STEWART ISLAND WOODYS
One of the original gang of 8 that 10+ years ago helped breath life back into the CYA launch fleet (when there was one 🙂 ) – Colin Pawson (past owner of Waimiga) has recently been mooching around the bottom of the South Island and hopped over to Stewart Island for a few days. In between night spotting Kiwis in the wild and consuming “the best fish (blue cod) & chips that has ever past his lips, Colin snapped a few woodys that were at anchor / moored.
The rather grand one in the first photo looks familiar , can we put a name to her and the others.
UPDATE EX PAUL N – the top boat is Wairangi
UPDATE EX ANT SMIT – Ant reports he also recently visited Stewart Island. Ant chartered the fishing boat Tequila for a 1/2 day and caught an impressive haul of Blue Nose. Ant commented that despite her salty looks she was built in 1996 with carvel kauri construction and is powered by a straight 6 Volvo diesel. More photos below.
The third boat above (green) is Rawene , another photo below
FINAL CALL FOR THE CLASSIC WOODY RIVERHEAD TAVERN LUNCH CRUISE. THIS SATURDAY RSVP TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com
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Ranui was originally the Spray 3 and worked the Waitamata as part of the Blue Boat fleet. Dad (Dave McConnell) bought her in the late 70’s when we owned Gem Resort in the Queen Charlotte, to replace our existing launches the Ponui and Manana. After a year or so of use it was decided she needed a redesign to better accommodate the general passenger work, goods cartage and diving and fishing charters that made up her work load. At this stage she was extensively refitted at McManaway’s with all new topsides, a 6LW Gardner and became Ranui 2.
We sold the Gem in 1989 and she continued on there with the subsequent owners until the mid 90’s. In the late 90’s Dad saw her berthed at Taieri Mouth, south of Dunedin, and in the late 2000’s she was listed for sale on Trademe this time out of Riverton. I’m not sure when the 2 was dropped and she became Ranui.
I’m thrilled she’s still plying her trade and am planning to pay her a visit!
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Hi Alan, With a heavy heart I advise I am unable to attend this weekends Riverhead cruise. I am locked down on Terra Firma for a couple of weeks, However I slipped the mooring lines last Fridsy and gave Ngarimu a taste of some salt, spent the night in Te Kouma harbour. This lovely girl slipped close by caught her name Lynette. Hmm researched your site.
So a quizz if you ever run out of stories!!!???
Name the location Boat name Designed by.
The very best Bruce ( Ngarimu)
On Wed, 13 Mar 2024 at 12:25â¯AM, waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden
Hello Bruce – is the boat pictured below the Lynette you spotted ? If so you need to calibrate your woody radar – she is f/glass, a L33 🙂 Alan H
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WAIRANGI is the almost certainly most nomadic vessel in respect of home locations, I think I have ever known,
When first built, her early life was in the areas of Lyttleton, & Christchurch partly, in her pilot boat era, but though the years, home has included Tutukaka, Whangarei, Coromandel, Auckland, Waiheke, Wellington, Picton, plus a few more I can’ recall, & as at now, Stewart Island.
She was used as a live aboard for a number of years at Whangarei & Picton, by close friends of ours, Andew & Andea Jackson.
She originally had a Thornycroft engine but for the majority of her long life she had had a 6 cyl. (L3??) Gardner Diesel.
One of our real genuine old & beautiful classics — KEN R
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TOP PHOTO IS WAIRANGI
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