Mystery Launch
This one could be a little harder than some of the recent mystery boats I have posted on ww 🙂 The photo was sent in by Nathan Herbert & all we know is the location is Mechanics Bay in the late 1930’s. Nathan’s only comment was that the hull has a Coulthard look.
So woodys anyone able to ID the launch closest the camera?
UPDATE 13-01-2019 Nathan Herbert believes he has tracked this launch down, see photo below from Motuoapa Marina, name on side is possibly ‘Lady Val’?
MANDALAY UPDATE
Back in late 2015 I posted some photos of the 1932, 23′ launch Mandalay that was built in 1932 by Ralph Shephard. Those photos showed her on the Clevedon River & she had been / was for sale on trademe. We enquired if anyone knew her where abouts. Well woodys I can happily report she was purchased by Mark Jack & has the custodian services of Mike Hughes, a traditional boatbuilder, based in Whangarei, who looks after her in Mark’s absence.
The above photos show her just re-launched after a refit that included the hull stripped back to bare timber, new stem, new paint job.
The photos are taken just off Parua Bay Tavern, Whangarei & also shown her tied to the stern of Omicron, a 20’ Harrison Butler yacht, build by P. Voss in 1945 that Mark Jack also owns.
You can view / read more on her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/11/13/mandalay-2/
27-03-2018 Update ex Mike Hughes (Boatbuilder/Custodian)
Mike sent me the photo below from Dec2017 of Mandalay being used to ferry a wedding party from Motukiori Island, Parua Bay, Whanagarei.
Mandalay is owned by Mark Jack & is 23’ in length, kauri carvel & zoom zoom comes from a 3 cylinder yanmar.
Mike has promised me photos of the refit / upgrade she has had, so fingers crossed.
TAUPO EYE CANDY
Morning woodys – over the Xmas / NY break Paul Drake sent me the above photo that shows Romance (Bailey and Lowe 1914 – 26 feet and 6 inches LOA, 1947 Chrysler Ace powered) launch alongside the Acacia Bay wharf at Lake Taupo.
Alongside Romance is Dragon Hunter (Knaggs Brothers – she has a builder’s plate (photo blow) – 12 feet, St Mary’s Bay, Auckland, about 1930).
Both are rather fine classic’s – you can read / view more on Romance here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/09/22/8829/
and here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/12/21/romance-2/
Mystery Launch At Whangaroa
Three days ago I was sitting in the exact spot where this 1938 photo was taken. I however didn’t have a rod in my hand, more like a pint of beer 😉
Can anyone ID the large launch to the right of the wharf?
Another great photo from the past ex the Auckland Museum Tudor Collins collection , emailed to me by Ken Ricketts.
GOLD BELL Mystery Launch Quiz
The above 1936 photo from the Tudor Collins (Auckland Museum) collection shows a dark hulled launch in the foreground, the first woody that can correctly name her, wins a copy of the 2017 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Calendar (still available to purchase via Rachel at zea.rachel@gmail.com ). Entries via the ww comments section. Also keen to ID the other vessels in the bay. photo emailed to me by Ken Ricketts.
Harold Kidd Input
GOLD BELL. She was built by Alf Bell (ex Collings & Bell) at St. Mary’s Bay in September 1929. She had a hard chine and was painted gold.
Funny story about that; Dick Coughlan and I helped clear out Alf’s basement in St. Mary’s Bay after his widow (Dick’s great aunt) died. It was a treasure trove of automotive parts going back the early 1900s including an incredibly early single cylinder Cadillac engine which we gave to John Stewart of St. Heliers, a bandsaw using two 1905ish De Dion Bouton car wheels, the major components of a 1914 Wolseley and yards of launch gear patterns, mostly borer ridden.
On Alf’s workbench was a very large wax vesta tin which was extraordinarily heavy, weighing at least 25lbs (11kg). I opened it and found it full of glittering metal grains.We knew Alf had done some panning at Coromandel (as did most early yachtsmen). The Estate Duty had been paid on the estate, so there was an ethical problem.
Anyway, eventually it was analysed and found to be just bronze filings that Alf had used to mix into the paint for the hull of GOLD BELL!
LADY KARTIA
I very happy to be able to advise that the 1938,43′ Sam Ford designed bridge decker Lady Karita is now in the hands of a new woodys friendly owner, Murray Shaw. Murray also owns the Collings & Bell bridge decker Kawhiti so the man has been bitten by the bug 🙂 . Work is already underway to return her to her former glory, see photo above, ex Steve Thomas, of ‘work-in-progress’ restoring her brightwork. The immediate plans are for her to remain in the Nelson region, but hopefully one day we will see her back on the Waitemata.
