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Milford Mooching + Rudder Cup Launch Race – Come & See The Start – This Friday @ 7pm – In Front of the RNZYS.

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Milford Mooching

I dropped in yesterday to catch-up with Geoff Bagnall at his Milford boat yard. I have talked on WW recently about the sale of the site & how Geoff is locking the door & heading North. The actual date is weeks, rather than months away & the woody owners are queuing up at the door to get work done b4 Geoff leaves the creek for the last time.
In the shed, on the hard & next door are a collection of woodys in various stages of repair. The one that interests me the most is the Roy Parris launch that Geoff is re-building for himself, the boat was originally his fathers (still alive, in-fact turns 90 soon). As you would expect the attention to detail is stunning. I will feature her on WW closer to the relaunch date.
Who can tell us more about Mata Hari , I have only ever seen her moored in front of a Milford Creek house, never seems to venture out – I understand (could be wrong) that her owner was the seller of Geoff’s yard.
Photo below ex Ken Ricketts
MATA HARI MILFORD MARINA - 18.3.15 - 1
The Rudder Cup Launch Race – This Friday – Start @ 7pm in front of the RNZYS – Be There – YOU COULD WIN A WW T-SHIRT – The best photo of the start, emailed to me at waitematawoodys@gmail.com will receive a free waitematawoodys t-shirt.
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Helene

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HELENE

Today’s woody is Helene, a 33’8”, 1918 Miller & Tunnage ex workboat. Helene has a 9’10” beam & draws 3’3” & is built from solid kauri.

In her trademe listing (thanks Ian McDonald) there is no mention of an engine, I assume there is one………..?

In her past life as a commercial fishing boat she worked out of Akaroa. At some stage someone has done a smart conversation for pleasure use.

Can anyone fill in the gaps as to past & what engine she has?

Harold Kidd Input – The last time she was on Trade Me was in 2010 in Picton. She then had a 80hp Toyota diesel. No comment. 1918 is wrong as she was built in December 1913 for George Currie as a private launch (in fact as an “auxiliary yacht”). I’m not sure Miller & Tunnage were the builders but it’s possible. Miller Bros launched the big Sundstrum launch NORANA the same month (probably the same tide) so it wasn’t them. She was later in Lyttelton around the late 1920s.

Waitematawoodys T-shirts – Now On Sale

LR2016 ww shirts CM

In case you missed yesterdays story, scroll down to read how to ensure you will not be mistaken for a plastic boat person 😊

 

Woody on tour at Opua, BOI

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Christina

Leilani

Donna Maree

Woody On Tour at Opua, Bay of Islands 

Woody Ian McDonald was recently in the winterless north & popped down to the boatyard at Opua, in the Bay of Islands & snapped the 3 woodys above.
The first photo is Christina, a big heavy woody – obviously a workboat in her previous life, & set up for game /tuna/charter.
Then we have the very pretty Leilani, out for a spruce up. WW link here
Last up is Donna Maree, featured on WW as Donna “Marie” with a Dean Wright photo & an article entitled “Some days are just made for a wheelhouse” (link below). She has a very beautiful hull.

Lady Ellen Restoration Update

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LADY ELLEN  Restoration Update

Just had an update on Bruce Mitchinson’s Lady Ellen restoration project, I wish everyone was a s good as Bruce is in sending in work-in-progress reports 🙂

Bruces words – “Strut and rudder all back in place, below waterline fairing is going on at the moment.

Fairing done on the topsides, final fill and longboard, all over, will happen over the next few weeks.
Toe rails and beltings have been repaired and reinstalled.
Looking to undercoat topsides, deck, and below waterline early next month.
Inside we have stripped the paint off the underside of the cabin top and the decks, ready to be sprayed, along with the rest of the interior, as we move from aft, for’ard.
Cockpit complete with draining floor and seating, plenty of locker space, and gas bottle enclosure.
The existing rod steering, that used to be buried under the old water tanks, has been refurbished and can now be accessed through the new lockers.
Galley and saloon trim underway this week.
Painting inside the hull, to get ready for fitting out below deck.
Keeping the original layout apart from opening up the hanging locker into the for’ard cabin with a McGeady style window opening through the bulkhead.
No guesses as to what I will be doing this Labour weekend.”
Remember – click on photos to enlarge 😉

Mystery Whangarei Launch

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Mystery Whangarei Launch

Today’s launch, if you believe the trademe listing (thx Ian McDonald) is a 26’ ‘Bayee Low’, built in 1960. He rhull is kauri carvel.

Zoom zoom is from a 60hp Isuzu diesel.

Do we know any more about her?

