Ngarunui – 1967 Whangarei > Noumea Yacht Race Start The above launch appeared in a series of photos the Lew Redwood had on his fb, all taken in the days leading up to and including the 1967 Whangarei to Noumea yacht race.The boat looks very familiar to me, but before I make a fool of myself (again) I’ll call for input from the WW readers as to its identity.
The other day, Bay of Islands woody – Hylton Edmonds draw my attention to the May 2021 issue of the UK magazine Classic Boating and the editors (Stefan Meyric-Hughes) page 5 editorial column. Which I have reproduced below. I’m sure you will all agree with Hylton’s comment to me – “It’s succinct, brilliant, and a poignant reminder for all wooden boat “nutters“ around the world not least us in NZ who persevere under, at times seemingly, never ending odds, to final success and that long dream of re-launch day…“
EASTERN STAR DOUBLE OOPS The photos above, dated 1961, from the Nelson Photo News (via Lew Redwood) show the Nelson based launch Eastern Star after she was re-floated following a double collision with a rock off Harding Point. The vessel, owned by V. McAuley at the time, hit the rock and was holed. The crew managed to beach the boat but during the salvage operations, she hit again and sank – remember folks this was in the days before GPS, but still – twice!
Sitting in 30’ of water a team of divers assisted in bringing her to the surface where a temporary patch was done to the bow. Eastern Star was then towed back to Nelson where she was slipped for what was described a ‘extensive repairs. The photos were taken by Mrs. McAuley.
Do we know what became of the vessel and any details on her?
In early 1961 Auckland hosted the British Medical Association conference, with attendees from all over the Commonwealth attending. Included in the conference was a ‘break’ day where the delegates and wives were taken on a picnic to Motuihe Island.
In the photo above we see the launches that were transporting everyone to the island, assembling off Westhaven. At the time it was one of the biggest organised gatherings of pleasure craft seen in New Zealand with over 66 laid on.The weather gods smiled on the day and Arnold Baldwin’s launch – Valsan was the convoy flagship.
There are a lot of woodys in the photo that still grace the Waitemata today. The photo and details come to us from the April 1961 Sea Spray magazine via Angus Rogers.
Bay of Islands resident Greg Philpott has a passion and its tracking down and recording the fate of what he has tagged ‘Boats of the Bay’ (of Islands). Greg contacted me recently re the vessel named Comet III (later changed to Xharisma), he had hit a brick wall and was trying to contact the last known owner – one Morton Brown. Now via the WW site I was able to make contact with Morton’s son Jeremy Brown and the flood gates opened. So today we share with you Greg and Jeremy’s stories / photos. It’s a cracker read, I’ll let Greg tell it 🙂
So woodys the challenge is can anyone enlighten us on what became of Xharisma (Comet III) post 1986.
Comet lll was designed by A J Collings of the famed boat-building business, Collings & Bell and may have been one of Collings last designs as he died on 8th November 1967.
The boat was built for Lionel Bulcraig’s Bay of Islands operation, Hi Speed Comet Cruises. That business was already operating Comet ll (ex Queenstown’s Meteor ll) also an A J Collings design. Construction of Comet lll was undertaken by John Guzzwell at Deeming’s Boatyard at Opua. Guzzwell was a world renowned sailor and boat builder. His reputation was established when he built his own boat, Trekka, and during the late 1950’s completed a circumnavigation of the world in her, then the smallest boat to ever do so.
The original design and intention was to engine the boat with lightweight twin V8 Chrysler marine petrol engines; heavier diesel engines would have added to the displacement thus severely limiting the “fast” aspect of the boat. The Marine Department’s regulations specifically excluded petrol engines in commercial launches which could carry more than 12 passengers. This resulted in a stand-off for a number of years. As a result of the inactivity it is understood that Comet lll sat at Bulcraig’s car yard in Kawakawa.
A valuation undertaken by Ted Leeds in March 1971 stated; ”Comet lll is 44ft. overall and was constructed in 1967, but has never been used. It has not been fitted with engines or seating accommodation. There is some equipment on hand for it including rudders and hydraulic steering gear etc. It is very strongly built to Marine Department survey standards with a hull of two-skin glued kauri planking on multiple stringers and closely spaced frames further reinforced with strongbacks. The entire hull, deck and cabin have been sheathed with Dynel.”
Comet lll was 44ft long, 14ft wide with a full flare, 10 degree deep V and planning chine; a hull similar to a torpedo boat.
Purchased by Stephen A. Bell around 1973 /1974, she was moved to the premises of A & G Price at Beaumont Street in Auckland for the purpose of refit and installation of engines. The concept was “to fit the boat out for passenger service in extended river limits”. It was intended to “fit twin 8V71 GM Diesels driving through Walter Vee boxes; such a set up anticipating a speed approaching 25 knots in favourable conditions normally loaded”.
A Ministry Of Transport ship survey preliminary inspection in 1974 “revealed hull in good order and well constructed. Some considerable deterioration of super structure (coamings and canopy) evident although extent not apparent due to linings”. By March 1975, A & G Price stated that “the owner no longer wished to proceed with the project”.
