The 39’ launch Wanderer II was built in 1965 by Owen Woolley in his boatyard on the Tamaki River.
Powered by a 100hp Ford diesel, she cruises at 8 knots. Current home is the Bay of Islands and thanks to Ian McDonald spotting her tme story we get to have a gander below.
At the risk of ruffling Cam Pollard’s feathers – I include the two photos below to show / support my personal view on varnished coamings and the addition of a fly bridge 🙂
Todays woody is the 1962, Des Donovan designed / built motor sailer – Athena. She last appeared on WW back in Feb 2019 – link below to that very informative story. Lots of photos, history and comments there.
Thanks to a tme listing we get a look down below. A snap shot – specs – 48’/12’11”/5’5” and powered by a Gardner 127hp diesel.
Her listing fails to mention that she is member of the ‘Submariners Club’ i.e. she has spent time below the waves. She also spent time in the ownership of one Alan Johnson, one of very few people 100% banned from the WW site, but that is another story…..
The 30’ launch – Captor previously made a brief appearance on WW back in January 2016, at the time we learnt from her then owner that she was built in Taupo in 1967. Planked cedar with glass top sides. Link to that WW story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/01/09/captaur/
Now thanks to the eagle eye of Ian McDonald we get a look down below from her recent tme listing.
Captor is 30’ in length and has a beam of 10’ and draws 3’. Forward motion is via a 110hp Nissan SD33T that sees her topping out at 8 knots.
As you can see from the photos she is well fitted out and with 450L fuel and water tanks able to do some serious cruising.
Can we ID her designer and uncover some of her past.
10-04-2023 INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – “When at Taupo, CAPTAUR was on a mooring just outside SIR FRANCIS’s boat shed. She had no visible name so we called her THIRTY FOOTER. We must have been told that she was thirty feet long. I believe that we thought she had been amateur built by her doctor owner.
She appeared well before 1967 (the supposed build date) as evidenced by the boat sheds which were removed in 1963.
The first photo below, which I took, has appeared before on ww and is dated May 1963 or 64 (boat sheds recently gone).
The second photo shows her with a bit of bright work which enhances her in my view. The date on this photo is pre ’63 . SIR FRANCIS’s boat shed far left.
So CAPTAUR is 60 plus years old and has been well looked after. As you would say – ‘we like that’.”
Todays woody was built c.1960, carvel planked, 24’ in length and powered by a Lister 50hp diesel engine. And that folks is the some total of what we know about her.
She is up for sale on tme by the Seaview Marina, Wellington, to recoup unpaid costs.
The interior doesn’t quite match the exterior in terms of presentation but could be a low cost buy for someone. Last time I looked the highest bid was around $1k. Closes Tuesday late afternoon.
Anyone know more about the launch – almost differently had a name change since 1960.
First forward to last week and Mark contacted me to say the boat had just turned up on trademe in Motueka looking a tad tired, but recoverable. Mark commented that she seems to have had a few names along the way – in the tme listing they say she was previously known as – The Hattersly. The Master-Craft builders plaque is clearly visible in one of the photos.
Forward motion is via a Ford D series 120hp engine.Probably best described a
s a project but in the right hands she could be returned to her former self 🙂
KOTARE Re-launched Todays woody is the 28’ launch – Kotare, built and launched in 1961 by Frank Wilkins to a 1960 design of A N (Bill) Couldrey. Kotare first appeared on WW back in 2014. Over time we uncovered an amazing amount of history on the vessel. The 2022 WW story when wooden boat builder Alan Craig gave us a shed tour on restoration / rebuilding of Kotare has all the references, photos and links to her past – link to the 2022 story below https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/10/10/kotare-restoration-boat-shed-tour/
Last week Alan Craig advised they had just relaunched Kotare at Lake Rotoiti. Her owner had just finished the interior refit in his shed inTe Puke since Alan and the team at Craig Marine finished painting Kotare last year. Alan commented that she looked pretty sharp. The work had been done in a pretty confined space and they hadn’t really been able to stand back and look at it till now. A new 35hp Beta diesel has been put in to replace the BMC.
As we have come to expect of anything that slides out of the Craig Marine shed Kotare is a stunner.
NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show 2023 (Nelson Lakes)
Today thanks to the camera of Michael Brownee we get to take in the amazing woody craft and spectacular scenery at Lake Rotoiti, South Island for the 2023 NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show that was recently held (March 4>5)
Michael has captured the essence and spirit of the event beautifully , if he not a professional photographer , he should be 🙂
I attended the show 3>4 years ago and it should be on every woodys bucket list.
Last month I bombarded you with a several photo galleries of the 2023 Australian Wooden Boat Festival. As part of the wrap up of the festival, the organising crew have pulled together a 3min short film that utilises a lot of aerial film footage. The video gives us a wonderful overview of the festival, the Hobart harbour and waterfront – if there is any saw dust in your blood – Hobart February 2025 needs to be circled on your calendar. As festival director – Paul Stephanus says “This festival is one of a kind” . And its the largest event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and surprise surprise woodys – its free, no charge – we like that.
Find a comfortable chair and prepare to be wowed.
TIP: To enlarge screen size – scroll over the screen above and click on the icon I have highlighted below
The clinker built open ex work boat – Dudley Docker II has an interesting back story having been built in 1964 for the Lyttelton Harbour Board as a harbour tender. At one stage owned by the Picton Clinker Club. Built by Stark Brothers, she has had an interesting mix of owners – been in storage for the last 5 years. Currently powered by a 28hp Volvo. Has the makings of a very cool lake boat, very stable with a 7’ beam and lots of seating for passengers.
Do not normal talk $$ but at staring price of $3k and no reserve, it is a bargain. Thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up.
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