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.

Lola

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LOLA
A unique and incredible boat in our Marlborough Sounds, lives in a purpose built, air-conditioned building, on the waters edge.

‘LOLA’ is a 1962 Riva Tritone Aperto, tritone means the boat uses twin engines and apertos is the large open sunbed on the aft deck. She has a LOA of 27ft and is one of only 15 in the world. It is believed to be the only original Riva in New Zealand, and a stunning example of boat restoration. Only 3000 Rivas were built, between 1950 and 1966.

The restored Riva, has a flared bow, confident lines, a tumblehome hull, gleaming engine and exhaust vents and chrome fittings. It seats up to 10 people, plus two (or more) on the sunbed.

The boat is left-hand drive, and uses independent throttles and gear shifts. The latter are on the steering column, (one on either side), while the horizontal throttles are mounted on the side, to the left.

The two Riva Crusader 350XL V8 5.7L 270 horsepower engines offer agility and smooth manoeuvring. The Riva’s fine entry, chine line and deep forefoot combine for a soft ride, light steering and perfect trim. The Crusaders push the boat to a top speed of around 40 knots.

Features of the now restored Riva, include the brand name set into the boss of the steering wheel, the rear vision mirror, the flagstaff, the fairleads, the navigation lights, the windscreen and the windscreen wipers. The attention to detail involved in the craftsmanship is second to none.

LOLA was restored by Sounds Marine boatyard in Waikawa, where the paint was stripped, and the bottom faired. Topsides, some of the teak and mahogany foredeck needed replacing, and a new kingplank was crafted. The interior was cleaned and repainted.

All of the instrumentation is original Riva gear, with original hand-beaten chrome fittings. Many of these latter pieces required re-chroming. Four coats of International’s Epivar two-pot varnish were used on the completed hull, and the bottom painted.

The engines were removed and reconditioned by a local engineering firm, Boating Marlborough.

Specifications

Length 8.02m
Beam 2.62m
Draft 0.60m
Engines 2 x Riva Crusader 350XL V8 5.7L 270hp
Top Speed 40 knots
Fuel Capacity 476 litres

Video footage at link below (thank you Trade-a-boat)

http://www.tradeaboat.co.nz/news-reviews/2009/5/video-1962-riva-tritone-aperto

Story & photos supplied by Ken Rickets. edited by Alan H

Help needed to ID launch

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Help needed to ID launch

A real mixed bag of vessels here. Must have been a regatta or speed boat racing.

Of interest to waitematawoodys is the fine looking launch in the centre with the canoe stern. Can anyone help ID her?

Harold Kidd Update:
There are numerous candidates for the canoe – sterned launch. I will work on ID-ing  her. It’s unusual to have a combination of a raised forward deck, a clerestory, a dodger and a canoe stern on a launch of what…36 feet? In the meantime, some possibilities are RONOMOR, HAZEL, WAHAROA, ROMA and DIXIE.
The little outboard racer is FLEETUN built by Collings & Bell in November 1928. That’s probably Charlie Collings handling her.
 
What I can advice is –
1.       It’s a NZPBA event
2.       It’s on the Whau River
3.       It’s some time after March 1928 and before they moved these races to the Panmure Basin in January 1930.

 

Royal Visit – Britannia

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Royal Visit - Brittania

Royal Visit 1963 – Britannia

Photo taken by William (Bill) Fletcher, ex commodore of the Devonport Yacht club, Grant Cardno’s step grandfather.
Fletcher was an active photographer.
While Britannia is an interesting backround boat, waitematawoodys is more interested in the wooden launches in the foreground.
Any input on naming them would be appreciated.

Photo supplied by Grant Cardno

Polaris

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POLARIS

Story & photos supplied by Russell Ward

Here is a very interesting little boat that has been out of circulation for a while. I have been looking after her since 2005 and she is a shadow of her former self, but in a stable state.

Polaris, a 25’ pilchard trawler was built for a local fisherman by the name of Pearce by H Pearn & Sons Looe Cornwall 1935. The main engine 2 cyl Kelvin with similar engine as port wing engine. Construction is larch and pitch pine on oak frames. As an economy, the planking was not caulked –just fitted well. Pearce employed crews for both his boats and Polaris fished out of Polperro Cornwall until 1947 when she moved to Penarth Wales –I have one of her life rings with homeport Penrath still visible painted on it. She suffered a bilge fire from wing engine exhaust which was dealt with by sinking the vessel.

She was taken over by a boat builder who converted her into a pleasure boat with a strange cabin. In 1950 she was bought by the coroner  Col Kenneth Treasure of Tenby Wales. We think the good Colonel had her rebuilt with a rather more aesthetic cabin and I have a copy of a post card of her in Brixham

1954 found her in the ownership of one Griff Board with a Lister diesel installed. Board took the ship to Brixham where, in 1956-7 she was spotted by Wally Sharples who had seen her when he went to Brixham to see the Mayflower replica. The vessel had an extensive overhaul.

1958 Sharples, his family and apprentice John Penney emigrated to Adelaide and Polaris was shipped as deck cargo on “Queensland Star” 1960  found Sharples and family with Penney in Auckland along with Polaris which was rigged with a gaff mainsail and moored at Bucklands beach. Sharples cruised extensively in the Hauraki Gulf, Bay of Islands and Whangaraoa. I can remember seeing her round the bottom end in the ‘60s looking as pretty as a picture.

In 1970 Sharples and his wife moved to Opua, Bay of Islands and Polaris was moored there. Sharples died onboard after a fishing trip and the boat passed to his apprentice Penney.  1993 Jack Barber and Faye Christian bought Polaris from Penney. They used her extensively but the years were catching up with the ship and she was brought ashore for extensive hull work. This was well under weigh with the hull timbers almost all replaced when Jack Barber died 30 September 2002.

The son of the first owner was in touch and emailed a picture of her in her original form. Some part of me says she should be finished off like that.

Not often a boat travels so many miles on other boats’ keels. Even more fun is the knowledge of a boat’s travels halfway round the world leaving a lot of people who fell in love with her.

Karewa

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KAREWA
The tugboat (Karewa) was built in 1951 by Lidgards for the Department of Works to push barges on the Piako river for the construction of bridges. From there she went to the Tauranga Harbour Board as pilot/survey vessel, finally coming to Warkworth in the early 1980s, where she has been working tirelessly since at Lees Boatbuilders Ltd. In the above photos she is seen assisting Steve Horsley’s yacht Ngatira.

Silver Spray

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Silver Spray

SILVER SPRAY

Story & photo by Lyn Hatrick

The above boat is the Silver Spray which my Dad has noted as being built by Joe Slattery in Judges Bay about 1925 and was 26ft long. It was powered by an Ailsa Craig petrol engine. This boat is still in existence and has been completed done up and is now moored out by the boatsheds at Orakei. My grandfather owned one of the boatsheds there which he housed the Silver Spray in. These sheds were offered to those affected by the buildingof the pipeline and who owned boats which used to be kept up on the foreshore where the Shore Road/Orakei Road intersection is. The family lived in Orakei Road at the time and then moved to Tuahere Street and loved boating

Note the above was ‘borrowed’ from a facebook page & used based on the fact they we borrowing waitmatawoodys material 😉

Alcestis

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Alcestis

ALCESTIS

I’m yet to see a unappealing photo of Alcestis (Mollie,Raiona), this one as Harold Kidd would say ‘going full chat’, look at the exhaust just above the waterline midship, with a steadying sail up.

Photo supplied by Graham Guthrie