Category Archives: 1910’s

2024 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE – 200+ PHOTOS

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2024 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE – 200+ PHOTOS

Wow what a weekend , stunning weather, so many classic woody boats and as always at Lake Rotoiti – nice people.

Left Auckland at 5.30am to drive down – have to say the new Waikato expressway is so fast BUT so boring as a drive.

Arrived at my hosts Dave and Glenys Wilson lake front residence and collected the on-the-water transport for the day. Had a nice surprise in that the boat came with a skipper – local boatbuilder Alan Craig (Craig Marine) who over the last 10 years has rubbed up against most of the craft floating on the lake. This made my boat buddy – cabin boy, Grant Gibbs redundant but he accepted the demotion to #1 lackey.

After recent parade weekends have been effected by CV19 and weather bombs everyone was hanging out for a special day afloat and we got it in spades. 

Todays photo gallery is loosely broken into 3 sections – Mooching About / Parade / Picnic.

Enjoy – if I missed your boat – sorry, next year. Tomorrow I will do a story on the Albatross runabouts that were a major part of the parade – I believe the biggest turnout in the Southern Hemisphere.

A couple of videos below.

REMEMBER – CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE


09-02-2024 UPDATE – Video of the fleet at the Picnic

CLASSIC WOODY + TUG/WORK BOAT RACING

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My GIRL
MY GIRL
PAIKEA
LUCINDA
WAIKARO
ST CLAIRE
REHIA
JUANITA
MERIHI
JEUNESSE
VANESSA
MEOLA
MERIHI – ST CLAIRE

CLASSIC WOODY + TUG/WORK BOAT RACING

On Monday of Auckland’s  Anniversary Weekend I joined a very small club – boaties that have legally exceeded 20 knots in Auckland’s inner harbour. Probably only Deodar (police launch), Coastguard and the Harbour Master would be in the club. As part of the anniversary day regatta Jason Prew organises an around the buoys race for classic launches. The event has the most entrants of any event on the day. The Harbour Master waves the normal 12 knot speed limit and even provides an escort around the course. 

This year I was invited aboard Jason Prew’s xxxx launch – MY GIRL for the race. The conditions were very average SW18>23 knots , gusting 28 knots, bad enough to keep most of the classic yacht fleet tucked up in her berths for the day.

At the bang of the start gun My Girl took the lead and we never looked back – at the 1st mark we were 58 sec ahead of the next boat (Paikea) and just kept pulling away. Crossed the finish line doing 22.9 knots, that woodys is very fast. The foiling kite surfer that miscalculated our speed probably needed a change of wet suit pants 🙂

My Girl is powered by a Volvo 150hp 4cyl. turbo diesel engine that in another life powered a Queenstown jet boat . Mr Prew has tweaked it ‘a little’ – video of engine at idle and proof of speed 🙂 Note – there is no engine box /cover 🙂 

Results 

Across the line – 1. My Girl, 2. Paikea, 3. Lucinda 

Handicap – 1.Waikaro, 2. Lucinda, 3. St Clair

Entrants – My Girl, Paikea, Lucinda, Rehia, Ngaio, Waikaro, St Clair, Juanita, Meola, Marihi, Vanessa, Jeunesse

TUG/WORK BOAT RACING

The 2nd biggest event in terms of numbers is the highly popular tug/work boat race. Photos below.

Lots of Great Photos Here https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=813851850548987&set=pcb.813852363882269

2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH PARADE 130+ PHOTOS 

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My GIRL
MEOLA
Launch Parade

2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH PARADE 130+ PHOTOS 

As regular readers of the waitematawoodys site know the last weekend of January is always a biggie on the wooden boating calendar. The Mahurangi Cruising Club year-on-year pull off the biggest wooden boating event in New Zealand – {the} Mahurangi Regatta. If you type that into the WW search box your day will be ruined – hundreds of classic wooden boating photos.

I’ll apologise upfront for the lack of sailing photos – these days there are a lot of other happy-snappers recording the racing – when and if I get photos or links, I’ll add them to the story. 

