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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.

Sou’ East

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sou-east

SOU’ EAST
The 39′ 1947 Lanes built Sou’East is seen above weighing in a thresher shark at Paihia in 1984. Photos ex Dean Wrights collection.
Sou’East has appeared on WW before, but not as above – to view as launched photos & current day, click the link below.

Sou’East

I have include below another of Dean’s photos, this one of the very ‘salty looking’ commercial fishing boat – Lady Karen – photo dated 1984, when owned by Frank Goodhue.

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Poaka

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POAKA

Back in Feb 2015 I did a story on the 1960 Snow Waters built launch ‘Poaka’ & questioned where she was today. Nathan Herbert gave us a heads up in Feb 2017 that she had popped up on trademe & she is still there today.
Looks like she has had some TLC & being a Waters craft she should be a solid ship. Interesting the difference between the painted cabin, versus the ‘as launched’ varnished finish (photo below), certainly looks sharper with the varnish (in my eye)
Powered by a 72hp, 4 cyl. Ford Diesel.
A nice entry level woody that with a little more work, could be a pretty classic.
See / read more about her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/02/14/poaka/
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Yesterdays winner of the Auckland On The Water Boat Show tickets was – Tim Christensen – owner of the classic launch ‘Yvonne’

YVA II (Yelda) + Win Boat Show Tickets

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YVA II (Yelda)

Woody Angus Rogers sent in the above photos of Ivy II (originally named Yelda) on Lake Whakatipu, for the overseas readers – Lake Whakatipu is the 3rd largest lake in New Zealand, situated on the southwest corner of Otago in the South Island.

Angus commented that she was not what he expected to see on the lake. Interested to learn more about her & when & how she arrived at the lake.

Photo below ex Russell Ward , taken 2003.

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Input from Richard – owner

I purchased Yvalda via Ted Church (Picton) in 2002. Sailed her down to Port Chalmers then got Fulton Hogan to truck her down to Lake Wakatipu where I used her commercially for tourist trips on the lake. Had lots of fun doing it but did not make a fortune!! Christmas parties, hen parties (the worst), weddings, stag parties, N.Y.E. parties etc etc.
The O.D.T. had a great photo of her going thru Dunedin on the back of the F.H. truck.
Yvalda, ( Yes, her original name) was built by Mc Gruers at Clynder Scotland in 1936. ( I think a G.L. Watson design) for a couple of wealthy brothers who were manufactures of biscuits. Not sure how or when she came to N.Z. but she must have been shipped here.
She was beautifully built, ( as were all boats built by Mc Gruers). Teak on oak frames, all as good as the day she was built.
Still had her original 4L2 Gardner engines coupled to massive Gleniffer gearboxes controlled by a couple of wheels mounted either side of the helm station. You had to have your wits about you as to which way to turn them to go fwd. or aft. but after a while it became automatic.
Quite a lot of untruths about her relationship with Winston Churchill and I suspect he never had anything to do with her. I thought she may have been one of the Dunkirk little ships but there is no record of that. I believe she was use for the degaussing of much larger metal ships during W.W.11
What vintagesteamer commented was more the truth and I too was told of her so called association with Churchill when I bought her but as they say, ” Why let the truth get in the way if a good story” ( I was advised) I’m sure those deck stepped masts were perfectly aligned when I had her. Vintagesteamer, you must have had too many Speights to drink when you saw her!!
WIN TWO TICKETS TO THE AUCKLAND ON THEW WATER BOAT SHOW

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Today & tomorrow I’m giving away tickets to the boat show – 2 each day. Just answer the simple question below & email your answer to waitematawoodys@gmail.com . All correct answers received before 6.00pm today (27-09-2017) will go into the draw. Winner will be notified by email.

Q: Name the location at the Show where the America’s Cup will be displayed. You’ll find the answer on the Show website  http://www.auckland-boatshow.com

 

 

Woody Trip Down South

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Woody Trip Down South

Nathan Herbert has just returned from a trip to Dunedin & snapped a collection of woodys that he saw – the first one to be shared on WW is the lovely wee clinker day boat above.

Can anyone enlighten us on her provenance ?

And I’ll use the post to segway into my next topic – The 2017 Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition, on Oct 7>8th, refer below for full details. This year the focus is on the classic New Zealand clinker boat.

