Category Archives: *

Where and when did we go wrong

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WHERE AND WHEN DID WE GO WRONG
I just love the photos above, back then even smaller boats and boats with outboards still looked like real boats. I’d like to think that if something like these boats were around today they would be popular.
The caption on the top photo reads ’The Latest Development of Outboard Motor-Boating.  A 20ft. V-bottom cabin boat built at Tauranga for use with a large-size outboard motor’
The SeaCraft runabout photo is via Peter Murton and again shows us that even small craft can look very salty.
Next week/weekend at the Auckland Viaduct Boat Show you will see some terrible examples of companies NOT using the skills of a designer or marine architect  – but there will be some cool examples e.g. Dickey Boats from Napier seem to get it right every year 🙂
HIGHEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE EVER VIEWING waitematawoodys YESTERDAY

Interesting day yesterday, WW struggles with the UK market, despite lots of promotional activity we just can not seem to crack it. Yesterday was the biggest number of individual people ever on one day visiting the WW site, with UK visitors 2nd in numbers to NZ for the 1st time ever. Checking out the stats the WW story titled ‘Electro-Chemical Damage Update’ by Chris McMullen was the single biggest viewed page.

I can only assume that somewhere in the UK, maybe a wooden boat building school or a tech university etc told all their pupils to check out Chris’s findings – what ever the reason its great to see the WW site and Chris’s research findings getting exposure around the world 🙂

Maree Anne

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MAREE ANNE 
Anne Maree was built in 1950, kauri planked, 26’ in length and powered by a 3 cylinder Lister18hp Lister diesel engine.
Home port is Dargaville, Northland.
Thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads up on this woody.
That folks is all me know – anyone able to expand on her provenience ?

Des Townson  – A Sailing Legacy – Perfect Fathers Day Present – Ordering Details Below

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Des Townson  – A Sailing Legacy

Back in July Brian Peet contacted me about his latest book publishing project, Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy. Brian asked if I would like to attend the launch night, a smallish gathering in the dinghy locker at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron – of course I said yes and a few days later an advance copy of the book arrived via courier. Well that buggered my plans for that day 🙂
I later asked Brian if I could sneak a couple more onto the invite list, which happened. Then Brian lets me know that things have snow balled and the launch was now in the main ballroom at the RNZYS, things had stepped up a few notches.
Fast forward to last night and the who’s who of yachting is crammed into the Squadron. My guess would be 400+ people. Speakers were the Squadron Commodore Ian Cook, Des’s younger brother – Bill Townson and Brian Peet. Ian built six Zephyrs under Des Townson’s supervision, won the National Champs in 1980. Bill Townson is a skilled boatbuilder, yacht designer and amphibian aircraft designer/builder.
I sneaked in early any took a few photos and videos of some of the exhibits, which included a Starling, Zephyr, Mistral and a 1956 replica of Des Townson’s first commercial design Nimble. What most caught my eye, was the Townson 2.4m dinghy on display that had just been built by Allan Hooper at the NZ Traditional Boatbuilding School. Its for his own use, but if you ask me it should be should be on display somewhere. Talking to Allan I understand the school will have ‘build your own’ kits and how to classes – perfect opportunity to own a Townson.
I later filmed Brian’s talk / presentation, see below – it is a wonderful insight into how the book came about and challenges Brian had over the 10 years it took to complete it.
 
As I have said before – its a great read, buy it, you won’t be sorry – as Brian said last night – it is a “sailing book, about a sailor, written by a sailor”.
 
Enjoy the video, then buy the book – either via the website https://destownson.co.nz  or if you prefer to do a bank transfer, email Brian with your name and postal address and he will reply with bank account details – its that easy info@destownson.co.nz
 
Oops nearly forgot –  Details on how to win a copy of the book on WW, later in the week.

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Malolo

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MALOLO

David Stanaway recently sent in the above photos of the launch Malolo. As seen here hauled out at Dargaville.
David commented that Malolo drew a blank with him re any details on her builder and history – maybe one of the West Coast woodys can enlighten us, come in Zach Matich 🙂
I’m in Thames, so will mooch down to the marina and grab a few photos.
Harold Kidd Input – MALOLO is a common name for boats = ‘flying fish” in generic Pacific languages, the equivalent of Maroro in Maori. I have a splendid oil painting of the fishing launch MARORO AK171 in the Viaduct c1970 which could easily be this launch. H A Richards of Harlston Ave Mt Albert had a MARORO from 1952 to 1957 at least that could be this boat too. I would think she was built about 1950.

Taieri Lass

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TAIERI LASS
Taieri Lass’s name came from her first role as a 1947 Miller & Tunnage 40’ work boat – built to carry freight up the Tier River.
She is powered by a Ford 4 cylinder diesel engine.
Currently moored in Purau Bay, Lyttelton Harbour, her owner for the last 15 years. During her owners period, the wheelhouse was extended to accomodate a kitchenette, fridge and bench setting.
Her trade listing is a little light on details but from the photos she appears to have good bones and crying out for  someone to complete the conversation to leisure use.
Remember to check in Monday for a photo essay from todays Woody Classics Weekend cruise to the Riverhead Hotel.
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Rosemary M

