DESTINY
photos ex Dean Wright
Professional photographer Dean Wright & owner of the classic 1927 Bob Brown built launch Arethusa, sent me the above photos of Destiny at anchor in Waipiro Bay, Bay of Islands last weekend. Dean did a couple of circle around her in Arethusa.
Any of the work boat woodys out there able to shed some light on her past? She is a rather large woody & I assume now retired.
Mapu
Mooching Around Whangaroa
photos ex Nathan Herbert
Last weekend Nathan took a break (based on the weather forecast) from working on Lucinda & headed north to Whangaroa for some R&R. He reports the fishing was good.
This collection of photos show some of the woodys Nathan spied in the harbour (Totara North) while aboard Korara.
Mystery Launch Quiz – 21/04
Win a copy of Robert Brooke’s book – ‘Beautiful Boats’
Ok woodys I have another copy of Roberts book up for grabs, so the first woody that can supply the boat name, designer, builder & year of launch will win a copy of Robert’s just released book ‘ Beautiful Boats’. The first reply in the ww comments section with all 4 answers correct – wins.
Robert has been collecting classic yacht designs for over 50 years, amongst his collection is work from our most talented & recognized designers – Arch Logan, Chas Bailey, Charlie & Alex Collings, Colin Wild, Bert Woolacott, Bob Stewart, Des Townson, Alan Wright & Robert’s father – John Brooke.
From his collection Robert has chosen 50 & redrawn each design, tracing off the original drawings to present them in a similar format. To add to the wow factor, Robert used the drawing equipment & ships curves that were once used by either Arch Logan, Charlie & Alex Collings or his father.
The 105 page, A4 size book allocates 2 pages to each vessel with specs & photo/s on the left & the drawings – hull lines, profile, half breadths, sections, diagonals & sail plan on the right hand page (refer Rainbow drawing example below). Its a must have in all serious woodys library.
Robert has very generously donated 4 copies of the book to waitematawoodys so over the next few weeks I will be giving them away as prizes. In addition I also have a framed 380 x 300 rendered copy of one of the Beautiful Boats. I have not decided yet how this will be ‘won’, details soon.
There are thousands of ww followers out there so do not get your hopes up on winning a copy 🙂 I would suggest you visit Boat Books at 22 Westhaven Drive, Westhaven, Auckland & grab a copy for yourself, cost is $60. For out of towners or those who refer the web – copies are available on line at https://www.boatbooks.co.nz/
Its a very limited print run & Boat Books are the sole outlet. Boat Books also have framed copies of the prints for sale.
Launch day at Kenepuru
Launch day at Kenepuru
Alongside wharf at Ulva Island
While in charter – Halfmoon Bay, Stewart Island
VOLANTIS – A new addition to the Auckland classic launch fleet
photos & details ex Michael O’Dwyer
Regular readers of ww will know that the CYA launch fleet are regular visitors to the 150+ year old waterfront Riverhead Hotel, in fact the upper harbour cruises are one of the highlights on the launch calendar.
What might not be well known is the publicans (good old fashioned word), Stephen and Paula Pepperell are very classic friendly, in fact before buying the hotel they built a 46′ Herreshoff mobjack ketch ‘Long White Cloud’ & cruised around the world for 6+ years.
On our most recent visit Paula & Stephen came aboard Barbara & David Cooke’s ‘Trinidad’ & I think this was the tipping point in their decision to buy a classic launch.
I can now confirm that they have purchased the 48′ launch ‘Volantis’ from the Marlbourgh Sounds.
Volantis was built in 1965 by Tom Brake at Kenepuru Sound, Marlbrough & has a semi displacement hull built from kauri & kahikatea. Power was a 6/71 GM diesel. From day one she was in charter, fishing in the Sounds. She started life at 42′ but c.1985 Miller & Tunnage at Port Chalmers lengthened her to 48′ & extended the wheel-house.
