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.

Southern Star

Posted on by
3

20190112-_DHW3469

 

 

SOUTHERN STAR

Southern Star has made the odd cameo appearance on WW in the past but now  thanks to Dean Wright’s camera, we get to see her ‘in-the-flesh’.
SS is owned by Craig Pippen and for a long period she lived at the Milford Marina, Auckland but these days home is Opua in the Bay of Islands.
SS would slide into WW via the Spirit of Tradition category, but unfortunately I can not tell you much about her – hopefully today will be a quiet day at Cater Marine in Opua where Craig works and he will jump on-line and share some details with us 🙂
If you are in the city later today (5pm >), drop down to the RNZYS Dinghy Locker bar for a post race drink with the CYA yacht fleet. Its day 1 of the CYA 3 day Classic Yacht Regatta and most of the fleet will be rafted up at the rear of the Squadron, so it’s a great opportunity to see some of the classics up close, with a beer or glass of Lawson’s Dry Hills wine in-hand.
Input from Murray Deeble – Southern Star ex Ma Cherie from Smelting house bay Kawau , Dave Jackson design and build

Input from Craig Pippen (owner)“Looking to transition from sailing to motoring after the big OE we found southernstar for sale at Kawau (in an unfinished condition). Having previously commissioned Dave Jackson to build a smaller version, the 32ft Telstar, it was an easy decision to purchase her.

As Kathy’s father, sailmaker Sandy Harold had owned a yacht named Southern Star(and to keep the “star” theme going we renamed her. The name change was done in the correct time honoured manner.

Powered by Gardner 6LXB, the dimensions are35ft x 11ft x 3ft10”. She is a capable comfortable vessel.

Thanks to Dave Jackson for building such a good boat and to Dean Wright for the great photos.
Cheers Craig. PS- it is always busy at Cater Marine”

Screen Shot 2019-03-01 at 1.02.17 AM

SS Alice

Posted on by
2

Screen Shot 2019-02-27 at 8.56.50 AM

Steamboat Alice

If we believe her trade listing (thanks Ian McDonald) the 26’ steamboat Alice was built in 1879.  Between 1991 and 2000 she underwent a total rebuild in Taupo, where she still resides.

In private use now, she once was in survey, doing tours of Lake Taupo.

Her current zoom zoom is via ‘hybrid’ set-up i.e. a combination of steam (25hp) and electric. The boiler is wood fired and I can just imagine the wonderful smell of ti tree burning as you cruised the lake – in my eyes a low cost floating bach at the lake 🙂

 

 

 

 

Doris

Posted on by
22

Doris Boat Refit 2014 Oct Nov 050

DORIS
Baden Pascoe sent in the above photo of the Collings & Bell designed / built launch – Doris. Once owned by Jack Allan (Allen?).
Baden commented that she was one of several motor boats was taken over by the RNZAF and used at Lauthala Bay, Fiji during WW2.
Can any of the woodys tell us more about Dorris?
TAMAKI BOATS UPDATE:
Yesterdays story on the boats ‘resting’ up the Tamaki River blew me away in terms of viewing numbers e.g. 25% more than the coverage of the Mahurangi Regatta and almost neck-‘n-neck with the recent Hobart Wooden Boat Festival. Again many thanks John Bullivant 🙂

Waikaro + CYA Riverhead Cruise

Posted on by
2

Screen Shot 2019-02-25 at 3.38.25 PM

Screen Shot 2019-02-25 at 3.38.40 PM

WAIKARO
 
Waikaro was built in 1978 by Roy Parris as a 30′ work boat for a Great Barrier family. She has received extensive alterations for comfort and practicality by craftsman boat builder Geoff Bagnall, as an aside Geoff learnt his trade alongside Roy Parris.
Current power is via a 120hp Ford diesel.
As you can see from the photos (thanks Ian McDonald) the standard of fit out and maintenance is very good. Her current owners have had her for 15 years.
For more details contact waitematawoodys@gmail.com
 
