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.
Sometimes you have to ask yourself – is the photo for real or has it been ‘photo-shopped’, well woodys I can tell you this ones for real. But would it float?, does the builder ever intended taking her out to open water? I think we can assume that the owner was a serious DIY’er and not an actual boat builder. Kind of reminds me of a ‘boat’ at the Te Atatu Boating Club in West Auckland, but a whole lot un sea friendly.
MARINA WANTED – 12m+ Temp Only
One of our passionate woodys is looking for a 12meter+ marina in the Hobsonville / Bayswater / Westhaven area. Upwards of 6 weeks. Its a woody returning to Auckland and they need to park her while they sort out a more permanent home. Email me at waitematawoodys@gmail.com if you know of anyone hauled out for winter etc.
THE LAUNCH MIDNIGHT II AND THE CHAMBERLIIN FAMILY OF PONUI ISLAND I received an email last week from Ross Dawson, a passionate woody fan, Ross resides in Kawakawa Bay and let me know that he had just visited Peter Chamberlin in a retirement home and he kindly gave permission for Ross to take a few copies of photos in his family photo album. Peter’s son David now manages the family farm at Motunau (the South end of Ponui Island). The launch – Midnight lI according to notes in Peter Chamberlin’s photo album, was a petrol powered launch built for Peter’s father Fred (son of Charles jnr) by Lanes in 1928 and was sold to Ian Chamberlin in 1950, when Fred took delivery of the Colin Wild built diesel launch – Motunau. WW would love to learn more about Midnight II and what became of her.This weekend I will share the story of – Midnight, the Chamberlin’s yacht. Before we finish today – Ross has a hobby horse he would like to exercise 🙂 I’ll let Ross tell the story “I want to comment on, what seems to be a common theme whereby Aucklanders from the earliest colonial times right up to the present day, seem to think that privately-owned Gulf islands are a legitimate place to wander at will, help one’s self to whatever is lying around, and to depart leaving behind much more than one’s footprints! The old newspaper articles surprised me that petty theft, and not so petty theft was perhaps as common in 1800’s as it is today.
The first items I noticed, up to about 1900, were advertisements promising rewards for “information leading to the prosecution of persons who had stolen large quantities of standing and cut wood”…probably tea tree I am guessing. ( Auckland used huge quantities of firewood for domestic heating & cooking in colonial times)
From about 1900 for perhaps 30 years, the adverts changed to dire threats of prosecution for dastardly scow operators helping themselves to beach shingle. (Ted Ashby’s book “Phantom Fleet” gives a good explanation of illegal shingle extraction)
Other newspaper public notices refer to other problems of shooting of pigs and farm stock. It seems the Chamberlin families might have been justified in having jaundiced views about their mainland neighbours, and it is surprising that they have managed to maintain a reputation of being gracious hosts to visitors and willing helpers to boatees in need of rescue.
Even today, they deserve better from the wider Auckland public. As a long time yachtsman myself, often anchoring in Ponui’s many bays, I am sometimes horrified by the casual way boating people feel it okay to roam over the island, sometimes even with their dogs. Some even think it okay to browse around the farm buildings…do they actually think Ponui is public estate?
And while I am on a rant, where do all the plastic bait bags littering the beaches come from…not accidental discharges from Auckland storm water drains! A great stain on the reputation of the majority of well behaved boating community. My heart goes out to the Island owners who also pay eye-watering land rates to a City Council that does very little by way of public services which we take for granted on the mainland.”
Update ex Ross Dawson – he meant to add – “No criticism intended”
THREE SISTERS On a recent mooch around Gulf Harbour marina I spotted this very salty yacht named Three Sisters. Given the set-up, at some stage I her life she has seen some blue water activity. Anyone able to tell us about her past?
GUNNER A Bayswater marina boats dropped me a note asking what I knew about the ex workboat – Gunner that was berth near him at Bayswater. I answer was – nothing, so I popped down and took the above photos.Very distinctive looking small ship so one of the Work Boat chat group should be able to enlighten us.
