Mystery Launch At Waiheke Island

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Mystery Launch At Waiheke Island

Mooching around Sandy Bay I spotted the above woody – it looks familiar. Not anchored, on a mooring so maybe she is an Island boat.
I’m sure someone smarter than me can ID her.
Woodys Classics Waiheke BBQ & Pizza Lunch – Trip Report
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Another great turn out for Saturdays gathering at Little Oneroa – I counted 16 woodys in the bay, rowing past a couple I may have detected a whiff of PVC but they were lookers and all had a healthy mix of timber and bronze. Attending boats tagged in the story.
Most people decided to order lunch from the wood-fired pizza caravan and were not disappointed – very yum.
The timing seemed to work for everyone – several boat travelled long distances to participate and 1/2 the fleet were just there for the day. Also dog friendly venues are appreciated – again 1/2 the boats had pooches aboard. Perfect weather and very low numbers of what the islanders call ‘day trippers’.
As proof that all you need to be welcomed at a Woody Classics event, is a passion for wooden boats – my boat of the day was Allan and Pam Hooper’s – Katherine. Her dinghy (built by Allan) gets her a 10/10 tick in my book.   You can read more about Katherine here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/02/03/katherine/
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Katherine

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Little Oneroa – Waiheke Island

I spotted Allan’s dinghy ashore on Sunday morning  at Oneroa – now Allan is a perfectionist, so his score drops to 9.9/10 – he left the stickers on the oars 🙂
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2020 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – 150+ photos

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THE PARADE

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THE PICNIC

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2020 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE – 150+ Photos

From my eyes, this years parade was the best I have been to – brilliant on-the-water marshalling in terms of herding the ducklings into the right order and the skippers kept the boats moving thru at the right speed + an entertaining and informative commentary from ex commodore Grant Cossey. As always the event would grind to a halt without the services of Rachel Jamieson, to call her the club secretary would be a joke, everyone one involved with the parade that excels in their individual roles does so because of Rachel – well done again.
For most of the parade the sun and the clouds behaved, so only a few ‘average’ photos.
Several new boats and a lot had been given some TLC over winter.
Enjoy the gallery of photos from the day, it was a cracker and made the 7 hours of driving yesterday worth while.
As always, if you like on a photo, click on it and it will enlarge, if you are a boat owner and would like a high res copy of your boat photo, just drop me an email and I’ll send it to you.   waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Below are the links that allows you to view a summary of the boats participating in this years parade – check out the number card displayed on the boat and look it up for details 😉

 

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MYSTERY WHITIANGA LAUNCH

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MYSTERY WHITIANGA LAUNCH

Have not had a mystery / ID the boat story in a while. Photo taken Whitianga – late 1940’s > early 1950’s.
First woody to correctly name the boat – wins a waitematawoodys cap. Entries via email only to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
As you read this I’ll be at the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – lots of cool photos on Monday.
WW Caps copy
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Woody Waitangi Day Picnic – Photos

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Scott Colville

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My Girl & Pacific

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Monterey

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Centaurus

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Mana

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Ann Michelle

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Trinidad

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Arohanui

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Eileen Patricia

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Sybil Frances

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Tusk

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Shango (Ani)

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Awatere

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Sea Fever

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Ngaio

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Silvery Main

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Tuna

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?

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Wirihana

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Very smart new mast on Pacific 🙂

WOODY CLASSICS WAITANGI DAY PICNIC  PHOTOS

Another great Woody Classics Woody event yesterday, we had 20+ classic woodys anchored  in Wakalabubu Bay, Motutapu Island. Most came ashore for the picnic and while the camera stayed in the bag, I can report that these casual events are a winner, so nice to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. Youngest age would have been around 6/7 years and the oldest was 92 !
If I missed getting a photo of your woody, I apologise, but with people coming and going all afternoon I suspect someone missed out.
 