P1050259
 
CYA Riverhead Tavern Cruise
Unfortunately it appeared that most people took one look out the window on Sunday morning and decided that to stay in bed. If they had checked PredictWind they would have seen that things were on the improve.
End result a rather poor turn out – the upside was 2 new members navigated their way up the river & we had a great catch-up.
So Woodys put a very large circle around Sunday 14th April – the date of the next Riverhead cruise. If you haven’t dined at the tavern in the last year, I can tell you the food is very good – check out my calamari lunch below  🙂
IMG_0746

A Woody Tour of the Tamaki River – 70 photos

Posted on by
15
AURORA
Unknown 1
JOHN DORY
AHB
BALENA (EX SEATTLE)
HOSFUS
IMATRA
HAUL BY HARTLEY – CABIN BY PICASSO
IMATRA
JOHN DORY
AWATERE
AC DSEA
HAPPY HOUR
FREE BOAT
AUDACITY (EX HAWAII)
FOR SALE
LADY AVA (MISS AVA)
WHO THOUGHT POP SIDES WERE NEW
W1 HOME SLIPWAY
LAZY BONES
W1’S TROLLY
Unknown 2
Unknown 3
Unknown 4
MYSTERY YACHT
SLAVENKA
MITOKA III
LADY JANE
W1’S TROLLY
Unknown 5
LADY DAVINA
WIP 3
W1’S RAILWAY
FREE BOAT
OMOANA
W1’S RAILWAY
Unknown 6
TAIRERE
TEINA
Unknown 7
Unknown 8
ROMANY II
Unknown 9
LA ROSA
TARKA AND PURURI
PHYLLIS
Unknown 10
MAHETA
WIP 1
TUHUA (MSA100727) & ESTRELA
Unknown 11
NOR EAST (FRONT L)
RAIRA
Unknown 12
OMOAMA
WILDE LIFE
STYMERON
W1’S RAMP FROM GABADOR PL
W1’S RAMP
PHYLLIS
NOR EAST & UNKNOWN
LADY MARGARET
Unknown 13
Unknown 14
WIP 2
SIERRA
Unknown 15
TAIRERE
MSA100727 PORT WHAKATANE STERN
Unknown 16

A Woody Tour of the Tamaki River – 70 photos

Todays story so needed to be done, and woodys, John Bullivant is a legend for grabbing his camera and heading out on our behalf. I’ll let John tell his story 🙂

“Thought it was about time I got a few photos on the Tamaki River boats before they disappear, (and they are going fast by the look of some). There are only a fraction of the numbers of wooden boats that were moored there in the 1960s and 1970s and as I previously mentioned, living on the waterfront at Bucklands Beach for around 25yrs I had seen most of them go by (was like Queen St on Friday nights most summer weekends) I did 2 trips down from Orewa and took pics from Panmure Boat Club and up to and under the new Panmure Bridge, end of Gabadore Pl (off Carbine Rd), the old Panmure Marina, (going with many houses from Panmure to Pakuranga Town centre, to make way for new highway widening), along the Tamaki River walkway for about 4km (Rotary Walk,- starts at the old Panmure Marina and goes all the way to Gills Rd in Howick, for those who like walking), Half Moon Bay and Bucklands Beach.

I also went down to the 1960s site of the private ex RNZAF W1  haul-out ramp below the old Alright property (well covered in bush now and a near vertical climb down a 30ft bank), – lost a bit of blood but well worth it for me, as I last stood on that spot 50yrs ago when we sneaked on board W1 to have a look around while she was up there. Original ramp and haul-out dolly is still there (see pics) although time has taken its toll. I’m amazed, looking at the crude set-up today, how Mr Alright got a 64ft boat weighing many tons, sitting on rubber tyred dollies (which ran in grooved concrete) lined up and hauled out with a winch and by the looks of it, the large tree in line with the ramp, not to mention getting it back out again (I’m assuming he must have winched it back out somehow). Massive effort not only to build the ramp on mud, (all by hand, no concrete pumping trucks) but to be able to use it.

