CLASSIC SAM FORD LAUNCH – OSCAR – A Peek Down Below
Todays post revisits the 34′ classic launch OSCAR, built by Sam Ford in 1970 and still powered by her original 165hp Perkins diesel engine, which delivers a top speed of 12 knots.
While OSCAR has been featured on waitematawoodys before—most notably in April 2024 (link below) —this update shares some new photos from below deck, thanks to a tme listing tip-off from Ian McDonald. https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/04/10/oscar-born-again/
CLASSIC LAUNCH RUAMANO – A JOURNEY GONE WRONG
Over the years there have been several mentions on WW of the loss of the 43’ Collings & Bell built launch – RUAMANO launched in 1925 at Freemans Bay, Auckland.
Let us not pussy foot around – loss is the wrong word. At the time maritime authorities used stronger words e.g. ‘crew abandoned it’ / ‘questioned the need to abandon’ / ‘vessel was not in a life-threatening situation’ / ‘crew appeared to have simply had enough’ / ‘lack of experience may have been a factor’ / they bit off more than they could chew’.
On New Years Day 2001 the NZ classic boating community lost one of its finest craft, and reading the reports it appears it did not need to have happened.
Recently WW was contacted by Denis O’Callahan, past co-owner of the wonderful Colin Wild built woody – TASMAN. Denis commented that he had been working on preparing a summary of the logbooks from the TASMAN. Nine volumes from 26 December 1971 to 12 December 2020.
In the back of Volume 6, 24 October 1998 to 27 July 2002 Denis found taped in the clippings from the NZ Herald, dated 2 January 2001, the front page and an internal page telling the story of the loss of the RUAMANO.
In the TASMAN log, dated Tuesday 02-01-2001 while the launch was cruising the Mahurangi area a note was added to the log book that read “Newspaper from Warkworth reported loss of RUAMANO on fool hardy attempt to repeat 1925 circumnavigation of NZ (see clipping at end of log)” . The photos above are scans of the original NZ Herald press clippings ex the TASMAN log, given to Alan H at WW.
I encourage WW follower / readers to take the time to read the NZ Herald news stories and make your own decision on the sad event. As always you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them.
Masthead from the NZ Herald below (page too large for the scanner).
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE LAUNCH – VOLANTE
Recently WW was contacted by Darren Spragg advising he had acquired the 40’ launch – VOLANTE, and was asking for help to learn the boats back story.
Darren commented that when purchased all he was told was that she was 40’ in length and probably designed and built by the John Lidgard yard c.1963.
Construction is triple diagonal kauri, that at a later date has been f/glassed.
Currently powered by twin 120hp Ford Lehman diesels.
I won’t comment on the top 2 metres other than to say – ’nothing a tungsten tipped chainsaw couldn’t fix’ 😉
Her stern has Tauranga as the home port so maybe a Bay of Plenty woody can enlighten us as to where she has been for the last 60 odd years.
Would love to see a as-launched photo.
RSVP FOR CLASSIC WOODYS RIVERHEAD LUNCH CRUISE – FRIDAY 20 – MATARIKI HOLIDAY waitematawoodys@gmail.com
LOOKING FOR INFO ON THE CLASSIC LAUNCH – WAKANUI
WW was recently contacted by Craig and Mary Mountjoy regarding the launch – WAKANUI.
Craig commented that she was launched in approx. 1969, having been built for Ed Schischka, who farmed at the mouth of the Puhoi River, on land that is now the upstream part of the Auckland Regional Reserve at Wenderholm.
WAIANUI was kept on a swing mooring just outside of the family farmhouse, which is now known as the ‘Schischka Homestead’. The Schischka family mostly used her for day fishing expeditions, in between milkings.
Mary believes she was built in Greenhithe, which would possibly indicate Salthouse, but Lidgard has been remembered as another possibility.
The above photo, at Westhaven, Auckland may have been taken on launch day. In the photo she appears to be around 30’ in length.
I questioned Graig re the photo as it appears too perfect i.e.had it been re-touched, Craig assured me he had scanned the photo from the original 1969 print.
Craig and Mary last saw her on a mooring in Opahi Bay, Mahurangi around the early 1990’s, and are very keen to find more information on her design, builder, any history and where WAKANUI is now.
So woodys can we help out.
IMPORTANT EVENT UPDATE – Note: new date for Woody Boat Boot Sale – now August 02
CLASSIC 40’ WOODEN CRUISING CUTTER – ENCORE
Earlier in the year John Dawson pointed me in the direction of the classic 40’ wooden cruising yacht – ENCORE.
We learnt that she was built by master boatbuilder Lionel Jefcoat as his own boat. Launched in 1988 she slips into the spirit of tradition woody category.
Designed and built to handle off-shore cruising she is an impressive craft, constructed from 2” Kauri planks that run the vessel’s length, with an elm interior. I love the interior, especially that heater, but the exterior has a little too much of the blur colour for my eyes. But as they say – its only paint, so easily changed 😉
CLASSIC SHIPBUILDERS WOODEN LAUNCH – MAJEIKA
During the week I was visiting the OBC marine centre on Auckland’s Tamaki Drive scoping out an upcoming woody event and spotted the launch – MAJEIKA on a mooring in Whakatakata Bay. A quick WW search popped up that she appeared on WW back in May 2022, link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/07/majeika/
As sometimes happens way to often at the same time Ian McDonald pointed out that she was also on tme.
