Category Archives: 1910’s

2023 Thames Traditional Boat Festival + Woody Kawau Weekend

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2023 Thames Traditional Boat Festival + Woody Kawau Long Weekend

Following on from Sundays story on Olaf Wiig’s slipper launch – Vega, todays photos comes to us from Olaf who attended the Thames traditional boat festival in his slipper launch.

There is an awful lot of varnish on display and the attention to detail is spot on. The festival is on my bucket list. Olaf commented that this years festival didn’t have the usual sparkling weather but there was still plenty of varnish on display. He focused the camera on some of the interesting smaller boats.  

Links below to previous festivals:

2019 (photos ex Ian Gavin)  https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/11/04/2019-thames-traditional-boat-festival-100-classic-wooden-boats/

2020 (photos ex Olaf Wiig)  https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/09/06/thames-traditional-boat-festival-2021/
2021  (photos ex the ‘Cruising The Cut’ weblog)  https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/07/29/2022-thames-traditional-boat-festival/

There are a few woody events coming up as we enter spring > summer, but I wanted to highlight the plan for Labour weekend (October 21>23). If your anything like me this year has been a non event in terms of over nighting on the boat, so lets all try and make Labour weekend special.

As a bonus the Kawau Boating Club will be re-opening that weekend after a refurbishment, if your not a member I encourage you to join, the club needs help to continue to operate as a haven in the gulf.

Ps you don’t have to be a KBC to enjoy the weekend.

More details closer and pre-xmas event dates below.

Kairanga – That Was Quick

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KAIRANGA – That Was Quick 

Only last week the 32’ Kairanga popped up on tme, and already appears to have sold, or maybe the owner realised it was too cheap and pulled the listing. In my eyes Kairanga is a real looker and always kept in top condition.

Kairanga’s past is a little cloudy in terms of builder and year – but its been commented on WW before that she is possibly a Baileys and built c.1912.

At one stage in her life she was a work-boat servicing lighthouses and marine construction in the Hauraki Gulf. The work-boat link is supported by the fact that she is built like a brick outhouse eg triple skin kauri – 2 diagonal planks and one horizontal

Forward motion these days is via a Ford 90hp diesel.

Current home is the far north – would be nice to see her back on the Waitemata. Photo below dated 2018.

Photo below ex K Ricketts

27-09-2024 INPUT ex CHRIS KOOGER – The photos and the listing on trade me was when we owned the good ship Kairanga. We had her for 30 years. Loved the boat and was hard to let it go but she is now loved by James and Ann-Marie. I bought the boat I 1992 from Derek Tanner and she was in a very sad state. We hauled her out and trailered her to Bucklands beach where she got a major makeover with the help from Harry Mieyer a boat builder who taught me a lot about boat building and repairs.  I was told by Derek that she is a Bailey built boat, 32 foot. Double diagonal and planked for and aft. About 40 mm thick. Super solid boat that handles the rough seas with no problems. She weighs about 7.5 tons. 

 It had a BMC engine in it when we got it but that was no good and we put the Ford 90hp engine in it. Changed the gearbox 3 times and fitted a hydraulic gearbox in it which was great. New Shaft and driveshaft fitted at the same time. I built the cockpit cover in the later years of our ownership. 

 While out in her we met a chap who said that his family owned her in the sixties and another time out we met a fellow who bought her in 1956.  Fantastic boat that I always felt safe in. My children and many friends have had great times with her and I think about her a lot. Great memories.  Great to see that she is still being loved and getting the regular attention that any boat needs. 

Doreen > Haku > Coquette – 1912 Logan Motor Launch – SOS

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Doreen > Haku > Coquette – 1912 Logan Motor Launch – SOS SAVED

When it comes to provenance it would be hard to beat this woody – designed and built by Arch Logan for his brother Robert, named after their sister Doreen. Then in 1945 she was ‘modernised’ by Bill Couldrey, one of the Arch’s few preferred boat builders. She has passed thru many hands and aside for her blue blood, her second claim to fame is that she was used to take the mould off for the popular 33’ fibre-glass launches (Logan33).

Last week I was contacted by her owners who advised that a few months ago while taking her out at very low tide they hit an unmarked reef inside the OBC Bridge on the way out. The damage sustained is that as a result of the keel and prop hitting reef the drive shaft, this was pulled out of the gearbox. I’m told no water entered the boat – BUT the insurance company has written the vessel off so now it is up for sale for $12,500 as-is-where-is. Potentially the bargain of the year.

Given the abysmal listing by the insurance companies boat broker, I’d be amazed if it sells. We plug it on WW today because the boat deserves better.

