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.

Puawai

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PUAWAI

Today’s story is on the 33′ launch Pauwai,which was built by Arthur Eli Forrester at Whakapiru in 1908. Its been commented that the boat is similar to a Logan as Arthur worked for Logan Bros and built five boats himself. She served many years on the Kaipara Harbour. D/D kauri plank construction & powered by 60hp BMC Commodore diesel giving 9-12 knots.
From the photos she appears to have a nice timber interior, quite roomy with big forward cabin, dinette.

Puawai sold last week on trademe for $5,620 to a Tauranga buyer, given that the seller (deceased estate on Great Barrier Island) paid $30,000 for her in 2013, someone got a good buy.

Do any of the woodys know more about her past?

Harold Kidd Input

Owners include Wilson of Helensville (1), Logan McLeod, Pouto, H.B. Bradley, Dargaville, W. Hansen, Bruce Carter (1985), then a name change to WAIWERA and transfer to the Waitemata. Louise Brewer 2004 did a revamp.

28-02-2018 ‘New’ photos added + she is for sale – view comments section for details.

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Sail vs Power

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Sail vs Power

Today’s photo is from the collection Mac Taylor & shows what must have been a very cutting edge outboard powered run-a-about passing the A Class yachts Nga Toa (A17) & Little Jim (A16). Now if you need a little more stick & canvas action click the links below to check out the activity at the Panerai British Classic Week at Cowes.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPaneraiClassicYachtsChallenge%2Fvideos%2F1771634113050106%2F&show_text=0&width=560

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Tara

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TARA

Today ww is showcasing the 34’4″ launch Tara, owned by ex commercial fisherman Glynn Anderson. Glynn bought Tara to provide the family with a ‘floating bach’ & with her current configuration she is certainly that. Tara’s previous owner was Harry and Gay Suttclife of Snells Beach & Harry believes Tara was built around 1910-1920 but has no proof, there is no sign of a builders mark.
Glynn understands the Suttclife’s owned her for 20+ years & when they acquired she was in a sorry state & saved her from certain death. During this restoration period they built the topsides & added the wide belting for ease of walking along the sides.
Harry Suttclife told Glynn that she was either called Tara or Tara II when he got her but thought that there was a name change somewhere along the line so her history was lost .
Glynn would love to uncover more details on Tara’s past – so woodys can anyone help?

24-07-2016 Haold Kidd Input

All I have on a local TARA (and there may have been more than one) is that she was owned by V.B. Trainer of Howick in 1973. Another (or the same) TARA was for sale on TradeMe in 2012 at Warkworth as a 36 footer powered by a D series Ford diesel. She was said to be “rebuilt in early postwar years but early”. I reckon it’s this boat.
Her hull is very like a Bailey & Lowe stock 35 footer of the period 1910 onwards, perhaps with a raised foredeck.

Gladys (Gispa)

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GLADYS (Gispa)

Gladys was designed & built by Bailey & Lowe for Mr. Chas. Court, of Auckland. She measured 38′ with a 8’6″ beam & 3′ draft. When launched her engine was a 25/40hp, 4 cylinder medium weight Sterling.
Gladys was featured in an August 1913 publication (or supplement) called ‘Progress’, tear sheets of which are above & describe her fit out & features.
Nathan Herbert emailed me this data from the National Library & commented that Gladys has had two cameo appearances on ww before – once in the story headed ‘Schoolhouse Bay Mystery Launches’ & in the story ‘Winter Haul Out’ – links (blue) to both below.

The questions today are, when was she launched & what happened to her post the 1950’s?

Schoolhouse Bay Mystery Launches

Winter Haul Out

Harold Kidd Input

I think Nathan knows the answers, but
1. She was launched on 4th August 1910 for Charles Court with a 16hp Standard. She was his second GLADYS, the first being a “settler’s launch” type of 1903.
2. Bailey & Lowe extensively overhauled her in April-May 1912 and fitted a 25/40hp Sterling.
At the same time they fitted the dodger etc.She then was in the configuration shown in the Progress clip.
3. Chas Court sold her to J.W. Court (don’t have my Auckland Network book handy, but think they were brothers) and G.R. Hutchinson in November 1919 and they renamed her GISPA. Chas Court had a new 53ft GLADYS built by Bailey & Lowe, later RONGO (II) under Cecil Leys.
4. Court & Hutchinson sold GISPA to W. Mason Bayly in 1921. He took her to Russell.
5. Bayly sold her to W.R. Ingram of Auckland in 1925.
6. Ingram sold her to the Government Tourist Bureau in November 1937. She was shipped to Milford Sound where the top pic was taken in the mid 1950s.
7. I don’t know her eventual fate, but hope it will be teased out by this post! She has/had such a distinctive hull that someone will know where she is today or where she died.