 

Lady Mavis

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Lady Mavis

Ray Sutcliffe

LADY MAVIS
WW was recently contacted by Kathy Makan asking for help in her quest to track down the launch – ‘Lady Mavis’ for which she has been searching for some years now.
Lady Mavis was built by her grandfather Ray Sutcliffe and Kathy spent every moment of her childhood from the day she was born into her 20’s on her.
Lady Mavis started out at 32′ built in Ray’s back yard and was launched in 1954 at Browns Bay (North Shore, Auckland). In 1958 she was lengthened to 42′ at her grandfather’s factory at Barrys Point Road, Takapuna where he built flat bottom boats for flounder fishing and dingys for HC Kitchen Ltd.
Her radio number for calling Music Point was Z.M. 2117.  Kathy believes she was built of kauri with two six cylinder engines.  Ray was appointed an ‘Honorary Launch Warden’ in 1963 under the Harbours Act 1950 by the Minister of Marine.
During summer months she was moored at Waiake Beach in Torbay where they lived and would then be shifted to the Milford Marina during winter. The family cruised extensively to Rangitoto, Tiri, Rakino, Motutapu, Wade River, Kawau Island, Mahurangi River to Warkworth, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel and their favourite the Bay of Islands.
In the photos above we see Lady Mavis & Ray Sutcliffe. Ray’s family were friends with the Fullers from the Bay of Islands and used to go fishing with Mr Fuller on his first launch ‘Udine’.  From his late teens into his twenties Ray used to catch the steamer ‘Clansman’ from Auckland up to the Bay of Islands where he spent his holidays  out on the Fuller’s launch ‘Knoxie’ and going out on the ‘Cream Trip’ as well as other special trips.  He used to stay with the Bullen family who was Mrs Fuller’s sister. Below is a photo of Ray with a kingfish caught on Mr Fuller’s launch ‘Udine’, as well as photos of ‘Knoxie and the ‘Clansman’.
Greatgrandfather Sutchliffe

Estevan

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Estevan AH

ESTEVAN
The above photo of Estevan was sent in by Juliana Cooke, Estevan was her families launch in very late 1969 > early 1970. Juliana was very young back then but she recalls it was hand (home) built either by or for a doctor, probably in 1969. Juliana’s family acquired her in late 1969 & had their first trip away starting on Friday 26th December to Motuihe > Waiheke > Ponui, this cruise went into Jan 1970. Juliana recalls her brothers sailed a Flying Fifteen to Ponui Island and slept there in a tent because Estevan was too small, or thats what they claimed 😉
While the family altered the layout from the original design, it soon became apparent that Estevan was too small for the family, so they bought the launch Robyn Gae, which they owned until very recently.
So woodys does anyone know what happened to Estevan?
(As a side issue, I understand that Robyn Gae, that was being sold by Tom Nesbitt, has been sold. Will be interesting to to find out what the buyer paid, relative to the buy price……. I’m not against a fair profit but there is fair & fair 😉
Harold Kidd Input – All I have is that ESTEVAN was owned by Dr J.E.R Edgar of Orakei Road in 1966 and by R.G. Shaw of Dominion Road in 1973. The Turnwalds owned her in between those two.

A Peek Inside Dave Jackson’s Shed

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A Peek Inside Dave Jackson’s Shed

Woody Dave Walker recently sent me these photos of Dave Jackson at work in his Warkworth workshop.
In the above photos we see Dave working on a 8’ clinker (ply) dinghy of his own design, in the background (more photos below) is a 16’ day-sailer he built, again own design.
It’s great to see that such a talented man is still turning out fine craft. Dave would list is age as 80+ so well done I say. The dinghy looks ace.
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Need A Trailer?
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Laughing Lady’s owner James Dreyer, has kindly made an offer to loan his beast of a trailer to anyone starting a restoration & needing a trailer.
It currently has Jason Prew’s – My Girl onboard (see below) but will be free very soon.
The trailer can easily deal with 35′ x 10′ and 12 tons.  Pintle eye type trailer hitch.  New wheel bearings and great tyres.
Disclaimer is the air brakes are not operational nor is it road legal.  It has covered Tauranga > Whangateau > Auckland with ease behind a large truck. James is happy for the bunks to be modified as & where needed, as long as it is returned to as found when done.
Anyone interested can contact James as below:
jamesdreyer@hotmail.com
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Rotorua Woodys + Goodsons Trucking

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Rotorua Woodys + Goodsons Trucking

I have been contacted by Lesley Parker who is researching the Rotorua trucking firm of Goodsons Ltd. In the process of her research Lesley came across the above photos, & she is keen to learn more about them – dates, location, name of the launches etc.
The photos come from Lesley’s grandparents, who are Gregorys & coincidentally- her godfather was actually surnamed Goodson. He ran a tobacconists in Rotorua and was a friend of her uncle and her father.
There are two launches pictured above, one with a tram top & dog-house, and the other with a sedan cabin configuration, this one is named ‘Moose’. Given the location of the trucking firm (Rotorua) & the name Moose, I suspect the boat was connected to Moose Lodge?
Lesley also sent in the photos below of Goodsons logging trucks (same truck, different load), this photo may like jog some memories re dates

Harold Kidd Input – 

The 28 footer MOOSE was built by Collings & Bell for Noel Cole of Moose Lodge, Rotoiti in February 1939. It looks like she was railed to Rotorua and taken by Goodsons’ Ford V8 truck to Rotoiti. Her engine (unknown but probably a Gray, like BETTY’s) was right aft and used a Vee drive, then a novelty in NZ, the layout designed by H. C. Meikle.The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh used her when they stayed with (Sir) Noel at Moose Lodge.

Woody On Tour Up North

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MANA ROSE Opua

MANUIA, WAIRUAMA & OTHERS WAITANGI INLET

Woody on Tour

Ken Ricketts sent in the selection of photos above from a recent trip (car) up North to the Bay of Islands.
An eclectic mix of craft – some known, some not – we see Manuia in the Waitangi Inlet, Mana Rose hauled out on her owners Opua front lawn, the salty wee ship Weitox.
Anyone able to ID the unknown below?