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.
CLASSIC WOODY HOKIANGA TRIP REPORT + AUCKLAND’s OKAHU BAY HAUL OUT UPDATE
Recent Barrie Abel pointed his car north and checked out the Hokianga area. Highlight was a visit to the Kauri Museum, as seen in the above photos.
Barrie also spotted a mystery launch (last above) moored right up the head of the Hokianga Harbour, distance prevented being able to put a name to her but Barrie was told it was a locally owned craft.The ‘bush’ photo features the renowned kauri tree named Tane Mahuta. Also seen is a bronze casting of the dolphin OPO, that entertain beach going at Opononi in the 1955/56 period.
OKAHU HAUL OUT / HARD STAND UPDATE
Thanks to the tireless efforts of numerous concerned citizens and the Auckland Yacht & Boating Association, we have the opportunity to influence the final decision of whether or not Auckland boaties get to retain some access to this prime waterfront boat maintenance area. Links here to view the newsletter https://mailchi.mp/3cc024ff5cfe/press-release-okahu-bay?e=d030fd704b And link here to view a copy of the full press release.
Today we have another story from Sven Wiig and the Ryland family album. The woody above is named ALBATROSS and apparently she was an ex whale chaser, owned at the time of the photo by Harry Ryland. In the photo we see ALBATROSS towing two waterskiers on ‘aquaplanes’ on the Wanganui River as featured in the newspaper clipping.
For not a very large craft, ARIZONA must have had a powerful engine, those aquaplane boards would take a fair degree of zoom zoom to get on the plane.
PETER BROOKES BOATBUILDER -Yard Open Day
SATURDAY 12TH JULY – 2pm >>> 108 Woodhill Park Road, Waimauku
Woody owner Barrie Abel (MV MATIRA) sent in todays top photo as part of a recent road trip to the Hokianga Harbour report.
There will be story on the trip in the next few days. But what caught my eye immediately was the photo of a launch named – ARIZONA, as seen by Barrie at the Kauri Museum.
The photo is tagged ‘Launch ARIZONA built in 1914 by Logan Bros. It was owned by chief Parore at Kaihu’.
We have several craft named Arizona on WW, so todays question is – could the boat we saw in a WW July 2024 story, (2nd photo above), be the same boat.. The photo ex Nathan Herbert sees a launch (on the right) named ARIZONA berthed at Awanui. Looks like the Kauri Museum boat photo before a tram top was added.
Do we agree and can we learn more.
11-07-2025 UPDATE below ex Mike Cowie from the publication – Tall Spars, Steamers and Gum’ by Wayne Ryburn. Interesting reading, I hope I have the pages in the correct order, I’m sure you can work it out 😉
Following on from the recent stories on the ex workboat – ARIANA / TE KAWAU, owned by Sven Wiig, today we see the launch ELLEN.
ThE photo was sent in by Sven and is from the Ryland family album, from which Sven obtained the TE KAWAU photos.
In the photo ELLEN is located in Wanganui and owned by Ted and Bill Ryland. Bill also owned TE KAWAU.
Looks like a fun day out with all the flags and the number of crew onboard. An unusual being clinker and double ended – maybe an import? Maybe an ex lifeboat converted to pleasure use, or maybe I’m totally wrong, which is often the case 🙂 Anyone know more about ELLEN
11-07-2025 INPUT ex LIAM DALY – There were at least two other ‘almost identical’ clinker built launches built by Bob Swanson. One was named – TELSTAR and the other named – MANANA which was often mispronounced Mañana, named after a popular song of the day, translated from Spanish means, ‘tomorrow’ or ‘morning’.
Back in the day, MANANA was at one time owned by Bay of Many Coves identity Errol Christian. Errol installed a huge turbo charged 100 h.p. diesel engine in MANANA which he used as a water taxi throughout Queen Charlotte Sounds. Photo below, Liam thinks the photo shows Errol’s daughter-in law Lou at the wheel.
The WW brains trust have been starching their heads on todays classic wooden boat and have not been able to put a name to her. The photo comes to WW from Craig Pippen via Jason Prew.The rather large 475 on her side should help but has drawn a blank.
Can anyone help out with a name and even better some info on her back story.
