Author Archives: Alan Houghton - waitematawoodys.com founder

Unknown's avatar

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.

Pilot + Woody Quiz

Posted on by
4

Far North Mystery Workboat – PILOT
Woody Brett Stanaway has taken his launch Seabee to the Far North this summer, even ventured as far as rounding Cape Reigna. While in Hohora he spotted the above woody. Those rather substantial belting indicate she was / is a workboat. In my eyes, there is a certain whale chaser look to her.No name visible so we will have to rely on the WW workboat boys for help ID’ing her.


Most likely the last day afloat today – special thanks to those that sent in photos over the xmas/ny period. Keep them coming 

Input from Dean Wright – she is called PILOT and has been on WW before 🙂

https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/05/23/pilot/


WOODY QUIZ – WIN #1 Selling Book

All correct answers to the question below go into the draw for a copy of Brian Peet’s #1 selling book – Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy. Enter via email only to this address waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Q – Identify the item in the photo below eg – what is it, who would have it and where would you see it? (Thanks to Harold Kidd for the photo)

Freedom

Posted on by
7

FREEDOM
Today’s boat is named Freedom and is a recent purchase by Neil Hammond. Neil bought Freedom off a gent named Murray Davies in Havelock, Marlborough Sounds, who owned her for 9 years. Her construction is double diagonal kauri (then glassed ) and is 36’ in length and powered by a Detroit 6-71 diesel. From her early service records it appears Freedom was based in Auckland from new.

When advertised for sale, she was described as ‘vindex style’, hopefully not 🙂 you will struggle to find any vindex’s on WW.
So woodys – can anyone help Neil in his quest to learn more about his boat?

09-03-2021 More input from owner – Graeme Mossman appears to have owned and sold the boat in 1988.  I have this name off an old letter in the file, and this name is deciphered from a signature so may be completely wrong.  However, I am thinking that he is the original owner as I am told that the boat was built in 1979/80.  This letter is an introduction of the boat to the new owner who has purchased the boat off Mossman in December 1988.  It also refers to a Doug Walley who is described as an experienced engineer who works as a Tutor at the Auckland Technical Institute and who can do some maintenance on the boat after the new owner has completed the “Christmas Cruise”, before the boat is transported to Wellington.  So, from here it appears to have spent time in Wellington before ending up in the Marlborough Sounds.


Photo below of last nights sunset and still no rain 🙂

https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/12/01/wooden-boat-bureau-advice-for-buyers-and-sellers/

Summer Boating in the Bay of Islands – Part 2

Posted on by
2
Marline
Galerina
Orari II
Serene
Active

Summer Boating in the Bay of Islands – Part 2


Our resident B.O.I. woody – Dean Wright is a star, above is another batch of photos from the Bay of Islands. I was especially rapped to get the top two of Marline, WW readers will know that she spent several months at the end of last year I the shed at The Slipway Milford getting a top-chop. You can read / see more on that at the WW link below. Wonderful to see her back in the bay and with Ken Warne at the helm.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/09/14/marline-gets-a-top-chop/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/11/25/marline-back-in-the-water/

The very large – Galerina, is looking the sharpest in many a year – well done to whoever is caring for her. Can anyone put a name to the last photo, the launch with the game poles – its something like ‘Hattele’

I have been getting weather reports from back in the city that its been very wet – my garden will be very happy. But I can report that other than 2 hours of light rain on 01-01-2021, its as dry as a crisp. Photo below from Rakino – West Bay on the left and Woody Bay on the right. 
As always if you spot anyone or thing that might appeal to the WW readers, pull the phone out and snap a photo and send in to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

La Rosa – Flashback

Posted on by
7

LA ROSA – FLASHBACK


I just love opening the WW email inbox, particularly when out of the blue you get a treasure trove of photos on a boat that you know but do not have much content from her past.The other day Alan Duckworth contacted me to say he came across the WW site while searching for new photos of the 1923, Ernie Harvey built launch – La Rosa. Bob King, who owned the vessel for 50 odd years and significantly modified the ketch, was Alan’s grandfather. 

The above gallery of old photos are from Bob King’s ownership period. Alan recalls that the motor was a Lister, compression start, that could run for hours on bugger all fuel.


The current owner of La Rosa – Ward House will love the photos – hopefully his good friend Baden Pascoe will alert him to the story. You can see and read more about La Rosa at the WW links below:
https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/16/la-rosa/
https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/02/27/castaway-la-rosa-on-the-slip/

Input below from Mark Erskine

“I was interested to read about La Rosa and what a wonderful antique engine she has.

I see “Graeme” posts the engine is a 26 HP Lister HW2, but it is a Lister JP2M.

The JP2M specs are: Capacity: 2,868cc. / HP: 21 @ 1,200rpm. / Weight: 2,576 lbs/1.168 tonnes

https://www.stationaryengineparts.com/Lister-Petter-Engine-General-Specs/

They were made from 1936 and 1954 apparently (haven’t been able to confirm), so it would be interesting to see if the owner knows the age of the engine.