Mystery Boats & Location – Win a ww t-shirt

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Mystery Boats & Location – Win a ww t-shirt

Today’s post could be interesting, the first woody that can ID any of the boats & the location will win a ww t-shirt. Rules are simple – first correct answer in the ww Comments section wins. If by 6.00pm no one has answered correctly, we will count backwards e.g. first woody with one of the two answers wins, if no one gets that, then the best (in my eyes) answer wins.
Only one other condition – the prize has to be either a size XL or 2XL shirt, that is all I have left until the next print run – p.s. they are smallish sizing.

Would have to question the effectiveness of those bilge stabilizers – a little like a pimple on a pumpkin 🙂

AND WHILE I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION – A SPECIAL REQUEST FOR HELP
Hi All
I am the project manager for Windhaven the Col Wilde ketch undergoing refit at Yachting Developments. Trying to find some original photos so we can look at restoring to as near as possible to her former glory. promise to be on the harbour this summer.
Any information would be greatly appreciated. pls send to garyatsea@gmail.com
Thx
Capt Gary

Alan H comment – a wee tip – if you keep spelling Wild with an E, you won’t get much help from  HDK 😉
Below are a couple of photos that I assume you have already seen?
Can any woodys help Gary out with more info / photos?

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 29-07-2016 – Photo below ex Mike Drummond from the John Salthouse collection showing Windhaven being ‘removed’ from Colin Wild’s Stanley Point yard. The view is looking north over the Bayswater Peninsular.

Col wild yard

 

 

Clinker Cabin Boat

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Clinker Cabin Boat

Keiran McCarten sent me the above photos of his 1938, 18′, kauri clinker cabin boat. It is in my eyes rather special, primarily because she is almost perfect in terms of proportion, not can easy thing to get right in an 18′ boat with a cabin.

If you were looking for a nice day boat or a lake boat, at $10k ono, including a galv. trailer its a great buy. If the sellers claim that its a Jack Logan built boat is genuine its even more of a steal (the boat has a Jack Logan builders plate).

She is currently powered by a 16hp Shubarra diesel. Her owner has the original Norman Marine motor & running gear so an enthusiast could easily refit this & return her to ‘as-original’ condition.

A bonus today – check out the July/August edition of the USA on-line magazine ‘Classic Yacht’ – link below.
The article on ‘Nero’ the spirit of tradition ‘super’ motor yacht built in China – at 300′ she is very impressive (pages 54>65).
The sobering article on Boating Accidents & Death (pages 30>31) shows some interesting stats – while boating accident related deaths has remained almost static between 1997 & 2014 – there has been a marked decrease in accidents & injuries.

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/ClassicYacht/classic-yacht-july-august-2016/2016070701/

 

Kauri Speed Boat Barn Find

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Kauri Speed Boat Barn Find

Gavin Bedggood has asked for help from ww to identify his recent barn find. The speed boat is 16′ 2″ & would have had the motor in the middle and the people at the back.  She way have been powered by a Dodge flat head 6 engine and then a flat head Ford V8 after that.
The distinctive V stern should be a give away to it’s history as it’s a little out of the normal. The bottom of the hull is double skinned with canvas between the layers and the sides are seam batten construction with very thin 7mm planks.  It looks to have been built by a talented amateur as their are few little signs that it was not professionally built.  It was blue at one stage then orange.
The previous owner had it stored inside for 27 years in the Waikato just out of Morrinsville. What Gavin acquired is just the ‘remains’ of the hull with none of the original fittings. Gavin plans to restore it with as many 1930’s period parts as he can, but power it with a late 1960’s 3.5 litre Rover V8.

Do any of the woodys recognize the boat & possibly be able to name her or any dates. Gavin feels it could have been built 10 years either side of 1930 based of the style.

