Category Archives: 28′>30′

ELUSIVE – A Peek Down Below + 4sale

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ELUSIVE – A Peek Down Below + 4sale

I talk often on WW about some classic woodys being lucky in terms of their owners over the years – the 1963 Claude Smith 30′, E-Class yacht – Elusive (E75) is one such craft, enjoying 33 years of continuous ownership.

Elusive was designed and built by Allen Smith at his boatyard on Riverside Drive in Whangarei , Northland as his own yacht She was a very successful yacht in her first season winning many races, in fact probably every race entered.

• OYC 100 and 150 mile races   • The White Island race    • Balokovic Cup    • 4th in The Noumea race

Her builder once told  her owner, Alan Turner, that she was built with the “surplus” timber in their yard and is mostly full length kauri and has three bilge stringers instead of the usual one. As a result she is very strong and has had 2 pot paint to the topsides for the last 25 years and was repainted circa 5 years ago. 

Her keel was dropped and bolts checked at the same time. The stern tube was replaced with fiber-glass c.10 years ago and a new Blue Water seal is about to be fitted

When required forward motion is via a Ford 15hp diesel engine. She sports an extensive wardrobe of North Sails in good condition – main, No1, No2, Storm jib and spinnaker plus a cockpit tent and sunshade (cockpit is 6′ long). Toilet is near new and holding tank fitted. Electric windlass and chain.

Talking with Alan he commented that with her mainly paint finish she is very economical to maintain.

Elusive is for sale and when I asked Alan what her strong points were he said –   very easy to sail and strong as and doesn’t have any vices. She did the Noumea race in the 1960’s and is great at sea. She is a great little ship for a mature couple wanting an easy ship to manage and maintain. Her marina berth at Half Moon Bay will be available to rent and with a first right of refusal when up for sale.

Alan is happy to answer any questions, in the first instance contact via email. xpdxrd@gmail.com

WAIONE – Shed Visit

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WAIONE – Shed Visit

Back in late December 2023 we reported on the 28’, Lanes (Picton) built woody – Waione that had been in storage in a shed in Mapu, Nelson for 50+ years – link here to that story https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/12/21/waione-2/

At the time John Burland had promised to track her down, which he did with his friend Patrick. The above photos come to us from that days outing. 

Patrick also included his observations from the visit: 

“Well I went to inspect the Waione a few days ago and she’s securely parked in a shed and you know it’s been well covered, out of the water for a long period I think 30 years and the paint basically has all been stripped off so it’s a bare hull. Construction is kauri and seems to be double skinned, the inner skin is diagonal and the outer planking is end to end or a longitude carvel arrangement, she has a long keel and  a counter stern,  quite a small volume boat. I think built by Lanes in Picton, so she would’ve been designed for the Marlborough Sounds before there was much access via road so would’ve been designed to to operate pretty economically with a small 5 to 10 hp engine, some sail arrangement plus large oars or sweeps as they called them in those days to propel the boat and manoeuvre it should the engine fail or docking or whatever. Some of the first engines didn’t even have a reverse gear so you were up against it a bit for manoeuvrability, but it would’ve been a very easily driven boat being quite narrow and very fuel economic and quite fast for the time. That sort of a classic early 20th century design with tram cab arrangement in the higher part of the cabin and then a curved front to the the cabin not a lot of room inside it but a very sweet little boat and seems to be in reasonably sound condition. And I would say a relatively easy restoration as far as restorations go, a little bit of dry rot on the cabin top and things around some of the work around the hatch at the companion way probably a little bit not keeping with the times made of not solid timber, but overall it’s amazingly original and so I think it would be a very worthwhile and enjoyable project for anyone who who was keen to take something of that nature on. The caulking that would all need to be redone, it’ll all need to be re-caulked and primed and painted and possibly refastened, no doubt and just a good going over really, but there didn’t appear to be any worm in the keel or or anything. The propeller shaft, propeller and rudder are all in place. The oval portholes and the fore cabin were still serviceable and able to be to be restored to their former glory I would say and it’ll be a lovely little craft once it was operating again and quite practical and useful for you in sheltered waters so I would recommend anyone that was interested in that sort of boat and had the desire to keep a little bit of our maritime history going would be well worth a look at.”

