Category Archives: 1950’s

Aquarius – SOS

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AQUARIUS – SOS 
Aquarius has been mentioned on WW before – link below . To remind you she is a 38′ ex big game fishing boat built / designed by McGeady/Supreme Craft and she was the first boat worked on by Ben Hipkins when he started his apprenticeship in 1955.
This time she appears as an SOS. I have been contacted by Murray Smith who has been looking for a project boat for some time and came across Aquqrius advertised on trademe. Murray has viewed the boat but she is a bit small for him, so on behalf of her current owner Phil Tarr, he has asked that we do a shout out on WW to find someone to take her over.
Currently she is sitting up on the hard in a storage yard on Waiheke. Phil pulled her out to renovate her (2012?) and has lots of the interior cabinetry safe n dry under his house. He has brand new fuel tanks ready to go back in then everything else should slot in. Sounds easy but this gives the new owner the chance to build the interior how they want. The engines have not been started for a few years and condition is honestly described as seized, more likely just reluctant to turn over, as Phil has had them overhauled prior to loosing focus. Sadly she is showing the signs of neglect one would expect, but her heart is sound.
A little history – she had been built for and was working in the B.O.I. and has been owned by many big names including Lofty Blomfield and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa’s mum.
I’m told the trademe photos are very poor & do not do her justice , also that the owner is very negotiable on price.

Maureen R >> Moana Roa

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Launching

Original Bostaki Bay

Bostaquet Bay c.1962

Maureen R

Orams 2000

Mooring Stanmore Bay

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MAUREEN R  >> Moana Roa
I love stories like this, out of the blue my email inbox goes ping & I get sent the below – thats one of the cool things about WW, the huge group of followers who help me keep the site alive. And on that subject, don’t hold back sending in photos & intel on vessels – where I can I’ll use it. Sometimes it may not be enough to warrant a story, then out of the blue, someone else sends we stuff on the same boat & we have the makings of a WW story 🙂
Stuart Johnston sent me the above photos of the Owen Woolley built launch – Maureen R. As far as Stuart is aware it was one of Owen’s early builds in his Tamaki River shed.
Maureen R was built for Ross Reid of the earthmoving company of the same name and named after his wife. Stuart’s father purchased her in late 1962 from Ross who had a new Patiki built which Stuart recalls was named Maureen II.
In regards to her size, Stuart thinks she grew under his Dad’s tutelage but he recalls she was 28′ but maybe 30′ overall and was powered by a 40hp Parsons Pike which could be started by hand with a crank through the bulkhead if the batteries were low.
The family continued to keep her in the Tamaki opposite the yacht club but was also moored her at Stanmore Bay on Whangaparaoa for much of the time and they spent many hours in and around the Kawau area.
When purchased by the Johnston’s the coamings were all painted and one school holiday -Stuart, his brother and a mate spent hours sanding off the paint including red lead to wood and varnishing, the end result which is seen in the photos above, when she is moored at Stanmore Bay and also launching from the beach after another seasonal paint job. The side on shot at anchor with a number of people on board is in Bostaquet Bay probably the summer of 1962 or 1963. The coloured image taken at Orams around 2000.
The family sold her to a Mr Maltby who used her from Tindalls Bay for some years and its believed she later found her way to Samoa and word would have it that she was used for charter work.
A somewhat ugly aircon unit was fitted to her cabin top which Stuart spied at some point on her return, he was told that she had hit a reef whilst in Samoa and was returned to Auckland for repairs when salvaged.
Stuart commented that she was a very pretty little vessel but did not like a following or beam sea. The fiberglass dingy seen swinging off the davits in some photos is still owned by Stuart.
So woodys – the question/s of the day – where she is today? and can anyone correct Stuart’s memories and or fill in some gaps?
Input from Harold Kidd– APYMBA records of her start in 1957 when she was owned by R.C. Reid of 27 Tamaki Bay Drive, Pakuranga with dimensions of 29’x27’x9’x2’9″ and had a 40hp diesel. Later owner C. J. Johnstone. All of that squares with Stuart’s memories. I have nothing after Stuart’s father.
Photos below ex Paul Drake
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Norman and Jocelyn Pointon, at Waihora Bay, Lake Taupo.

