JULIA
Today’s story features another boat that caught Ross Dawson’s eye. All we know about the double ender Julia is that she calls Nelson Marina home.
It would appear that Ross has a ‘thing’ for a nicely constructed ‘rear end i.e. a double ender. Ross commented that there is much published information about them…both pros & cons, but aside from all that, he just thinks they look good, further proof is his ketch Delight, which yes, it has a pointy stern 🙂
Do we know more on Julia?
NUNUI
When woody Brynn McCauley was researching Wainui, his grandfathers 1950’s era Marlbourough Sounds fishing boat (now owned by Cameron Pollard) Brynn discovered the whereabouts of Nunui, his grandfathers last working fishing boat. Nunui was/is….. a small clinker built c.1969 motor boat, that unfortunately has ended its days in Porirua, (photo below).
Brynn commented that he suspects she was originally a row boat that was used to row out to the scows from the shallow bays in the Sounds.
Its amazing that this was a working fishing boat that went way out into the Cook Strait. Those old seamen knew a thing or two and were pretty fearless.
The b/w photo is dated c. 1969 & was taken just after her launching. The colour photo is c.1978.
Do we know any more about her past?
FOAM
On a recent walk-about Ross Dawson spied the above double ender moored amongst the grunty big fishing boats in Greymouth’s boat harbour. Ross commented that it would be ‘interesting’ to watch her battling the rollers as she crosses the notorious Grey River bar!
You have to love the workmanlike rain cover on the exhaust!
Any of the WorkBoat woodys able to shed some more light on Foam’s provenance?
One for the OMG File
Sent in from an anonymous woody – the photo below will be kept for reference purposes to show the max you can accommodate in minimum waterline if looks are irrelevant 😉
KORARI II
Received an email the other day from Paul Clarke who purchased in December 2016 the very original 35′ Mason Clipper Korari II. She came from Picton, where she had spent many years, her last owner was a Jeremy Daley. Korari II came north to Auckland in February 2017. Her zoom zoom comes from twin 135hp Perkins.
Paul would love to know more details on her build & past.
Jason Prew & George Renall aboard Wairiki
A Woody Weekend To Remember
I mentioned in yesterdays story, the weekend was just one out of the bag – just magnificent on all fronts.
A few CYA stalwarts headed out on Saturday for an overnighter at Administration Bay, Motutapu Island. The photos above from the combined cameras (more likely iPhones) of Jason Prew, Steve White & Dan Rendall show the yachts – Wairiki & Jonquil & the launch Lucinda. The young crew member in a few photos is Dan Rendall’s son – George, who already has his own P-Class (refer below photos a few weeks ago of the re-launch)
Enjoy the photo spread – they are rather good photos.
(included are a few random pics of other classics that were out enjoying the weekend)
A Woody 100th Birthday
I mentioned last Friday that on Sunday, Sierra the 1917 Joseph Fell designed & built motorboat would be celebrating her 100th birthday at the Panmure Motor Boat & Yacht Club.
Sierra’s owner Dennis Christopher (photo above) must have bribed the weather gods because the weekend was probably the best this year for classic motor boats. We made the decision to head to the Waiheke Island area on Saturday & then head over to Panmure on Sunday afternoon for the birthday party. Never made the party – see below.
Thanks to Baden Pascoe for the above photos & after speaking with Baden I can report that nearly 100 people turned up to celebrate the occasion, including members of the Fell family & the Andrews family (previous owners).
Its great to see these old work boats still being actively used & presented so well – I love the ‘beard’ on Sierra in the photo above.
Now the reason I didn’t make the party was Raindance had a mechanical oops, the 1st in 10 years that I have not been able to fix & we had to call Coast Guard for a tow. Hats off to the CC crew from Matiatia, Waiheke Island – they were on the scene pronto & had us back at Bayswater faster than I could have under her on steam 🙂 In fact the bottom probably got a good clean 😉
I spent Sunday morning cleaning 10+L of oil from the bilge – not my idea of a fun day.
A call to James Mobberley at Moon Engines will be top of the to-do list today.
(too many other classics out on the harbour to keep this below the radar – thanks guys for the txt’s 🙂 )
There is always a silver lining – after we got home, decided to have a bbq & put a match to the lounge fire, first of the year.
Scows On The Waitemata
Late last year I was sent the two photos above by Ian McDonald whose sister-in-law was clearing out and old deceased Uncle’s stuff & came
across these photos.
