NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show 2023 (Nelson Lakes)
Today thanks to the camera of Michael Brownee we get to take in the amazing woody craft and spectacular scenery at Lake Rotoiti, South Island for the 2023 NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show that was recently held (March 4>5)
Michael has captured the essence and spirit of the event beautifully , if he not a professional photographer , he should be 🙂
I attended the show 3>4 years ago and it should be on every woodys bucket list.
Last month I bombarded you with a several photo galleries of the 2023 Australian Wooden Boat Festival. As part of the wrap up of the festival, the organising crew have pulled together a 3min short film that utilises a lot of aerial film footage. The video gives us a wonderful overview of the festival, the Hobart harbour and waterfront – if there is any saw dust in your blood – Hobart February 2025 needs to be circled on your calendar. As festival director – Paul Stephanus says “This festival is one of a kind” . And its the largest event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and surprise surprise woodys – its free, no charge – we like that.
Find a comfortable chair and prepare to be wowed.
TIP: To enlarge screen size – scroll over the screen above and click on the icon I have highlighted below
It saddens me to report the demise of the launch – Lady Gazelle (formally Gazelle), designed and built by Jim Young c. late 1950’s. During the recent Cyclone Gabrille, Lady Gazelle was put on the rocks in the Coromandel Harbour. Owners Mitch and Cathy Edwards commented that she had been struck by another drifting boat and cut from her mooring.
While she will no doubt be written off, the Edwards hope that the four years they spent restoring her has not all gone to waste and that someone will tender for her and hopefully repair her.
Princess – Lake Taupo
Ian McDonald also reported in that the launch Princess was blown off her mooring in Acacia Bay, Lake Taupo. Hopefully re-floated – can anyone advise. Previous WW story on the launch here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/01/05/princess/
The Jim Young built, Couldrey design launch – Cleone, has appeared on WW before – link below, lots of details and photos. Now thanks to Ian McDonald and tme we get to have a peek down below.
Master woody boat builder Colin Brown dropped me a note re the yacht Maori Lass at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival, so off I went to find her.
What we know is that Maori Lass is 30’, was built in 1950 by Ron Andrewartha to a H. E. Cox design from Celery Top Pine, using carvel construction. She was built as a club racer in Hobart, her show card stated that “ Maori Lass reflects post WWII optimism in Australia’.
So woodys the question today is – what’s the significance of the name. Has to be a good story there 🙂
GOOD BUGGERS
During Auckland’s recent cyclone I was quite concerned about my woody in her marina berth – on the night of the big storm (13/14th) at 2am NZ time I received the below txt message from woody Dan Renall who keeps his Herreshoff yacht on the same pier – and then an update later in the morning.
Woodys On Tour – Hobart – Australian Wooden Boat Festival – Day 5
Hello Again Woodys Felt slightly guilty this morning when I called home to advise Air NZ had cancelled my Hobart > AKL flight. Next available – 7 days away…. A little bit of online work and I found a flight out of Sydney on Thursday night. So 2 more days in Hobart 🙂
One big plus – I get to see the very cool kiwi singer- Marlon Williams live in concert.
Anyway back to the boats – today is an extension of yesterdays gallery – there is just so many woodys to see.
FYI – WW viewing numbers spike when the weather is bad and people are at home, so yesterdays numbers were approaching an all time high. Today (Tuesday will be another bumper day)
Boat Of The Day – HEATHER BELLE, a 24’6” gaff rigged pilot cutter, built in 1990 by Andrew Wilson to a Lyle Hess design. She is a sister-ship to Larry Pardey’s – SERAFFYN.
And compulsory food shot – lunch = seafood chowder 🙂
LAKE ROTOITI 2023 PARADE OF CLASSIC & WOODEN BOATS – 150+ PHOTOS
As has become my norm for Waitangi holiday weekend early on Saturday morning I pointed the car south and made my way to Lake Rotoiti in the middle of NZ’s North Island.
2023 marked the 26th anniversary of the event and after a horror week of ‘once in a 100 years’ rain storms I had concerns that the parade might be postponed or cancelled. Well woodys as you’ll see from the above photo gallery, my fears were redundant.
The day started overcast with some light drizzle but this passed thru before the parade kicked off at 11am. Numbers were down a little from last year but conditions were perfect on the lake.