The breeze picked up later in the day and so most had the old wind against the tide coming home – but it was worth it.
Big thanks to everyone the rocked up – see you all at our next event – details soon 😉
Off to Lake Rotoiti (Nth Island) on Saturday  for the Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – Monday’s WW story should be a goody 🙂
 
Oops nearly forgot anyone know the launch below, we crossed paths of Rangitoto – terrible photo, grab the phone and unfortunately had it set on some weird setting. Name is something like Tautai ??
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Riwaka Woodys

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RIWAKA WOODYS
 
My woody spotter in the Nelson area, John Burland, recently sent in the above photos from the Riwaka Inlet.
The top photo is of the 36’ Varlene, built by Supreme Craft c.1940’s. She has made several appearance on WW and I last saw her in Torrent Bay, Abel Tasman National Park in early March 2019 (photo below)
 
Can anyone ID the very smart launch alongside her in the 3rd photo?
 
The work-boat it Tina, built in Wellinton to service the Flying Boats, but never did. Spent a chunk of her life pushing logs around the Sounds. Has called Riwaka home for the last 8 years.
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Auckland Anniversary Day – Classic Launch Race – 26 Wooden Boat Photos

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Auckland Anniversary Day – Classic Launch Race

Over the long weekend we had a smorgasbord of boating events to chose from, one being a ‘classic’ launch race on the Monday, as part of the 2020 Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta. The format is a handicapped race around a set inner harbour course, effectively a drag race. Handicapping for these races is a challenge, there are so many variables that come into play.
Reviewing the results, the handicapping appears to have done a good job.
The day was near perfect and a delayed start meant that I was able to take the above photos. I was heading back for Mahurangi and was not planning to be at the event.
As you would expect, there were numerous mechanical problems and a few DNF’s.
Photos a little ‘hairy’ – long lens.
Results:
1st:   Ngaio
2nd: Sterling
3rd:  Fancy Free
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WINNER – NGAIO

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RUNNER UP – STERLING

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THIRD PLACE – FANCY FREE

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Mahurangi Weekend – Biggest On-The -Water Wooden Boating Event Down Under  – 200+ Classic Wooden Boat Photos

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Mahurangi Weekend – Biggest On-The -Water Wooden Boating Event Down Under  – 200+ Classic Wooden Boat Photos

I think I should start today by apologizing to all the partners and bosses out there – I can see a very slow start to the week, might take a few hours to digest the above photo gallery – a selection of photos from Friday night thru until my trip home on Monday.
The weather for Auckland’s long weekend was just ace – for everyone, launches and yachts, for the whole 4 days.
As always the turnout for the regatta was incredible, I would predict record numbers afloat. The woody launch parade saw 25 launches register and another 17 (approx.) joined in on the day. One of the photos above shows some of the parade launches snaking across the harbour. Well done woodys.
If the attendance count was based solely on the number of dinghies at Scotts Landing for the Saturday night party, again it would have to be a record.
I apologize for the lack of photos from the Saturday night party at Scotts Landing, I was unable to attend, I was banned . Now I can imagine maybe one person on any committee could be a dog hater, but for the ‘Mahurangi Action’ (formerly  known as ‘Friends of Mahurangi’) committee to agree on a total 48hr dog ban ashore is hard to believe. But then I was told by a very public figure in the area – none of them have ever had to buy contraception in their lives – they use they personalities. So my question – Is it actually their ‘role’ to decide on whether boat owners can bring Fideo ashore?.
Maybe Mahurangi Action should stick to their core reason for being i.e. the Mahurangi Harbour.
I can imagine the relationship between the Mahurangi Cruising Club, the promoters of the actual boating regatta – the reason we all attend and Mahurangi Action, who run the shore based activities at Sullivans Bay and the Saturday night party, must at times be interesting. If I was MCC I would be appointing an event manager and running a solo event, including a function that the revenue from, would help fund the club. The weekend has got too big – I and a lot that I have spoken to would buy a ticket to attend – food for thought MCC ……..
Ps There were numerous dogs ashore, I was just one of the unlucky one that were apprehended coming ashore. What a waste of rate payers money to have professional security there + a dog ranger……….
A special thank you to Roger Mills for the aerial (drone) photos of Scotts Landing and the launch parade. Also Graeme Finch for topping up my photos with some of his own – thanks Graeme.
The photo below, while out of focus due to distance and 2 moving boats – sums up woody boating perfectly. The launch is Linda and the gathering of life jackets on the bow is the Brooke clan 🙂
Monday also saw the CYA running a launch race as part of the Auckland anniversary day regatta – coverage of this later in the week.
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WAITANGI DAY WOODY BEACH PICNIC – FEB 6 – Put A Circle In Your Diary, All Woodys Welcome. RSVP Below
Woody Waitangi Picnic
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Not At The Mahurangi Woody Regatta Today?

