Category Archives: 1960’s

It’s Hard to Find the Perfect Wife….

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It’s Hard to Find the Perfect Wife….

……But woody Rod Prosser has. Over the last couple of years Rod has been acquiring a flotilla of classic woodys in various stages of restoration.

You may recall that he already owns ‘Firefly’ the 1882, 25’ counter stern day launch & the late 1950’s / 60’s Chev 327 V8 powered flat-bottom ski boat ‘Kiri Moana’.

Rod was doing a trademe troll & came across the old Lake Karapiro ski boat above, desperately looking for a new home. Given that Rod had a set of deck vents, step pads, windscreen supports, plus flags and other various other bits and pieces sitting on a shelf, in the garage, left over from when he was doing the Classic Craft boats way back & they would not suit the flat bottom ski boat – it seemed like a marriage made in heaven. Just needed wife Florence’s nod of approval & seeing that she had been asking what Rod was going to do with the bits, he suggested a family trip to Tauranga & surprise, surprise – came back owning the Karapiro boat.

As a bonus it came with a pretty rare Gray Marine AMC Rambler 327 Fireball V8 from the early sixties.

Even better news, Lake Rotoiti boat builder Alan Craig may have an old farm shed to store her until she gets her time in the sun.

So short, long story – Rod must have the perfect wife. 3 boats, that beats me.

 

 

CYA Patio Bay Weekend – 2017 – 50+ Photos

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CYA Patio Bay Weekend – 2017

The photos show that 2017 was another cracker Patio Bay year, but what photos don’t get across is what a great group of woodys were there. The numbers were down a little on previous years but those that made the trip will remember it as one of the best. Plenty of room to walk around & mingle without standing on someones dinner plate.

Several Riviera owners, did they bit to re-confirm that they all have big egos & small brains – motoring thru the race finish line at 25+ knots & creating wakes you could surf on. A little exciting if you are sitting in an 8’ dinghy taking photos & wondering if the Riviera is on autopilot & the skippers playing with his small willy 😦

One of the Patio Bay race traditions is the winning skipper of the A Division has to fill the trophy barrel with rum for the following years party. Last year Prize was the winner & based on dock chatter, a sample was drawn off for analyse at the Mount Gay distillery –  purity & alcohol content results to follow 😉

(remember to click on photos to enlarge)

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Querida 1

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QUERIDA 1

Built in 1962 by Don Norton, a Herne Bay wooden boat builder, using a combination of imported exotic hardwoods and New Zealand native timbers and marine ply. She measures 17’6” in length & is powered by a 75hp Mercury outboard.

She was featured in New Zealand Power boat magazine (see below) in 1987 as a classic vintage cabin boat 25 years after being built. 55 years later she still looks in amazing retro condition. A reflection that in all this time Querida 1 has remained on one family ownership.

Currently 4sale on trademe, she appears to offer someone a turn-key intro to the world of classic wooden boating & has Lake Rotoiti written all over her.

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Swanson Sedan Launch

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Swanson Sedan Launch

This rather cute 26.24’ sedan launch was designed / built? by Swanson in 1969. She has a 9’10” beam & draws 3’3”, so a rather fat bottomed old girl. Her trademe listing says she has an inboard diesel engine but that’s about all in terms of specs. It does tell us that she comes with a fenders, boat hook & clock 🙂

Picton is her home, any Southern woodys able to shed some light on her?

 

White Star – Part 2

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White Star Part 2

(photos from Glenn Martin, words ex Glenn & Ken Ricketts – edited by Alan Houghton)

White Star was originally built by Ken Turner, who built quite a number of boats in Coromandel. Her first owner was Neville Evans of Amodeo Bay & has been moored there on & off for quite a bit of her life & is presently moored there, alongside her sister ship the Dagma, which was built by Ken Turner’s father, Charlie Turner.

Present owner is Paul Baker, who has had her for about 8 years & bought her off Paul Desmond of Tauranga, & had kept her there, as did the precious owner Nigel Pippey. Paul D only had her for a few months, as he bought her, in order to acquire her marina berth.

She was frequently used as a mark boat for many yacht races at Tauranga, as Paul P was a very active member of the local yacht club.

Paul B was living at Waiheke when he bought her & she was initially moored there, but he has now moved to Coromandel..

Her engine was fitted by Strongmans of Coromandel. She is powered by the Gray Marine marinised version, of the GM Detroit 6-71 & at 190 hp., this is the spec of these engines back in the 50s 60s, when they were fitted to many HDMLs, & other pleasure boats in that era, like Linda, Wirihnana & Ruamano etc.

Her name was the result of her log being sawn & milled from the “White Star” mine property, in Coromandel, of that time. Glen, also commented that as a kid he saw White Star moored in Torehina Bay next to their bach at Waitete Bay – 20mins north of Coromandel town.  Glenn is pretty sure White Star was built using a single kauri log milled from the farm of the owner in Colville.

