A Wee Woody

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A Wee Woody

I was contacted last year by Miles Clark searching details on the ex navy Fairmiles that had appeared on ww, his grandfather had been on a Fairmile B on his way to the Battle of St Nazaire on one and was saved by an engine failure just outside the battle area. I pointed him in the direction of Keith Nicholson & Heather Reeve who own the Paea.
During the chat he mentioned he owned a wee woody – his grandfathers kauri clinker that was built in Freemans Bay – restored a few years back. I asked for some photos & was impressed to see that the clinker while restored was still being used by the Leigh based family. Well done Miles.

Aside from it being a great looking dinghy & all of us needing a good summer photo to remind us that winter will end – the main reason for posting this story is to remind you all that basically “if its wood its good’ i.e. send in your photos, no matter what size your pride & joy is & ww followers love a project, so refitted / restoration stories are great.

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Ngaru

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NGARU
Ngaru had a wee oops early this year & took on a fair amount of water, you can see in the photos of the engine cover and interior side walls the depth of the water in side the boat. But while there will be damage to her Isuzu 4cyl. engine, gearbox and electrics, I understand she did not ‘go-down’.

She was built by the Lidgard’s in 1947 & is approx. 27′ in length, but in true Lidgard style, she is very spacious for a sub 30′ launch & in my eyes rather pretty.

I have featured Ngaru on ww today as she has been sitting on the hard at Dockland 5, Port Rd, Whangarei since late February & is now up for an on-line auction, starting bid being $2250. Trust me woodys she will be a steal & has the making of a great classic launch.
The Turners auction # is 16374284 & closes this Sunday 25th.

If my old mate Tom is reading ww today, he will onto this auction faster than you can spell Beehive Matches 😉

Wakaiti

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WAKAITI

Wakaiti is a 39’4″, kauri carvel launch built by Dick Lang in 1920, as a commercial tow boat. In today’s world having the same owner for the last 55 years is a very rare thing but all good things come to an end & as the sign on her bow say – Wakaiti is now for sale.

She was re-powered c.2001 with 120hp, 6 cyl. Ford diesel running a 2:1 PRM box and 24×16 3 blade prop. This set up pushes her nicely along at 8 > 10 knots, with a top speed of 12 knots. Her beam is 9’10” & draft is 5’10”. (the interior photos have had the benefit of what they call the real estate salesman’s best friend  – the wide angle lens 🙂  ) Thanks to Ian McDonald for the trademe heads up.

So woodys, what do we know about her past?

Harold Kidd Input (lots more in the Comments Section)

WAKAITI = “little ship” in Maori. Dick Lang built this 36 footer at his yard in St. Mary’s Bay in 1922. She was launched on 2nd September of that year for Parry Bros of the Mahurangi to carry cream on the river. By 1928 the Parrys were using her as a tow boat on the Waitemata. In 1936 they sold her to R.G. Brain of Coromandel. Eventually she ended up in the ownership of Ernie Seagar, marine engineer of wide repute in Auckland. Ernie’s not well and is obviously selling his beloved launch.
I was in the 5th Form at Takapuna Grammar with Ernie Seagar. He had been in that Form for 3 years, unable to get School Certificate because of distractions such as being the Captain of the First 15, Head Prefect (in the 5th Form!!) and an outstanding yachtsman and general sportsman.
Later he went on to get his Marine Engineer’s tickets at sea and then ran his engineering business at Sulphur Beach alongside Dave Jackson. An amazing character.

 

AOMA – 30′ Halvorsen ‘Special’

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AOMA – 30′ Halvorsen ‘Special’

Aoma was launched in May 1963 & was build # 1185 for the Halvorsen company, in fact the last special built.
Aoma is in fact unlike most of these Australian woodys in that her hull was splined & the helm was on the starboard side rather than port.

