

















SILVER SPRAY – Heads North
I was contacted last week by John Briers the ’newish’ owner of the 1926 Joe Slattery launch – Silver Spray.
Sliver Spay has made numerous appearances on WW – search her name in the WW search box to see / read more on her provenance.
John purchased the launch off boat builder Glen Burnnand, who gave her a serious birthday back in 2019.
The recent work at Glen’s Orakei Basin shed included upgrading the boats electrical battery systems, and she received several coats of varnish and repainting throughout, plus lots of other modifications.The mid term plan is to relocate Silver Spray to a new home in Russell, Bay of Islands, on a mooring in front of the Duke of Marlborough Hotel, that will be a nice addition to the vista from the house bar.
Silver Spray is powered by a Perkins 4108 and has a very impressive turn of speed for a 26′ woody.
I have to say that when John mentioned the recent work I was hoping the two ‘Haines Hunter’ cabin top windows (refer below) would have been replaced, never mind a wee job for the woody boys in Opua 😉

Discover more from waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news - updated daily - 14+ million views
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.


Saw her last Friday on a berth at the Opua Marina looks gorgeous I hate this marina as one can not get down onto it to take photos so the few I took of her with my phone are not perfect
LikeLike
On Mon, 29 May 2023, 00:10 waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden bo
LikeLike
She is a beautiful old ship
LikeLike
Re the cabin top hatches …. funnily enough, even though I did notice them being different/new generation, I do quite like them. Low profile; super durable; and watertight (probably); often have great hinges, etc. Likewise the grab rail on the cabin top. Part of the age old arguments around restore or rehash, and just a matter of perspective.
LikeLike
Off away from Orakei yet again to another new mooring. Its original home, Shed 15 built in the 1930s for her
is on the market again also. So two pieces of my grandfather Charles W Ravenhall’s history in the news this month. .
LikeLike
Orakei Basin??, Ngapipi road more like it.
LikeLike