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.

Phoebe (Imp)

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PHOEBE (IMP)
photos & details ex Michael O’Dwyer

Todays launch is named Phoebe & is currently hauled out in Napier getting some TLC. She has been in Napier for approx. 12 years. Prior to this its believed she was based in Auckland.
According to a name plate on board she was originally called Imp & built by Collings and Bell in 1952. Her length is 24′.

Her current owner is Stan Escourt  (Napier) & he told Mike that the cabin top was added by Lanes and built over the original canvas covering the fore cabin. It’s still in place inside but hidden by synthetic carpet.

Phoebe is powered by a Ford 2711 E 4.15L motor.

So woodys do we know anymore about Phoebe/Imp?

Harold Kidd input

Collings & Bell built an earlier IMP for Frank Pidgeon of the Ace Tyre Company in September 1937. She was a 17ft runabout with a 40hp 4 cyl Lycoming which gave her 28 mph, pretty fast for the time. That IMP replaced (or complemented) an earlier IMP, a 14ft single-step hydroplane “built on anti-trip principles” which Sam Ford built for Frank in November 1936, also with a Lycoming. He raced both boats enthusiastically.
In 1952 Frank Pidgeon would have been only 50 so it’s reasonable to think that he may have commissioned this one too.

23-12-2015 Photos ex Michael O’Dwyer

 

Romance

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ROMANCE
photo & details ex Paul Drake

Paul believes today’s photo of his launch Romance (#1) on the left, was taken in Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island.
Romance was built by Bailey and Lowe in 1914 and was sold 4 or 5 years later. After that she was in Napier, until 1932 when she went to Lake Taupo. The exact date she went to Napier is not known but it could have been in 1919. Romance has been in the Drake family for over 43 years.

Lots more details on Romance here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/09/22/8829/  and here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/05/10/romance/

Can we ID the other launches? the little dinghy is very salty, love the fenders 🙂

22-12-2015 Photo below ex Harold Kidd of the launch Pirate that can be seen on the right of Romance & the dinghy.

 

 

Whats The Coolest Yacht Club 10 Minutes From Queen St?

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That’s just the boat shed
Seriously needs more windows 🙂
Lifejackets ?
Nice neighbours

Whats The Coolest Yacht Club 10 Minutes From Queen St? Sailing Sunday

Its not the rnzys or ponsonby cc or even the dyc (ferry ride) – its the Herne Bay Cruising Club (HBCC) & yesterday they hosted the 2015 Sloanes Beach Regatta & Centerboard Cup. I dropped in for what I thought would be 5>10 minutes to take a few photos & ended up staying 90 minutes, the Santa shopping list got pushed out a day 🙂

The HBCC club rooms & its location would have to be one of the best kept secrets in the city, located off Marine Parade & tucked away amongst a stand of pohutukawas its a magic spot to sit on the grass & watch some good-old-fashioned kiwi boating. The kids were even selling home-made lemonade & coconut ice 🙂
Its also rather special – its got major boating provenance – the club rooms were built in 1913 as the Richmond Yacht Club & was a hub of wooden boating activity prior to RCC moving to the Westhaven area.

The location sort of (as in impossible) makes it hard to launch a biggish boat there so its mainly centerboard stuff but there is a very cool membership feature – the club as a few boats that members can use e.g. a couple of Lasers, a Spiral & a dinghy for rowing & fishing + storage for who wish to kept their boat at the club.

Conditions yesterday were ‘very fresh’ as in SW 20>25 knots with 35 knot gusts – this scared a few city boys & girls off but as always the mullet boat’s fronted up + one Idle Along (IA12)
The photos below are from the pre-start & start, I left after that but driving over the Harbour Bridge I could see them stonking down the Harbour, I might be wrong but I think I caught a glimpse of the IA getting into a spot of trouble.

If anyone has the results – email them to waitematawoodys@gmail.com & I’ll add them to this post.

Photo below shows Gypsy (L) & Waione (R) hauled out c.1939 at Sloanes Beach. Click this link to read, view more about the club.

http://hbcc.net.nz/

21-12-2015 Results ex W. Muir

Yes it was a great day, thanks for the photos.  Mullet boat results were 1st on line, and on handicap,Orion.  2nd on handicap TaoToo, 3rd Rangi Manu. The IA broke her tiller while screaming down the harbour with her spinnaker up, she did a spectacular wipe out and was towed back by the PCC Rescue boat.
You missed another fab part of the day, music from jazz combo Hopetown Brown.
Looking forward to next year ( and a little less wind )

24-12-2015 On the water racing photos ex Nick Davenport – remember to click on any photo to enlarge. Also the M Class Marlin will be featured this coming Sunday on ww- lots more photos to see then 😉

 

North Star

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NORTH STAR
photo & details ex Ray Morey

Ray sent me the above photo of North Star which was built in the 1950’s for an uncle of Ray’s wife, Joe Harris of Pahia. She was kept on a pile mooring at the Waitangi River for many years.
Ray recalls that North Star was the subject of discussion on the CYA website a year or more back (I have been unable to find the discussion, but the sites search mode is a tad lacking), I thought also that she had appeared on www but again can not find any reference.

Ray is keen to learn more about the vessel, he says that he always believed that she was built by Brian Lane at Totara North – can any of the woodys shed some light on her past & where she is today?

