Author Archives: Alan Houghton - waitematawoodys.com founder

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About Alan Houghton - waitematawoodys.com founder

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.

Mystery Northland Classic Wooden Launch – VALIENT

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Mystery Northland Classic Wooden Launch – VALIENT

Leaving the Whangārei Maritime Festival on Saturday, I made the rookie mistake of thinking, “I know a shortcut.” I didn’t.
Instead, I found myself deep in the industrial maze of Port Whangārei.

The upside? I stumbled across a couple of woodys hauled out at Oceania Marine — home to the biggest travel-lift I’ve ever laid eyes on.

Tucked away among a line-up of serious commercial tonnage was today’s mystery classic wooden launch. She’d clearly had some recent TLC and looked about ready to be splashed again.

I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the generous helping of zinc hanging off her stern gear… seems the message about no / over-zincing hasn’t quite made it this far north yet! 😅

So, woodys — what do we know about this mystery craft? Any sharp-eyed locals able to share her name and history?

15-10-2025 UPDATE ex owner – Launches name is VALIENT, once called PLAY-BOY, Possibly built by Bailey & Lowe. 32′ in length. Has spent several extend stints as a long-line fishing boat. Once owned by the RSA Fishing Club in Whangarei, they did the name change. In a previous life was moored in the Waitangi river. Currently powered by a Nissan diesel.Has undergone a rolling restoration with lots of structural work, which included over 800 new copper rivets.

WOODEN CLASSICS TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT THE 2025 WHANGAREI MARITIME FESTIVAL – 60+ photos & videos

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WOODEN CLASSICS TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT THE 2025 WHANGAREI MARITIME FESTIVAL

Early Saturday morning I pointed the car north and arrived in Whangārei just in time to catch the soft early light — perfect for photography and well before the dockside crowds arrived.

Whangārei’s Town Basin really is the ideal setting for a maritime festival — easy dock access, great viewing angles, and plenty of nearby cafés and attractions. Add in the buzz of the Saturday markets and you’ve got all the ingredients for a standout event.

Wooden boat numbers were a little down on last year, but a few visiting commercial vessels — including Customs, Pilot boats, fishing craft and a pair of Waka — helped round out the fleet. From a public point of view, it was still an impressive line-up. Given the number of classic boats that have migrated north in recent years, it would be great to see more of the region’s wooden heritage on display next time around.

It was great to catch up with so many familiar faces — clearly the new highway was busy with Aucklanders heading north for the weekend.

All up, a thoroughly enjoyable day. Hopefully today’s photo gallery will inspire a few more of you to make the trip in 2026.

And there is always a few foody pix – hands down the best two seafood fritters ever – one mussel and the star – one whitebait. And a free KOWHAI coffee because she liked my WW t-shirt.

FYI – when I’m at an event I point the camera at what catches my eye , sometimes I miss a few boats but I like to think the photos are more like someone strolling the docks rather than someone trying to capture the whole caboodle 🙂

CLASSIC SPEEDBOAT BLACK TULIP – LOST HER SHINE, KEPT HER ATTITUDE

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CLASSIC SPEEDBOAT BLACK TULIP – LOST HER SHINE, KEPT HER ATTITUDE

Earlier in the week one of my Picton spies (Steve) spotted a ’new’ arrival at Waikawa Marina, in Picton. Boats name is BLACK TULIP, which rang a few bells with Steve, so a quick WW search popped up a July 2022 story – link below. At the time Dean Wright had spotted the boat sign and dry in Paihia. 

Whilst needing some TLC she was a looker and we learnt that she was a Mason Clipper 23 and came with an impressive power boat racing history. https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/07/22/black-tulip-where-is-she-today/

Now a few days later she popps up on tme – post an extensive make over, and powered by a 280hp Yanmar, that sees her topping out at 23 knots.