So woodys get the pen out & put a big circle around the weekend in the diary. The team at Tino Rawa Trust do an amazing job hosting these events & 2018 will be a cracker, I understand there will be over 30 clinkers on show. I’ll be reminding you closer to the date;-)

Clinker Event Ad

Also I have some tickets for this weeks On-the-Water Boat Show, so to be in to win – check out Wednesday’s WW post 😉

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Mystery Launches – 25-09-2017

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MYSTERY LAUNCHES 25-09-2017

A couple of mystery launch questions today. Last year Robin Elliott sent in a collection of photos from the Whangarei Cruising Club Collection, as far as Robin knows, all are from the 1940’s early 1950’s & and were taken by Palmer Photography in Whangarei (1910-1999). Most by the late Graeme Palmer and possibly some older ones by his father.

So woodys who can ID the one above?
Now the photo below – I suspect it is Jason Prew’s My Girl at full chat 😉 but the photo shows only 3 portholes versus the 4 seen in most photos. Jas ?

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Lady Alice

 

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LADY ALICE

Today’s vessel is the Lady Alice & the photo ex ‘paperpast’, sent in by Nathan Herbert.

A very unusual mix of design features on display, can anyone help out with more detail on Lady Alice? The #957 will be a help.

25-09-2017 Harold Kidd Input 

LADY ALICE was a 30 footer built by George Roberts of St. Heliers for himself and launched in January 1940 with 957, her wartime reporting number, on her bows. A later owner (or of another LADY ALICE) was C.K. Edmonds of Allenby Road, Panmure who owned her as late as 1973.
George Roberts later built GAYELLA and GEORGELLA, well-covered in earlier WW postings.

UPDATE 17-05-2018 ex Peter Thorpy-

Auckland Transport, (Auckland city council) have a launch ‘Lady Alice’ listed on their site as being derelict and advertised for  disposal.

 

While at Greg Lees yard yesterday I was advised that a gent that has ‘rubbed-up-against’ some of your best presented classic woodys last week had a very bad oops & has just come out of surgery & ends some help – see below.

Sandspit

A Great Evening for a Great Guy

Sponsored by Dixon Stainless

On Friday 16th September Dale Collins (Greg Lees’ foreman) suffered a bad fall on the hardstand injuring his back which will mean months of recuperation.

To support Dale and his family you are invited to join many who have experienced Dale’s generosity and skills over the years at a dinner evening next Friday –  29th September at 6pm at the SYC Club House. Cost: $80 per head (limited to 30 couples only). First in first accepted basis. Cash Bar

To book your place, contact Rosie Fowler 021 884949  email rosief@xtra.co.nz

A short Auction will be a highlight of the evening with master auctioneer Roger Burrill in action. Auction items will include: Harbourview Cruise, Fine Wine, $1,000 voucher from Evolution Yachts, Magical Mystery Tour

If you can’t make it and would like to support Dale, donations & auction items will be gratefully accepted by Elspeth Wilkins at the marina office.

 

 

Beats A Day At The Office

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Trinidad

Beats A Day At The Office

There is a saying I like – “Some days you are the dog & some days you are the tree” – all week Friday was shaping into a tree day, so when David Cook called & asked for a hand taking Trinidad to the Greg Lees Boatbuilders, Sandspit yard – the answer was yeap I’m in 🙂

90% of the day = the 1st day of summer, the other 10% was wet, but that is greater Auckland for you.

Trinny, below, was being hauled out for some TLC before her upcoming circumnavigation of NZ (again).

Spotted a few classics at the new marina – scroll over photos to see names, most have appeared on WW before so a quick look in the WW search box will show / tell you more.

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Nereides

  

The Sandspit Yacht Club is looking very smart these days

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Lady Helen – Flash Back Friday

Lady Helen @ Russell 1939

Lady Helen – Flash Back Friday
Today’s photo shows the 1930 Colin Wild built, stunning launch Lady Helen in Russell c.1939 & comes from the Tudor Collins Auckland Museum collection, emailed to me by Ken Ricketts.

To view the magnificently restored Lady Helen & read Harold Kidd’s article on her provenance – click this link https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/02/22/miss-helen-2/

Caroline

Coroline

CAROLINE
Caroline was built by Roger Carey for Gilbert Rivas of Whitianga in 1951. She still has her original 3LW Gardner & measures 36’L x 10’B x 4′ 6″D. She still has her original 3LW Gardner. She was maintained by Howard Pascoe.

The photo above shows her berthed at Whitanga, Baden commented that it was nice to see an old girl return to her home port.

Do we know anything about her past life?

UPDATE 07-10-2019 Movie below, ex Allen Heatlie,  showing Caroline underway after painting inside and out.

 

Ever Wondered How They Used To Make Rope? Click the link below (ex The Mariners Magazine)

https://www.facebook.com/themarinersmagazine/videos/1910327765888740/