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Not At The Mahurangi Woody Regatta Today?

We have a special post for those unable to attend – click the link below to view the stunning 5 minute video Roger Mills filmed of last years regatta.

WAITANGI DAY WOODY BEACH PICNIC – FEB 6 – Put A Circle In Your Diary, All Woodys Welcome. RSVP Below
Woody Waitangi Picnic

Steam Launch Estral

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STEAM LAUNCH – ESTRAL
Marine engineer (retired) Bill Voisey sent in the above photo of his 21’ kauri steam launch – Estral. Estral has a a beam of 8’6” and draws 3’, and was originally built in Port Chalmers, for a Riverton Rocks farmer c.1940s. Bill understands this family (Jaimison) owned and used her until the 1990s.
Bill restored Estral and converted her to steam in the 1990 > 2000 period with the installation of a Stewart Turner 6A steam engine, and a Stirling  water tube boiler.
Video below of engine prior to clean up and painting
Video below showing back of engine showing boiler feed pump, and condensate pump.

The vessel is currently being re painted and tidied up to put it back in the water. Below is a summary of her set up:

Engine. Stewert Turner No 6a, 2 cyl compound,
Pumps engine driven condenser pump and boiler feed pump.
Keel condenser with return to hot well.
Prop 16″x 18 pitch. Hull speed 6 knots .
Stern tube oil filled with mechanical seals?
Thrust block fitted with forward and reverse thrust bearings.
12 volt alternator v belt driven from prop shaft.
Water tube boiler,pressure tested to 600lbs static pressure,stamped by inspector at 400lbs (not marine certified.)
oil fired automatic pressure controlled with Beckett oil burner fitted.
Water level kept by manual control via needle valve bypass.
Engine can be run to atmosphere
Tanning type boiler water treatment used.
Boiler always left with the total boiler system full of treated water filled from hot we’ll by hand boiler feed pump.

30-01-2020 Update – Russell Ward requested more details on the boiler. The below was supplied by Ben Voisey

“The Boiler design is of the type of water tube boilers common in the late 1890’s, taken from an article in book No 5 of the Modeltec magazines Sept 1988 page 27.
I adapted the design to suit the available space in the hull of Estral.
As you can see the design can be varied as to width, height and length with ease.
The headers at each end have only a 1.5 “ gap and the total of the boiler’s water capacity is under 30 litres .
Fuel type can be whatever suits the furnace that is designed, in this case oil fired.
These photos were taken when I did the last boiler clean.”

 
Hopefully I’ll See Some Of You Tomorrow At The Mahurangi Regatta – If You Don’t Make It, We Will Have Coverage In Tuesdays WW Story 🙂

 
WAITANGI DAY WOODY BEACH PICNIC – FEB 6 – Put A Circle In Your Diary, All Woodys Welcome. RSVP Below
Woody Waitangi Picnic

Classic Wooden Boats on the Waitemata

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Moana

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Quo Vadis

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Miss Helen

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My Girl

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Pleasure Lady

CLASSIC WOODEN BOATS ON THE WAITEMATA
Last weekend we decided to slipped away to Rakino Island, and in an almost unheard of event, we departed early and dropped the anchor in West Bay at 9.30am.
On route and in and around the Island we spotted a healthy collection of woodys. Some familiar faces and some newbies. Scroll over photos for captions
The sunset on Saturday night was a stunner. When I popped the head out of the hatch on Sunday morning, I did a double take – a very large cruise ship was sliding down the Rakino Channel, spotted again later in the day off Waiheke Island.
Enjoy the photos – can anyone tell us more about the launches – Asereht, Bon Voyage, Poco Lento ?
Input from Geoff Bagnall – Asereht was built by himself and Bon Voyage by Dave Jackson.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR THIS WEEKENDS WOODY ACTIVITY 
SATURDAY 25 JAN
Mahurangi Regatta Classic Launch Parade (meeting at 10.15am off Scotts Landing – parade will be in alpha order)
SUNDAY 26 JAN
Most likely mooching around Kawau Island area
MONDAY 27 JAN

Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta – Classic Launch Race