Category Archives: 1930’s

In Case You Are Hiding At Home, Wearing 2 Masks And Wondering What You’re Missing This Weekend – Check Out the 2019 Mahurangi Regatta

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MAHURANGI REGATTA  2019 – The biggest & best classic wooden boat regatta in NZ – 90+ photos

FRIDAY NIGHT

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SATURDAY – REGATTA DAY

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SATURDAY NIGHT AT SCOTTS LANDING

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SUNDAY MORNING

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MAHURANGI REGATTA  2019 – The biggest & best classic wooden boat regatta in NZ – 90+ photos

WoW what a woody weekend – simply stunning on all fronts –  sun > wind > location > people & of course the boats. On my estimate, the biggest turnout of classic wooden craft ever. Record numbers for Saturday mornings launch parade.
I’ll go out on a limb & repeat a comment made to me on the deck of Lidgard House, Kawau Island on Sunday night by one of our most prominent & influential classic wooden boat people – “Mahurangi is the real Auckland Anniversary Weekend Regatta” & after cruising back into Auckland today, & not seeing a lot of yachts, I would have to agree.
On Saturday between Jason Prew on My Girl & myself with Raindance we hosted three of the wooden boating world’s superstars – if you read or follow the WoodenBoat magazine, Classic Boat & the hottest property on the block – the vblog, https://www.offcenterharbor.com
then the names Maynard Bray, Benjamin Mendlowitz & Steve Stone will be very familiar to you. These gents were motored around the harbour & very selectively photographed / filmed our beautiful woodys. When I mentioned that I had cancelled my trip to next months Hobart Wooden Boat Festival, one commented “why would you go – it’s all here” & woodys – it was.
I have never attempted to understand the ‘politics’ / issues between the Mahurangi Cruising Club & The Friends of Mahurangi people – but between them they turn on a wonderful day, that equals anything on the world classic wooden boat calendar. As with anything, a few wee niggles e.g. crap PA sound system at the beach prize giving meant most people didn’t know the results – but I can tell you that Tony Blake & the crew on Thelma gave all the other A division skippers as master class in regatta sailing. It was wonderful to see the big 5 Arch Logan yachts – Thelma (1897), Rainbow (1898), Ariki (1904), Rawhiti (1905) & Rawene (1908) all on the same race track together, for the first time ever (I think I’m right – Harold?) The results were:
Thelma, followed by Rawhiti, followed by Ariki, then Rainbow & Rawene.
As a result of playing driver for the overseas crew – I’m a little light on sailing photos, but you can see from the gallery above that it was a special day.
Well done MCC and F. of M. for another magic weekend.
If anyone else had the camera out & captured some goodies, email them to   waitematawoodys@gmail.com
We bailed out of Mahurangi on Sunday morning & headed to Kawau Island for some family R&R – photos below.
Question – what do you do when there is no shotgun to signal sunset & the lowering of the burgee? – well a few lads decided to bang some pots together, then drop the flags at Lidgard House – me thinks there might be a letter in the mail to certain members 🙂
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A WEE BIT OF PR GOING ON HERE – WW T’s & OFF CENTER HARBOUR CAPS 🙂
THERE ALWAYS HAS TO BE A FOOD SHOT – KAWAU BOATING LUB, DINNER SUNDAY NIGHT.
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Check out the video below of Rawhiti – sent in from Benjamin Mendlowitz from Off Center Harbour

http://offcenterharbor.com

Update – due to not all launches completing 2 laps of the launch parade – I missed photographing a few boats – photos below ex Justine Ricketts (edited by myself)

AND MORE – link below to the Off Center Harbour video of the 2017 regatta, featuring Steve Horsley’s stunning 1904 Chas Bailey Jnr – Ngatira

New Zealand’s Mahurangi Regatta – Featuring Chas Bailey’s NGATIRA

UPDATE ex Graeme Finch of the A Class fleet racing Saturday + one of Raindance showing myself & Steve Stone from Off Center Harbour filming / clicking away 🙂

As always – click photos to enlarge 😉

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Also from Graeme – one of Bruce Tantrum’s pride & joy – Paramour + Graemes stunning ship – Te Arahi 🙂

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UPDATE – An early Saturday morning drone fly-by over Sullivans Bay, Mahurangi. Filmed by Neil Lawton, heads up on the movie from Ian Gavin.