This WW link will take you to numerous WW stories that feature Coquette (Doreen > Haku)

https://waitematawoodys.com/?s=Coquette&submit=Search

18-07-2023 UPDATE – SAVED !!!! – I can confirm she has been purchased off the insurance company by a previous owner and will be repaired and returning to the north – GREAT NEWS

Mapu Gets A Refresh + New Woody Event Dates Released

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MAPU GETS A REFRESH 

The 30’ 1914 Lane Motor Boat Co.designed and built launch Mapu has just emerged from the Blair Boats yard in Oromahoe, Harare (Far North) after a some TLC.

Mapu is one of the lucky woodys, still in the family of the great grandfather that built her. Like most woodys from her era she has undergone several additions / configuration to her tramtop / doghouse but the hull is still the original solid carvel planked kauri.

While it appears from the photos that she has lost her varnished coamings – I can report they were never varnished – the finish was a very smart brown paint and made of ply.

Mapu has appeared numerous times on WW – lots of history and photos in the links below.

MAY 2023 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/28/the-launch-mapu-far-north/

JUNE 22 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/22/mapu-2/

JUNE 1 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/01/mapu/

Photo (L) below ex Nathan Herbert 2016

Photo (R) below ex Mark Lane 2013

2023 CLASSIC WOODY ON-THE-WATER GATHERINGS – DATES

Has it stopped raining………. I’m too embarrassed to tell you how many nights I’ve spent on the boat this year, makes the return on investment look very sad. But thankfully most of us don’t measure life on that template.

So on the assumption that the current meteorological conditions will end , we have pulled together a calendar of woody gatherings for the 2023 spring > summer period. Later in the year we will publish the 2024 calendar.

So woodys circle these dates on the calendar, and we will talk to you closer to each event.

In the meantime, light the fire and open that bottle you have been saving for a special occasion. 

Silens & My Girl – 1940’s

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SILENS & MY GIRL – 1940’s

During the week the above photo popped up on a Robert Bestow fb post. In the photos we can clearly see the 1912, Harvey & Lang built launch – Silens in the foreground and behind her the 1925, Dick Lang built launch – My Girl.

The photo was tagged Whangarei Town Basin but no date. Chatting with My Girl owner Jason Prew, who had not sighted the photo before, Jason commented that it was most likely from the early > mid 1940’s, as she had a new top added in the late 1940’s.  Jason also recalled that the two launches were based in Whangarei as part of the war time coastal patrol fleet.

Silens went on to have numerous re-births in terms of cabin layout – check out the WW story link below to view the evolution https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/04/22/the-evolution-of-silens/

My Girl also had some appendages added but the 2018 restoration that Jason undertook returned My Girl to almost match todays c.1940’s b/w photo. 

Refer below current photos of Silens and My Girl.

MY GIRL
SILENS

WW Caps – the new low profile, canvas cloth caps have been a winner – the new understated colour topped with the dark brown WW embroidered logo has a dash of understated style. I have reorder 3 times and stocks are getting low – order today – just click the email link here and tell me your name, postal address and number of caps required ( best order was x5) I’ll come back to you with payment details – $38 + $6 p&p. waitematawoodys@gmail.com

A Recount Of Our Classic Wooden Craft DNA 

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Grace under sail
CLICK The Headline – Grace Under Sail to view

A Recount Of Our Classic Wooden Craft DNA 

Recently I was sent a link to an article that appeared in the New Zealand Geographic magazine back in 2000 – in fact issue 45 , Jan-March. The article was headlined – GRACE UNDER FIRE, written by Vaughan Yarwood with supporting photos from the late Henry Winkelmann and more recent photos ex Hamish Ross and Paul Gillbert.

The stars of the article is the 42’ 1908 Logan built gaff rigged cutter – Rawene, and her then skipper Russell Brooke.

This is a brilliant insight into the early days of boating in and around Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour, I’m sure there will be some mix ups re dates, skipper/craft names but overall we get to see and read the history of these magnificent craft, a lot of which are still sailing today.

Have a read, its only 10>15 minutes, longer if if you linger over the photos 🙂  – even a die-hard motorboat owner like myself found it a fascinating read.

Arizona – Gets A Happy Ending

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ARIZONA – GETS A HAPPY ENDING

Mooching around online I came across this great tale from Russel Subritzky, when you hear stuff like this it makes the rubbish we get feed in the mainstream media fade away – I’ll let Russel tell the story

“Arizona  my 42ft brdgedecker ..boat has a lot of history with my family..a photo of this boat towing a Subritzky  boat across the Kaipara bar was big new in 1933 as the boat had been presumed lost with all hands for over 9 mths..while doing its regular run to Fiji and surrounding islands it hit a reef..my grandfather was the skipper..the 10 year old cabin boy was to become my father..i asked my dad many times over the years how they survived..they chopped down trees and beached the boat using pulleys and ropes and hand cranked winch to pull boat ashore .repair holes and damage and get it back in water ..i would say something and he would bellow ” we were men” and i would say no dad you were 10 years old..but yes they were gone but returned  ..the boats name  ” the Greyhound” ..

