What is Waitemata Woodys all about?
We provide a meeting point for owners and devotees of classic wooden boat. We seek to capture the growing interest in old wooden boats and to encourage and bring together all those friendly people who are interested in the preservation of classic wooden vessels for whatever reason, be it their own lifestyle, passion for old boats or just their view of the world.
We encourage the exchange of knowledge about the care and restoration of these old boats, and we facilitate gatherings of classic wooden boats via working together with traditionally-minded clubs and associations.
Are you a Waitemata Woody?
The Waitemata Woodies blog provides a virtual meeting point for lovers of classic and traditional wooden boats. If you are interested in our interests and activities become a follower to this blog.
The Vessels Featured
The boats on display here (yes there are some yachts included, some are just to drop dead stunning to over look) require patrons, people devoted to their care and up keep, financially and emotionally . The owners of these boats understand the importance of owning, restoring and keeping a part of the golden age of Kiwi boating alive. The boats are true Kiwi treasure to be preserved and appreciated.
Todays launch is named Tandarra and was spotted by Barbara Cooke in the Bay of Islands. A total mystery to me, and I hope its not a Vindex and has slipped under my classic radar 🙂
WOODY QUIZ (NO) WINNER
The answer to yesterdays quiz re naming the mystery boat yard and location is Ashton’s Boatyard, Ewing Road, Whangarei (c.1950>60)
Lots of people suggesting the Salthouse Greenhithe yard or Robertson’s on the Mahurangi River.
So no winner for the WW t-shirt and Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Calendar – will put them up again in the weekend with another quiz question.
In the above March 1932 photo we see the launch Valhalla alongside the wharf at the Whangaroa Swordfish and Big Gamefish Club in Northland.
Two very impressive Mako sharks are being weighed in – must have been a hell of a battle to land that pair in a boat the size of Valhalla 🙂
I’m a bit light on intel on Valhalla – can we learn more on her?
(Photo ex Lew Redwood fb)
INPUT ex Greg Philpott – below press clippings. I wonder if she survived the fire i.e. rebuilt.
WEDNESDAY WOODY QUIZ – Win WW t-shirt + a Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Calendar
⎈ Name the boat yard and location (approx) in the photo below – and your are in the draw for a WW t-shirt + LRC&WB calendar. ENTRY ONLY VIA EMAIL TO THE ADDRESS BELOW (entries close 6pm 18-01-2023
I spotted the 40’ Atkinson designed launch – Shango anchored in Little Oneroa, Waiheke Island over the xmas > new year period.
Very impressed that she has had a top chop and lost the radar tower, refer photo below from the 2020 Woody Waitangi Day Picnic at Wakalabubu Bay, Motutapu Island.
Bay of Islands WW contributor Dean Wright sent in the great photos above from when he and partner Deb were out for a few days just b4 xmas.
Dick and Colleen Fisher’s magnificent Akarana is seen anchored in Orokawa, as is Enterprise.
The photo of Shenandoah was taken by Dean as she came through Wai iti Bay, Moturua Island. I would be a little amiss if I didn’t comment on the brightwork – please someone give her the TLC she deserves.
A nice photo of the 1929 Lanes Motor Boat Co. 35’ launch – Valerie under way.
The sedan launch in the last photo is well known to me, but I just can’t recall her name…….. Nathan Herbert has advised it’s Waihora.
The photo below ex David Cooke is of Akarana heading to Te Puna Inlet yesterday, where she and Trinidad are escaping the unpleasant swells the B.O.I. are experiencing.
Todays woody – the yacht MOKOIA (spelling?) was spotted by Barbara Cooke during the week in the Bay of Islands.
Looks like she is set up for some serious cruising.
Can we learn more about Mokoia?
UPDATE ex owner – Jim Loft – MOKOIA, 39′ Bob Stewart design (Camelot). Woody built c.1965 by Max Carter.
INPUT EX ROBIN ELLIOTT – Mokoia was one of 3 Bob Stewart design Camelots under construction simultaneously at Max Carters in 1965. Photo on page 63, Sea Spray Sept. 1965.
Mokoia for I. Falconbridge, Camelot for I. Broadfoot and Ilex for W. Macky.
She was registered in 1965 as B-54, taking NZYF number 154 in 1969. Dimensions at time of her 1965 registration were: 39ft x 34ft x 10ft 6in x 5ft, 324 sqft sail area, ballast 3 ton, engine Ruston rover.
Mokoia was raced and cruised by Falconbridge up to at least 1971 and was still registered to him in 1976. ………. but ???
According to Sea Spray April 1973, Mokoia was entered by ‘H. Vega owner/skipper’ of Mokoia in the Auckland Suva race. She was eventually registered to H. Vega in 1978.
As usual, NZYF registration details are plagued by conundrums and obsolete data.
From 1980 through to 2000, she had no registered owners with any of the published NZYF registers. My last recorded details are owners J.& K. Lott 2014-2021+
All details are subject to change 🙂
ONLY 2 WEEKS TILL MAHURANGI WEEKEND – 2 OF THE BEST WOODY GIGS – CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH PARADE & BEACH BBQ + BAND ON SAT NIGHT @ SCOTTS LANDING. More details closer to the weekend
Woody David Cooke spotted the 1950 Billy Rogers designed and built 36’ launch – Lady Diana earlier this week in Parekura Bay, Bay of Islands. From the photo she appears to be in good hands – looking very smart.
