Bay of Islands woody – Marcus Petraska snapped the top photo of the Jorgensen built ex workboat – Liberator tied up last week at the Russel wharf, one of the smartest ex workboat conversions afloat. Possibly still owned by Grant and Semmens.
The second photo was taken by Dean Wright, also in the BOI’s over the 2019/20 summer cruising period.
Can anyone tell us more about Liberator?
A CALL FOR HELP – Where Can You Buy Pitch
I have been contacted by boat builder, Ron Hackett in regard to sourcing pitch, Ron used to get it from the Shell Co in Whangerei. He has tried Z, Marsden Refinery, and a company that re-uses old tarseal, but no joy. Does anyone know if you can still buy it and if so where. Also can tar be substituted for pitch? Ron wants to put some in the bottom of an older wooden boat.
Requests for info on boat on WW can be a lot like paying the pokie machines – you ‘feed’ the machine and pull the handle – sometimes it spins and nothing comes up, most of the time we get a small payout, just enough to keep us motivated to keep playing – then sometimes you hit the jackpot.
Today’s story is a jackpot pay out – starts like this – over the last 5>6 years the 1939, 56′, Miller & Tunnage built – Koputai has popped up on WW and we have been trying uncover more of her history. Back in May 2015 she was for sale and the then owner, the late, Louey Sandiant told us everything you would want to know about the photo + photos. Then in Sept 2020 Keith Foster, who purchased Koputai off Louey contacted WW and supplied some updated photos and a request for any further intel on the boat.
It took a few months but Matt Siddells made contact and advised that his grandfather – Russell Bramwell purchased Koputai as a retired pilot boat and did the conversion to pleasure boat. Matt has very kindly shared the gallery above of photos from the family album. You can see and read more about Koputai at the WW links below
Sadly I know the fate of the above 42’ launch – Hatea was destroyed by fire while cruising at the Hen & Chicken Islands, Northland, in February 1931. The only other information I can tell you is she was Whangarei based at the time.
Anyone one tell us more about Hatea – designer>builder> year launched etc.
Yacht On The Rocks Quiz Winner = Peter Brookes with the correct answer – Little Jim. Having crawled all over LJ doing to rebuilds/refurbishments – you would expect Peter to get it right 🙂
Ok I’m getting older and boring but when out and about (driving) I normally listen to Radio NZ – Nine to Noon show, but with CV-19 lock-down I missed Wednesdays show. And woodys I missed a goodie, but Charles Rogers via Angus (Centaurus) Rogers pointed me to the RNZ website for the story.
That story involves the 27’ 1915 Milner & Milner ex workboat – Elsie and how Brian Railton the commodore of the Dunedin classic boat club, came to own her. There is a link below to the full on-line interview between Brian and Kathryn Ryan (RNZ), but a quick overview looks like this.
Elsie started life as a hand lining fishing boat on the Otago Harbour, she remained as a commercial fishing boat until the early 2000’s when she was retired. Like a lot of oldies Elsie didn’t like retirement and escaped i.e. broke her mooring and took herself on a tour of the Dunedin waterfront, eventually ending up on a rock seawall. Repaired but then she suffered damage on a sandbar. Luckily for Elsie the boat was spotted by Brian who acquired her and transported the boat from Carey’s Bay near Port Chalmers to his home in Wyndham in eastern Southland where Brian and a retired boat builder friend, are undertaking a rolling restoration. Most importantly – they intend to use her for what she was designed for i.e. fishing. In the photo above, taken by Brian, the pumps are working overtime to keep her a float. Click below to hear the full interview
Harold Kidd Input – ELSIE was built by the MILLER brothers.
