I know I’m tempting fate with the headline, but who can remember when it last rained? Todays gallery of woodys comes to us from the camera of Nathan Herbert (Pacific) as he mooched around the Hauraki Gulf last week. The last 5, are from Peter Loughlin (Lady Margaret -CW) doing the same thing.
We see Tasman, Viveen, Pacific, Arihi, Escape, Chandos, Zoe, Motunau, Waiari, Juanita, Pacific, Lady Margaret (CW), Rehia, Ngaro and a few that I can’t put a name to.
A question – did Colin Wild ever design / build an ugly boat?
It was a pretty wild and woolly weekend in some parts of the north and reviewing the news and photos, Tutukaka took the brunt of it – sad to see the carnage. Angus Rogers sent in the photo below from Russell last night – tagged ‘After the Wind’ showing the Russell ferry and the launch Miss Brett, bottom right closer in.
Viveen @ Te Komua Raira @ Te KoumaTamureAltairOlive Rose @ Waiheke IslandAlma G @ Russel Wharf
A Pot-Pourri Of Woodys
Today’s collection of classic launches come to use from a collective of woodys photographers that are cruising the Hauraki Gulf and outer waters – thanks to Angus Rogers, Murray Deeble, Colin Pawson and Lindsay McMorran.
We featured Lady Margaret on WW when she relocated north to Whangarei , now in the talented hands of Alistair McRae, Lady Margaret is looking very smart after some lock-down maintenance and recently getting her top sides painted and new antifoul – all set for summer cruising.
The 38′ Lady Margaret was built in 1955 by L. Beacon of Mt Albert. Lady Margaret has had more name changes than most woodys and shares the LM tag with a lot of classic woodys – so a little birdie tells me another could be on the way – hopefully they won’t stray too far from the previous – maybe Happy Lady, second thoughts maybe not – sounds like a ‘lady of the night 🙂 Lots more to read and view herehttps://waitematawoodys.com/2020/10/31/lady-margaret-happy-wanderer-lady-mary-gets-some-tlc/
The 1955, 38’ Supreme Craft built, ex game fishing classic launch Aquarius first appeared on WW back in Sept 2018, at the time she was hauled out on Waiheke Island and in a very sad state and we were reaching out to find a passionate woody that would take her under their wing – see that story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/09/01/aquarius-sos/ In April 2019 we reported that someone had stepped up to the mark and Aquarius was being transported back to the mainland and hopefully restored – see that story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/04/16/aquarius-saved/ Then in June 2020 we got to have a gander at the scope of the project, lots of photos here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/06/10/aquarius-restoration-update/
Now thanks to a tme listing we get a peek at the almost finished job, the listing tells us the interior need finishing and a final coat of paint to the exterior. I understand a lot of work has gone into the project – could be an easy entry into woody boating for someone prepared to roll their sleeves up.Her forward motion is via twin Ford 85hp diesel engines. Below is a peek at her journey 🙂
UPDATE 22-12-21 – photos below from the past sent in by Shamus
30-10-2022 UPDATE – Recently popped up for sale on tme. Still a work-in-progree but some bling being assembled to go on her 🙂
RESULTS OF YESTERDAYS CYA HERITAGE BASIN POLL – 85% BACKING FOR OPEN TO ALL CYA VESSELS – Over 1000 votes cast. Very high number of individual people visiting the site yesterday, 2nd only to a Mahurangi Regatta weekend story. Thanks also to all the emails and calls – I understand peoples hesitancy to comment ‘publicly’ on the site 😉
I had an email from a long term CYA launch owner “Greetings Alan, In my anger I voted thumb down when I wanted to vote for all wooden boats in the marina. Anyway to change it?”
The bridge – decker Rarangi was built in 1951 by the Lanes Motor Boat Company using kauri planking. She is 39’ in length, with a beam of 12’5”, and draws 3’11”.
The forward motion is via twin Ford 80hp diesel engines, reconditioned 100 hrs ago by Moon Engines. Being a Southern boat (Nelson) Rarangi is very well spec’ed. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up, Ian commented that Rarangi had been quite a famous Mayor Island game fishing launch. Run for many years by Bob Gray and then his daughter Jill. A photo of Rarangi at Mayor Island at the WW link below – https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/04/21/classic-launches-at-opo-bay-mayor-island/
NOT MANY POSTAGE DAYS LEFT ON THE CALENDAR IF YOU ARE WANTING WW GEAR FOR THE SANTA SACK
The classic launch – Maybelle recently appeared on tme, so thanks to the listing and Ian McDonald we get to have a good look at Maybelle. Her tme listing has her from the Collings and Bell stable and 32’ 10” in length. She is powered by a Ford Lees 6 cyl. diesel engine that gets her along at 7>8 knots. Appears to be very well maintained and appointed. Can anyone confirm the parentage and where she has been for the last 70+ years?
Help Wanted Locating A Vire Inboard Engine
Woody, Simon Smith has asked for help locating a Vire 7 hp, petrol, single cylinder inboard engine similar to the photograph below. The engines are made in Finland. Any help, even a suggestion as to where to look on line would be greatly appreciated.
The owners of Valezina acquired her as a 2020 post lock-down project and sent 6 mths full time restoring the yacht to a better than new standard. Valezina is a 1939 Colin Wild design, known as the ‘Val Class’, most of the sister ships sported ‘Val’ names e.g. Valkyrie, Valderon and Valhalla. She was built in 1957 at the Salthouse yard in Bayswater, Auckland.
