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.

West Auckland Barn Find

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West Auckland Barn Find

 Morning woodys – I was contacted yesterday by serial classic woody collector / rescuer – Keith Munro, Keith advised that a woody in need of rescuing had been pointed in his direction – but Keith’s toy box is overflowing 🙂 thence contacting me.

The woody needs 2 things – a home & a woody with vision, from the photos she appears to have the makings of a nice looking classic launch.

 Nothing is known about her – no name, builder, dates etc. – her specs are – 32’ long & 5’9” across the ransom. Hopefully a woody reader will be able to shed some light on her.

 The boat could be acquired for not a lot of money, currently located in Kumeu, West Auckland; there is even an offer of free delivery .

From the photos it appears there has been work done on the boat & she comes with all the doors, mast, floorboards, hatches & other sundry, including the cradle.

Open to offers – contact Jeff or Bob on 027 834 5285

Querida 1

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QUERIDA 1

Built in 1962 by Don Norton, a Herne Bay wooden boat builder, using a combination of imported exotic hardwoods and New Zealand native timbers and marine ply. She measures 17’6” in length & is powered by a 75hp Mercury outboard.

She was featured in New Zealand Power boat magazine (see below) in 1987 as a classic vintage cabin boat 25 years after being built. 55 years later she still looks in amazing retro condition. A reflection that in all this time Querida 1 has remained on one family ownership.

Currently 4sale on trademe, she appears to offer someone a turn-key intro to the world of classic wooden boating & has Lake Rotoiti written all over her.

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Woodys Cruise To Riverhead Hotel

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Blue Fin

Blue Fin
Blue Fin, Lucille 1993 Logan 33, Silens
Lucille, Silens, Endeavour
Raindance
Endeavour – 1953 A. Couldrey
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Silens – 1912 Harvey & Lang

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Volantis – 1965 & Raindance – 1928 Lane MB Co.

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Lady Margaret – 1927 Colin Wild

Woodys Cruise To Riverhead Hotel

Talk around the dock was that a few woodys were itching to give their classic woody an airing prior to this weekends CYA Xmas Party at Patio Bay, Waikehe Island. So a few of us decided to mooch up the harbour to the Riverhead Hotel for lunch & a fizzy beverage. Conditions were perfect & we had a great time, sometimes fewer numbers are good – you get to talk to everyone & the expended wharf, hosted most of us. 

Nice to see new CYA member John Mildenhall make the trip on Blue Fin. The 1935, C. Bailey Jun. designed & built by C. Bailey & Sons launch Nana, was at the meeting spot at Lucas Creek but didn’t do the creek trip, I passed them heading back & for once didn’t have the camera out – very smart classic. There is a great story about her rescue & rebuild – read here https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/02/01/nana-resuced-restored/

Publician Stephen Pepperell’s 1965 launch – Volantis, was berthed at the wharf & her refit is coming along nicely, the plan was to have her finished for Patio Bay weekend but completion is a little way off, but she will be a stunner when finished. View more on her history here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/04/20/volantis-joins-our-classic-launch-fleet/

On the return trip I snapped a few photos of some classics moored on-route – see below 

 

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Te Hauraki – 1920 William Clare

Lilian -1920 Collings & Bell
Lillian
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Safari – c.1940 Trevor McGuire

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Maude – W. Fife

Bay of Islands Tall Ships – Sailing Sunday

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Bay of Islands Tall Ships – Sailing Sunday

The above photos ex Dean Wright were taken during the 2012 Bay of Islands Tall Ships Race & show Spray sailing in a rather big swell. Love the rigging only one, Dean is a professional photographer & his talent shows in these photos.

On a sadder note, below is a selection of photos that Dean took during the same race, that show the magnificent American yacht – Nina, that was later to disappear in the Tasman on route to Australia without a trace.

Below is a link to Stuff website, that has a tragic story on the 19-year-old American teenager – Danielle Wright who was crewing on Nina when the yacht varnished.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/69870474/The-mystery-of-the-missing-Nina

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Mystery Project Launch

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Mystery Project Launch

The above boat has just popped up on trademe, all the listing tells us is that she is 28’ long & made of wood. There is a dismantled Perkins diesel that comes with the boat.

The starting bid is set at $2800 & there is no reserve, so could be a great no-cost project for someone, the location is Levin so maybe of interest to a Lake Rotoiti woody 🙂

Anyone recognize the boat?

(Thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads up)

Devonport Yacht Club Very Classic Friendly

Woody Chris Leech sent in the photos below from last weekend at the DYC – (from L>R) Moana, Seafarer, Lady Mary, Castaway – all waiting to splash after some TLC over winter.

Classics @ DYC

Sea Craft Run-About

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Sea Craft Run-About 

Nelson boat builder / restorer Peter Murton contacted me to say that he had just been given the above 1947 Sea Craft.  She measures 17’ x 4’, with a 7’4” beam, current power is from a small twin cylinder diesel. She is twin skinned cedar with ribs and copper riveted out side horizontal diagonal inside. 

Prior to Peter acquiring her,  she was based on Rotorua.

