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.

Petrel

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PETREL
The posts last week on the Philip Lange built vessel Faith have resulted in Sharon Lange (Sharon, married Philip & Bev’s son, Ian Lange) sending in the above photos of ‘Petrel’, the last boat built by Philip. Petrel was build under Philip and Bev’s Mill Bay house in Mangonui and launched in 1991.

Petrel was build for Philips son Stev and is used as a commercial longline boat out of Mangonui to present day.

The photos, from the top, are tagged:
1: The Petrel on the cradle front lawn of Philips house
2: close up
3: Getting ready to go down the drive to Mill bay for launching
4: Philip lange on the Petrel during launching , Stev Lange on the ramp , Bev at the front and Ian lange ready to help and Phils grand daughter watching the action
5: Philip Lange and the Petrel
6: Bev Lange & the Petrel
7: the Petrel
8: speaks for its self

The New Zealand Clinker
In support of last weekends Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition, the Tino Rawa Trust have produced a 36 page booklet titled ‘ The New Zealand Clinker, its a great collection of stories on & around clinker boats. I enjoyed the read & learnt a lot.
You can grab a copy for $20 from BoatBooks in Westhaven or try your luck with answering the question below, all correct entries, emailed to waitematawoodys@gmail.com before 6pm 10-10-2017, go into the draw for a copy.

Q: Where does the word ‘clinker’ originate from?

Clinker Cover

Clinker Spread

Input from Russell Ward

A glossary in the pre WW2 book Motor Cruising by Irvine and others confirms that “Clinker (clincher, clencher) is a method of building in which each side plank overlaps the one below.”
Now, shipmates, we gotta drill a bit deeper into this one, maybe. Clenching or clench nailing is the merry art of holding an iron or hammer just right and picking up the sharp end of your nail as she emerges through the other side and turning it over and back into the wood (provided the wood is soft enough). Quick and easy and, if done neatly looks a lot better than it sounds. I sent a picture via Wifi to AH just now -qv. Iona had a lot of old epaired timbers clinched and it looked good.
The Yanks of course call “clinker” by the more descriptive term “lapstrake”. So Robin Seaward in ‘Boatbuilding’ 2ed says “Lapstrake -sometimes called clinker planking.”
However, I find this appealing “Late 17th century (denoting a person or thing that clinks): from clink + -er. clinker”. Do you reckon that the wisened old man crouched over the wee boat in the corner of the shed was clinking away at his craft?
(Personally I like the old-fashioned slang use for a bum note played on a musical instrument -a clinker! Or in my favourite town Galway, a clinker is a wee lass worthy of a very close inspection. Or modern slang says a clinker is a dingle berry. Nothing to do with our boats though.) Better watch where you use the term.
Take yer pick, fellow anorak wearers…..

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Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition 2017 – The NZ Clinker Boat – 50+ Photos

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Tony Stevenson

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Robert Brooke

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Baden Pascoe

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Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition 2017 – The NZ Clinker Boat

Over the weekend the Tino Rawa Trust hosted the 10th Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition at Karanga Plaza on Auckland waterfront Wynyard Quarter. If you missed the event, you really did miss something special. The feature this year was the New Zealand Clinker Boat.

I went to the opening commemorative (Tony Stevenson, likes flash words) morning tea on Friday, if you were looking for a wooden boat builder or a fountain of knowledge on wooden boats, you would have been stunned at the guest list, it was the who’s who of NZ classic wooden boat movement. If you weren’t there you must have done something really bad in a past life to not be invited 😉

Above is a selection of the boats on display, taken on Friday when the crowds were light. Enjoy 🙂

Talking to Tony Stevenson, Jason Prew & Baden Pascoe last night & this years event was hands down the most successful in terms of attendee numbers, Saturday being huge. Well done guys. 

 

Wairuru – Auckland to Suva, 1947

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Waruru Cover

Wairuru – Auckland to Suva, 1947

I was recently contacted by Steph Mellors who advised she had a short diary written aboard the 1937, Charles Bailey & Sons built motorsailer Wairuru, during a passage from Auckland to Apia, Samoa in  June 1947.

