Category Archives: 1930’s

Dunkirk Little Ship – Lady Gay – Destroyed By Fire

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Dunkirk Little Ship – Lady Gay – Destroyed By Fire

Flicking thru my digital subscription to the UK Classic Boat magazine, I was saddened to read that the Dunkirk Little Ship  – Lady Gay has been destroyed in a fire at the old Thornycroft sheds on Platts Eyot, Hampton, on the River Thames.

Lady Gay was 34ft motor yacht built in 1934 for Lord Alfred Dunhill.

One of the builders was interviewed once – this is his tale – “We didn’t have a shed big enough to take her, so we set up a canvas shelter outside, which also saved us extra rates. We only had one 100-watt electric light bulb and no machinery. Every part of her was made by hand. I remember going to Maldon in Essex with templates of the woodwork to get the timber cut to size. Then we shaped it by hand. Three of us worked on her for nearly five months and my pay was under £3 a week. Every Saturday Lord Dunhill came to the yard in his chauffeur-driven car and handed out cigarettes and, on one occasion, pipes. When she was finished, she had cost His Lordship £1,500. Having no slipway, George and Eric, with some helpers, dragged her down the hill, through the local car park and manhandled her over the sea wall next to one of the Bastions and into the water. They went on board with the fuel, the twin Morris Commodores started first time and Lord Dunhill’s boat was on its way.”

You can view the launching on this link – can you just imagine the health & safety / police / city council nazi’s if you tried to do this today 🙂

WOODYS LOVE A RAILWAY HAUL OUT

A nice line up of woodys out at The Slipway, Milford. L>R – Maroro, Raindance, Te Hauraki

PLEASE RSVP FOR THE ABOVE WOODY EVENT – NEXT SUNDAY (23/05) – LOCATION IS 606 ROSEBANK ROAD, AVONDALE – RSVP TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Wairau Estuary – Mystery Boats

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Wairau Estuary – Mystery Boats


Ok, maybe I should have said ‘Milford Creek’ in the headline, but you know where I’m talking about. The above photo (c. 1930>39) comes to us ex Andrew Reid, via Maurice Sharp’s fb. The actual location would appear to be near the current ’The Slipway Milford’ railway haul out yard and the Milford Cruising Clubs hard stand area. And just be coincidence I will be sliding up that piece of water at 7am today.


Can we ID the craft? I have included close-up photos below to help.

Input from Graeme Sapwell – The Flush deck launch in bottom photo is Webster’s – Reta W. outside his property .
Input from Harold Kidd – RETA W was built by R Malcolm in the creek for T.G. Webster in November 1925. Linc Wood always thought it amusing that her name is “Water” spelt backwards.

Lipton Cup – 100th Anniversary – Photo Gallery

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Lipton Cup – 100th Anniversary – Photo Gallery

Following on from yesterdays teaser and results oops – I’m a launch person wont know an L Mullet boat from an H Mullet boat – no one died, its a new day, we move on.The winner of the actual Lipton Cup, hosted by the Ponsonby Cruising Club  – L division (22’) was Orion, 2nd went to Limited Edition, with Tamerau 3rd.The H division winner was Corona. As of Sunday night there were no results posted on the PCC website – so at some stage soon 🙂 go there for details.

There are lots of tales around how the PCC obtained the magnificent trophy, which was crafted by the same jewellers as the Americas Cup – you can read more about the history of the cup here https://www.pcc.org.nz/history


I was land based, using a long lens so some are a little fuzzy, but you get the vibe of the day. Sorry if your boats missing – drop me an email and I’ll check the photos, took lots, but some had other boats in the background etc. As always click on photos to enlarge.

