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.
Todays photos recently popped up on the ‘ Carey Boats’ fb in a post by Phillip Carey and show the very smart looking 46′ workboat KAHENO. Phillip commented that when launched in 1966 she was powered by a Gardner 6LX, which may have been replaced in the 1990’s with a 5LW.
Hamish Mason commented that she was built for his grandfather – Dick Mason. She was once owned by the Salvation Army to service Rotoroa Island. She tragically sank with the loss of 4 lives in the Tamaki Strait circa 1986 whilst carrying timber as deck cargo.
From previous WW stories we learnt that she was refloated and in the 2016 > 2019 period underwent a conversion to pleasure craft. Links to those WW stories below.
Recently on Lew Redwood’s fb he posted the above photos of the Rawene, Hokianga Harbour runabout MISS BUBB:ES. Lew commented the the gent on the right (bow) was Andrew Stone.
The Lanes Ferry booking office is on the left and the Hotel is seen in the background. No concerns about lifejackets in those days…….
WHANGAREI MARITIME FESTIVAL – THIS WEEKEND
If you are looking for a great day out, point the car north this weekend and check out the 2024 Whangarei Maritime Festival. I went last year and it was brilliant , something for everyone and the dockside display of classic woodys is a must see.Full details here https://www.whangareimaritimefestival.co.nz/boatshow
Back in Jan 2023 (linked below) we shared some photos of the 40’ Keith Atkinson designed / built wooden launch – SHANGO anchored in Little Oneroa, Waiheke Island. Today thanks to Ian McDonald and tme we get to have a gander below decks. Construction is stripped plank kauri. Built c.1970’s.
SHANGO is powered by a Ford 200hp 2728T diesel engine that gives her a 9 knot cruising speed. At some stage in her ownership life someone must have done some serious cruising her her – she has 1000L fuel capacity.
CAN CLASSIC VESSEL – VECTIS BE RESCUED + Details On Labour Weekend Woodys Happenings at Kawau Island
At the recent Woodys weekend cruise to Clevedon I ws chatting dockside with Jim Lott and he alerted me to the plight of the 1929 Bert Woolacott Keeler – VECTIS that these days resides on San Francisco Bay, USA. I’ll hand over to Jim to tell the story –
For the past 45 years, VECTIS has been sailing the waters of San Francisco Bay. Her current owner, Louis, has lavished TLC on her after a major restoration of the cockpit and aft deck. He now says his racing days are over and he is looking for someone who will appreciate and look after this fine little ship as she turns 100.
Louis has not found anyone in the Bay and has asked me to see if there is some way she can come home to where her life began in 1929.
“VECTIS” is 31ft plus bowsprit and 9ft 6in beam displacing seven tons. She is planked with 1¼ inch kauri over bent ribs, with every 4th rib sawn pohutukawa. She is fastened with copper rivets and treated with red lead, the well-tested standard at that time, and has bronze keel bolts. The deck was laid kauri, fore and aft over diagonals, and caulked with cotton and tar. Coamings and bright work are mahogany, with oregon spars.
She was built in 1929 and was probably the first Bert Woollacott keeler built in New Zealand. While the Registration Certificate named Percy Vos as the builder, other sources credit her build to Woollacott. Unlike Bert Woollacott’s later designs, she had a spoon bow and a bit of a counter aft, and was masthead cutter rigged.
She was well known around Auckland with owners including the Colebrook family and Alan Doull who was the manager at the RNZYS. She competed in one Suva race.
Karin and I bought her in 1970. At that time, a 32’ (9.5m) yacht was considered the ideal size for ocean sailing. The survey showed some areas of decayed timber in the deck, coamings and carlin just forward of the cockpit.
The deck was cut away exposing more extensive decay than expected and we also decided that the Morris petrol engine would need to be replaced with diesel. The cockpit was wider than the cabin trunk, so with the rot removed, it made sense to carry that width forward and incorporate a raised doghouse in the style of later Woollacott designs, giving more room below and some shelter at the forward end of the cockpit. We also added a small amount of headroom in the forward cabin, but left the original athwartships coaming in place just abaft the mast.
After a voyage in the Pacific, we sold “VECTIS” in 1975 and a few years later we heard she had been sold to San Francisco.
Simon Smith, who was tragically killed during the 2023 ‘Coastal Classic’, recalled happy times sailing on “VECTIS” as a youngster. He introduced me to the current owner, Louis who is delighted with “VECTIS”. He purchased her in a run-down state and undertook a two-year restoration , which he detailed. He describes the hull as like new, in spite of the past 95 years.
Louis is realistic about the value of VECTIS and is mainly interested in ensuring she goes to the right person. Getting her to New Zealand is a challenge, but she is very capable of making the voyage where fair winds can be expected along the route.
Even for such a historic yacht, finding the right owner is more of a challenge and we all know the cost of keeping a vessel in Auckland.
I am in touch with Louis and anyone who can help or be involved can contact me jim.karin.lott@gmail.com
Labour Weekend Just 20 Days Away – Join Us At Kawau Island
Commencing this year the Kawau Boating Club are celebrating the start of summer with the SPRING SPLASH REGATTA. A weekend of fun and friendship on and off the water. KBC are holding hands with Ponsonby Cruising Club to run the on the water sailing events – full details in the Notice of Regatta at this LINK WW encourages all yacht owners to consider participating in the Regatta.
The main reason for todays post is to confirm that WW has been working with KBC and PCC to involve the classic launch fleet and classic cruising yachts in the weekends activities. Aside from enjoying the overall ambience of Kawau Island and the recently renovated clubhouse which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner on all days, we have two events for woody boaties.
