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.
Boat Less These Holidays Consider a cruise on board a very classic looking wee ship on Lake Taupo. The Ernest Kemp isn’t a true woody (steel hull, wooden super structure, she was designed by Bruce Askew and built in Whangarei in 1980. Named after Alfred Ernest Kemp, the last member of the Kemp family to live at Kemp House Kerikeri. She briefly earned a living transporting passengers down the Kerikeri inlet. She was then sold in 1981 to business interests in Taupo, where she remains to this day.
Ernest Kemp is 47’ in length and has a 3’ draft, perfect for the sometimes swallow lake waters she operates in. Powered by twin 4 cyl. Ford 73hp diesel engines that give her a cruising speed of 9 knots. Ernest Kemp offers scenic cruises on Lake Taupo during the day and an early evening cocktail cruise. Details here https://ernestkemp.co.nz photo below ex Angus Rogers
RUSSELL , BAY OF ISLANDS – c. Late 1930 > Early 1940
During a spot of spring cleaning Gary Stanborough came across the photos above taken by his late father, Gordon Stanborough in the late 1930’s or early 1940’s when visiting Russell. The top photo shows the game boat Alma G II in her early days.
Of particular interest to Gary was the car ferry on the Russell foreshore and presumably the original Knoxie. A great look back at the area 80>90 years ago.
The photo below was sent in yesterday of a Flemming 55 on fire at Opua, be careful these holidays accidents happen so easily on a boat. In the 2nd photo (NZH) there is a woody on the left, all that smoke would not have been pleasant i.e. melting plastic 😦
CARA MIA In the photo above we see the game fishing launch – Cara Mia coming alongside the wharf at Tutukaka. The photo is dated Feb 1963. She was built by Ray Dinsdale on the shores of Whananaki. In the photo is is flag to peanuts, indicating that she had landed two game fish that day. Cara Mia possibly makes a cameo appearance in this 2015 WW story on Aquila – link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/05/06/aquila/
Do we know any more about the launch and what became of the boat?
27-12-2020 Input from Ian Creevey – I started my game fishing career on the Cara Mia in Paihia in 1976. Photo below. At the time she was owned by Peter Rosoman who I recently ran into in Marsden Cove after 42 years!! Also met another guy who remembers her being built.
A MerryWoodyChristmas Well woodys its been a crazy year, but looking around the world, at the moment there isn’t anyway else I would want to be. I’d encourage you this holiday period to get out there and enjoy the slice of paradise we all live in. I know a lot of businesses and individuals have and still are suffering due to CV-19, so get out there and support your local businesses.
On a personal front it’s been a huge year for waitematawoodys, the enforced lock-downs saw viewing numbers more than double and 1,000’s of new readers world wide logging in – most enjoyed what they saw and have decided to hang around. We like that 🙂
Best line of the year“If you aren’t compelled to look back at your boat when you row ashore, then perhaps you should find another, unless you value practicality over aesthetics, and that would be a hard decision.”
Happiest moment – “Dad can I borrow the boat this weekend” (photo below)
I wish you all a merry Christmas and Happy New Year + safe boating. Cheers alan houghton
Ps I will attempt to keep the posts up – but do not get too upset if life gets in the way and I miss a day, there is always tomorrow. Pps If you see anything woody related over the holiday period, take a photo and send it to waitematawoodys@gmail.com I’m always looking for content.
WW has been contacted by Nic Innes seeking help on-covering details on this launch Islay. All he knows is that it was previously owned, for 33 years by a Peter Weeks, and built in the early 1930’s by Millers of Lyttelton. Islay is 36’ in length.
The photo above is reflective of the launch when Nic bought her approx. 2 years ago. The photo below is as current. Nic has been restoring/changing her for a while now. Nic commented that she was pretty much completely rotten on the top side and he has gone for a more usable cabin space. However the immediate goal for now is to just keep it dry so it can be used and enjoyed in the mean time with all the modern luxuries. Nic understands that she has been in Havelock for a long time.
Can anyone help Nic in his quest?
Harold Kidd Input
(1) I’ll stick my neck out and say that this ISLAY was built by J.McPherson of Dunedin in September 1927 with a 25hp 4 cyl Kermath. R L Kennett of Christchurch bought her in 1936 and had her refitted by Millers. Kennett owned her right up to WW2. G. Davis owned her from 1946 to at least 1962. He replaced the Kermath with a 100hp Austin in 1953. R.B.McMillan of Lyttelton owned her in 1973.
(2) ECLIPSE was built in Dunedin by McPherson in November 1922. Maybe kejo’s two photos are from some McPherson provenance and maybe his ISLAY is a different boat from the McPherson-built Dunedin boat, although they were of the same length and both Kermath-powered. The Kermath was a popular engine at the time, however. Still, the Dunedin ISLAY vanishes at about the time an ISLAY pops up in Lyttelton. Just to add to the mystery, it’s just possible that Kennett’s ISLAY was his PASTIME, renamed after a rebuild at MIllers..Who says launches are simple?Happy days!
Classic Wooden Launches at Kawau Island Back in the good old days, Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island was the spot to be if you owned a launch in Auckland. I suspect it had something to do with the presence of a licensed watering-hole (pub) on the island 🙂
The two photos above come to us from – Heritage Images via Nathan Herbert. We talked about a competition to name the launches but it would be too hard to judge. So woodys enjoy the photos. A question – is it Christmas yet?
