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.

Miss Helen

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MISS HELEN
details ex Harold Kidd

We headed out at lunch time Saturday for an overnight trip to Waiheke Island. While Oneroa was like Ponsonby Rd on a Friday night we had talked ourselves into a pizza for dinner from the beach front wood-fired pizza wagon in Little Oneroa, so Oneroa it was. When the fizz boat day trippers departed at days end things were not too bad, still had to use strong words to question the intention of a Bayliner that was about to anchor on top of me 🙂
Highlight (after the pizza) of the weekend was getting to see the recently restored Miss Helen up close, she is one very good looking classic. I will let Harold tell us about her past.

She was built in 1930 by COLIN WILD for L.E. McQueen of Wairiki Road, Mt. Eden as AUDREY M and had a 125hp Lycoming 8 cylinder engine. McQueen had her dodger raised to give 6ft 6in headroom in October 1931 and had fresh water cooling installed. He then sold her to A.L Davenport who renamed her MAHSEER. Davenport sold her to Whittaker in 1934 and he renamed her LADY HELEN. He sold her to L.A. Marquet who sold her to A.E. Fuller of Russell in August 1937. She was altered for gamefishing. In August 1942 she was severely damaged coming ashore in a gale at Russell and substantially rebuilt again. Again she was renamed, MISS HELEN to tie in with the rest of  the Fuller fleet, MISS IDA, MISS KNOXIE, MISS RUSSELL etc.
BTW the Register of British Ships says she was built in Russell, which is incorrect, although she was re-built there once or twice.
McQueen, of course, had WILD build WAIRIKI in October 1934.

The Register of British Ships says she was built in 1932, which is also incorrect. The RBS is a very dodgy resource, especially where the vessel was registered well after she was built, as here.

To read more on Lady Helen & view older photos + restoration photos click the link below.

Miss Helen

Dropped the anchor near Lady Margaret (Colin Wild) & enjoyed a cleansing ale aboard with Peter Loughlin & partner Nicola. LM is looking very smart these days, with Peter doing a rolling restoration.

Lady Margaret PL

Quest II – Sailing Sunday

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QUEST II – Sailing Sunday
photo & details ex Dean Wright

The above photos were taken by Dean in August 2012, at the time Quest II had been moored in Opito Bay for a couple of seasons.
What she is & where she is now is a mystery – anyone able to contribute ?

ps I know I’m stretching the sailing angle but there is some canvas on her 😉

Nor West

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Nor West
photos & details ex Peter Crane

Peter has just taken possession of ‘Nor West’ & is a little frustrated with the lack of known info on. Obviously from the builders plate she is a Lane, designed & built in 1951 by the Lane Motor Boat Co. in Panmure, Auckland.
There is lots of data on ww about the other ‘Nor West’ built by Lanes https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/27/nor-west/  but zip on this one.

Can anyone help Peter out?

Update from Don Rae via Ken Ricketts, edited by Alan H. photos ex KR

Don Rae bought her  in July 2007 off  Cam Wilson. She was at Milford at that time. He in turn, had bought her from Peter Anderson, in July 2001 according to Don.

She has been everywhere from the top of North island right down to Tauranga and everywhere in between for the Raes.  They spent a lot of time in the Mahurangi area Don said.

Unfortunately Don didn’t have time to use her, at a time in his life when he feels he should be able to, hence she he put her up for sale.

Don had a love of launches from an early age as his father (Monty) had a Roy Parris boat built in 1954, the 33′ Pleasure Lady, which he is happy to say, is back in his family and fully restored & in beautiful condition. She is owned by his nephew Tony Rae. Previously featured on ww.

Nor West is a  wonderfully well built boat according to Don, and must have been very expensive in her day he says.

Powered by a petrol engine early on and now has a 6 cylinder 120hp Ford.

She was described as 32ft in sales jargon, when he bought her, but he measured her at 33′, with a beam of 10′ drawing 3’6″ .

Don feels the fly bridge was added  probably about the seventies, when they were all the go. She is built of heart kauri.

 20-03-2016
Below a two early days photos of Nor West sent in by owner Peter Crane, who received them from Warren Fleming.

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09-04-2016 – photos below (ex Ken Ricketts) of Nor West hauled out  at Gulf Harbour Nov 2015

30-05-2017 Additional photos

Thames Mystery Launch

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Thames Mystery Launch
photo ex Gwenyth Herbert

Gwenyth took the above photo back in April 2015 of this launch ‘resting’ in the Thames mud.
She looks to be biggish old girl & has a serious case of the live-aboard look 🙂

So woodys anyone out there able to shine some light on this vessel?