In 1985 she was sold to Phillip & Dianne Smith & based at Halfmoon Bay, Stewart Island again in charter work. In August 2003 she was sold & relocated to Picton.
Volantis is powered by a 180 hp Detroit 2 stroke diesel & the Pepperell’s are currently on-route on the delivery voyage from the Sounds to Auckland, last weekend they stopped in at Napier, with the plan being to head north again this week.
Stephen commented to Michael that he already has plans to give her a more classic look without losing it’s work boat aesthetic. Given the presentation on ‘Long White Cloud’ & the hotel renovation – Volantis will be a fine addition to our Auckland fleet. I’m impressed with the expresso machine on board 🙂
Can any woodys supply more details on her past life?
Hopefully she will be heading up the creek to Riverhead & we will be able to have a peek during the CYA Launch Riverhead Hotel lunch cruise on Saturday 30th April. Should be a big day out – they always are 🙂 CANCELLED
12-01-2017 – Update from Barry Davis
Photo below of Volantis during her refurbishment, the mast is lying on the cabin top, some of the comings are under repair and there was masking tape around the cabin windows.
Mystery Thames Launch
photo ex Fraser Chapman via Ken Ricketts
We do not know much about the above photo other than she was built by Charlie Thomasen c.1940 & was apparently used as a patrol boat for the Thames Boating Club in her earlier days.
She is quite a distinctive vessel so hopefully some of the woodys will be able to ID her.
LITTLE TASMAN
shed photos & info ex Ken Ricketts. Pt Wells photo ex Mark Edmonds. details ex Harold Kidd. edited a lot by Alan H
Back in early March Ken Ricketts dropped in to see artisan boat builder Colin Brown at his Omaha yard. Colin & side kick, Josh, have been restoring the rather pretty 26′ Colin Wild launch Little Tasman. She was named Tasman when built in 1925 for Albert Spencer & changed her name to Little Tasman in 1927 when the bigger Tasman (photo included below) was launched by the same owner/builder. Its said she that LT was a prototype / test boat – Mr Spencer was not short of a few pennies 😉
It is such good news to see whats happening to Little Tasman as she sat on a front lawn at Pt. Wells for a number of years (photo below) & her future was at risk.
In Harold Kidd’s words Little Tasman is ‘pure class’ & whats happening in Colin’s shed is also pure class – the man is one of the best classic friendly tradies out there.
You will see in the above photos that she now has a brand new 4 cyl Nanni 38 hp diesel in place, which should give her a top speed of around 10 knots, with a cruising speed, with her 2 to 1 reduction gear, of around 7 knots. Will be interesting to see her performance as the Nanni is a lot lighter than the old 6 cyl Ford diesel it is replacing.
Her restoration has seen most of her ribs replaced, a full recaulk (no splining), work on the forepeak & bow, a new dodger, very faithfully copied from the original & a full interior refit & partial redesign of the interior layout, for greater space use, & practicality.
Steering will be from the front of the tram top, as it was before, where there will be a large hatch fitted, to the newly replaced, as original, T & G cabin top. Check out the stern photo, classic Colin Wild on show there 🙂
Launch date is fast approaching so we will update on the event.
Read more on her past here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/04/20/little-tasman/
Below is a photo of Tasman that I took a few years ago in Sullivans Bay. She is stunner & on a lot of woodys bucket list.
30-06-2016 – Another great photo update from Ken R of Little Tasman’s restoration at Colin Brown’s yard. Remember click on photos to enlarge 😉
Okahu Bay ?- Sailing Sunday
photo from ex Mac Taylor Collection
The above photo shows a collection of yachts being rigged on Auckland’s Waitemata waterfront, my guess on the location would be Orakei / Okahu Bay . Anyone able to ID the class /division of the nearest yacht & the location?
Check into ww tomorrow – we will be visiting a boat shed for a sneak peek at a restoration of a special boat…………
Input from Robin Elliott
Ken is right with Hobson Bay I think, from the look of the number of moored boats out there.
