Category Archives: 1910’s

A Visit to Colin Brown’s Omaha Boat Shed 

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Susan Paul

Anita > Maharitia

 

Andromeda

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Waiere

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A Visit to Colin Brown’s Omaha Boat Shed 

A coupe of weeks ago I gave mate a hand to take his clinker dinghy to Colin Brown’s yard at Omaha. Steve inherited the dinghy from his father-in-law & she was in need of a little TLC. I intro’ed Steve to Colin & as they say the rest is history 🙂 Forgot to say – Colin originally built the clinker.

While at the yard we had a look around the numerous projects under way. The c.1950, Chris Robertson built yacht Susan Jane is nearing completion & you can view the project at the link https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/10/30/susan-jane-sailing-sunday/

In numerious sheds/shelters were:

Anita > Maharitia – the biggest Lidgard built at Kawau Island. A lot of work happening to her & a very OTT re power, check out those Gardiners.

The vessel in the shed is Andromeda, a Townsend yacht that has been stripped for conversion by Dave Walker to a launch.

Of most interst to me was Josh Hawke’s 26′ carvel launch, Waiere. Built in c.1913 Josh restored her over a 6 year period that saw the replacement of her ribs, keel, stem, hood ends, interior, decks, cabin top & re-caulking. 

All Josh knows about her past is at one stage she was on the Kaipara as an open flounder boat. 

A 21hp DaeDong pushes her along very nicely. Any one know more about her past? You can see more photos here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/01/02/mystery-launch-3/

18-08-2018 UPDATE The clinker in the 1st few photos (Steve Finnigans – Mayflea) is back from Colin Browns yard looking be swish 😉

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Vixen > Water Beetle – Akaroa

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Vixen > Water Beetle – Akaroa

Another photo ex Lew Redwood’s fb page, this time we have a yacht anchored at Akaroa, the photo is dated 1911. It’s a great photo

Any of the woodys able to ID this gaffer?

07-05-2018 Input from Harold Kidd – 

She’s the little half-rater WATER BEETLE designed by Prof Scott and built for Wardrop of Wellington by Robert Logan Sr in 1895 as VIXEN. MASCOTTE (53ft) and YVONNE (42ft) were big gaffers. Scott later bought her, renamed her WATER BEETLE and raced her at Lyttelton. He sold her in 1901.

VIXEN/WATER BEETLE had a lugsail like most of the Wellington half-raters which raced with the Arawa Sailing Club and was 24ft loa. She was owned at the time of this photograph by J.L. Vangioni of Akaroa. Prof Scott had owned YVONNE for many years at this time.

21-07-2018 Update ex Ian Campball

Ian sent in the photo below from 1910 showing Waterbeetle on Akaroa Harbour, owned at the time by Louis J Vangioni MBE of Akaroa (1872-1951).

1910c Waterbeetle

 

Good Things Take Time

Greg Fenwick sent me the photo below that he took last November on a trip to Oban, Stewart Island. Pretty well sums up wooden boat building 🙂

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And a wee bonus today – check out this Facebook movie of dinghy sailing back in 1955, at Plymouth, Devon, UK. Link via Wooden Boat fb – enjoy

Classic Yacht Association – ANZAC DAY REGATTA 2018- 30+ photos

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CYA ANZAC DAY REGATTA 2018

Raindance was overdue a run so I decided to head out yesterday afternoon & catch the start of the CYA / PCC ANZAC Day Regatta. The photos are from the pre-start > start & a wee bit of racing. A used a long lens, as I wanted to stay out of the start area.

A stunning day for woody boating, but I have to say – excluding the A Division, the turn out was a little RS. 

The day had every thing going for it – late start, sun, wind & a good post race gig at PCC, seems some people most be suffering the boating equivalent of cabin fever.

Enjoy the photos – remember to click photos to enlarge 😉

The yacht below – Time, is a marina neibour of mine – a very salty vessel, & equally stunning down below.

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Manu

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MANU

I spotted the bridge-decker Manu in late January when Trinidad was berthed at the Waikawa Marina (my photos below). Now she is 4sale on trademe, thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads-up.

Built by Bailey & Lowe in 1913, measures 37’. Zoom zoom is via a 125hp Yanmar diesel.

While her beam is listed as 9’10”, she appears very narrow, but the camera can lie 😉

Do we know anything more about her past?

