CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH SILVER FIN (TUARANGI)

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH SILVER FIN (TUARANGI)

Following on from Saturdays WW story on classic wooden launches hauled out at the Te Atatu Boating Club, today we see the launch – SILVER FIN getting some TLC. (photo ex Geoff Fiebig)

SILVER FIN has made several appearances on WW, and in 2018 Bryan Wagstaff sent in the b/w photo above and confirmed that SILVER FIN was built by Lidgard Bros for a H.S White & launched in 1950, when launched she was named TUARANGI. 

White sold her in 1951 to Bruce Winstone. She was 42’x12’x4’3″ and originally had twin 90hp 6-cylinder Redwing petrol engines. During Whites ownership, she blew up while refueling at Whitianga.

Bryan’s father, Eric Wagstaff, purchased the damaged boat from the Bruce Winstone. It was collected from Whitianga and towed to Tauranga by a boat called RAINBOW which was an old bridge decker owned by Eric. RAINBOW had a marinised Rolls Royce engine and was built for the Mills Bros who were Bay of Plenty farmers. Post the explosion the roof section from SILVER FIN  was basically upside down and pretty much in place on collection. The boat had been beached at Beach Road, Otumoetai.

The boat was lifted onto a transport trailer by Bert Godfrey, the founder of the NZ Lumber Company and moved to Eric’s joinery factory in Judea. The top was replaced and Eric consulted with Willy Oliver, who was a friend, on the design of the new cabin. The motors were replaced with 60hp Fordson diesels converted by Lees marine.                                              Back in 2018 Bryan commented that the family enjoyed many a trip on the Silver Fin. She was chartered for game fishing for a while in the days of Bob Gray. 

The boat was sold c.1959 to Dr. Kennedy the family doctor, who painted the boat green. Back in 2016 she was for sale and at that time was powered by twin 110hp Hino engines.

MYSTERY 1965 COROMANDEL LAUNCH – LADY WINN

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MYSTERY 1965 COROMANDEL LAUNCH – LADY WINN

Earlier in the week todays photo popped up on the ’Timespanner’ page and comes to us via . The comment was that the photo was from Graeme Macdonald and captioned ‘ Boats of Coromandel Harbour, July 1965’, and was taken by Pat A Macdonald.

The centre vessel is quite a beast, very beamy. Doesn’t look like a commercial craft – can we ID her.

INPUT FROM RUSSELL WARD & HAROLD KIDD – the launch is Sam Strongman’s LADY WINN

Nice to see the cold snap has not stopped some woodys from enjoying their craft – photos below of FELICITARIE and SUSAN JANE in Oneroa, Waiheke Island. Photos ex Angus Rogers from onboard CENTAURUS,

CLASSIC WOODYS HAULED OUT AT TE ATATU BOATING CLUB 

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CLASSIC WOODYS HAULED OUT AT TE ATATU BOATING CLUB 

One of the WW cadet reporters (Geoff Fiebig) was mooching around the TBC yard yesterday and spotted a few woodys out for some TLC. The 28’ L. Coulthard built – PANIA was dockside.

The woody in the top photo – GALA LASS , is new to me, can we learn more about her.

Back in my advertising agency days we used to have an in-house air brush artist (photo enhancer), he was one of highest paid eg he drove a Porsche….  These days we all have access to ChatGBT – I asked them to convert the photo of my wife’s granddads yacht ALEXA C7 to colour – 10 seconds later – its done. So woodys don’t be afraid of AI, embrace it, it is just a clever tool. Remember life before email and mobile phones.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – NAIROBI

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – NAIROBI

Todays classic wooden launch is named NAIROBI and the photo was taken by William Fletcher and is from the Auckland maritime museum collection via Lew Redwood. 

All we know is the location is the Waitemata Harbour, with Stanley Point, Devonport in the background.

Quite an unusual design so hopeful someone recognises her and we can learn more.

Nice to see the Auckland Motor Yacht Club ensign flying ✔️

INPUT ex HAROLD KIDD – NAIROBI first pops up in December1914 owned by H S Bates. She was allocated number 63 for racing with NZPBA and did race off and on until 1934 when she disappears, possibly through a name change. She does appear in a December 1914 NZ Yachtsman issue as MAIROBA. The extended cabintop is very likely a 1920’s affectation.

I think it’s likely that she started life as JERSEY LILY (2) which Tom Le Huquet built for himself in late 1910 and sold to H C Bates not H S Bates (but possibly the same guy) around December 1914/January 1915. JERSEY LILY had a 12hp Zealandia and was 30’/30’/ 7’5″/3′ which looks about right for NAIROBI. Bates put a new engine in her in November 1920 to get more speed.

CLASSIC WORKBOAT VANGUARD – A WATERFRONT APARTMENT FOR $2.50

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CLASSIC WORKBOAT VANGUARD – A WATERFRONT APARTMENT FOR $2.50

First up that isn’t a typo in the headline – todays woody is for sale and the current bid is $2.50 and the reserve has been met……….

Two option here, buy her as a live aboard or as a project to end up with a very fine workboat conversion.

What we know about VANGUARD –

• Built in 1947 by Lidgard’s

• 50’ in length with either double or triple skinned hull

• Powered by a GM V8.

• Was in survey up to May 2025.

• Located currently in Pelorus Sound.

(thanks Ian McDonald for the tme heads up)

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – PRINCESS

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – PRINCESS

Today woodys our classic wooden launch is named PRINCESS and we know little about her other than in November 1911 she won the RNZ Yacht Squadron race to Matiatia, Waiheke Island.          

