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.

Riva with amazing twin Lamborghini engines

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A post for James Mobberley at Moon Engines – he (& I) will like this – a lot 🙂 Turn your sound up.

00100065-0000-0000-0000-000000000000_00000065-06d9-0000-0000-000000000000_20131007222656_Riva Aquarama Lamborghini

Back in 1968, Ferruccio Lamborghini ordered a custom Aquarama model from the legendary racing boat/yacht builder Riva.

For Ferruccio’s Aquarama, Riva installed a pair of the 4.0-liter V12 engines that at the time were being used in Lamborghini’s first road car, the iconic 350GT, its power and custom open-pipe exhaust made it the most unique Aquarama ever built.

Following Ferruccio Lamborghini’s death in 1993, enthusiasts speculated over the fate of what is now known as the Riva Aquarama Lamborghini. Most assumed the Aquarama Lamborghini was lost to time, until a Dutch Riva collector found it hidden under tarps in a boatyard. In 2010, the collector sent the boat off to Riva World, a world-famous shop in Holland specializing in the restoration of Riva boats. Now three years, 25 coats of lacquer, and two replacement 350GT V12 engines later, the Riva Aquarama Lamborghini has roared back to life.

The restoration brought legendary figures together from both Lamborghini and Riva’s past. The Ferruccio Lamborghini Museum in Italy had one of the two original Aquarama Lamborghini engines in its collection, but it took the involvement of Lino Morosini, head of Riva’s engine division in the 1960s, and the late Bob Wallace, Lamborghini test driver and developer, to recreate the modifications performed to the V12 engines for maritime use.

Riva World’s Sandro Zani sourced two 350GT engines (one from the U.S.) while his team rebuilt and restored the Aquarama Lamborghini’s wooden hull from top to bottom, and inside out. The twin-V12s carry the Aquarama Lamborghini to a top speed of 48 knots (as opposed to the 40-knot top speed of the standard V8-equipped Aquarama), with peak torque available from 1500 rpm.

The restoration wrapped up early this year, and after a few tests in the Netherlands, the Riva Aquarama Lamborghini returned to Italy this summer. Watch the youtube movie to see the Aquarama Lamborghini in action; if nothing else, it’s worthwhile for the hellacious sound the V12s make when the boat is pushed flat out.

Corsair

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The Frostbite – Corsair

photos by Alan H 

At the recent Classic Yacht and Launch Exhibition  at the Viaduct, the 2013 event  showcased the acclaimed designers Jack Brooke & Bob Stewart. One of the outstanding boats on display was Paul Baragwanath’s exquisitely restored Frostbite ‘Corsair’, the attention to detail was just amazing, even featuring her original restored 1945 trailer. Corair was built by Jack Brooke in 1945 for Don Winston.

02-02-2018 Input from Paul Baragwanath

“She was built in 1946 for my grandfather, Don Winstone, and named after the planes he flew in WWII. The Frostbite class was designed in 1938 by Jack Brooke, and Corsair was built by him too. A few years back I tracked her down – derelict, but pretty much whole, in Nelson. We knew it was Corsair from the name let / inlaid into the middle thwart and the Corsair aeroplane profile in the for’d thwart. Teak in Kauri. Kauri hull. Oregon spars. Pohutukawa knees. Mahogany cappings. Teak and kauri floor grate. Australian hardwood rudder stock and kauri rudder. Kahikatea centre-board (from her time in the Waikato?). Mahogany mast supports. Brian Kidson who had owned did a good deal of work preparing and restoring the hull before she came north to Auckland for the woodwork to be completed by Jack’s son, master wooden boatbuilder Robert Brooke.

We restored the chrome hardware (Onehunga Electro Platers / Bumper Repairs – brilliant), re-created missing elements (Morris Sheet Metal and another engineer) including the lettering on the stern, restored the original 1946 mast, Frank Warnock created a traditional sail by hand, and I did the low-skill bits, and brought it all together. Ropes from Classic Marine in the UK. Other parts from Harken Fosters.

