Category Archives: 1930’s

Sailing Sunday – Little Jim

Posted on by
6

LITTLE JIM

Little Jim is a rather special boat, almost royalty – blue blood 🙂 Designed by Arch Logan & built  by Bill Couldrey in 1934 under Arch’s discerning eye.

When you start life with parents like that, when you get older & it comes time for some orthopedic surgery, only the best wooden surgeon will do – enter Peter Brookes, this artisan has worked his magic on Little Jim twice. The first time was a 2 year major refit in 2007/8, which saw strengthening work to the step and bow sections and a full interior reconfiguration. The keel was off & got new bolts & the systems were replaced or overhauled. Currently Little Jim is in Peter Brookes shed getting the finishing touches to an extensive renovation. Hopefully Little Jim’s owner Rod Marler will chip in here & walk us thru whats been happening to Little Jim over the last 12 months (photos ex Peter Brookes shed below).

And at the risk of falling off-side with the gaff-rig cohorts, Little Jim being sloop rigged is just so much more sailable (if there is such a word). No need to spend hours ringing around looking for crew, Little Jim is easily sailed by two.

When she was relaunched in 2008, Lew Barrett, one of the WoodenBoat Forum guru’s made the following comments –

“I like the textures and lightness in the handling of the interior. The glossy highlights of the trim (and the beautiful natural color of the wood) works perfectly against the subdued but flawless finishes of the cabinetry. The paneled locker doors and trim are simple but elegant. It’s exactly what we love about old wooden boats. They fully respected and retained the feel and sense of age while making her new. This is a really sensitive and demanding restoration objective to accomplish.The exterior is as clean and purposeful as the interior. It all really works to make a place you want to be.”

Our own Harold Kidd commented in 2008 at her relaunch
“it remains today an eye-catcher & a head-turner by any standards, so beautifully does form fulfill function. The aesthetics of its lines remain exquisite.

We are almost spoilt by the number of classic wooden yachts in & around our harbour, they are all special in their owners eyes but few are drop dead gorgeous – Little Jim is.

(note: Interior photos ex Chris Miller ex 2010 CYA Classic Register)

Mystery Boat 30/08/2014

Posted on by
21

Mystery Boat 30/08/2014

photo from snapshot book of H.D.Guthrie.

Roger Guthrie sent in this photo from his Grandfathers collection, the date is approx. 1925 & the location Waiheke Island.
The name of the launch is not known but Rogers suspects it may have been owned by the Lambourne family.

Anyone able to ID the boat?

If you are new to waitematawoodys, when ww first started there were some neat late 1920’s/1930’s old b/w boating movies of Waiheke Island & the Stein Family (Arran Bay) launch Waitangi, the Stein’s owned Waitangi for 20>30 years. Enter ‘Guthrie Family’ in the Search box & enjoy.

Update 31/08/2014

Photo below of Minerva  from “Deeds not words” (pp 44) ex Derek Molander

Where Is She Now? – Lady Ava

Posted on by
22

Where Is She Now ? – Lady Ava

A very pretty launch that we need in the CYA fleet, so the question today is where is she hiding these days – the above photo ex Jason Prew was taken at the Mahurangi Regatta in 2006.

I hope I have the correct name – the only reference I have is the yellow pennant on her stern – Lady Ava

+ need details on her please 🙂 thx Harold – amended as below.

Update from Harold Kidd

Its MISS AVA, built by Ernie Lane at Picton in 1931.
I looked at her to buy several years ago and found her quite attractive. She went to Wellington about 1937, owned by Ernie Lamberg. She was in NAPS at Wellington 1942-3 as Z70. Her dimensions are 36’x9’8″ and she recently was powered by a 6 cylinder Ford diesel. There is a nice pic of her in the Boat Harbour at Wellington in NAPS in “New Zealand Naval Vessels” by Bob McDougall on page 105. She hasn’t changed much since then.