Quay St. Launch Landings

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Quay St Launch Landings
photo ex Lindsay McMorran

According to the caption on the above photo – the photos shows the recently completed ‘Fine Launch Landings’ in Quay St. on Auckland’s waterfront.

How many of the launches (L>R) can we name?

Slipped away yesterday for a trip up the upper harbour to the Riverhead Hotel for lunch with some good mates. Zero boats, we like that, just lots of people in silly costumes 🙂

Arohanui

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AROHANUI
photo & details ex Ross Farrant

Arohanui was built by Roy Parris in 1974 & is 30′ long. Owner Ross purchased her a couple of years ago from a gent by the name of Doug Wood. Ross understands Doug runs (perhaps ‘ran’ now) a diesel servicing business out of Westhaven.

Milford boatbuilder Geoff Bagnall was an apprentice under Roy Parris at the time Arohanui was built, Ross spoke to Geoff recently and he told Ross that he remembers there were 4 of these 30′ launches built, he also recalls that Arohanui was built for a Dick Milburn who is now deceased. Geoff knows nothing of her history after that.

You will notice in the above photo a small cabin top on the foredeck. Geoff Bagnall did that job for previous owner Doug wood at his Milford shed a few years ago, it appears that most of Roy’s boats had a flush foredeck but Doug wanted headroom, and it does work, brings more light into the boat and doesn’t detract from the overall look of the boat.

Arohanui is powered by a Lees Marine conversion, six cylinder Ford truck engine, Ross was amazed at how much oil the sump took when he did my first oil change.

Anything anybody can tell ww about her history would be great as Ross & Sue Farrant are a bit light on details relating to her past.

(sorry about the photo quality, as supplied)

A Woody Quiz – Cool Prizes

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A Woody Quiz
photo ex Harold Kidd

Long over due for a quiz – this ones not easy but the prizes are very cool.
In the above photo what we want to know is location, date & who is in the photo. Only one winner for each i.e. 3 winners. HDK & myself will decide the best/closest answers 😉

Update

OK woodys – the correct answers are:

Location : Putiki Bay – WINNER = ROD MARLER
Date:  c1895 – WINNER = MICHAEL O’DWYER
The people :  The guy on the left is Henry Winkelmann in his trademark straw hat. The others are crew members off AORERE – WINNER = NATHAN HERBERT

Prizes will be in the mail  Friday.

What do you win?
For the last two years Chris Miller & myself have travelled to the Lake Rotoiti Wooden Boat Parade (Nth Island). Chris is a pro photographer (  http://www.pix.nz/ ) & I’m just an enthusiastic amateur & for the last two years the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Association have chosen a selection of our photos for their fund raising calendar. I have 3 copies of the calendar to give away. Like the event the calendar is very well done. Now if your not a winner, you can order one from the club secretary Rachel Jamieson – email Rachel for details
zea.rachel@gmail.com
They cost $10 each & postage is $2.40 for up to 7 calendars, $5 for more than 7 or courier ($6 North Island $7 South Island  –  RD extra).
Payment is via direct credit – please use your surname as reference and email Rachel when you make the payment. Remember to add the postage 😉

The bank account number is:    12 3155 0140546 00  Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Assoc.

Front cover
Back cover
Sample page

waitematawoodys t-shirts

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waitematawoodys t-shirts

Printing is underway – just discovered that custom screen printing is a VERY manual process, reminds me of college art classes –  but the end result is very cool & has a long life.
I’m pushing the overseas orders out first & will start on the NZ orders soon – all well b4 xmas 😉
The new shirt & updated logo is looking great.

ps if you have not paid for your shirts yet, get onto it – paid orders ship first 🙂

pps printing outside to aid the drying

Kohema

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KOHEMA
photo & details ex Michael O’Dwyer

Today’s photo is from the Napier Sailing Club & shows the launch Kohema on the clubs opening day in 1950. Of all the photos in the ww library this one would take 1st prize for the most people aboard 🙂

Can any woody tell us a bit more about Kohema?

04-06-2016 photos added ex Ronald Walker

Corona

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Approximately mid 60’s at Torrent Bay

 

CORONA
photos & details ex Peter Campbell

Corona was built by G.Curnow & M.V. Wilton in Nelson & launched at the beginning of 1938.
She was built for H.I. Dimock who sold Corona typewriters in Nelson, hence the name of the vessel.
Peter’s grandfather purchased the boat approximately mid 1940’s & she has stayed in the family since. 70 years of ownership is very impressive. Her specs are – 38′ LOA, Beam 10′, Draft 3′ 9″ & with 6′ Headroom.
The hull is kauri carvel construction & her original engine was a petrol Chrysler Ace. These days powered by a Ford diesel 2725E, which sees her cruising at 8 – 9 knots, max 11knots.

Peter reports that Corona is a very comfortable, economical boat & perfect for the use it gets now, Abel Tasman, D’urville Island & the Marlborough Sounds.

Legend has it Corona was featured in a NZ boating magazine in February 1938 page 9. Does anyone know what magazine?. Peter love a copy of the article or better still would anyone a copy of the magazine they would part with. So woodys – can anyone help ID the magazine &/or supply a scan of the article / or the magazine?