Category Archives: 1950’s

Hudspith – Bay of Islands Game Boats

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Marie J

Marie J – 1956 – 30′ Master-Craft

Venture

Venture – 1964 – 36′ – M.G. Palmer

HUDSPITH – BAY of ISLANDS GAME BOATS
David Clarke sent in the above photos of the Bay of Islands launches – Marie J (top) and Venture (bottom) that were both owned and operated by the Hudspith family (father Don, and sons Cyril and Norm) of Kaikohe.
Marie J was owned in the early 1960’s and moored in the Waitangi river on the piles. She was used mainly for game fishing in the BOI and Whangaroa areas with many days trolling over the Taheke reef for marlin. In the photo is David’s father, Colin Clarke, a regular crew member sitting on the cabin top left, beside him is Cyril Hudspith and in the cockpit is Tammy Weir another regular crew member.
The Marie J was sold in the mid 1960’s and in and around October 1966, the Hudspith’s family’s new launch Venture was purchased and brought up to the BOI.
She then spent the next 30 years or so mainly game fishing and Norm Hudspith was a prominent member of the BOI Swordfish Club and indeed the IGFA.
The photo of Venture shows her with a new clear flying bridge (added c.1968) and about to be launched at the BOI Yacht Club slip way in Waitangi after her annual haul out.
The Hudspith’s also installed a Perkins wing motor for trolling around 1968.
David commented that it was great to see that both vessels are still in very good condition, a credit to the owners.
Read and see more on Marie J 
Read And see more on Venture 
 

Kestrel

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KESTREL

The 39’ launch Kestrel was built in Nelson in 1957 by Wally Steer. Original kauri carvel construction but later (1990’s) she received a skin of ply and was fibre-glassed 1990s 😦 Powered by a Ford 120hp diesel, that gets her along at 8 knots.

Mid last year she was 4sale on tme, in Nelson. Do we know anymore about Kestrel and her builder?

Input from Steve Thomas – Kestrel was originally named SUSAN MARGARET, built by Wally Steer around 1957 and first launched from Monaco, Nelson, not far from Wally’s home at Songer Street, Stoke, where the boat was built. I have a photos of her moored in Nelson Harbour, will dig it out and send a copy. She was powered by 2 flat-head V8 petrols we think. The March Construction family in Kaiapoi owned the boat for many years. In the 1980’s the March boys Father died and they trucked the boat from Picton and started a major rebuild at their Kaiapoi base. Myself and my Dad, Don Thomas, found her around 1995 and fell in love. The original 1’1/4 kauri carvel planking was skinned over with diagonal ply and glassed and the new topsides built but not fitted out. The March boys ran out steam on the home straight and let us take over. We then trucked the boat up to Glenhope, near Murchison, where a boat builder friend, Kevin Strong, completed the interior fit-out over a couple of years. We then moved the boat to Nelson, and finished the exterior repaint, electrical and engineering work. The Ford 2725E was a brand new engine. We relaunched the boat in Nelson around 2000 and she looked the same as she is now. Sadly, my father Don passed away in 2013. Nelson boaties Mike and Denise Ballard then purchased her around that time and lived on her for a few years. Kestrel has just been sold to an American couple who intend to keep her in Picton and cruise the Sounds. She’s a fantastic sea boat with heaps of flare in the bow. Will be a great ship for many years to come.

Storm Bird

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Stormbird

STORM BIRD
The photo above of Storm Bird was sent in by George Janis, his father and a retired Scottish boatbuilder named Jock McCallum in 1950 built this 20’ launch. Storm Bird had a raised foredeck and a dodger. The family owned her for 24 years, and she was powered by a Morris Vedette 6/12 marine petrol engine, with a 2 to1 reduction.
George would like to uncover info on what became of the vessel and whether she is still in the Wellington area.
Do You Need A Bow Thruster?

If you have been considering installing a bow thruster or if you occasionally have a berthing oops – read the article below that Chris McMullen sent me – it originally appeared in the May 1944 edition of – Yachting World & Power Craft. It’s been in Chris’s files for years and he uncovered it during lock-down. Chris commented that he felt he should share it. Have a read it explains boat handling in plain English + the analogy of thinking the propeller is a wheel is good. If its too hard to read, drop me an email and I’ll send you it in a larger format.    waitematawoodys@gmail.com

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Woodys On Tour – Halls Boat Yard, New York

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Woodys On Tour – Halls Boat Yard, New York

A few years ago, woodys Jim and Karin Lott were ‘parked up’ with the masts on deck in their kauri ketch – Victoria, on the Hudson River. More specifically in the middle of New York State in a city called Albany. The Lott’s waited there for three weeks for the Erie Canal to open. Jim commented that Albany definitely does not feature on anyone’s ‘place to go’ list. They were not alone as Wellington old salt Richard Watt and his wife Enid anchored alongside them in their launch (photo below of both boats), as well as dozens of other impatient US and Canadian sailors.