An oid salt told me once that once you lose the varnish on a classic ,it just becomes another white boat – well I think if you check out the photos below, you would have to agree, she has lost the WoW factor – but its only paint and maybe the next owner will see the light 🙂

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCHES NAMED SPEEDWELL 

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCHES NAMED SPEEDWELL 

I suspect I’m going to get  history lesson today…… The above photo surfaced on a Maurice Sharp’s fb feed and was captioned “The motor launch Speedwell om the Waitemata Harbour – 1920’s – 1930’s” (NZ Herald). Searching WW we get a link to a ROSEMARY M story where Harold Kidd advised the ROSEMARY M had once been named SPEEDWELL – link to that story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/09/07/rosemary-m/

Harold also made reference to his and Robin Elliott’s book – Vintage NZ Launches’where we see another SPEEDWELL, this time one of several launches of the same name owners by WA ‘Wilkie’ Wilkinson . To my eye this SPEEDWELL (2nd photo above)  is not the one in Maurice’s fb post.

Can we correctly put a builder / date on this one.

13-10-2025 INPUT ex GREG PHILPOTT – advertisement below appeared c.1920’s Bay of Islands Swordfish Club yearbook.

Off to Whangarei today for the Whangarei Maritime Festical – fingers crossed Monday will be a great story 🙂

KEY INTEL October 11th and 12th 2025

Whangārei Town Basin – Free Entry

More info: www.whangareimaritimefestival.co.nz


WELL, THAT’S SORTED – TWO CLASSIC LAUNCHES NAMED MA CHERIE NOW IN AUCKLAND

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WELL, THAT’S SORTED – TWO CLASSIC LAUNCHES NAMED MA CHERIE NOW IN AUCKLAND

Yesterdays WW story (scroll down to view) certainly delivered the goods in terms of clarifying the questions around two launches named MA CHERIE.

Firstly Murray Deeble advised that yesterdays launch is berth in the Milford marina, Auckland.


Then Dave Forrest contact WW re the other Ma CHERIE , as seen above, mentioned in yesterdays story – I’ll hand over to Dave – “My name is DaveForrest and I am the new owner of the vessel called MA-CHERIE and I have owned her since May this year.   She is currently moored at Te Atatu , West Auckland. My MA CHERIE was built by Garth Lane in 1960/61  in Panmure , Aukland .  Her name when first built was ma- Cherie  then in 1999 her name was changed to ADI KUILA and went to Fiji as a charter boat. Then came back to NZ in  2001. Murray Sole from Whangamatā had her then. In 2002  a new owner was recored as S.C.R. Holdings Ltd in Te Atatu”

Dave also commented that he has an extensive documented history on the vessel. The WW link below from July 2014 has a great collection of older day photos , including her Fiji days. https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/08/22/adi-kuila/

COULD THE REAL MA CHERIE STAND UP PLEASE

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COULD THE REAL MA CHERIE STAND UP PLEASE

Earlier in the week John Dawson sent in the above launch day photo of the classic wooden launch – MA CHERIE, a WW search threw up numerous stories linked to that name but none that match the above launch size and design.

There was a brief mention of a MaCherie being built in the early 1960’s at the Visa Ship Yard in Tauranga for a Don Shattock. The Visa name may be a typo as I recall a Tauranga boatbuilder named Bill Visser, who possibly worked at Kingfisher Boats – sorry for any confusion – hopefully we can clarify todays launch heritage.

WW also ran a story in June 2025, link below, re a launch named MA CHERIE , that had been once named ADI KUILA  that had been recently relocated to Auckland  – in my eyes not the same boat, this ones much bigger and different design. https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/06/14/classic-wooden-launch-ma-cherie-adi-kuila-lives-on/

So woodys – what do me know about todays boat.

HERITAGE REFIT FOR 1921 LOGAN LAUNCH NGAIO

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HERITAGE REFIT FOR 1921 LOGAN LAUNCH NGAIO

I have very few regrets in life and only one when it comes to classic wooden boats. What is it ? – not buying the 36’ Arch Logan launch NGAIO when I had the opportunity. BUT – hand on heart, NGAIO went to a better owner, Jan Barraclough.                                    

Over recent years Jan has undertaken what we call a rolling restoration – and the centenarian has never looked better. BUT – there’s my better and Jans better, so currently NGAIO is undergoing a major refit to return her helm / cockpit area closer to as-built allowing for some creature (height) comforts.

