Category Archives: 1960’s

Hope

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HOPE

I was approached last year by a wooden boat admirer who was looking to purchase a Mason Clipper & with the help of several woodys reviewed several potential candidates.
This gent has impeccable taste so it was always going to be a big ask to find a Mason that ticked all the boxes. During the search he came a cross a 19′, 1968 Marlin Marauder which had the WoW factor. Again with some woody help the boat passed the pre-purchase ‘survey’ & now as a new very happy owner.

Hope is rather special & as I have predicated (talked up) in the past, is a perfect example of the rise in popularity of trailer-able woodys. With the cost of marina space for even a 10.5m berth averaging out at $650 a month, one of these is a no-brainer + the ability to keep it at home or in storage makes maintenance so do-able.

I will feature more on Hope on ww soon 😉

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Tarati Mei

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TARATI MEI

I was recently contacted by Andy Winter who is on the lookout for information on an Allen Williams boat, built around 1964/5 for Dick Read grandfather of Andy’s wive – who unfortunately passed away in 1980. Andy has come across a picture of Allen Williams actually building the boat, which he believes to be a similar design as ‘Banshee’ except this boat is 34’6” long and 9’ft beam. The boat was called ‘Tarati Mei’ when she was launched, named after his wife Dorothy May.

Andy is trying to find out what happened to her, whether she has been renamed or is around no more? Andy asked Milford boat builder, Geoff Bagnell about the boat but he doesn’t remember her. Andy thinks she would have been kept at Milford until the early 1970’s. Any help or direction from the woodys would be most appreciated.
In the photos above the first two show Tarati Mei  just before launching from Allen’s yard. Dick Read is the guy on the transom. In the second photo we see Dick’s wife (Dorothy May) launching her.
The third photo is of Allen Williams building ‘Tarati Mei’.  The last photo is what appears to be an ‘enhanced’ photo of her at Kawau – probably late 1960’s. Andy feels this may actually be a painted copy of a photo, either way it does show what she looked like in this era.
Andy commented that he saw a similar looking launch in Gulf Harbour being lifted out recently called ‘Murphy’, but didn’t get chance to talk to the owner. Any one else seen this vessel?

Harold Kidd Input

The name is actually TARATI MEI, not TARITI MEI (oops fixed. AH). She was built in 1965 and had dimensions of 29’6″ x 25′ x 9′ x 2’6″ and was powered by a 100hp Fordson diesel. Her APYMBA number was 311.
Bill Jobey bought her from Dick Read and renamed her PATTY J.
Bill Jobey was a core member of the Milford Cruising Club and always had a snapper or two if you pulled up alongside him off the Barrier. Lovely man who died a few years ago. However any old-time MCC member should know what has happened to her.

TAURIMA

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TAURIMA

I was contacted recently by Alice Morrison with the news that she had just bought a 1960 (circa) Billy Rogers sedan launch named Taurima. She is 36′ & constructed of double diagonal kauri. Unfortunately the previous owner didn’t know much history about her so Alice is hoping that some of the woodys out there can shed some light on her?
She is obviously a sister ship to Margaret Anne  https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/10/03/margaret-anne-2/ , both very lucky boats as they both have lady owners 🙂

So woodys can we help Alice?

14-02-2017 Update ex Alice M – She has a 110hp Lees Marine Ford. The previous owners were Kevin & Bryce Thorne from Whangarei but the vessel has been moored in Opua or Jacks Bay in the Bay of Islands. I have asked Bryce to find the contact details of the owners before him. All he knew was that it used to be in Auckland where the owner used it to take him from the city to Waiheke all the time.

3/4’s a Woody – Wild Horses

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3/4’s a WOODY – WILD HORSES

Taupo woody’s Cathy & Shawn Vennell own a rather special zoom zoom woody, Judy H – a 19’6″ Chris Craft replica speed boat, which I have had the pleasure of skimming over the top of Lake Rotoiti in. For an 8 knot woody, doing 75kph+ is like space travel 🙂 You can check out Judy H here    https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/02/10/the-two-extremes-of-classic-boating/

Last weekend the Vennell’s turned up at the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat weekend with a floating bach – a Mason Clipper named Wild Horses. Now this addition to the Vennell fleet was not a total surprize to me as we had chatted on & off last winter about the suitability of a MC for Shawn & the family.

