CLASSIC WOODY CRUISING AT WHANGAROA
Recently Bay of Islands woody Dean Wright had headed up the coast to Whangaroa Harbour and being a professional photographer by trade his camera was never far from hand. So today we get to enjoy more of the B.O.I.’s woody fleet at play.
The ex workboat looking craft has done a few laps, anyone know her name / history.
And of course the magnificent 1920 built LUANA………the best looking boat to come out of the MT Lane shed 🙂
BAY of ISLANDS CLASSIC WOODYS – KERIKERI INLET RAID
Last weekend a few of the B.O.I.’s classic launch skippers gathered for a cruise up the Kerikeri Inlet to raft up at the Stone Store for a catch up. The real reason was a session at the Plough & Feather waterfront pub.
One of the WW cub reporters – Grant Gibbs was aboard KORAWAI to record the event.
I note from the photos that a couple of ‘visitors from Hawkes Bay’ managed to tag along, but we will turn a blind eye to that.
I’ll comment more on the Bay of Islands woody scene in Mondays upcoming story.
PARADE 🔻
PICNIC 🔻
2026 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE + PICNIC – Report. 140 photos
As the photos will quickly confirm, Saturday 7 February delivered near-perfect conditions for the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Association’s annual gathering. While the event unfolds over four days, it’s the Saturday on-the-water get-together that remains the undisputed highlight.
From a photographer’s point of view, wall-to-wall sunshine and tricky angles don’t always play nicely with timber and varnish. So, if I’ve missed your boat or the images aren’t quite showroom-perfect, my apologies — I was doing my best to keep up with a lot of very good-looking boats.
The day naturally divides into two acts: the Parade, followed by the Picnic. A few familiar regulars were absent this year, but they were more than ably replaced by some truly stunning “new” additions to the fleet, making for an impressive and varied lineup on the water.
Sit back, enjoy the gallery, and soak up a little Lake Rotoiti magic. As always click photos to enlarge.
Special thanks to David & Glenys Wilson for the generous loan of a boat for the day 🙂
CLASSIC STEEL LAUNCH – MIRANDA
Back in November 2020 WW ran a story on the motor launch – MIRANDA – link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/11/05/mystery-launch-05-11-20/
At the time we learnt from Harold Kidd that MIRANDA was a 55ft twin-engined steel launch built by E.D. (Bill) Edmundson at Thorndon Quay and launched in June 1953 after 7 years of work. She became the unofficial flagship for the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club and did a trip to Sydney and back in 1960-1.
Fast forward to December 2025 and while Ken Ricketts was trolling thru a collection of back issues of Sea Spray magazine he uncovered todays photo. The caption recoded that MIRANDA was returning to Wellington from the double Tasman crossing (1960>61). The photo appeared in the March 1961 edition of Sea Spray.
Do we know where MIRANDA is these days.
LAST REMINDER FOR SATURDAYS LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE – 11am Parade start – details here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/07/28/tokatea/
TOKATEA – A Classic Workboat Conversion
The 44’ launch TOKATEA started life back in 1959 as a Government fishing patrol and lighthouse tender, built by WG Lowe. TOKATEA was ‘retired’ in 1987 and converted to pleasure use.
While still retaining her workboat roots the interior fit out is rather smart, certainly providing a home away from home afloat.
Forward motion is from a 100hp Gardner 6LW engine.
Read and see more on her past here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/07/28/tokatea/
TOKATEA was once owned by WW contributor Ian McDonald. Home these days is Waikawa Marina, South Island.
THE PARADE
CLASSIC WOODEN MOTORBOAT RACING ON THE WAITEMATA HARBOUR – Auckland Anniversary Regatta
After the disappointment of a cancelled Mahurangi Regatta weekend I was chafing at the bit to get out on the water.
Being Auckland Anniversary Day yesterday , I secured a spot aboard Jason Prew’s classic launch MY GIRL – WW readers will be aware that MY GIRL holds the title of fastest classic wooden launch on the Waitemata.
So at 11am we were on the start line for the classic launch inner harbour race – start off RNZYS > down to Orakei Bouy > across to Devonport area > back up the harbour to the finish line (aka the start line). Conditions were best described as ok, certainly better than the previous 4 days, overcast, the occasional shower and westerly >20 knots.
This year we were lacking a few of real quick woodys so Mr Prew had the race in hand after 10 seconds. Some close racing with the ‘recently’ re-powered woodies – NGAIO and LUCINDA. Do not have the handicap results but line honours went to MY GIRL / NGAIO / LUCINDA. All serviced at The Slipway Milford yard so a nice trifecta.
Earlier in the morning the tug/workboats put on their normal spectacular performance – see below.
The parade of sail was bolstered by several classic woodys that did not race – parade photos second group above.
Enjoy the photo gallery, light on the winning boat, always is when the bloke with the camera is aboard the favourite 😉
As always – photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.
RACE RESULTS – MY GIRL collects line and handicap honours
TUGBOAT RACE
MYSTERY LAKE TAUPO CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH
Todays craft appeared in the September 1955 edition of Sea Spray magazine. All we know is home was Lake Taupo and she was 25’ x 8’ x 2’3”, with a round bilge, professionally built from kauri, slept 4. And was powered by a ’near new’ Scripps V8 engine.
Must have been a zoom zoomed back then. I’m sure Paul Drake will help out with more intel.
(photo and details ex Sea Spray via Ken Ricketts)
The classic wooden launch TAKARO last made an appearance on WW back in May 2014 – link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/05/04/7089/
Back then we learnt that TAKARO was built approx 1952 and was 35’, kauri planked with a 11’3” beam. In 2014 she had been fitted with a reconditioned 120hp D-series Ford motor with Lees Marine conversion. This engine was reconditioned in 2013.
At the time Harold Kidd commented that there was the possibility that she may have been designed by or to a Colin Wild design. From todays photos TAKARO appears to be very fitted out. (Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up)
2026 RUSSELL CLASSIC TALL SHIPS SAILING REGATTA
Following on from the weekends story on the Russell Boating Club’s classic wooden launch parade (link below), today thanks to BOI photographer – Dean Wright we get to enjoy some stunning photos from the race.
Classic launch parade https://waitematawoodys.com/2026/01/10/bay-of-island-russell-classic-launch-parade/
Later in the week you will be able to view the just of the race fleet here https://russellboatingclub.org.nz/tall-ships.html
To view the full race results click here https://russellboatingclub.org.nz/results/tall_ships_2026.htm
Below is the recently re-launched – MARLINE, the 1949/50’s Leon Warne built classic launch – out following the fleet.
A few of the zoom zommers watching the yacht race
CHRISTMAS 2025 – NEW YEAR 2026 CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISE
I have talked previously about the weather that we all experienced at the start of the annual cruise, so I’ll skip that other than to quote Billy Connolly – “ There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes”.
Life on a small launch with a wife, dog and a paddle board can be challenging – normally takes us 2>3 days to get used to living in close proximity, but we have managed this for 18+ years. The bad weather days / nights that include having to take the pooch ashore for a pee in 40+ knots at 6am are quickly replaced with good food, good books and good booze 🙂 One of the positives of evil weather forecasts is low boat numbers, when things improved and we moved to Oneroa for a supply stop, the only other craft in the bay was a yacht and that was ‘washed up’ on the beach.
Today is a bit of a photo bomb from the 10 days – anchorages visited, food, boats we saw, boats we nearly bumped into and general good times afloat.
Hopefully the lucky ones are still out there enjoying the weather.
ps check out the woody champagne flute in the last photo – I have the bug bad 🙂
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