(the launching day & early day photos of White Star are from the original owners & the more recent of her at anchor at Coromandel Harbour, in 2016, are ex Glenn)

Click link to read Part 1 of this story    https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/11/10/1968-bridge-decker/#comment-37747

 

18-03-2024 UPDATE ex Mark Sorrenson – white Star has just relocated to Hobsonville Marina

White Star – Part 1

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White Star – Part 1

The above bridgedecker was launched in 1968 & built / designed by Ken Turner. Her measurements are 45.9’ x 12’11” beam & a draft of 4.92′.

In a previous life she was in survey & is built accordingly i.e. 1 1/4” kauri. Power comes from a 190hp GM671 diesel that pushes her along at 8>10 knots. She has massive fuel capacity – 2,400L, so is up for some serious cruising.

Her 4sale listing is very light on details so can we put a name to her & hopefully some insight into her history.

Another Ian McDonald trademe nudge

 

 

 

Proteus

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PROTEUS        

Proteus was built by Owen Woolley in 1968, she is 38’ in length & powered by twin Commer diesels. Current home is Chaffers Marina, Wellington. That folks is all her trademe listing tells us, can’t see her leaping of the listing sheets with that level of info……………..   Thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads up.

Do we know any more about her?

 

 

Cavalaire – A peek down below

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CAVALAIRE – A peek down below

Built by Brin Wilson in 1967, she measures 34.76’, with a 10’7” beam & draws 3’3”. Kauri carvel planked & powered by a 120hp Ford 6cyl. diesel.

That’s about all her trademe listing tells us, can any of the woodys expand on her provenance? Thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads-upJ

25-06-2019 Updated photos ex new trademe listing

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Jack

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The clinker Jack belongs to woody Dean Wright, they got Jack from Picton back in 2008, a 8’6″ kauri clinker. From what Dean has learnt she was probably built by the Jack Morgan yard in the 1960’s. If anyone recognises Jack and has any more history, he would love to hear it.

 The story of Jack as told by Dean

He’s always been a leaker despite long spells in the briny to take up. You’ll see from the photos 3-4″ of water sloshing about and the bailer afloat, we decided that 2016 was going to be his birthday and he was going to get tight.

We stripped him back to bare, cleaned out the lands then took him to boat builder Bob Van Pierce (owner of the mullety Cora) for his opinion.  He thought she was recoverable but she’d need three and a bit new planks and a general refasten. And while we were at he’d fix the bulge in one side of her hull and bring her back into her original shape. Bob did all the smart stuff and I got on the end of the dolly. Thanks Bob, you did a fantastic job.

The first photos show the general condition of the planks we replaced, splits and bits missing.

A few replacement planks & Bob scarfed one in. Spotted gum for the ribs. The steam box was cranked up, ribs loaded in & then bent in. A few broke but where were spares. Ribs were nailed from below and riveted.

Then primer, Prekote and topcoat prior to new purple heart thwarts being fitted. Bob also added rubbing strakes.

Then Jack came back home to your the shed and was ready for bottom paint & signwriting by artist Lester Hall. Thanks also Lester for the beautiful oars complete with welcome swallows. These have been decorating my wall for the last 5-6 years, they got a hell of a fright being immersed in salt water.

Then the bronze rowlocks were fitted & new floorboards in + nylon rub rail secured with copper wire. 

First outing was planting trees with Project Island Song. Over a day, we got half a litre in the bottom, pretty happy with that.

The old dinks – Ken is not happy, he’s been relegated to barge duties.

 

And While On The Topic Of Wooden Boats

The NZ Traditional Boat Building School has just released details on its latest courses, see below. The presenter / instructors are legends in the wooden boating community. In the past the courses have been oversubscribed, so get in early or miss out.

To register – email tanya@nztbs.org.nz       or call 027 – 45 33 55

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Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition 2017 – The NZ Clinker Boat – 50+ Photos

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Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition 2017 – The NZ Clinker Boat

Over the weekend the Tino Rawa Trust hosted the 10th Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition at Karanga Plaza on Auckland waterfront Wynyard Quarter. If you missed the event, you really did miss something special. The feature this year was the New Zealand Clinker Boat.

I went to the opening commemorative (Tony Stevenson, likes flash words) morning tea on Friday, if you were looking for a wooden boat builder or a fountain of knowledge on wooden boats, you would have been stunned at the guest list, it was the who’s who of NZ classic wooden boat movement. If you weren’t there you must have done something really bad in a past life to not be invited 😉

Above is a selection of the boats on display, taken on Friday when the crowds were light. Enjoy 🙂

Talking to Tony Stevenson, Jason Prew & Baden Pascoe last night & this years event was hands down the most successful in terms of attendee numbers, Saturday being huge. Well done guys.