It was a sub 24hr up and back trip to Mahurangi – I had an important family event that I have been dodging for years, and this year the message was – “be here” 🙂

I came away from Mahurangi feeling very upbeat for the health of the classic wooden motor boat movement – there was in excess of 50 classic woodys in the Mahurangi Harbour and from that fleet 32 skippers participated in the classic woody launch parade. A record turnout, so I say thank you those that took part and specially those that dressed their craft.

I was particularly heartened to see the return of several craft that had drifted away from the scene due to relocations, long tern refits and frustration with the community. Of note was Florance Dawn, Kumi and Raiona.

People linked to the supposedly organisation of the the parade (I’m not talking about the MCC) need to wake up to the contribution that the classic launches make to the event – 50+ craft is a mighty powerful visual vista. So fingers crossed the housekeeping improves to ensure the loyalist keep turning up.

After the speed bumps at the start, the parade got underway and a good time was had by the skippers, crews and spectators afloat and ashore at Sullivans Bay.

Enjoy the gallery of photos – some (most) boats appear twice, some I’m sure missed the camera, can’t be everywhere:-) Thanks to Steve Horsley for the photo of Raindance and Murray Deeble for the race start photo.

As always click on photos to enlarge 😉

A reward – first woody to tell me which boat in the above photos has the largest WW flag – wins a normal size WW burgee – enter at waitematawoodys@gmail.com

AVIS > LADY AVIS > MATA HARI – A Peek Down Below

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AVIS > LADY AVIS > MATA HARI – A Peek Down Below

Todays woody – Mata Hari has had several name changes – built by James Reid at Mechanics Bay, Auckland and launch in 1910. Her launching name was Avis, and Harold Kiddd has commented on WW before that the change toLady Avis was reasonably new and then to Mata Hari in the last few years.

39’ in length and built of kauri carvel planks, she is powered by a Perkins 90hp Diesel engine that gives her a top speed of 10 knots.

Mata Hari previous appearance on WW can be viewed here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/05/20/lady-avis-2/

Today thanks to Ian McDonald and a tme listing we get to have a gander below.

Bay of Islands Summer Mooching + Anniversary Weekend Cruising 

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RANONI
ENTERPRIZE
ARETHUSA
IORANGI
ALOFA
VALHALLA
RAMPAGE

Bay of Islands Summer Mooching + Anniversary Weekend Cruising 

Todays gallery of classic wooden craft comes to us from the camera of Dean Wright, taken while he was cruising the bay on his woody – Arethusa.

From top to bottom the craft are:

• Ranoni – Army Bay

• Enterprise – Opunga Cove

• Arohanui – steaming past Cable Bay, Urupukapuka

• Arethusa – Whangamumu

• The Logan yacht – Iorangi – Whangamumu

• Alofa – Whangamumu

• Valhalla – Whangamumu

• Rampage – Whangmumu – an early 2000’s Robertson Boats sedan launch ( lengthened and repainted)

• Mary of York – Ben Tomb’s leeboarder

2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – Classic Launch Parade & Sunday Gathering At KAWAU ISLAND 

The countdown is on for one of the worlds best and biggest classic wooden boating events, the Mahurangi Regatta, organised by the Mahurangi Cruising Club.

Sadly due to the freakish weather the 2023 regatta was cancelled, but plans are in place to make 2024 on-the-water and ashore at Scotts Landing bigger and better.

The Classic Wooden Launch Parade is one of the highlights of the weekends activities – followed later in the day by a serious ‘old school’ boaty BBQ ashore at Scott’s – including a massive marquee for the 20 piece dance band.

 On the Sunday, most woody launch skippers head to KAWAU ISLAND and the plan is to gather later in the day for a few sun-downers at the newly refurbished Kawau Boating Club.

CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISING THE HAURAKI GULF – SUMMER 2023/24

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CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISING THE HAURAKI GULF – SUMMER 2023/24

Now todays post is the one you have been waiting on – the classic wooden (mostly) craft that I spotted around the Hauraki Gulf over the Dec 27 > Jan 5th period.

Probably the best turn out of woodys that I have seen – seems it just wasn’t me suffering from cabin fever 🙂

As always some photos are good, some not so good – direction of sun and distance dictates that. Mostly I’m taking photos as a visual account.