Good to see Geoff Bagnall floating around on his launch, must have escaped Gisborne for the weekend 😉 
Photos below ex Don MacLeod

The Start
Rounding The Second Mark
Fleet Leaders Second Mark – Tamatea > Orion > Tamerau > Limited Edition

Woody Easter Weekend at Kawau Island

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PACIFIC

MY GIRL & LUCINDA

LUCINDA

EILEEN PATRICIA

HAMI (WANDA > WANDA II)
WOTAN

WOODY EASTER WEEKEND AT KAWAU ISLAND

Today’s photo gallery of woodys comes to us from the camera’s (phones) of Jason Prew and Nathan Herbert and were taken over Easter weekend in and around Kawau Island. Boats featured are Jason’s – My Girl, Nathan’s – Pacific, Peter & Jenni Mence’s – Eileen Patricia, Jason & Yan Davies – Lucinda. Plus cameo appearance from Paul Tinghy’s yacht -Wotan and Madeline Rundle’s launch Hami (previously Wanda / Wanda II).


Lucinda was built in 1930 by LC Coulthard and has just been re-launched after undergoing some running repairs at The Slipway Milford. Work included re-powering – out went the 50hp Perkins and in went a 100hp Isuzu, giving her a top speed now of 14>15 knots.

Salt Air

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SALT AIR

This 36’ bridge decker , named Salt Air, recently popped up om tme. We do not know a lot about her, other than she is powered by a 120hp Nissan LD28 6 cylinder diesel.

Keen to uncover more on her past – who built her and where she has been for the last 90 odd years – the build year is given as c.1930’s

Harold Kidd Input – I have a record of a LORRAINE at Okahu Bay in 1947 in a Lee Rail article with the comment “red cedar”(!). The first LORRAINE was lost on the bar at Tairua in 1923 with big loss of life. I also have a SALT AIR (or perhaps SALTAIRE) owned by Jack Phillips in 1955-7 bought from the Whau Creek.


Real Yacht Racing – check out the J-Class Shamrock V in amongst the whole J fleet.

Update 09-05-2021 – From new owner – Steve

“Well I took the plunge and purchased Salt Air . She is in pretty good nick, although there are many sessions with the sandpaper to come. I was told she was built by Bayley and Lowe and launched in the mid 1930’s.When the previous owners purchased her she was known as Muritia undergoing a refit at Te Atatu and they bought her understanding she had a faulty starter which turned out to be a completely ceased engine  They were lucky enough to find a marine version of the LD28 Nissan which is a pearla.   They met someone who knew knew her in a previous life then known as Salt Air when she regularly bought mussels over from the barrier. They liked the name and renamed her Salt Air.We had an interesting delivery journey to her new home in Whangarei. Left Te atatu at 6 am with a forecast 0-0.5m sea and 5-15 knots, dead calm as we left, at least 1.5 m swell with a breaking 1.0m + chop, a 25 to 35 knot SW breeze blowing the tops off the swells as we crossed Kawau Bay. My wife became well acquainted with the bucket. I found out why Salt Air survived 80+ years as she punched through at her most comfortable speed of 7.3 knots. Very impressed with her. Ended up running before it a bit in the interest domestic harmony and came around the sheltered back side of Kawau and spent the night in Bon Accord and finished the journey next day. I would love to know more about this beautiful old girl.”

Royal Saxon – 1989>1994

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Royal Saxon 1989 > 1994
The top photo made a brief appearance on Lew Redwood’s fb and Nathan Herbert correctly ID’ed the launch as the 33’ Colin Wild, 1930 built – Royal Saxon, anchored in Islington Bay, Rangitoto Island. At the time I would suspect she was owned by Rick McCay (MV Luana), so sometime between late 1980 and 1994, when he sold her. These days Royal Saxon resides at the top of the South Island, at Motueka. The WW link below and comments section will tell you all about the boat and how she ended up down south. 