Artisan  classic boatbuilder Paul Tingey started on the project this week and no time was wasted in removing her existing ’structure’. Given the presentation of the existing structure, photos below, most of us would have been very happy as is, but not Jan and we admire her for commissioning the work and look forward to the re-launch.

Check in for updates.

20-10-2025 UPDATE – work continues, today we see the reinstatement of a tram-top window to match her earlier style. Also we see the ‘brains’ trust pondering and a photo from her early days.

CLASSIC LAUNCH – NAUTILUS ID’ed AT LAST

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CLASSIC LAUNCH – NAUTILUS ID’ed AT LAST

Todays classic wooden launch first appeared on WW back in December 2017, link below. Jason Prew and Nathan Herbert were mooching around the Whangarei town basin area and spotted the launch – at the time we never learnt her name but Nathan did comment that he believed the launch started life as a Les Coulthard sedan. https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/12/08/mystery-launch-08-12-2017/

After 7 years of radio silence the photo above pops up on a Maurice Sharp fb post. Maurice commented that at the time she was owned by Gilbert Deeming and the photo of her on the hard was taken c.1960s by Chris Deeming.

Ray Anderson also commented that his father bought NAUTILUS off Gilbert Deeming. Nathan H confirmed she was in fact a standard design by Les Coulthard and was 26>28’ in length.

Can we learn more about what became of NAUTILUS in the late 1960’s > 2017 period. (2017 photos below)

REVIVING A CLASSIC – INSIDE LEADER BOATBUILDERS AS FANTASIA PREPARES TO LAUNCH

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REVIVING A CLASSIC – INSIDE LEADER BOATBUILDERS AS FANTASIA PREPARES TO LAUNCH

Back in November 2023 I was mooching around Leader Boatbuilders on the Panmure River and Dave Patterson showed me around the 36’ 1968 (possibly 1963), Harry Biddle built (to a Crestcraft design)  launch FANTASIA . Link to the 2023 story here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/11/16/fantasia/

Today thanks to Mark McLaughlin’s visit to the shed last week and his guided tour from Ken we get to see what’s been happening to FANTASIA in the last 3 years. If I recall she came into the shed for a paint job, and now look at her – close to relaunching after an extensive refit 🙂 We love companion selling e.g. “Would You Like Frys With That?”

Mark commented that the new hull colour gets his tick of approval and I agree. We need more colour afloat – the bias for white-on-white must make Coastguards work a challenge .

Photos below from the past and prior to entering the shed + 2023 work in progress.

INPUT ex NATHAN HERBERT – I understand that these were Customcraft. Crestacraft were fibreglass trailer boats

CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING LAKE LEGENDS  – Drake Brothers

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CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING LAKE LEGENDS – Drake Brothers

Todays woody story is big on the feel good scale. During the week Taupo woody Shawn Vennell sent me todays photos of the Drake brothers, in the top photo  L>R we have – Micheal – Paul and good friend Monte Jones. The Drake ‘boys’ are a walking encyclopaedia of boating on the central north island lakes and are the WW go-to for any classic wooden boating questions. I have been lucky to meet them at the annual Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parades and have always admired how they present their craft. Genetics is a wonderful thing, I’m told their father was also a legend on the lake. I’m too polite to ask but the combined ages of the brothers would equal an impressive number of years classic boating. 
Have to like the name for SIR FRANCIS’s tender – ‘Love Me Tender’.

The photos were taken by Wendy O’Callaghan for an upcoming show on the history of the Taupo Boat Harbour.

UPDATE FROM PAUL DRAKE – Just a correction – the chap on the right is not Nigel. This is our great friend and vintage outboard expert Monte Jones, who, by the way, built a sixteen foot Hartley cabin boat POLARIS when he was sixteen (he is now in his eighties), and which he still owns and uses.

The occasion in the photo was the trial run of Monte’s recently restored 100 year old  2 hp twin cylinder Johnson outboard. It ran perfectly and pushed SIR FRANCIS along at a couple of knots.  

Missing from the photo are brothers Nigel and Roger – Roger being our engineer, without whom none of our vintage petrol engine powered launches would be running!

Full weekend details in the downloadable PDF file below, which includes the entry (free) form for the sailing events. 

LABOUR WEEKEND SPRING SPLASH (2)Download