Today’s photo gallery of woodys comes to us from the camera’s (phones) of Jason Prew and Nathan Herbert and were taken over Easter weekend in and around Kawau Island. Boats featured are Jason’s – My Girl, Nathan’s – Pacific, Peter & Jenni Mence’s – Eileen Patricia, Jason & Yan Davies – Lucinda. Plus cameo appearance from Paul Tinghy’s yacht -Wotan and Madeline Rundle’s launch Hami (previously Wanda / Wanda II).
Lucinda was built in 1930 by LC Coulthard and has just been re-launched after undergoing some running repairs at The Slipway Milford. Work included re-powering – out went the 50hp Perkins and in went a 100hp Isuzu, giving her a top speed now of 14>15 knots.
The above gallery of photos ex Lew Redwood ex Te Papa ex Eric Lee-Johnson, show the 1950’s launching of Don Silk’s yacht – Patsy Jean off the beach at Opononi, on the Hokianga Harbour. Given the turnout and attire it must have been a big day in Opononi.
Input from Hylton Edmonds – Born at Whangaroa, Don Silk was the country carrier in the Hokianga, he built Patsy Jean, and set off in 1959 for Rarotonga (c/w with wife and baby daughter), where not long after, with good mate Bob Boyd set up a successful inter island shipping company. Years of great adventure later, Don came ashore to be Harbour Master and Port Safety Officer, sadly he passed away in 2012 aged 84. A born raconteur, he wrote a great book of these days and the shipping company he co-set up, called “From Kauri Trees to Sunlit Seas”, its a great yarn, very humorous, and a very hard book to put down once started!
CLASSIC YACHT EYE CANDY
For those that missed getting a varnish fix at yesterdays CYA NZ regatta, due to races 3 & 4 being cancelled (wind & rain) – the link below to a dockside camera ‘drive-by’ at St Tropez in Dec 2019 comes to us via the Yachting World website.
Spirit – The Waitemata’s Newest Woody Over the Easter break Olaf Wiig and family headed out to Great Barrier Island on the families classic launch – Margaret Anne, photo below. Margaret Anne is a very smart looking woody but this trip she was overshadowed by a new addition – Spirit a 2.4m dinghy that Olaf built at the NZ Traditional Boat Building School. Spirit is a rowing version of the 2.4. dinghy (prototype number 4) of the boats that the NZTBS are hoping to form the basis of a modern Wooden boat building course. Olaf is a trustee at the school and as you’ll see looking at the dinghy a very talented gent. Olaf built this one as a first boat for my daughter and she chose to call it Spirit.
On the subject of the New Zealand Traditional Boat Building School , I called in on Tuesday and was saddened to see the team packing up as they have to vacate the building due to funding issues – hopefully the school will reappear one day soon as part of the elusive waterfront Vos boatshed project, probably squeezed in between dragon boats and waka ………. I’ll leave the room now 🙂
The 1959 L Coulthard built 30’ launch – Pania has a new owner, she didn’t hang around long 4sale, mostly thanks to the great job her previous owner did in rebuilding her and prepping for sale. As always – click on photos to enlarge 😉
After viewing the above photos , click the link below to see how she was presented back in 2019 – its not rocket science folks, most people buy with their eyes, initially anyway 🙂
Powered by a 80hp Ford diesel (Moon Engine) and a Paragon hydraulic gearbox, she gets along at a comfortable 7>8 knots. Given the fit-out and work done – the buyer got a bargain if the bones were all good. Pania also appeared on WW back in 2014 https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/11/14/pania/
Sad Woody Day Across The Ditch Received a note from one of our Australian WW followers – Andrew Christie given me the heads up on the recent demise of – Nering, the 42’8” Percy Tripcony (Breakfast Creek Brisbane Australia) carvel hull cruiser built in 1950 – that went ashore on Double Island Point south of Fraser Island.
She was a very similar boat to the South Passage also from the same builder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2aFp8lLK24 She was of note in that she had a passage connecting the forecastle cabin to the trunk cabin under the bridge deck on the starboard side a layout used in a few Moreton Bay bridge deck cruisers of her period.
