Woody Winter Weekend
Given the weather in Auckland last Friday you would struggle to believe the above photos were taken over the weekend. I escaped the Principality of Devonport early Saturday morning & headed down to Waikehe Island. Did not even stop on-route to the marina for supplies. The forecast said variable so I was planning on dining ashore.
Well for once all the forecasters got it right – Saturday was a stunner. After a few months of cleaning oil out of the bilge several times & numerous repairs I was very much in the “bugger this old boat gig” mode. We are a shallow lot – one good day / night & I had the bug again J
If you do not like crowds – winter cruising is the way to go.
Coming back on Sunday afternoon I rubbed shoulders with the magnificent ship Felicitare & the 1927, Colin Wild built, Lady Margaret – both looking stunning & doing the same as me i.e. slopping off for some R&R. I was sure Felicitare had featured on ww before but my search showed nothing – what do we know about her?
Great Workmanship
I own several dinghy’s from classic clinkers to what Harold Kidd once called a ‘Baby Riviera’ – he was referring to my American built Walker Bay dinghy. I bought her 2nd hand & have owned her for 10 years – towed behind a woody, she is pig ugly but without a doubt the most stable tender I have come across.
She was looking very sad & the inflatable tube patches were out numbering the good areas. So had to make the big decision – take the tubes off & just have a normal dinghy or order replacement tubes from the USA (US$850). Enter Terminator Boats (Kevin Tomlin) in Albany. They said they could manufacture a new set of replacement tubes, I was a little hesitant about the final look, but went with it & as you’ll see in the photos below, they have done a brilliant job, in fact better than new. I highly recommend them https://www.terminatorboats.co.nz
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The 7 cylinder Gardner IIRC is even rarer that the desaxe radial 6 cylinder Gardner WTF.
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In reply to Ken Ricketts comment “Have checked on Google & a GARDNER IIRC appears as an early model Gardner it seems – KEN R”
Ken – seriously? – show me what you found that confirms that & I’ll give you a ww t-shirt 🙂 Alan H
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Great Pics nice to see people out and about, soothing for the mind when I am sitting here in Hong Kong & Macau working.
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Felicitare original 4lw was replaced with a 6lx
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I’ll PM you
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What was the final prognosis on the zoom zoom thing in RD.
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Have checked on Google & a GARDNER IIRC appears as an early model Gardner it seems – KEN R
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Impressive on both issues. Well done Alan, practicing what you preach.
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and nice Burgee! doesn’t look too big at all.
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Raindance seems to have quite a bit of room for an 18 footer 😛
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IIRC = If I Recall Correctly
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Alistair Reynolds is the current owner of ‘Felicitare’, look up http://www.boat-charter.co.nz
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The lovely image of RAINDANCE side on looks a little bit “LITTLE TASMANISH” to me. — Lucky bugger being out there when it’s like that!!!
Also what is a Gardner “IIRC?” — KEN R
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Felicitaire was built on “spec” by Alec Baxter (in Whangarei) and intended to be a fishing boat. No buyer had appeared by the time she was planked up, so he finished her off as a pleasure boat for himself. Was aboard with him shortly after her launch, and admired her immensely – still do!
After cancer claimed Alec, her second owner put in an even larger Gardner, IIRC with some idea of commercial towing.
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