Category Archives: 1960’s

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – LADY ARGYLE

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – LADY ARGYLE

Todays classic wooden launch is the 52’ 1965 bridge-decker LADY ARGYLE , built by John Lidgard for Mac Stewart. When launched she was named SANTA ROSA, and later ARGYLE.

She was built based on drawings done for the original owner by “Hoki” Williams, a retired staff member of Shipbuilders Ltd., with modifications by John Lidgard.

She first appeared on WW back in May 2015, lots of ownership details and photos in this link https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/05/29/lady-argyle/

Todays photos come to us from Angus Rogers and show LADY ARGLE in her new Whangamata Marina berth.  Angus commented that she was very smart.

CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING FRIDAY FLASH BACK – BANDIT

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CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING FRIDAY FLASH BACK – BANDIT

Todays photos appeared recently on social media and in the two photos we see a young Sir Peter Blake sailing the yacht BANDIT that Peter and his brother Tony built in 1966 on the family’s front lawn in Belmont, Auckland.

I first saw BANDIT back in May 2013 when I accompanied a team for the NZ Classic Yacht Charitable Trust on a road trip to Warkwork to scope out extracting the yacht from an old farm shed. Story below –  WW May 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/05/21/sir-peter-blake-bandit/

Fast forward to May 2017 and we were all celebrating the yacht eventually being placed on permeant display in Auckland’s maritime museum on the waterfront, after a restoration by the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust , led by Bruce Tantrunm. Story below –   WW May 2017 https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/05/21/sir-peter-blake-bandit/

In the original post ut was commented that Peter was approx. 18 years old in the photo and the location was Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, possibly the bottom end of Waiheke Island.

Todays question of the day – we anyone ID the launch on the left go BANDIT, closer to the shore, in the top photo.

INPUT ex NATHAN HERBERT – the launch is AURORA.

CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT – KORARI II – A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT – KORARI II – A Peek Down Below

Back in 2017 the 1964 built, 36’ Mason Clipper – KORARI II made an appearance on WW but we never got a gander below. Now thanks to Ian McDonal’s eagle eyes on tme we get to see her impressive interior.

KORARI II is powered by twin 135hp Perkins HT6364M diesel engines.

ENTRY LEAVE CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – WANDERING WAYS

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ENTRY LEAVE CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – WANDERING WAYS

Todays classic launch needs some serious TLC from someone with the space to park her and a winter of part-time work but come next summer they could have a no cost entry into the classic wooden boating movement.

What we know – 36’ supposedly built in 1965 by ‘Baileys’, she is double planked, and powered by a 120hp Ford diesel (tme listing states 2014, and recently recon’ed).

WANDERING WAYS is currently hauled out in Rotorua, so may have been a lake boat in recent years. (thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads up)

Can we learn anymore about the launch.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH AWARIKI GETS SOME TLC

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH AWARIKI GETS SOME TLC

Back in early 2025 the 1967 Owen Woolley built 32’ classic wooden launch AWARIKI underwent a re-fit at the Slipway Milford yard, the work included the removal of her small flybridge ✔️ – Links to the work below + a 2025 photo of her at The Slipway Milford, waiting on the tide.

Feb 2025 https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/02/19/classic-wooden-launch-awariki-gets-a-top-chop/ April 2025 https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/04/03/two-classic-wooden-launches-getting-some-tlc/

Alan Sexton was mooching around the Sandspit Yacht Club yard recently and spotted AWARIKI in the tent getting some TLC, including a bottom shave and new antifouling. During the work the team doing the work uncoveredsome soft wood issues around the shaft log which have been repaired, the boat builder commented to Alan that it was similar to the problems found on TAREE. Maybe a common Woolley issue.

Nice to see that the new owners of AWARIKI arecontinuingthe TLC thatprevious owner Kerry Lilley did during his tenure.

CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT – MAHENO

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CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT – MAHENO

Todays woody is described as a 38’ Morgan design, built by JackGuard. 

She was launched in 1966 and has strong work boat styling. 

Forward motion is from a 210hp Caterpillar V8 that gives her a comfortable 8.5 knot cruising speed, 10.5 tops.

Being a southern lass (Marlborough Sounds) MAHENO is very well fitted out. The marine chandlers down south won’t get rich selling varnish 😉

A ROAD TRIP TO WARKWORTH + CEMENT WORKS BOAT YARD

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A ROAD TRIP TO WARKWORTH + CEMENT WORKS BOAT YARD

I had a good reason last week to head north and so took the chance to mooch around the woodys berthed or hauled out in the upper reaches of the Mahurangi / Warkworth River.

The excuse for the trip was to delivery a model of the coastal cruiser VANESSA to the vessel before she heads south to her new Wellinton owner. 

VANESSA was out for a serious service before the delivery crew headed away down south.

Sad to see such a salty looking woody leaving our area but we tend to win more than we lose eg more coming north ✔️

In varying stages of repair were  – NEPTUNE, LADY JANE AND WAIONE. The yard was very busy but I started to itch as I got close to most of the other craft hauled out.

I also popped down to the river and spotted – RIPPLE,JANE GIFFORD, ANAM CARA (L33), and NOW .

CLASSIC WOODEN CARVEL LAUNCH – SEA CREST

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CLASSIC WOODEN CARVEL LAUNCH – SEA CREST

Todays woody comes to us from ’Kev’s Wanganui Riverboat History Page fb via Maurice Sharp.

The photo is dated 1968 and shows the 22’ travel built launch – SEA CREST, being re-launched following a 17 month restoration at the hands of Neville Fitch and Barry Sangster.  The vessel was possibly previously named LAZY EHTEL.

The venue of the event is the Wanganui River.

Can we learn what became of SEA CREST and where she might be today.

(photo ex Toby Hyman)

MYSTERY 43’ WELLINGTON LAUNCH

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MYSTERY 43’ WELLINGTON LAUNCH

Todays woodys sat on tme for a while (thanks Ian McDonald) and has now been removed, hopefully sold.The vessel was promoted as a live aboard option and at $20k was low cost city pad.What we knew about her :

  • 43ft bridgedecker launch
  • Carvel kauri hull
  • 120hp Ford diesel, with a few minor issues
  • Cruises comfortably around 8 knots

Looking at the last two photos above as compared to the lead photo, she is in need of some TLC. Can we learn her name, designer/builder and what became of her.

EASTER ON THE WATER – Classic Wooden Boat Cruising

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EASTER ON THE WATER – Classic Wooden Boat Cruising

Just back from three days on RD , Friday was one out of the box, simply stunning. Saturday was another goody and Sunday a tad overcast but still warm. Very happy with the number of classic woodys at Rakino Island over the weekend. I managed to catch up with a lot of the skippers, general consensus was ‘grabbing a few days afloat before winter kicks in’. 

The white bridge-decker above was a mystery to me, short 4 letter name – Nathan what say you?

On Saturday I caught up with Bill Brown whose family (Corrine & James Brown) owned my launch in the late 1960’s. Back then she was named LADY GAY. Bill works off shore but keeps a very smart woody yacht (SusanJane) at Westhaven for when back in NZ. 

We meet a few years ago via a mutual friend and the WW site, the penny  dropped re the boat link and Bill sent me a great album of b/w photos from back in the late 1960’s.

 I spend a lot of time matching other people and boats from the past so it was extra special to have an ‘own goal’. 

One of Bill’s photos below of LADY GAY (RAINDANCE). For those interested more on RD’s past here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/04/23/lady-gay/

Late 1960’s
2026