in December 2023 WW ran a story on the 36’ Swanson designed and built wooden launch – VIOLETTA. At the time we learnt a lot about her but did not get to see down below. Dec story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/12/18/violetta/

Now thanks to a recent tme appearance we get a peek down below + some recent photos.

In summary – Built in 1965, with a diagonal Kauri hull. initially for use in the Cook Strait, she has subsequently made 100’s of trips across to Durville Island, Steven’s Island and Pelorous Sounds.
Powered by a 150hp Ford turbo engine, she cruises comfortably at 10>11 knots and at fully chat will do 15 knots. As expected with a Swanson and her playground , VIOLETTA is very well appointed.

A SUNDAY CRUISE ON THE CLASSIC 1928 WOODEN LAUNCH NEREIDES

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A SUNDAY CRUISE ON THE CLASSIC 1928 WOODEN LAUNCH NEREIDES

I uploaded this story before any election results were known – so some of you will be happy and some disappointed when reading this on Sunday morning. Hopefully enough intelligent people did their homework and that sanity has prevailed.

Whatever your mood, it will be improved by a cruise aboard the 1926 Joe Slattery built launch NEREIDES, click the video above and marvel at the craftsmanship and vision of owner Mark Lever. The man is one of those blokes that can just about turn their hand to anything – check out some of Mark’s projects and craft HERE

More photos and intel ere https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/06/26/nereides-centenary-book/

RSVP TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com

WINDHAVEN II – IS THIS THE BIGGEST COLIN WILD CLASSIC WOODY BUILT

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WINDHAVEN II – IS THIS THE BIGGEST COLIN WILD CLASSIC WOODY BUILT

Ten years ago WW ran a brief story on the relaunching of the rather large Colin Wild classic wooden yacht WINDHAVEN II.

She had just emerged from a rebuild at the Yachting Developments yard in Hobsonville.

Link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/11/27/windhaven-ii/

She was berthed at Westhaven for several years along side her owners floating office / apartment.

Last time I saw her was in March 2020 competing in the classic regatta on Waitemata Harbour. – photo below.

Maybe I’m yacht blind but I can’t recall seeing her since – can we get an update.

STILL THINKING ABOUT DOING THE WOODYS CLEVEDON BBQ CRUISE NEXT WEEKEND – RSVP TODAY waitematawoodys@gmail.com