ATTENTION – MASON CLIPPER OWNERS – Looking for an original Fairhead for a Mason Clipper 24’? Alan Smith has one, available free + the cost of courier. Contact smital@xtra.co.nz
THE RESTORATION OF THE CLASSIC WOODEN EX WORKBOAT – ARIANA (TE KAWAU) – PART ONE
Last week we ran a story from Sven Wiig on his wooden vessel – ARIANA, previously named GLENROWAN and TE KAWAU. Sven was looking for any intel on her past , as he undertook a rather epic restoration project. As I always do I asked for some regular updates and photos – well on Saturday the email inbox started to groan when Sven’s email arrived. Slightly different format today, but it suits the story – as told by the man himself.
THE NEW DECK
In May 2020 we bought ‘Ariana’. We knew she needed some work, there were obviously rotten bits here and there and the deck seemed a bit spongy in places but looking inside all seemed pretty sound and she had a brand new engine. How can we go wrong? The owner made me an offer I couldn’t refuse as he said he thought I was the right person to take her on and he wanted me to have her. So we bought her and had her transported down to Wellington and the same truck then took our old boat ‘Primadonna’ up to our good friends in Auckland.
Ariana arrives in Wellington
We enjoyed Ariana for a year just cruising the harbour and taking friends and family out for picnics. A year later I had a break in work and decided now is the time. Ariana was hauled out at Evans Bay I had six weeks before the next job and I was going to have the boat back in the water before I had to leave town. No problem pull the old ply up put some new ply down, easy. That didn’t go to plan. Pulling up the old ply revealed, compost. A bodged previous repair had been letting in fresh water for many years. I enlisted a friend to give me a hand and we kept digging. We discovered the entire deck structure, sheer clamp, carlins, cabin coamings and bulwarks were all rotten. At this point I made a panicked call to my brother Olaf who is a qualified boatbuilder and asked for advise. ‘No worries, you got this, one piece of timber at a time.’ My partner was less encouraging advising me that the only way forward involved a chainsaw and a skip bin. She was right. I seriously considered this option. Couldn’t do it, I had been entrusted with Ariana and I was going to save her. To encourage my madness Olaf came down from Auckland and gave me a hand to start laminating up the first section of sheer clamp. I continued demolishing pieces of the boat. In between I made new bits to try and keep spirts up. I pulled out the old fish hold, still under the rear deck, to discover ballast in the form of river stones and rusty railway iron. The pile of debris grew, less and less of Ariana remained.
My friend Bede discovering the extent of the rot.
Rotten wood and ballast.
Six weeks passed and I had to go back to work. I had some shear clamp and carlins in place and I had a destroyed boat. Several months passed while I was away working and I returned with new energy. Realising I was never going to get it done alone I convinced two clever friends to give me a hand. Pete, Marc and I started replacing deck structure, framed up and new front cabin and replaced planking where the rot extended into the top planks. Broken ribs were sistered with laminated white oak and riveted in place. We were making some good progress…
Front cabin framing underway.
Fiddly time consuming work.
New deck beams installed.
Then the budget ran out and work ground to a halt. Months passed with me only finding the odd weekend here and there to move the project forward. Slowly I finished the deck structure and created a small dog box extension to the wheelhouse, above the old fish hold. One day this will be a cabin for my son. A year had past and finally I could start laying some plywood for the new deck. A job I had optimistically thought I would be doing nine months earlier.
However before I could lay the ply at the stern I decided I had better investigate the lazarette hold. Something wasn’t right back there. I wasn’t to find the full extent of the un-rightness of this area for some time, more of that later. First was to chip out all the concrete that had been poured into the bilge. Several days of extremely unpleasant work later I had removed the concrete to reveal and section of keel or deadwood near the cutlass bearing that was all punky. Degraded by electrolysis. The anodes and bonding wires had taken a toll. I cut back the punky wood until I found good solid timber. Sealed it with epoxy and went looking for some more Kauri. Some large Kauri beams were sourced and a section of keel patched in with new floors.
Last of the concrete.
Keel patch coming together.
Moving on I built a hatch for the lazurette and laid the last of the plywood. Fibreglass was laid. She finally had a deck again and another year had passed. Two years into a six week project and I was maybe half way finished.
To Be Continued………
THE WINNER OF YESTERDAYS DES TOWNSON QUIZ RE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL DESIGNS – IS KEN MULGREW WITH THE ANSWER 74. As recorded in the Brian Peet book – Des Townson A Sailing Legacy.