Hope these photos are of interest to people who may be able to identify some of the mystery boats (especially the light blue launch with the chrome ventilators and light, (looks ex RNZAF ?). The yacht hidden near the big boatshed is around 45ft looks very old and has been there for many years, as has poor old Imatra, a once grand yacht which is in a very sad state and in urgent need of care (must have been there 30 yrs odd now). I have included a few other launches and yachts to show the sad state of many good looking (and once expensive) boats on the river crying out for attention, but I guess many people have other priorities and sadly their dreams are just floating slowly into oblivion. It’s pretty hard to get rid of a rusty rotten hulk, so there they will stay till it’s “business time” (flight of the Conchords) for the 20 ton digger.

I may have some of the boats names wrong as I was using a telephoto lens for most of the pics and with enhancing colour, contrast etc was as near as I could get. I’m sure someone will correct any if wrong.”

NOTE: With the photos that John has named, I have tagged the photos with those names. Scroll over the photos to view the names 😉
I could have used the individual images on WW over an extended period, but they need to be together in one spot. Enjoy 🙂

Fritha

Posted on by
13

Screen Shot 2019-02-23 at 5.08.01 PM

Screen Shot 2019-02-23 at 5.12.32 PM

FRITHA

Chatting with Chris McMullen and he mentioned that he had been recently contacted by Morgan Dawicki, the captain of the 74’ Brigantine – Fritha that Chris built back in 1986 for Jack R Butland. Chris commented that Jack Butland came to him with a modern design of what some one imagined a old time sailing vessel should look like. Chris was horrified and found him a nice design depicted in a 1940’s Rudder Magazine he had. They tracked down the designers son and bought the plans. The result  was ‘The Fritha’ and a very happy owner. Chris said he owed a great deal to the Butland family. McMullen and Wing built them three significant wooden boats. The first order placed was when Chris was under thirty years old.

These days Fritha is owned by the Northeast Maritime Institute, USA, who have recently dedicated a room to Jack Butland at the Institute, check out the opening here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5L13LucfDQ

Her captain – Morgan told Chris that they are doing their best to share the lovely lady with our Kiwi friends and to share in her memories. His words were “She truly is the most beautiful boat on the water (in my opinion!) The craftsmanship is impeccable and it is nice to make the acquaintance of one of her builders”.

As of late, she has been spending the winters in North Carolina and summers in Buzzards Bay as a sail training ship for local high school age students. We mostly sail around Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.

The Butland’s are a very old New Zealand boating family and their name has been alongside some of our best  examples of NZ boat building e.g.

J R Butland • an H28 then a Sailar 40 then the Fritha.

Ken Butland • Triton then Sirdar.

J M Butland • Thetis built by Lane Motor Boat Co. Panmure.

• Dufesne built by Max Carter.

• Durville built by Steel Yachts and Launches (McMullen and Wing)

• Inverness built by McMullen and Wing

Pleasant Surprise – while mooching around Mahurangi during the recent regatta weekend, a gent by the name of Tony McNeight unbeknown to me did a sketch of my Raindance, and it popped up on facebook. If you ever want a sketch / drawing of your boat, give Tony a call  021 925 031

IMG_0641

Chalyn

Posted on by
3

Screen Shot 2019-02-19 at 8.51.50 PM

Screen Shot 2019-02-19 at 8.49.51 PM

Screen Shot 2019-02-19 at 8.49.31 PM

CHALYN
 
Being built in 1978 Chalyn certainly slides into the Spirit of Tradition category, and there are not a lot of those on WW – what twisted my arm was the 1 1/4” kauri planked hull, with ribs every 6” – she is built like the proverbial brick out house. 
She is listed for sale on trademe and being sold as her two aging brother owners have reached a stage where maintaining a 52’ wooden boat with a 14’ beam is too much for them. 
Power is via a 318hp Detroit diesel that sees her cruising at 10 knots with a 12 knot top speed.
 
