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.

Is This The Future Of Woody Boating?

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Is This The Future Of Woody Boating?

Normally on Boxing Day you would expect a boatbuilders yard to be very quiet – but if your were anywhere near Greg Salthouse’s Greenhite yard on the 26th Dec you would have witnessed a very special event. The yard launched two sister 10m weekender boats – ARIHI and GRACE.
Below is the story behind these two stunning launches, as told to me by Delayne Salthouse –
“Nick Peal has been with Salthouse Boatbuilders for over 38 years, and in that time construction methods have morphed and developed to achieve better this, faster that, lighter these or more efficient those. While those improvements are important and incorporated where needed, for the likes of Nick there is nothing better than getting back to the beautiful basics of a traditional build.
You can imagine the excitement when the yard received a brief to design & build two traditional looking 10m craft  that would reclaim some of the classic lines and charm of New Zealand’s coastal cruiser. This is in sharp contrast to the imported ‘plastic creations’ we see so many of in New Zealand boating in these days.
The concept plans and line drawings were done by Chris Salthouse, from these Nick has crafted Arihi & Grace utilising double skin ply, with solid timber keelson and gunwale, The boats were then heavily sheathed with double bias glass to make a robust, strong and lightweight boat.”
They are powered by a Hyundai 270hp stern leg, will cruise at 25-30 knts, and top out at around 37 knts. There is a huge super king front island berth + quarter berth with ample saloon seating that can also be a berth. Head, shower, simple cooker, fridge, large cockpit. PLUS Trailerable !!!
The boats are very easy on the eye and I have already had people asking me – who, what, where in terms of the designer / builder.
Well done Greg, Delayne, Chris, Nick & the team at Salthouses – I think you are onto a winner here.

The Launching

Arihi Splashes

Grace Splashes

Photo below sent in by Steve Finnigan – lots of zoom used on the camera/phone

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Grace

Hautonga

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HAUTONGA

Todays woody is the launch Hautonga, pictured above at Warkworth, on the Mahurangi River. photos ex Ken Rickets.

Can anyone help out & supply more info on her? I have to say that her ‘upper level’ (I’m trying to be polite) looks like is was designed for Cook Strait crossings 🙂

Harold Kidd Input: “Hautonga” = South Wind (actually South was up to the Polynesians/Maoris so was “North Wind”).
No comments on her aesthetics but there was a HAUTONGA in Auckland in 1966 owned by R C Weaver of Matai Road Green Lane and in 1973 by E W Barnard of Waiata Ave.

Riwaka Channel – Marina

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RIWAKA CHANNEL – MARINA
Now I used to think the channel up the creek to Auckland’s Riverhead Hotel was narrow and shallow. Well the photos above of the Riwaka Channel take things to another level (low). To quote John Burland who took the photos – “the channel is narrow, winding and mobile”. That is an understatement.
John has pulled together a collection of photos showcasing some of the woody craft at Riwaka Marina, for those not familiar with the area, Riwaka is located between Motueka and Kaiteriteri , in NZ’s upper South Island.
John’s is very talented with a phone/camera and they will make woody Cameron Pollard’s day i.e. a lot of very practical vessels and very little varnish on display 🙂

Rakanoa + Reminder Re Cool Woody Event

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RAKANOA

Today’s WW post features one drop dead gorgeous woody. The photo above is of the 56’ Rakanoa, sent in by Peter Loughlin & is the perfect photo to showcase the recent TLC she has received. Rakanoa was built in 1946 by Shipbuilders.

You can see > read more on Rakanoa here.      https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/21/rakanoa/
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LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC – WOODEN BOAT PARADE WEEKEND – FEB 8TH > 10TH
Big reminder / nudge that one of the coolest woody events of the year is fast approaching & if you are thinking of attending with your boat you need to get your A-into-G & register now.
If you are boat less & around the centre of the North Island that weekend – check out the Parade on Saturday – there will be between 70 & 100 woodys on display.
I have featured the Parade on WW for the last 4 years – so just enter Lake Rotoiti in the WW search box & you will be blown away with the boats. Or  be lazy & just click the link below to view last years event
Link below for more details on the Parade & the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Association

 

Mechanical Advice Needed Re Bearings

I have been contacted by Bruce Flintoff looking for some advise on his my stern bering. Refer photos below. The bearing needs replacing. Does anyone know who supplies these bearings and what bearing would be the best replacement?