Irene

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IRENE
photo ex Pam Cundy

Irene was photographed by Pam Cundy (Whangateau Traditional Boat Yard) on a recent trip to Gt. Barrier Island.

There is a pretty hull hiding beneath that penthouse.  🙂
Looks like they enjoy some serious fishing on-board her.

Can any of the woodys shed some light on her ?

Myrtle

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MYRTLE
photo & details ex Angus Rogers

The above photo shows Myrtle being dragged down the main street of Thames for its launching. Rumour has it Myrtle was owned by the grandfather of the lady who owns the Success Cafe at Coromandel. Sorry no names.

Such a beautiful lady & I know so little – so woodys what do you know about Myrtle?

Dietrich

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DIETRICH
photos & details ex John Burland

Todays post features the vessel Dietrich, moored at Marahau. To save you google earthing it – Marahau is a small settlement approx 19km north of Motueka in the South Island. In fact its the gateway to the Able Tasman National Park.
Dietrich is owned by Mike Perry & is supposed to be around 100 years old. There’s a story that she was owned by a woman of Maori royal heritage on Durville Island, who on the morning after her wedding night and after being pushed out of bed by her new husband and told to make breakfast, swam 2km across the channel to home. Reconciliation and 13 children supposedly followed
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Almost definitely a name change at some stage, if you zoom in you’ll see an illustration of Marlene D on the exhaust stack.
There is a lovely canoe stern hull under that cabin & while a later addition its not too OTT.

Anyone able to shed more light on Dietrich?

Classic Woodys Cruise To Riverhead Pub

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Classic Woodys Cruise To Riverhead Pub

The NZ Classic Yacht Association (CYA) launch group have amazingly good fortune when it comes to the weather for their events. Saturday was just a day out of the bag – sun, mill pond sea state, cool boats & nice people. The trip was a first for me in that I did not take launch Raindance & instead traveled on Trinidad, Barbara & David Cooke’s magnificent 1965 Salthouse motor launch.

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On the trip up the harbour we passed 2 very cool steam boats – Puke & Zeltic out for a cruise & enjoying the day.

We do this trip 2 or 3 times a year & a few trips ago added a mid trip raft-up meet & greet to the agenda, its a great chance to say hi to everyone before we hit the pub. A little like the American concept of a  ‘rehearsal dinner’ the night before the wedding day 🙂 If you check out the raft-up photos, all the males are enjoying a coffee & the females have a glass of bubbles in hand – how did that happen.

Arohanui
Trinidad & Arohanui
Trinidad & Arohanui
Arohanui
Rod Marler & Arohanui
Arohanui
Arohanui
Florance Dawn & Monterey
Silens
Lady Jane & Bruce Pullan (Ann Michelle)

We had 3 creek virgins making the trip for the first time – Florence Dawn, Lady Jane & Skipper CJ.

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Florence Dawn

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Lady Jane

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Skipper CJ

Interesting to witness the speed of the housing development in the Riverhead / upper harbour area – once all we saw was trees & paddocks, now its houses houses houses. Check out the photo of launches anchored Indian file – the land at the top was all pine trees 6>12 months ago.

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From the top – Skipper CJ, Florence Dawn, Arohanui, Lady Margaret, Monterey, Silens

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Arohanui

Monterey
Skipper CJ
Arohanui crew
Silens
Skipper CJ
Arohanui touch parking
Monterey
Lady Margaret
Arohanui & Lady Margaret

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Lunch at the hotel was more casual i.e. less organized than on previous visits & that was a good thing – in fact the food got a big tick from everyone.

 

The day was not without a few oops – two people enjoyed an unplanned swim, no damage other than bruised ego’s & a lesson that when on-board always have two points of contact 😉 My lips are sealed on names, photo below of the 1st oops, no photo for the 2nd – I was doing the Piha Rescue.

Wave goodbye
oops

Publicans Paula & Stephen Pepperell came out to inspect Trinidad, given their history of wooden boat ownership / travels I suspect a classic could be on the shopping list.

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Paula Pepperell, David Cooke, Stephen Pepperell

Spotted this smart bridge-decker (Lady Thelma) anchored off Hobsonville Point.