Enjoy the gallery above – if you’re craft is featured above and you want a high res copy of the photo, drop me an email at the address below. Apologise if I missed your boat or if the odd photo is a little out of focus – just me in a run-about jiggling the throttle, looking out for other boats and holding the camera 🙂
My pick of the boat I’d most like tied up at my imaginary lake jetty is – ELLEN (#14), 26’ in length, built in 2004 in strip planked cedar from a plug taken off an old abandoned hull found in Kopu. Thought to be a ‘Milkmaid’ design by Bailey & Lowe. Powered by a 29hp diesel. In my eyes just perfect. Photo below
Special thanks again to Dave and Glenys Wilson for the loan of a boat to get me out on the lake.
As always – click on photos to enlarge.
Lastly I never tire of the sound of big V8 (5.7L) water exhausts. Shawn Vennell, the owner of Judy H, was lining me up for a prop shower – a few words of warning as to what my reaction would be, made him change his mind 😉
Todays woody – the 1953 A. Couldrey designed, Brin Wilson built launch – Endeavour is currently out at the Slipway Milford for some serious TLC. The launch as been owned by the Beachman family for many years, originally by Borrie Beachman, then sold to Jack Matich and converted to a motorsailer (photo below) for commercial fishing on the Kaipara Harbour. Borries nephew, Paul Beachman bought the vessel back and returned her to a sedan launch. These days Paul and son Brin look after Endeavour. I’m very happy to see the mast is down, I have been nudging Paul about revarnishing it for years 🙂
Endeavour has made several appearances at woody events and its always cool to see the whole family enjoying the boat.
This ones going to be a long shot – the photo above of a newly built launch being transported to Port Motueka comes to us from the Transport (Nelson) Holdings fb site via Brian Mchaffe via Maurice Sharp.
Brian commented that it was from back in the days when the job just got done i.e. no pilot vehicle, no flags. No flashing lights and certainly no cones or a certified trailer.
So woodys anyone able to put a name to the launch and its builder?
UPDATE ex JOHN BURLAND – the boats named Awatere and was built by Keith Calder. Photo below of the launching – the photo comes to us from the Motueka Historical Association via Colin Starnes via Brian McHaffie.
UPDATE EX COLIN STARNES – Awarere built by Keith Calder to his own design. Launched early 1960s originally powered by a Perkins which was swapped out for a 4 cylinder Ford not long after launching. Awarere last noted on Picton Waikawa area. Keith was brother of Don whose launch Graham John recently featured on WW after her fine makeover in Napier – link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/11/10/william-steer-graham-john-william-steer/
WEATHER NOT LOOKING GOOD FOR THE MAHURANGI REGATTA
Below as of last night – I understand MCC will be making a decision tonight (Thursday). Dockside chat is that the shore based activities have already been cancelled – TBC
Another photo from Brian Peet, the craft was designed and built by Jim Young. Brian commented that he assumes the piece of hardware on the cabin top is the exhaust muffler and if so, then that’s a maritime engineering feature thankfully consigned to the ‘no longer a good idea’ rubbish bin. 🙂
So woodys – what’s the name of the launch, who was it built for and what became of her?
Input ex Brian Peet – It’s the Tamaki Yacht Clubs patrol boat, imaginatively called ‘Tamaki’. Designed and built by Jim Young. My father John Peet was Secretary of the TYC, so became the go-between for the club and Jim to get the project underway.
Input ex Neil Chalmers – I found the below extract from ‘’ The Tamaki Yacht Club : A brief history of its 75 years ‘’ by Frank Davis 13 April 2002.By the way ‘Tamaki’ is moored at OBC and has a blue engine. I think Brian Peet and I should share the cigar 🙂
25-01-2023 INPUT ex ROBIN ELLIOTT – Neil’s input is correct. Jim Young built her but did not design the Tamaki.
Sea Spray November 1952 page 11. ” At J.H. Young’s yard was the new rescue boat for the Tamaki Yacht Club. She is built to a design by P.W. Willetts and will be finished off by club members.”
I’m not sure when she was actually launched but the second photo appeared in Sea Spray October 1953 page 38. The caption also states that she was a Peter Willetts design.
As to the exhaust, it is there because she was to rescue and retrieve crews from capsized centreboarders. Most centreboarders of the time could not right themselves (although that was quickly changing) and had to be towed to shore, partly submerged.
“Note the low freeboard and narrow decks aft, ample cockpit and the exhaust above the cabin top, out of the way of the people being rescued. …. Power comes from an Austin Skipper.”
WW doesn’t do death notices so you have to have been a good bugger to get one. Well Alan was more than a good bugger he was one of the best. He rubbed up against so many classic boat owners and admirers that I’m sure it will be standing room only at his funeral – 10.30am, Feb 1st, Davis Funeral Home, Henderson.
Our thoughts go out to his partner – Nicky and family.
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