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.

CLASSIC 1926 WOODEN LAUNCH – LA ROSA – 4sale

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2014
2014
Date unknown

CLASSIC 1926 WOODEN LAUNCH – LA ROSA

The question of the day – is LA ROSA the best priced classic wooden launch currently on the market, at $8k . Yeap that isn’t a typo -the asking price is $8,000 ono. Now I haven’t been on board in a long time but as the architects say the bones are there of a fine looking classic. It could either be used as is or brought back to finery that she has been in the past. At 40’ that a lot of boat for the money.

Built in 1926 by Ernie Harvey , and rebuilt totally in 1965 and had a overhauled Lister JP3 (electric start) installed approx 15 years ago.

Todays WW photos are a mix from her past and recent – the last one show casing her in her finest. Her tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) states the sale is due to poor health and the price is for a quick sale – if your interested get on tme asap , it won’t last long at the price. BUT – spend the money on an out of water survey, it will be the best investment you make – you will either end up with a good To Do List for the future OR saved yourself from having to mortgage the home 🙂

RSVP FOR RIVERHEAD WOODYS LUNCH CRUISE 🔻

Email boat name and approx crew no’s to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

AFRICAN QUEEN – CLASSIC 1941 CLINKER RUN-ABOUT

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2015

AFRICAN QUEEN – CLASSIC 1941 CLINKER RUN-ABOUT

The 1941 built Seacraft clinker run-about AFRICAN QUUEN has made several cameo appearances on WW.

Starting back in March 2015 and then again at the 2017 waterfront clinker exhibition, link here to that event. https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/10/09/classic-yacht-launch-exhibition-2017-the-nz-clinker-boat-50-photos/

Recently she popped up on a fb page and her owner – Jeremy Longman commented she is built from Honduras mahogany and other hardwoods. 

Forward motion is via a 3 cyl. Sola (Spanish) diesel engine.

These days home is in Tauranga – the top two photos are of her over the 2024/25 summer.

CLASSIC EX WOODEN WORKBOAT – VEDETTE

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CLASSIC EX WORKBOAT – VEDETTE

Recently on one of the many boating channels I follow the launch VEDETTE popped up , a gent named Tony Howse was considering buying the boat and needed a builders name to obtain insurance to haul-out for an inspection.

Tony commented that the boat was built from double diagonal kauri planks.

Its believed that she was originally on the Kaipara Harbour  and then in the late 1960’s moved to Raglan as the harbour masters boat for a period of approx. 20 years.

Can we learn more about the launch.

01-06-2025 UPDATES

TONY HOWSE – I’ve owned her for 20 plus years.The best cray and fishing boat I’ve ever owned. My 4 kids have grown up learning to fish off her. I have just sold her and she’s hopefully back to the Bay of Islands.

REUBEN PARR – Our family used to own Vedette on the Kawhia Harbour in the late 1960s. She was powered by a Morris Vedette petrol engine.  My memory is that my father said she was a Logan and had been a pilot boat, but not sure how correct that was.

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CLASSIC 1927 WOODEN LAUNCH – IRENE 

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CLASSIC 1927 WOODEN LAUNCH – IRENE 

Last week the newish owner, Karl Reynolds,  of the classic 31’ wooden launch – IRENE contacted WW to update us on the status of the vessel.

IRENE was built by Dick Lang c.Feb 1927. These days she resides at Pahi on the Kaipara Harbour.

IRENE made an appliance of WW back in April 2016 – link below  https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/04/27/irene-2/

Karl purchased IRENE in late Feb of this year. Karl commented that she was not in great shape but still has great bones.  When purchased she was powered by a 120hp Ford but unfortunately her sump rusted out and the engine dropped her oil into the bilge and she subsequently seized solid. So currently reviewing the options e.g. repair or replace. In recent times IRENE has been out the water for 15 days and Karl addressed some rot in the cabin.The work also included a good tidy up underneath including new keel straps, removal of her keel cooling pipes and removed rudder to be straightened. 
The plan is to have her finished for what Karl believe to be IRENE’s 100th birthday in Feb 2027.

SEA QUEEN + THE JOHN KENNEDY

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SEA QUEEN

Todays woody photo comes to us from John Dawson, John spotted the photo recently at the Te Ahu Centre in Kaitaia.

The photo is captioned – ‘Harry Slide and the SEA QUEEN’, the location is the Hokianga Harbour. And that woodys is all we know.

Can anyone tell us more about the vessel.

LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON THE JOHN KENNEDY

WW has been contacted by Lew Redwood who has been asked about the whereabouts of the vessel – THE JOHN KENNEDY.

Refer details below – can we help Colleen Small out.

WOODY WHANGAREI HOUSEBOAT

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WOODY WHANGAREI HOUSEBOAT

The above painting of todays woody comes to us from Barb Hudson via the NZ cars, boats, motorcycles fb page and is captioned ‘Hone Houseboat Whangarei’.

The question for woodys is “did the boat actual exist or someones creative freehand”.  If it is or was an actual boat do we know anything about the vessel.

UPDATES

Greg Philpott sent in the b/w press clipping below , taken form the ’Northland Holiday – 20 March 1978. The HONE was built in WW1 as a freight carrier servicing war ships. She was retired c.1948.