Update to the above from Harold

johntwodogs is quite right. Z70 in that image is not MISS AVA. I wish I had checked my copy of NZNV before posting, especially since the entry in my database had an asterisk for a doubtful piece of info. I have only just found it after 3 hours of searching in my library, face down in the wrong place.
NZNV gives only a couple of NAPS numbers for Wellington launches, Z73 for QUEEN CHARLOTTE and Z78 for ROSEMARY M. I’ve filled in a few, eg RAHEMO with Z76. So what is this Z70? She’s a weird-looking craft, quite large. The only Wellington NAPS boat that seems to correspond is KOTUKU, a 48 footer owned by Wm. H Smith about which I know nothing.
The image below is for the Wellington buffs to chew over. Courtesies to Bob McDougall who had no responsibility for my leap in the dark.

PS Of course QUEEN CHARLOTTE is Z72, NOT Z73 as in NZNV.

Boat Harbour1942502

Updated ‘recent’ photos of Lady Ava ex John Wright. click photos to enlarge

John tells me the ‘young lad’ in the wheel house is ‘Captain Buck Rogers’

Ngtakai / Johnny Wray – South Sea Vagabonds

Posted on by
6

NGATAKI / JOHNNY WRAY SOUTH SEAS VAGABONDS

Big day down at the waterfront yesterday, we had over 200 people turned out for the Tino Rawa Trust re-launch of Johnny Wray’s Ngataki & the Harper Collins launch of the 75th Anniversary edition of ‘South Sea Vagabonds’.

Todays post is a photo essay of yesterdays events. As always, click any photo to enlarge 😉

Ngataki

Ngataki Memorabilia

South Sea Vagabonds 75th Anniversary edition launch

Finlay McDonald – Harper Collins
Bruce Ansley – author of the Intro
Tony Stevenson – Tino Rawa Trust

Friends of Ngataki  (Andrew Fagan’s – ‘Swirly World & K. Hammond /  A. Sully’s – ‘Seaward’)

Swirly World
Seaward

The legand lives on

Something really cool – at the book launch Findlay MacDonald from Harper Collins Publishing advised that the Red Cross were the benefactors of Johnny Wray’s will, so proceeds from the book sales go to them, BUT the Red Cross has decided they will split the proceeds with the Tino Rawa Trust to help maintain Ngataki. How cool is that – remember the Red Cross next time one of their collectors rattles a money box in front of you – or more likely, you get a phone call.

Remember – the boat & the dockside exhibition is open Saturday & Sunday – see details below.

Click the link below to see some launch day photos ex Tony Stevenson

http://classicyacht.org.nz/cyaforum/topic/ngataki-restoration/#post-124899

Ngataki in the International Media

The relaunch &  book launch is featured in the Oct 2014 edition of the Classic Boat UK

Sybil Francis

Posted on by
15

SYBIL FRANCIS

This one might be easy but I suspect not – her trademe listing said she was built in 1935 & is 36′ three skin kauri planked with a 10′ beam. Powered by a 120 hp Ford diesel.
Currently based at Great Barrier Island & been earning her keep as a fishing boat, she has had one owner for the last twenty three years.

Anyone able to shed some light on the old girl?

Rahemo #2 Post

Posted on by
6
c1948

RAHEMO #2 Post

ww was contacted by the present owner of Rahemo & the information & photos the Rod Turner has supplied deserves its own post, read below
“The Chrysler Crown 125s I replaced were “mirror” or a contra-rotating handed pair. They were rugged and reliable, dedicated marine engines. No change of rotation occurred in the gear boxes. They were supplied and installed by Todds as New Zealand agents, not the Navy. Rahemo never had diesel engines before 1987. The “one family from new” is my mistake as I was not aware of Mr Butchers 2 year ownership. I thought the Todd family owner her from new. The Trademe listing was done by Vinnings Brokers. Rahemo returned to Auckland in the 1950s to be used for deep sea fishing in the Bay of Islands before making a second trip back to Wellington.“

Richard has supplied 2 photos of Rahemo on the hard showing her under-water hull shape & a stunning black and white is of Rahemo and another family boat, the “Maroro” taken in Onahau Bay, Queen Charlotte Sound in about 1948. Maroro is a Chris Craft from about 1932 still in his families ownership awaiting restoration.

Rahemo #1 Post

Posted on by
21

RAHEMO #1 Post

Described as a Laing bridge decker & built in 1935, her kauri hull is 42′ long. Powered by twin 4 cyl. Volvo 130hp engines she has no trouble cruising at 10>12 knots. Her 4 sale listing states that she has had one owner from new.

Any one able to confirm & expand on what we know about Rahemo ?

