Category Archives: 1920’s

Rosemary

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ROSEMARY

Rosemary was built in St.Mary’s Bay by Leon Warne in December 1920 for himself and his brother George and was taken north for game-fishing out of Russell. The Warne brothers then set up boat building, repairs as well as game boat chartering at Russell. Rosemary originally had a Scripps 4 cylinder but was later fitted with a Redwing. Originally launched as a dashing flush decker

She was a very successful in promoting the deep sea angling sport in the Bay of Islands, both from Russell and Whangaroa.

Today’s photos are ex the Auckland Museum, Tudor Collins collection, email to me by Ken Ricketts. Vessel details ex Harold Kidd

Merry Christmas

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RAINDANCE

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Good Morning woodys.
Merry Christmas to you, where ever in the world you are. ww has followers in just about every country in the world, outside of NZ the biggies being Australia, USA, Canada, France & the Pacific Islands (I think this is cruising yachts) – the numbers are amazing with site views just about to hit 2,500,000 views.

On a personal note I hope Santa has found you & you received what you wanted – I learnt years ago that there was only one way to be happy on the present front, either buy it your self or leave very clear instruction 😉 ( see below)
I intend to keep posting stories over the Xmas / NY period but at times may be challenged by internet reception so bare with us if we miss a day 😉
A request – use your camera (even the phone is good) to take any interesting woody related photos when you are out & about over the break & email / txt them to waitematawoodys@gmail.com.

Have a great break & if you are on or near the water take care, play nicely & be kind to fellow woodys. Alan

Now I mentioned above that I liked to be ‘involved’ in my xmas present selection – this year I was lucky to have a daughter living in London & when she asked what I wanted for xmas I pointed her London’s 400+ year old marine chandlery – Arthur Beale. Your similar to what your Foster’s used to 😦
The present is magnificent boat horn, made in Italy & delivered by hand from London by a friend of the daughters returning home for xmas. It arrived 2 days ago & was installed yesterday by my good friend Colin Pawson – I can hear Harold mumbling about it being too shiny, Jason P saying that it sticks out like dog balls etc but I love it & most importantly it makes a noise closer to a Harley Davidson than a Vespa scooter.  It replaced a horn that was more suited to a Honda Civic 🙂

 

A+B+C Class Yachts Racing To Rocky Bay

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A+B+C Class Yachts Racing To Rocky Bay

In the above photo we see, from left, Kotiri, Ladye Wilma, Waione, Rawene (race winner) & Ngatoa just after the start of the official opening race of the season (year unknown).
Photo ex the Mac Taylor collection.

Help Needed
ww has had a request from Gary Chaplin, who owns the yacht, Fidelity, see below & click photos to enlarge, based in Christchurch Gary has commented that she looks just like the Shiralee which featured on ww in October , (link below).
Gary would like to know if it is the same  vessel or possibly a sister ship . Gary believes Fidelity was built in Milford Creek by Allen Williams in 1960 .

Shiralee E64 – Sailing Sunday

REMEMBER LOTS OF PATIO BAY WEEKEND PHOTOS ON WW TOMORROW

Message for CYA Launch Owners + Mataroa Spy Photos

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CYA Xmas BBQ Poster

Message for CYA Launch Owners + Mataroa Spy Photos

Doing a shout out today to all Classic Yacht Association launch owners to remind you that next weekend (Dec 3>4) is the annual CYA Patio Bay weekend. The highlight of which being the byo BBQ (bbq’s provided for cooking) ashore at Woolicott’s bach. Most of us rate it as the #1 social event of the year in terms of mix & mingling. Check out the photos from last year here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/12/07/cya-patio-bay-bbq-xmas-race-weekend-2015/
The weekend sees over 50 classic launch & yachts come together for a weekend of fun, friendship & fraternity.

Mataroa Update
Not wanting to short change you today in terms of your classic woody ‘fix’ – below a few spy photos taken by Max Uivel of the progress being made on the 1928 Joe Slattery launch, Mataroa in the Evans Bay slip yard.
Rob Uivel can be seen hard at work. Max commented that there is still a way to go but progress has been good considering the meteorological and seismic conditions in Wellington.
I have to say she is a very pretty classic & looks to be getting a very sympathetic make-over – we like that 🙂 More details on her past here. https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/10/31/mataroa-kenya-2/

