Category Archives: 28′>30′

Te Anau

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TE ANAU

Todays woody the 28’ Brin Wilson designed and built (1966) launch.

An absence of varnished timber equals a vessel that is easily maintained by the DIY boaty. When and if you got the urge to pimp her a little, some varnished trim e.g. grab rails, would really make Te Anau standout.

Built from kauri, a reconditioned Ford 100hp diesel gives Te Anau a comfortable cruising speed of 7.5 knots. An inspection showed her structure was sound but needed some refinishing inside and out.

14-09-2023 UPDATE – Te Anau is back in the water having had the following done work done – photos below

  • scrape, sand, primed and antifoul (2 coats)
  • diesel engine services (oil change, oil filter, diesel filter)
  • new zinc anode
  • propspeed

Mapu Gets A Refresh + New Woody Event Dates Released

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MAPU GETS A REFRESH 

The 30’ 1914 Lane Motor Boat Co.designed and built launch Mapu has just emerged from the Blair Boats yard in Oromahoe, Harare (Far North) after a some TLC.

Mapu is one of the lucky woodys, still in the family of the great grandfather that built her. Like most woodys from her era she has undergone several additions / configuration to her tramtop / doghouse but the hull is still the original solid carvel planked kauri.

While it appears from the photos that she has lost her varnished coamings – I can report they were never varnished – the finish was a very smart brown paint and made of ply.

Mapu has appeared numerous times on WW – lots of history and photos in the links below.

MAY 2023 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/28/the-launch-mapu-far-north/

JUNE 22 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/22/mapu-2/

JUNE 1 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/01/mapu/

Photo (L) below ex Nathan Herbert 2016

Photo (R) below ex Mark Lane 2013

2023 CLASSIC WOODY ON-THE-WATER GATHERINGS – DATES

Has it stopped raining………. I’m too embarrassed to tell you how many nights I’ve spent on the boat this year, makes the return on investment look very sad. But thankfully most of us don’t measure life on that template.

So on the assumption that the current meteorological conditions will end , we have pulled together a calendar of woody gatherings for the 2023 spring > summer period. Later in the year we will publish the 2024 calendar.

So woodys circle these dates on the calendar, and we will talk to you closer to each event.

In the meantime, light the fire and open that bottle you have been saving for a special occasion. 

MYSTERY LAUNCH 30-06-2023

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MYSTERY LAUNCH 30-06-2023

Todays woody was nearly one of those projects that got started then life and time got in the way – thankfully Simon Raikes discovered the hull and took on the project.

What we see above is the result of Simon’s very talented skills. Simon’s company Craftbuilt won the 2023 Supreme Award at the Master Joinery Awards.

The launch is 30’ in length, constructed of diagonal laminated kauri planks and powered by a 80hp Ford D series engine. Not a lot more is known about the launch, so if anyone recognizes her – let us know.

Marlborough Sounds 30’ Classic Launch

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Marlborough Sounds 30’ Classic Launch

Today woody recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald), the listing doesn’t tell us anything about who built her and when but what we do know is –

30’ in length, she started life as  a trawler from Greymouth. Then brought up to Picton and at some stage converted to a yacht then filled wth concrete to negate the need for chalking caulking. Later convert to the launch configuration we see today.

Forward motion is via a  30hp Yammer engine that sees her cruising nicely at 7>7.5 knots.

Can we have a crack at the design / builder and a new would be nice. Can’t see her moving from the south so fingers crossed a southern woody is looking for a low entry woody that with a small investment could be a very smart sounds boat.

WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE WANT FROM A CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT GROUP

The answer is very simple – events + know how + friendship Seems that Lake Rotoiti’s Classic & Wooden Boat Association know the answer 🙂 Lets hope ‘others’ take notice 😉

Classic Canadian Wooden Boat Eye Candy

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Classic Canadian Wooden Boat Eye Candy

Today we get to have a dockside gander at the 20+ fleet of classic craft that came together for the 2023 Ladysmith Heritage Festival at the Ladysmith Community Marina in the town of Ladysmith, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. 

The photo gallery is via the camera of Maurizio Hublitz, one of Maurizio’s fellow woodys commented that he is fixated with sterns, but it’s all about showcasing / recording the vessel names.

Over the years I have enjoyed Maurizio’s event reports and been very envious of the set up at the Ladysmith Community Marina, reading this years report I was surprised that there is a dispute underway in regard to future access to the marina area – in fact they have been issued with an eviction notice to be out by Dec 31 2023 – I won’t bore you with the details but it appears that New Zealand isn’t the only country with indigenous (minority) land ownership issues. Fingers crossed sanity rules so this remarkable location can be enjoyed by everyone.