Don’t normally link to tme listings but this one deserves to be saved + a $1 starting bid  https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/boats-marine/motorboats/listing/4475286531

Bay of Islands Summer Mooching + Anniversary Weekend Cruising 

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RANONI
ENTERPRIZE
ARETHUSA
IORANGI
ALOFA
VALHALLA
RAMPAGE

Bay of Islands Summer Mooching + Anniversary Weekend Cruising 

Todays gallery of classic wooden craft comes to us from the camera of Dean Wright, taken while he was cruising the bay on his woody – Arethusa.

From top to bottom the craft are:

• Ranoni – Army Bay

• Enterprise – Opunga Cove

• Arohanui – steaming past Cable Bay, Urupukapuka

• Arethusa – Whangamumu

• The Logan yacht – Iorangi – Whangamumu

• Alofa – Whangamumu

• Valhalla – Whangamumu

• Rampage – Whangmumu – an early 2000’s Robertson Boats sedan launch ( lengthened and repainted)

• Mary of York – Ben Tomb’s leeboarder

2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – Classic Launch Parade & Sunday Gathering At KAWAU ISLAND 

The countdown is on for one of the worlds best and biggest classic wooden boating events, the Mahurangi Regatta, organised by the Mahurangi Cruising Club.

Sadly due to the freakish weather the 2023 regatta was cancelled, but plans are in place to make 2024 on-the-water and ashore at Scotts Landing bigger and better.

The Classic Wooden Launch Parade is one of the highlights of the weekends activities – followed later in the day by a serious ‘old school’ boaty BBQ ashore at Scott’s – including a massive marquee for the 20 piece dance band.

 On the Sunday, most woody launch skippers head to KAWAU ISLAND and the plan is to gather later in the day for a few sun-downers at the newly refurbished Kawau Boating Club.

CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISING THE HAURAKI GULF – SUMMER 2023/24

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CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISING THE HAURAKI GULF – SUMMER 2023/24

Now todays post is the one you have been waiting on – the classic wooden (mostly) craft that I spotted around the Hauraki Gulf over the Dec 27 > Jan 5th period.

Probably the best turn out of woodys that I have seen – seems it just wasn’t me suffering from cabin fever 🙂

As always some photos are good, some not so good – direction of sun and distance dictates that. Mostly I’m taking photos as a visual account.

Enjoy the gallery – broken into locations – I have endeavoured to list the craft in the tagged section.

AS ALWAYS CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

If you have any good photos, send them in to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

RAKINO ISLAND

KAWAU ISLAND

WAIHEKE ISLAND

OUT & ABOUT – on route

SPRAT – Workshop Update

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SPRAT – Workshop Update

The 28’ David Bedham designed spirit of tradition launch that we featured on WW back in November 2023, link below  it nearing completion at the Slipway yard in Milford.

Will be a very smart and fast addition to the Waitemata Harbour, were her intended use is as a fast island commuter.

Looking forward to the sea trial report after the addition of a very smooth and quiet Yamaha 4-stroke o/board.                https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/11/18/sprat-spirit-of-tradition-orakei-hardstand-good-news/

WAIONE

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WAIONE

Todays 28’ woody just popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald), the listing states that she was built by Lanes in Picton c.1918 and spent her early life around the Marlborough Sounds and French Pass and then more recently at Mapua. For the last 50+ years has been stored in an apple shed in Mapua, where she still is today.

Has been in one family ownership for almost 50 years.

Was originally powered by a Standard Gas Egine Co. diesel and is offered for sale with an addition Petter diesel.

Big leap of faith given the only photos are obviously at least 30 years old. Would be nice to learn more about Waione. I suspect that WW has a cub reporter very close to the apple shed so hopefully more to follow 😉

UPDATE 16-01-2024 More photos and details here https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/01/16/waione-shed-visit/

Milford Creek – Flash Back

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MILFORD CREEK FLASH BACK

Wouldn’t it be great if we still had businesses like the above around today. One stop shops.