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A Message From Manu PB

Hi Alan,
 My name’s Manu, i’m in wellington. was looking for photos on the net of a nice kauri launch out of interest, as i used to own and live in one.
What do you know, Mataroa comes up!
My father Simon Blakiston bought her from Kevin, end of 1999 (?) and had her brought down to Chaffers marina straight away. We enjoyed trips to the sounds, havelock, and around the harbour (some of the photos posted are ours) for a few years, and he and I ended up living onboard for a couple years, all the while he worked as an architect there!  the rearmost port side berth in the main cabin may still have a fold-out drawing table under it. I lived there with my partner later on also. in 2007 Dad was taken by cancer and I inherited the boat. Sadly I’m not a particularly nautical person, and it became apparent that i was doing her no favours by putting off some much needed restoration work. I sold her to a young couple who lived onboard at chaffers for a while.
It’s great to see the photos up on display! really brings back some memories of quite an important little bit of my life!
One of the better stories from my time with Mataroa was being in my last year of school, and a friend saying his father and grandfather were wandering at the marina and had found a boat the grandfather had driven during the war. it took only a small amount of figuring to realise he was talking about Mataroa. Granddad was Bluey Barnes (forgotten his actual first name sorry! this can all be revised), the 18 yearold mentioned on your site by Kevin. Dad met with Bluey and took him out for a spin, apparently his stomach wasn’t what it used to be by this point. Somewhere i have a couple of copies of photos from Bluey, one of his boat boy topside, and another of her absolutely loaded with troops. I hope copies of these photos made it into the boat’s files, otherwise i can try and dig them out. Kevin also mentions a tape recording of Bluey’s exploits which i have too, but havent played since dad recorded it.
There are a couple more stories floating around i think, let me know if you want me to dig up any of them, or the photos and tape. I can also find a little more out about Bluey, sadly he passed away a year or two ago, but i still see his grandson regularly.

Cheers and thanks for getting Mataroa up on the net for all to see, she’s missed out on a lot of due credit over the last few years. great to see some photos i haven’t before.
thanks,
  Manu PB

Fleetwing

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FLEETWING

Today’s story has come about by 4 people digging me in the ribs – started off with Chris Manning letting me know that he had purchased Fleetwing, but not really for future ownership – more to protect her from future neglect & to secure a new owner that has the vision & passion to bring her back to the condition a vessel with her provenance deserves.
Next Nathan Herbert gives we a nudge, then Ian McDonald, then Cameron Pollard emails me, now if you know Cameron he is a man of few words (in emails) his message was “some woody needs to buy this”. And someone does.
Fleetwing is a 32′ kauri carvel planked hull, built at St Mary’s Bay, Auckland at the Collings & Bell yard, launched September 1920. She has spent the majority of her life in the Marlborough Sounds as a commuter and work launch.

No engine, no propeller, other running gear in place. No ancillaries/tanks. Hull appears sound and appears to have had significant refastening work done in the recent past. The deckhouse would benefit from the use of a chainsaw.

Currently lying on a mooring in Paremata. Can be shifted to Mana Marina Travel-lift if required.

Above are a couple of historic photos . The photos of her with the Aramoana green hull are as current.

So woodys if you are seriously seeking a historic New Zealand launch for refit or restoration then Fleetwing could be for you.

You can read more about her at the ww link below. You’ll find her list on trademe at $900 ono – yeap – $900.

Charles (Chas) Collings – Designer / Boat Builder

12-11-2016 update ex Gavin Pascoe – In the colour photos the launch in the background is  another Collings and Bell, named Surprise. Built for Cook Strait whaling again on the concave convex principle.

28-08-2018 Update

I’m very pleased to advise the after a 91 year absence the 1920 Collings & Bell launch – Fleetwing, has returned to her original waters… Auckland.
She joins the Pollard Bros fleet. Photo below ex Andrew Pollard.
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More photos below of her at West Park Marina – ex John Wicks 
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Update 30-08-2018 Photo below supplied by Andrew Pollard – looking very quick 🙂
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20-09-2018 Update – my spies sent in the photo below – rather a zoom zoom prop has been added – maybe the bros are doing the 2018 Rudder Cup race ????
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29-09-2018 Another yard photo from Jason Prew, the guy should be working on his own boat 🙂
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08-10-2018 Updated photo ex Andrew Pollard – looking very smart 😉
Fletwing Oct2018

Crusader

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CRUSADER

Next wet weekend when you have little to do, have a peak at the Auckland Libraries, Sir George Grey photo collection, its a gold mine of old Auckland photos. Nathan Herbert pointed me to the collection & while you have to troll thru a lot of average material, every so often you click on a nugget like the above photo of Crusader under full throttle at Great Barrier Island, photo taken December 1929. Given she was built in the winter of that year by Collings & Bell for the Rev. Jasper Calder and Charlie Goldsboro, the above photo could have been her maiden cruise.