On 5th March 1980, Comet lll was purchased by Morton Brown, a roading supplies and contractor of Green Lane. At the time the boat was sitting in a yard at Glenfield; it was in a fairly sorry state, cabin top wise, but the hull was in exceptional condition.
Brown had Comet lll transported across the Auckland harbour bridge to a yard in Onehunga, where he employed a Dutch boat builder (John) to bring the boat up to pleasure boat standard. The boat was moved twice from Onehunga, firstly to Penrose and then to Mt Wellington, where it was finished before going into the water at McMullen and Wing’s yard, on the Tamaki River. The cabin top was completely rebuilt and a flying bridge added. The design of the remodelling was not considered great but never the less it had plenty of room and was very comfortable.
The engine was a UD/Nissan 2 Stroke V8 9.5L (this engine being a direct copy of the Detroit 8v71). The engine was positioned mid ships, which was not ideal as it took up a huge amount of room. The stern was quite broad in design which would have been better suited for the engine position, with a vee drive.
The boat, now renamed Xharisma was finally re-launched in February 1986. Unfortunately Brown suffered a major heart attack and consequently sold the boat about a year or so later.
The new owner modified the cabin extensively and installed a smaller engine. The new owner and current location Comet lll / Xharisma are unknown.
MANUKURA In recent years I have been spending time in Thames, catching up with family – when I need to ‘escape’, I drive down to the Thames marina and have a mooch around. Depending on the tide it either looks like a normal marina or as if someone has pulled the plug out and most of the boats are sitting high and dry in their mud berths (see below photo). The launch Manukura had always been hauled out and looking like a Beehive restoration was around the corner – the top photo is from a February 2020. Ken Ricketts has pulled together the below insight into Manukura’s past and current situation (edited a lot by AH)
Manukura is approx. 50′ long and was built in late 1950 > early 1960’s by Shipbuilders and is one of 3 more or less sister ships, which include Corinthia and Romany II. which were a development on the 1946 built Mahara. Manukura is presently owned by Allen Watson. He bought her fairly recently, in a very sorry state, on the hard at Thames off a lady owner, who had only had her for a short time. She bought her off a gentleman called Paul, who had taken her to the Thames area 3 & ½ years earlier, & who had bought her off the elderly gentleman as referred to below.
Allen is a well experienced boat builder / painter, and has commented he is intending to restore her to her original former glory. As visible in some photos above, Allen has commenced work on her on the outside – focusing on re-calking, painting and repairing hull timber work at Thames marina. The interior is in a completely stripped out and the intention is totally rebuild it, with some changes to the interior layout, without alteration to the exterior. The stainless steel work at the flying bridge will shortly be removed 🙂
Allen commented that interior was ruined as a result of her almost sinking on a return trip to Auckland from Great Barrier Island about 14>15 years ago when the then elderly owner of the day, was encountering big seas and did not notice that a forward hatch had opened and she was taking in large quantities of water, through this hatch, which reached a point, where one engine sucked in water and stopped. She was also getting very low in the water. They towed her back to Gt. Barrier, pumped out and brought her back to Auckland but everything inside including all wiring, furniture, etc., along with the engines, had to go. Sadly she was not insured and was eventually sold by the elderly gentleman (as-is-where-is), who had kept her for 10 years in a shed In West Auckland. The new owner (Paul) took her to the Thames marina where he kept her for 3 & ½ years. Then the ownership chain, mentioned above took place.
Current owner Allen moved the boat on 26-2-21, to Whangamata for a week or 2 on the hardstand for a little exterior finishing and then be put in the water. Allen intends to live aboard, on a swing mooring while rebuilding the interior.
Manukura had a pair of 120hp 6 cyl. Ford diesels fitted during her 13 & ½ years on the hard, which replaced 2 previous Fords.
The b/w photo below ex Harold Kidd show the launch c.2012
c.2012
Update – current photo by Allen Watson via Ken Ricketts
LADY PAMELA – A Big Woody for not a lot of money When I mooching around the marina scooping out the launch – Pirate, I noticed a small 4sale sign of the rather king-sized woody – Lady Pamela. Now I know its outside of the ‘classic’ category but its wood – triple skin kauri. Lady Pamela is 60’ in length with a beam of 17’+. Power comes from twin Ford 150hp diesels, giving her a top speed of 11 knots. With a fuel capacity of 5000L (tbc) she is a serious long range cruiser.
Set up with eight berths LP would either be a perfect large family boat, a live-aboard base or maybe a group of serious fisher-persons could buy her as a syndicated floating man (oops can’t say that) bach.
You will see from the photos that the last owner of LP liked the colour mint green – now just close your eyes and imagine all that painted off-white, the boat would increase in value overnight. The owners want her sold, so all offers will be considered. If you are on the lookout for a boat like Lady Pamela – call David Cooke 027 478 1877 for a chat 😉
27-11-2021 UPDATED WITH MORE PHOTOS (below – click photos to enlarge)
While catching up on the where abouts of the launch – Kitty Vane, I learned that Chris Geddes, a previous owner of Kitty Vane, swapped KV for the launch – Gytha. Chris advised that Gytha was built by Doug Robb in Timaru in the mid 1960′, he believes the launch date was 1967. Doug Robb was also the builder of Strathallan which features on WW’s and a number of the Timaru fishing fleet. Gytha is 45′ long and powered by twin Ford diesels.
