Dec 2019 – Below

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – LADY MARGARET 4sale

During 2019 I closely followed the fate of the classic wooden launch LADY MARGARET, back then home was the top of the South Island and she was for sale. By birth LADY MARAGRET is a Waitemata woody, but its rare that we get one back from the south – transport costs being the #1 hurdle. 

So in December 2019 I was very happy to learn that she had sold and was heading north again. I meet the new owner and transporter at Westhaven and LM was looking very smart. Link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/12/09/lady-margaret-back-home-briefly/

Sadly her time in Auckland was brief as she relocated further north, where she currently remains.

Some background – built in Mt Albert, Auckland in 1955 by L. Deacon. As launched she was named Lady Mary, sadly her builder / owner passed away in 1956 and Lady Mary was sold to Mr John Senior, who changed her name to Happy Wanderer. At some stage she was renamed again to Lady Margaret.

While classified as a ‘home-build’ her builder was a professional builder / cabinet maker and the standard of workmanship and finish is second to none. There is a dockside tale that LM was based on a Colin Wild design, scaled down to 38’. The tale mentions that a friend of a friend lent some plans…….. no proof of this but in my naive eyes she is too perfect to not have had direction from one of the grandmasters.

Her hull is two skin kauri – inner is 3/8” diagonal and the outer is 7/8” horizontal. 

LADY MARGARET is been re-powered several times and currently forward motion is from a Ford D series 120hp diesel engine.

Thru out LADY MARGARET’s life she has been blessed with good owners who have maintained her very well, in the 2007/8 period approx. $300k was lavished on her. This care has been continued by her current owner, a marine engineer. 

Recently I received a call asking for assistance in finding a new custodian for LADY MARGARET, in an earlier life I would have bought her 🙂
So woodys if you or someone you know are in the market for one of the best looking classic launches afloat, contact me at waitematawoodys@gmail.com fast. Serious buyers only please.
Its a buyers market, has been for 2+ years. Now is the

 time to take that leap of faith, throw caution to the winds, take the plunge, and get yourself, your family, and your friends on the water this summer.

(footnote – along the way she lost the varnished coamings (1st photo below), I have taken the liberty to render an image, below, of what could be, est cost $10k.) FYI – I will be taking more photos this week.