Nering had fallen on hard times recently and had sold twice in the past few years at rock bottom unloved wooden boat prices. Reports are she was on her way from Coffs Harbour in New South Wales to Maryborough for a restoration. Double Island Point is a stopping point for boats heading north across the Wide Bay bar.
Social media chat reports that Nering was beached as she was taking on water and sinking. Her crew managed to safely get ashore and call the alarm. Always sad to see a woody come to an endlike this, but you have to question the decision to take her to sea, given her condition and again on-line chat says her bilge pump/s were worked overtime before she left the dock.
I was sent the above photo of Tiakina by Lindsay McMorran, they took the photo of her berth in the Viaduct, Auckland.Lindsay commented that she is an ex Wellington pilot boat, built c.1952 and her normal home port is Dunedin. Tiakina is visiting Auckland for the A-Cup regatta.
Anyone able to enlighten us on her background / past?
Input from John Bullivant – another photo below of Tiakina. John also commented that she may have been built in the UK.
Input and photos below from Cameron Pollard – She was built in the UK. After being disposed of by Wellington Harbour Board she did a stint as a tuna longliner.Refit to pleasure use was done at Jorgensen boat yard.
A couple of photos below – I took today at the Viaduct
Input from Paul Drake – TIAKINA (to take care of) designed by Alex Collings and built by M,W. Blackmore and Son in Bideford England, planked with 52mm makore and powered with two ERL 5/75 Crossleys, each 250hp. She departed Exmouth on October 1 1953 with a crew of eight and arrived Wellington February 12 1954. She required slipping at Colombo after weather damage crossing the Arabian Sea. Voyage distance was about 14,100 nm (26,000km). At 83 feet LOA and 80 tonnes, she was the largest pilot boat on the NZ coast. After just two years service she required major remedial work due to ‘green’ timber being used in her construction. This work took nearly two years and was done by Wellington Harbour Board’s shipwright staff. In 1982 she was extensively rebuilt and re configured by Jorgenson’s of Picton and continued in service. In 1992 she was retired and sold to Auckland owners for a bargain price. She was used for fishing etc before ending up in Dunedin where she fell on better times and is now clearly well loved and transformed into a luxury charter boat. As a retired Wellington pilot, it is heartwarming to see a boat I knew so well still giving good service after nearly 70 years.
18-03-2021 Input from Captain Charles Smith – Like Paul Drake’s fine comments above, I am similarly heartened to see that Tiakina is being well looked after and regularly used. I can add a little to the history. I commenced a 48 year piloting career on Wellington Harbour as skipper of Tiakina in 1972 before being promoted and I experienced many severe conditions and hard knocks whilst on board. Having experienced many other pilot vessels she was firmly my favourite. Tiakina suited the robust sea conditions at Wellington entrance. She was built to last although the constant knocks alongside ships at sea eventually took their toll with framing, particularly on the shoulders. Assembling construction timbers took time. Timbers used included 52mm thick makore hull sheathing, heart pohutukawa branch was used on the stem and stern crooks and the keel was one length of heart tallowwood or ironbark. Being severely tested in daily service it took a team of shipwrights to keep her in service. Heart kauri was used in many places. The nineteen week voyage from the UK via Suez, and north Australia (30 September 1953 to 12 February 1954) was made without the benefit of radar, AIS, PPUs, gyro compass or ECDIS – just skill and a magnetic compass by the eight crew. The contract made by the Wellington Harbour Board was for a price of £35,000 with £5,000 allowed for the delivery voyage. The Harbour Board sought quotations from builders in NZ and Australia before settling on M W Blackmore in Bideford UK. Radar was fitted on arrival in Wellington at a cost of £1,590. Tiakina was constructed to operate in open water conditions off the port entrance after pilotage was deemed to be compulsory from 1 October 1952 (after a collision between two large ships in the entrance channel in May 1950). With port managers at the time having lived through WW2, Tiakina was also designed to be a cruising examination vessel in times of hostility, hence her generous accommodation.
