WAIARI
Mooching around Waiheke on the weekend I spotted this Woolley moored at Miatiatia. She had been berthed at Gulf Harbour for a long time & sold ex there approx. 18mths ago. Post the sale she has been given a birthday & is now looking very sharp.
Anyone able to shed light on her past & in fact confirm she is a Woolley.
MAKE SURE YOU READ THE COMMENTS SECTION – LOTS OF CHAT ON WAIARI THERE
09-05-2016 Tim Evill emailed me the below photos in early April of Waiari on hard at the Rocky Bay Memorial Cruising Club on Waiheke Island.
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I understand that the flybridge has been despatched – which is good news, work-in-progress photos soon. 🙂 Alan H
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Photos added. AH
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Had a quick chat with Malcolm Keightly who told me it was the previous owner who committed the grinder attack. Bloke was apparently a panelbeater which might might explain it. Malcolm said that he worked quietly on varnishing during his ownership, gradually erasing the grinder marks.
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Footnote;
Apart form the appendage to the roof of the cabin top she looks absolutely original outside — even the cast brass or bronze chrome plated name is original — lovely — KEN R
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She was owned for about 20 years by Malcolm Keightly who ran out of time to use her and sold her to the present owners, who I gather are brothers.
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Nice example from one of our better launch designers, now owned by Kent at Waiheke as seen at Patio Bay last year. Lucky for Waiari Kent did his time at Lidgards and is looking after her nicely.
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A little background info on WAIARI, in her early days.
She had a 6354 Perkins Diesel originally, (may still have it), was of course built by Owen Woolley for Jim & Dulcie Dickson, who lived in Pakuranga, & he was a manager for the ASB for many years.
They were close friends of my family & I dated his daughter for a short time in my teens. — Delightful people & he kept WAIARI beautifully — am really glad she turned up at last, because I have never had a pic of her.
A lovely example of this excellent builders art, & beautifully proportioned & built in my view — KEN RICKETTS
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I have no idea why anyone would attack fine tree-wood like that with a rotary sander except to provide a ridiculous pattern of circles, arcs and fractals. I shuddered every time I walked past her and wondered how the mess could ever be remedied short of a paint job with lots of filler.
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Disc grinder???? Good grief, I wouldn’t even rate as a wood butcher but I would have thought a random orbital could have been risky….
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Owen is another fine builder who never put a foot wrong with the aesthetics. Although Aries was a bit racey for me! Loved his last -very appropriately named- boat and watched her being built at Robertsons! He got a bit of use from her.
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Correct harold. Mandalay is moored a couple of berths away from the spot where Waiari was. Part of the flybridge brigade though but not badly done.
The disc grinder attack on Waiari left Wiamiga covered from stem tp stern in teak dust and she was on the next pier! There should be criminal charges laid for wilful damage against some of these owners that desecrate classics in that manner.
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Yes, she is a Woolley, built in 1962 for J & D Dickson. Later owners were W S Robertson and D M De Lacey. Isn’t she the sedan whose coamings have been attacked with a rotary sander? Or is that the similar MANDALAY which now has her coamings mercifully painted white? MANDALAY is of course a Brin Wilson design built by Dave Jackson.
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