So a quick summary of what we know – MAJEIKA is a 28’ Shipbuilders design, most likely a ‘kit’ boat, built c.1960, builder unknown. Triple skin kauri which will make for a very robust woody.
Forward motion is via a 100hp Nissan diesel engine. In the 2022 WW story the engine was said to be a LD28 rated at 88hp, and a top speed of 12 knots. Also the length was 26’ then – so it seems she has been eating a few pies.
With an asking price of $10k, we see another example of it being a buyers market at the moment.
PERCY VOS BUILT WOODEN LAUNCH – CLARE
The launch CLARE fist appeared on WW back in May 2013, at the time we learnt nothing more about her, then in 2020 she popped up again and this time Baden Pascoe confirmed that she was built at the P Vos Ltd yard and still existed today (2020).
Sadly we still didn’t learn what had become of her so today we try again.
BOATS OF THE BAY – REVIEW
Early in the week I was the recipient of a hot off the press copy of Greg Philpott’s book – BOATS OF THE BAY.
The cover tag line reads – ‘100 Years of The Ferries & Tourist Boats of the Bay of Islands’ and woodys that perfectly sums up the book. Roll in the odd game fishing boat and you have an encyclopaedia of craft that have plied the waters of the far north.
I loved the flyer that that said – ‘Literally A Nautical Encyclopaedia – Good For Settling Arguments (Or Starting them)’.
At 378 pages long it should come with a safety warning – it weighs approx. 1.5kg and reading when tired could result in injuries if dropped on your face 🙂
I have already used it twice to reference intel on a few woodys, so my copy will be a keeper – no loans 🙂
Greg has self published the book and retained the services of the hot shot classic boating art director – STEVE HORSLEY to produce the book so the visual presentation is right up there with the best.
The print run is limited and given its size, good value for the $75 price tag. (+P&P)
Secure a copy by contacting Greg direct at gregphilpott@xtra.co.nz
CLASSIC CLINKER LAUNCH – WEST BAY @ RIWAKA INLET
The ‘marina’ (I use the term loosely) at the Riwaka Wharf, located between Motueka & Kaiteriteri, Nelson is probably best called mud berths. Don’t get me wrong thats not a negative description – the area is very well maintained and visually engaging.
Back in March 2018 friend John Burland snaps some photos of the area, WW did a story and the lead photo was the wooden clinker launch – WEST BAY berthed next to ROYAL SAXON.
Fast forward to yesterday which was a miserable wet day in Auckland and I was searching the WW files for a lost boating photo and I found a file tagged ‘Mud Berths – Riwaka Inlet’, it contained a collection of photos I had taken of the Riwaka Inlet on a trip down south.
Included were todays photos of WEST BAY ‘dried out’, she is a rather smart wee woody that must have a cool back story – so woodys can we learn more.
Results from Mondays poll on the hull colour of the launch – BONITA – blue the winner by a wide margin 🙂
CLASSIC WOODEN 1927 EX WORKBOAT – OWAKA
Todays photos come to us from John Dawson. We learnt more from an online search that popped up an old fb comment by Ray Morey where Ray told us OWAKA was built in 1927 by Collings & Bell in Auckland for service at Lyttelton.
Ray also said that in the mid 1930’s she was re-powered with a Kelvin K9 engine. Then in the mid 1960’s she was re-powered agin with a D-Series Ford.
In another fb post Lew Redwood tagged the top photo above as being c.1950>69 and the location being Honeymoon Bay, Moturua, Bay of Islands (photographer – Ron Clark).
A July 2014 WW story featured a search by the son of an ex owner to learn more about his fathers boat. We uncovered an amazing amount of history and photos. Read/see at this link https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/07/13/owaka-find-a-classic/
The last mention of her in the above post was in Jan 2019 when Nathan Herbert took the below photo from onboard his launch Pacific.
So woodys the question of the day is – what became of OWAKA post 2019.
CLASSIC 1923 DOUBLE END LAUNCH BONITA – GETS A BIRTHDAY
Over the last few weeks the 1923 Ernie Lane (Picton) built launch – BONITA has been getting some TLC at the Slipway Milford yard.
WW first spotted BONITA in Waikawa Bay, Marlborough Sounds in May 2022, at the time she was for sale, top photo below.
Fast forward to July 2024 and the launch was moored off the old Salthouse yard in the upper reaches of the Waitemata Harbour. Her new owner Chris Salthouse had transported her from the South Island to Auckland and given her a makeover which included a change of hull colour (blue) – as seen in the second photo below.
As part of the 2025 TLC the hull colour has changed again – this time a green sea mist colour. I like it but of the 3 ‘recent’ colours, the royal blue was my pick. I understand the dark blue was too harsh with the sun re seams opening up. TELL US YOUR PICK ON THE HULL COLOUR – VOTE BELOW
I understand that the next project is a new larger cabin.
There has been lots of chat on the correct spelling of her name – but it was BONITA when built and originally was working a Sounds passenger vessel.
Links below to past WW stories.
WW May 2022 https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/07/07/borato/
WW July 2024 https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/07/02/spirit-of-tradition-classic-double-ender-wooden-launch/
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