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.

CYGNET – Restoration

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CYGNET – Restoration

 The 35’ launch – CYGNET was built in Auckland in 1913, builder unknown,  and started life as the cream boat on the Mokau River.  A 2016 WW story (link below) advised that she was restored in 1998 and operated on the Mokau as a passenger vessel. 

In a story this week on ’The Kawhia Connection’ fb, Andrew Shaw commented that CYGNET was owned by a John Ruby between mid 1950’s and 1994, based in Kawhia. Also operated for a time by Grant and Pauline Taylor.

Andrew Shaw advised that they had nearly finished a 3 year restoration of CYGNET and a launch date is eminent  (Thanks to Lew Redwood for the heads up)

WW story Oct 2016https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/10/22/23124/

ALICE – Workboat Wednesday

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ALICE – Workboat Wednesday

The above photo of the workboat – ALICE popped up on a Ray Morey fb post on the ’Tugs & Workboats of NZ’ site. At the time Ray commented that the photo showed ALICE on the Onehunga Harbour, and shows how she looked when she arrived at Tuakau. She was powered by a 3 cyl, 2 stroke Gardner semi diesel engine. Ray also commented that her previous owner was George Higham.

Can we learn more about this very smart looking craft

DOROTHY – Collings & Bell

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DOROTHY (Collings & Bell)

Back in July 2015 we shared a photo of the 1911 Collings & Bell built 35’ launch.  – DOROTHY, in the photo ex Barry Davis,  she was under power and looked very impressive. Note: the photo had been retouched many years ago. 

At the time of the 2015 story Harold Kidd contributed a wealth of intel on DOROTHY and her original owner – W.J. Quelch + her builders, Collings &Bell. Clink below to the story 

WW July 2015 story. https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/07/01/dorothy-2/

Through the powers of the WW archives, Lynley Stone discovered the 2015 story and reached out to share todays photo of DOROTHY and to advise of her grandfather – Lindsay Burrell Stone connection to the launch – I’ll let Lynley tell the story :

“ The above photo of the Dorothy – I think it was probably taken summer 1915-16. It is from my grandfather’s photo album. Either he took it, or it was a gift from the Frys. 

I have evidence that Roland Fry owned the Dorothy at least as early as September 1914. 

My grandfather was Lindsay Burrell Stone. His father Arthur was first cousin to Roland Fry.  Lindsay joined up when war was declared and sailed from Auckland with the Main Body of troops, leaving in September 1914.  

In a letter he posted from Colombo, en route to Egypt in 1914, he asked after The Dorothy and sent his best wishes to Roland. This indicates that he had developed some sort of relationship with the launch before he left.” (Photo ex Lindsay Burrell Stone album)

Q406 > NEW VENTURE > MOTUNUI > WAITANIC 

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Q406 > NEW VENTURE > MOTUNUI > WAITANIC 

Todays story comes to us via Ken Ricketts, with details and photos begged/borrowed/ uplifted by KR from the following sources – fb/google/Lew Redwood/Ken Brown/Daniel Michaels and KR himself.

The ship Q406, is probably the last Fairmile left in NZ. She was used during WW2, as a N.Z. coastal patrol boat, and later in the Solomons. Once she and the other Fairmiles returned back to Auckland in 1945, they were decommissioned. 

Q406 was offered up for sale via tender and purchased by Rodney Farry, who fitted 2 x Graymarine marinised GM Detroit 6-71 diesel engines, and converted her into a passenger ship. In this configuration she operated around the Otago Harbour, until she ran aground on a sandbar, causing Farry to lose interest in the concept. 

She was renamed NEW VENTURE in 1949 and sailed back to Auckland, under command of a temporary crew. While sailing back, she struck a violent storm off the Castlecliff Coast, with the inexperienced sailors clinging near the coast. 

In 1950, she was sold to Waiheke Shipping Co. and had her name changed to MOTUNUI and was used as a passenger ferry, transporting people to and from Auckland to Waiheke, Great Barrier & Motuihe Islands. 