More pictures & speculation can be found at this thread on the WoodenBoat magazine forum
http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?209069-Very-old-New-Zealand-built-Speedboat-Speedster-restoration

Strathallan

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STRATHALLAN
Strathallan was the name given to this Miller & Tunnage, kauri carvel built, double ender, ex pilot boat by the Timaru Harbour Board. She measures 46’6”” LOA & draws 6’5”. The traditional Scottish boat builder, Doug Robb built Strathallan in 1955 at his Timaru yard.

As you would expect from an ex work-boat the engine room is impressive & dominated by the 190hp, 8L3B Gardner. With a displacement of approx. 20 tons and being driven by the classic Gardner with a 3.1 transmission gives her a cruising speed of 8.5 knots at 810 rpm and max speed of approx. 10 knots at 990 rpm. Her size, design & power unit make her a powerful strong seaworthy vessel.

After being decommissioned as a work-boat in the 1990s she was converted to a cruising vessel. The main saloon, galley & engine room have full headroom & her walk-around decks are perfect for fishing. One of the hangovers from her commercial days is the exterior head with the door facing the stern; I can personally vouch for the view J

Strathallan is currently for sale & would be an ideal vessel for the boat owner who wants a classic, traditional boat that is a part of New Zealand’s maritime history. The asking price I understand is <$80k & at that price would be a good buy & still have the potential for a new owner to add their own touch to the boat in terms of decor.

Photo below was taken at Mahurangi Regatta (2012?) by Chris Miller – slightly different paint ‘job’ back then.

Strathallan

 

Matara & Menace – Sailing Sunday

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MENACE @ GH 1.6.16

MATARA & MENACE – Sailing Sunday

While doing a lap of the Gulf Harbour compound a few weeks ago Ken Ricketts spotted Matara & Menace, two of the three ‘M’ Class yachts owned by Howard Spencer (the other being Mach One). All were built by Owen Reid* the legendary M Class builder. Reid’s idea to glue the laps of a clinker boat veered away from the traditional & ensured that the moisture content was fairly stable.

Matara & Menace were built in 1991 & Matara was listed for sale last in 2014, most likely when Spencer bought her.
They both look almost brand new in these photos, but Ken reports that they were at Gulf Harbour for some routine TLC.

“If You Buy A Classic, Buy It For Life, Then All The Work Pays Off”
As a bonus today – you an view & or download the official Classic Boat magazine programme for the 2016 Panerai British Classic Week, click blue link below.
Great article on David Murrin, the commodore of the British Classic Yacht Club, the headline above about buying a classic for life is one of David’s quotes.

Classic Boat Panerai Classic British 2016 Guide

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Input from Robin Elliott

In 1989 Owen Reid began building built 3 M’s simultaneously in the old Watersiders Cafeteria on Princes Wharf.. The planking was glued and fastened, then coated in Everdure to ensure stability of the planking and prevent moisture intake. It was a long term project, all 3 hulls being finished, varnished and decks painted by Owen (with a lot of help from Graham Russell) in 1991.

The late Peter Spencer bought two of these hulls and the third, originally intended for Owen himself, was bought by a syndicate headed by Sandy Grigg.

First to be launched was Peter Spencer’s Matara M-47 in December 1991. He raced Matara for a season or so then handed her over to his son Howard who has campaigned her ever since.

Matara was followed by Sandy Griggs’ Mistress M-50 in October 1992. She is currently owned by Dave and Eric Mahoney.

The third Spencer hull was kept ‘on ice’ until completed by Howard and launched as Menace M-47 in December 2011.

Most of the above details are expanded on in some book somewhere.

Princess

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PRINCESS

Back in early January 2016, I ran a story on ww, ex Paul Drake, on a launch by the name of Princess that had recently arrived at Lake Taupo. At the time there was discussion around whether the owners claim on her name plate as being a 1927 Col Wild launch was in fact genuine.

I was sent the above photos by Keith Grizzly / Raymond Davidson (sorry if I have the name/s wrong) taken during her extensive restoration over the 1998-2002 period. Apart from finding out she was used as a commercial fishing boat out of the Mahurangi, her builder was unknown to Keith and there was no name plate on her. Keith also commented that there was no evidence of any fire damage, so that may counter Harold Kidd’s comment that she may have started life as the 1927 36 footer Paloma which was pretty much burnt out in a fire in 1929 and completely rebuilt. But in HDK’s defence he also said that Paloma was hard chime.

So woodys use the link below to view the previous story & maybe with the addition of the above photos we can ID the launch.

Princess