Back in 2013 we ran a story on the 1938 Chas. Bailey Jnr. designed, Chas. Bailey & Sons Ltd built 55’ launch – Te Rauparaha. The focus then was what had happened to her and where was she. Good chat (link below) uncovered a lot – we discovered in 1979 she went to Noumea, New Caledonia under her own steam to start life as a charter vessel, and was renamed Samara. https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/05/22/te-rauparaha/
Fast forward 7 years and I get an email from her owner Valk Delevaux from Noumea, included with the email were the photos above. I think I could safely say that the Bailey family would struggle to recognise the boat they designed and built. But any owner has the right to do what they want and its only wood so someone else might one day convert her back closer to original. I understand she is for sale so if you’re looking for a old/new woody………………….
21-01-2021 Update – the engines are 2x300cv Cummins Bt06. Drive is the same but with a all new hydropique system.
The above photo essay from the 2021 (Jan 9th) Russell Boating Club’s Tall Ships regatta were sent in by Dean Wright, as always stunning camera work. Dean commented that there wasn’t much breeze on race day so it was a bit of a dawdle. I’m sure that didn’t dampen the legendary post race festivities ashore.
Dean is a good lad and always tries to include a few launches in the mix, even if its a sailing event. #e like that The photos of the Colin Wild launch – Wirihana, just go to show that if you are a looker, no matter what you hang off her (SUP/Sailing Dinghy/RIB) – you’ll always be a looker 😉 As always – click on the smaller photos to enlarge.
Rakino Island (West Bay on left – Woody Bay on right)Raindance & Morgana
West Bay, Rakino IslandMarise
Woody Bay Pizzeria – Rakino Island
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT ON RAKINO ISLAND – click to play – the singer, Jennie Cruse is Auckland based and available for hire – 021 266 4330
LibertyWindhaven II
MariseManuroaWaiariRaindance @ Garden Cove
GARDEN COVE – 360 deg Video – click to play
WOODY SUMMER BOATING CRUISE The WW story today is a photo gallery from the 2020/21 holiday period cruise on Raindance, the photos are not always that sharp, it was more like “look there’s one” and I would grab the camera and snap a photo. Click on the smaller photos to enlarge 😉
We mostly mooched around Waiheke and Rakino Islands – had 11 great days afloat, a little blowie at times but tucking away in the right spot with a good book was just what the doctor ordered. Only had 2 hours rain on one day, so can not complain. General observation was that it was quiet in most of the bays. I understand Great Barrier Island was very popular.As always there are a few food pix to break things up. The discovery of a pop-up pizzeria in Woody Bay, Rakino was the culinary highlight of the cruise 🙂
Thanks to help from several woodys sending in photos, we were able to continue the WW stories everyday over the holiday period and the viewing / reading numbers were strong thru-out. I think that one of the few positives from CV-19 is that a lot more people have either upgraded their digital devices or are now more tech savvy and are on-line more often.
Enjoy the photos – the next big woody event will be the Auckland Anniversary long weekend at Mahurangi.
Woodys At Ponui Island Fiona Driver aboard her classic launch – Arohanui sent in the above gallery of woodys at anchor in Chamberlin Bay, Ponui Island on Friday evening. I’m told the woodys almost outnumbered the plastics 🙂
Nice to see the bridge-decker Lady Rae out and about, she was once one of the flagships in the CYA fleet.
Our resident B.O.I. woody – Dean Wright is a star, above is another batch of photos from the Bay of Islands. I was especially rapped to get the top two of Marline, WW readers will know that she spent several months at the end of last year I the shed at The Slipway Milford getting a top-chop. You can read / see more on that at the WW link below. Wonderful to see her back in the bay and with Ken Warne at the helm.
The very large – Galerina, is looking the sharpest in many a year – well done to whoever is caring for her. Can anyone put a name to the last photo, the launch with the game poles – its something like ‘Hattele’
I have been getting weather reports from back in the city that its been very wet – my garden will be very happy. But I can report that other than 2 hours of light rain on 01-01-2021, its as dry as a crisp. Photo below from Rakino – West Bay on the left and Woody Bay on the right. As always if you spot anyone or thing that might appeal to the WW readers, pull the phone out and snap a photo and send in to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
RUSSELL , BAY OF ISLANDS – c. Late 1930 > Early 1940
During a spot of spring cleaning Gary Stanborough came across the photos above taken by his late father, Gordon Stanborough in the late 1930’s or early 1940’s when visiting Russell. The top photo shows the game boat Alma G II in her early days.
Of particular interest to Gary was the car ferry on the Russell foreshore and presumably the original Knoxie. A great look back at the area 80>90 years ago.
The photo below was sent in yesterday of a Flemming 55 on fire at Opua, be careful these holidays accidents happen so easily on a boat. In the 2nd photo (NZH) there is a woody on the left, all that smoke would not have been pleasant i.e. melting plastic 😦
WW has been contacted by Nic Innes seeking help on-covering details on this launch Islay. All he knows is that it was previously owned, for 33 years by a Peter Weeks, and built in the early 1930’s by Millers of Lyttelton. Islay is 36’ in length.
The photo above is reflective of the launch when Nic bought her approx. 2 years ago. The photo below is as current. Nic has been restoring/changing her for a while now. Nic commented that she was pretty much completely rotten on the top side and he has gone for a more usable cabin space. However the immediate goal for now is to just keep it dry so it can be used and enjoyed in the mean time with all the modern luxuries. Nic understands that she has been in Havelock for a long time.
Can anyone help Nic in his quest?