Wild Horses has a plastic (f/glass) bum but there is enough wood else where to get the ww tick. Zoom zoom comes from a very grunty V8 (Shawn will chip in soon with details)
Already Wild Horses has made a lot of Vennell love & looks stunning – can not wait till next year to see what else they will (tastefully) do to her 🙂

Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade 2017 – 160+ photos

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Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade 2017 – 160+ photos

Another stunning long weekend weather wise & also on the woody front – this weekend I was down at Lake Rotoiti (Nth Island) for the annual classic & wooden boat parade. Holding hands again on the trip with Chris Miller. For the last few years we have positioned our selves in one shore based spot & snapped the boats as they have passed, this year we were very kindly offered the use of a RHIB to get out on the water & get amongst the fleet. The RHIB was provided by LRC&WB Association Rear Commodore Fraser Wilson, Fraser deserves a lot of credit for the above photos 🙂 . Given that CM is a professional photographer we decided that I would be the boat boy & helm the boat & CM would snap the photos, that was a good call because he is rather good 🙂
Being afloat meant that we could get a lot closer to the boats & the crews. So woodys the photos above are CM’s & below are a few of mine + a collection that I took while ashore for the post parade picnic.
I was asked to judge the awards for 7 categories, these awards are highly contested as they are only handed out every 5 years. The winners are featured at the end of todays story.
I would also like to like thank LRC&WB Commodore Grant Cossey for his help & support & as always the LRC&WB Secretary & event registrar – Rachel Jamieson, who is the real hero of this event & the association.
You can also view more on the event at CM’s blog – http://www.buggeritweareoff.com
Remember to click on photos to enlarge. Enjoy – we did 😉
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20th Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade 2017 Winners
BEST ORIGINAL WOODEN BOOT – CARVEL
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BEST ORIGINAL CLASSIC BOAT – WILD HORSES
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BEST CONVERSION – PIKO
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BEST DECORATED BOAT – HAUMOANA
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BEST DRESS CREW – ALBERTO
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BEST REPRODUCTION – SUZY Q
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MOST QUIRKY – MAGGIE
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The History of MV Jocelyn

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JOCELYN

Today’s ww story was put together by Hamish Moore, a great grandson of Sir William Stevenson, the original owner of Jocelyn. Hamish would love to hear from anyone who has spent time on the vessel and or may know more about her and/or some of Sir Williams other vessels. Photos would be fantastic, of particular interest would be any photos of  Jocelyn in her fishing guise. Hamish has heard she had a lovely set of wooden outriggers & can recall as young fella sitting in the crows nest at times.
You can email details & photos to me at waitematawoodys@gmail.com & we will share them with everyone & also forward to Hamish. Enjoy the article its a good read 🙂

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Turongo + Mahurangi Launch Parade Details

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TURONGO

Woody Alan Sexton was anchored in Orokawa Bay, Bay of Islands, last week & while doing a dinghy run ashore he spotted Turongo on her mooring.
All we know about her is that she was built by Salthouses following Trinidad. Alan believes she was originally powered by twin V8 Cummins & is still Cummins powered, the exhausts suggest a pair of largish engines.

So woodys can we provide some more details on her. Given her current presentation, she is very well loved

THE BIGGEST CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT GATHERING IN NZ

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Photo by Mark Lever

This coming weekend sees the staging of the Mahurangi Regatta, without a doubt, on a fine day it is the most spectacular gathering of wooden craft afloat in NZ. For those that are newish to the waitematawoodys site, just type Mahurangi Regatta in the ww search panel & you can view the previous years regatta’s.
On the day the main gig is the actual Mahurangi Regatta yacht race but in recent times the classic launches have been doing a parade on Saturday morning. The regatta organizing committee are notorious for their laid back ‘it will be all right on the day’ attitude so things are always a tad fluid when it comes to start times etc BUT I can tell you that the assembly point will be off Scotts Landing, we will depart there at 10am (a vessell will sound its horn x3 times), so be there early. We will proceed in ‘Indian file’ to Sullivans Bay. Attempts in previous years to be in chronological order have been a shambles & nearly ended in fistie cuffs -so the order will be a gentlemanly thing i.e. just merge like a zipper 🙂

We will approach Sullivans Bay via the right hand side of the bay, past the flagship – Jane Gillord, from where a specially marked (red buoys) fairway should be roughly in line with the driveway to the right of the old homestead down near the beach. Refer photo below. And also view at this link http://www.mahurangi.org.nz/2017/01/18/small-buoys-in-sullivans-bay/

We will enter the fairway to port to motor across the bay along the red buoy fairway. We will exit the fairway on a bearing towards Pudding Island, clear of which will be a buoy, refer photo.

