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.

Auckland Anniversary Regatta

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1889 regatta photo ex Wilson & Horton

Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta

Late January > early February is always a big weekend on the yachting calendar – it is Auckland’s birthday and one of the lead events is the Anniversary Day Regatta – started way back in 1840 it is New Zealand’s oldest sporting event and in fact even pre-dates the America’s Cup by 11 years.

In recent years as competition of peoples leisure time has increased, the number of competitors has dipped, but the good news from a woody view point is the event has been propped up by the classic boating fleet and in recent years the inclusion of Tug/Work boat race and a classic launch, round the buoys drag race. If you are not away boating this long weekend, I would encourage you to visit the waterfront to catch some of the action – the Tug/Work boat race at 10am is a hoot. Best viewing spots found here  https://regatta.org.nz/regatta-spectators/where-to-watch-the-regatta-action/
Timetable.   https://regatta.org.nz/regatta-participants/schedule-of-regatta-events/


BIG WW STORY TOMORROW – 100+ PHOTOS FROM THE MAHURANGI REGATTA WEEKEND

Rebecca > Dolphin – A Rolling Restoration

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Rebecca > Dolphin – A Rolling Restoration 


Hello woodys, if you aren’t a float today, todays story is a gem – its all about what makes the classic wooden boating movement so special – Caleb Bird contacted me to advise that he had taken over the restoration of the yacht Rebecca (now back to being called Dolphin) from the Tino Rawa Trust. The 24′ Dolphin was built in 1902 by the Ewen brothers (Frank,Ernie & John) of Whangarei. Constructed of 2 skin kauri she was once owned and restored by the late Peter Smith, who also restored the stunning 1938 Sam Ford launch – Menai.

Todays photo gallery shows us what Caleb has been up to for the last 2 years i.e. stripping her out and getting the interior back to an amazing look. Well done Caleb, we need more of you 🙂

The first batch shows her ‘as found’ and later photos the work-in-process.

An Amazing Old Movie

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An Amazing Old Movie

A good Kiwi friend of mine, John Burland, lives in Germany and sent me the link to todays story. John was mooching around the web and found reference to my wife’s uncle – Jock Bleakley. Jock appears in this 1950 b/w film (from the New Zealand National Film Unit) titled ‘Rock Bottom At Waikaremoana’ that tells the story of a group of divers that sealed leaks in the lake bed. At the time approx 50% of the water capacity was being lost before it could be used in the hydro-electric dam / generator.

A team of ‘special’ divers with explosive skills that had learnt their skills in WWII (use your imagination) were contracted to fix the problem, which they did, and were rewarded very well. Great footage also of the special diving helmet designed to film the exercise. It was a high risk operation – one worker fell into a hooper > into lake and was never found.


Photo below shows Jock, aged 29 at the time,  and wife Querida aboard Jock’s launch at Kaitawa on the shores of Lake Waikaremoana. The photo comes to us from Maurice Alan Quinn’s fb page. Maurice was 9 years old at the time the film was made. The caption for the photo reads – pictured (from left) Angela Quin (Maurice’s sister), John Quinn (brother), Querida Bleakley, Jock Bleakley and stand Maurice’s father – Charley Quinn. The child kneeling in the front is Maurice. Maurice’s mother, Caroline Quinn took the photo. The Quinn’s were good friends of the Bleakleys. Amazingly Querida is still alive today, I attended a significant birthday party 2 months ago.

13-02-2021 UPDATE: Just spoke to Jock Bleakley’s son Warwick who told me the launch was named – Wanderer, and Jock had raised her from the bottom of the lake, her owner was so grateful to have her back, he gave Jock and Querida unlimited use of the boat. Another snippet – Jock also found a very old Maori Waka (canoe) that had been buried with a chieftain inside – at some stage over time the Waka had broken free from its earth grave as the result of an earthquake and ultimately came to rest on the bottom of newly formed lake. The local tribe transported the Waka to higher ground and reburied it. The Bleakley’s were invited to the ceremony – a very rare occurrence for non Maori’s at the time.

Stewart Island Woodys

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Stewart Island Woodys


Olaf Wilg has just returned from the deepest south and commented to me that the main bay in Oban was full of lovely looking brave little work boats. Olaf liked the look of Tequila and Rawhiti and the lovely Ranui is the ferry to Ulva Island. 

A woody that has relocated South and these days calls Stewart Island home is – Wairangi. She is one of Olaf’s favourite boats of all time. A loss to the Waitemata but certainly adding to the Southern woody fleet. You can see / read more on her at the WW links below – you will see she started life south of the border.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/04/18/wairangi-4/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/03/05/wairangi-3/

Would be nice if a southern woody could tell us more about these woodys 🙂

(Olaf, ever the perfectionist – apologises for the picture quality – all shot on an older mobile phone) 

The Big Woody Quiz – Lots of Prizes

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The Big Woody Quiz
Todays story is really a quiz, it won’t be easy, they are three parts to the answer. If anyone gets all three right I’ll be very impressed, in fact entries will be weighted by the number of questions you get right e.g. one correct question = one entry, two = two etc. Entries are ONLY via email to waitematawoodys@gmail  I’ll let it run until 7pm Monday 1st Feb 2021 – lots of time to do some homework. 


