Yearly Archives: 2017

Matira

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Matira reflections

Matira Kaiarara Bay 3

in trouble

MATIRA

Chatting recently on-line with Bryce Strong he mentioned his ownership of the 1956 Collings & Bell launch Matira, the lead photo was taken at Great Barrier Island & also shows Altair nearby, Bryce commented that the water was so still you have difficulty deciding which way the photo should be up.

Bryce kept her on the Clevedon River & at one stage there was a flood & Matira pulled out the front mooring pole, and swung around and collided with Altair, moored behind on the pontoon. Only held by a single stern rope which held her until Bryce could sort it.

Bryce sold Matira in 2009 to Steve Martin, a boat builder who carried out an extensive and immaculate refit in 2011, setting up Matira for another 30 years. Photos below of Steve’s work. There is an extensive documented history of the vessel here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/03/03/matira/

Link below (blue) to a spec sheet of Matira from during Bryce’s ownership period.

Short spec updated version

Note – this shows her powered by twin 4 cyl.Ford 75hp engines, in late November 2015 she was re-powered with twin 110hp Yanmar’s that while lifting her performance, significantly reduced the running noise. Her owner Guy Warman commented to me post her re-launch sea trial, that that alone was worth the cost 🙂 Matira is a lucky lady to have been so well loved & cared for over the years.

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Faith

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Faith June 2013

33 Tunnel 2

FAITH

I was contacted recently by Neal & Nicki Harding who had just came across an article in waitamatawoodies about the Phil Lange built boat ’Tui’.
The couple own one of his 30′ boats ‘Faith’ built in 1968, they bought Faith in 2006 and trucked up from Careys Bay, Dunedin. These days she swings off a mooring at the bottom of their garden in the Marlborough Sounds where they live. They met Phil Lange briefly a few years ago. Faith has very similar lines to Phil’s other launch, Tui, but without the flybridge.
The 2nd photo above shows Faith coming through one of the Kaikoura road tunnels in 2006, its a very changed landscape today.

The Harding’s have spent many happy hours restoring, scraping, sanding, painting and cruising with Faith.

The Harding’s have photos of Faith going back to her fishing days in Northland and voyage South to Port Chambers, Dunedin, but are particularly keen to obtain any photos of her for the build / launch period if they exist. I have asked the Harding’s to send in the photos they have so we can all see them.

Classic Launch & Yacht Exhibition Next Weekend – Put A Circle In The Diary – 7>8 Oct
This year  the exhibition is celebrating Classic Clinker Boats

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Clinker Event Ad

 

Sou’ East

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sou-east

SOU’ EAST
The 39′ 1947 Lanes built Sou’East is seen above weighing in a thresher shark at Paihia in 1984. Photos ex Dean Wrights collection.
Sou’East has appeared on WW before, but not as above – to view as launched photos & current day, click the link below.

Sou’East

I have include below another of Dean’s photos, this one of the very ‘salty looking’ commercial fishing boat – Lady Karen – photo dated 1984, when owned by Frank Goodhue.

lady-karen

 

Poaka

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POAKA

Back in Feb 2015 I did a story on the 1960 Snow Waters built launch ‘Poaka’ & questioned where she was today. Nathan Herbert gave us a heads up in Feb 2017 that she had popped up on trademe & she is still there today.
Looks like she has had some TLC & being a Waters craft she should be a solid ship. Interesting the difference between the painted cabin, versus the ‘as launched’ varnished finish (photo below), certainly looks sharper with the varnish (in my eye)
Powered by a 72hp, 4 cyl. Ford Diesel.
A nice entry level woody that with a little more work, could be a pretty classic.
See / read more about her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/02/14/poaka/
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Yesterdays winner of the Auckland On The Water Boat Show tickets was – Tim Christensen – owner of the classic launch ‘Yvonne’

YVA II (Yelda) + Win Boat Show Tickets

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YVA II (Yelda)

Woody Angus Rogers sent in the above photos of Ivy II (originally named Yelda) on Lake Whakatipu, for the overseas readers – Lake Whakatipu is the 3rd largest lake in New Zealand, situated on the southwest corner of Otago in the South Island.

Angus commented that she was not what he expected to see on the lake. Interested to learn more about her & when & how she arrived at the lake.

Photo below ex Russell Ward , taken 2003.

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Input from Richard – owner

I purchased Yvalda via Ted Church (Picton) in 2002. Sailed her down to Port Chalmers then got Fulton Hogan to truck her down to Lake Wakatipu where I used her commercially for tourist trips on the lake. Had lots of fun doing it but did not make a fortune!! Christmas parties, hen parties (the worst), weddings, stag parties, N.Y.E. parties etc etc.
The O.D.T. had a great photo of her going thru Dunedin on the back of the F.H. truck.
Yvalda, ( Yes, her original name) was built by Mc Gruers at Clynder Scotland in 1936. ( I think a G.L. Watson design) for a couple of wealthy brothers who were manufactures of biscuits. Not sure how or when she came to N.Z. but she must have been shipped here.
She was beautifully built, ( as were all boats built by Mc Gruers). Teak on oak frames, all as good as the day she was built.
Still had her original 4L2 Gardner engines coupled to massive Gleniffer gearboxes controlled by a couple of wheels mounted either side of the helm station. You had to have your wits about you as to which way to turn them to go fwd. or aft. but after a while it became automatic.
Quite a lot of untruths about her relationship with Winston Churchill and I suspect he never had anything to do with her. I thought she may have been one of the Dunkirk little ships but there is no record of that. I believe she was use for the degaussing of much larger metal ships during W.W.11
What vintagesteamer commented was more the truth and I too was told of her so called association with Churchill when I bought her but as they say, ” Why let the truth get in the way if a good story” ( I was advised) I’m sure those deck stepped masts were perfectly aligned when I had her. Vintagesteamer, you must have had too many Speights to drink when you saw her!!
WIN TWO TICKETS TO THE AUCKLAND ON THEW WATER BOAT SHOW