Politics aside – enjoy the photo gallery. Great to see the ex work boats sharing the limelight 🙂

As always – click on photos to enlarge 😉

Winter Woody Yard Report #2

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RAINDANCE
CASTAWAY
ROBYN GAE

Winter Woody Yard Report #2

Several coming and goings mid-week – Raindance slid down the railway at the Slipway Milford. And then she passed Castaway being ‘assisted’ to the Slipway to take Raindance’s vacated spot. Probably the fastest Castaway has moved in a while 🙂 Video of Raindance ex WW cadet reporter Luca Beachman. Now if some of you are thinking – “didn’t Raindance have a paint job less than two years ago” – yes you are correct. I could say that Jason Prew and myself were never 100% happy with the colour – Snow White’ on a classic woody and that the new ‘ Mediterranean White’ is a better look, while there some truth in that, the old girl suffered some hull damage on the marina in one of the many storms Auckland has had, so that is the real reason 🙂

The last photo is of the 1934, Cox & Filmer built launch – Robyn Gae, getting ready for re-launching at the Te Atatu Boating Club. Very happy to see that she is being cared for – at one stage a ‘beehive’ restoration was on the cards, see WW SOS story link below. Big ups to the new owner of the choice of blue for the coamimgs – big call but it really works and would get the Cameron Pollard tick of approval I’m sure 🙂 https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/06/21/robyn-gae-sos/

SILVER SPRAY – Heads North

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SILVER SPRAY – Heads North

I was contacted last week by John Briers the ’newish’ owner of the 1926 Joe Slattery launch – Silver Spray.

Sliver Spay has made numerous appearances on WW – search her name in the WW search box to see / read more on her provenance.

John purchased the launch off boat builder Glen Burnnand, who gave her a serious birthday back in 2019.

The recent work at Glen’s Orakei Basin shed included upgrading the boats electrical battery systems, and she received several coats of varnish and repainting throughout, plus lots of other modifications.The mid term plan is to relocate Silver Spray to a  new home in Russell, Bay of Islands, on a mooring in front of the Duke of Marlborough Hotel, that will be a nice addition to the vista from the house bar. 

Silver Spray is powered by a Perkins 4108 and has a very impressive turn of speed for a 26′ woody.

I have to say that when John mentioned the recent work I was hoping the two ‘Haines Hunter’ cabin top windows (refer below) would have been replaced, never mind a wee job for the woody boys in Opua 😉

A Recount Of Our Classic Wooden Craft DNA 

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Grace under sail
CLICK The Headline – Grace Under Sail to view

A Recount Of Our Classic Wooden Craft DNA 

Recently I was sent a link to an article that appeared in the New Zealand Geographic magazine back in 2000 – in fact issue 45 , Jan-March. The article was headlined – GRACE UNDER FIRE, written by Vaughan Yarwood with supporting photos from the late Henry Winkelmann and more recent photos ex Hamish Ross and Paul Gillbert.

The stars of the article is the 42’ 1908 Logan built gaff rigged cutter – Rawene, and her then skipper Russell Brooke.

This is a brilliant insight into the early days of boating in and around Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour, I’m sure there will be some mix ups re dates, skipper/craft names but overall we get to see and read the history of these magnificent craft, a lot of which are still sailing today.

Have a read, its only 10>15 minutes, longer if if you linger over the photos 🙂  – even a die-hard motorboat owner like myself found it a fascinating read.

TEMPEST – A Peek Down Below

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TEMPEST – A Peek Down Below

Back in May 2020 on a road trip to Kerikeri I spotted the 30’ 1964 McGeady built launch – Tempest moored at the Dove Bay Marina, link below to that story. At the time she was looking a little un-loved. https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/09/13/korawai-an-update/

Prior to the 2020 story she made an appearance in October 2014, back then she was a well maintained woody. Link below, lots of detail there . https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/26/9340/

Fast forward to earlier this year she popped up on tme, so today we get a peek down below. 

Forward motion is via a 95 hp 6 cylinder Ford diesel.

ORDER VIA EMAIL HERE waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Rosemary + WW Caps Back In Stock

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ROSEMARY

Todays woody is / was a recent work boat operating out of Tauranga. I understand she was running fishing charters.

I believe the builder is said to be Lanes 1927 (I know…. Aren’t they all) 31’ in length with a beam of 9’6”. Forward motion is via a Ford 60hp diesel engine.

And that woodys is all we know about her.

Can we uncover more on Rosemary, there is nice hull hiding under the ‘recent’ additions 🙂

INPUT EX Mitchell Hutchings – This Rosemary, and there are several, worked for some years out of Sandspit running ‘Rosemary Fishing Charters’ under the friendly and able ownership of Brian and Jocelyn Jones, with a short period during which a new owner took over. Last year Brian and Jocelyn moved to Kerikeri with the vessel and I believe she is for sale. Brian has some information on her previous life. She was in survey for some years, and I know the hull was glassed a number of years ago. I took these photos when she was hauled out at Sandspit in 2019 for some work.

NEW COLOUR WAY – limited run                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               1. One size fits all  2.100% canvas-cotton, 6 panel, adjustable brass clasp  3. Colour is Camel with dark brown embroidered logo. 4. Tonal under peak lining.

Price is $38 (gst inclusive) + $6 p&p 

What’s next – email me at waitematawoodys@gmail.com & advise:

# Your name 

# Postal address

# Phone 

# Quantity