Category Archives: 1960’s

REBUILDING OF THE FIRE DESTROYED CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – KOKORU

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 REBUILDING OF THE FIRE DESTROYED CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – KOKORU

The top photo above is probably the most harrowing photo WW has published and the second photo is one I’m sure will see us all in good spirits. As unimaginable as it seems the 40′ 1960 Jack Morgan built classic launch – KOKORU is currently being rebuilt.

Back in March 2022 the classic wooden boat community learnt of the loss of KOKORU from a dockside / marina accident – fire on neighbouring vessel (refer photo below) that spread to several nearby craft. KOKORU had just been relaunched after an extensive high end refit. She was a right off and her owners made the right call and harvested what they could to start again with another classic launch.  Link to WW March story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/03/21/kokoru-ravaged-in-marina-fire-a-call-for-help/

I thought that was the end of the story. Normally is, they sit in a yard for a few years and then end up in a dumpster.

Well not KOKORU, last week I chanced on a Facebook thread that was show casing the work that Burnnand Marine were undertaking to rebuild KOKORU – well done to the owner.

I understand there is a large amount of that very thick paint that comes in rolls being used but we can turn a blind eye to that if it means we get one back from the grave.

So looking forward to seeing her relaunched.

LYNMAR

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Roger Miles
Mahurandi Regatta 2024
Mahurangi Regatta 2024

LYNMAR

The launch – LYNMAR has made several appearance on WW over the years. I first happened on her when I shared a few weeks in Geoff Bagnall’s boasted at Milford Creek. At the time LYNMAR was owned by Brian Burrell who resided at Tryphena, Great Barrier Island. Whenever LYNMAR was due some TLC Brian would come over to Geoff’s and haul out and live aboard while undertaking the work. 

We soon became friends when I started bring ‘leftover’ meals along for him 🙂 At the time I learnt that the launch was built by John Lidgard in the late 1960’s.

Back 2015 LYNMAR was out on the slip at Milford for some work – the link below has a lot of photos and details – make sure you read the comments section.  https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/06/27/lynmar/

I once called on Brian at his quirky property close to the Tryphena wharf – Brian being a collector of marine jetsam and floatsam I was hooked by an amazing display of boat stuff.

Some years later LYNMAR started making cameo appearances at the Mahurangi Regatta, so I assumed she had changed hands. Number 2 & 3 photos above are from the 2024 regatta.

The lead photo taken by Rogers Miles popped up last week on fb.

MULLET BOAT ON THE WAITEMATA – SPINDRIFT

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MULLET BOAT ON THE WAITEMATA – SPINDRIFT
Recently I discovered (thanks to Lew Redwood) a reference source that wasn’t on my radar – the Auckland Research Centre, which appears to be part of the Auckland Libraries offering. Most of the content will put you to sleep but an article this week on MULLET boats I think is worthy of reproducing. Reproduced below.
The photo above shows an open cockpit mullet boat, commercial fishing boat # AK89, off North Head, Auckland. Can we match a name to the commercial number?The image comes to us via Auckland Libraries Heritage collection 37-173 and may possibly have been taken by Henry Winkelmann.

It started off as a fishing boat for the working class man that became a cult classic – the mullet boat (aka the mullety). The mullet boat was developed in the 1860s for fishermen unused to the estuaries and tides of the Manukau and the Waitematā Harbours, to get their haul of fresh mullet, snapper or tarakihi back to Queens Wharf or Devonport as soon as possible. Included was a covered but cramped foredeck if the fishermen needed to spend a night out on the water. 

By the early 1900s, the days of fishing for mullet on sailboat were coming to an end as steam powered boats took over, but sailing the mulleties as a pastime was booming. They competed for the Lipton Cup which was donated to the Ponsonby Cruising Club by Sir Thomas Lipton, who had raced in the America’s Cup five times but never won. In fact, the trophy itself was made by the same silversmith who made the America’s Cup, is New Zealand’s oldest yachting trophy, and is still raced today.  

HAROLD KIDD INPUT – This is the 26ft mullet boat SPINDRIFT owned by H. Parker of Devonport in 1908. She was built at Devonport in 1904 by R.O. Farquhar. Later went north (Whangaruru, Whisk Martinengo thought) and wrecked.