The 2nd photo I took 2 years ago of her anchored at Kaiteriteri, when we were on-route to the Abel Tasman National Park. Fantastic to see her unchanged after 30 odd years, another example of how beautiful Colin Wild’s designs were and how most remain so today 🙂

Royal Saxon


There is a great WW Royal Saxon story of a 1939 big game fishing cruise at Mayor Island, Bay of Plenty – told by Harold C. Clark. Great reading

Royal Saxon 1939 Game Fishing Cruise 

15-03-2021 Input From Mark Newcomb – I am pretty sure I recall being a young boy on a trip from Tauranga to Mayor Island on the launch Royal Saxon. It must have been the mid 1950’s, and I had thought the launch belonged to Arthur Honeyfield, a well known farmer and businessman who had a lovely farm at Kauri Point(?) near Katikati. Honeyfield was a member of the Tauranga Harbor Board and had somehow managed to get a substantial wharf built near the farm for easy access to the inner Tauranga Harbor. We embarked on our journey from this wharf. I recall a lodge on the island at SE Bay, not sure if we stayed there or on board. I still have some obsidian that I found on the island.
It is entirely possible that Royal Saxon was owned by a friend of Arthur’s, or was on charter.
Sadly, the son John Honeyfield, died last week, so that avenue of follow up has gone.

CYA BUMPER BOATS – I hear that during race one of the Classic Regatta the other week, the A Division boys were playing silly buggers again. At the start 3 of of the ‘stars’ of the A Class fleet all got hooked up on the start line and ended up all doing an unplanned buffalo girl 🙂

Koputai – Work Boat Conversion

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KOPUTAI – WORK BOAT CONVERSION


Requests for info on boat on WW can be a lot like paying the pokie machines – you ‘feed’ the machine and pull the handle – sometimes it spins and nothing comes up, most of the time we get a small payout, just enough to keep us motivated to keep playing – then sometimes you hit the jackpot.

Today’s story is a jackpot pay out – starts like this – over the last 5>6 years the 1939, 56′, Miller & Tunnage built – Koputai has popped up on WW and we have been trying uncover more of her history. Back in May 2015 she was for sale and the then owner, the late, Louey Sandiant told us everything you would want to know about the photo + photos. Then in Sept 2020 Keith Foster, who purchased Koputai off Louey contacted WW and supplied some updated photos and a request for any further intel on the boat.

It took a few months but Matt Siddells made contact and advised that his grandfather – Russell Bramwell purchased Koputai as a retired pilot boat and did the conversion to pleasure boat. Matt has very kindly shared the gallery above of photos from the family album. You can see and read more about Koputai at the WW links below


2015    https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/05/03/koputai-sailing-sunday/
2020    https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/09/06/koputai/

Hatea

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HATEA

Sadly I know the fate of the above 42’ launch – Hatea was destroyed by fire while cruising at the Hen & Chicken Islands, Northland, in February 1931. The only other information I can tell you is she was Whangarei based at the time.

Anyone one tell us more about Hatea – designer>builder> year launched etc.

Yacht On The Rocks Quiz Winner = Peter Brookes with the correct answer – Little Jim. Having crawled all over LJ doing to rebuilds/refurbishments – you would expect Peter to get it right 🙂

Lock-down Treat ~ Free Access To The Worldwide Classic Boat Show

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A LOCK-DOWN TREAT – FREE ACCESS TO THE WORLDWIDE CLASSIC BOAT SHOW


Our friends over at Off Center Harbor have been orchestrating a new gig on the classic boat scene – a virtual worldwide classic boat show. Its been live now for 10 days and only available via purchasing a ticket (US$5) – now woodys to help us kiwis (and the WW overseas followers) during CV-19 lock-down – the show is now free.

See below instructions on how to visit the show. 