CLASSIC DES TOWNSON 30’ YACHT – FALCON + Win a copy of the book – DES TOWNSON A Sailing Legacy
As most WW readers will know, Des Townson never designed an unattractive craft, that skill is harder to do as the size of the vessel decreases. I have often said on WW that very few people can get a >30’ craft looking ‘right’.
Mr Townson excelled himself with the design of the 30’ keeler – FALCON (Reg. #873), as seen above.
Falcon was built / launched in 1965 and constructed from double diagonal kauri, and no f/glass ✓.
Her owner Grant Wylie has been the custodian of FALCON for the last 17+ years and contacted WW to say that age and health were against him and could we help locate a new owner.
I asked Grant about headroom and I had to laugh at his reply – “Yes & No”, Des’s design eye always won out over comfort 🙂
FALCON is powered by a Bush 20hp engine and sports a KIWI prop. She is well kitted out for gulf cruising but needs a refresh, which is reflected in Grant’s price expectations.
A great opportunity to acquire for a modest price a classic yacht from the design board of one of New Zealand’s most paramount designers.
Continue to enjoy her as she is or put your sanding / painting skills to use this winter and prepare yourself for the compliments at anchor this coming summer.
AND AS AN ADDED BONUS TODAY – ANSWER THE QUESTION BELOW CORRECTLY AND YOU ARE IN THE DRAW TOWIN A COPY OFBrian Peet’s book – ‘DES TOWNSON A SAILING LEGACY’. A 343 page insight into the man and his designs.
Todays woody photo popped up recently on the postcard’s of old NZ fb page via a Marcus Hurst posting.
The location of the photo is The Ohau Channel, that connects Lake Rotorua and Lake Rotoiti.
I know the channel is still in existence as the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Association run an annual raft / float day down the channel – not sure what the depth is these days. Any of the Lake WW readers able to put some names to the craft we see on the waterway.
CLASSIC WOODEN EX WORKBOAT – ARIANA / GLENROWAN / TE KAWAU
Earlier in the week WW was contacted by Sven Wiig the owner of the classic wooden ex workboat – ARIANA. ARIANA made an appearance on WW back in Oct 2020 – link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/01/10/ariana/
I’ll hand over to Sven to tell the story –
“Today I had a bit of a breakthrough researching my boats history. You may remember I bought ARIANA in about 2020 and have been searching for more information ever since. A while back I discovered that before she was named ARIANA and before GLENROWAN she was named TE KAWAU as shown in the top photo above which I had just discovered.
The other photos are also from the 1950’s. She was then owned by Bill Ryland and fished out of Wanganui. Bill owned her until 1974 when she was sold to the Turner family and moved to Nelson where John Turner ran her. Sometime in the 1980’s she changed hands again and was renamed GLENROWAN then to the John Stewart who had her converted then I bought her.
So I’m hoping someone knows who owned her before Bill? The Turner family knew of the boat in the 1940’s as old man Turner fished on her then, possibly out of Picton. My best guess is that she was built by Lanes of Picton but searching the records does not come up with her name. I have been told that she may have been built in Lyttleton so maybe Millar Bros? She is similar to other boats built by Lanes and Millar and Tunnage so who knows?
ARIANA / TE KAWAU is currently still on the hard where I have been undertaking a major rebuild / restoration of her.”
WW has asked to be kept updated on the project, so fingers crossed for more stories. In the mean time can we learn more about this classic woody.
Check out the size of the snapper on the trailer in the b/w photos
Todays woody story has a twist to it – while the launch KOURA is a genuine classic wooden boat her days afloat are over. Not by neglect or mishap – read on to hear her story and hopefully one of you might be the next custodian.
At the time she had been transformed into a land based ‘man-cave’. Her new ownershad bought Koura to enable Chris Devereaux – a passionate boatie – to enjoy owning a vessel again despite being confined to a wheelchair. The family had many happy cocktail hours aboard her and their grand children had fun sleeping aboard and playing captains and pirates in the holidays. Restoring and creating the KOURA as she is today gave Chris a purpose and much joy.
Sadly Chris succumbed to his auto immune disease in late May and now partner Barbara Harris is selling their Whangarei property and KOURA needs a new home.
So woodys – if any of you are interested in buying her and continuing her story Barbara would love to chat. Whilst KOURA would be very cool as a ‘man cave’ , there must be a grandad out there with some spare land that he could install KOURA on. Me thinks that overnight you would become #1 grand parent.
If you or someone you know has room in their life for KOURA – initially contact Barbara at Bjaneharris1@gmail.com
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