The photos above of Aoma are ex Peter Arnold & show case the classic Halvorsen design, you either love or dislike these Australian classics, me ? I love them. They have a very strong class association & most are presented in a similar standard to Aoma. Most do not see much blue water, to be found cruising the inner & protected upper harbours. I believe the A-Cup man Iain Murray owns the largest Halvorsen built.

They represent good value for money on the market – but I’m not sure on the Aussie laws re exporting them ?

UPDATE: The photo below is of Iain Murray’s 60′ Halvorsen – Tooronga. Her designer Carl Halvorsen spec exported Tooronga to the States in 1949. The story goes that Carl was lunching in the Newport Yacht Club & a fellow diner saw Tooronga tied up outside – he immediately called a club steward & sent a blank cheque across the room to Carl on a silver tray. Carl returned the keys on the same tray – sale made 🙂
Ian Murray bought Tooronga in 1992 & returned her to Australian waters & commissioned a magnificent restoration.
You can read, see more on the boats here http://www.halvorsenclub.com.au/

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Cleona Mae

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CLEONA MAE

Cleona Mae as built by Brin Wilson in 1962 & is powered by a 6 cyl Ford diesel. In the above (hauled out) photos we see her in Feb/March 2017 at the Sandspit hard stand, where she was getting some TLC. Home of Cleona Mae these days is Scott’s Landing, Mahurangi. Below, her previous owner, Nigel Drake of Tauranga has documented some of her past. Thanks to Ken Ricketts for sending this to me. Special thanks to Nigel for sharing the story. (photos ex Nigel Drake, Ken Ricketts & Brian Worthington). On her launch day she had a wee opps, refer photos below.

“Cleona Mae, was built by Brin Wilson in 1962. Launching looks as though it was in November, as that is the date which is on the original photos of her, having fallen off the trailer on that day.

She was built for Bert Follas, a well known builder in Takapuna. She is named after his daughters, Cleo and Shona, and his first wife Mae. The story as told to me by one of his grandsons, was that Bert knew Brin Wilson quite well, and when talking with Brin one day, during a bit of a slow period for Brin, they agreed that Brin would build Bert a 34 footer. Bert apparently told his wife of the agreement that night!

Previous to Cleona Mae, Bert owned the smaller Cleona, which I understand, is still in Milford marina.

Cleona Mae lived on a mooring in Westhaven, and Bert used to row out from the dinghy storage area, though he did have some trouble climbing over the transom, as he was on crutches from age of about 50. He used to take business associates from Takapuna out to the Barrier. Large bronze bollards are on each side of the transom as he was involved with the Coastguard and used to tow boats home when required.

In 1983 Bert sold the boat to his solicitor, Ian Armstrong. Ian appears to have owned her for only 1 year, as she was purchased by Bill McNutt of Tauranga in 1984. I have a feeling the flying bridge was added in 1983.

I purchased Cleona Mae in 1999. I added the mast in 2003. It had been a flag pole, one of many, on top of the Wellington Harbour Board building. They were removing them and selling them off at the time. I did many trips up the coast from Tauranga to the Mercury Islands, Great barrier and into Auckland.

She is a great little boat.

I sold her to Aubrey Montague, her current owner, in Nov 2012 having purchased the 40 foot Woolley “Freelance” in 2011.

I did the delivery trip to Gulf Harbour with Aubrey.”

Classic Yacht Racing – Waitangi

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Classic Yacht Racing – Sailing Sunday

Sorry for the late post today, been out & about watching the A-Cup, 1-0 is a great start, even better is the fact we are actually (& mentally) 2 – Zip up on Oracle 🙂

Seems only fitting that we have some classic yacht racing today. The u-tube movie below is by Roger Mills & was bought to my attention on the WoodenBoat Magazine USA forum by kiwi classic yachtie Patrick Xavier (that’s not his real name, but I wont ‘out’ him here).

The clip shows the 1894 gaffer Waitangi preparing for a race in the winter series – 2016. Enjoy 🙂

 

Heading Across The Ditch In November?

