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.

Georgene

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Georgene 1927

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GEORGENE

On a recent trip to the top of the South Island woody Nathan Herbert snapped a photo of the 1927 launch, Georgene, seen here hauled out at Waikawa Marina. 

From the b/w press clipping of her launch day at Queen’s Wharf, we know that she was built by C. Gouk & her 1st owner was a G. Tanner – anyone able to shed some light on what she has been up over the years? She appears to be remarkably original.

BMW D7 Marine Engine – Help Wanted

Any woodys have a BMW D7 (any condition) or even parts for one tucked away in the shed? A good woody friend has a D7 that is in need of some serious TLC. So, if you or you know of anyone that has old one or any parts lying around – drop me a note in the comments section or email waitematawoodys@gmail.com.

p.s. photo below, but she isn’t as shiny as this one 😉

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Meteor

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METEOR

The above photos of the speed boat – Meteor shown here on Lake Wakatipu , & are ex Len Redwood via the Pre 1975 NZ Car,Boats etc etc FB page. 

So woodys – the question of the day – what do we know about Meteor?

Note: There is another speedboat named Meteor (built by Sam Ford in 1931) that has appeared on WW – do not be confused.

Tuarangi > Silver Fin – Update

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TUARANGI > SILVER FIN – Update

I was recently sent the above photo of Silver Fin (Tuarangi) by Brian Wagstaff & Bryan was able to supply some background on her below –  from past WW stories we know that Tuarangi was built by Lidgard Bros for a H.S White & launched in 1950. White sold her in 1951 to Bruce Winstone. She was 42’x40’x12’x4’3″ and originally had twin 90hp 6-cylinder Redwing petrol engines. During Whites ownership, she blew up while refueling at Whitianga. You can read the story in detail here   https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/06/13/wairangi-2/

Eric details the post incident recovery, sale & rebuild below. By 1959 she was renamed Silver Fin. I’ll let Eric tell the story.

“My father Eric Wagstaff purchased the boat from the Bruce Winstone. I would assume some insurance company might have been involved . The boat was collected from Whitianga and towed to Tauranga by a boat called “Rainbow” which was old bridge decker owned by Eric. The Rainbow had a marinised Rolls Royce engine and was built for the Mills Bros who I believe were Bay of Plenty farmers. The roof section from Silver Fin was basically upside down and pretty much in place on collection. The boat was beached at Beach Road, Otumoetai.

The boat was lifted onto a transport trailer by Bert Godfrey, the founder of the NZ Lumber Company and moved to Eric’s joinery factory in Judea.  We enjoyed many a trip on the Silver Fin. She was chartered for game fishing for a while in the days of Bob Gray etc. The top was replaced with what you see and Eric consulted with Willy Oliver, who was a friend, on the design of the new cabin. Eric was born in Wellington to a well-known yachting and boat building family and had it not been for the 2nd World War (he was a fighter pilot) and returned to Maunganui at the end of the war were he meet my mother (now 96 and still alive) in Tauranga where he stayed and established a joinery business. The motors were replaced with 60hp Fordson diesels converted by Lees marine, I believe. The boat was sold to Dr. Kennedy the family doctor (who delivered me in 1949). He for some reason painted the boat green which I remember clearly. The rest of it you pretty much have on record. I will try to find some old photos of the rebuild.”

 

 

 

Over Loading – Never

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Over Loading  – Never

The two photos above were sent in by Janet Watkins & come from her collection of her family photos.

As Janet commented – “Over loading? Never!” the health & safety Nazis would have kittens if they saw something like this. The closet I have seen is Mark Edmonds with his launch Monterey on a trip the Riverhead Hotel…………….

I understand from Janet that Lupe was owned by Willie Jackson of Whangarei – & the photo is C.1900!  One life belt – how many do you need!

Willie Jackson ran several passenger boats over about 30 years. One being the yacht Hinemoa & later came Lady Eva – She also has one life belt & then Rose

Harold Kidd Input – LUPE was built by James Clare in Auckland for himself but was sold to Whangarei where she was owned by Skip Patterson from c1900 until he had LADY EVA built. Initially he used her for fishing and towing with an auxiliary. By 1904 he had taken her rig out and converted her to an oil launch licensed to carry 30 passengers on excursions. W Mallendine bought her in 1920 and owned her until the 1930s so I suppose Willie Jackson may have owned her say 1913-20.

 

 

 

Woody Jet Boat

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Woody Jet Boat

Including the words ‘jet boat’ in the story headline could be slightly off putting to some, but today’s boat just ticks so many boxes it was an automatic Monday story.

The hull design is inspired by a picture on the workshop manual for the Hamilton Jet Rainbow unit, and is typical of the period of the unit (1956).
The jet unit has been completely rebuilt, including all new gaskets and bearings, and a freshly rebuilt impellor.
The engine is a 1956 Ford 100E Prefect (which the Rainbow unit was designed for). It has been professionally re-conditioned, was re-sleeved, and has new pistons, valves, bearings, oil pump, gaskets etc. All major parts that were re-used (block, head and crank) were crack tested before being re-machined. I.e. No expensive was spared.
The engine is cooled by a modern savage heat exchanger and runs a modern sand filter.
The 12’ hull has an aluminum planning surface (to aid longevity) but is otherwise constructed mainly of recycled kahikatea, rimu, Southland beech and kauri. The sides are Fijian kauri marine ply.
The Art Deco style trailer is a work of art, it was custom built by Ted Sagar of Rivercraft Marine exclusively for this boat.