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Rosemary M – 4 Sale

Rosemary M is a 1915 Lanes built launch, constructed of carval planked kauri hull and top sides. Powered by a 1986 Yanmar, 80 horse power, 4-cylinder, diesel inboard engine, that gets her along at a top speed of 14 knots.
She was appeared numerous times on WW and has just come on the market after being overhauled / repaired by the Pollard Brothers after a wee marina oops, where a piece of floating plastic mistook his throttles for his gearshift and clipped the side of Rosemary M with his duckboard.
Like most Pollard boats 🙂 she is structurally and mechanically very good, just needs a steady hand with a paint brush to get her ready for summer.
Rosemary M would make a great entry level woody for someone wanting to join the wooden boat movement + the Yanmar is a bonus i.e. 14 knots !!
MAYBE WE MIGHT SEE HER MAKING AN APPEARANCE AT TOMORROWS WOODY CLASSICS WEEKEND – RIVERHEAD TAVERN CRUISE ????????
Links below to view her previous story on WW + recent video of her underway

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Mansion House Opening Labour Day 1979

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Mansion House Opening Labour Day 1979

The above photos of Mansion House, Kawa Island were sent in by Juliana Cooke.
Quite an impressive turnout but a lot of plastic floating in the bay, and also the tenders tied at the wharf are predominately plastic.
Still I can spy some well done Woodys at anchor.
These days you wouldn’t see the ferries rafted up like that – Fullers far too precious to do that, but these days on a peek holiday period – one would have broken down, one would be out for annual maintaince and the remaining ferry would be running 1hr late 🙂
06-09-2019 Input from Neil Chalmers –  see below, souvenir cover bought on the day at Kawau. Neil recalls Sir Keith H (Governor General) arriving in the SeaBee widgeon (or was it a goose) and giving a speech at the opening.

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JEANETTE C23 – Updated Story

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Start of a cruise down the gulf. Barbara, Dick’s elder daughter at the tiller.

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Jeanette cruising. Ngataringa coming up astern. Takapuna shore in background.

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Wet decks from stiff westerly. Running close during race to Islington Bay. Dinghy lashed on deck for more speed. Rangitoto on port bow.

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(This picture dated 28 January 1961, so must have been sent to Bob when he’d returned to the UK. ) Jeanette at the start of the Trans Tasman Race. Bob. Bill Patterson at tiller. Bob Watham in the cockpit. Harry Pope up forward.

JEANETTE C23 – Updated Story
 
Back in June 2019 I did a story on the 1933, Ted Le Huquet built yacht Jeanette, WW link below, this prompted Drew Glasgow to send in the photos above taken in the early 1950’s by his late father Bob Glasgow, who often sailed in her, together with Dick and Barbara Bakewell, who bought the yacht off Ted Le Huquet.
According to Bob’s description, written on the back of one photograph, she was a 34′ marconi-rigged cutter.
 
I have captioned each photo with text supplied by Drew from the back of the photos, penned by his father.
Question of the day – any one able to tell us how the above yacht ended up in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, USA? Is it a Kiwi boat or just been named by a Kiwi?
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Mystic

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MYSTIC
 
Back in April 2015, we ran a story on the Swanson designed launch Mystic, refer WW link below. At the time Simon Manning commented that Mystic was owned by Colin and Lorraine Davis of Blenheim. Simon recalls that the Davis’s bought her in Lyttleton, a few years prior.  Colin’s son Carl, who is an Auckland-based teacher and also a quaified boatbuilder, has done some maintenance jobs and also some work around the transom areas during his various school holiday trips south. Simon observed that despite being on a mooring in Waikawa Bay, Marlborough, Mystic gets plenty of use. https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/04/11/mystic/
 
Owner Colin Davis advised that she was built / launched in Picton in 1965. Her hull is double diagonal kahikatea and power is via a Toyota HD turbo 140hp diesel.
 
Fast forward to late January 2019 and a comment appears on WW from Kylie Curry, the daughter of the original owner, Graham Wilkinson – I have reprinted it below 
 
“Mystic was originally my dads (Graham Wilkinson)..he purchased the hull and finished the rest of her in the backyard himself. (We even have pics of her in the backyard).
He then went on to do the same with Shalimar. Dad was also the pilot of 25 + Cook Strait marathon swims and search and rescue for the police.
He often talked about Mystic and we (my dad, mum, four brothers and I) had amazing holidays down the sounds every year (first on Mystic – pre my time) and then on Shalimar.”
Sadly Kylie also advised that Graham died in early January 2019. 
 
I contacted Kylie and asked if she would share the early days photos of Mystic and these are what you see above. 
Again another example of the reach and power of waitematawoodys  – with one colour photo (below) in 2015, we were able to 3 1/2 years later to flush out more on Mystic.
Special thanks to Kylie for sharing these family photos with us.
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21-08-2019 Input from Graham Taylor –  “Graham Wilkinson had many skills, one of which was an expert prop tuner. He made many a fast prop for us when we were racing speedboats and chasing NZ speed records. One particular propeller did set a new record for its engine class with a two way run over the measured mile. On that occasion the slip factor was just 6.7%, amazing when the “norm” is often around 33% !

We even flew to Australia when he lived there to collect a new prop and carry it home carefully so it would not get dinged when freighted normally.”

 

Mystery Launch 16-08-2019

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Mystery Launch 16-08-2019

Another mystery launch photo from Andy Donovan’s boat broking days – that distinctive stern hopeful will ring a bell with one of the woodys.
Kiwi’s On The World Stage
Marco Scuderi and his yard – MCN Shipwrights – are making noises in the world of classic boating with a double page feature in the August 2019 edition of UK Classic Boating magazine.
Well done Marco. And just by coincidence I’m at the yard later today to check out the 1969 Riva Superaquarama restoration, before it heads back to its owner across the Tasman. Twin 454 V8’s so cool zoom zoom  photos soon 😉
UK Classic Boat August2019