Paul Shaw sent in the colour photo that he found posted by David/Janet Matthews on “Whangarei Way Back When” fb of the same houseboats near Kissing Point, Whangarei. And commented that you couldn’t miss them anytime you drove between the city centre & Onerahi.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – AIRANA (ROSEMARY)

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – AIRANA (ROSEMARY)

Todays woody AIRANA was built in Balena Bay Wellinton by car franchise owner Noel Manthel in 1934. AIRANA is a lightly built craft of British design, Sterling her owner Bruce Campbell believes. There were apparently about 50 built in the UK.She was originally named’ Rosemary’.

AIRANA is essentially built for the Thames Estuary and connecting canals, and consequently is quite narrow;-under 2 meters with a shallow draft of 2ft 9inches, and is 30 feet in length. Alfred  Hitchcock apparently was taken fishing in Wellinton harbour years ago and AIRANA supposedly searched for submarines in the harbour during the war with a Bren gun on the foredeck.

Bruce purchased her almost 20 years ago, and gave her a complete birthday at Wellington Boatbuilders Gracefield, Lower Hutt 17 years ago. Home is a mooring in Ruakaka  Bay, Marlborough Sounds. Forward motion is via a reconditioned 85hp diesel Ford Lees Marine (ex Moon Engines), boat speed  is 7 knots.

CLASSIC LAUNCH MOOSE ON THE MOVE – Update #1

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CLASSIC LAUNCH MOOSE ON THE MOVE – Update #1

Earlier in the month woody boat builder Alan Craig gave us a peek at his team extracting the Collings & Bell, 1939 built, 28’ launch – MOOSE, link below to that story. https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/05/08/classic-launch-moose-a-sneak-peek/

As previously promised, last week Alan sent in the gallery of photos above starting with MOOSE in her Lake Rotoiti boathouse at Moose Lodge and finishing up in Alan’s yard with the restoration already underway.

Alan commented that the process went very smoothly, a few of the crew were a little apprehensive that a planked wooden boat will still float after an extended period out of the water. Alan said that MOOSE was all good, with a bit of help from the modern technology of temporary urethane sealant 😉

As with all wooden boat projects things start with unveiling the surprises that lie beneath the layers of paint, but for the experienced team at Craig Marine there are no real surprises these days.

We look forward to following this restoration. (photo below dated 1954)

DO WE KNOW THE WHERE ABOUTS OF SAILOR DON ROBERTS

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Don Roberts heading off to Rotorua Regatta
Race Day – Tamaki
Race Day – Tamaki
WHY & BOKEY – Bucklands Beach
BOKEY, ZEPHYR, WHY – Maraetai Regatta 1954

DO WE KNOW THE WHERE ABOUTS OF SAILOR DON ROBERTS

Todays story is in answer to a request from Brian Peet, the secretary of the Zephyr Owners Association. WW doesn’t normally run stories like this but in my book Brian is good man and is probably better known to WW readers as the author and publisher of the impressive book ‘DES TOWNSON – A SAILING LEGACY’, so the story makes it onto WW. I’ll let Brian tell the story:

“Above are five historic Zephyr photos taken by Don Roberts, who in 1956 owned #4 ‘Why’. Unfortunately they’re low res photo-copies, so it would be great to access originals for scanning. Efforts to track down Don or his descendants have been unsuccessful. Next year will be the Zephyr class 70th anniversary and early imagery is keenly sought. Could there be a WW reader who can help establish contact with Don or his descendants?

What’s known is Don purchased the forth production hull from Des Townson in 1956 while living at 15 Highland Ave, Mt Albert. A year later he sold the completed boat to Nev Thom and repeated the process with unfinished hull #25. In 1964 he’s recorded as owning Kitty cat ‘Katawall’ – possibly living in Clevedon. In 1980 there’s a record of him on Papakura owning ‘U Choose’, a Davidson 28. 
Any help from your readers would be much appreciated. “

Brian Peet can be contacted via the WW comments section or on email at peetfamily@orcon.net.nz

IT’S A BUYERS MARKET – CLASSIC LAUNCH OKE BAY (DIANA S)

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IT’S A BUYERS MARKET – CLASSIC LAUNCH OKE BAY (DIANA S)

If your selling your classic wooden craft this winter do not set your hopes to high in terms of price.

There are some amazing buys floating around, mainly on tme, todays woody is an example. $15k ono is just silly money for OKE BAY.

Then again so is sub $300k for the majestic woody TRINIDAD , she was the buy of the decade.

The 32’ OKE BAY was built / launched in 1945 by Roy Steadman of Herne Bay, Auckland. At the time of launching she was named DIANA S, her name was changed in 1956. Her hull is carvel construction with kauri planks.

Forward motion is from a Ford Lees 2701 64hp diesel engine giving her a cruising speed of 7 knots.

With some TLC someone will have a nice, very original woody for summer cruising. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up.

Previous WW stories linked below. Lots of details in the 2017 link.

WW June 2017 https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/06/28/oke-bay/

WW June 2020 https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/06/20/diana-s-oke-bay/

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