Lady Karita was built in Kauri for a flag officer of the Ponsonby Cruisng Club, Mr Victor Salek. Powered by Ford 130hp diesel, shaft drive, sees her cruising economically at 8.5 Knots. For many years she has been based in the Pelorus Sounds.
Back in June, CYA member Mark McLaughlin (Mapuna) alerted me to the fact that LK was on the market, Marks father has been Lady Karita’s caretaker/skipper for the last 15 years in Havelock & supplied the 2 press clippings below.
04-04-2018 Photo below ex owner Murray Shaw of Lady Karita hauled out in Nelson. In the background is Lady Ellison – nice to see the two Sam Ford built launches together 🙂
Kia Ora
A 43 foot wooden boat powered by a Gardner 6LH through a Gardner gearbox. Kia Ora is an ex fishing vessel converted to a pleasure boat for her well deserved retirement.
Built in 1939 at Kaikoura by local fishing legend Syd Cormack & launched on the foreshore at Kaikoura.
She is very well known along the South Island east coast, not many places you won’t bump into a fisherman thats worked on her.
With her Gardner ticking over her cruise speed is 7 to 8Knts and fuel usage is around 5 to 6 liters per hour.
Any of the woodys able to tell us more about Kia Ora, Ian McDonald alerted me to the trademe listing, hopefully she survived the earthquake & tidal activity that it the area this week.
Harold Kidd Input
KIA ORA was built by Syd Cormack in Kaikoura and launched in 1940. Her first engine was a 50hp Bolinder. Her dimensions are (official reg) 41.2′ loa x 12.7′ beam x 5.6′ draught, 13.03 tons gross and 3.88 tons net. Cormack was her first owner. She was registered as LN 93.
When Ainsley Sinclair of Akaroa owned her in 1950 he steamed her up to Auckland for the Sanders Cup contest. During her life she has been sunk and salvaged three times.
Sheds at Clyde Quay Wellington
The capital has also been suffering the effects of the earthquake, Gavin Pascoe sent me the photo below. This is the result of earthquake surge + king tide + torrential rain. Hopefully the water did not do much damage to the sheds contents – click this link to view the sheds on a good day 😉 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/12/31/ever-wondered-whats-inside-those-sheds/
WAIRIKI – A Peek Down Below
Wairiki, the 1934 Colin Wild built launch has appeared on ww before – link below, & created a lot of ‘chat’ in the comments section. If you read Nathan Herbert & Harold Kidd’s comments you will discover her true provenience 😉
Having just popped up on trademe, we have the chance to have a peek down below. Enjoy
Sailing Sunday Eye Candy – Kahurangi & Manitou
Baden Pascoe forwarded me the above photos of Kahurangi ex Pepe d Miguel. The ‘old’ girl is looking very sharp & looking very much at home on the Med. classic sailing circuit. She was built by Percy Vos in 1952 & would have to be one of the prettiest yacht to slide down the Vos slip.
MANITOU – JF Kennedy
Check out the link to the video clip below to view JFK’s old yacht, Manitou. Same bloodlines as Dorade & Stormy Weather i.e. a Sparkman & Stephens (Design #90), she is one of Olin Stephens finest. Launched in 1937, LO= 62′, LW= 44′, Beam+ 13’9″, draft= 8’6″. She carvel & made from mahogany on oak frames. Rumour has it that Aristotle Onassis tried to buy her once. The open fireplace is very me 🙂
If you are interested – 4sale in France for USD$1.3 million – makes the sale price of our Rawhiti the buy of the century.
WAIRANGI
I was sent the above photos of the 35′ launch Wairangi by Annette Evans, Wairangi belonged to her late father & Annette is about to undertake a restoration project. Before commencing work Annette is keen to see if ww can shed any light on the boat. They are keen to find out more on her original design, so any help identifying her original design or past owners would be greatly appreciated.
The boat now resides in Marlborough but it originally came from Dunedin and was known to the area as a pleasure launch in the Otago Harbour area before and immediately after World War II.
It’s believed that she was originally built in Auckland in 1932. It was owned in the mid > late 1950’s by a Mr W McCulloch (potentially well known in Otago), then it was transported by rail to Blenheim in aprox 1961, it belonged to a Mr R Foster of Dunedin.
The photos show her being prepped for her 1961 rail journey from Dunedin to Blenheim.
The 2016 Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition wrapped up yesterday with the legendary beers & bangers 🙂
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