The Hobson Bay boat sheds were completed in November 1939 and the wave screen he mentioned in front of them was added a few weeks later.
The main wave break across Okahu and Hobson bays, bits of which are still standing, was not added until the April/May1940.
Unless the angle is deceptive, I’m guessing the photo has been taken just before the short wave break was completed in front of the boatsheds.
The boats are mullet boats, probably 26’s from the number of crew .
It’s not Regatta Day 1940 because that was a howling gale.
My guess is that it’s Opening Day 25 November 1939 which was described as a perfect full sail breeze from the north east. Eight clubs combined for the day and had a jolly good time. 100 yachts took part. Racing started off Kings Wharf
Woodys Trip Report
photos from Harold Kidd
If you have noticed that HDK has been missing in action from ww for a few weeks that is because he is to use that old fashioned term ‘On-leave’. But as you would expect, never far from the water.
I received the above photos from a visit to Beer in East Devon on the Jurassic coastline.
The yacht club sign (Beer Sailing Club) would need to be welded to the gate, as I would imagine its a sort after ‘souvenir’. The local fishing fleet look very fit for purpose i.e. salty looking. Crabs must be a feature on the local menu.
Now Harold’s a wee bit of a collector, read – understatement of the year 🙂 & even traveling can not keep his hand in his pocket – just how he is going to get the 1/16 model of a Vosper 45 footer he bought home in one piece is beyond me. And I’m sure there will be more before the trip ends.
Read more about the yacht club here http://www.beersailingclub.co.uk/index.html
KIRIKIRIROA
photos by Ken Ricketts
The above photos show Kirikiriroa recently hauled out at Gulf Harbour, her life ring says Port Fitzroy. I took a great photo of her a few years ago & posted it on the CYA forum but using the CYA search section turns up zero. All I can recall from memory is she that does reside at Great Barrier Island.
I get a zero in my photo files so possibly there has been a name change & that is throwing the search out.
Who can tell us more about her, in the water she is a very salty looking wee ship & rings a lot of my bells 🙂
14-05-2016 Update from Judith Wallath
While on a summer cruise (3 years ago) Judith & Bob took the below photo of Kirikiriroa at Kaiarara, Port Fitzroy. She was built for Dick Anderson in the late 1970’s for servicing the mussel farm. Judith doesn’t know when Con Flinn bought her, but as far as she knows he still owns her and moors near Orama in the vicinity of Nagles Cove. Con used to collect from the rubbish barge, but that has been phased out.
Judith pointed out that in the book ‘Tales from Great Barrier lsland’ – it refers to Con FLINN – & she believes this to be the correct spelling.
13-05-2019 Update – Hauled out at Gulf Harbour. (photos ex Ken Ricketts)
AQUALEDA
photos & details ex Graham Jefferys. edited by Alan H
Last month I asked on ww if any of the Southern woodys knew the history of Aqualeda. Yesterday I achieved an email from her owner Graham Jefferys who advised he had just sold Aqualeda after the privilege of owning her for 13.5 years.
Graham commented that she will be in good hands, the new owner has been in boats all his life & is known for maintaining any boats he has owned. She will be staying in Nelson.
Graham was able to research the Aqualeda’s history & was fortunate enough to have meet the youngest son of her builder, George English, the son Noel was 82 years old at the time. Noel had a raft of information, including photos of the Aqualeda’s construction, and it was Noel, as a cabinet maker, who fitted the cabin out.
Graham had been made aware it was George English who built her by Eric Wilkes, whom he entertained along with his wife at his Picton home some 12 years ago and shared many a tale of his pleasure in owning this lovely boat. Both Eric & Noel visited the Aqualeda at the Nelson Marina about 10 years ago.
Graham sent me a selection of photos of Aqualeda during construction, launching & later years, the colour photo shows Noel English [son of the builder] & his wife alongside Aqualeda.
Photos of Aqualeda as she is today can be viewed here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/03/17/aqualeda/
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