30-01-2019 Update – photos of Laughing Lady ex Jason Prew

Update 11-02-2019 photos below ex Angus Rogers.

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Mapu

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MAPUA

The 1930 woody – Mapu would be one of the most traveled classics around, as a result of her length – 23’ and 7’ beam she is able to be trailer-ed. That has resulted in her cruising from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island and inland e.g. both north and southern Lake Rotoiti. Her recent tme appearance stated she was designed by Eric Cox and built by Colin Wild. Powered by a 22hp two cylinder diesel engine.

Current owner has had Mapu for 22 years, are we able to learn more from her past life?

Input from Denis O’Callahan – Mapu was owned by my father Robert (Bob) O’Callahan from the late 1930s to mid 1970s..I have a copy of the original plans by Eric Cox dated 29 September 1927, showing a large open cockpit. The original engine was a 2 cylinder Kelvin sleeve valve. She was built for HA Adams ESQ and I understand she was used to service a property at Kawau so there was no accommodation. My father built a cabin over the cockpit, added outside ballast and a mast and sloop rig to make her into a cruising motor-sailer. These were removed in later restorations. The photo below shows Mapu with her war time number, 490, at the Needles Eye, Birkenhead, where Jim Young later had his boat shed. I believe that might have been me in the cockpit.

ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND BOATING – UPDATE

1. The Mahurangi Regatta is still on – But

• No activity on or off the water at Sullivans Bay • The launch parade to and around Sullivans is cancelled. Interested launches can join a ‘follow the leader’ (Jason Prew – My Girl) launch tiki-tour around the harbour. Starting off Scotts Landing at approx. 10am • There may be a launch log rally or similar during the day – details on the day ex Jason Prew. • No prize giving or band at Scotts Landing on Sat night – but nothing to stop people going ashore to casually catch up with friends, just need to keep any ‘group’ under 100 people.  • So pack the chilly bin and see you ashore from 4.30pm >>>

2. Kawau Boating Club – Sunday

• The club will be operating under RED conditions , so only seated dinners, no standing at the bar or outside AND Vax Pass required – so good luck with getting a table – some of us will casually meet up on the lawn near Lidgard House. Again bring your chilly bin – 5pm >>>>>

The Endless Summer

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Tasman
Tasman & Viveen
Viveen
Waiari
Juanita
Pacific

Peter Loughlin Photos Below

Lady Margaret

The Endless Summer 

I know I’m tempting fate with the headline, but who can remember when it last rained? Todays gallery of woodys comes to us from the camera of Nathan Herbert (Pacific) as he mooched around the Hauraki Gulf last week. The last 5, are from Peter Loughlin (Lady Margaret -CW) doing the same thing.

We see Tasman, Viveen, Pacific, Arihi, Escape, Chandos, Zoe, Motunau, Waiari, Juanita, Pacific, Lady Margaret (CW), Rehia, Ngaro and a few that I can’t put a name to.

A question – did Colin Wild ever design / build an ugly boat? 

It was a pretty wild and woolly weekend in some parts of the north and reviewing the news and photos, Tutukaka took the brunt of it – sad to see the carnage. Angus Rogers sent in the photo below from Russell last night – tagged ‘After the Wind’ showing the Russell ferry and the launch Miss Brett, bottom right closer in.

A Pot-Pourri Of Woodys

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Viveen @ Te Komua 
Raira @ Te Kouma
Tamure
Altair
Olive Rose @ Waiheke Island
Alma G @ Russel Wharf 

A Pot-Pourri Of Woodys

Today’s collection of classic launches come to use from a collective of woodys photographers that are cruising the Hauraki Gulf and outer waters – thanks to Angus Rogers, Murray Deeble, Colin Pawson and Lindsay McMorran.

And if you need a reminder of the cleverness of Chris McMullen, check out the link below to the story of his Herreshoff steam launch – just updated with shed photos post her ‘pretend’ (waterline check) launching.  https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/04/26/chris-mcmullens-herreshoff-steam-launch-2/

Lady Karita Summer 2021/22

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Lady Karita Summer 2021/22 – HAPPY NEW YEAR

As promised yesterday, today we get a close look, ex the camera of John Burland, at Lady Karita – the 1934, Sam Ford designed and built 43′ launch.

