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 🙂
STILL ROOM DOCKSIDE IF YOUR WANT TO JOIN IN ON THE CLASSIC WOODYS OVERNIGHT BBQ CRUISE TO CLEVEDON RSVP TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com
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
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
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
Todays classic woody launch is VECA, built and launched in November 1929 in Evans Bay , Wellington . Her owner Peter Glue commented that she was built in Kilburnie by his wife’s grand father and his brother (Weine & Peter Harvey) and is named after their wives Vera and Caroline . Arthur Sang , a boat builder on the Hutt River , supervised and helped the brothers .
vECA was sold during WW2 when fuel was hard to get and was bought back into the family in the early 1960’s where she has remained until today .
She has been a much loved family member and has undergone many improvements ensuring that her classic lines have been retained . She is 36′ x 10′ with a draft of 4′. Hull is 1.5” kauri which has ben refastened and recaulked a number of years ago . Top sides were plyed and glassed over so she as sound today as when she was launched 97 years ago .
Forward motion is via a 27 hp Volvo and she consumes less than 3 litres per hour at 6.5 -7 knots cruising speed . She has a foremast and mizzen mast (which is not mounted ) with a steadying sail in her ample stern storage compartment .
After nearly 100 years of ownership the call has been made to find her next custodian. VECA is very well appointed and presents in stunning condition, ready for the next 100 years of family fun .
Sitting at Waikawa on a 11m marina berth which can be transfered to new owner.
You will have ‘heard’ me talk about it being a buyers market – well here is an example – asking price $45k
An idea, buyer her, rent the marina berth for 3>4 months and have a summer holiday cruising around the top of the South Island. Then bring her north (motor > wellington > road haulage > Auckland / Northland)
Todays photo was sent in by John Dawson and is dated January 1976. Times have sure changed.
Can we ID the launch alongside the dock. I sprinkled some magic dust on the photo – see below, might help with the ID.
06-11-2026 – INPUT EX KERRY LILLEY -The Tutukaka game fishing boats on the other side of the finger backed up is Freelance with half brown half white coamings Every year during winter 1965-70 Ken Williams brought her up from her mooring in the clean river to Owen Woolleys yard where she was built we pulled her up on the slipway it was my job to clean off her bottom n antifoul with the best Singapore antifoul paint with our special additive We used to go up to the local chemist and we could buy a vial of arsenic stir it into the paint n roll it on not much grew on the hull then Kerry Lilley Owen’s apprentice 1964>1970 .
100 YEARS AGO – CLASSIC WOODEN CRAFT AT DEVONPORT YACHT CLUB
Todays classic woody photo popped up on ’Timespanner’ fb , we see the Devonport Yacht Club, Auckland and a mix of yachts and launches hauled out on King Edward Parade yard in front of the clubrooms. The photo originated from Auckland Libraries heritage collection and has been tagged 1930 > 1940.
At first I thought we had seen the image on WW before but a search slowed no match.The motor vehicles should help with the appox. date.
Keen to put names to some of the motor boats. Have enlarged that section below.
INPUT EX RUSSELL WARD – The big workboat with the oveized funnel and wheelhouse morphed into the ketch Waihau under the guidance of Raph Sewell and long-suffering wife Allison in the ’50s. I have a pic of her in 1972 below). She was taken for work at one of the Speedy family’s places in Stanley Point, Last heard of 10 years back rotting away on a farm at Puhoi.
THE NEXT BIG CLASSIC WOODYS EVENT – Clevedon River Overnight BBQ Cruise Nov 14>15
RSVP NOW – BOAT NAME AND APPX CREW #’s – Note dock space is limited
CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 28’ CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – KORORA
Yesterday WW was contacted by Chris Read regarding a 28’ double-ender named KORORA that Chris bought approx. 20 years ago.
The sellers name was Mike (surname forgotten ). He was a vintage car enthusiast and had done a rebuild on the boat with his brother.
The story goes that Mike’s wife was not so keen on boating so KORORA was promptly put up for sale 😦
Chris commented that when he bought KORORA he was told she was built by Joseph Fell in 1905. The accuracy of that intel has since been questioned, as the only boat Joe Fell built that fits her size was built in 1917.When purchased she was moored at Waipapa Landing, Kerikeri, Northland and powered by a 50hp Perkins.
As visible from the photos KORORA is at the tail end of an extensive refit, with the plan to get her in the water for Christmas. Chris has re-powered her with a new 25hp Beta engine.
Chrisr is keen to learn more about KORORA, and a possible clue to her past is when the hull was taken back to bare timber the final topcoat colour was a bottle green.Post launching home will most likely be Milford Creek marina – we like that, another woody for the Auckland waitematawoodys group.
Photos below when the gun whale had been removed as it was too far gone.
UPDATE – Photo before she went into the shed “ to address a couple of loose planks “.
PENCARROW – A WWII VETERAN CLASSIC LOOKING FOR A NEW CUSTODIAN
Back in April 2022 WW ran a story on the launch PENCARROW, a 1916 , 38’6” bridge-decker built by Chas Bailey & Son, Auckland – with a proud WWII service history. Known as NAPS superstar Z75, she served Wellington Harbour. At the time Dylan Sagger was trying to find the location of the vessel. Link to story here – lots of photos. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/04/04/pencarrow-where-is-she/
Fast forward 4 years and Dylan has provided an update on the launch after talking with her owner, who also advised the vessel was now listed on trademe.
Her construction is a displacement hull with triple-planked kauri. And remarkably today she still retains her 120hp Ford Lees six-cylinder engine. Dylan commented that his father a previous owner, always described her as a “good sea boat”.
Dylan would love to see her returned to her former glory, perhaps even restored to her Z75 wartime configuration. Taking her on is beyond Dylan’s reach but ENCARROW deserves a caring new owner. She is a genuine piece of New Zealand boating history that should be preserved and celebrated.
Her trade me listing expires on 27 November 2026, she has a starting bid of $1 and no reserve, so there must be someone with the resources to rescue her. Current location is Port Underwood, Marlborough Sounds.