Input & photo below from Cameron Pollard – she was built by Lane’s in Picton
KAHU SINKS AFTER COLLISION WITH TRAWLER
Boat builder Greg Lees sent in the sad photo above of the launch Kahu semi submerged after being T-boned by a fishing trawler. I’m a little hazy on the location, but I understand it was near “Cooks Rock’ in/near the entrance to Queen Charlotte Sound at the tip of the South Island. I’m told everyone was taken off both vessels and the trawler taken under tow – BUT Kahu was left to fend for her self. In the above photo she had been ‘afloat’ for 2 days and was about to be taken under tow, with the hope of beaching her. The prognosis isn’t good so woodys, fingers crossed she can be saved. Link here to a WW story on Tahu https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/01/21/kahu-a-peek-down-below/
Update – Interesting spin on things – not sure what the actual situation is
She sank in Cook Strait on Saturday the 17th of April in the AM in a strong southerly north of the brothers. The Westpac rescue helicopter located the 3 crew and the yacht Chatham Whisper was able to recover the 3 from the water then transferred them to a coastguard boat out of picton near Cape Koamaru. The boat was completely submerged but was able to be recovered but had been crashed into by a fishing boat while it was under the surface. https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/124906808/boat-found-drifting-towards-cook-strait-power-cables-raised-from-sea-sits-in-lower-hutt-marina
Photos below ex Ross Giblin at STUFF – see above link for stroy re the recovery. Alan H
SOUTHERN HARMONY – A Peek Down Below According to tme, Southern Harmony was built in 1977 by ’Ship Masters’ (a new one to me) using 3/4” kauri. She measures 30’ and is powered by a 80hp Yanmar turbo diesel.
Appears to be well fitted out. In my eyes the hull could be a lot older. And as her name suggests – she is a southern gal, home is Lyttleton.
A little while ago Mark Erskine wrote in regarding the 123 year old Stow & Sons gaff yawl racing yacht – ‘Imatra’ which was sailed to New Zealand in the late 1930’s or 40’s and purchased by the then Mayor of Auckland. Mark used to give her a passing glance on his travels, she is berthed in the Tamaki River, but over the last few years he hasn’t checked but I can confirm that she is still barely afloat. The last time Mark saw her she was in poor condition, at the time owned by John Hayman, we are unsure who currently owns her. Can any of the river rats enlighten us on the status of Imatra?
Mark also supplied a link to a Youtube video on Stow & Son, master boat builders. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBBVcrmj9qE It gives wonderful insight into just how remarkable their productions were / are. Very humble boat sheds, humble tools, all yachts made by hand, but by craftsmen from the best quality seasoned timbers (oak frames seasoned for up to 16 years, mahogany, rosewood, walnut, pitch-pine, teak, etc) and the sheer quantity of huge, high quality racing yachts and boats made by this firm boggles the mind. The production numbers don’t seem possible for the size of the business, and clearly shows this company were at the very top of their game.
A few Stow & Sons yachts survive fully restored and are worth millions.
If you Google:
“1904 Rosalind yacht”
“1913 Harbinger yacht” Sadly, “Harbinger” was lost at sea a few years ago.
Input From A WW Reader
The Imatra article today jogged my memory. Imatra was designed and built with a gaff yawl rig and was sailed to NZ in that configuration (see photo) below. Much later, she was modified to her current rig here in NZ. Current owner, John Hayman claims the modifications were carried out by a young Peter Blake, after Hayman damaged her magnificent timber main mast. The current alloy mast looks very much out of place and just adds to the current distressed condition of the yacht. Hayman was also responsible for the awful cabin addition. He claimed the construction was carried out at Baileys. The original rear (aft?) mast postion behind the rudder post was also removed and brought forward of the rudder post. Hayman claimed this was also by “Blakey”.
The yawl ‘Imatra’ under sail, 1913. (Photo by Kirk and Sons of Cowes/Getty Images)
Input From Harold Kidd – IMATRA left England for NZ in December 1948. Ernie Davis bought her in 1949. L.J.Fisher owned her later then A.M. Jenkinson (1964) then Jack Hayman. SOMEONE’S GOT TO DO SOMETHING!