Southern Seas., previously named South Seas, last appeared on WW back in 2014 (link below) At the time she was for sale at an asking price of $85k, currently she is for sale with bids starting at $25k and a ‘buy now’ figure of $65k, which includes marina (I suspect, rental only).
Back in 2014 we were not able to successfully ID the designer / builder and from her tme listing, thanks Ian McDonald, still can not. Possible build date is c.1963. We know that she is 34’ in length and built of 3 skins of kauri on opposite diagonals and powered by a Lees converted 6 cyl. Ford D series diesel.
Earlier this month WW was contacted by Greg Philpott in regard to a comment on WW back in March 2018, concerning a gent named Ron Morgan who was trying to locate his old 24’ mullet boat named Echo. Echo had been at Whitianga but was taken to Beachlands to be rebuilt by a painter from the marina who Ron thinks went overseas before it was completed. Ron commented that the boat had a long history and was raced early last century. When Ron had it she was configured as a launch. Before selling it she had its cabin stripped off so could be just a hull. Enter Greg Philpott who recently posted the picture above on the ex RNZN Facebook page with the primary interest being the Naval Base and the warships HMS Diomede and HMS Dunedin. The photo came from the British Museum files. On the fb posting there was a comment added by a William Ohealy as below.
“That launch in photo is the Echo . We rebuilt her into a fine fishing boat / charter boat. But me dad got to old so was sold. We put a 6LW Gardner. Dam she was fast, 11 knots at 1100 rpm – sad to see her go. Last I saw her at Herald Island in the upper Auckland Harbour, sorry no photo. Put a forward wheel house on her. aft cockpit cabin and walk around deck. When first built was a 28 ft. mullet boat steamed up to Whangarei Harbour and added 7 ft. to the stern and made into a motor sailer. With a whole new keel. As a racing mullet was the fastest on the Auckland Harbour.”
So woodys, after digesting the above (some what convoluted) intel – can we ID the actual launch in the photo and possible join the dots to a Mullet boat link?
13-01-2023 Input ex Chris McMullen – Refer page below out of the 1945 Book “Little Ships” by Ronald Carter. It shows an early photograph of a Mullet Boat called “Echo” (top left). Mullet Boats have built down aft sections (no deadwood) Difficult to fit a propeller and make into a launch, but it has been done. The design weakness in Wooden Mullet Boats was the Centre board case. Once Toredo worm got in the case and keel the damage was a big job to fix. Enthusiast owners have done these repairs them selves. To have it done professionally would cost more than the boat was worth. So mullet boats were sold cheap. The new owner blocked off the centreboard slot, strengthened the keel, installed a motor and went fishing.
The 26 foot Mullet Boat “Corona”(now extensively rebuilt) almost suffered that fate. She disappeared for many years. As far as I know and fortunately the owners never worked out how to fit a propeller. Her hull was saved by some Mullet Boat Enthusiasts. Her Spars and Sails were long gone.
INPUT EX HAROLD KIDD – There was an ECHO launch, 29ft, originally with a 10hp Lozier built by James Reid and domiciled in Devonport around this time. She was hauled out on the Devonport Ferry slip in 1919 and took part in the first race run by the Milford Cruising Club in 1924. I reckon this is the boat. As for the 1900 Clare 24ft mullet boat ECHO, she went to Thames in 1904 and was still in existence at Whitianga in a terrible state in 1989. NOT this boat.
ATTENTION WOOLLEY CLASSIC LAUNCH OWNERS
WW has been contacted by Kerry Lilley, owner of the Woolley launch – Awariki asking for owners of Woolley designed/built classic launches attending this years Mahurangi Regatta (Jan 28th) to join Awariki in Saturday mornings launch parade – Kerry’s contact details are below, so drop him an email or call and he will explain in detail the plan to celebrate the Woolley marque. If you don’t own a Woolley but know someone who does – be nice and pass the message on 🙂
Todays photo, dated 1938 by Tudor Collins ex the Auckland Museum via Glen Ngapuhi and Len Redwood fb shows several launch off the wharf at the Whangaroa Swordfish & Big GameFish Club.
Can we attempt to name the boats L>R? My contributions – I think of the two dark hulled craft, stern in, the one on the right (middle) is Ethel.
INPUT EX NATHAN HERBERT – These game fishers are the Marlin, the Rosemary and the Wanderer II
Woody On Wheels
Last year on fb John Bertenshaw posted the photo below of a 1963 woody MGB , photo taken at the 60th anniversary of the MGB model.
Woody Olaf Wiig resides off shore these days but as the owner of the rather imposing 1953,Lidgard built 48′ woody – Ngaro as often as he can he hops on the big silver bird and returns home. Then slips the lines and heads out to enjoy the Hauraki Gulf and beyond.
Over winter Ngaro spent a couple of months in the shed at Robertsons yard having her cabin tops and varnish redone. It wasn’t all lipstick – a new water tank was installed + a major engine service and a full new suit of canvas.As I have commented before Bgaio is one of th few woodys that no matter what angel you approach her from, she looks perfect. Well done Olaf and Emma for the custodianship of Ngaro.
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