The Best Sub 35’ Owen Woolley – AWARIKI – Now Offered 4sale At Reduced Price One of the best presented woodys 4sale with the Wooden Boat Bureau is the 32’ Owen Woolley built launch – AWARIKI Link below to more details and photos/

WBB has been advised that her owner wants her sold asap and has agreed to a significant price reduction – NOW $48,000 ono

DETAILS:  https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/11/06/awariki-on-the-market/

CONTACT: waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Q406 > NEW VENTURE > MOTUNUI > WAITANIC 

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Q406 > NEW VENTURE > MOTUNUI > WAITANIC 

Todays story comes to us via Ken Ricketts, with details and photos begged/borrowed/ uplifted by KR from the following sources – fb/google/Lew Redwood/Ken Brown/Daniel Michaels and KR himself.

The ship Q406, is probably the last Fairmile left in NZ. She was used during WW2, as a N.Z. coastal patrol boat, and later in the Solomons. Once she and the other Fairmiles returned back to Auckland in 1945, they were decommissioned. 

Q406 was offered up for sale via tender and purchased by Rodney Farry, who fitted 2 x Graymarine marinised GM Detroit 6-71 diesel engines, and converted her into a passenger ship. In this configuration she operated around the Otago Harbour, until she ran aground on a sandbar, causing Farry to lose interest in the concept. 

She was renamed NEW VENTURE in 1949 and sailed back to Auckland, under command of a temporary crew. While sailing back, she struck a violent storm off the Castlecliff Coast, with the inexperienced sailors clinging near the coast. 

In 1950, she was sold to Waiheke Shipping Co. and had her name changed to MOTUNUI and was used as a passenger ferry, transporting people to and from Auckland to Waiheke, Great Barrier & Motuihe Islands. 

When Waiheke Shipping was sold to North Shore Ferries. MOTUNUI would continue operating under them until 1984, when she was sold into private ownership. 

Over the next 20 years she would switch ownership multiple times, one of these being to the late Ken Brown, an old friend of Ken Rs, who converted her to pleasure craft use, in the 1980s. She was kept at the bottom of his garden, on the water’s edge, in the Tamaki River. 

There were plans in 1997 to have her brought to survey standards in time to be used as a sightseeing boat for the America’s Cup. 

This was abandoned when relations between the joint owners, (& several suppliers) soured. Even though much work was done by then (including fitting an original wheelhouse taken from Fairmile Kahu). 

She was sold again in 2001 and 2006, when she took one final voyage to Tauranga, so her machinery could be removed, along with her superstructure. 

Her final owner was Barry Woods, who operated Woodlyn Park Motel, at Waitomo. MOTUNUI was hauled onto land, and converted into a motel, now advertised as the ‘WAITANIC’. A sad ending but better than a date with a backhoe and box of matches and she has some funky neibours for company – a Bristol Frighter and railway car, refer below 🙂 . (edited by Alan H)

BEVERLENE – A Peek Down Below

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BEVERLENE – A Peek Down Below

Todays woody is – BEVERLENE, the 40’ kauri planked sedan launch built by Owen Woolley in 1968. Her beam is 11’9” and a draft of 3’3”.

As with so many Woolleys the power plant is a 120hp Commer TS3 diesel.

Hasn’t popped up on WW before so keen to learn more about her past life.

INPUT ex Mark Erskine, via K Ricketts – The engine in BEVERLENE is a Rootes 3DB-215 TS3 c.1967>70. Mark reconditioned the engine in 2008 while berthed at Kopu, Thames. Tuned correctly it will produce 140hp. Gearbox is a Borg-Warner 72-C velvet drive.

OSCAR – Born Again

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OSCAR – Born Again
Back in May 2022 Oscar made an appearance on WW, link below to that story, back then she was in a very sad state and being offered for sale via ‘As Is Where Is’ condition.At the time we learned that the 34’6” Oscar was designed by Sam Ford and commenced the build c.1968>70. Sadly Sam passed away and his son Trevor completed the project. When launched the she was named – Shimca’. 2022 WW Story https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/01/classic-boat-barn-find/

Recently I was contacted by Mark Pearce who purchased Oscar and undertook to refit the launch (see Marks words below) – as seen in the above photos. Currently 4sale on tme.

