Waiari
Woody Bay
Woody Bay
Deep in thought
Summer in a glass
Off Center Harbor
Adonis
West Bay
Mapuna
Kowai
Kowai
Hinemoa
Hinemoa
Easter Classic Wooden Boat Cruise
If you stayed at home this Easter, you missed one of the best long weekends, in fact probably the best Easter weather I can remember.
We headed out early Friday morning with the plan to spend Friday night at Rakino Island and then slide up to Kawau Island early Saturday. We arrived at Rakino mid morning and dropped anchor in Woody Bay (great name), conditions were perfect, only complaint a few too many plastic boats had the same idea. Caught up with a few friends for late avo drinks and took in the sunset – it was up there with Fiji on the visual wow rating.
Saturday morning dawned and a we had a wee anchor / winch problem – reverted to the days of old & pulled it up by hand – but then had 18+m of chain on the deck. Didn’t fancy going to Kawau as I was unable to let anymore out (even manually) as the winch was jammed. So decided to hang around Rakino – tried a spot of drift fishing – as normal no joy.
Decided on West Bay for the night (with my 18m of chain) and we got invited to dinner (fresh snapper) on a friends plastic boat. He was surprised and deleted that we turned up with a roasting dish of crunchy roast potatoes – their rather large boat has no oven – just electric induction hobs and a microwave 😦
Another 10/10 sunset.
Next morning, despite my best efforts the winch remained jammed so a restful day in the bay reading and headed home later on Sunday.
Not a lot of woodys at / around Rakino – I suspect Kawau and Great Barrier islands were the destinations of choice.
The 1962 Owen Woolley sedan launch – Waiari was looking stunning in West Bay after its 2017 top chop that say a flybridge despatched to the dumpster. Anchored nearby was the 1961 Jack Brooke built launch – Mapuna, enjoying a family cruise.
On the unsuccessful fishing trip we passed another Owen Woolley launch – the 1965, Adonis. Whats with all the 1960’s boats…….. even had Andrew Millar off Rorqual (1959 Jack Morgan) & Geoff Diggle off Florence Rose (1960’s Billy Rogers) over for a drink, sorry guys no photos, both were on the other side of the bay, with a lot of white plastic between us. Check out Flo Ro here https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/03/21/florence-rose-launch-day/
When Andrew can get around to writing me a draft story, there will be a WW feature on the extensive renovation of Rorqual.
Also snapped a photo of the very salty looking ex? work boat – Kowai off Home Bay.
And just so I’m not accused of being one-eyed, I spotted a very pretty yacht when we were leaving West Bay – Hinemoa. Can anyone tell us what she is?
25-04-2019 Input from Harold Kidd
HINEMOA was designed by Eric Cox for C.T. Jonas of Auckland and built by Lidgard Bros in 1948.
Jonas sold her to Norm Galbraith in 1955. Jonas had owned a couple of great yachts, CAROLYN (Coulthard, 1937), MATATUA (Lidgards 1938) the launch HIRAWANU (Lidgards 1946) then HINEMOA.
Lidgards built the Cox-designed SNOWGOOSE for Ian Titchener in 1948.
I recall that Ian Titchener (once Mayor of Devonport) was Paul’s uncle.
Ps I sorted the winch problem out back at Bayswater on Monday – two links had locked together on an angle – involved a wee bot of open heart surgery, best done at the marina v’s at sea.
waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news - updated daily 
Hi
Himemoa was commissioned by my Grandfather ; Charles “skipper” Jonas, I believe the build was started pre war but a shortage of materials meant it was finished in 1948
Brian J
LikeLike
PS I recall that Ian Titchener (once Mayor of Devonport) was Paul’s uncle.
LikeLike
HINEMOA was designed by Eric Cox for C.T. Jonas of Auckland and built by Lidgard Bros in 1948.
Jonas sold her to Norm Galbraith in 1955. Jonas had owned a couple of great yachts, CAROLYN (Coulthard, 1937), MATATUA (Lidgards 1938) the launch HIRAWANU (Lidgards 1946) then HINEMOA.
Lidgards built the Cox-designed SNOWGOOSE for Ian Titchener in 1948.
LikeLike
I think Martin is right about Hinemoa, one of Eric Cox’s biggest and best looking designs. No doubt HDK will be along to fill us in on her; haven’t got my “Southern Breeze” aboard with me, but I think Hinemoa is mentioned. Wasn’t she either designed and built for Paul Titchener’s father (Can’t recall his first name) or owned by him in her early years?
LikeLike
Enjoyed your account of Easter and pleased you resolved the troublesome winch problem. I was a little worried that your wine could disappear over the side if there was any roll in the bay.
LikeLike
I believe what Chris saw was the same boat that was experiencing a hard time until picked up by a loving new owner. She was moored at Algies Bay for some and was beginning to look unloved, fortunately a saviour came along.As Chris says she is now at Weiti River.
LikeLike
I wonder if that is actually the NZ Hinemoa There is a very similar yacht to Hinemoa which moors immediately down stream from The Weiti yacht club wharf as has been there for years. I think it came from the UK. I last saw the NZ Hinemoa in a very sad state for sale at Pine Harbour a few years ago she disappeared but where to I don’t know
LikeLike
Martin is correct about Hinemoa. Stephen is talking about Defiant, now moored at Bayswater. I saw her out on the gulf in the weekend too, Hinemoa is now moored up the Weiti River
LikeLike
Oops mixing Hinemoa up with Defiant! Apologies.
LikeLike
Think Hinemoa was commissioned by the Drafens (spelling?) who previously owned Kotuku. Often visited my grandparents at Kawau. Think it sunk (swamped) at her mooring several years back. John Gorter owned her for a while, early days of the CYA and before Iorangi. Inbetween that I know little.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hinemoa was designed by Eric Cox and partially built by Percy Vos and finished by Lidgard Bros ard launched 1948.she is 54ft long. She was registered A1 this number was used by the old straight stemmer Volunteer until wrecked in the Islands and then Viking after she was based in Wellington. Always been a looker, good to see her looked after so well.
LikeLike
The ex work boat is KOWAI, (refer previous post), owned for many years by Harold Morton of Harris Bay Kawau & later Peter Morton. — KEN R
LikeLike