Category Archives: 1960’s

Corinthia – A Peek Down Below

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CORINTHIA – A Peek Down Below

The launch Corinthia was built / launched in 1967 at the Shipbuilders yard in Auckland. She has made several cameo appearances on WW, link below to a 2013 story that showed her alongside the jetty at Arran Bay, Waiheke Island. It appears that the exterior has not changed much but now today thanks to a heads up from Ian McDonald re a tme listing we get to have a peek down below.

Corinthia is 45’ in length , has a beam of 14’ and draws approx. 5’. Forward motion is via a 180hp Detroit 671 that gives her a top speed of 12 knots. FEB 2015 WW LINK  https://waitematawoodys.com/corinthia-new-arran-bay-wharf/

Mystery Lake Okataina Launch – Can We Now Confirm Her ID

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Mystery Lake Okataina Launch – Can We Now Confirm Her ID

Back in February 2022 we ran a story, link below, on an unknown launch (2nd photo above) at an unknown location. At the time the location was ID’ed as Lake Okataina, Rotorua. The was a couple of potential ID’d on the launch from the two of the WW wise men 🙂

Harold Kidd suggested it may have been the bridgedecker – Merlin, owned by Beamish-White, that later went to Kawhia

Paul Drake was keen on her being the launch – Karina, that was in commercial service at Taupo in the 1960’s, owned by Jim Story.

Today thanks to Greg Philpott uncovering the top photo from the Archive NZ collection – taken by JG Duncan, we get a much better view of the launch, which was tagged 1951, Lake Okataina – so hopefully we can confirm her name and builder etc

Link to previous WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/02/24/mystery-lake-launch-24-02-22/

Classic Wooden Boats At Havelock Marina

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Classic Wooden Boats At Havelock Marina

Back in late October 2022 Dean Wright was in Blenheim attending John Gander’s significant birthday, all birthdays are significant but the ones with ‘0’s’ in them are more significant.

While down south Dean did some marina mooching and todays photo gallery comes to us from the Havelock marina. Nice to see a couple of our bigger northern woodys now safely tucked way down south – Turongo and Durville. Sad to lose them from the Waitemata but if we were keeping score I think we win more than we lose 🙂

A lot of craft unknown to WW and will probably morph into WW stories in their own right. As always click on photos to enlarge.

Southern Woodys at Riwaka

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Southern Woodys at Riwaka

One of my southern woody spies – John Burland, has just has returned to NZ after summering over in Germany (he lives there, well at least in the northern summer).

Not long after unpacking the bags he was heading down to the Riwaka riverside marina, close to Motueka, Tasman. As the photos show the area is seriously tidal and John’s visit was at low water. 

While John commented that the photos were of the usual suspects, it always good to see what’s normally hidden.

In the photos we see Varlene getting some TLC, as an aside looking at the finish on Varlene’s rail and the tin – it looks like at last Cetol is an ok finish – used to be a horrendous orange/yellow colour, similar to what actor George Hamilton used to use as fake tan (photo below)

13-12-2022 UPDATE – ex John Burland – more photos below, and yes the tides still out 🙂

Puffin

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PUFFIN

Todays woody has just popped up on tme, thanks Ian McDonald, and no design / builder is mentioned – what we do know is that Puffin is 28’ in length, built in 1960 from kauri and powered by a Ford (Lees) 72hp diesel that gives her a 5>6 knot cruising speed.

Would be nice if we could ID the builder, the hull shape is quite ‘unique’.

Manapouri Refit

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MANAPOURI REFIT

Chatting last week with Mark Sorrenson, owner of the 43’ launch – Manapouri, that was built by Hector Parks, and he mentioned that he was part way thru a major refit of Manapouri. Obviously the request went out for photos, so today we get to have a peek at the work-in-progress. 