Help Needed If you have any photos you want to share – send them in, I’ll be looking for stories over the xmas / ny break. Send to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
KATOA The photos above of the 37’7” launch Katoa , were sent in by Bay of Islands woodys – Dean Wright. Dean snapped Katoa in the Te Puna and Kerikeri Inlet area last week.
Designed and built by Geoff Bagnall in 1988, she may by ‘youngish’ for a woody but she is an oldie at heart 🙂 Powered by a 130hp Lees Ford diesel.
I have an ask today – one of wooden boatings coolest and most deserving organisations urgently needs help – relax, you don’t need to do anything other than put your hand in your pocket – more on that later. But first let me tell you about the New Zealand Traditional Boatbuilding School – it was started back into 2005 by a group of visionary wooden boat enthusiasts. I have rubbed up against it a lot over the years – during the re-birth of the classic wooden launch movement we used their facilities for social gatherings and seminars. I have even done boat maintenance workshops and built a woody tool box (under close supervision)If ever there was something that deserved its place in our maritime community – it’s the NZTBS, more so than a lot of other questionable entities that live off rate payer handouts.I won’t bore you today with the day to day challenges the current trustees have keeping the doors open – just trust me when I say – to survive the short term they need help, mid term hopefully they will be able to secure sponsorship.
Today’s WW story is an example of the amazing work the school does – last week, trustees Olaf Wiig (classic launch – Lady Margaret and Alan Hooper (spirit of tradition launch – Katherine) ran a pilot course for one they are hoping to offer in the future. In a joint venture with Taikata Sailing Club, Drowning Prevention Auckland and Coastguard Education, NZTBS ran a week long course for a group of 9 year olds, building a pair of John Welsford Scraps dinghies. The whole week was a great success, resulting in two cool little boats being launched on Saturday. Just check out the looks on the kids faces – you don’t get that from playing on an electric device. The kids all made a name board for their boat and then voted for the best names and then Moonlight and Rose Gold were christened and launched – so cool.
Special thanks to James Hutchinson and Olaf Wiig for the photos HOW CAN YOU HELP
The NZTBS is a charitable trust – donations are eligible for a tax credit and its so easy – click on this link and invest in the future of wooden boating in New Zealand. And do you know what?, you’ll feel good about it 🙂
If you are wondering where Sloanes Beach is – google it. It is one of Aucklands hidden gems in the suburb of Herne Bay. The regatta is very low key, almost secret hand shake low key. Each year I try and drop in and grab a few photos to help promote the club (Herne Bay Cruising Club) http://hbcc.net.nz/
I had a full dance card yesterday, so only stayed for the start of the ‘bigger’ boats race. A little overcast but as I was leaving the sun came out and the wind picked up.Spotted an original burgee from the Auckland Motorboat Club handing from the rafters – you do not see many of those around these days.
Mahurangi Cruising Club / Regatta Year Book
The perfect stocking stuffer – available now at Boatbooks in Westhaven (or on-line) + at usual outlets around Warkworth.
Looking For Something Bigger
Grab a copy of Brian Peets book – Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy. A must for every kiwi yachtie and even launch owners 🙂 Also available from Boatbooks or https://destownson.co.nz/
WW Xmas Quiz Winners
Matthew Drake, Ken Goa, Simon Smith, Nick Voerman, Jason Prew – prizes on the way to you, if you have supplied your postal details.
Help Needed – Yacht Sojurn
WW has been contacted by Zoe Hawkins in regard to the yacht – Sojourn.Zoe is writing a story on the Northern Manukau Harbour and is looking for intel in regards to the keeler. She was built by the Davis Brother in Titirangi in the 1950’s. Zoe believes that It was put on the road and sold after one of the brothers became too sick to finish it and go sailing, most likely this was the 1960’s. An help very much appreciated. Two photos below.
And More Help – Yacht Hawk V67
Yesterdays WW story featured small boat builder – John Maxwell – recently when John was cleaning out his parents home, he came across the hand coloured old print, below, of the yacht Hawk V67. John told me that if the boat is still around, then maybe the current owners may like this photo. It isn’t large but is better condition than the photo shows.
Classic Wooden Small Boats In the days before remote controlled model yachts – the yachts were divided into two kinds – Free sailing – were boats were sailed in open water and ‘chased’ by their skippers in dinghies who ’touched’ the yachts during the course of the race to adjust their course.
The other kind was – Pond yachts, sailed on small lakes, basins or special ponds (in parks), the skipper would race around the pond to tack or gybe the model as it got close to shore. Refer b/w photos below for examples of the racing.
The top colour photos were sent to me by an ex work colleague – John Maxwell, we worked together over 30 years ago in the crazy world of advertising in the late 1980’s. Unknown to me, one of John’s passions is the building of old style pond yachts, but with a modern take, refer examples above of Ranger, Innismara, Infidel, Meter class (black hull) and one in the vein of an A class. Not exactly accurate, but instantly recognizable as the original. They are all hand painted, so as to faithful to the old style. John commented that the problem with making the models sail, is that the depth of the keel, mast position/ height etc, have to be altered slightly from the plans of the real boat, otherwise it just sails sideways or rounds up into the wind. John aims to capture the spirit of the original, but still maintaining the ‘Old school’ charm of the yesteryear pond yachts. They are all free sailing models and quite big ie 1.8 m long. Typically they have a lot of lead on the keels approx 15-20 lbs., most are balsa over wooden frames with glass over the top. Stunning work – but it doesn’t surprise me, John was / is a very talented man, and rather good with a paint brush and canvas.