You can use the globe / map to see an amazing collection of vessel around the world + locations of museums & trade folks – but the real gem for me is the daily video presentations from some of the worlds leading lights on the classic boating scene – sailors, teachers, photographers, event promoters and boat builders. You will be addicted so I apologise in advance for ruining your day/s – but, you’re supposed to be in lock-down 🙂

If you only watch one presentation – make it the legendary Tom Cunliffe presentation – you’ll find it on Sat Feb20th under the heading ’Seas of Northern Europe’ – do not be put off by the boring title – its a cracker, the mans one of the best storytellers around, you’ll be glued to the screen for 2 hours. ENJOY THE SHOW 🙂

How To Get Your Free Ticket:

1. CLICK HERE to get your free ticket (here is the full link if you need it: https://classicboatshow.com/product/one-free-ticket-for-full-access-to-the-worldwide-classic-boat-show/ )

2. Checkout for free, and your username and password become your ticket

3. To login, go to ClassicBoatShow.com, click login in the top right corner to get full access, and enjoy the show!

If you have trouble getting your free ticket, you can always email the show’s crew for help at crew@classicboatshow.com.

If the show turns out to be an enjoyable and valuable experience for you, they have a voluntary “tips/donations” button on the top of the screen where you can contribute.

Gelyce

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GELYCE

Totally Over The Top Restoration – But OMG – Stunning 
Today should have been a big sailing story, around the CYA Classic Regatta, but weather and CV-19 killed that. Race Day 1 (Saturday) was a bit of a fizzer with little wind, resulted in two shortened races and then Saturday nights announcement on CV-19 levels killed the remaining two days – so time to pull something out of the hat. Actually easy – when I was scrolling thru the guys at Off Centre Harbors latest virtual  gig – the Worldwide Classic Boat Show I came across – Gelyce, a 1930 50’ ex J-Class tender, designed and built by Camper & Nicholson, Gosport, UK. A quick google search told me a lot more about the launch and the amazing restoration – more here http://www.gelyce.co.uk
Its a great story and stunning commitment by her owners to bring her back for a near death to being one of the UK’s finest craft. I’ll let the owners tell the story – the gold plated fittings and Rolls Royce engine are OTT but perfect.

“The history of this famous vessel makes her possibly the most unique yacht tender and spectating boat in the World. She was built in 1930 by internationally celebrated 200 year old builder of world-class leisure and sports craft Camper & Nicholsons (C&N) of Gosport, UK and provided to Sir Thomas Lipton with the legendary J Class Racing Yacht Shamrock V. Upon Lipton’s death in 1931 both were taken on by Sir Thomas Sopwith, for whom C&N also built the America’s Cup challenger Endeavour. “Gelyce” was also used as Endeavour’s tender to transport guests to ‘the big boat.’
This sublime 50ft example of the Gelyce Class (official no 160934) is the only one of the series used as a J Class Yacht Tender. C&N built only nine of the 50ft Gelyce-class boats all in the period from 1912 to 1930, several of which were for the use of Nicholson family members. Indeed, “Gelyce” itself remained registered to C&N for seven years through the 1930’s. The Gelyce class of boat was thus always rare and exclusive and is now even more so with only three surviving.
“Gelyce” was the last built of the class, pre-eminent in terms of its provenance as the only one to be a J Class Tender. The name Gelyce is an amalgamation of the Nicholson brother’s wives names – Gertie, Lucy & Constance.
“Gelyce” has now completed a restoration of unprecedented quality and with her impeccable history is sought after in the growing classic yacht racing fraternity.
She has undergone a complete restoration of the hull, using three layers of structural mahogany veneers laid in double diagonal then carvel, fastened with modern epoxy and 75 thousand polymer staples.
The entire superstructure and interior has been retained and refurbished. The instrument panel, morse control, all deck, cabin and head fittings are Welsh gold plated for easy care.
Her engine is a concours condition aluminum mid-1960’s Rolls Royce, producing 175hp, which theoretically gives her the capability of 28knots at sea. The engine was restored and marinised by Brian Bax at Tim Walker Restorations.
Exquisite “Gelyce” has been lovingly restored by Classic Restoration for with her owner, Wint Taylor. “

photos below as found