Bruces boat is Norma built around 1920 and featured in Waitemata Woody’s a couple of years back. Link below

Woodys at the Bay of Islands 2019 Tall Ships Regatta

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Woodys at the Bay of Islands 2019 Tall Ships Regatta

I have been getting lots of chat on last weeks B.O.I. Tall Ships Regatta – I understand it was the biggest event yet as far as numbers, weather, & wind went. Boosted by the inclusion of two super yachts taking part – Silvertip & Thalia. The organisers got the hangi right & the food was spot on. Two bands kept the crowd entertained & the dancing went till 1am 🙂
CYA stalwarts Kirsty & John Bertenshaw, cleaned out the regatta winning line & handicap with Riada, their 1975 Laurie Davidson designed ketch.
The photos above come to us from the camera of Dean Wright. The highlight for me in viewing the photos, was seeing Tino Rawa head honcho Tony Stevenson at the helm of the recently restored – Teal. It’s been a while since TS has been on the rail of one of the TRT classics…. Welcome back Tony , how’s the bum?  🙂
Update 17-01-2019 – Photo below (ex Hylton Edmonds) of Lady Crossley on duty as start/finish boat.
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Junior Woodys

Colin Pawson is a big fan of getting kids into boating at an early age – so when he spotted Ben (6) and Libby (4) Managh, entertaining themselves in the wooden dinghy that Ben and his dad John designed and built at home, he dived into the cabin to grab his phone/camera. Colin was moored near the Managh family at Kaiarara, Great Barrier Island last week.

Colin commented to me that watching Ben row he reckoned he will be in the Olympics in a few years time 🙂

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Summer / New Year 2019 Raindance Cruise Photo Gallery – 70+ Classic Wooden Boats

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Best coffee & brownie on the Island = Rocky Bay Hall

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282′ – Available for rent NZD$970,000 week

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Very cool packaging design & yum

Summer / New Year Raindance Cruise Photo Gallery – 70+ Classic Wooden Boats

The above gallery is a selection of photos I mostly took at random over the 12 days we were floating around the bottom end of Waiheke Island. I apologise for the quality of some, but the light & direction I was heading were not always my friend in terms of image quality. I just wanted to record & showcase some of the craft out & about over the holiday period. Remember click photos to enlarge 😉
Like most people in the upper north island we were gifted with stunning weather – I rolled the cockpit canopy clears up on day one & rolled them down again when we returned to the marina 12 days later. I can honestly say that it was the best cruise we have had aboard RD, just perfect.
For those of you that were cruising in other parts, email in some photos so we can share.
Even last week the weather remained near perfect, & allowed me to get the sandpaper & Awlwood (Uroxsys) out & re-varnish RD’s trim – 9 coats, looks very smart.
As I write this I’m hoping for some rain, the garden is crying out for a downpour.
Mahurangi Regatta is fast approaching, I say it every year but in terms of vessel numbers & location, it has to be NZ’s premier classic wooden boating event. Put a circle around Saturday, Jan 26th in the diary & make the effort to be there. More details closer.
Check out WW tomorrow for some great photos from the Bay of Islands Tall Ships Regatta – there will even be a photos of Tony Stevenson on the helm of a classic, its been a while 😉

1910-1920’s Mystery Launch & Yachts on the Waitemata Harbour

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1910-1920’s Mystery Launch & Yachts on the Waitemata Harbour
 
The above photo comes to us from the Auckland Museum, Bourne collection – via Lew Redwood’s fb. 
It shows a smallish motorboat towing two gaff rigged yacht.
Can we ID all 3?
10-04-2019 Update from Steve Horsley – photo below
Ngatira & Kotiri