Lady K has been the lucky recipient of a rolling restoration over the last few years, and reviewing John’s photos, all the hard work and $$ has really paid off. She needs to home to the Waitemata ………………..

See and read more here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/02/24/lady-karita-restoration-update/

Rehia – Finds A New Home

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REHIA – FINDS A NEW HOME

Very chuffed to advise that the 1939 Colin Wild designed and built launch – Rehia has found new owners after an extend spell on tme. Bought by a young family that have the desire and commitment to return her to her former glory. Which she deserves, being woody royalty i.e. ex the Colin Wild stable. When a boat survives 80+ years in almost original configuration, it tells you that the designer got it right.

WW will follow this one closely, being ‘nice people’ the first project was fitting a holding tank – had to cash a few credits in at The Slipway Milford to get the work done at short notice – thank you Mr Prew 🙂 Lots of past Rehia stories on WW, search her name in the WW Search Panel – for lots of photos.

24-02-2022 Input ex Scott Taylor – Scott sent in the sketch and photo below of his fathers (Mac Taylor) time spent on Rehia on boom patrol during the WWII, Mac drew the pencil sketch of which Scott has the original.

TeoHANUI

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TeoHANUI

In the above photo ex Lew Redwood, we she the launch Teo Hanui on the Waikato River in 1938. Workers or a pleasure trip? I suspect the long pole is for ‘managing’ the shallows.

Lady Gay – Australian Holiday Update

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2013 Classic Regatta + Waitangi

LADY GAY – AUSTRALIAN HOLIDAY UPDATE

Previously on WW we documented the holiday the 1935 Colin Wild  built Lady Gay was having in Australia (links below).  Now thanks to Colin Grazules pointing us in the direction of an online article in the December issue of Afloat magazine, we get to see and read what owner Graeme Wildon has been up to and his plans to explore more of the Australian boating scene.  Enjoy the read 🙂

https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/10/11/lady-gay-australian-holiday/ https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/10/07/lady-gay-on-sydney-harbour/

Click images below to enlarge, but if the the pages are too hard to read – click on link to view on-line 😉

https://afloat.partica.online/afloat-magazine/december-2021/flipbook/26/?fbclid=IwAR0pYCNJ1GViqDrg1i2Q9rLYnLtzkc9OQq_Is-qal4SObmZi2Jt-IZok2qs

28-11-2025 Input ex Michael (surname unknown) – I recently found this picture taken by Tudor Collins  I assume during secondment to the RNZN during WW  2 .


Wakatoa

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WAKATOA

The ex work boat Wakatoa recently popped up on tme, thanks Ian McDonald. She made a brief appearance on WW back in March 2014, link below. At the time she was berth at Thames and it was commented on WW that she had been listed in the CYA Classic Register booklet as being built c.1939 in the Hokianga. https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/03/05/wakatoa/

The tme listing now has her as being built in 1929, and comments that she stated her life towing harbour barges. We now know she is 36’ and powered by a 130hp Isuzu 6BB1 that gives her a 7>8 knot cruising speed. 

If you are looking for a nice salty looking double-ender, bidding is sub $10k, so she could be a bargain.

HOW MANY MORE SUMMERS WILL YOU LET SLIP BY WITHOUT A BOAT …….

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HOW MANY MORE SUMMERS WILL YOU LET SLIP BY WITHOUT A BOAT ………

Waitematawoodys has a sister  – its called the Wooden Boat Bureau and we sell classic wooden boats – launches, yachts, big and small. We like to fly under the radar, as do most of our clients. Someone asked me what I did the other day – below sums it up (sounds a bit fluffy, in reality I just sell boats.

Inform and enthuse interest in the joys of owning and sailing traditional and classic wooden boats. And we do this by promoting partnerships between the boats, the sellers and the buyers, for the benefit of all. At the end of the day – its all about the boats, as most will out live their current owners.

To view a sample selection of classic woodys berthed at the virtual Wooden Boat Bureau dock, click this link –  https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/10/17/buying-or-selling-a-classic-boat/

Myself and David Cooke (MV Trinidad) are almost always available to offer advice to sellers and buyers – in the interests of marital harmony – in the first instance email to the below

waitematawoodys@gmail.com