A CLASSIC BOATING VENUE LOST FOREVER

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A CLASSIC BOATING VENUE LOST FOREVER

During the week the  media have been flagging the sale of the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron Kawau Island property (Lidgard House and property”) to Ngati Manuhiri. I have no issue with who bought it and I’m not going to enter into the debate around whether the property will be visually and physically respected by its new owner. 

What concerns me is the loss of access to a resource that all boat owners had access to. Sure the RNZYS owned it, but no one ever stopped a boat owner stretching their legs or exercising the family dog. And if you were a squadron member, you had access to an all tide wharf/pontoon where you could tie up the dinghy. 

If you think it will be business as normal re access, you are wrong. I quote from the RNZYS advice to members –  “In recognition of the Squadron’s long stewardship of the property, Ngati Manuhiri has warmly invited RNZYS to continue to enjoy use of the beachfront, jetty, pontoon and lawn area TWICE annually….. for an initial period of 20 years”.

Sadly I suspect the real loser from this sale will be the Kawau Boating Club, there will be fewer ‘walk up’ customers frequenting the club and less fuel sales. The only winner out of all this is Waiheke Island retailers, and when you factor in high fuel costs – I predict boats will be dropping anchor closer to home this summer. 

NORTHWIND – NOT LONG OF THIS WORLD

The 33’ wooden motorsailer NORTHWIND is very close to an appointment with a back hoe. In the words of the wellington Harbour Master – “this is a serious project for a classic boat and not for the faint hearted” – that would be the understatement of the year.

In my eyes probably best viewed as a donor boat for someone wanting some fittings. Searchable on tme. (thanks Ian McDonald)

CLASSIC WOODYS GETTING READY FOR A SPRING SPLASH

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CLASSIC WOODYS GETTING READY FOR A SPRING SPLASH

Dropped into the working end of the Milford Creek / Marina yesterday and caught up on the woodys getting some late winter TLC

MY GIRL – the 1925 Dick Lang built (to a W H Hand design) was out at the Slipway Milford for an application of a new go fast bottom paint. All hush hush trial but I can tell you it wasn’t around in the 1920’s. Note to handicappers – alter MY GIRLS handicap 😉

See more of MG here – https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/11/12/my-girl-and-pacific-relaunched-60-wooden-boat-photos/

MENAI – keeping MY Girl company was the 38’ 1937 Sam Ford built MENAI – continuing her rolling restoration. See more of her here –  https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/09/11/menai-a-peek-down-below-2/

THETIS – cross the fence in the Milford Cruising Club yard was THETIS the 45’ 1955 launch built by the Lane Motor Boat Co. Out for a refresh. More here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/09/02/thetis-a-peek-down-below/

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH STERLING GIRL RISES IN PRICE

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH STERLING GIRL RISES IN PRICE 

It seems the southern woodys haven’t quite received the memo about the classic wooden boat market reset.

Back in 2018, while wandering the Picton waterfront, I had to be practically dragged away from the 1913 bridge-decker STERLING GIRL.

Back then, she ticked just about every box for me — 35 feet, Bailey & Lowe, ex-workboat, a wood fire and, best of all, a Ford Model T steering wheel/helm. (Yes, I know… I’m shallow.)

And in my eyes – absolutely drop-dead gorgeous.

At the time, STERLING GIRL was priced at 26k, which seemed pretty fair value. Fast-forward seven years and she’s apparently still looking for a new custodian — but the asking price has risen to 29k

Perhaps she has been re-powered or received some serious TLC along the way. Or perhaps there’s simply now a broker involved and a commission to accommodate…

The real challenge may simply be geography. For a northern-based woody enthusiast, getting STERLING GIRL relocated could add a significant chunk to the purchase price.

Seven years later, I still think she’s a stunner.

CLASSIC WOODEN MOTORSAILER – NAMELESS

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CLASSIC WOODEN MOTORSAILER – NAMELESS

Todays woody is a recent addition on tme, thanks Ian McDonald. The 47’ Sang designed motorsailer NAMELESS was built in 1953 in Miramar, Wellington. Powered by a 65hp Albion Albatross diesel engine (1947).

Her owners of 25 years say she needs a tidy and some maintenance, but at sub 100k NAMELESS is a lot of boat and she has the X factor ie a looker.
A great selection of photos from her build / launching.