Robert designed a period road trailer with 1939 pressed steel Standard 10 wheels that I found on Trademe (Marlborough Sounds), and a friend who is a sculptor, David McCracken, made the trailer. I believe the Frostbite was NZ’s first specifically-designed trailer class – with it’s split / gunter rig – so a period trailer and launching trolley are part of it. It was the last class designed that you sit in, rather than on.

Robert’s lifetime of experience and eye resulted in what you can see – from the handmade wooden blocks, fine plank lines, floating thwarts, the traditional flick-bailer, right up to the pheasant feather pennant / wind vane atop the mast.

The colour is Eau de N’il – Water of the Nile – with a forest green waterline. My grandfather liked green – he also had a runabout named Amber (1950s 17 foot Greymarine engine) with a green waterline. Traditional white below the waterline. The interior is white house-paint up to the thwarts which sets off the varnish above that.

We don’t tend to race – wooden blocks, wooden grate, 1946 mast and rudder… but do sail off Narrowneck in Auckland, and Tutukaka, Ngunguru and Whangaumu Bay up north.

I put together a small book on the restoration – a few years ago now. The aim was to get her to A level condition – which we did, and she won the best restoration at the Lake Rotoiti (Nelson) classic boat show – and then to just enjoy her. She’s a delight to sail. Predictable, responsible and beautifully balanced. On the wind in a chop a for’d hand is useful for bailing!”

 

Mystery Launch 23/10

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photos ex Ron W & Harold Kid

Harold thinks its a Collings & Bell work boat but we are all scratching our heads to ID her any further. When you consider there were 1000’s of these ‘little’ launches built, we might be scratching for a while 🙂

Harold has sent in a better pic of the launch which he took off  the Collings & Bell original glass plate. You can see a square-rigger in the background.

Harold Kidd Update

I have always thought that this is probably C. & B. of which there were 3, this one being launched in November 1912. I have a much better copy of this image with more background.The other two were 20 footers of the same general configuration but the 1912 version was a 32 footer. Maybe it’s a 20 footer? The sidelight boxes look pretty large.  I’m pretty certain it’s a Chas Collings negative from his quarter-plate camera but I’ve always thought it was a later image as it is associated in my Collings collection with images from the 1930s. I’ll check with other pics.

Update #2

She’s not any of the 3 C. & B.’s but very similar. The last of the C. & B.s had the same little dodger (a very early example of a dodger installed ab initio), the same bollard forward, but her foredeck was raised. Tentatively, I think this is OZONE, built for Fred Woolley in June 1912, probably off the same moulds as the 32ft C. & B. This OZONE is NOT to be confused with the Percy McIntosh-built OZONE which did a lot of game-fishing in the Bay of Islands and is now rumoured to be at Mahurangi. This OZONE (if it is her) was a total wreck at Tawharanui Point, Takatu in January 1930.

Juliana > Marjorie Rosa

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JULIANA > MARJORIE

photos & details ex Ken Ricketts. Edited by AH

Juliana was built in 1930 by Sam Ford & owned by Ralph & Wyn Ricketts from 1946 to 1956. She went to Whangarei for a few years when sold & then to the Algie family at Algies Bay from about 1972 to 1995. She was sold to a fisherman in New Plymouth for several years & ended up back at Tamaki River about 2006 as a bare hull absolutely nothing in her.

Bought by present owner Fraser Wilson as a bare neglected hull, with no bulkheads, engine, underwater gear, mast or anything else. Wilson has just undertaken a major 3 year restoration /rebuild on her by boatbuilder Tony Mitchell in his shed at Lake Rotoiti where she will now reside. Ken’s comment was ‘while unrecognizable as Juliana, in my view stunning in her own right’.