Scows sailing goose-winged has a caption of 1920 Auckland Anniversary Regatta and, the other one is captioned Auck Ann regatta, 1900. Both have NZ Herald – Wilson & Horton stamps on the back. Both are about 12″ x 8″ in size.
Any of the serious classic sailers out there able to ID some of the Scows?
And a launch bonus photo today of Miss Helen on the beach at Russell c1950’s (photo ex Nathan Herbert exEric Lee-Johnson, Te Papa collection)
MANUIA – An Update
Recently I was enjoying a coffee at my local Devonport coffee shop, Cafe Santini, & I had on a ww t-shirt. I was approached by a gent, Ron Ackroyd, who commented that he used to own a launch similar to the one shown on the front of the ww t-shirt. Turns out Ron briefly owned the Joe Slattery launch Manuia. Ron offered to send me some details & photos – which he did. Then this week, current owner Tony Butcher sent me a magnificent photo of her taken in October 2016. As you will see not a lot has changed & we like that 🙂
Ron commented that he owned Maunia from May 1989 to November 1989 & bought it from Jack Nears. Ron had spent a lot of great times on the boat with Jack between 1977 and 1989 and he promised Ron first option when he got round to selling her. Jack became quite ill in 1988/89 and the boat was getting beyond him and in May 1989 he offered Manuia to Ron. Ron already had a H28 but bought Manuia planning to use her and then make a decision on which boat he wanted to keep. They used the boat and did a fair bit of painting, varnishing and general maintenance before coming to the conclusion that sailing the H28 and enjoying the very active H28 club scene was more their thing.
Ron sold Manuia to Paul Jones in Nov 1989. Included above are a couple of photos of Manuia taken just before Ron sold her & list of what Ron knew of her previous owners (view the link below to the previous ww story on Manuia & you’ll see that Ron’s list dovetails well with Harold Kidd’s records.
Also above is a copy of a survey done by John Gladden while Ron had her. You have to love the honesty & practical advice / opinion given by John Gladden, there are some significant defects that have been highlighted but John Gladden still says “The vessel is generally in good condition and is well constructed, timber sizes and joinery are of good standards.” In today’s PC world a surveyor would have written the boat off or at least scared any purchaser away.
20-09-2017 Photo below ex Nathan Herbert ex (I assume) the NZ Herald archives. Show Manuia post launching, during her sea trials.
PANIA
Pania has had the same owners for over 25 years. She was built in 1973 using triple planked mahogany.
The get up & go comes from twin 90hp 6LW Gardeners & she measures approx. 50′.
She looks a very sea worthy vessel, no doubt one of the reasons her home port is Bluff, Southland.
Thanks to Ian McDonald for the trademe listing heads up 🙂
Can we expand on her details e.g. designer / builder & where was she from 1973 > early 1990’s ?
Input from Dick Hall
‘Pania’ was built by Jack Morgan for Rex Baldick of Picton off the extended ‘Hawaiki’ design. She was launched with a single Allis-Chalmers diesel that came out of a local fishing-boat but later when back to Jack and converted to twin screw with two four cylinder Fords. You can see the original strut with shaft hole through it in underwater photo. Rex had the Baldick families ‘Prima-Donna’ before building ‘Pania’
SIERRA 100th BIRTHDAY DAY
Sierra was designed and built by Joseph Fell of Kohukohu (Hokianga Harbour) & launched 3 May 1917. If she was a human, Sierra would be getting a letter from the Queen – as the old girl has just celebrated her 100th birthday. Owner Dennis Christopher is having a wee party for her this Sunday at the Panmure Motor Boat & Yacht Club, 104 Kings Rd, Panmure.
Sierra will be alongside the jetty from 2.00pm on-wards. It’s a just drop-in event & any one is welcome. So woodys, if you are out & about on Sunday, call by. (photo below ex Tom Kane).
Highland Lass
The launch in the centre of the above photo (by Eric Lee-Johnson & ex Te Papa) appears to be berthed in the Whangarei Basin. Nathan Herbert sent it in to ww & all we know is that the photo is dated c.1950’s.
So woodys – does any one recognize the boat ?
Update 15-05-2015 Thanks to Harold Kidd & Nathan Herbert we now know she was built by Dick Hartley in 1949 & is named ‘Highland Lass’
waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news - updated daily - 15+ million views 