On the cover (see above) is written in pencil Capt. Robt. Patterson, given the content of the diary, Steph does not think he wrote it. (I agree)

The NZ Maritime Index, records that Wairuru, owned by A G Bertram was sold in 1947 to O. F. Nelson & Co. Ltd., Apia, Western Samoa – who renamed her – Gaualofa. The records also sadly record that she was wrecked on 22 November 1953, on the South coast of Savai’i Island, near Sala’ihua.

Steph is unsure how she acquired the diary, thinks “probably rescued it from someone’s wastepaper basket in a fit of – it could be of interest to someone”.

Thankfully she saved it & now over 70 years later we get to share it. Enjoy the read, I did.

Any guesses as to who the author was?

Wairuru 1

Wairuru 2>3

Wairuru 4>5

Wairuru 6>7

Wairuru 8>9

Wairuru 10>11

Wairuru 12

I couldn’t do a WW post without a boat photo – my clinker dinghy Peg at Patio Bay. Which is a good excuse to remind you that today is the last day of the Classic Launch & Yacht – Clinker Boats Exhibition – details below – AND ITS FREE TO GET IN.

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Clinker Event Ad

Ugliest Clinker & A Spot of Clinker Envy

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Ugliest Clinker & A Spot of Clinker Envy

My recent photos of clinkers prompted Don MacLeod to send in the two photos above – the top one in Don’s eyes wins ‘most ugly clinker’ hands down , the planking is a fright. I know Jason P would nominate another one, but we all need to play nicely Jas 😉

Don was not sure when the picture was taken, but believes it is on one of the rivers at Lake Taupo. Possible choices are the Tauranga Taupo, the lower Tongario or the Waihora in Western Bays.

Don’s second clinker photo shows a clinker powered by a Seagull south of Mana Island, going fishing in Cook Strait. Those are the radio masts at Titahi Bay behind.

This photo was taken early 1960’s Don believes, and it is a smart looking clinker getting along at a great clip.

Now Clinker Envy – I was dropping my clinker, Peg, off at the Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition on Thursday night & spotted the beauty below, size & design wise, perfect for my launch Raindance – I wonder if the owner would notice if I swapped 🙂

Please try & make the effort & get down there this Saturday & Sunday – entry is free. Details below.

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A wee tease of what is on show 🙂

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FAITH – Flash Back Friday

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FAITH – Flash Back Friday

Last week I posted some ‘recent-ish’ photos of the Philip Lange built launch – Faith, now owned by Neal & Nicki Harding in the Marlborough Sounds. Yesterday I was contacted by Sharon Lange with the above photos from the launching & older days up north.

Sharon confirmed that Faith was built by Philip Lange in 1967 and launched in 1968 at Whangaparoa at Matakatia Bay. Philip installed a Kelvin motor in the Faith.

Philip worked the Faith as a commercial fishing boat out of Whangaparoa for a little while then left Whangaparoa, driving the Faith up with one of his young sons – Graham Lange , north to Mangonui , Doubtless Bay. From there he continued to fish for cray fish and longline on the Faith. Philip and his wife Bev and six sons moved to Mangonui where he continued to build other boats.

The Faith was sold to Philips brother Douglas then to Murray Hamilton (both deceased). Then sold to Vick Spaights, after that Sharon does not know any further history apart from the Hardings owning her now .

There are 4 of Philips boats moored permanently in Mill Bay Mangonui, they are: – 1. The Michele, 2. Kaipara, 3. Tui, 4. Petrel. The Petrel was the last boat built in 1991.

# The top photo was taken at the launching of the Faith with 4 of Philips young sons and one neighbor’s boy at Matakatia Bay on the Whangaparoa Peninsula.

# The middle photo was taken in Mangonui Harbour by the wharf heading toward Mill Bay mooring.

# The bottom photo shows Faith heading towards the Mangonui wharf.

SLAINTE Relaunched

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Slainte

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SLAINTE Relaunched

Back in early August I posted photos / details on the restoration / rebuild of the 1947 27’ Chris Craft Super Delux – Slainte at Craig Maine at Lake Rotoiti (link below).

Yesterday Alan Craig sent me photos from last Friday’s relaunch on the lake. Alan’s a man of few words e.g. “ It floats, all went well” J

Slainte is a stunning addition to the Lake Rotoiti woody fleet – well done Alan & the brave owner that commissioned the project.