The winner of the draw will get – WW t-shirt, WW cap, Off Centre Harbor cap, Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat 2021 Calendar. Now if no one gets even one answer right – all entries will go into the draw – so its worth entering 😉


THE QUESTIONS ARE:
1.       Name the make of engine and hp

2.       Who were the agents for the engine

3.       Which boat was it fitted to and when


ID THE ENGINE QUIZ – The correct answers were

MAKE & HP: Stearns MDR 125hp

AGENTS: H. O. Wiles

BOAT FITTED TO & WHEN: Romance II – 1925
No one got all the answers correct – but Jason Prew and Nathan Herbert were tied at 3 correct elements (but not the same) so its a tie – they can decide what bits of the prize pool they each want 🙂

Pacific – 105 Year Old Woody Get A New Heart

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Pacific – The 105 Year Old Woody Get A New Heart

The 1917 Joe Slattery designed and built launch – Pacific, is a special boat – 105 years of one family ownership puts her into a very elite league.Now in the care of of Nathan Herbert, Pacific has sent the last 5 months hauled out getting a heart transplant i.e. a brand new FPT/ Iveco N45A 100hp diesel engine. The old green Lister sadly just didn’t provide the reliability and safety for a vessel that does the cruising miles that Pacific does.

Late yesterday afternoon Pacific had a ‘Claytons’ relaunch at the Milford Cruising Club’s slip. Not surprisingly after 5 months on the hard she had a big thirst, Jason Prew from The Slipway Milford was on hand with a large capacity extra bilge pump, but it wasn’t required. Fingers crossed the flow will abate when she goes back in again later today.

Whilst hauled out there was a serious dose of TLC done to Pacific, I’m looking forward to a better peek down below at the Mahurangi Regatta this weekend. Search PACIFIC in the WW Search Box to view / read more about Pacific past.

12-01-2021 Update – Pacific has been hauled out recently at The Slipway Milford, for a dose of annual maintenance + a new decks – looking very sharp. And these days do donr escape the yard without a Jason Prew paint job 🙂

16-10-2021 Ready to splash


I spotted Fleetwing, below,  at The Slipway Milford yard getting prepped for Mondays Auckland Anniversary Day regatta launch race. 

Balsona + Classic Launch Parade

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BALSONA
Hobsonville Marina based woody – John Wicks sent in the above photo of the Oliver & Gilpin built launch – Balsona that has been undergoing a gradual rolling restoration for some years. John commented that before the Chain(saw) Gang take umbrage, in his eyes the under-construction flying bridge is going to look more fitting than the previous excrescence, when it’s finished. She is a big old woody and we would love to learn more about her.

CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH PARADE – THIS SATURDAY @ MAHURANGI REGATTA

Each year the Saturday morning classic launch parade at the Mahurangi Regatta gets bigger and better, the format is simple  – we meet off Scotts Landing at 10am and then head off in single file (alpha order) following CYA Launch Captain – Jason Prew’s launch – MY GIRL to Sullivans Bay to do two laps of a pre-laid (buoys) course, that sees us weaving between the anchored boats and the shore line. 

This year again we will have Grant Cossey, a woody friendly shore based commentator that welcomes and backgrounds each boat as they motor past. This broadcast is heard both on-shore and across the bay. 
Now woodys entry to the parade is free, but it would really make things a lot easier and slicker if you helped out by letting Joyce at the CYA know some details on your boat eg Boat Name, Designer, Builder, Year Launch ,Owner (eg John Smith or Smith family) + any special items of interest about the boat (eg totally rebuilt in 1986) Send the above in a simple email to admin@classicyacht.org.nz AND DO IT TODAY PLEASE.


If you have any flags or bunting  on-board – hoist them up. AND remember to wave when you go past RAINDANCE, I’ll be taking photos 🙂

Valerie Update

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VALERIE UPDATE

The 1929 Lanes built, 40’ launch – Valerie, has appeared on WW a few time (link below – use the WW Search Box for more) but now thanks to a tme listing we get to see the results of the recent work done to her, including a heart transplant.The Yanmar 112hp is a perfect match for her and I imagine she has a good turn of speed. 

I spotted Valerie hauled out at Opua just over a year ago when she was getting the transplant and some serious TLC.
https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/12/31/valerie-gets-a-birthday/

Yesterday I was mooching around the Toi Tu Toi Ora exhibition at the Auckland Art Gallery (well worth a visit) and spotted the clinker below. The wife wasn’t impressed “can’t go anywhere without a wooden boat popping up. You knew this was here didn’t you” 🙂

Georgia Rae @ Herald Island

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Georgia Rae At Herald Island
I have seen the above boat several times mooching around the inner Hauraki Gulf but never been close enough to get a good photo or her name. This photo, moored at Herald Island, Auckland, was sent in by Thomas Guthrie and it appears her name is Georgia Rae. Thomas commented that her hull is a lot older than the cabin, can anyone enlighten us on her past and modifications?


Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta

Its only 8 days till the regatta so if you are going to be back in Auckland on the Monday today might be a good time to get your entry in. As well as the yachting events – there is the Tug/Work boat race and a round the bouys launch race for the diesel-heads – lots of great prizes up for grabs. Info & entry details here https://regatta.org.nz(

Photo above from the 1963 regatta)

Takitimu

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TAKITIMU

In the above photo of Lake Te Anau South Island, the launch has been tagged by Lew Redwood as being named Takitimu but with my eyes I think it is spelt Takitumu. So the first question today woodys is – does anyone know the correct spelling and second Q – what became of her?


Interesting day today on the Americas Cup scene – forecast is for some decent wind, so I predict the English will clean up against the Italians and secure a finals spot in the PRADA CUP. And will the Americans get their boat back together and then be competitive in the semi finals. If they do, I’ll be stretching the 4G network next weekend at the Mahurangi Regatta to get coverage 🙂