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.

Ostkust – Sailing Sunday

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OSTKUST – Sailing Sunday

Ostkust (means East Cape in Norwegian) was built by Colin Brown & his twin brother Stan, to an American Al Mason design, she measured 24′ LOA.

She was originally powered by a 3 hp 1 cyl., Yanmar diesel & the Brown’s built her almost entirely in the traditional single skin, ribbed copper nailed, red lead concept, with only the smallest bit  of glued work in her.The brothers started her when they were 15 years old in 1965, when Colin was a new apprentice boatbuilder & launched her when they were 17. They kept her for 15 years.

The Brown’s don’t recall who she was sold to, but she disappeared until she popped up at Pine Harbour, where Colin Brown saw her one day in 2000. She then disappeared again until 2009, when Colin had a call from the person Colin believed is probably still the present owner, an American, living in the Bay of Islands.
Colin is in fact correct – the American being Bill Sellers  who’s lived in NZ for many years & is  presently living aboard at Orongo Bay BO.I. Ostkust has had a name change to Ludique & been lengthened her to 28′. Photos & details ex Colin Brown, emailed to me by Ken Ricketts.

Lots of details & photos of other Ostkust’s here http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?117266-The-Ostkust-Thread

12-09-2016 photos below of the vessel currently moored in the Bay of Islands. Taken by John Grant, emailed in by Ken Ricketts

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Kenya II

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 KENYA II

As launched Kenya II was a sedan launch, built by Lidgard’s in 1940. She is 47’6” long & powered by a 127hp 6LXB Gardner diesel that allows her to cruise economically at 8.5kts. Built from triple skin kauri.

Home is the Marlborough Sounds & she is 4 sale on trademe. A quick walk around that flybridge with a titanium tipped chainsaw would do wonders for her looks 😉

For more details on her past & photos click the blue link below. When you compare the photos above to the ‘as launched’ you will she that she could very easily be returned to her former glory.
https://waitematawoodys.com/?s=Kenya+II&submit=Search

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Lady Sandra

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LADY SANDRA
Built by the Lane Motor Company for Len Peckham in 1947, powered with 2 x 6 cyl Scripps petrol engines. One of the glamour boats in her day but misfortune followed her around – she once picked up a tow line from a boat being towed, off Devonport wharf & got the tow rope around both propellers & pulled the propeller struts out of the hull & sank, just as they got her to the nearby beach. Later on in life  she went to Fiji where she was wrecked in a storm in the 1980’s. In the photos above the photo of the boys & man on the wharf, – the man is Alan Horsefall who owned Mansion House at that time.

The photos of her tied to the right hand side of the Mansion  House wharf have the Nancibel & Korora inside her. The bridgedecker, we can see a little of the dodger of in one photo, is most likely Royal Falcon. Also the boat in the Alan Horsefall photo is almost certainly Valsan.
Today’s photos are from Ken Jones & were emailed to me along with comments by Ken Ricketts. You can read more of Ken’s recollection of Lady Sandra here https://wordpress.com/post/waitematawoodys.com/1166

I’m loving the A.M.Y.C. life buoy in the bottom photo 🙂

Mana Rose

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MANA ROSE

Bay of Islands professional photographer & woody (MV Arethusa) Dean Wright emailed me the three photos above of the launch Mana Rose, Dean took them last Sunday morning. A very cool looking boat & looks very capable of handling most things that the ocean could throw at her. Dean commented that Mana Rose lives on a mooring close to the Russell side of the car Ferry.

Her anchor winch would get the tick of approval from Dick Fisher 😉

Can you of the woodys supply more details on her?

Laughing Lady Restoration Update

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Laughing Lady Looking Very Shiny

Trolling the web I came across the Seven Oceans Boatworks facebook page, the above photos do not need any copy, if you want to see lots & lots of photos of the work being done on Laughing Lady, check out sevenoceansboatworks on facebook 😉

24-09-2016  Update – getting closer. Love the ‘n0w you see it now you don’t GPS unit” 🙂

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Click to view GPS Unit ‘jack-in-the-box’

MV Tiri – Radio Hauraki

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Tiri and Widgeon first day out November 1966

MV Tiri – Radio Hauraki

I received an email over the weekend from Denis O’Callahan, owner of the classic launch Tasman asking for some help from the woodys – I’ll let Denis tell the story.