The Jervis Bay Maritime Museum ( JBMM), in NSW, are holding a Classic Wooden Model Boat Festival on the weekend of November 10/11/12. Based on the info that I was sent by woody boat builder Colin Brown, whose brother Stan is on the Festival committee it’s a cracker weekend. See below details

On Friday evening (10th) there will be a casual “ Meet and Greet” in the museum.  There should be chance to mingle, swap yarns & partake of refreshments.

The museum is land-locked but has large grassed areas surrounding the main building with a large shallow pond.

The northern area overlooks the Currambene Creek which flows into Jervis Bay at the coastal village of Huskisson which is only a short walk away.

We plan to have Trade Stalls and Hard Stand boat exhibits.

So woodys if your in Australia & looking for something to do put this event into their diaries. For more details you can contact Stan at su.stan@bigpond.com

Check out the Museum here www.jervisbaymaritimemuseum.asn.au

 

 

Rakanui >> Mona’s Isle II

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RAKANUI  >>  MONA’s ISLE II

Andrew Pollard recently sent me the above photos (ex Baden Pascoe & Russell Ward) of the 1926 motorboat Rakanui. I’m unaware of her history, which I’m sure the 2 previously mentioned woodys will supply. But I have to say – WoW what a stunning vessel.
Below is a photo of her later in life after she had been converted to a tug & named Mona’s Isle II.

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Input from Russell Ward
Harold elicited that her ownership was as below (built by Bailey & Lowe):
1. W.R. Patterson (1926-1937)
2. J D Bell Ltd (1937-1939)
3. Winstones (1939+)
She had a Widdops semi diesel when new and hence the tall funnel to get the soot and smoke away. They were replaced soon after she was new. Ray Morey sent us a problem pic of her from Australia and I am hoping it will be posted because she was on a jolly with Capt Bell and passengers and we were not sure of the date or actual location in the harbour.
Superb tug and well praised by all those who served on her. When Patterson sold her to Bell pre WW2, she had to be renamed and Bell, being a Manxman, chose the name which was already in use by a Clyde ferry -hence she is the second of the name. Took us a while to fathom that one.
(Photo below taken when Bell owner her)

Input from Ray Morey
She also sported a pair of K4 Kelvins then Gardners before the Detroits which I am sure Keith Wright installed. I believe “Mona’s Isle” is the old gaelic name for The Isle of Man.

Input from Ken Rickets – Was run by the Julian family for a number of years as a tug, under ownership of Gulf Freighters Ltd, a joint Julian & Winstone company. She had 2 x 88 Hp Kelvin diesels, which they replaced with 2 x 95 hp 5 Cyl Gardners.
Input from Paul N. – In the ninetys she was owned by Sir Michael Fay and would tow a barge full of building materials from the Tamaki river down to the Merc’s. Later was sold to McManaways in the South Island and was used for towing a barge. Unfortunately the barge toppled over with the weight of two concrete trucks while loading, with the loss of two lives.

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Additional Input from Andrew Pollard
Julian used her extensively in the harbour bridge construction. The photos below are ex BadenPascoe / Russell Ward / Chris Robey

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Input from Robin Elliot (photo ex Russell Ward*)
In February 1945 Winstones loaned Mona’s Isle to Royal Akarana Yacht Club for use as their flagship at the club’s 50th Jubilee Regatta.
At RAYC’s centenary regatta in 1995, she was there again as flagship, now named Rakanoa and skippered by the redoubtable Peter Vandersloot who was tug-boat skipper for Sir Michael Fay.

*The photo is by Tinny Brown, who was a tug man of the times we speak of, and came to Russell via Tim Brown –a good steamer and ex Bailey’s man (hence a great craftsman). Now steaming in Whangarei with his steamer Clansman.

(Ron Trotter has advised she has been in Coromandel Harbour / wharf for the last year+)

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