Propulsion History

1930 (Original) — 4cyl Thornycroft “T” head converted petrol truck engine c1925

1948 — 6 cyl Leyland “Cub” Diesel 90 HP (29.4 B.H.P. RAC rating), installed by owner Ralph Ricketts

1956 — 4 cyl Buda Marine Diesel (ex Arcturas — Built by Mc Geady c1952 for John Warren & replaced by Warren with 6 cyl Ford) installed by owner Ralph Ricketts

c1978 — 6 cyl 100 hp Ford Diesel fitted by owner Brian Algie

2013 (October) 3 cyl  brand new Lombardini Diesel approx 60hp installed for Fraser Wilson by Tony Mitchell boat builder

Photos

1. The black & white photo of her hauled out was taken in Judges Bay by the Parnell Baths in 1947, by Ken Ricketts.

2. The sepia photo shows Ken Ricketts on board Juliana c.1947

3. The ‘all white’ photo is the bare hulk prior to the current rebuild.

4. Colour photos are from her relaunch as Marjorie Rosa

AH comment – she is very stunning & will be the belle of the lake, but if was me I would have followed Sam Fords original design a little more closely. But beauty is, as they say ‘in the eyes of the beholder’ 

Haunui

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HAUNUI

photos from Russell Ward & Nathan Herbert

Haunui, the Julian family launch, featured extensively in that late Harry Julian’s auto biography ‘Sea in my Blood’. I should remember some details on her but I struggled to finish the book, some great photos & tales but I tired of the authors excessive self publicity. But then again I suppose thats what an auto biography is all about 🙂

Unknown Launch 19/10

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Another orphan

photo ex Ken Ricketts (ex HDK?)

Ok train spotters, who can help ID the above? There is a bit of Lady Margaret to her.

Harold Kidd Update

I think it is MALOLO. I have a painting of the Viaduct on my office wall with MALOLO featured c1970 when she was fishing as AK171. It seems to be her, with those slanting forward windows.  In 1952 she was owned by H.A. Richards of Harlston Ave, Mt. Albert.

Who built her and when? No such info was given to APYMBA when Richards registered her in 1952, presumably because he didn’t know. A name change for a pre-1914 flushdecker?

Some stunning Woodys from afar – 100+ photos

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Some stunning Woodys from afar

Its a long way from the Waitemata but theres some good woodys here – the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft 2013 Festival. Links to the 3 days of photos, below – Enjoy 🙂

http://www.eyeinhand.com/Marginalia/2013/10/08/mascf-2013-friday/

http://www.eyeinhand.com/Marginalia/2013/10/08/mascf-2013-saturday-morning/

http://www.eyeinhand.com/Marginalia/2013/10/09/mascf-2013-saturday-race/

Wai Lani

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Wai Lani

All I can tell you is she is currently listed on trademe & if you believe trademe she is a 30′ 1922 Lane. As type this I can hear HDK saying “aren’t they all” 🙂

Can anyone confirm & or supply more details?

Harold Kidd Update

Aren’t they all?

But, seriously, WAI LANI was built for James Thomas Dart Lloyd, a Herne Bay builder and architect in 1916. The newspapers were fairly quiet on trivia like launches being built in 1916 (and it was possibly considered vaguely unpatriotic anyway). He kept her for an enormous period, finally selling her in the early 1960s. He died in 1965. 

I can find no certain reference to her builder (without a time machine). However a subsequent owner told me she was built by Dick Lang in St Mary’s Bay which figures because Lloyd lived in Ring Terrace only metres from Lang’s shed. However, she did have a Scripps 2 cylinder engine, for which Lanes were the agents, until 1930, when it was replaced with a 25hp Canadian-built St. Lawrence which engines were briefly popular at the time because of the lower duty attracted by “Empire Preference” tariffs, just as most of our Ford V8s were built in Toronto. So maybe she was Lanes. Lanes/Laing/Lang often get mixed up in these mythological whakapapa for launches.

There are some 1930s race entries in the name of Sam Leyland, the timber mogul. It’s clear that Leyland and Lloyd were buddies and neighbours and that Leyland must have been between launches (he changed them like the wind, often renaming them, bless his cotton socks)

So I can’t convincingly shoot down the “Lanes” but I can shoot down the “1922”.

17-04-2016  photos ex Fraser Chapman via Ken R

WAI LANI - 1

WAI LANI - 2