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.
CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH –BON VOYAGE – A Peek Down Below
The 34’ 4” classic launch – BON VOYAGE was built in 1962 by Dave Jackson. Her beam is 9’8” and she draws 2’6”. The go forward is from a 6 cyl. 120 hp Iveco diesel engine that sees her topping out at 9 knots. Her current owner has had her for 10 years and during this period undertaken a significant amount of maintenance and system upgrades.In the 2023>24 period the Brin Wilson yard were commissioned to strip the hull, garboard planks re-caulked, transom boarding platform completely rebuilt, part of cabin top replaced and glassed, complete hull repaint + new stainless steel hand rails.
Given the provenance of the builder and the owners preparedness to commit to regular maintenance , BON VOYAGE appears to be a very good woody, with the bonus of fitting into a 10.5m berth. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up.
03-02-2025 INPUT ex COLIN BROWN – photo below of a painting Colin has of ROMANY in the shed at Whangateau boat shed.
A CELEBRATION OF THE CLASSIC WOODEN STEAM BOAT – ROMANY
The top photo above is on my permeant laptop screen saver rotation i.e. one of my favourite woody boating images. The craft is Russell Ward’s steam boat – ROMANY and I have been taking photos of her for over 10 years. Just after I took this photo myself and Murray Deeble joined Russell for a very special early morning cruise around Lake Rotoiti.
The year was Feb 2014 and the annual Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade had been postponed 24 hrs due to inclement weather (mainly fog). Given that ROMANY takes several hours to fire / steam up Russell was keen to head out anyway, so Deeble and I hopped aboard. A very memorable day, made even more special by ‘visiting’ (gate crashing) several waterfront holiday homes along the way.
What prompted todays story was Russell sent in two photo of the new engine for ROMANY, in the final stages of assembly – I would not like like to be funding that project – looks very $$$. I’m sure Russell will had some details on the new engine.
Enjoy the photos, mainly taken at LRC&WBF’s over the last decade.
CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ALMA G II – THE FINAL CHAPTER
Back in Nov WW covered the relaunching of the classic wooden launch – ALMA G II, after a 19 month rebuild / restoration in the CMC Design shed in Opus, Bay of Island.
Now thanks to the team at CMC Design we get to see the 1927 Collings & Bell built ALMA G II post launching – In my eyes a wonderful rebuild that has sympathetically brought her up to modern standards, yet retaining most of her original charm, whilst being a very usable vessel that will provide future generations with another 100 years of woody boating.
Check out the 2nd to last photo above – the design / fitting of the new hand rail is a clever idea – there where you need some sureness when scurrying up the side decks. So more tastful than a stainless steel bow rail set up.
The top two photos came in late last night from woody John Dawson, who reported that the 26’ steam boat – KOTARE was on fire at the riverside dock in Warkworth, very sad images.
I took the photos below of her in May 2022 at the same location.
I have included below some intel on the vessel ex fellow steam boat owner John Olsen
The 1962 Des Donovan designed and built launch – ATHENA has made several appearances on WW and has had a very colourful life.
She is 48’ in length, has a beam of 12’11” and draws 5’5”. Forward motion is from a 127hp Gardner 6LX.
When I arrived last Friday night at Scotts Landing, Mahurangi I dropped anchor alongside ATHENA and was greeted by an old friend Dave Holmes who had just purchased her.
A great back story – owned by a Coromandel farmer who undertook a 10 year refit on her. All the interior wood was felled and milled on his property. Dave had been aware the ATHENA had been on/off the market for over a year and approached the owner and made an offer – sold.
So the Mahurangi Regatta weekend was really the shake down cruise.
I was invited aboard for a sun-downer and took the photos above. A few exterior items that need addressing but Dave is the man for that, having once owner the launch – WAIMIGA.
One of the things that makes ATHENA so special is she is a member of the sub-mariners club – Cameron Pollard told us the story a few years ago – “ATHENA ran over a bit of NZ ( like many still do) and sadly when the tide dropped so did the boat and she filled up and skidded off the rock. Story has it she was lost for quite a few days as the tide took her for a underwater voyage. When she was later found and salvaged the mud and foul inside her was quite unreal.” Photo below (ex K Ricketts) of the opps
So to see her on Friday living her best life was very special and testament to the skills of the tradespeople that have worked on her in recent years.
ONLY TWO THROTTLE SETTING ON MY GIRL – IDLE AND FULL CHAT
Some woodys are pure speed demons eg MY GIRL (#51) below and others with the help of a heart transplant can still lift up their skirts and show a good turn of speed – NGAIO (blue boat) and PACIFIC (white) two good example below.
TUGBOAT RACE START
2025 ANNIVERSARY DAY INNER HARBOUR MOTORBOAT RACING
Due to the weather on the weekend I was able to attend the anniversary day regatta motor boat events on board Jason Prew’s launch – MY GIRL.
The two gigs are the Tug & Workboat Race and the Classic Launch Race – known around the waterfront as as the Tug Off and the Drag Race.
The commercial boats were first away and are always a sight to behold – so much horse power – and great to a mix of very old – WILLIAM C DALBY and current working waterfront tugs.
The main event for me is the launch race, pulled together each year by Jason Prew – it is a handicap race but the adrenalin kicks in and the launch skippers are going at full throttle most of the race. Race results below.
I wouldn’t be true to my DNA if I didn’t comment about the continuing demise of the regatta – each year less and less vessels turning out – aside from small beach launched yachts, the motor boats would have to be the two biggest categories in the regatta. And a very concerning sign – no Navy ship in the harbour as the VIP grandstand………. just saying.
Enjoy the photo / video gallery.