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Harold Kidd Input – Briefly, MANU was built by Bailey & Lowe for J.A. Holloway of Stanley Bay. She has B&L’s standard 35 foot hull. About 1917 Holloway sold her to Lt Col Phil Andrew the Auckland Port Medical Officer of Health. He sold to W.A. Wilkinson (“Speedwell”) in June 1920 and he sold to Miss Arkle of Arkles Bay later in that year. The next owners were the O’Brien brothers of Waiheke about 1928. She spent some time on the Manukau owned (either then or later) by Albie Parkes. Henry Hansen of Mangawhare bought her in 1952and sold her to Les Bird of Silverdale c1967. Bird kept her at Wenderholm on the Puhoi River. Bird sold to Stirling Sports c1977. Then Peter Haywood had her at Milford where he was Commodore of the Club. She was in Havelock by 2000 and is still there. There were probably a few other owners in between all these but there are just so many MANUs!
Apart from the bridgedeck which has been on her since at least Hanesn’s ownership she’s pretty original. Pauline and I went over her a few years ago and were most impressed. A lovely launch.

Coquette 4 Sale

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COQUETTE 4SALE

The 1912 Logan designed & built launch has featured on WW before & has been for sale on trademe for a while. I have featured her again today because to quote the owner “he has run out of mojo” – and the woody is now on trademe with a starting bid of $1.00. Thats ONE DOLLAR. Someone will get a great boat with an amazing heritage for not a lot of money. She sports a 2009 45hp engine & is very well laid out.

To those that don’t know – the very popular fiberglass Logan 33 replicas were based on Coquette.  Agreta chance to own a real Logan.

You can see / read more here.   https://waitematawoodys.com/?s=Coquette&submit=Search

Home is Maungaturoto, Northland – so if you are heading up North for Easter – check her out

UPDATE – THE TRADEME LISTING HAS BEEN CHANGED TO A PRICE OF $40K – STILL A BARGIN

Classic Woody  Riverhead Hotel Cruise

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Nana

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Mahanui

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Lucille
Lucinda
Te Arahi
Venture
Lillian
Altair
Te Arahi – Lillian –
Te Arahi – Altair – Lillian
Te Arahi
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Volantis

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Korara

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Classic Woody  Riverhead Hotel Cruise

Not wanting to sound like a parrot but the CYA has an amazing track record of aceing the weather for its launch cruises to the waterfront Riverhead Hotel. 

The forecast was average, but it just never eventuated & subsequently the boats that made the trip had a great day.  

So cool to have one of our yachties make the trip, that center-board helped 😉

Highlight of the day for me was seeing John Wright’s recently restored launch – Nana. Nana was designed by C. Bailey Jun. &  built by C. Bailey & Sons in 1934. You can view more on Nana’s amazing journey, from rescue to re-launch at this link https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/02/01/nana-resuced-restored/ 

John has one of the best eyes for how a woody should look, the final details on Nana make her look perfect, in my eyes. John, you should have finished the trip & come up to the hotel, I have a WW tee-shirt for you – email me your postal address – waitematawoodys@gmail.com

 Also had a peek at the publican’s – Paula & Stephen Pepperell’s 1967 Jorgensen launch -Volantis, that is nearing the end of an extensive re-fit, Stephan is another woody with a great eye for detail.

Below are a collection of photos from the camera of Simon Smith who was perched on the Greenhithe Bridge – they give us another perspective on some of our classics. Pity Simon wasn’t there for the return trip – Raindance & the motor-sailer Korara, were just passing under the bridge, being good woodys, traveling to starboard of a large plastic yacht (a Hanse) that was approaching the bridge – when all of a sudden the yachts bow shot up out of the water & the yacht shot backwards. The reason – you guessed it – mast hit the bridge (photo of dent to the bridge, below) luckily they were travelling slow, any faster & they might have lost the mast. I suspect there was a change of undies needed for the crew.

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Raindance & Nana

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Lucinda

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Lucille

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Mahanui

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Arohanui

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Korara

Te Arahi,Altair,Korara
Te Arahi,Altair,Korara,Arohanui

Upper Harbour ‘V’s’ Yacht Oops

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HDML – Kuparu – P3563 Looking Rather Smart

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Kupara

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Mermaid

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MERMAID

Mermaid started life as a mullet boat (H14), built in 1914. At some stage she was converted to a launch & used for commercial fishing for many years.

She measures 28’ & is made of kauri carvel planked. Zoom zoom is via 1985 Ford Dover 80hp diesel.

With a little bit of work she would make a nice classic woody – winters coming up – a good project.