At 27’ she comfortably fits into the big little category – everything about her – looks, volume, sailing performance says Valezina is a serious classic yacht from one of the best combinations (Wild / Salthouse) we had. And she is built of gold – double skinned kauri, carvel planked.For when the wind is absent, a 10hp Yanmar inboard is there to help out.
Of course she is for sale, you will have worked that out by now 🙂 her owners are now oversea reconnecting with another of their passions. So the instructions are – sell the yacht.
In addition to the shiny stuff (sanding, painting and varnishing) Valezina is the recipient of – new mast & boom etc. / all new standing & running rigging / new tracks, blocks & winches / new electrical including batteries and lighting / new safety gear / new plumbing including head and holding tank / new galley / new Raymarine auto heim and a lot more.And as an added bonus – her Westhaven marina may be available to rent.
To learn more about Valezina’s – email waitematawoodys@gmail.com Below is a selection of photos from her early days + details on the Val Class and some interesting event entry paperwork. Click on the blue link at the bottom to view.
Hobson Bay dinghy lockers 1959Skipper looking into sun
Back in February 2020 a friend was cruising the streets on Auckland’s North Shore (he is allowed to – drives a car with a strip of lights on the roof) when he spotted the woody launch – Avalon, resting on a residential properties lawn. Turns out the 80+ year old owner has owned Avalon all her life – you can read and see more at the link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/02/17/mystery-sam-ford-launch/
Fast forward nearly two years and it turns out that the launches owner , Marjorie Mumme is Tobias Forsyth’s grandmother. Tobias owns MV Callisto and his Dad, Iain Forsyth has MV Meola. Tobias being a good grandson has stepped up to the mark and taken on the restoration of Avalon. To quote Tobias – no rush, first step = put her in a shed, the fear was she would end up as a garden sleep-out. Avalon was designed and built in 1954 by Sam Ford and is a one owner boat (Lloyd and Marjorie Mumme) , in fact still has the original Morris Navigator petrol engine. When launch she was 24’ but has 2’ added to the stern soon after.These days health & safety would lock you up for transporting a boat like we see on the truck above. The video was filmed by Tobias.
30-11-2021 INPUT FROM Carol Forsyth (nee Mumme) From birth to bikinis and boyfriends, my sisters and I grew up on Avalon. Motuihe, Browns Island, Islington Bay, Waiheke, Coromandel and Kawau was our playground and oh the stories that boat could tell! Dad loved Avalon as much as we did and when he passed on Mum took over Dad’s loving care. Now that Mum has finally handed over Avalon to my son Tobias and his family we look forward to seeing her in the water again.The black and white image of Avalon under sail was taken off Kauri Point and I would assume Dad had the Morris Navigator ticking over, but maybe she was under sail only.
HELP NEEDED – Tobias would like to find out more about the petrol Morris Navigator in Avalon. He is looking for any one that may have spares or have had a lot to do with them in the past but any info or spare parts would be greatly appreciated as he would love to keep the original engine but it must be reliable. Mainly if there are some Morris car guys that know if this engine is just a marinised version of a car engine of some vintage possibly? I can email better copies of the above photos if that would help.
I like the sail set-up – very salty, if I put that on Raindance, I might qualify to be one of the chosen ones to berth at Chad Thompson’s yacht only, new 40 berth Heritage Basin at the Viaduct 🙂
12-11-2024 UPDATE – photo ex John Dawson. Sames owner Tobias is doing some soul searching re what the replacement cabin top could / will look like – older below, and considerations below that.
HOW MANY MORE SUMMERS WILL YOU LET SLIP BY WITHOUT A BOAT………
Waitematawoodys has a sister – its called the Wooden Boat Bureau and we sell classic wooden boats – launches, yachts, big and small. We like to fly under the radar, as do most of our clients. Someone asked me what I did the other day – below sums it up (sounds a bit fluffy, in reality I just sell boats.
Inform and enthuse interest in the joys of owning and sailing traditional and classic wooden boats. And we do this by promoting partnerships between the boats, the sellers and the buyers, for the benefit of all. At the end of the day – its all about the boats, as most will out live their current owners.
Myself and David Cooke (MV Trinidad) are almost always available to offer advice to sellers and buyers – in the interests of marital harmony – in the first instance email to the below
Woody Paul Drake, sent in the above photo of the launch Ngaro, formerly named Apache. In the photo we see her on Lake Taupo in the 1950’s. Paul was wondering if anyone knows where she is now. She was at Taupo for quite a long time but has also been gone for quite a long time (slightly Irish statement). Paul believes that she could be a Lidgard and is 28’ in length.
The boat sheds in the photo lasted until 1963. The Drake launch – East Wind occupied the last shed on the left and seventy years later still occupies a berth in the same spot. Their other launch – Sir Francis, occupied the shed seventh from the left and now occupies the berth next to East Wind – view both boats below :
WE HAVE ANOTHER CYA COMMITTEE ZOOM MEETING ON TUESDAY NIGHT
I wonder if anyone in the last 4 weeks has grown some gonads and will front the elephant in the room e.g. clarification of the 40 berth Heritage Basin sub-committees intent i.e. will the classic vessels berthed there be a true representation of the CYA’s Classic Yacht Policy, as per the constitution – “New Zealand or foreign designed yachts, launches, dinghies, boats, vessels of all sizes, description, ages, whether powered by wind, steam, combustion or otherwise’. OR woodys – a parking lot for what I understand the sub-committee openly refers to as ’The Heritage Sailing Fleet’. Read more by clicking the Tui banner above.
The original conceptual sketch*, below, of the CYA’s current marina (Heritage Landing) certainty portrayed a fair mix of craft 🙂 *david barker
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