CLASSIC CHILDHOOD FLASHBACK 

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CLASSIC CHILDHOOD FLASHBACK 

Todays classic woody photo was sent in by John Dawson, and was a flash back for me. My father built me a P-Class but as was typical , built it x4 the weight (1”+ marine ply) of the plans and it took 3 of us to launch it. Sailed like a pig and it was painted yellow. It didn’t get a lot of use and sold as a duck shooter punt. I was told I was a ungrateful child (they were right, I was). Not sure of the date of the photo but the bike, attire, and car would suggest late 1950’s > early 1960’s.

How cool would have this young guy been, owned a bike and a yacht ✔️

I DISCOVERED WHERE AMERICA’s CUP BOATS GO TO DIE

On last weeks travels to Whangarei I called into Port Nikau and there looking very lonely were 3 of New Zealand’s Americas Cup yachts – NZL60, NZL84, NZL92 (lost the cup to Alinghi) – anywhere else in the world  NZL60 would be on permeant display somewhere a little more fitting. She successfully defended the Americas Cup back in 2000. The first boat to defend and retain the Cup outside of the USA.

CLASSIC SEACRAFT WOODEN CLINKER 

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CLASSIC SEACRAFT WOODEN CLINKER 

WW has run numerous stories on the very appealing classic clinker runabouts built by the Seacraft company in Auckland. Well maintained examples tend to be snapped up by the ‘lake crowd’, todays woody is already at Lake Taupo, would be nice to liberate her and let some salt water into her kauri hull.

What we learned from tme – built in 1956, 14’ in length, 2012 30hp Mercury o/board + what appears to be a good road trailer. Asking price 15k

Park her in the drive and wave goodbye to the marina robber barons and annual haul out costs

113 YEAR-OLD CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH GETS SOME WELL DESERVED TLC

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113 YEAR-OLD CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH GETS SOME WELL DESERVED TLC – LEITNER

Back in September 2013, classic wooden launch – LEITNER made an appearance on WW and the story over the next couple of years generated a raft of intel on her past and photos.  We learnt that she was built in 1913 by Harvey & Lang.

Forward motion these days is via a Perkins 6-354 diesel engine.

When launched she was very smart flat top launch and over the years there have been several additions , all visible in 2913 WW story  https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/09/21/leitner/

Robin Elliott commented re her restyling in a very kindly way saying – ‘at some time she was converted to a sort of bridge-decker type’. As seen in the above photos I took this week at DOCK5 in Whangarei.

Nice to see she is getting the TLC she deserves.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH VALMARIE – HOW DID IT COME TO THIS

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2013

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH VALMARIE – HOW DID IT COME TO THIS

I was mooching around the Whangarei waterfront during the week and spotted the launch VALMARIE hauled out at Dock5.                                                                 I did not recognise her until up close and spotted her name board. Even then I had to do a count / location of port holes and cabin widows to confirm she was the same vessel that last featured on WW back in April 2014  https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/04/10/valmarie/

Back in 2014 VALMARIE was for sale on tme and looking very smart. Another example of how quickly these woodys can go downhill if they do not get any TLC The last photo above was from 2013.

And on the subject of classics going down hill – I am very happy to report that the classic wooden launch – TRINIDAD has a new owner and been moved closer to Auckland. Her days of neglect in the far north are over. I hear her new owner is already planning to restore the bright work ✔️

1912 EARLY SETTLER LAUNCH – SEABIRD

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1912 EARLY SETTLER LAUNCH – SEABIRD

Todays classic woody is named SEABIRD,  a very popular name on WW. This one made a brief appearance on WW back in December 2020. At the time we learnt from Harold Kidd that she was built at Motukaraka, Hokianga by Kelsey Bros to their own design for their own use in April 1912 with a 6hp Automatic engine. The last photo above was from the 2020 story. 

SEABIRD has recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) where we are told  she is 27’ in length, double skin kauri hull, powered by a 80hp Hino diesel. SEABIRD has spent most of its life on the Hokianga and was built for the sheltered but demanding waters of this harbour. 

Her owner commented that she was “looking a tad shabby right now but the bones are there to get this back into great vintage condition”. She served originally as the Kelsey family launch, as well as a Butter Boat and School Boat.

WW hopes a new passionate owner is found for SEABIRD – her location, condition and style/configuration will be challenging but these earlier settler launches need preserving.

CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – SQUID

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CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – SQUID

Today again thanks to Robyn Kellian’s Leigh based photo album, which comes to us via Tobias Forsyth we get to view another vessel. It’s safe to assume, given the visible ‘number plate’ AK255 / AK2551?, the launch is a commercial fishing boat, it’s design and presentation hints that she may have had a foot in both camps – commercial / pleasure.

The photo is tagged – SQUID, that combined with an unusual design should spark a few sleeping neurones with some WW readers and we will learn more about SQUID.