Enjoy the gallery – broken into locations – I have endeavoured to list the craft in the tagged section.

AS ALWAYS CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

If you have any good photos, send them in to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

RAKINO ISLAND

KAWAU ISLAND

WAIHEKE ISLAND

OUT & ABOUT – on route

Sir Francis & A Cool Family Idea

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SIR FRANCIS 

During the week Paul Drake commented that every year he produces a family calendar for circulation amongst my family – brothers, children, nieces and nephews. What a cool idea 🙂

All family birthdays are included. Every year the birthday list grows longer.  Paul said it takes a bit of work, but it serves to keep family connected, and it pleases him to know that the calendar hangs on walls in England, Austria, and Australia, as well as in New Zealand. 

Every year I choose a photo of one of the familiesboats, for the calendar, this year it features SIR FRANCIS, a photo from the 1980’s, homeward bound on Lake Taupo. Paul brother Michael is on the helm, and out of sight in the cockpit is their mother. Looking at the phot you would think that SIR FrANCIS had just rounded one of the headlands on the east coast of the North Island, a great reminder that Lake Taupo can get little gnarly.

SIR FRANCIS has made several appearances on WW before and is of course is a 1916 Collings and Bell built launch. 

Paul remembers that as children, the brothers all thought that any vessel which was not Collings and Bell was rubbish! These days they are not so blinkered 🙂

I’m back on dry land now after 9 days mooching around the gulf – lots of woodys out and about – big story on Monday. Talking of big – the beast below was anchored in Bon Accord, Kawau Island on New Years Eve – the tender was approx. 48’ 

WAIONE

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WAIONE

Todays 28’ woody just popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald), the listing states that she was built by Lanes in Picton c.1918 and spent her early life around the Marlborough Sounds and French Pass and then more recently at Mapua. For the last 50+ years has been stored in an apple shed in Mapua, where she still is today.

Has been in one family ownership for almost 50 years.

Was originally powered by a Standard Gas Egine Co. diesel and is offered for sale with an addition Petter diesel.

Big leap of faith given the only photos are obviously at least 30 years old. Would be nice to learn more about Waione. I suspect that WW has a cub reporter very close to the apple shed so hopefully more to follow 😉

UPDATE 16-01-2024 More photos and details here https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/01/16/waione-shed-visit/

Sierra – A Peek Down Below – 4sale

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SIERRA  – A Peek Down Below –4sale

The 40’ ex work-boat Sierra was built by Joseph Fell at Kohukohu on the Hokianga Harbour in 1917, making her 105 years old. She had a complete rebuild in 1998. Forward motion is via a Ford 120hp diesel engine.

She started life as a work-boat in Hokianga and later become the Hokianga ferry. Later on she worked in Auckland as the Customs and Doctors boat on the Auckland Harbour. She also assisted with building the Auckland Harbour Bridge & Glenn Brook Steel Mill. 

Sierra has made several appearance on WW – links below for more details and photos. For those woodys looking for a classic with deep workboat roots the vessel Sierra presents as a very affordable classic. Interested parties are asked to contact the Wooden Boat Bureau at waitematawoodys@gmail.com for more details and viewing.

WW July 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/07/02/sierra/

WW Sept 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/09/13/sierra-horse-float/

WW May 2017 https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/05/08/a-woody-100th-birthday/

ALMA G II – Restoration Update #2

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ALMA G II – Restoration Update #2

Last week B.O.I. woody Dean Wright popped into the CMC Design boat shed in Opua and snapped a few photos of the restoration of the 1927 Collings & Bell built launch – Alma G II. The last update was in May, link here to that story https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/01/restoration-of-alma-g-ii-begins/

The old girl is getting a serious refit, some diagonal planking being added to hold the old girl together 🙂 anything that gives her another 100 years of life is better than slowly decomposing on a swing mooring up some estuary .

Her Lees Ford has been reconditioned – check out this video of the test bed run.

https://fb.watch/oKseSMfJ5O/

Photos below of Alma G II is her early days earning her keep as one of the most popular big game boats in the Bay of Islands.