1. On Saturday 26th waitematawoodys invites classic boat owners to gather ashore at Lidgard House (deck) at 4pm for a meet up – BYO
2. On Sunday 27th waitematawoodys will be mustering classic vessels to convene off KBC wharf at 11am for the Classic Woodys Parade ,a circuit of Bon Accord Harbour. As with all good WW gigs there will be plenty of booty to be won – eg longest travelled boat, best dressed boat, etc + spot prizes and all classic boats flying either a WW burgee or KBB / PCC burgee will go in the draw for a complimentary haul out (3days) at the Slipway Milford yard. More details on Saturday afternoon.
With WW life is simple – no entry forms – just turn up on the day and enjoy the company of the classic wooden boating community.
In the 2017 story thanks to a previous owner – Nigel Drake, we received a wonderful insight into the vessels past.
Today thanks to a Ian McDonal and tme we get to have gander below decks.
Some intel – designed and built in 1962 by Brin Wilson, 39’ in length, built from kauri, carvel construction. Forward motion is by the ever popular Ford 120hp, 6 cyl, diesel engine.
CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH- LADY CAROLE – A Peek At Stage II Over the last few months we have been following the restoration the classic launch – LADY CAROLE and as seen in Wednesdays WW story LC is now back in the water.Whilst the exterior work has almost been completed and we will not be getting any updates for a while, we asked o-owner Patrick Crawshaw to share with us what’s inshore for Phase II (interior). Patrick commented that she originally had a beautiful kauri trimmed interior and the original configuration will be restored along with the fine timber work she once had. A few modern additions will bring her into the 21st century, but these will be hidden, or discreetly placed. The thinking / plans are shown in the drawings below Forward Cabin with four berth bunks. Toilet through the mirror in the bow.
FORWARD CABIN – with 4 berths/bunks – toilet thru the mirror/door > bow
CAN ME PUT A NAME TO THIS CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – WENNA
Trolling thru the WW archives recently I came across a folder from back in 2017, from memory one of the WW readers found an old photo album (below) that had been discarded and sent in a collection of random scans taken from the album. Sorry but I have not recorded the senders name.
A lot of the photos were damaged but several were in good shape. Todays woody story features a launch hauled out near Sam Ford’s yard.
INPUT ex HAROLD KIDD – She was built as WENNA for Eric O’Neill of Ponsonby in 1925, probably by Collings & Bell in whose yard she is shown hauled out. In 2014 she was RANGATIRA, owned by George Emtage and Pam Cundy at Whangateau. They reverted to the name WENNA.
CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – LADY CAROLE – UPDATE #8 – LAUNCH DAY
After a full few months co-owner Patrick Crawshaw reports in on the big day – as always Patrick tells the story…….
“ LADY CAROLE was relaunched on Saturday with much fanfare with about thirty people turning out to see her.
It’s taken four months’ to restore her exterior to her original lines and design. Next year the interior will be restored to her original layout and a new motor put in so we will start all over again and I will send posts on this final phase two part of the project.
I would like to say a big thank you to Waitemata Woody’s for the help in retrieving items that were lost and also the great advice they have given me over the past four months.
A big thank you also to the Bay of Islands Yacht Club who have also supported the restoration of LADY CAROLE with such great spirit. The club works on a volunteer basis and everyone helps out and works together. It’s been a privilege to be there five days a week among the great community that is the Bay of Islands Yacht Club. It was also a great honour that LADY CAROLE was asked to be a regatta boat. I am sure she will enjoy being in service to the club.
So now a new chapter for LADY CAROLE begins. She has to date had a very full and eventful life: Some of her adventures include slipping her mooring in the sixties and getting jammed under the Waitangi Bridge. A great petrol-vapour explosion happened in Whangaroa in the early 1970’s, after which her engine was changed to diesel. She almost sank on her pole at Waipapa Landing during a Kerikeri flood in the sixties and sailed out to witness the re-sinking of the Rainbow Warrior in 1987. She has been all over New Zealand from Whangaroa to the South Island and everywhere in between. These are just a few of the stories I know about – there are many, many more I am sure…
On Friday night she was put on display for the weekly dinner held at the yacht club. Saturday was busy doing last minute jobs. She went in at 4pm and sat in the cradle for ten minutes as we looked at all the water pouring into the hull hoping that once we were off the cradle, the bilge would keep up. The motor started up with a great plume of black smoke and she reversed out and sped off, very happy to be free from the cradle and parched environment she had been in for four months.
Friday Evening
Launch Day – 28th September
CIRCLE LABOUR WEEKEND IN THE DIARY – OCT 25 > 28TH – MORE DETAILS LATER IN THE WEEK BUT THIS IS SHAPING UP TO BE THE CLASSIC WOODY WEEKEND OF THE SEASON
Todays woody story is the last from my recent trip to Tutukaka marina. The woody seen in the above photos looks a tad familiar but my brain search mode is a somewhat slow these days 🙂 Not sure if she is midway thru a varnish job or just crying out for some TLC, hopefully the first.
Can we put a name to the vessel and anymore intel on her. – Its MERLIN, but we still know very little about her.
CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – GLENIFFER – A Peek Down Below
Todays woody is the 39’ classic wooden Bridgedecker – GLENIFFER. A recent addition to tme (thanks Ian McDonald) – as always seems to be the case a few factual discrepancies, so in the interests of getting right on WW , we will go with what Harold Kidd advised in a previous WW story (linked below – great b/w photo there) that she was built by Chas Bailey & Sons and launched in October 1930.
GLENIFFER also made a cameo WW appearance in April 2017 (linked below)
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