NOTE – AFTER A TECH ISSUE UPLOADING VIDEOS YESTERDAY – WE HAVE RESOLVED THE FAULT AND HAVE ADDED SOME GREAT SAILING FOOTAGE TO YESTERDAYS MAHURANGI REGATTA STORY – SCROLL DOWN TO VIEW.
Well that wasn’t the woody weekend I‘m sure we all planned, but it was still a magic weekend and just goes too prove that classic wooden boat enthusiasts don’t let a lot of wind and rain get in the way of a good time.
The trip up on Friday afternoon / evening as uneventful (unless your woodys named – TAWERA, who ‘lost’ 2.5m off the top of her mast) and most anchored in and around Scott’s Landing.
Then it went down hill on Saturday morning – confusion around the start time for the launch parade – 1/2 the boats thought 10am, now I’m told it did say 9.30 in the classic yacht club newsletter, but……. the % of launches there that were members would have been less than 20%, so the parade was very patchy with skippers joining at different times. Numbers were down and the loop of Sullivan’s Bay was embarrassing- less than 20 people on the beach and I suspect they had no idea what was going on. BUT – still good to get together. Parade aside there was an impressive number of classic wooden launches in the harbour, in terms of pure classic craft , launches would have out numbered yachts by 4:1Most turning up to just enjoy the weekends activity on the water.
As the morning wore on the wind and seas picked up – resulting in some spectacular sailing in the Mahurangi Regatta yacht race. Amazing that they was no carnage, that I’m aware of.
Below is a selection of photos that Jason Prew took from his launch – MY GIRL. I have several videos put have tech issues with uploading – will sort and add asap. I’m sure there will be more fleet coverage on social media.
Post the boating activities the weather turned ugly and the smart people left Scott’s Landing for Pukapuka Inlet. The shore based activities would have been dampened down by the weather but the true blue woodys partied on. Big ups to Nick Atkinson and mates who entertained the revellers from the back of a truck. The normal 20+ piece jazz band was absent this year but from everyone I spoke to – I think Nick has a permeant gig.
The forecast for Sunday was evil, anything that has 50 knots in it is a big red flag. Then the heavens opened up and we had everything- wind , rain, lightening all night. Not a lot of sleep was had that night. Woke to no rain and wind down a little but forecast wasn’t good so made the call to cancel heading to Kawau and waited in Pukapuka for the weather to improve enough for a dash (not sure 8 knts is worthy of that term on RAINDANCE) home. Which we did.
Sad I missed hanging out at the Kawau Boating Club on Sunday night, but the upside was I scored a ride on Jason Prew’s – MY GIRL in the anniversary day launch race – full report tomorrow. Enjoy the photo gallery 🙂 And remember to click on photos to enlarge.
SUNKEN CLASSIC LAUNCH & TWO CLASSIC YACHTS ON THE ROCKS
Woody Ian Gavin (MV FLORANCE DAWN) sent in the above photo of what appears to be a classic launch in serious trouble. The photo appeared in the NZ Herald, online Northland edition and the location was tagged ’Near Parua Bay jetty, Whangarei’ . The article appeared on 21-01-2025.
From what I can see it does have several Lidgard design events visible.
Can anyone ID the vessel and give us an update on what became of her – hopefully recovered.
Update ex Ian Gavin – didn’t sink below the waves and has been re floated.
UPDATE ex Paul Drake and Ken Ricketts – the ;launch is the 36′, 1958 Owen Woolley built – VACUNA. Which also sank in 2016 and is one of WW’s most revealing stories https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/11/25/vacuna-2/
SATURDAY NIGHT AT MAHURANGI WAS EVIL – To quote John Bertenshaw (EX FB) – “Last night at anchor was , let me search for a phrase which might best capture the experience…oh yeah, it was hell. Crowded anchorage, serious wind, nasty chop , wind against tide, etc etc. No one dragged on us though, choice.” ELSE WHERE NOT SO GOOD – 2 WOODYS ON THE ROCKS – I took the photo below of RANUI and CORONA at 6.15 am on Saturday morning. Post the yacht race they must have made the call to head to a ’safer’ anchorage , in this case – Islington Bay, Rangitoto Island. The storm was that bad that RANUI dragged anchor and both her and CORONA went onto the rocks. Dockside chat says the damage was superficial only.
Big WW day tomorrow – a photo gallery from the Mahurangi Regatta and happenings around Kawau Island. Enjoy the last day of the long weekend and if in Auckland check out the classic boating activity on the harbour for the anniversary day regatta.
Earlier in the week I had a good excuse to visit the West-park Marina, so I took the opportunity to do a lap of the hardstand area. Very few boats out, but given we are in the height of summer, there shouldn’t be many there.
The second woody in the line was the 43’ – MANAPOURI, built by Hector Parks. She is on the down hill run of a 2+ year restoration – read more on the project at the link below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/11/28/manapouri-refit/
Update ex the Mahurangi Regatta – MANAPOURI did a sneaky launching and made it to the regatta – photo below
Lastly the 1909 Bailey & Lowe built woody – STERLING, out it appeared for a shave in anticipation of her appearance in Mondays anniversary regatta tug & work boat race. This old girls is very quick, I suspect the handicappers will have a good memory and she might struggle to win on handicap, but always a contender for line honours 😉
IF YOU ARE AT A LOOSE END TOMORROW MORNING (MONDAY) GET DOWN TO WESTHAVEN / WATERFRONT – there will be some spectacular motorboat action on the water
10am The Tug & Workboats start their race from off Westhaven / RNZYS
11am The Jason Prew celebratory classic launch race starts also off Westnhaven / RNZYS
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