If all goes to plan, we will do two laps. Its really very simple, as there will be a lead boat, so just stay in line & follow her. NOTE: There will be a minimum of 2m water in the fairway area.
After the parade, boats can head off to enjoy the rest of the day. Remember, the beach side BBQ at Scotts Landing on Saturday night is a must do – BYO food & drinks but BBQ’s provided. The prize giving is schedule for 6.30pm but most people head ashore around 5’ish. The ‘Prohibition Big Band’ will be playing in the marquee till late.

Whether you own a boat or not there is something for everyone during the day – check out details here http://www.mahurangi.org.nz/2016/01/14/2017-regatta-programme/

When you go ashore, bring some cash – the Mahurangi CC Yearbook (magazine) at $15 is great value & as always a cracker read.

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Photo by Chris Miller

Korara

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KORARA

Korara was built in 1962 by Snow Waters to a design by naval architect, John E. Powell, UK.  The 37’6″ design is for a ‘sport- fishing’ motorboat which can cruise at a good speed in the rough conditions of the English Channel without slowing.
She is a very practical boat with an extremely well built kauri carvel hull. Zoom zoom comes from a 120hp Ford diesel that sees her cruises at 8 knots using very little diesel. While she probably can sail without the engine, her owner has never tried. She has a main stored on the boom under a brand new cover (beige, not shown) and a couple of headsails which have never been out. The main works excellently as designed, to steady her in a sea.
Some specs:
• There are two large plastic fuel tanks in a walk around engine room with about 5ft headroom. Engine room even has its own porcelain hand basin!
• Her propeller and rudder are bronze, the rudder being supported by a large, beautifully cast solid bronze shoe.
• Sleeping is via – 5 singles and 1 double berth.
• Decks are double (possibly triple) diagonally laid with no leaks and no movement save for the odd small seam crack.
• Coamings are all varnished teak including skylight, hinged 2 ways and removable all on bronze fittings, over the aft double cabin.
• Interior is in excellent condition, with all solid teak mouldings. Floorboards are teak and all wear areas are very thick teak (staircases, steps, handles etc)
• Gas stove / grill / oven is used very little. Water in 3 basins is fed from a header tank which is topped up by manual pump from a large stainless underfloor tank.

Korara is a special boat that has been fortunate to have been owned by a very talented & passionate woody. This owner is asking a very reasonable price – $75k ono, I hope a good buyer steps up soon & buys her, she deserve to be passed onto someone who will continue to appreciate her & care for her.
I’m not always a fan of the high gloss varnish coamings but Korara would look like a million dollars if you did the Uroxsys (Awlwood MA ) varnish treatment on her 😉

I very rarely post trademe links but I like the owners & I like the boat – so here you go – buy it.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/motorboats/auction-1237123330.htm
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Sceptre Gets A Top Chop

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SCEPTRE GETS A TOP CHOP

While mooching around Waiheke Island last week the above launch anchored in the same bay, not long after her owner rowed over for a chat. After a few minutes of pleasantries I popped the question ” so tell me about your launch” & got the reply ” You know her but I bet you can not name her” – well folks I could not. The reason? her owner is one of the few woodys that actually pick up the chainsaw & lop off a flying-bridge addition. If ever someone wanted photographic proof to justify to themselves that their classic launch looks better without the ‘block of flats’ – here it is.

Below is a b/w photo of the Ben Hipkin designed & built 36′ Sceptre when she was launched (possibly c1965) & also one I took during the 2016 Mahurangi Regatta, in the Mahurangi photo Sceptre looks fine but its lost that classic look, she could be easily mistaken for a f/glass boat.

If the owner of Sceptre contacts me at waitematawoodys@gmail.com I’ll send them a Lake Rotoiti Wooden & Classic Boat Parade calendar – brave woodys need rewarding 😉

The owner also was the first launch I have seen flying the drinks / gin flag – more proof he is a good bugger 🙂

Note: Lots more interesting photos of yesterdays woody – Otehei added, scroll down this page to view

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Valhalla A Peek Down Below

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VALHALLA A PEEK DOWN BELOW

Valhalla featured on ww back in April of this year but we had no interior photos, Ken Ricketts has just emailed me the above. You can read more about her & her past, including photos at this link. Enjoy 😉

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23-12-2016 Update – photo below (ex Ken Ricketts) suggests that she was named Valhalla 1 when launched but the plate looks newer than the 1960’s so the jury is still out.

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