Input from owners – Norman & Jocelyn Pointonn –  Maureen R >> MoanaRoa is berthed at Lake Taupo. We purchased her from the Fransham family in 1999 and had Bernie Dale renew the teak decks plus raise the dodger for sun protection and headroom in the cockpit. The builders plate states that she was built by Owen Woolley at Panmure in 1957
We have found her to be a good boat on the Lake, she does not like a beam following sea very much but apart from that a very comfortable and safe boat. We have continued to maintain her, new teak and holly floors, squabs, toilet, holding tank, stove, GPS and servicing of the Ford four cylinder engine and Paragon gearbox. 
The best useage that we have had is 40 trips in a year, so she is  well used and loved.
The story about her going to the islands was told to me by the previous owners plus the grounding a  coral reef. It was suggested that she made her way to the islands under her own power but that seems unlikely considering the amount of fuel required for the trip
The photo below shows the addition of the dodger, moored in Mine Bay where she spends a lot of time.
Alan on Moana Roa
And more photos ex Bruce Pullan – Feb 2018

07-06-2022 UPDATE ex Jason Prew – Spotted at Motuoapa Marina, Lake Taupo

Naiad

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NAIAD
Naiad is a Norm Beetson design, built in 1957 by Stan Blake. She is a sister ship to Gayella & Georgella (later Kararik) & based on Beetson’s own, 32’ Acquiesce. In a previous life (1966>1970) she was owned by Russell Ward’s father, & back then powered by a 60hp Ford diesel.
She measures 36’ & these days the zoom zoom is via a 120hp Ford.
In recent years she has been hauled out at Te Atatu Boating Club & as you can see in the above photos, has received a lot of work.
Unfortunately her owner has to move Naiad on, so she is offered up for sale as a work-in-process. Most of the bits , including engine, gearbox, tanks etc are on hand to complete the rebuild.
She is currently back in the water, so we know she floats 😉
She looks a lot different from ‘as designed’ – I have included below some b/w photo’s for reference.
Details via Harold Kidd & trademe listing heads up from Ian McDonald.
Naiad
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Lake Rotoiti Mystery Launch – 1956

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Lake Rotoiti Mystery Launch -1956

Today’s launch is pictured on Lake Rotoiti, at Okere. The location will be very familiar to any of the woodys that have followed my annual pilgrimages to the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade.
The photo dated Jan 1956 comes to us via Lew Redwood’s fb postings & shows a family heading out on the lake.
Any woodys able to ID the launch?
ps I would encourage you to scroll down & view yesterdays story on St George again, I added a lot of additional photos late yesterday to the story.

Mansion House Bay – Kawau Island 1950 + Ida is coming home

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Mansion House 1950

Mansion House Bay – Kawau Island 1950 + Ida is coming home
I was sent the above photo by Iain Forsyth who obtained it from an old sailing mate named Ron Thickpenny. Ron restored the Fairmile Seandra, ex Hopper Brothers.
In the photo you can see a HDML along side the wharf.
Can we have a go at ID’ing the fleet in the bay?
IDA To Return To NZ
During the week Harold Kidd reported on WW that John Street and Wayne Olsen have just returned from Sydney, & John has bought IDA, the 1895 C & W Baileys built 65’ yacht & is shipping her back for restoration. She has been based in Sydney for a very long time. Once back in NZ & restored by Wayne Olsen she will give the CYA A-Class fleet a big fright 🙂
The photo was supplied by Kim Watts, who purchased the original 1912 signed Winkelman print 25 years ago.
There are more photos & details on her past owners at the WW link below
To quote Harold – “The man’s (John S) blood is worth bottling!
WW IDA Link    https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/05/15/ida-sailing-sunday-more/
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The Re-Launch of Susan Jane

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The Re-Launch of Susan Jane

The restoration of the 1950 Chris Robertson built – Susan Jane, at Colin Brown’s Omaha yard was been well documented on ww – link below. Last week (21-06-2018) Susan Jane emerged from the shed & made the road trip to Gulf Harbour marina for splashing. Ken Ricketts was on hand to record the event.

I have seen SJ in the flesh & I can tell you that in real life she looks even better – that man Colin Brown does stunning work – so the big question is – who is next in the shed?

 

https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/10/30/susan-jane-sailing-sunday/

Update 13-05-2019 out at Gulf Harbour (photos ex Ken Ricketts)

Woody Lake Boat

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Woody Lake Boat

The owner of the above 16’5” speedboat believes the hull was built in the 1950’s, he bought her back in 2009. He has fully striped the hull back to wood and repaired it where necessary, built the seats and engine cover from scratch.

Recently she has been given a full paint job with marine paint (dark green). The zoom zoom is a mark one-zephyr petrol engine with a direct drive set up. A few minor details e.g. a windscreen & you would have a very smart woody. Or re-power with a V8 & have real speedster.

The reason she is for sale on trademe is that it only gets used once a year at the Lake Rotoit Classic & Wooden Boat Parade. Thanks to Tim Evill for the listing heads up.