YESTERDAYS MYSTERY LAUNCH QUIZ WINNER – Albert Birnie, Onehunga. The correct answer was – Cyrena, built in 1923 by Dick Lang for Peter Smith
I received today’s photos recently from Ngaire Slade, her father was Dick (Henry Richards) Slade. Ngaire commented that she wished that she had learnt more of the histories of the boats that had been the main transport modes in the Hokianga. The Waima was a boat that Dick owned until sold in the 1980s and retired. Waima then went over to the East Coast and Ngaire understands it was left for years in the Manukau Harbour till removed and left to decay and disrepair, unfortunately placed in a yard somewhere unknown. It was originally brought from the Subritzky family.
Dick for many years carried the college kids to Rawene High School and did the Cream Run as well before the Dairy was closed. He also carried out the Mail Run on the Hokianga Harbour. In those days, the boats could reach the Mungamuka bridge and up to the Taheke bridge. In the last photo of Waima we see Harry Slade father of Dick and grandad to Ngaire taking a car from Kohukohu to Rawene.
The 2nd set of photos – we see the launch – Spray, owned by Harry Slade. Ngaire mentioned that there was a Sierra and Tupuwai that were other prominent boats in her family. In some of the photos we see a pet seal that mooched around for several years. In one photo the seal is watching Harry as he is cleaning some launches. Ngaire commented the seal wasn’t the friendliest and would try and bite the odd person who he disliked. She remembers her father saying he was a foul rascal as he dirtied the boat all the time.
Below we see Dick scratching Opo the dolphin with a mop, she would follow him out to the heads when he would go fishing and come up to Rawene.
Mystery Launch – could the below be Sierra or Tupuwai?
A LOCK-DOWN TREAT – FREE ACCESS TO THE WORLDWIDE CLASSIC BOAT SHOW
Our friends over at Off Center Harbor have been orchestrating a new gig on the classic boat scene – a virtual worldwide classic boat show. Its been live now for 10 days and only available via purchasing a ticket (US$5) – now woodys to help us kiwis (and the WW overseas followers) during CV-19 lock-down – the show is now free.
See below instructions on how to visit the show.
You can use the globe / map to see an amazing collection of vessel around the world + locations of museums & trade folks – but the real gem for me is the daily video presentations from some of the worlds leading lights on the classic boating scene – sailors, teachers, photographers, event promoters and boat builders. You will be addicted so I apologise in advance for ruining your day/s – but, you’re supposed to be in lock-down 🙂
If you only watch one presentation – make it the legendary Tom Cunliffe presentation – you’ll find it on Sat Feb20th under the heading ’Seas of Northern Europe’ – do not be put off by the boring title – its a cracker, the mans one of the best storytellers around, you’ll be glued to the screen for 2 hours. ENJOY THE SHOW 🙂
2. Checkout for free, and your username and password become your ticket
3. To login, go to ClassicBoatShow.com, click login in the top right corner to get full access, and enjoy the show!
If you have trouble getting your free ticket, you can always email the show’s crew for help at crew@classicboatshow.com.
If the show turns out to be an enjoyable and valuable experience for you, they have a voluntary “tips/donations” button on the top of the screen where you can contribute.
JACK LOGAN WOULD BE HAPPY Back in November 2020 we reported that Lake Rotoiti boatbuilder Alan Craig (Craig Marine) had taken on the restoration of the 1956 Jack Logan built 17’ clinker cabin run-about – Sea Spray. The WW link below will show you the boat as Alan received it. https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/11/14/sea-spray/
I can report that Alan’s yard are well under way with the project, as you can see in the above photos, once the reciprocating saw comes out there’s no turning back. Alan commented that most ribs were repaired and structure added. Her shape was pretty bad, had a chine in it almost. A few planks to replace on the bottom then into the cabin. Looking forward to following this project – just need to keep reminding Alan to send in the updates 🙂
Tony Brewer contacted me regarding his recent purchase of – Monita a 17’ Mason Marlin which was built by Sutton Mason & Co. Ltd in Mt Roskill, Auckland sometime in the 1950’s. She is powered by a 2003 90hp 4stroke Honda, which Tony feels maybe to heavy. He is considering re-powering with a 2013 Mercury Mariner 50hp ELPTO 2stroke. Tony’s not interested in a high top speed but would like to be able to travel at between 15 to 18 knots. Fuel economy is not an issue as they do not travel far and there would usually be only 2 people on board.
So woodys – the question of the day is – would the boat be under powered with the 50hp motor?
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