She was launched in 2007. Her owner has another project planned, shed space is required, so now is the chance for someone else to own this little beauty.

You can view / read more on the original build at the Jet Boating NZ website – link below
http://www.jbnz.co.nz/yabbse/index.php?topic=10897.0

And I want the truck – always had a soft spot for the Willys Wagons.

Yachts at Kawau Island – Sailing Sunday – Win A WW T-Shirt

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Yachts at Kawau Island – Sailing Sunday – Win A WW T-Shirt

This Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island photo from the ‘NZ Car, Boats, >>> Utes Pre’75’ FB page shows a great collection of classic yachts (& a few launches).

I’ll put up a WW t-shirt to the woody that can ID the most yachts – given my launch angle – I’ll get a yachty to verify the answers. To stop copy-catting, entries ONLY via email to

waitematawoodys@gmail.com

LIPTON CUP RACE – SATURDAY – MARCH 17th

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The 97th Lipton Cup race is set to take place on the 17th of March. 22 miles of blood, sweat and tears is to be raced by the 22ft L Class ‘mullet boats’ to see who will triumph as the winner of the esteemed Lipton Cup trophy. This is a highlight of the yachting calendar and this year it appears there will be fierce competition with a number of the mullet boats performing exceptionally well in recent racing. With only 3 years to go until the 100th you can expect there to be a lot more competition and boats coming out of the wood work to compete in following years. Previous crew and owners are always welcome to come down and watch with the club open all day with food and refreshments (with a lift for the weathered yachties).

The days events are as follows:

7am – Hot cooked breakfast (Prebooked)

9am – Race briefing

11am – Race commences

3pm approx – Race finishes

6pm approx – Prize giving and after party

Watch Video footage from last years race here https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=LAZotynoqiA

 

Mystery Launch (Tainui)

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Mystery Launch (Tainui) 

I was sent the above photos by Graeme Sapwell who is hoping to ID this launch.

They were taken in Auckland in 1989, the vessel is 26’ in length, but the design/builder unknown. She was at the time powered by 60hp Fordson.

The name on the photos is Tainui, but not the original name. Can anyone identify her?

Mystery Launch 02-03-2018

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MYSTERY LAUNCH 01-03-2018

The above photo shows Radio Hauraki’s original floating base (pirate ship) Tiri with an amphibian airplane alongside. Most likely dropping off / picking up crew.

The question for us woodys is – what is the launch in the photo – should not be too hard to ID, given her distinctive design / style.

The photo comes to us via the ‘NZ Cars Boats >>>> Utes Pre ’75’ FB page. Apologises for the slight grainy look.

 

Mararoa

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MARAROA

Another photo from the very cool ‘NZ Cars Boats >>>> Utes Pre ’75’ FB page. Thanks to Nathan Herbert for the heads up.

The photo originally appeared in the NZ Herald, taken by a N Bennett in 1946. The question was asked – is the location Lake Rotoura?

Have love the old days when health & safety was un heard of. All dressed in their Sunday best, if they were an oops, swimming would have been a challenge.

What do we know about the vessel?

Harold Kidd Input – MARAROA was built for Lake Rotorua c1905 and was used by the RNZAF for R&R during WW2. This isn’t during that period as she wore the number W251 then. Nice pic of her. 

Help Needed On War Time Launch Numbers

Somewhere I have a booklet but can not put my finger on it……. I have been asked by Steve Pople, the owner of Royal Falcon, for some help identifying her war time number – Steve believes it was either 141 or 171. And was this number a NAPS number, coastal defence number or a war time fuel ration number ???

Anyone Able To ID The Location ?

I was sent the photo below by the Rotorua Museum, asking for help identifying the location. They though it could have been somewhere around Rotorua.

To me it looks more like Queen Charlotte Sound – but my recent travels could be blurring my vision 🙂

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Glen-Lee

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GLEN-LEE

The above photo was taken from Grove Arm Jetty, Queen Charlotte Sound, South Island by John Burland. As John commented she is very New England lobster boat – ish. (John would know; he has spent a lot of time there)

Can we ID her?  I would also be interested to know more about the open sail boat in the background.

Input from Dick Hall – Vessel is ‘Glen-Lee’ built in 1911-12 at Crail Bay in the Marlborough Sounds.
Set up by the owner G McNabb but completed by Claude Wells of Wakatahuri.
Owned by the Orchard family of Kenepuru Sound for many years and was used as a mail launch and general passengers.
First engine was two Union petrol engines bolted together and in later years, a Regal petrol, Lister Blackstone, then a 3/71 GM. She now has a 120hp Ford and is fairly slippery.
Current owner is Lex Wells who is a relation of the Wakatahui Wells family.
A good write-up about her and other Wells vessels in the book ‘Boats For A Lifetime’ by Yvonne Fell, nee Wells.
Cutter in the back-round is wooden ex Outward Bound now in private ownership .

Input from Harold Kidd – She was at the Moetapu Regatta in December 1910 owned by G McNab so she’s a tiny bit earlier than Dick says. Once described as “the workhorse of the Sounds”.