Harold Kidd Update

RAHEMO was built in Auckland in late 1936 by Dick LANG (not Laing) at St. Mary’s Bay for R.W. Butcher of Hamilton as STRATHMORE. She was 42’x10’9″x3’6″ and powered with twin 90hp Chryslers. In 1938 she was bought by the Todd family of Wellington and motored down via Tauranga and the east coast in December 1938. The Todds renamed her RAHEMO. She was in NAPS out of Wellington in WW2 as Z76 and fitted with diesels. One TradeMe recently she was advertised as “one family from new”…………………….. not really.

PS R.W. Butcher sold ALCESTIS/RAIONA to Alf Seccombe when he had STRATHMORE/RAHEMO built and had RAWEA built when he sold STRATHMORE/RAHEMO. When RAWEA was  requisitioned for RNZN patrol work in 1940 he bought RONGO. You can’t keep a good launch man down!

Photo below ex Paper Past – 15 Dec 1938 just prior to departing for Wellington, insert photo i of A. R. Clarke who skippered her.

Strathmore (Rahemo) 15 Dec 1938

The Dawn

Posted on by
7

THE DAWN

photo & details from Riwia Fox

Have had a request from Riwia Fox on behalf of her aunt who is looking for any details on her fathers kauri launch – The Dawn. Excuse the very low res photo, hopefully a better one will be found. The war time ‘345’ number should help jog some memories. Riwia’s aunt believes it was built by Dick Lang in 1935.

Updated details (25/07/2014) from Riwia Fox – her Aunt has advised her fathers name was Bill Hogan, a member of the Ponsonby Cruising Club & The Dawn was built in 1935.

Maristella

Posted on by
10

MARISTELLA

Info from Harold Kidd & Mark McLaughlin

Maristella was a 40 footer, built by Sam Ford in December 1936 for Mr R.W. Wills of Epsom and fitted with a 50hp Ailsa Craig diesel. During WW2 RNZN patrol service she was fitted with a Gray for spares rationalization purposes.

Maristella was for sale recently and was advertised as having a 4-71 Detroit. She was renamed “Faye Michelle” for a time and has now reverted back to Maristella.

The b/w photo shows her on launch day & minus the flying bridge.

New photos – 12/08/2014

20-09-2023 UPDATE ex John Wicks – Maristella spotted berthed at Hobsonville Marina

Nana

Posted on by
12

Matiatia

NANA

thanks to CYA members Jason Prew for the colour photos & Nathan Herbert for the b/w (Papers Past)

BACKGROUND
Nana was designed by C. Bailey Jun. &  built by C. Bailey & Sons for Mr F Alison of Matiatia, Waiheke Island in1934 & launched in late November / December. She is 35′ with a 8′ beam & a 3′ draft. A day cruiser, all her controls were in the raised top amidships.
When launched she was fitted with a 100hp Redwing engine & expected to reach a rather speedy 17 knots. The photo above was taken on her sea trails, early Dec 1934.
Alison had her built for trips to town (Auckland City) & for taking friends out to the fishing grounds in the gulf.
As an aside, Alison sold his 35′ cruiser Makora, built to order 20 years early by C. Bailey to Mr Jas. Gordon of Awaroa Bay, Waiheke.

TODAY
Nana’ was hit whilst moored in a recent storm. She took on an undetermined quantity of water which partially flooded the Ford diesel 125hp engine which has now seized.
To quote the trademe listing the vessel has suffered reasonably extensive structural damage around the deck line, stern and aft cabin top & is currently leaking badly.
‘Nana’ is for sale ‘as is, where is’ on behalf of insurers at Orams Marine hard stand, Westhaven.
Now I’m not a boatbuilder but from the photos & feedback from those that have seen her the damage doesn’t look at all terminal.
This launch needs to be saved from the chainsaw & could be purchased for not a lot of money. The trademe auction closed yesterday, there was no reserve & the opening bid was set at $1,000, there were no bids.  So Woodys – anyone looking for a project ? Remember as well as being a looker she was quick. I don’t normally put trademe links up but Nana needs a helping hand.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/motorboats/auction-747029166.htm

UPDATE 06/07/2014 – SHE HAS DODGED THE BULLET – NANA HAS A NEW OWNER