Peter plans to restore her but is looking for some more photos of this model Sea Craft, mainly the cabins and interior layout. Peter has completed numerous ‘smaller’ craft restoration, a lot of which have featured on WW, enter Peter Murton in the WW search box to view them 🙂

So woodys – anyone able to help Peter out?

Input from Paul Drake – The photo below shows this boat (or a sister) at Taupo – between 1953 and 1963 (our pram dinghy, shown outside our boatshed, was built in 1953, and the boatsheds were removed in 1963).

Other vessels shown are WATER NYMPH and WAIHAHA, now at Rotoiti, LADY PAT, now at Mana Marina, Wellington, MOANA, now at Auckland, and ARCADIA, still at Taupo.

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Korimako

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KORIMAKO

Today’s launch according to her trademe listing says she was built in 1978 by the Lane Motor Boat Co. Ltd. , which I would suspect is stretching things in terms of dates.

Korimako measures 20’ in length & is powered by a Isuzu diesel, giving her a cruising speed of 8 knots & all out 10 knots. Her listing says full plans & history are available so it would be good to find out more.

Someone with a good eye got the cabin lines right, for a small launch she looks very well proportioned.

 

 

Judges Bay Haul Out + Name the Boats & Win

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Judges Bay Haul Out + Name the Boats & Win

The above photo shows the shoreline at Judges Bay, Auckland. c1930’s.
The photographer is unknown, but the photo is ex the New Zealand Herald via the Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries.

Nathan Herbert has commented that the photo was taken between December 1934 and 1938, as a boat in the photo was launched in December, and modified from that style in 1938.

The woody that can correctly name the most boats, starting from the bottom of the photo, wins a 2018 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat calendar. Lets try doing the entry thing via the WW Comments section, the email entry seems to confuse a few of you 🙂
Promo closes 6.00pm 22-11-2017.

If you don’t win the calendar, copies are available for $15, a steal – click this link for details on ordering.

Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Association 2018 Calendars

 

Orari

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Orari @ Thames

ORARI

Today’s photo of Orari (in the middle) was sent in by Nathan Herbert, taken at Thames earlier this year.

What do we know about her?

Harold Kidd Input – This first of the three Fisher ORARIs was designed and built by R.P. Fisher and J. Robinson at Whangarei over two years and launched in March 1937. No bridgedeck then.

UPDATE: Photos below ex Paperpast via Nathan Herbert – read the caption

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I took the photos below of Seafarer on Sunday afternoon as she was sitting on the slip at Devonport Yacht Club, awaiting re-launching after her annual winter haul-out.

Owner Richard Darke is one of those classic owners that we all aspire to – as well as being a perfectionist, he has the skills to undertake almost everything on the boat & builds most of the bits himself. See/ read more here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/11/25/seafarer-2/

Hiding under the covers is a stunning Uroxsys job on the coamings. Speaking of stunning Uxroxsys jobs, I also had a look over Trinidad in the weekend , she was relaunched last week after a spell in the Greg Lees Boat Builders, Sandspit shed – looking even smarter after a ‘few’ more coats Uroxsys were applied. Interesting to note that its now the norm to add some of the tinted primer to the middle coats, helps the UV protection* & gives a richer depth to the finish. New cockpit clears as well. Barbara & David Cooke are getting her ship-shape for the upcoming NZ circumnavigation. I’m crewing on the Bay of Islands > down the West Coast > Picton leg.

INPUT FROM THE UROXSYS (Awlwood) GURU – DAVID W

“Can I just clarify that the Awlwood topcoat is chocked full of UV absorbers – each coat blocks 90% of UV so over 8 coats you are left with practically nothing getting through. Trouble is that visible light degrades timber as well – and the only way of reducing this is by adding colour hence the improved performance from coloured primers. Cheers, David.”

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W1 & W1 Junior Meet Up

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W1 c.1942

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W1 & W1 Junior Meet Up

The restoration of the Hubert Scott-Paine designed ex RNZAF, WWII, craft W1 has been well documented on WW, as has been the building of a junior version by master model maker John Bullivant, enter W1 in the WW search box to read > view their stories.

Earlier this year Ken Ricketts played match-maker & intro’ed Francis Uren, the owner  of W1 & John B. The venue was Bayswater Marina where Francis keeps W1. Details & photos ex Ken.

The story started 49 years ago, when John B, had by chance an opportunity to have a look aboard W1. John & a mate, were out & about on the Tamaki River, exploring & they came across W1 & the boys decided to have a good look inside her. John B was fascinated with what he saw & W1 made such a lasting impression that 44 years later, when he started to build a model of W1, he could recall every detail. The build took 5 years, but as can see in the photos, the attention to detail & build quality is amazing.

When Francis Uren, saw W1 Junior for the first time he was blown away,  the intricate detail in build, propulsion & equipment, which is even complete, with the sound of 2 diesel engines being started, when John fired her up, & with water flowing out the exhaust pipes each side, when the engines, (2 special marine tiny electric motors, see photo below), are running.

The meet up resulted in two very happy woodys, who both had huge mutual respect for the each others work.

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