Who Can ID The Yacht On The Rocks& Win A OCH Sailing Cap The above two photos come to us from the camera of woody Paul Drake and I have Paul’s word that they are ‘never before seen’ photos of the yacht aground off Rangitoto Island in the early 1960’s. Paul was a teenager at the time, staying with a school friend and his parents in their Rangitoto bach. They spent their time messing about in the family’s seagull powered clinker dinghy and came across the ‘wreck’ by chance. They rendered what assistance we could. Paul commented that the crew seemed quite relaxed about their predicament and no doubt she came off with the next tide. So woodys first correct answer, with the yachts name – emailed to waitematawoodys@gmail.com wins an Off Center Harbor sailing cap. Entries close at 8pm 05-03-2021
Varnish Porn
If you need a dose of varnish porn to rid the CV-19 blues, check out the 1924 Fife classic schooner – Adventuress featured in the video below. Thanks to Mark Erskine for pointing WW in the direction of the video ex Yachting World. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpAW5-60qBA
I received today’s photos recently from Ngaire Slade, her father was Dick (Henry Richards) Slade. Ngaire commented that she wished that she had learnt more of the histories of the boats that had been the main transport modes in the Hokianga. The Waima was a boat that Dick owned until sold in the 1980s and retired. Waima then went over to the East Coast and Ngaire understands it was left for years in the Manukau Harbour till removed and left to decay and disrepair, unfortunately placed in a yard somewhere unknown. It was originally brought from the Subritzky family.
Dick for many years carried the college kids to Rawene High School and did the Cream Run as well before the Dairy was closed. He also carried out the Mail Run on the Hokianga Harbour. In those days, the boats could reach the Mungamuka bridge and up to the Taheke bridge. In the last photo of Waima we see Harry Slade father of Dick and grandad to Ngaire taking a car from Kohukohu to Rawene.
The 2nd set of photos – we see the launch – Spray, owned by Harry Slade. Ngaire mentioned that there was a Sierra and Tupuwai that were other prominent boats in her family. In some of the photos we see a pet seal that mooched around for several years. In one photo the seal is watching Harry as he is cleaning some launches. Ngaire commented the seal wasn’t the friendliest and would try and bite the odd person who he disliked. She remembers her father saying he was a foul rascal as he dirtied the boat all the time.
Below we see Dick scratching Opo the dolphin with a mop, she would follow him out to the heads when he would go fishing and come up to Rawene.
Mystery Launch – could the below be Sierra or Tupuwai?
A LOCK-DOWN TREAT – FREE ACCESS TO THE WORLDWIDE CLASSIC BOAT SHOW
Our friends over at Off Center Harbor have been orchestrating a new gig on the classic boat scene – a virtual worldwide classic boat show. Its been live now for 10 days and only available via purchasing a ticket (US$5) – now woodys to help us kiwis (and the WW overseas followers) during CV-19 lock-down – the show is now free.
See below instructions on how to visit the show.
You can use the globe / map to see an amazing collection of vessel around the world + locations of museums & trade folks – but the real gem for me is the daily video presentations from some of the worlds leading lights on the classic boating scene – sailors, teachers, photographers, event promoters and boat builders. You will be addicted so I apologise in advance for ruining your day/s – but, you’re supposed to be in lock-down 🙂
If you only watch one presentation – make it the legendary Tom Cunliffe presentation – you’ll find it on Sat Feb20th under the heading ’Seas of Northern Europe’ – do not be put off by the boring title – its a cracker, the mans one of the best storytellers around, you’ll be glued to the screen for 2 hours. ENJOY THE SHOW 🙂
2. Checkout for free, and your username and password become your ticket
3. To login, go to ClassicBoatShow.com, click login in the top right corner to get full access, and enjoy the show!
If you have trouble getting your free ticket, you can always email the show’s crew for help at crew@classicboatshow.com.
If the show turns out to be an enjoyable and valuable experience for you, they have a voluntary “tips/donations” button on the top of the screen where you can contribute.
Today’s woody is a very smart looking 40’ ex work boat named Power Chief, which given the stated 1906 year of build, I suspect has had a name/s change at some stage.
Her tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) tells us she was built by McPherson Bros. on the banks of the river Lieth in Dunedin, South Island. She fished for many years out of Port Chalmers, Oamaru and Timaru – these days home is Back Beach, Port Chalmers.
The seller is very conservative in the asking price so I suspect she will be snapped up asap. No mention of what powers her. Any southern woodys able to tell us more about how and when this fishing boat made the transition to pleasure?