Manapouri has appeared several times before on WW – links below to those story. In the 1st link Marks gives us a great insight into her ownership history. The 2nd link is a doozy, if you scroll down Noel Fyfe (Parks) gives us a wonderful account of Manapouri’s backstory. 
https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/01/28/mystery-launch-1-mahurangi-regatta-2014/
https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/01/30/manapouri-the-early-days/

In the gallery above we see Manapouri wrapped up in a tent / shelter that Mark helped build. A summary of the TO DO / DONE LIST below: 

• New fuel tanks and lines • Complete engine room paint • New bridge sole and beams • Reconfigured engine hatches• New sound proofing • Full rewire  • New dash • New gauges and chart plotter  • New auto pilot• Fibreglass decks • Extend cockpit roof • Full exterior repaint • new dorade boxes • new name plates • strip, repair & varnish bridge doors 

Marks words – “Needless to say, I’m poor, tired and won’t be boating at Xmas” 🙂

UPDATE 27-11-23 – Mark commented that another Xmas will slide by before the refit is completed – but the very talent man is making a very samrt helm seat – photos below

Westhaven Marina 1969 – Who Owned the RR

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Westhaven Marina 1969 – Who Owned the RR

The above 1969 photo popped up on fb back in June of this year – it would appear that the photographer is G Riethmaier and its ’saved’ in Archives NZ.

Quite a few woody yachts hauled out at the long gone area thats now board-walk – to me the stand out is the Rolls Royce casually parked amongst the cradles and trestles.

Any guesses as to the owner and which yacht it was linked to?

THIS SATURDAY – 26TH NOV – WOODY BOAT BOOT SALE – 10AM – DETAILS BELOW CASH ONLY + $2 GOLD COIN SAUSAGE BBQ

Launches Cruising The Mahurangi River 

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Launches Cruising The Mahurangi River 

Many moons ago (2010ish)  when the CYA launch fleet was alive and active, one of the more successful events was a cruise up the Mahurangi Harbour / river to the Warkworth town dock. Very much a follow the leader trip, but we all got there and rafted up for a few hours ashore. Sadly most of the photos from that trip died when the CYA pulled the pin of what was the CYA FORUM, but a few survived (the last two above)

The above photos above from ex Mitchell Hutchings fb ex the Parsonson Family collection c.1980’s reminded me very much of the river trip .

The photo below ex Ken Ricketts dated c.1961 also shows how popular the destination was with launches.

So – woodys once the final dredging of the river is complete, I promise a woodys weekend trip up the river – it will be a doozie 🙂

Photo below of Aoma c.1955 ex K Ricketts

Lourena – A Peek Down Below

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LOURENA – A Peek Down Below

The 35’ launch Lourena was built c.1963 by Watson Brothers in Wellington to an Athol Burns design, using 1 1/8” kauri carvel planks. With a 11’6” beam she has a healthy interior for a 35’ boat, the draft is 3’6”. Forward motion is via a 70hp D series 4 cylinder Ford that gives her a 7 knot cruising speed.

Lourena is a well traveled woody having spent time in Wellington > Marlborough Sounds (15 yrs) > Opua (20 yrs),

Thanks to Ian McDonald’s heads up re the tme listing, today we get to have a peek down below.

Woodys Classic Beach Picnic Review + Open Boat

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Woodys Classic Beach Picnic Review

On Sunday we held a woodys gathering ashore on Motuihe Island – trip down was commonly described as ‘lumpy’, except for the large woodys skippers who just smiled.

The bonus of a lumpy passage was almost zero trailer craft or pwc’s, so had the beach to ourselves. Very sheltered and sunny afternoon – always good to catch up with other woody owners and swap tales. Trip home was perfect with wind and tide assisting.

Nice to see both Lady Crossley and Pirate after there winter hibernation / haul outs.

My boat of the day was John Wright’s latest project the uber cool double-ender – Kiwa. That man has a wonderful eye for bringing the best out of any classic craft. Photo below when she was at Te Atatu Boating Club + links to previous WW stories on her 

2014  https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/09/30/boat-on-the-move-kiwa/

2021 https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/09/10/what-happened-to-kiwa/

KATHERINE  ON DISPLAY @ WESTHAVEN – THIS WEEKEND – INVITATION ONLY

Considering an upgrade or a boat for summer – the 38’ Conrad Robertson designed classic – KATHERINE, has been relocated to Westhaven Marina for one weekend only – inspection by invitation.

More details on this immaculately presented, ready for immediate delivery craft – click here https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/06/13/katherine-a-peek-down-below/

To book a viewing time email waitematawoodys@waitematawoodys