The top photo appeared in the December 30th 1911 issue of The NZ Yachtsman magazine.

The other photos ex the Auckland maritime museum via Lew Redwood were probably taken by a Robert Stewart and were in an envelope marked ‘Princess? / Sceptre’.

Can we confirm her name and learn more about her.

HAROLD KIDD INPUT – Bailey & Lowe built PRINCESS in December 1910 for themselves (Walter Bailey and Bill Lowe) as a showpiece for their firm. She was 35ft loa and had a Sterling 18/25hp engine for which they were the agents. PRINCESS was the model for their 35’x8’x 3’6″ tuck stern single skin launches that found their ultimate version in the raised-foredeck ROMANCE II. They sold her to Dr H D MacKenzie in 1916 She was later VANESSA and KAIPARA PRINCESS. and was derelict in 2012 on TradeMe.

CAN WE PUT A NAME TO THIS CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ALICE

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CAN WE PUT A NAME TO THIS CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ALICE

Todays photo is another from the Auckland maritime museum, specifically from the Fletcher Collection and the photographer is listed as William Fletcher. The photo comes to us via Lew Redwood.

Sadly we have no other intel but she does look very familiar.

Anyone able to enlighten us with a name, builder and location etc.

UPDATE – Thanks to input from Nathan Hebert we now know the launch is ALICE, link to Nov 2013 WW story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/11/28/alice/

HAROLD KIDD INPUT – ALICE is right, built by Chas Bailey Jr in September 1921 for the Inspector of Fisheries, Northland. 30hp 3 cylinder Twigg.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH WINSOME II (MAUDE T > LATEX) 4SALE

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH WINSOME II (MAUDE T > LATEX) 4SALE

Todays feature classic wooden craft is WINSOME II, the 36’ William Hand designed launch was built in 1924 by the Lane Co., Freemans Bay, Auckland.

WINSOME II has appeared on WW numerous times over the years as we have followed her movements around New Zealand.

Today thanks to her current owners we get an extensive deep dive into her past. I have included below a brief overview but encourage you to open / download the PDF file attached to todays story to experience her amazing visual and written history.

Built 1924 – LOA 36’, beam 9’6”, draught 2’9”, kauri chine hull.

Launched as MAUDE T for David Teed, the then mayor of Newmarket, Auckland. Purchased by a Capt. A.E. Emanuel, a ships’ pilot who came to NZ from Shanghai. Re-named LATEX. Commandeered 1940 by the RNZAF, served in Auckland and Tauranga harbours ferrying trainee pilots to and from airports. Acquired by Andy Donovan 1945, used as a charter boat, big game fishing, etc Re-powered with Gray V8 gasoline engine, Cruised at 20 knots. Wheelhouse added 1952. Repowered with Nissan SD 33 diesel 1991. Bequeathed to grandson Andrew Lusty c.1995. Then an unknown owner took her to the Bay of Islands. Found in 2002 by Mike Allan (Marlborough) and trucked and sailed down to Havelock, Marlborough. Refurbishment is ongoing, continued by Chris and Julia Knowles from 2002. 

Maintained with significant assistance from Richard Browning (mechanic/electrical engineer) who also refurbished hull, and installed new galley, conversion to all-round LED lighting, installation 40 V solar panel and associated control panel. WINSOME II is powered by a Nissan diesel  SD 42 T 120 HP straight 6 cylinder that had a marinised cooling system installed 1995. Refurbished motor installed 2016. Her comfortable speed range (cruise > max) is 8 > 10 knots. 

Todays photo gallery are a mix of dates, used to give an overview of her adventures.

Today’s story has two objectives.

To record and share the remarkable history of this beautiful 100-year-old classic so that her story is preserved for future generations.

And to help find her next owner – not simply a buyer, but a custodian who recognises they are acquiring one of New Zealand’s maritime treasures… a vessel that also happens to stop people in their tracks wherever she goes.

Interested parties to initially contact waitematawoodys@gmail.com for more details.

Brochure 2026Download

MYSTERY TIM WINDSOR DESIGNED CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH

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MYSTERY TIM WINDSOR DESIGNED CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH

Recently the prolific fb poster Lew Redwood has been sniffing around the Maritime Museum photo archives and has discovered ( I use that term because so much of the museums treasures are ‘hidden away’ ) a treasure trove to old b/w boating images from the 1940’s.

Today thanks to Lew we get to see a 26’ classic wooden launch that was designed by Tim Windsor and built at the Shipbuilders yard in Auckland.

The photo is dated 1948 and the photographer is most likely Tim Windsor.

Can we put a name to this classic wooden launch and learn what became of her.

WOODEN LAUNCH – KARA HAKA – A Peek Down Below

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WOODEN LAUNCH – KARA HAKA – A Peek Down Below

Todays launch is a recent arrival on tme (thanks Ian McDonald), before I comment I reproduce the sellers comments “Shes a bit rough around the edges but got solid bones. A lot of boat for the money.”

It states she is a Sam Ford design but I struggle with that and at some stage an owner must have had access to sheets of plywood at a good price and didn’t own a protractor i.e. not a lot of curves to be seen.

All that to one side asking price is only 12k, so a low cost entry level 36’ launch. What we know – 1964 build, triple skin kauri, powered by a 120hp Ford, home port Tauranga.

Do we know if the name KARA HAKA is original.