To read more on the boat & view a selection of photos old & present day – click the link below

Crusader & Something Cool To Do This Weekend

Mataroa (Kenya)

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MATAROA (Kenya)

Today’s photos were sent in by Rob Uivel, who recently purchased Mataroa & in whom I have great faith that she will be bought back to ‘as-new’. Given her very original condition, there will be no need for a chainsaw 🙂
Built in 1928 by Joe Slattery, she was named Kenya when launched & measures 36′. Originally built for Mr Heard of Heards Confectionary.
This link will show you her as purchased by Rob https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/05/26/mataroa-kenya/

The above historical photos show Mataroa after she was struck amidships by another boat, & show the repairs and alterations undertaken. You have to love the ‘fence posts’ holding her together.

Now woodys – if anyone can give us the name of the vessel that struck her, I’ll give them a ww t-shirt. Answers via email only, sent to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
You’ll need to provide proof to support your answer 😉

 

Two Mystery Launches

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Two Mystery Launches

The above two photos were sent to me by Harold Kidd and according to the photo album, the photos  were taken at the same place around 1925-7.
The launch with the strange steering position is named Tuhoe, all Harold knows about her is that she was in Taurangs in the early 1920’s owned by a P Best.. She’s not very big, about 20ft, 22ft at a pinch.
The launch in the second photo doesn’t carry a name.

So woodys the question of the day is where are the photos taken and what do you know about the launches?. Harold thinks the location is Waikaremoana but doesn’t know that lake well enough to be sure.

Little Tasman Out Of The Shed & Re-launched

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Little Tasman Out Of The Shed – relaunched

Since last Thursday my mobile has been running hot with woodys letting me know that the 26′ 1925 Colin Wild built launch Little Tasman had left boat builder Colin Brown’s Omaha shed & was now on the hard at Sandspit, for her final touches. ww has been following Little Tasman since back in early 2012 when Mark Edmonds spotted her on a section in Pt. Wells.
There have been numerous ww posts recording her progress, links below. ww thanks Mark Edmonds, Harold Kidd, Jason Prew, Bruce Pullman, Ken Ricketts & Russell Ward for your input & photos.
The story started in April 2015 when Little Tasman was bought by a new owner, fast forward to July 2015 & she is safely ensconced in Colin Brown’s shed, under going a serious restoration.
Ken Ricketts was on hand last week to record the journey to Sandspit & take a few hardstand photos. Unfortunately the conditions were not perfect for photography, but I have tried to digitally enhance them – see below. The photos above were taken by Steve Horsley the next day when conditions were better, but only shot on an earlier model iPhone.

ww understands that Little Tasman’s owner is Wellington based so post sea trials Little Tasman will be heading south 😦

Tasman / Little Tasman

Little Tasman

Little Tasman Gets Some Serious TLC

Little Tasman

The photos below were taken on Saturday by Jason Prew – again dodgy conditions

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23-09-2016 Update – Re-launched. Photos below by Dave Walker, email to me by Ken Ricketts.

In the ‘tractor’ photo below, just look at that hull, Colin Wild knew how to build a pretty boat – whether it was 26′ or 46′ 🙂

 

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Betty J301

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BETTY J301
The 1940’s photos above ex the Tudor Collins collection at the Auckland Museum show the Bob Stewart designed 31′ launch Betty. She was built in 1939 by Collings & Bell for Bob’s father-in-law. Betty has had several name changes, refer the two blue links below to view & read about her over the years, home these days is Lake Rotoiti. The photos were emailed to me by numerous woodys (including Ken Ricketts).
These photos show her as US Army J301, when she was ‘on-loan’ to the US Army but obviously on R&R duties here – can anyone ID any of the people?

Also whats the name of the anchored launch numbered #17 in the top photo?

Betty / Achernar / Achinar

ACHINAR > Achernar > Betty

HELP NEEDED

Looking for a Jim Young 23ft Hi Fi Sports Cruiser

A gent by the name of Colin Frankham is keen to acquire  a Jim Young 23ft Hi Fi Sports Cruiser (runabout) for restoration –  not worried about the condition. Colin can be contacted on (09) 4837040