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.

Cristina

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Cristina

CRISTINA

When you are out & about over the Xmas/NY period keep & eye out for Cristina an Athol Burns design, built by Frank Dellabarca of Island Bay. Currently owned by Martyn Barlow (Nelson) & doing an extended cruise (mostly solo) of the NZ coastline. As of today she is in the BOI & will be heading back down to Kawau & Great Barrier over the next week or so.

Cristina started life as a commercial fishing boat until the late 1990’s when converted to current configuration in Picton and went back in the water in 2000. Powered by a Isuzu 6BD1 120hp – Length: 11m / Beam: 3.3m / Draft: 1m
Martyn has owned her for 6 years & keeps her in Nelson but had her in Mapua for the first couple of years
She has been to the Chathams and tuna fished off the West Coast.
A very pretty, salty looking craft.

Martyn has done a youtube clip of Cristina underway

Marnine

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Marnine

MARNINE

photo ex Shane Anderson

Marnine is one of our hidden classics i.e. we do not see her out & about much so to get this great photo of her post re-launching at Gulf Harbour is a gem.
She enjoyed a very long tenure with the Porter family & I understand her current owner has had her for approx. 20 years. She looks as sharp as the day in 1961 she was launched

Built by Lanes (Panmure), her owner (the late) Fred Porter had a very big input to her design & styling.

At 50 feet & with a beam of 15 feet & 25 tonnes she is a beautiful big girl.
Search Marnine in the ww search box for more photos & details.

16-10-2016 Hauled out at Gulf Harbour (photos Ken Ricketts)

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marnine-rear

Waimiga Re – fit /launch

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WAIMIGA

Now Waimiga always was a very special launch, she would feature on a lot of classic owners bucket list. Her pervious owner looked after her like one of the family & now Shane Anderson has taken her to another level, on Wednesday she emerged from Wayne Olsen’s Horizon Boats shed in Stillwater after 4 months of man love. This was a total make-over & unless you knew the boat you would not notice the extent of the project. There is still a few wee jobs to finish on the marina & ‘bits’ to be add, so when she is 100% I’ll post a lot more, in the mean time enjoy.

Another floating billboard for Awlwood MA (Uroxsys).

Mao Mao

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Mao Mao

MAO MAO

photo ex classicboatnz

We have had a lot of varnish lately on ww so todays photo is a b/w from the past. I love the posed look on the angler/skippers face, no sign of emotion. He has onboard a fish almost as big as his boat but he is looking very cool & collected.

Anyone know more about Mao Mao?

Harold Kidd Update

Only that she seems to have been based at Totara North.

PS she was owned by Henry Stonex of Russell. MAO MAO II was based at Totara North.

PPS Stonex, a retired Taranaki farmer, had her at Russell in the period 1936-39.

More of Lady Crossley

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Lady Crossley update photos

I was sent from the owners yesterday these brilliant photos from re-launch day, they were too good to ‘bury’ in the last post. Plus a great b/w photo from her her launch day in 1948.  Enjoy 🙂

Buffalo Bull & Waiata

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Buffalo Bull & Waiata

BUFFALO BILL & WAIATA

Photo ex Harold Kidd of Buffalo Bill (nearer the camera) & Waiata. Both were built by David Reid of Drake St Freemans Bay.

Note the boy on the cabin top of Buffalo Bill with a .22 to ward off orcs (or seagulls).

Enter Buffalo Bill in the waitematawoodys search box to learn more.

Lady Crossley

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LADY CROSSLEY

photos ex David Cooke

Sunday 15th Dec (2013) saw another of the CYA’s classic launch fleet re-launched after sending the winter at Opua under the care of Opua master boat builder Craig McInnes. Colin Wild designed & built Lady Crossley in 1947 & if he was looking down yesterday he would have been a very happy man. Lady Crossley is simply magnificent & her owners Margo & Jamie Hudson launched in a style that Col Wild would have approved of – canon fire, lots of flag & lots of champagne.

Lady Crossley was built for the Seager Bros who were the agents for Crossley diesels. She was sold to Vic & Rob Sanders in 1956 & they installed new Gardner 6LW’s into her in 1957. Which I understand she still has to this day.

Congratulations to Hudsons & all the craftspeople that have worked on her – Colin Wild boats are special, this one is now VERY special.

It almost goes without saying that the wow factor came out of a Awlwood MA (Uroxsys) can 🙂

Waihape – Johnny Wray?

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WAIHAPE

WAIHAPE

colour photos ex Dean Wright – info ex Ken Ricketts

b/w photo ex Harold Kidd ex Keith Munro

Ken thinks Waihape was the last boat Johnny Wray built in the later 1940s > early 1950s. He lived on her for many years, based at Surfdale, Waiheke, although he did sail around NZ & the Pacific in her fairly extensively. She had a fairly distinctive aft wheelhouse/doghouse which instantly “clicked” when he saw Dean’s photo.

Ken is certain he recalls seeing her in the mud at Surfdale on the L.H.S side of the bay coming in from the sea. There is even a mention of her in a write up “fun map” of Waiheke on a website Ken discovered.

Can anyone confirm this was in fact Johnny Wray’s last boat?

Harold Kidd Update

She certainly looks like the 44 footer WAIHAPE which Johnny Wray launched in December 1948, the last big boat he built. He put some unusual features into her. From his RNZAF experience she was fitted out with an aircraft-type control panel and had twin engines, small Kelvins I think. She took him to Tonga and back a couple of times and had a fair spread of sail.

14-05-2016 – A message from Helen Lee
My name is Helen Lee and as a teenager I had several cruises on Waihape with Johnny Wray, my parents Cynthia and Jerry Wilcox, my brother Michael Wilcox and once with my cousin Mike Lambert.
I have wonderful memories of these trips [early1960’s] and a few treasured photos. I realized when i saw the ww photos of Waihape that mine are all taken on the boat, not ‘of ‘ the boat. However you may like to see them.
Johnny was a long time friend of my Dad’s as they were both living in Lucerne Road as young men and Dad had worked with Johnny when he was building his first boat, Ngataki.
The photo below taken at Mansion House, Kawau Island, is Johnny trying to look like the coconut he is holding.

Johanny Wray @ Mansion House

Miss Picton

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Miss Picton

MISS PICTON

Built by Collings & Bell, St Marys Bay, Auckland for a Mr. M. Steele of Picton, she replaced the launch Tinopai which was destroyed by fire.

She was used in the Marlborough Sounds for excursions & tourist services. She is seen here making a call at the small settlement of Portage, located on the narrow neck of land dividing Pelorus Sound from Queen Charlotte Sound, about six miles by launch from Picton.

Harold Kidd Update

She was launched on December 7 1933, a welcome job for Collings & Bell in the depths of the Depression. She was motored down the East coast to Picton. In 1953 she was renamed MITRE PEAK and used for tourist work in Milford Sound.