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Today & tomorrow I’m giving away tickets to the boat show – 2 each day. Just answer the simple question below & email your answer to waitematawoodys@gmail.com . All correct answers received before 6.00pm today (27-09-2017) will go into the draw. Winner will be notified by email.

Q: Name the location at the Show where the America’s Cup will be displayed. You’ll find the answer on the Show website  http://www.auckland-boatshow.com

 

 

Woody Trip Down South

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Woody Trip Down South

Nathan Herbert has just returned from a trip to Dunedin & snapped a collection of woodys that he saw – the first one to be shared on WW is the lovely wee clinker day boat above.

Can anyone enlighten us on her provenance ?

And I’ll use the post to segway into my next topic – The 2017 Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition, on Oct 7>8th, refer below for full details. This year the focus is on the classic New Zealand clinker boat.

So woodys get the pen out & put a big circle around the weekend in the diary. The team at Tino Rawa Trust do an amazing job hosting these events & 2018 will be a cracker, I understand there will be over 30 clinkers on show. I’ll be reminding you closer to the date;-)

Clinker Event Ad

Also I have some tickets for this weeks On-the-Water Boat Show, so to be in to win – check out Wednesday’s WW post 😉

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Mystery Launches – 25-09-2017

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MYSTERY LAUNCHES 25-09-2017

A couple of mystery launch questions today. Last year Robin Elliott sent in a collection of photos from the Whangarei Cruising Club Collection, as far as Robin knows, all are from the 1940’s early 1950’s & and were taken by Palmer Photography in Whangarei (1910-1999). Most by the late Graeme Palmer and possibly some older ones by his father.

So woodys who can ID the one above?
Now the photo below – I suspect it is Jason Prew’s My Girl at full chat 😉 but the photo shows only 3 portholes versus the 4 seen in most photos. Jas ?

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Lady Alice

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LADY ALICE

Today’s vessel is the Lady Alice & the photo ex ‘paperpast’, sent in by Nathan Herbert.

A very unusual mix of design features on display, can anyone help out with more detail on Lady Alice? The #957 will be a help.

25-09-2017 Harold Kidd Input 

LADY ALICE was a 30 footer built by George Roberts of St. Heliers for himself and launched in January 1940 with 957, her wartime reporting number, on her bows. A later owner (or of another LADY ALICE) was C.K. Edmonds of Allenby Road, Panmure who owned her as late as 1973.
George Roberts later built GAYELLA and GEORGELLA, well-covered in earlier WW postings.

UPDATE 17-05-2018 ex Peter Thorpy-

Auckland Transport, (Auckland city council) have a launch ‘Lady Alice’ listed on their site as being derelict and advertised for  disposal.

 

While at Greg Lees yard yesterday I was advised that a gent that has ‘rubbed-up-against’ some of your best presented classic woodys last week had a very bad oops & has just come out of surgery & ends some help – see below.

Sandspit

A Great Evening for a Great Guy

Sponsored by Dixon Stainless

On Friday 16th September Dale Collins (Greg Lees’ foreman) suffered a bad fall on the hardstand injuring his back which will mean months of recuperation.

To support Dale and his family you are invited to join many who have experienced Dale’s generosity and skills over the years at a dinner evening next Friday –  29th September at 6pm at the SYC Club House. Cost: $80 per head (limited to 30 couples only). First in first accepted basis. Cash Bar

To book your place, contact Rosie Fowler 021 884949  email rosief@xtra.co.nz

A short Auction will be a highlight of the evening with master auctioneer Roger Burrill in action. Auction items will include: Harbourview Cruise, Fine Wine, $1,000 voucher from Evolution Yachts, Magical Mystery Tour

If you can’t make it and would like to support Dale, donations & auction items will be gratefully accepted by Elspeth Wilkins at the marina office.

 

 

Beats A Day At The Office

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Trinidad

Beats A Day At The Office

There is a saying I like – “Some days you are the dog & some days you are the tree” – all week Friday was shaping into a tree day, so when David Cook called & asked for a hand taking Trinidad to the Greg Lees Boatbuilders, Sandspit yard – the answer was yeap I’m in 🙂

90% of the day = the 1st day of summer, the other 10% was wet, but that is greater Auckland for you.

Trinny, below, was being hauled out for some TLC before her upcoming circumnavigation of NZ (again).

Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad

Spotted a few classics at the new marina – scroll over photos to see names, most have appeared on WW before so a quick look in the WW search box will show / tell you more.

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Nereides

Nereides
Great taste in signal horn

  

Taree
Taree
Taree
Taree
Taree
Shadow
Shadow
Pirate
Ngataringa
Pirate
Tamahere
Ronaki

The Sandspit Yacht Club is looking very smart these days

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