Like all of the old Lister / Petter water cooled range of engines, the JP2M is built so big and heavy and runs so slowly that if properly serviced, maintained and used, it should never wear out in marine use 😁 “

https://www.marinepowerservices.co.uk/engines/past-engines/90-1952-lister-jp2m

https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/12/01/wooden-boat-bureau-advice-for-buyers-and-sellers/

2020 Wooden Boat Most Resembling A Block of Flats – Award Winner

Posted on by
6

2020 Wooden Boat Most Resembling A Block of Flats – Award Winner


The above photos from an anonymous woody spy, hit the WW email inbox on New Years Eve, so just made the 2020 cut.Normally the annual winner is a launch , but this year its a yacht. All I can tell you is underneath the additions was once a H28. Even in ‘as launched’ trim they were never the quickest of craft, this one would be an interesting sail. The USA, they have a cult follower and owners spend moon beams on them.
Hopefully someone will advise that its actually a plastic H28 and the award can be passed on 🙂

Check log in tomorrow – great story and 50 year old photos of the woody launch – La Rosa 

Mystery Workboat Conversion

Posted on by
8

Mystery Workboat Conversion 
According to her tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) the above woody is – 44’ in length, built of kauri, powered by a 1978 Detroit 150hp diesel and calls Waiheke Island home. And that woodys is all we know.

I’m sure we can uncover more details. The conversion looks very tidy and the wood stove would indicate she has spent time in the our southern waters.


Stunning weather afloat, photo below of Raindance in Garden Cove, Waiheke Island – we sneaked in before the fizz boats and SeaLegs arrived.

Happy New Year + Kewpie

Posted on by
4

HAPPY NEW YEAR + KEWPIE

Well good riddance to 2020, while it was a great year for WW, most of us have been impacted in some way by CV-19 and the lock-downs.Fingers crossed that we do not see another wave hit our shores.Now putting all that to one side  – I hope you all saw the new year ‘in’ in-style and are not to dusty today.

We have been mooching around Waiheke Island tucking in out of the wind. Had some stunning days, so are very glad we made the call to head out, otherwise I’d be at home moaning about the weather – sometimes you just have to go 🙂


Todays woody story is the old workboat – Kewpie, did many years on the Waitemata Harbour as one of the legendary – Blue Boats, servicing the inner islands.These days you will find her on Tauranga Harbour doing day trips. So woodys if you are down that way – shop local and support kiwi businesses – take a tour.

Special thanks to Thomas Guthrie for the photos

Input and photos below from Cameron Pollard – KEWPIE was never one of Aucklands “blue boats”. She was part of the well known Fullers Bay of Islands fleet.
Did a stint as a charter boat operating out of Westhaven for a while and also Tauranga.

Summer Woody Boating in the Bay of Islands

Posted on by
3

Summer Woody Boating in the Bay of Islands

Waitematawoodys resident B.O.I. woody – Dean Wright sent in the above gallery of photos from around the B.O.I.’s  over the Christmas > NY period.I’ll let Dean tell the story.


“A few pics since Christmas Eve, not too many woody’s about.That is a floating jacuzzi. Just when you thought you’d seen everything 🙂 Zooming in looks like a woodburner mounted for’ard.
A beautiful Townson in Opunga have forgotten the name, owned by a boat builder, complete with Townson dinghy. Gary’s Mason Bay in the background.Tamaroa also in Opunga Cove. Pics of the Fleming 55 on fire. Thank god the flames didn’t make it onto land. Moturua upwind or Motukiekie downwind.”


As always if you spot anyone or thing that might appeal to the WW readers, pull the phone out and snap a photo and send in to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Most of you will know that I like my food – the cheese scone below from the Beach Store, Onetangi, Waikehe Island – would have to #1 ever. Worth getting a wet ass relaunching the dinghy in the Onetangi beach waves 🙂

Emma J

Posted on by
2

EMMA J
During a recent chap with Ian Creevey concerning the big game fishing boat –  Cara Mia , Ian mentioned that he owned a 33’ Gladden bilge keel motor-sailer that here would love to uncover details of her past life.

The previous owner, 5years ago, believed she may have been done in Marlborough Sounds prior to when he had her in Whangarei. Emma J is powered by a 45hp Perkins.
Any woodys able to help Ian out with Emma J’s past?

Same Boat ?

Posted on by
7

Same Boat?

The top photo of the haul-out area at Okahu Bay, Auckland is dated 1977 and was sent in by Nathan Herbert. Nathan’s eye was draw to the large launch in the centre and he suspects the vessel is the launch – 50’ Dauntless, now residing in Milford Marina, now all white and sporting a different cabin (refer 2nd photo above).

There has been lots of chat on WW concerning the Milford boats provenance – see here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/03/dauntless/#comments


So woodys – the question today  – Is it the same boat?