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Kotiri B20 – Sailing Sunday

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KOTIRI B20 – Sailing Sunday

Today’s post is an amazing story – firstly Nathan Herbert tipped me off that a 1897 Logan yacht was in a boat shed in the Auckland suburb of Herne Bay & had not seen the light of day (or water) for over 30 years. Next thing I’m on a RIB at Westhaven with the son (Don Webster) & grandson (Nick Webster) of the gent (Blair Webster) that purchased Kotiri back in 1947 & locked the boat shed doors sometime c.1986 & we were heading around to Herne Bay to view the ‘extraction’ of Kotiri from her boat shed. We were joined by Don’s younger brother Charles & a film crew from TV3 that were filming the event as part of an upcoming (semi-related) progamme. The day was a big boys dream – tug boats, barges, cranes, old shed full of cool stuff & the odd yummy mummy watching from the beach 🙂
It was a treat to watch a team of pro’s doing something that is beyond what most of us could do.
Some details on Kotiri – LOA 40′, LWL 28′, Beam 8’6″

Also in the shed was very cute dinghy / runabout that will be a winter project for Nick.

Below is some history on Kotiri & how she came to be sitting on a Boat Haulage transporter on-route to Peter Brookes yard.

Details below & photos above ex Classic Yacht Charitable Trust

Kotiri was designed and built by Logan Brothers in 1897 (launched 18th October 1897) at the height of the boat design and racing rivalry period between the Logans and the Bailey Brothers. The Baileys launched Meteor in the same month, both boats being built to the 30ft linear rating of the time.

Kotiri passed through many owners, including a period in Wellington, where she was renamed Kotiri II to differentiate from a smaller 30 footer of the same name. She was owned for a time by Laurence “Bruce” McCallum, the son of R H McCallum of Marine Parade Devonport who owned the family business Winate and Co based in lower Queen Street opposite the Central Post Office. Bruce MCCallum died in a bomber crash over Belgium on a mission to Cologne in 1943. The McCallum’s won the Devonport Yacht Club’s Duder cup in 1941 & 1942. The trophy is still held by a family member Tom McCallum of Pakuranga. Tom is also caretaker for another small trophy inscribed “RNZYS Kotiri 1939”.

Kotiri was purchased by Blair Daniel Webster in 1947 who converted her to marconi rig c1949. She was still sailing in 1952 but Blair layed her up in his boat shed at at 75 Sarsfield St Herne Bay in 1953 as her decks were leaking badly. In 1961 Blair commissioned R L (Bob) Stewart to draw up plans for conversion to a K class. From 1962 to 1968 Blair, with his closest friend J S G (Jock) McLanachan and a boat builder Jim Dennerley of Coxes Creek, worked on the comversion by increasing the height of the freeboard by 3 planks (approx. 9 inches); fully rib her; add new Bob Stewart “Patiki” style coamings; cut off rotten counter stern and build tuck. Boat shed ramp and railway tracks were laid for her ultimate return to the water. In November 1968 Kotiri was relaunched and moored on pile moorings at Westhaven. A second masthead rig and used sails were subsequently purchased. The boat shed at Herne Bay was regularly used for cleaning and antifouling haulouts. Kotiri sailed on rare occasions over the following years. Circa 1985 she sailed in a Classic Yacht regatta and by the late 80’s she had “retired” to the boat shed.

Blair Webster passed away on the 16th August 2000 and left Kotiri to his eldest son Donald. After 66 years ownership in the Webster family Kotiri was gifted to the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust on 14th March 2013 by Donald Webster. The token sum of 20 cents passed hands, for which 10 cents “change” was given, to mark the change of ownership.

Having been stored in a sound shed, over water, with good airflow, her hull was preserved in exceptionaly good order.

The Classic Yacht Charitable Trust are looking to raise funds to restore Kotiri to original sailing condition and preserve her for the long term enjoyment of New Zealander’s.

John Street
Don & Nick Webster
The audience
Don & Charles Webster
Peter Brookes looking for his teeth 🙂
UPDATE 13-01-2019
WW has been contacted by Lesley Brennan those father, Lex Dowling, owned Kotiri in the mid 1960’s.
If anyone now related to the yacht would like the photo below – contact Lesley via email
alesley@actrix.co.nz
kotiri photo

AURORA II

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AURORA II
photo & details ex John Burland

A little bit of a mystery boat to me but I’m sure someone will be able to shed some light on her.
Aurora II is a recent arrival in Mapua, Nelson, South Island. Moored in what officially is called Western Entrance to the Waimea Inlet. The last photo above gives you some reference to the location, the launch Katoa is in the foreground.
There appears to be a pretty savage tide running, you would want to be confident of your mooring set-up.