I know everyone has their own view on beauty and practicability but Jason Prew with a battery powered tungsten tipped mini skill-saw could do wonders for her looks 😉

Lady Jane

Posted on by
Reply

Screen Shot 2019-02-19 at 7.57.19 PM

LADY JANE
Lady Jane has appeared on WW before  links below. Now thanks to trademe (via Ian McDonald) we get an another view & a peek down below. Her listing states she was built by Lanes in 1915 and is powered by a 23c Massey Fergusson diesel. Her hull is single skin kauri . Read & see more at the WW links
Enjoy.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/01/07/mystery-launch-070114/

Harold Kidd Input – I think we’ve been through all this before, complete with the false Colin Wild connection. I think she is pure Deacon. The APYMBA registration in 1958 when first owned by John Senior said she was built by L. Deacon in 1955 with no attribution of designer. She’s more Sam Ford than Colin Wild for a start. I knew John Senior very well. If Wild had been the designer John would have ensured that was in her APYMBA spec.
The German song “Happy Wanderer” was a hit in 1954. It was a jolly hiking song but pretty cringeworthy for musicians like me who had to play it at dances over and over again. I later bought a DH94 Moth Minor called “Happy Wanderer” and had considerable pleasure in painting the name out and reverting to plain ZK-AKM.

A Woody House

My mate John Burland sent me the photos below of this house in Island Bay, Wellington. Check out that view 🙂

image1

image2

Lady Mary > Happy Wanderer > Lady Margaret

Posted on by
14

20170818_201131-1

20190202_072552

LADY MARY > HAPPY WANDERER > LADY MARGARET
 
Woody Mark Jarvis sent me the above 2 photos of one of his families old boats – the top photo, in Auckland, was taken during their ownership c.1964/65. When they owned her, she was called Happy Wanderer, later changed to Lady Margaret. In the bottom photo, taken recently by Mark, we see her in berthed in Picton.
Mark commented that the 38’ boat was a 1948 home build, but to a high standard to a Colin Wild design. Zoom zoom was / is via a Ford 6 cyl. diesel.
 
Aside for sharing the photos of a beautiful woody – the main reason for todays story is point out how aesthetic trends change the look of boats e.g. the character gets bleached out of them as time passes even if the condition is maintained. Comparing photos you will see that there has been a number of useful additions but still the same cabin albeit minus a few tasteful styling details but in both our eyes still a good looking boat even in nice monochrome condition 🙂
 
Any woodys able to enlighten us more on LM’s past?
Input from Bob Deacon – “My father built this beautiful craft inMt Albert Auckland. Launched in 1955 at Okahu Bay then named Lady Mary unfortunateatly father passed away 1956 The Lady Mary was sold to Mr John Senior senior of aboat building company. the name was changed by Mr J Senior to the Happy Wanderer. When launched it was powered by a 6 cylinder Perkins later changed as stated.If further info is required I am more than happy to oblige as I was with my father thru the whole build. I am sure photos will be found of and during the build even of the timber for the keel {which was 42ft long} arriving.”
26-11-2019 Update – LM has been sold and is on her way back to the northern waters. Currently at Mana after an uneventful trip from Picton, and scheduled to be trucked to Auckland approx. 30th November. Once in Auckland her new owner, Alistair McRae will point her northwards to call Whangarei home (bugger).
Lady Maragret @ Mana Nov2019

Lily + Woody Events

Posted on by
2

Lily a

Lily

LILY + WOODY EVENTS

Todays vessel is the ex work boat Lily, seen in the above Nelson photos, ex John Burland, on-route to getting some TLC and post the TCL awaiting the tide.
Can anyone tell us more about Lily?
NZ ANTIQUE & CLASSIC BOAT SHOW – MARCH 2>3
IMG_0578
This year the Lake Rotoiti – Nelson Lakes event celebrates its 20th Anniversary and organisers are predicting a record turnout. Everything going right I’ll be there with the camera so if you are not ‘down south’ rest easy, you will get to experience the show vicariously 🙂
CYA RIVERHEAD TAVERN CRUISE – THIS SUNDAY (24TH)
A quick heads up for CYA launch owners – this Sunday we have a brunch cruise to the pub.
High water is approx. 12:07pm so we will be sliding up the creek around 10:30am.
For those who keep their boats citywide of the Harbour Bridge, there will be a gathering near the bridge with a departure from there at 9:30am
Normal rules – Indian file up the creek & bring a dinghy to get to the pontoon. Its a big tide i.e. 3.5m BUT that also means a very swallow low water.