To while away the time they hired a car and headed to Lake George to look at woodies at Halls Boatyard, one of the many inland homes of wooden boats in New York. Jim commented  that floating boat garages are common in North America and they spent several hours admiring a sea of varnished ash, cedar, spruce and mahogany. There was a slipway and boatyard all under cover inside the shed complex. The yard specialises in rebuilding and restoring classic motor-launches but a few yachts were getting the same TLC.

After the long wait, the canal stayed closed so they had to forgo the Great Lakes and continued up the Hudson. Eventually they locked into Lake Champlain and down the Richelieu River to the St Lawrence near Montreal in Canada.

01 Kiwis up the creek

Classic Launches at Opo Bay – Mayor Island

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Rarangi

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Marline

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Classic Launches at Opo Bay – Mayor Island
The above photos are dated 1959 and feature several launches in Opo Bay at Mayor Island, Bay of Plenty.
The top photo shows the launch Rarangi with its bow nudged up on the beach. Can we confirm the launch is Rarangi and do we know anymore about her?
Also like to ID the launch in the middle photo and the boat on the right in the bottom photo.
photos ex Lew Redwood fb
Update. – Brian Worthington has confirmed the launch in the top photo is Rarangi and she was built by Lane Motor Boat Co. When photographed she was a charter boat owned and skippered by Bob Gray.

Brian and Ken Ricketts agree that the middle photo is Marline, and Brian comments she was built by and owned by Leon Warne. When photographed she was a charter boat owned and skippered by Peter Brasting.
Ken is of the belief that the bottom photo is the launch – Wakatere.

Yesterday’s Project

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My ‘barn-find’ clinker dinghy has been in storage for over a year, prior to this it had been in a garage for over 25 years. It was a lake boat so I suspect its never seen saltwater.
When I collected her, she had 25 years of dust on her, you could have grown potatoes in her 🙂
Given that I’m on top of my to-do list on the home front, I got the green light to do some boating stuff, so out came the sugar soap, sponge & a tooth brush.
She measures 7’6” x 4’ and is built from kauri ply, so very light. She is a tad more elegant than ‘Peg’ (photo below) the current #1 in the dinghy fleet.
The big question is the degree of prep prior new paint / varnish – back to bare wood or ??
Top photos – post cleaning, below – as found.
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A Real Feel Good Moment – Look at the look in the wee ones eyes, please can I stay here 🙂 Sent in by Colin Pawson.

Kitty Vane – Where Are You

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KITTY VANE – Where Are You

There has been chat recently as to the status of the launch Kitty Vane – so todays story is a shout out for an update on the project.
Firstly a summary of what we know ( thank you Harold Kidd, Brian Worthington & Val Monk ) – Kitty Vane was  launched in 1956, designed and built by T.C. (Ces) Watson, Laurie Going (father of Hugh Going) worked on her as well. She is named after Katherine (Kitty) Airini Vane, a famous artist from Northland.
She was based at Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers Club at Tutukaka for many years and was still under charter there in 1991. She went to the aid of the crew of Stella wrecked on Wide Berth Island in 1963.
Later ownership moved to John Going who changed the cabin style, he continued to operate her out of Tutukaka. John also ventured down the west coast game fishing and also sailed Kitty Vane up to Tonga game fishing. 
In the top two b/w photos dated 1961 we see Hugh and Rona Going fishing off Tutukaka, a fine looking woody.

Back in January 2015 I spotted Kitty Vane hauled out at Te Atatu Boating Club, Auckland, colour photos above, where she was getting some TCL. According to her transom home is / was Tutukaka.

Boat yard chat is that in 2019 she ‘returned’ to Northland.
Do not know if it was on a truck or under her own steam. Anyone able to enlighten us on her?
13-06-2020 Update – LINE DRAWINGS – Peter Watson, sent in the below original drawing of Kitty-Vane done by his father – T.C. (Yes) Watson
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The Slippery Slope
From the ceiling signs at the 1968 Boat and Caravan Show, held at the Epsom Showgrounds – the writing was on the wall (poor pun) for the demise of the wooden boat building industry. Great to see Clipper / Mason Marine tucked away in top left corner 🙂
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Woody Photo Gallery

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Duke of Marlborough

Antares 3

Arima

Moana

Shalom

Woody Photo Gallery
The selection of woody photos above was sent in by Bryce Strong, details and links to previous WW stories below. I hate Digital dates on photos but it is a very simple way to record when the photo was taken – two are dated 2013, interesting to see how the vessels have faired in the last 13 years.
The top photo of the steamboat – Duke of Marlborough, is a newbie to me. I’m looking forward to Russell Ward chipping in with her history 😉
Antares – built in the 1950’s by Supreme Craft. At the time the above photo was taken she was owned by Bryce’s brother-in-law, Ron Phillips
Arima – built in1953 by Colin Wild

https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/12/08/arima/

Moana – built in c.1939 by Sam Ford
Shalom – built in 1973 by TK Atkinson
Anyone Recall Sutton MalcolSham & Co
I have been contacted by Richard Winthrop looking for information on a boat builder named Sutton Malcolm & Co. Ltd of Mt Roskill, Auckland. Many years ago Richard had a Mason Clipper that had the sticker below on it.
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Mananui

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MANANUI

The above boat popped recently on Lew Redwood’s fb, the caption had a possible date of 1956>61 and an unconfirmed location of Northland. The photo was credited to a Frank Lomas, if that helps.
I know it’s a big ask – but can anyone ID the boat / location ?
Input from Dean Wright – Dean sent in the photo below of Mana Nui, taken in the Bay of Islands on 27 Jan, 2017. This backed up by Brian Worthington’s advice that the mystery boat is Mana Nui. Kerry Alexander has also suggested she was owned by Capt. Fred Young and the location is Rawene. 
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OOPS – its not the boat that Dean sent in. Photo below ex Paul Drake and shows Mananui at Tauranga (Sulphur Point Marina).