“I’ve stripped the outside from the deck down. I re-fastened the hull bottom and sides to the frames and put thousands of screws into the inner diagonal and outer horizontal planks which are about 12mm thick on the topsides and 15mm on the bottom.
I replaced a small part of one rotten plank but the rest are in great condition.
I then glued and screwed 6mm ply strips on the bottom and topsides and cut out ply to shape for the deck. I glassed the whole boat with 200g cloth and two pot inter protect followed after lots of sanding filling and fairing.
I replaced the cutlass bearing after dropping the strut 10mm to line the shaft correctly.
The boat has new paint from cabin sides to keel.
We had to hiab the engine up to remove and repair some holes in the cast aluminium sump.
New electric toilet was fitted along with a new gas stove, VHF and an am/fm radio.
It has a new electric anchor winch as well.”

2022

THE LEAST USED WORD ON WW – (hint – starts with a V)

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THE LEAST USED WORD ON WW

In the comments section on Friday Mr Steam – Russell Ward gave me an elbow re the absence of Vindex launches on WW. Well its simple – they are just too modern looking for a site that focusses on classic craft, most are made of plywood, & f/glass and most end up like the one above………. 

Possibly the inspiration comes from terra firma………. (photo ex John Burland)

CAN YOU IMAGINE THE COMPLAINTS IF THIS 1964 WD40 ADVERTISEMENT APPEARED IN 2024 (oops it actually is)

Harold Kidd – ‘Yachts and the Waitemata’ – Parts 3>6

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Following on from yesterday today we have PARTS #3/4/5 /6 – Recorded ‘live’ last Thursday evening at the Devonport Yacht Club- we have Harold Kidd speaking on the topic – ‘Yachts & the Waitemata, HDK broke the talk into several time periods.Apologise – Part #4 – 1945>65 is missing due to an editing error.

PART #3 – 1920 > 1945, Post war boom and bust, and boom again. • The rise of the one design and restricted centre board classes and their competitions • Launch building extended • Keel yacht building boom in the 1930s • The effect of WW2

PART 3

PART #4 (Missing) 1945 > 1965, post war boom again, new materials • Boom in keel yacht construction and offshore cruising • New materials arriving. • Designers take advantage of new materials • International contests

PART # 5 1965 to date • Increasing sophistication in design and use of materials• International racing success • Americas Cup • New Zealand at forefront of world yacht design and construction

PART 5

PART #6 Question time

PART 6

VENTURE – A Peek Down Below

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Russell Wharf – B.O.I.

VENTURE – A Peek Down Below

I last saw the launch – Venture, back in June 2021 when she was berthed at Hobsonville marina. Link below to that story + a Aug 2017 story that has some wonderful photos from her days big game fishing in the Bay of Islands.

Venture was built by Morrie Palmer in c.1964 and while several people have made reference to being designed by Colin Wilde, at best, probably safe to say ‘influenced by’ 😉

36 in length, 12’1” beam and draft of 3’7”. Forward motion is via 6cyl Ford 90hp Diesel engine.

Today thanks to a recent tme listing (ex Ian McDonald) we get to have a gender down below.

WW Aug 2017 https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/08/26/venture-2/ WW June 2021 https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/06/23/can-we-id-this-launch-2/

MANUWAI – A Peek Down Below

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MANUWAI – A Peek Down Below

Back in April 2015 the 31’ launch – Manuwai made an appearance on WW, (link below to that story). 

WW April 2015 https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/04/23/manuwai/

At the time her then owner Paul Kerr-Hislop was looking to confirm some of the intel he had been told about the boat i.e. that Manuwai was built in Porirua in 1960 by a Paul Bradey for the Mexted family of Tawa to a Shipbuilders design. We learnt that she was LOA 30’8” with a beam 10’6”. She has a 1 1/4” kauri planked hull which has a hard chine and flat bottom towards the stern presumably to enable semi-planing. A 140hp 135T Perkins diesel engine gave a cruising speed of 9>10 knots and a top speed of around 13 knots.

Now thanks to Ian McDonald pointing out a recent tme listing we get to have a better gander down below.