Input From Russell Ward – I crewed on her Christmas 1964 when she was owned by seafarer and car dealer Arthur Jenkinson – He was a mate of Athol Rusden and is mentioned a lot in the latter’s autobiography “Rascal of the Pacific” It is a cracking good read and puts him in perspective. Athol had the 60’ woody Paulmarkson built by Percy Vos in 1970. She was renamed Dionysus RIP. Jenkinson had pulled the masts out and was rebuilding them when I crewed. He said he was re-gluing parts so I guess there was rot. She was substantially original below – lovely paneling etc etc. I think she had a piano aft end of the saloon. Wasn’t much for me to do since we motored everywhere.Arthur reckoned she had too much lead aft and that the engine (a Lees 100 hp Ford) ballasted her too much aft. I last saw her on one of the slips at St Marys Bay a year or so after and Arthur was gas axing and hacking a large piece of lead off the aft end of the keel by the rudder post –would have been a ton or more. I lost touch with her after that and she seemed to spend most of her time up the Tamaki. The boxy cabin aft was quite a fine piece of woodwork but the original doghouse was lovely.The picture below is of her at Cooks Lower Landing alongside Skip Lawler’s ex RNZN Fairmile – Ngaroma
27-11-2022 UPDATE – Have just been flipping thru some old ‘scrap books’ of NZ yachting press articles and came across the below – the 1st is dated 30-07-1974 ex the NZ Herald
The bottom two are ex Sea Spray magazine June 1978 edition
03-03-2025 INPUT FROM A CONCERNED BOATIE
Photo below of the vessel Imatra which is looking in a sad state in the Tamaki river.
It is lying on its side so when the tides in its half submerged in water.
Seems a sad end to a boat that’s probably one of the oldest in New Zealand.
Today’s launch photo comes to us via Peter Smith’s fb and shows the launch Irini on Lake Tarawera.
Back in August 2013 Harold Kidd commented in a post that Irini was built in 1904 by Bailey & Lowe for the Government Tourist Department. She was built at the same time as her sister ship – Patiti, both launches were railed to Rotorua in mid July and taken to the Rotorua lakes by bullock wagons. The exact locations are a little cloudy as the boats may have swapped lakes at some stage e.g Irini was intended for Lake Rotomahana but is tagged as being on Lake Tarawera in the photo.
RAMAROA WW was recently contacted by Andrew Butcher who owns the 42’ 6” launch Ramaroa. Andrew and partner Celeste purchased Tamaroa 18 months ago from a gent by the name of Glen Elis, who had brought Tamaroa up from Napier to Sandspit. Post purchased the Butcher’s relocated her to Herald Island, West Auckland.
Andrew believes she was possibly built by Fred Millar and built from double diagonal macrocarpa in 1970. I suspect a lot of marine ply was used in her cabin top / cockpit. A rather distinctive design, so hopefully someone will remember the boat. Her forward motion comes via a Ford D300 diesel engine.
Like all new owners they would love to uncover / confirm details about her past – can we help?
CLASSIC BOAT 2021 AWARDS
This morning at 3am NZ time, the 1895 Chas Bailey designed and C&W Bailey built 58′ gaff cutter – IDA, was voted runner-up in the ‘Restored Sailing Vessel Over 40’ category in the Classic Boat magazine 2021 awards – the winner was Cynara. Full details in the latest edition of Classic Boat.
COULD THIS BE RONA The launch Rona made a cameo appearance on WW in May 2020, link below, but we were unable to expand more on the boat. Yesterday Nathan Herbert sent in the colour photo above and posed the question – are they the same boat. Hopefully the new photo will jog someones memory and we can answer the question and maybe learn more about Rona.
YVONNE The above photos were sent to me by Bill Brown, Bill’s family were a previous owner of my launch so I always open his emails asap.Bill’s family owned Yvonne for a couple of years in the early 1970’s keeping her in a boat shed at Kissing Point, Whangarei. She was kept there prior to our purchase and Bill’s father approached the owner to buy her even though she was not on the market at the time. These black and white photos were taken on a box brownie while Yvonne was at anchor in the harbour.I saw Yvonne 2 weeks ago motoring past Greg Lees shed at Sandspit, I think post some work at the Greg Lees Boatbuilders yard. Yvonne last appeared on WW in 2014 https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/06/23/yvonne-2/#comments
Also from Bill was a heads up on a rather sweet 2.2m Ian Oughtred design sailing clinker dinghy for sale on tme – search Ian Oughtred and it will pop up. Perfect eye candy for the Lake Rotoiti bach 🙂
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