FLYING 15 4sale

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I have been contacted by Rachel Jamieson, the driving force behind the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Association, asking for help finding a new owner for her parents 20’ Flying Fifteen yacht. I’ll let Rachel tell you about the yacht – 
“ She is currently named Ffelony & registered as ff 851. From what I can find out she was launched in 1966 as Aphrodite, then renamed ffelony in 1971.
My parents raced her in Wellington in the 1980’s and were calling her flying forties, as they were in their 40’s. she does not have a name on her.
Next she came up to Lake Rotoiti where she has been ever since, only taken out of the shed occasionally in summer and not for the past 5-6 years at all except to re-coat the deck with Sikkens.
She appears to have a few sets of sails, all quite old as they have not been replaced since she was raced.
She has stainless steel lifting eyes for crane-age launching which is what was used when in Wellington.
She has a launching trailer, but it does need repair, the main part of it is galvanised so not to bad, but the uprights at the back to guide the boat on have rusted away…
Overall the boat is in not too bad a shape, she is complete and sailable. It is a wooden hull (glassed over), plywood decks with aluminium mast, boom and spinnaker pole.”
  
She has a no reserve starting price on trademe of $250, so someone will get a bargain. Talking with Rachel, their #1 issue is finding a good home for the yacht. She has been in rachel’s family for the last 40 years.
Viewing is in Otaramarae, Lake Rotoiti – please email Rachel to make a time.     zea.rachel@gmail.com
 
BIG PHOTO GALLERY STORY TOMORROW (Monday) FROM MY NEW YEAR CRUISE.

LADY KARITA – A Rolling Restoration

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LADY KARITA – A Rolling Restoration

Lady K has been on the receiving end of what we call a rolling restoration for the last year+. Now based in the upper South Island, her owner Murray Shaw is very close to finishing a stunning re-fit. The photos above are from the camera’s of both Murray & mutal friend, John Burland & give us a peek at the standard of the work.

The last photos show Lady K relocated last week to the western entrance of Mapua Harbour.

You can read / view more on LadyK at the WW link below-

Lady Karita

MY GIRL TRIP LOG
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I apologise upfront, clicking the link below will consume 30>45 minutes of your time today – but its a great read & Jason’s log includes some cool photos of his travels & lots of other woodys encounter along the way.
 
 
DEVONPORT FERRY Co. PROMOTIONAL FILM c.1920’s
In case you missed this 1920’s b/w video showcasing life on Auckland’s North Shore, I have included the link below. Lots of blasts from the past there – enjoy
 

https://www.facebook.com/markety.mark.92/videos/377063966386661/

Rosa & Mayflea

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ROSA

Rosa is a wee bit of a mystery, her trade listing states she was built in 1965, from kauri, and is 28’ in length.

Her zoom zoom comes via a 48hp Perkins diesel, after that we are told very little else about her.
Any of the woodys able to tell us more about Rosa?
Not All Woodys Live In A Marina
A good mate, is living the dream in a rather nice, almost waterfront house in Kohimarama, Auckland. His current woody passion measures less than 10’, but watch this space I’m working on finding him a bigger brother for the clinker 😉
BUT – he still trollies – Mayflea down to the beach and occasionally casts the rod over the side  – the 35cm snapper was hooked last week in 5m of water off the beach – nice way to start the day 🙂
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Evening Star & Alma G

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EVENING STAR

The above photo of Evening Star was sent to me by Simon Manning, and was taken near Port Fitzroy in late December. She looks stunning, what a magnificent ship, Simon commented that she appeared to have had a major renovation recently.
So Woodys, what do we know about her?
Simon mentioned that they had an Evening Star fishing in and around the Sounds when he was a kid but doesn’t believe it’s the same boat.  This one looks bigger.   There must be more than one around by that name.
ALMA G
The photo below of Alma G about to weigh in her catch at Russell, is another from Snooks Fuller’s brilliant collection, sent in by Dean Wright.
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28-01-2019 Photo below of Evening Star in Sheep Bay, Gt Mercury Island, ex Greg Fenwick
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