When Waiheke Shipping was sold to North Shore Ferries. MOTUNUI would continue operating under them until 1984, when she was sold into private ownership. 

Over the next 20 years she would switch ownership multiple times, one of these being to the late Ken Brown, an old friend of Ken Rs, who converted her to pleasure craft use, in the 1980s. She was kept at the bottom of his garden, on the water’s edge, in the Tamaki River. 

There were plans in 1997 to have her brought to survey standards in time to be used as a sightseeing boat for the America’s Cup. 

This was abandoned when relations between the joint owners, (& several suppliers) soured. Even though much work was done by then (including fitting an original wheelhouse taken from Fairmile Kahu). 

She was sold again in 2001 and 2006, when she took one final voyage to Tauranga, so her machinery could be removed, along with her superstructure. 

Her final owner was Barry Woods, who operated Woodlyn Park Motel, at Waitomo. MOTUNUI was hauled onto land, and converted into a motel, now advertised as the ‘WAITANIC’. A sad ending but better than a date with a backhoe and box of matches and she has some funky neibours for company – a Bristol Frighter and railway car, refer below 🙂 . (edited by Alan H)

The Adoration Of Wooden Boats

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AWBF – HOBART 2023

The Adoration Of Wooden Boats

One of the many wooden bating channels that I follow is {the} Southern Woodenboat Sailing news-blog out of Australian, their tag line is ‘The News, Culture and Practice of Sailing Woodenboats in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific’ . Its very good check it out and subscribe. In this weeks communiqué one of the stories was a link to a 45min interview on the ABC Radio Sydney’s nightlife program, hosted by Philip Clark – the stations intro blurb was – ‘We are a land bound by sea, and boats are an integral part of Australia’s history. Wooden boats especially have something magical about them. They flex, they groan, they creak. They each have unique characters. Philip Clark on Nightlife is joined by a panel of wooden boat specialists. Steve Robson, a self-confessed timber tragic from Sydney. Peter Higgs, President of the Wooden Boat Guild of Tasmania and Greg Blunt, a shipwright and fifth generation boat builder from Williamstown, each with wooden boats in their veins.‘

Click the link below to listen to the interview – so many similarities to the NZ scene, a lot of the discussion focussed on the dwindling wooden boat building timber stocks, being Australia its Huon Pine, they do make reference to out mighty Kauri.

Three comments that made my ears prick up: 1. The key tip for looking after these old girls is – usage and maintenance was use it and often e.g. one > two weeks

2. In Australia fractional ownership eg a group of people forming a syndicate to buy, maintain and use  vessel is well established. In NZ I only know of 2>3 successful ownership syndicates. While there are numerous ‘charitable’ (I use the word loosely) trusts that own and maintenance classic yachts, seems NZ is slow out of the gates with fractional ownership groups – food for thought.

3. One of the panel was asked to give an estimate to build a clinker dinghy out of Huon Pine – answer for a 10’ one AUS$30>40,000………..CLICK LINK BELOW TO ABC RADIO 

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/nightlife/the-adoration-of-wooden-boats/103743090?utm_campaign=abc_listen&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_listen

KOTUKU – Gets A Second Life

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Coromandel
Coromandel
Gulf Harbour May2024

KOTUKU – Gets A Second Life

Back in August 2019 we reported on the 32’ Alan Williams designed / built launch – KOTUKU and her refit happening at Gulf Harbour – link below WW August 2019 Story https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/08/29/kotuku-2/

Then in Feb 2023 KOTUKU was a casualty of Cyclone Gabrielle, while moored in Wyuna Bay in Coromandel. She broke her mooring and was swept ashore in 160kph winds. KOTUKU was salvaged and taken to the Coromandel hardstand, composite photos above.

Fast forward to March 2024 and Rod and Karyn Klarwill while cruising the Coromandel area discovered the vessel and acquired / rescued her.
Yesterday WW was advised that  KOTUKU had been relocated to Gulf Harbour where her new owners are busy working carrying out repairs and installing a replacement engine.  She will then make her home in Matauwhai Bay in the Bay of Islands under the ownership of the builder’s great nephew, Karl Takle. Photo below ex Gulf Harbour 2019

LADY K

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LADY K

The photos above go the launch LADY K come to us from Lan Krules and we see her in a mud berth at Kailua, Firth of Thames.