Harold Kidd Input – POWER CHIEF was a new name given to an earlier launch built in 1923 (according to NAPS records – Z166) probably by McPhersons. G J Morrison of Company Bay Port Chalmers bought her in 1939 and renamed her POWER CHIEF after a popular brand of Caltex petrol. He was probably a garage proprietor. Her dims were 36′ x 9’3″ x 3′ 6″ and she had a 16hp Viking marine engine built in Dunedin by Tonkinson. I haven’t figured out her original name yet.
Totally Over The Top Restoration – But OMG – Stunning Today should have been a big sailing story, around the CYA Classic Regatta, but weather and CV-19 killed that. Race Day 1 (Saturday) was a bit of a fizzer with little wind, resulted in two shortened races and then Saturday nights announcement on CV-19 levels killed the remaining two days – so time to pull something out of the hat. Actually easy – when I was scrolling thru the guys at Off Centre Harbors latest virtual gig – the Worldwide Classic Boat Show I came across – Gelyce, a 1930 50’ ex J-Class tender, designed and built by Camper & Nicholson, Gosport, UK. A quick google search told me a lot more about the launch and the amazing restoration – more here http://www.gelyce.co.uk Its a great story and stunning commitment by her owners to bring her back for a near death to being one of the UK’s finest craft. I’ll let the owners tell the story – the gold plated fittings and Rolls Royce engine are OTT but perfect.
“The history of this famous vessel makes her possibly the most unique yacht tender and spectating boat in the World. She was built in 1930 by internationally celebrated 200 year old builder of world-class leisure and sports craft Camper & Nicholsons (C&N) of Gosport, UK and provided to Sir Thomas Lipton with the legendary J Class Racing Yacht Shamrock V. Upon Lipton’s death in 1931 both were taken on by Sir Thomas Sopwith, for whom C&N also built the America’s Cup challenger Endeavour. “Gelyce” was also used as Endeavour’s tender to transport guests to ‘the big boat.’ This sublime 50ft example of the Gelyce Class (official no 160934) is the only one of the series used as a J Class Yacht Tender. C&N built only nine of the 50ft Gelyce-class boats all in the period from 1912 to 1930, several of which were for the use of Nicholson family members. Indeed, “Gelyce” itself remained registered to C&N for seven years through the 1930’s. The Gelyce class of boat was thus always rare and exclusive and is now even more so with only three surviving. “Gelyce” was the last built of the class, pre-eminent in terms of its provenance as the only one to be a J Class Tender. The name Gelyce is an amalgamation of the Nicholson brother’s wives names – Gertie, Lucy & Constance. “Gelyce” has now completed a restoration of unprecedented quality and with her impeccable history is sought after in the growing classic yacht racing fraternity. She has undergone a complete restoration of the hull, using three layers of structural mahogany veneers laid in double diagonal then carvel, fastened with modern epoxy and 75 thousand polymer staples. The entire superstructure and interior has been retained and refurbished. The instrument panel, morse control, all deck, cabin and head fittings are Welsh gold plated for easy care. Her engine is a concours condition aluminum mid-1960’s Rolls Royce, producing 175hp, which theoretically gives her the capability of 28knots at sea. The engine was restored and marinised by Brian Bax at Tim Walker Restorations. Exquisite “Gelyce” has been lovingly restored by Classic Restoration for with her owner, Wint Taylor. “
The photo gallery above of the 1903 Charles Bailey Jnr. yacht Oyster comes to us from her new Wellington owner – Gavin Pascoe’s fb page. Gavin recently sailed her back from Lyttelton to Wellington. Gavin is one of the leading lights at the uber cool Wellington Classic Yacht Trust, so Oyster is a very lucky woody to be in such safe hands.
Most of the photos are from her early days in Wellington c.1920’s>1930’s. The cover of the NZ Yachtsman magazine is dated August 10th 1912 and shows her in Nelson. Oyster is 32’ in length, with a 9’ bean and draws 3’ (she is a centre-board ketch).
Photo below taken by Andrew McGeorge of Oyster in Lyttelton just prior to her departure north.