Harold Kidd Input
(1) I’ll stick my neck out and say that this ISLAY was built by J.McPherson of Dunedin in September 1927 with a 25hp 4 cyl Kermath. R L Kennett of Christchurch bought her in 1936 and had her refitted by Millers. Kennett owned her right up to WW2. G. Davis owned her from 1946 to at least 1962. He replaced the Kermath with a 100hp Austin in 1953. R.B.McMillan of Lyttelton owned her in 1973.
(2) ECLIPSE was built in Dunedin by McPherson in November 1922. Maybe kejo’s two photos are from some McPherson provenance and maybe his ISLAY is a different boat from the McPherson-built Dunedin boat, although they were of the same length and both Kermath-powered. The Kermath was a popular engine at the time, however. Still, the Dunedin ISLAY vanishes at about the time an ISLAY pops up in Lyttelton. Just to add to the mystery, it’s just possible that Kennett’s ISLAY was his PASTIME, renamed after a rebuild at MIllers..Who says launches are simple?Happy days!
The launch – Marinus was built in 1938 (apparently by Barr-Browns in Wellington) for commercial work in Cook Strait and was Lloyd’s registered to carry 5 tons. It is believed that Barr-Browns were cabinet and furniture makers in that era, rather than boat builders and in later years, Barr-Browns were machinery merchants selling the likes of forklifts and other industrial machinery.
Unconfirmed, but she probably was originally powered by twin Gray Marine inline 6-cylinder engines, and was re-powered in about 1965 with two 1956-ish Rootes TS3 2-strokes, which were located directly under the bridge floor. The gearboxes she had in 2001 were 26 spline Borg-Warner Velvet Drives.
The photo above was taken in January 2001 at Pine Harbour. Post this date she may have been moored at Great Barrier Island for an extended time frame. Rumour has it that she experienced several semi sinkings due to bilge pump issues. Marinus was taken over by a new owner who towed her to Whitianga and on-sold her to another individual who either towed or motored her Whangamata, where her engines were removed.
Nothing is known about the boat post being kept on a swing mooring at Whangamata. So woodys can anyone tell us what became of this woody, did she survive?
Update – photos below of – Marinus, which were taken in January 2015 at Gibbs Landing on the Barrier. She had been towed over to the wharf from her swing mooring after being pumped out the last time. Click to enlarge photos
Update #2 – Below are the as-was interior photos before being towed away from the Barrier in 2015. Over looking the untidy appearance and the need for much TLC, you can see how well designed the interior was for such an old girl. Very spacious and well appointed for her age and with twin TS3 engines, the floor in the bridge was flat (no engine boxes). Note the Lloyd’s Reg Number on the bulkhead, in what was then the bathroom / shower / toilet area. According to the Gt Barrier is. owner, she was apparently built in 1938 to an American design (which might account for the sloping windscreens), but wasn’t launched until after W.W.II.
UPDATE # 3 – I received a call from boat builder Geoff Bagnall today and Geoff pointed me in the direction as to where I could find Marinus. Geoff has been working on her and while in my eyes some areas are a tad modern looking – what a difference from the above Great Barrier photos. Just goes to prove that old saying “every dog has its day”. An amazing rescue job, who ever the owner is, they deserve to take a bow – well done 🙂
14-12-2020 Harold Kidd Input – MARINUS was owned for many years by Keith Lackey of Wellington.She was built by Barr-Brown, Owen and Stewart and launched in 1947. Her first engines were twin 6 cyl Gray petrol. According to Lloyds she was designed by A.M. Deeming.(an Opua Deeming??).
Recently I was contacted by Manuel Cunha, advising he had purchased an ex 38’ crayfish boat named Arawa, which he believes was built in 1956 in Whangaroa. For the last 20 odd years Arawa has been standing on a farm in Auckland. Can any of the work boat crew enlighten us / Manuel as to her past.
LADY KAY – WHERE IS SHE. I have been contacted about the launch – Lady Kay, a twin screw motor cruiser built by Elkins and Son in 1938. If it still exists a previous owner has various bits including the compass binnacle that he would like to pass on to the currant owner.
The Big Winner On The Day – the Duder Family on Spray – 1st Across the Line
A visitor from Hawkes Bay
Classic Woody Weekend At Patio Bay – 60+ Classic Wooden Boat Photos
As you will have come to expect, the first weekend in December sees the CYA hosting the annual Patio Bay weekend, for some reason in recent years its morphed into a potpourri of events – these days its – the CYA Xmas party, a cake competition, a motor boat poker rally and what it always was – a yacht race down to the bay for a old school waterfront BBQ. A little busy these days but it seems to work 🙂
This year was the first visit since the ownership of the property changed hands from the Woolicott family (100+ years) to Mike Mahoney. It was comforting to hear Mike talk of their feature plans that include continuing the event.
New to the programme this year was a poker run rally for the CYA launches. Skippers collect a playing card from 5 collection on route and then play a round of poker ashore to determine the winner. The event was sponsored by The Slipway Milford. Winners below:
First Across The Line – Gay Dawn – Mark & Pricilla MacDuff – Burnsco voucher + wine
Poker Run Winner- Kumi – Hayden & Linda Afford – COMPLIMENTARY SLIPWAY MILFORD HAULOUT + 4L ANTIFOUL PAINT + WW T-SHIRT
Shoddy Boat Handling Skills – Lucille – Alan Good (wife name withheld as she was innocent) WW T-shirt A great time was had by all and special thanks must go to everyone that helps pull the weekend together. To me it always signals the start of summer boating.
Most WW readers will be very familiar with the annual Mahurangi Regatta – the biggest gathering of wooden boats in NZ. The MCC also put together a year book that is a one of the best boating reads each year and perfect for on the boat over xmas. So woodys, if your looking for a self present (always the best) or being asked what you want from the kids – at $20 for 108 pages it’s a steal.
Pre-order a copy here ngairehopwood@gmail.com Or pick up a copy in store or on-line at BoatBooks