Looking For A Gulf Harbour Marina To Rent (Long term)

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A secure 13m waterways berth is available for immediate occupation. Comes with  close car parking for the purposes of loading up & unloading, & long term parking within about 2 minutes’ walk. Long term rental $650 per month.

Enquires can respond by email to kennetharicketts@gmail.com or phone  09 424 5505 or 021 988 919

 

 

Working Waterfront Boatbuilders Shed – 50 photos

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Working Waterfront Boatbuilders Shed – 50 photos

As I’ve send many times before, if your want a stunning day weather wise, schedule a Classic Yacht Association event – the hit rate must be 9/10.

Over 100 CYA members & friends made the trip north to Lees Boatbuilders at Sandspit – our host for the day, Greg Lees, turned on a brilliant woody event – we had everything – woody projects underway, the best collection of 1/2 models I seen outside of the RNZYS walls, a photo montage recording the history of the yard & the vessels built over the years.

 Center stage was Jenny & Angus Rogers – Mahanui, in the shed for a new deck, alongside her was a very original Chris Craft that was getting a restoration. 

The varnish guru Dale has already applied 23 coats, with 6 more to come. Compared to our old girls, these American woodys are very lightly built, amazing that so many have survived.

Outside we had Anna & Nic Davidson’s – Juanita, on one slip & Barbara & David Cooke’s woody flagship – Trinidad, alongside the wharf. In midstream was Yvonne, waiting her turn in the shed.

On the hard was a selection of small craft built by either Greg, his father Tim or other local craftsman. Not woodys but certainly classic were Greg’s two English built, aluminium Albatross runabouts – the very rare 4 seater is next on Greg’s to-do list. Included are a few photos of other woodys in or out of the water.

Greg gave an articulate talk on his families boatbuilding history & how they came to be situated on the Sandspit foreshore. At the end he announced the official launch of the 2018 Rudder Cup launch race to be run on Friday 14th December to Sail Rock & back. See flyer below, I encourage all woody owners to consider participating. At this stage we (I’m on the race committee, along with Jason Prew, Nathan Herbert, Baden Pascoe & Barbara & David Cooke) are calling for expressions of interest in racing – entry to the race is by invitation, as per the original race format in 1908.

 Big ups to Greg & family + staff for turning on the day, including BBQ. Special thanks also to the CYA committee members that pulled it all together. 

Lastly a little something below for the petrol heads – Greg had on display his Jesser BSA 500cc twin, hill climb racer. Built in 1962 by Les Jesser, she is a 2 time Australian  class champion. 

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CYA Rudder Cup 2018 flyer

SOUTHERN ISLES – A Peak Down Below

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SOUTHERN ISLES – A Peak Down Below

Thanks to her trademe listing (ex Ian McDonald) we get to have a peek down below on the 36’ Southern Isles.

Built by Tom Wells at Wakatahuri, Forsyth Bay, Pelorus Sound & launched in 1953 she has a beam of 10’6” & draws 5’.

Her zoom zoom is via a 127hhp Gardner 6LX.

She was featured on WW before in Dec 2017 – link below, where you will find lots of history from John Wicks.

Southern Isles

Update ex Cameron Pollard – photos below show her in 1950, just prior to launching & in work – beaching the ship Matangi.

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20-08-2018 UPDATE – John Wicks just advised that he had recently run into the couple who owned her while she was in Clevedon. They told him they’ve just sold her to someone related (not sure exactly how) to the Wells family of Wakatahuri, and that she’s heading back down to where she was launched, which has to be a good thing.

Te Anau

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TE ANAU

I was recently contacted by Mike O’Dwyer in regard to boat that is currently visiting Napier, Mike’s home town.

It is called Te Anau, currently owned by Mike and Julie Trewern from Port Chalmers.

Designed by Henry Miller (Miller and Tunnage) originally as a trawler, Te Anau has been converted to a  now a very comfortable live-aboard measuring just over 50’ with a 13’ beam and a 6’ 6” draft.

Te Anau was launched in 1956 after being built at Scotts boatyard in Invercargill from Tallowood, an Australian native timber belonging to the Ucalypt species. It is a naturally oily timber with a high tannin content.

Scotts boatyard mainly used Tallowwood for their boat construction.

The vessel is powered by a 170hp DAF 6 cylinder diesel motor. Originally powered by a GM this engine was replaced by a DAF which after 55,000 hours was replaced by the current engine.

Forty-eight of theses motors were imported in the sixties to power the Chatham Island crayfish boats.

Mike and Julie are currently on a prolonged cruise and after leaving NZ in Sept 2016 have visited Queensland, New Caladonia, Vanuatu and Fiji returning to NZ in November last year.

They plan to cruise for another 18 months which may include another offshore stint.