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.

CYA Launch Cruise to Riverhead Hotel

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Photos below ex Suzie Wang (Manapouri)

 

CYA Launch Cruise to Riverhead Hotel

Yesterdays cruise up the upper reaches of the Waitemata Harbour to the waterside Riverhead Hotel was just one of those days – great weather, cool boats & nice people.
David Cooke (Trinidad) & my wife Robyn several weeks ago came up with the idea of splitting the trip into two & having a raft-up for pre-lunch drinks. Now that might not seem like rocket science but the launch group do not normally raft-up, what happens in a bay is everyone wants to secure a good spot to anchor & the boats get spread out across the bay. Todays raft-up was a winner & the vote was “lets do this again”.

With the new extensions to the hotel, the venue has just got even better & with our own area, the afternoon was very relaxed.

Great to catch up with those that made the trip by car & extra cool to see Ian Gavin with a smile on his face, a burger in one hand & a beer in the other – proof that that the big C doesn’t always win 🙂

Special thanks to Michelle Khan & Tony Stevenson for piloting the NZ Yachting Trusts big tender, Whistleblower, that provide a safe & dry transfers from the boats to the hotel wharf.

2015 Australian (Hobart) Wooden Boat Festival

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2015 Australian (Hobart) Wooden Boat Festival
photos ex Simon Smith & Baden Pascoe

Several CYA members crossed the ditch for the bi-annual wooden boat festival in Tasmania. A group transported the kiwi skiff  ‘wee’ Tawera over to take part in the rowing section of the regatta & I understand did us proud with a win.
Rumour has it that Neil Chalmers was cruising the docks & hopefully took the Box Brownie with him.
Simon Smith sent in the gallery of boating photos below + a couple of stunning scenery shots, love the one of Hobart town bathed in sunshine.
This event is on my bucket list. Enjoy 🙂

19/02/2015 – more photos ex Simon Smith

Poaka

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POAKA

photos & details ex Harold Kidd ex John Blundell

In 1960 Stan Blundell had Alan (Snow) Waters design and build him this pretty little launch, Poaka, although Stan had a big input into the design. Her dimensions were 26’ x 25’6” x 8’9” x 2’9” and she was powered by a 90hp Zephyr engine. In 1962 Stan sold her to Athol Mellars of Ohinerau St., Remuera who had always expressed the wish to buy her if she ever came on the market. Athol died in 1972 and she was taken over by his son John who kept her at Whangaparapara, Great Barrier Island.
Where is she now?

Mako

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MAKO

Last weekend at the 2015 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – I spotted a boat in the parade that really caught my eye. Named Mako, owned by Paul Adams from Tauranga. There was no details listed for her in the parade directory so I asked the organisers if they had any details on hand. They sent me what Paul had supplied them – the copy below & a b/w photo – something tells me Paul has a sense of humour 🙂

“It is a narrow wooden boat with inboard motor, built of Kauri in 1924 at Okawa Bay Boatbuilders.
It is lacking maintenance ,so not presented as well as it should be!”

I took these photos at the picnic & you can see why she appeals to me.
Needs a little TLC but the bones are there.
Anyone able to shed some more light on her past?

 

Jack Brooke Cruise Collection #16 – Kiariki Cruise March 1963

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Jack Brooke Cruise Collection #16 – Kiariki Cruise March 1963

Another stunning drawing done by Robert Brooke’s father, Jack Brooke, again ww thanks Robert for making them available to ww followers. Jack produced a hand drawing on each cruise. Todays post is the 16th featured – lots of details & side tales in this one.

The above drawing records the travels of Kiariki during their March 1963 cruise to Kawau Island & Gt Barrier Island. There appears to be a lot of ‘reefing’ happening on this cruise so there must have been a good blow.

Crew: John Brooke, R E Hunt, S Hunt, R F Black & E G Bolland

On Waitangi weekend 2015 – Robert Brooke & family (3 generations) took the  15′ clinker runabout ‘Harmony’, that Robert built, down to Lake Rotoiti for the Classic & Wooden Boat Parade. Photo below shows them in Saturdays parade of boats.