She is already featured on woodys – see WW Link. A rather smart woody https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/0
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Manunui
Update 15-04-2020 Photos below ex Aubrey Bracey via Frank Lomas and show ManaNui at Hokianga c.1956-61
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Manunui

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MANUNUI

Todays’ story on Manunui comes to us from the ‘desk’ of Paul Drake – as always, well written so I’ll pass over to Paul.

 “Arriving at Taupo for our annual holiday one January in the late 1950’s, my brothers and I were intrigued to see a very unusual looking new commercial boat on the scene.   Before we knew her name, we kids called her ‘The Ugly Boat’.  She turned out to have a proper name – MANUNUI – after the saw milling town just out of Taumarunui.   It was there that she was built by the manager of said sawmill, Basil Maude.

Basil’s hobby was building boats, but he rarely got more than about three-quarters of the way through before losing interest.  MANUNUI was the exception.  He wished to see how big a boat he could build out of plywood.  He had the plywood made at his mill from selected timber.   Her bottom had two sheets of ply each twenty feet long , six feet wide, and one and a quarter inches thick. She measured 36 feet by 12 feet.

She had to be chunky and strong because Basil had two Allison Kittyhawk 12-cylinder aeroplane engines which he wanted to fit.   He designed and built the double gearbox himself.  It measured eight feet by three feet by two feet deep.   At the last minute the plan changed and the two gallons per minute Allisons were wisely ditched in favour of Ford V8s. But the gear box remained – larger than the two engines.   This most fascinating gearbox was mounted forward of the engines with the propeller shafts running back under the engines.   Chains were involved, and each propeller was operated independently of the other in the normal way.  MANUNUI was the first diesel powered launch on the lake (so it is said) and also the first commercial plywood boat to operate on the lake.

In the good old days when fishermen would club together and charter a launch for five day expeditions to Taupo’s Western Bay, MANUNUI was a very successful and busy charter launch under her very capable skipper Ron Houghton.

The original canvas arrangement over the aft end was eventually replaced with the rather functional effort shown in the second photo. In about 1970 a whole new cabin appeared.   Shortly afterwards MANUNUI was sold to New Plymouth.   I wonder if she survives?   Somehow I doubt it.

Much of this information is contained in ’Boats of Taupo’ by Charles Cox.

 

Alana – Where Is She

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ALANA – Where Is She
 
Recently I was contacted by Al Laslett regarding the launch – Alana, that his grandfather, Alan Laslett, owned in the 1950’s. Subsequent correspondence with Al’s mother, Anne Palmer (nee Laslett), has uncovered the above photos and intel on the vessel below.
 
Alana  was built in the 1950’s in the backyard at, Anne believes 54 Tarawera Tce., St Heliers or on a property nearby. Anne it not sure of the exact date she was launched, but believes it was before mid 1958. Anne believes that Alana was kauri planked and her mother once told her it was approx. 36’ > 40’ in length.
 
Anne’s father, Alan, was quarry manager for McCallum Bros. on Pakihi Island from approx. 1958 until his sudden death in May 1960 (heart attack). He had separated from his wife, and was waiting for the divorce to come through when he died.  Because he was still legally married, the launch passed to his wife Elsie and the family do not know what happened to her after that – presumably sold. The family has tried several times to find where she is now, but to no avail.  The only reference they know is a single mention in a Radio Hauraki news bulletin in the 1980’s about a cabin fire on a launch called Alana on the Waitemata Harbour.
The unusual cabin design was because Anne’s father was a very tall man and specifically built a cabin where he could not hit his head. She was rigged for deep sea fishing, but Alan never got the chance to do that. Alan died just before his 50th birthday, at the time Anne was only 19 months old and her sister was 6 weeks old. Sadly Anne has no memories of my father or the launch, only the old photos above.    
In the photo at the wharf at Pakihi Island, Alan is the tall, balding man at the back, is full name was Alan Edgar Laslett. He used to drive taxis in Auckland just before he and Anne’s mother went to Pakihi Island. 
 
So woodys – big call out today – Anne and her son Al, would love to find the Alana and if possible see her in person – I’ll give a WW t-shirt to the woody that provides the best intel.
30-03-2020 Update / Input from Anne Palmer

Anne was sent the photo below from her cousin David who lives in Australia. David commented that the boat was nearing completion in the backyard of Alan & Elsie’s property at Tarawera Terrace, St. Heliers, taken in December 1955.
David H and Alan's boat St Heliers Dec 1955
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