“I was sorting some memorabilia recently in preparation for the 50th anniversary of Radio Hauraki when I came across the old newspaper cutting above ex my mother’s scrap book.
As well as the MV Tiri and the Widgeon there is a nice woody and there must have been another vessel from which the photo was taken but I’m damned if I can remember either of  them.
So can any Woody identify the launch and maybe even the photographer and his boat?

I certainly remember that day, our first out in the gulf (Nov 1966) before we had raised any kind of broadcasting antenna and here is the true story.
It was glassy calm and Captain Fred Ladd landed nearby with David Gapes and some newspaper reporters on board. Unfortunately when restarting, an engine flooded and cranking it flattened the 12 volt battery.
The Tiri had 24 volt batteries and we had lots of heavy cable on board so two of us rowed out to the plane in a dinghy and I climbed onto the wing. The cable hanging in the water pulled the plane in toward the ship so the guy in the dinghy had to tie the painter around a tail strut and row hard to keep them separated. Captain Ladd directed me to the battery compartment and I signaled to the Tiri crew to connect their end to the ship’s batteries. In a short time we had enough juice in the Widgeon’s battery to start the engines and we cast off the cable and the dinghy. So there I was on the wing with the plane taxiing around ready for take off. I had no option but to dive in and swim back to the Tiri.”

Kailua 2016 Refit

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Old Interior – that seat 🙂
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KAILUA 2016 REFIT

ww readers will be familiar with Graham Guthrie’s 1960 classic Bob Salthouse sedan launch – Kailua. During Graham’s ownership Kailua was maintained by classic woody master tradesman Mark Stapleton & always presented in immaculate condition by Graham, refer first photo above.
Early in 2016 Kailua changed hands & her new owner is Stephen Langton. Classic wooden boat enthusiasts will be happy to hear that Stephen has good woody genes, being the son-in-law of Margo & Jamie Hudson, owners of Lady Crossley.

Now while Kailua’s configuration was fine for Graham’s usage, Stephen had other plans & has engaged the services of West Harbour boat builders – Nautique (Neil Williamson and Ben Freedman) to completely ‘make-over’ her interior & at the same time give the exterior paint and bright work job a very big fright. A new boarding platform has also been added. The workmanship & attention to detail looks up there with the best & I can’t wait to see her again once the Awlwood MA (Uroxsys) is applied. I always gave Graham a hard time about the plastic helm seat, so I’m very happy to see the new one !

Kailua is a very deceptive classic, she is fast – several years ago James Mobberley from Moon Engines, shoe-horned in a 160hp turbo Hino engine & this provides Kailua with the means to lift her skirt & dance. Moon’s have done the same transplant to several other classics (Falcon, Romance II) placing them all in the serious zoom zoom category (for old classic wooden craft).
Splash date is late September so will update you with ‘finished’ photos 🙂

ps a few years ago Graham arrived late to the CYA Xmas Weekend Party at Patio Bay, Waiheke Island & in true Guthrie style proceeded to drop anchor right off the beach (on a dropping tide) – “I’m a local, I know where the best spots are” – fast forward 2 hrs & Kailua is starting to sport a wee lean. Now normally few people see our oops but not today – 150+ classic boat owners & crew all had to row past Kailua to get ashore for the BBQ. Again in true Guthrie style, Graham just laughed it off. BUT he told me if I published a photo, I would never enjoy Waiheke’s finest syrah on Kailua again – well the boats sold now…………. photos below 😉
BW photo also below from her early days when named Lady Beryl.