I was up and down the creek today myself – giving the 95 year old a bottom tickle up – 2023 was such a crap season Raindance didn’t get the normal amount of use. So from entering and exiting the creak the watch said 38 minutes – service with a smile, well almost …… things a tad busy at The Slipway Milford with only 96>hrs till closing the door.

Mystery Launch 15-12-2023

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MYSTERY LAUNCH 15-12-2023

I was sent a link from Harold Kidd re a woody that had ‘popped up’ on one of his son’s fb marketplace feeds. 

The boat is located in Wanganui, Manawatu and all we know is she is 28’ in length, no engine, and built by Laines (their spelling) in 1905. As discussed many times on WW, sadly the word Lanes is almost the default for any unknown launch, so she could be built by anyone.    Been on tme for over 10 months and has an asking price of $500, maybe there are a few bronze fittings that could offset that.

It is a very long shot but – anyone out there know anything about the vessel.

ORDER HERE waitematawoodys@gmail.com Click image above for details

PIRIMANU – Ready To Splash

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Photos below November 2023

PIRIMANU – Ready To Splash

We have been following the refit / restoration of the 28’ Salthouse built, A Couldrey designed, 1968 launch – Pirimanui – links below to the last few years stories on WW.

This week the Blair Boats yard advised that the day had come and she would be re-splashing later this week.

Stunning workmanship and hats off to her ’newish’ owner for the level of commitment to the project.

Fingers crossed we get to see some photos of Pirimanu post launching.May 2022 https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/16/pirimanu-a-peek-down-below/

Jan 2023 Refresh https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/01/31/pirimanu-gets-a-makeover/

July 2023 >>> Work In Process. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/07/28/pirimanu-gets-a-birthday/

Update – Pirimanu back in the water, all windows replaced with new teak beading, all new varnish inside and out (14 coats of alwood gloss) inside cabin repainted, new electronics solar and bilge pumps, new gear box and refurbished engine. (Photos and words ex Blair Boats fb.

May 2022

PATIO BAY CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT WEEKEND – 2023

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Moerani + Ariki
Tawera
Message To Santa – I Want One
Cake Day Entries – It Did Not Win But The Chocolate Cake Was The Best

PATIO BAY CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT WEEKEND – 2023

Todays story wasn’t meant to happen, the 2023 Patio Bay Weekend was not on the radar but several woody skippers told me late in the week that they were going so I shuffled the plans around.

Saturday mornings weather and sea state was average but sometimes you just have to make the call and head out. I was also suffering from serious cabin fever, so little boating in the last year.

As the day unfolded the weather improved but from the fireside chat post race, the classic yachts racing down did not have a pleasant trip.

CYA numbers were down significantly from previous years , in fact I was the only launch in the bay. 

The venue hosts, the Mahoney family, ensured a great time was had by all, with the emphasis on an old-school / retro boating gathering e.g. open fire / bbq, Pohutukawa and driftwood smoke and the legendary barrel of rum……….. on that subject most were amused when the yacht “Prize” won her division – part of the winning is having to re-fill the rum barrel the following year – I was told Prize’s skipper historically has gone to great lengths to sidestep the expensive.

The assorted collection of photos above is simply to give you a glimpse of the weekend, and showcase the magic of Aucklands woody fleet and Patio Bay. Enjoy (passage photos B15 Frances & dark hulled yacht ex Dennis & Sue Rule) – (some photos below average in definition – long lens the camera).

Xmas Boat Reading – 10+ years ago I asked at my local 2nd hand book store, about an out of print copy of a book titled “Hemingway’s Boat’ by Paul Hendrickson – out of the blue last week I got a call telling me one had turned up – I started to read over the weekend and after just 10 pages put it down, just a gem, to be saved for the summer xmas /ny trip. Best $15 I have spent. If you see one for sale, grab it.