Last year, when Gytha was hauled out at Orams, Harry Jorgenson saw her parked in the yard and was able to identify where she had come from by looks alone.
Home these days for Gytha is the Te Atatu Boating Club in West Auckland. Any woodys able to tell us more about Gytha?
Waikawa early 2000’sHobsonville Aug 2008Hutcheson Boat-builders 08-11-2011
ORANUI – Part Two Yesterdays request for more intel on the yacht Oranui, hit the jackpot when Marl McLaughlin opened his WW email yesterday. Mark sent in the above and below selection of photos. If you missed yesterdays story, might be best to scroll down first and read /view it then read Mark’s input – reproduced below.
“Further to the “what became of her story” on Oranui, I have sent in some extra info and photos. The obituary details are for her builder and original owner Eric Tomkies, taken from the winter 1988 edition of the RPNYC magazine “The Rip”. Eric Tomkies was a distant relation of mine (he and my grandfather were cousins) and I know Oranui well.
Previously brothers Eric, Clinton and Horace Tomkies built the 47ft Burns designed RAKOA and sailed her extensively. I have included a photo (below) of Rakoa from the Gisborne Photo News, June 1954. Unfortunately Rakoa was later lost when working as a fishing boat at Stewart Island and what remains now rests on the seabed in Foveaux Strait.
Oranui was sturdily built in strip planked kauri on a hardwood backbone. Heavy scantlings are typical of Athol Burns’ style and it is notable in the magazine article that of the six boats that came ashore in the Wahine storm, it was only the two Athol Burns boats (Hinemoana III was the other one), that were re-floated.
Oranui has spent most of her life in the Wellington and Marlborough Sounds regions. Her 3cyl Volvo Penta diesel was re-powered with a 4cyl 52hp Yanmar diesel engine in 1999 and she circumnavigated the South Island in the early 2000’s. She was then sold to a New Plymouth based owner who cruised her extensively between New Plymouth and Nelson/Marlborough Sounds and also up to Auckland. I have attached a photo of her on the hardstand at Hobsonville Marina during this time. She was then sold in 2011 to a Wellington based Doctor who sent her to Hutcheson Boatbuilders in Tauranga for a refit before taking her back to Wellington. I spotted her motoring around Picton Harbour in January this year looking as good as new.
As per most Athol Burns designs she is functional but beautiful, and very sea-kindly for Cook Strait conditions. “
FOOT NOTE: Mark believes the RPNYC article is confusing the Wahine storm in 1968 with the storm in 1966 which the Sea Spray article about Oranui and Hinemoana III relates to. However, Eric’s brother Clinton Tomkies did tell him that Oranui came ashore in the Wahine storm as well, but he could have been confusing it with the 1966 storm too 🙂
The above photo ex Sea Spray magazine, via K Ricketts, shows the yacht Oranui ashore at Eastbourne, Wellington. She was washed ashore during a big storm. We know that Oranui was built in 1960 and owned by a Mr. Tomkies when she had the mishap It was reported that Oranui was not seriously damaged.
Do know what became of Oranui and where she is these days?
Woodys Riverhead Tavern – Winter Cruise Yesterday was one of those days where the weather forecasters got it wrong -big time. Took the dog for an early morning waterfront walk between the showers and the ferries on the harbour were sounding their fog horns – fast forward 2 hours and the suns out, water glassy flat and we are going boating. Quick side trip to collect our quests – Margo & Jamie (MV Lady Crossley) from Westhaven and we are off.
A great turn out for mid-winter, saw 60+ woodys gathering at the historic waterside Riverhead Tavern for lunch – special thanks to those that came by car and helped with berthing the boats at the wharf. As always – click on photos to enlarge 😉
Nice to meet some new faces and if there was an award for most travelled attendee, woody Bruce Rowe on board – Ngarimu would be the winner. Bruce and his ‘decky’ mate – travelled from Thames to attend. The boys left Thames on Friday, stayed at bottom end of Waiheke, then off Stanly Point / Bayswater on Saturday night and will be heading home today. Talking to Bruce, Saturday night sounded heaven – tucked up in their warm bunks, rain on the cabin top, listening to the Auckland Blues rugby game, then the NZ v India cricket test – not a lot of sleep was had 🙂
We were also graced with the company of John and Diana Olsen on their steam boat – Dancer, The Olsen’s towed Dancer from Cambridge and launched her at the old Salthouse yard to make the trip up the creek.
Check out the Woodys Classic Weekends Event Calendar at the link below, for upcoming outings – our next one is an overnight BBQ cruise up the Clevedon River on the weekend of 14 > 15th August – a heads up – numbers will be restricted due to berthing / anchoring limits -so RSVP early.
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