SORRY FOR A FEW RANDOM POSTS YESTERDAY, SYSTEM WAS HAVING A FEW HICCUPS 🙂

LADY BERYL

Markson > Pacific Sunrise > Last Vintage

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Markson > Pacific Sunrise > Last Vintage
I have been contacted by Samuel Wayne who has been working under a shipwright in Tasmania. They recently did many months work on the 110 ft ‘Last Vintage’ which has been renamed twice; originally it was ‘Markson’ & before that ‘Pacific Sunrise’. The reason Sam emailed ww was because this ship was purchased by the New Zealand Government and refitted circa the year ~2000 & Sam was wondering if ww knew any information as to where and who did the work.
While working on Last Vintage they replaced some planks, refastened the hull and rebuilt the rear living area / saloon walls (frame + exterior) to provide solid anchor points for the mizzen mast.
More information on the work done and many photos can be found at lastvintage.com.
Sam will be flying in to Auckland next week and driving around the northern island with his girlfriend and would appreciate the chance to look around and meet some of the people doing similar work on wooden boats or people that worked on the ‘Last Vintage’  while he is in the country. Contact is   samdavidwayne@gmail.com

Woodys On Tour

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Rick McCay & Peter Boardman

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Woodys on Tour

A bit of what they call thread drift today – I told Rick McCay when he sent me the above photos that him sporting a ww t-shirt in the USA was the only justification I needed to run the photos 🙂

Two of our nicest classic woody owners – Rick & Roz McCay {Luana] and Peter Boardman [Lady Margaret] caught up at this years annual USA Monterey Car Week and Pebble Beach Concours. Rick reports that the show features a great variety of cars and personalities.
The black Ford GT40 pictured above is the actual car that won the 1966 Le Mans 24 hr race driven by two Kiwis, Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon.
In one of the photos of Rick he is standing in front of what he thought was an boat upside down on a trailer, but it turned out to be a caravan, for sale for only US$217k. On their way up the coast Rick spotted a couple of shockers in the Santa Barbara Marina. A helpful American attempted to pronounce Waitemata Woodies…Why the tatty woodies! Rick couldn’t return the abuse because he didn’t even own a boat 😉
Remember to click on photos to enlarge.

3 Ladies + Movie Premier Invite

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Lady Sandra, Connie & ValSan

Photo above of three of our most elegant classic ladies – Lady Sandra, Connie & ValSan rafted up (photos ex Ken Jones, emailed to me by Ken Ricketts).
Also today I have news on a very cool film premier that will appeal to all woodys – see/read below.

Poster

Adrian Pawson & partner Nina Wells have produced a very cool movie called ‘Birds of a Feather’. Nina is the real star as its her film – she produced & directed it. The film is based on the annual Seagull outboard race on the Waikato River, over the last 18months I have seen numerous drafts & rough cuts, trust me it’s a goodie. See synopsis below & click on the link to view the trailer 😉

Adrian has asked if waitematawoodys could help promote the NZ premier of the film, the answer of course was yes. The screening is at The Vic Theater in Devonport & seats are very limited.

Tickets are only $10. I would encourage you to book online asap at http://www.thevic.co.nz  Its unlikely there will be door sales on the night.

Film Synopsis:
For the 30th consecutive year, a modest group of eccentrics assemble at the base of the Karapiro hydro dam, ready to embark on one the world’s longest and most challenging small boat races. The Great Waikato Seagull race draws contestants from all round New Zealand, all vying to conquer the mighty Waikato river but with an unlikely choice of hardware.

The British Seagull once touted as ‘The best outboard motor in the world’ is now famous for all the wrong reasons. With a reputation for being hopelessly unreliable, the British seagull is a relic of modern technology dating back to the second world war.

‘Birds of a Feather’ is the story of seagull racing on the Waikato where competitors from all walks of life, battle 141km downstream subjecting themselves to an arduous two day challenge that will test their patience, tempers and humour! They don’t have to be crazy, but it certainly helps!

Information:

6.30pm Sunday 25th September
THE VIC DEVONPORT
Cinema – Theatre – Cafe – Gelateria
Ph: +64 9 446 0100
48-56 Victoria Rd, Devonport 0624, Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.thevic.co.nz
Opportunity to get pre drinks etc and mingle from 6pm in the lounge bar
DVDs of the film will be available for purchase after the screening $25 Cash
POA Blu-ray DVDs are possibly available depending on numbers of requests
Book tickets :

http://www.thevic.co.nz/movies/11992.php

TRAILER

WEBSITE

http://www.birdsofafeather.nz