Ian commented that her owner told him that LADY K was built c.1970’s and is kauri planked.

She may have been a ‘rescue’ boat at some time in her life, looking at her I think she is close to needing to be rescued her self:-)

Can we learn more about LADY K

MATUA

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MATUA

Mooching around Milford Marina yesterday waiting to meet someone and I spotted a woody that is new to my eyes – MATUA. Enlarging the photo I can read her home port as ‘Whangaparapara, Great Barrier Island’

What do we know about MATUA.

INPUT ex John Wicks – She’s a converted lifeboat, and a nice example of the type. In her previous incarnation she was one of the old island liner “Matua’s” lifeboats, hence the name. For several years she was here at Hobsonville Marina, in the ownership of the Redwood family. I don’t know who has her now.

INPUT ex GRAEME SAPWELL – a mate of mine Dave Cox bought her from marine haulage’s yard at Hillside Road, Glenfield back in the late 70s . It was then just an abandoned open life boat. He repaired the hull and built the cabin on it and fitted an old 2 cyl Dorman engine. It also was kept at Milford marina at the time.

Speaking of Milford Marina – there is a major make-over happening there – the days of the loose planked board walks that you had to climb ladders to access your boat at low tide are numbered. Totally new design that is up there with any of Aucklands other marinas, sadly I suspect the berthing rates will be going up, which could be the end of some of the tired old woodys currently residing there.

MAXIE

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MAXIE

Just when you think you know all the classic wooden boats out there (well at least all the pretty ones) up pops another.

Todays woody comes to us via the USA, boat designer Tad Roberts posted the story of MAXIE on fb.

Tad told us that MAXIE was designed and built by the Logan Brothers 1903. She was rebuilt with a larger deckhouse to the drawings of Bruce Askew in the early 1990’s.

She measures 36’ x 7’ and is built of double-planked kauri.

Power is a 65hp Ford diesel with a 2:1 reduction gear turning 13’x18’ prop, giving her a max speed of 10 knots. Comfortable cruising is 9 knots at 1750 rpm.

I did some sniffing around in the WW back library and discovered that back in Feb 2018 we had a wonderful insight into MAXIE’s past from Greg Noble – lots of details and photos at the WW link below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/02/12/mavis/

You’ll sell how todays photo didn’t jog my memory.

So woodys – where is MAXIE these days.

INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – Lake Taupo. MAXIE has been here for many years. She berths next to ROMANCE and gets a lot of attention from passers-by for all the wrong reasons. She has been neglected for a long time and is covered in lichem (moss) and the rest. Until yesterday. Her owner started a major cleaning job yesterday. She will clean up really well and then she may be for sale. Better days ahead for MAXIE. She deserves it.

INPUT ex HAROLD KIDD – MAXIE was bought by a Wellington buyer and arrived from the Sounds in 1923. She was later put up for sale as Logan-built. Going back to 1903, H.H. Harris of Pelorus ordered a 30ft launch from Logan Bros which was shipped to Picton in October 1903. Harris called her LIGAR. In 1904 he ordered another launch from Logan Bros, a 36 footer which was “similar to MATAREKA”. I am certain he named her LIGAR as well and that she was/is MAXIE. I don’t know who christened her MAXIE, possibly the Kennys. PS MAXIE could have been named after the racehorse Marvin Maxie a leading thoroughbred around 1920. The Kennys were too late on the Picton waterfront scene to have been involved.

Mystery Wooden Boat & Location

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Mystery Wooden Boat & Location

The woody photo above popped up on Lew Redwood’s fb and in the photo we see a launch being craned out of what probably was a back-yard building site.

The name on the crane is H.J. Hensley, does that ring any bells out there.

Keen to learn – location / date /  builder / boat name.