So this boat was gifted to me because when it was for sale i called and related the story and about this boat being on front page news paper ..and the person on phone says to me did someone put you up to this and how do you know what is hanging on our wall..they had the original newspaper article..when i met the woman who had boat and we spoke and i walked around boat..she came out and said that the boat was mine..that she couldn’t believe how much the boat meant to me..So theres my little boat of family history for you.”

Russell also commented that the boat was currently out of the water (up north) and today her interior has been done and just needs to be re caulked and a paint job. I’m a little confused re the reference to the name ’the Greyhound’ – hopefully someone can explain. In the earlier photos there is KPA 98 visible on her bow, possibly a Kaipara number – commercial fishing? Zach Matich will know the answer. Back in December 2022 we ran a story on her with several photos – I’m assuming this was prior to Russell ‘acquiring’ the boat – link below to that WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/12/08/arizona-where-is-she-cya-heritage-basin/

What more can we add to her story – we know that she is 36′ and possibly built in 1914.

Pencarrow – Where Is She

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Post Re-build
As Launched
Original Engine
Wellinton 1940’s
Wellington WWII – Navy
Wellington – Navy
Pre Re-build

PENCARROW – Where Is She

WW was recently contacted by Dylan Saggers in regard to the 1916 built, 38’6″ vessel – Pencarrow. I’ll let Dylan tell the story

“The bridge-decker has been close to my heart and the history has been with many other happy owners. 95% of her life she has been called Pencarrow but when she was launched (as described In the paper article below) she was christened Valerie. Originally had a NZ made 4cyl. Twigg marine engine, then a 160hp petrol Kermath engine and I possibly believe she still has her 6 cyl. Ford diesel.Built In Auckland by Lanes (as I was told) not sure If this is correct . She has been many tops and 1 hull change In her lifetime, as described In the photos she has been many things. Many owners have had her. The Pencarrow spent time with the Pencarrow Sand Shingle company for a year in the mid 1930’s towing barges to Wellington for reclamation of the wharfs. In the 1940’s she was owned by the NZ Govt for Navy Patrol for Wellington. After that she went to the Dunn family who owned it from the early 1950’s to late 1960’s. 

But through the 1970’s > 1980’s unfortunately, I didn’t know who owned her. Early 1990’s my Dad had her and she did not have the extended top (as pictured with her reflection shining in the water) She was very beautiful to me In that configuration. She is my favourite boat of all the boats my father had. Then sold to the Macmorland family with partner family (It’s easily understandable why the top was extended including the wheelhouse being put forward for more room) as pictured the current top as it is now. Then the Coles family. Last sold In 2016 I think In Waikawa in Queen Charlotte Sound. After that I don’t have any Info.”

Dylan would like to locate the present owners, keep In touch with them and make an offer on it when he can. Dylan’s main outcome of all this is to buy her and restore her how Dylan remembers her when his father had her. Any current info or pictures Is very welcome.

NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show 2023 (Nelson Lakes)

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NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show 2023 (Nelson Lakes) 

Today thanks to the camera of Michael Brownee we get to take in the amazing woody craft and spectacular scenery at Lake Rotoiti, South Island for the 2023 NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show that was recently held (March 4>5)

Michael has captured the essence and spirit of the event beautifully , if he not a professional photographer , he should be 🙂

I attended the show 3>4 years ago and it should be on every woodys bucket list.

As always – click on photos to enlarge 😉

Three Minutes Of Wooden Boat Porn

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3 Minutes Of Wooden Boat Porn

Last month I bombarded you with a several photo galleries of the 2023 Australian Wooden Boat Festival.  As part of the wrap up of the festival, the organising crew have pulled together a 3min short film that utilises a lot of aerial film footage. The video gives us a wonderful overview of the festival, the Hobart harbour and waterfront – if there is any saw dust in your blood – Hobart February 2025 needs to be circled on your calendar. As festival director – Paul Stephanus says “This festival is one of a kind” . And its the largest event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and surprise surprise woodys – its free, no charge – we like that.

Find a comfortable chair and prepare to be wowed.  

TIP: To enlarge screen size – scroll over the screen above and click on the icon I have highlighted below

RSVP (boat name & approx crew #) TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com