Slainte

 

A Beautiful Clinker

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Vos Rockfort Skiff

A Beautiful Clinker

Baden Pascoe sent the above two photos of the Rockfort skiff that Percy Vos built in 1926. Baden commented that it has the most attractive planking of any boat he has ever seen – big call 😉

These days it is owned by the Percy Vos Charitable Trust & resides at the, maybe one day it will be restored – Vos Shed.

The real reason for today’s post is to remind you all about this weekend’s Clinker Boat exhibition at the waterfront / viaduct – details below

The Vos clinker will be on show, so you can check out if Baden is right re the planking 🙂

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Christopher Grey

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CHRISTOPHER GREY

CHRISTOPHER GREY

Today’s photo should please the Work Boat woodys out there. It was taken by Nathan Herbert on a recent trip south to Dunedin & shows the Christopher Grey.

Keen to learn more about her past & when she came out of the closet & became a pleasure craft 😉

Update – photo below ex Russell Ward

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Need To Tidy / Clean Out The Shed?

I have been contacted by Warner Bros NZ with an interseting request – read below J

DESIGN JUNKIES – OPPORTUNITY FOR UPCYCLING

Design Junkies is an exciting, upcoming, prime time television show that takes 6 Industrial Designers and challenges them to create usable household objects and breath-taking art installations from discarded materials. We are on the hunt for old marine salvage whether it’s wood, metal, rudders, masts or even an old clinker!  If you or someone you know, has a shed full of marine rubble that’s going to waste, we could be very interested in taking it off your hands. For any queries or expressions of interest, please contact Beth Eldercable on 027 8287 555.

 

 

 

Matira

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Matira reflections

Matira Kaiarara Bay 3

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MATIRA

Chatting recently on-line with Bryce Strong he mentioned his ownership of the 1956 Collings & Bell launch Matira, the lead photo was taken at Great Barrier Island & also shows Altair nearby, Bryce commented that the water was so still you have difficulty deciding which way the photo should be up.

Bryce kept her on the Clevedon River & at one stage there was a flood & Matira pulled out the front mooring pole, and swung around and collided with Altair, moored behind on the pontoon. Only held by a single stern rope which held her until Bryce could sort it.

Bryce sold Matira in 2009 to Steve Martin, a boat builder who carried out an extensive and immaculate refit in 2011, setting up Matira for another 30 years. Photos below of Steve’s work. There is an extensive documented history of the vessel here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/03/03/matira/

Link below (blue) to a spec sheet of Matira from during Bryce’s ownership period.

Short spec updated version

Note – this shows her powered by twin 4 cyl.Ford 75hp engines, in late November 2015 she was re-powered with twin 110hp Yanmar’s that while lifting her performance, significantly reduced the running noise. Her owner Guy Warman commented to me post her re-launch sea trial, that that alone was worth the cost 🙂 Matira is a lucky lady to have been so well loved & cared for over the years.

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Faith

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Faith June 2013

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FAITH

I was contacted recently by Neal & Nicki Harding who had just came across an article in waitamatawoodies about the Phil Lange built boat ’Tui’.
The couple own one of his 30′ boats ‘Faith’ built in 1968, they bought Faith in 2006 and trucked up from Careys Bay, Dunedin. These days she swings off a mooring at the bottom of their garden in the Marlborough Sounds where they live. They met Phil Lange briefly a few years ago. Faith has very similar lines to Phil’s other launch, Tui, but without the flybridge.
The 2nd photo above shows Faith coming through one of the Kaikoura road tunnels in 2006, its a very changed landscape today.

The Harding’s have spent many happy hours restoring, scraping, sanding, painting and cruising with Faith.

The Harding’s have photos of Faith going back to her fishing days in Northland and voyage South to Port Chambers, Dunedin, but are particularly keen to obtain any photos of her for the build / launch period if they exist. I have asked the Harding’s to send in the photos they have so we can all see them.

Classic Launch & Yacht Exhibition Next Weekend – Put A Circle In The Diary – 7>8 Oct
This year  the exhibition is celebrating Classic Clinker Boats

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Clinker Event Ad