Thanks to Ian McDonald for the trademe listing heads up.

Any of the woodys able to tell us more about her past, including the days under sail?

Harold Kidd Input – MERMAID was built by Alan Crossley for his father Capt. G P Crossley of Bayswater in 1914, a 28 footer, basically for cruising. She was ballasted with rocks. Her 1914-22 sail number was 120, her 1922 sail number was H14 (28 footers were lumped into the H Class for 26 footers); her registration as a fishing boat in the 1980s was AK1441. The only racing she did was the odd local race with Bayswater Boating Club during its brief existence. Crossley sold her to W. Oxley of Mercury Bay in 1936 where she had one side stove in when fishing. Later owners included Ron Bowman and Max Brown in the 1960s.

Over Loading – Never

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Over Loading  – Never

The two photos above were sent in by Janet Watkins & come from her collection of her family photos.

As Janet commented – “Over loading? Never!” the health & safety Nazis would have kittens if they saw something like this. The closet I have seen is Mark Edmonds with his launch Monterey on a trip the Riverhead Hotel…………….

I understand from Janet that Lupe was owned by Willie Jackson of Whangarei – & the photo is C.1900!  One life belt – how many do you need!

Willie Jackson ran several passenger boats over about 30 years. One being the yacht Hinemoa & later came Lady Eva – She also has one life belt & then Rose

Harold Kidd Input – LUPE was built by James Clare in Auckland for himself but was sold to Whangarei where she was owned by Skip Patterson from c1900 until he had LADY EVA built. Initially he used her for fishing and towing with an auxiliary. By 1904 he had taken her rig out and converted her to an oil launch licensed to carry 30 passengers on excursions. W Mallendine bought her in 1920 and owned her until the 1930s so I suppose Willie Jackson may have owned her say 1913-20.

 

 

 

Yachts at Kawau Island – Sailing Sunday – Win A WW T-Shirt

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Yachts at Kawau Island – Sailing Sunday – Win A WW T-Shirt

This Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island photo from the ‘NZ Car, Boats, >>> Utes Pre’75’ FB page shows a great collection of classic yachts (& a few launches).

I’ll put up a WW t-shirt to the woody that can ID the most yachts – given my launch angle – I’ll get a yachty to verify the answers. To stop copy-catting, entries ONLY via email to

waitematawoodys@gmail.com

LIPTON CUP RACE – SATURDAY – MARCH 17th

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The 97th Lipton Cup race is set to take place on the 17th of March. 22 miles of blood, sweat and tears is to be raced by the 22ft L Class ‘mullet boats’ to see who will triumph as the winner of the esteemed Lipton Cup trophy. This is a highlight of the yachting calendar and this year it appears there will be fierce competition with a number of the mullet boats performing exceptionally well in recent racing. With only 3 years to go until the 100th you can expect there to be a lot more competition and boats coming out of the wood work to compete in following years. Previous crew and owners are always welcome to come down and watch with the club open all day with food and refreshments (with a lift for the weathered yachties).

The days events are as follows:

7am – Hot cooked breakfast (Prebooked)

9am – Race briefing

11am – Race commences

3pm approx – Race finishes

6pm approx – Prize giving and after party

Watch Video footage from last years race here https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=LAZotynoqiA

 

Glen-Lee

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GLEN-LEE

The above photo was taken from Grove Arm Jetty, Queen Charlotte Sound, South Island by John Burland. As John commented she is very New England lobster boat – ish. (John would know; he has spent a lot of time there)

Can we ID her?  I would also be interested to know more about the open sail boat in the background.

Input from Dick Hall – Vessel is ‘Glen-Lee’ built in 1911-12 at Crail Bay in the Marlborough Sounds.
Set up by the owner G McNabb but completed by Claude Wells of Wakatahuri.
Owned by the Orchard family of Kenepuru Sound for many years and was used as a mail launch and general passengers.
First engine was two Union petrol engines bolted together and in later years, a Regal petrol, Lister Blackstone, then a 3/71 GM. She now has a 120hp Ford and is fairly slippery.
Current owner is Lex Wells who is a relation of the Wakatahui Wells family.
A good write-up about her and other Wells vessels in the book ‘Boats For A Lifetime’ by Yvonne Fell, nee Wells.
Cutter in the back-round is wooden ex Outward Bound now in private ownership .

Input from Harold Kidd – She was at the Moetapu Regatta in December 1910 owned by G McNab so she’s a tiny bit earlier than Dick says. Once described as “the workhorse of the Sounds”.