Harmony

Lake Rotoiti Wooden Boat Parade Update

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Lake Rotoiti Wooden Boat Parade Update

photos ex Chris Miller

As I mentioned in Mondays post I traveled to Lake Rotoiti with Chris Miller, Chris is a very talented pro photographer & on this trip packed a lens that was longer than my arm. This enabled him to get up close to the boats & shoot from a better angle (sun was a problem). He’s also a dab hand with photoshop so these photos are stunning.

Also today we have a link to the TV3 news coverage of the event http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/vintage-vessels-invade-lake-rotoiti-2015020717#axzz3RGmeg9GX

 

 

 

 

 

Centaurus

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CENTAURUS

Firstly a record day yesterday on ww – the previous record for people looking at the site was 8,600 views – yesterday we did 13,000+ views in a 24hr period. Totally amazing.

Now onto todays post – maybe I live a sheltered life but I know nothing about the launch Centaurus other than she was for sale late last year when I snapped the above photos at Westhaven. She was immaculately presented, in fact almost too perfect – I suspect she might have been glassed, if not I want to meet the painter 🙂

Who can shed some light on her & where she has been hiding?

16/02/2015 – new photos added

 

2015 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – Photo Gallery

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2015 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – Photo Gallery

Morning Woodys

Just back from the 2015 Classic & Wooden Boat Parade at Lake Rotoiti (Nth. Island). As always a brilliant weekend, well run & the boats just keep getting better – over 80 this year & I’m sure much to the enjoyment of the USA ww followers – lots of varnish & zoom zoom motors this year.

The weekend kicks off with a meet/great/BBQ lakeside on Friday night with the parade on Saturday morning. Post parade everyone heads off to bay where the festivities began – while there is lots of boat talk, its a great family day that includes the full family with kids & relations.

Highlights for me was I small launch named ‘Mako’ (#63 in the parade), has been on the lake a long time, I’ll do a ww post on her. And meeting ww contributors Paul & Nigel Drake.

I have not attempted to include every boat, this is all about giving you a taste of the weekend. I think I took a photo of most boats , so if your not here, email me & I’ll send you one. The location & the sun was not kind to photographers, so some photos are a little dark.

I traveled to the event with Chris Miller, who leaves me for dead in the photography stakes, so in the next few days I’ll do another post with some of Chris’s finer work.

Enjoy – as always click on any photo to enlarge.
Alan Houghton

ps ww passed 3/4’s of a million views in the weekend – 750,000 !!!!!!!

pps I have included a link below to a file that tells you a little bit about most of the boats in the parade.
2015 Lake Rotoiti Parade Entries as at 3-2-15



TV3 attended the parade & featured it on the 6pm News – star of the clip was CYA member Russell Ward & the steam boat Romany that he skippers. Post the 6.00pm news Russell had no shortage of helper dockside 🙂

Mahurangi Regatta Bonus Photos – Sailing Sunday

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Mahurangi Regatta Bonus Photos – Sailing Sunday

A wee bit of a bonus today – CYA member Peter Mence, owner of the classic K-Class, Jeanne & the classic launch Linden (Eileen Patrica) sent me a usp stick with a collection of photos from the 2015 Mahurangi Regatta weekend.
The rag & stick brigade will enjoy the focus on sailing, but still plenty of launches there, including yours truely 🙂

Enjoy. Alan


Colin Wild Launches at Waiheke Island – 1927 or 2015 ?

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Colin Wild Launches at Waiheke Island – 1929 0r 2015 ?
photo ex Peter Loughlin

This photo just ticked so many boxes I had to post it. Tasman on the left & Lady Margaret on the right – both built by one of NZ’s best – Colin Wild. Lady Margaret was launched in 1928 & Tasman in 1929. Photo taken two weekends ago at Kauakarua Bay, Waiheke Island by Lady Margaret’s owner Peter Loughlin.
You can see that magazines like ‘The Rudder’ were having a big influence on motor-boat design in NZ at the time.

I wonder if Colin Wild ever imagined the 87 years later these two would be side by side & looking this smart.

To the CYA boats doing the Motuihe Picnic today, play nicely together & enjoy the day / weekend. Photos please.

Same weekend – both boats heading home. Photos from CYA member John Bertenshaw’s very cool ‘First Boating Weekend of the Season’ post on the WoodenBoat Forum – its been running for several years & is loaded with great photos.
http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?120476-First-boating-weekend-of-the-season&p=4439832#post4439832