Category Archives: 28′>30′

CAN WE SAVE – DOLPHIN OF LEITH – URGENT SOS

Posted on by
Reply

CAN WE SAVE – DOLPHIN OF LEITH – URGENT SOS

The owner of the 28’ gaff rigged cutter – DOLPHIN of LEITH has contacted WW advising that she sadly sank on her mooring at Herald Island and is scheduled to be lifted out on Thursday 12th March 2026).

Whilst her owner (Iain Lowrie) is preparing himself for the reality that this may be the end of her 122-year life, he is reaching out for last minute expressions of interest in saving her.

Some background – Dolphin was built in 1904 in Scotland and has had a long and storied life. She was built on the lines of a Scottish fishing boat in a yard in Leith, Edinburgh.   She is a 28-foot gaff cutter, larch on oak build with pitch pine above the water line and a teak cabin top. Much of her structure is still original, though she was given a new deck in 2011. She is a beautiful example of traditional construction and would offer a rare hands-on learning opportunity, or project for someone with a love for classic boats who wanted a sturdy family boat. She has been a recreational boat all her life and has been in Iain’s family for over 50 year.

If you are in position to help or know someone that is – call Iain Lowrie NOW on 022 400 5034. 

2026 NEW ZEALAND ANTIQUE & CLASSIC BOAT SHOW

Posted on by
3

2026 NEW ZEALAND ANTIQUE & CLASSIC BOAT SHOW

In the first weekend of March we have one on NZ’s coolest wooden boating events – the NZ Antique & Classic Boatshow, hosted in Kerr Bay, Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes National Park.

Todays coverage of the event is a perfect example of how the WW community works – I get an email from a friend (John Burland) living in Germany informing me a friend of his (Cam Rodgers) is attending the show this year and would I like some photos – short answer – YES.

So thanks to Cam today we get to have a gander at the show. Looks like the weather gods were smiling.

Remember – click to enlarge photos and enjoy the gallery 🙂

SPIRIT OF TRADITION CANOE STERN LAUNCH – ZOET

Posted on by
Reply

SPIRIT OF TRADITION CANOE STERN LAUNCH – ZOET

Todayswoody story bends the WW rules eg probably ply and f/glass and an American design, but there are some redeeming features – ZOET was built at the Auckland UNITEC Boatbuilding School in the 1980’s, its got a canoe stern + she is a good looker.

Some background – 28’ in length, built c.1980’s to a Ted Brewer (USA) design, powered by Nissan SD22 inboard diesel. Shallow (28”) draft = great inner harbour / lake boat.

(thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up)

CLASSIC WOODY CRUISING AT WHANGAROA

Posted on by
2
LUANA
STELLA MARIS
ATHENA
TUI
NGARUROA
MILLIWAYS
CEREGO
UNKNOW
METEOR
WAIRMARIE
HOPE (tbc)

CLASSIC WOODY CRUISING AT WHANGAROA

Recently Bay of Islands woody Dean Wright had headed up the coast to Whangaroa Harbour and being a professional photographer by trade his camera was never far from hand. So today we get to enjoy more of the B.O.I.’s woody fleet at play. 

The ex workboat looking craft has done a few laps, anyone know her name / history.

And of course the magnificent 1920 built LUANA………the best looking boat to come out of the MT Lane shed 🙂

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH NGAHI GETS SOME TLC

Posted on by
2

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH NGAHI GETS SOME TLC

Dropped into the Slipway Milford earlier in the week and the timing was perfect – the Dick Lang built launch NGAHI was being hauled out for some TLC and system improvements.

In previous WW stories there has been a lot of debate re the boats provenance, would be nice to confirm the builder and put a year to launching.

The Slipway Milford had a full quota of woodys on the yard – the JB Brooke designed and built yacht – GLEAM, now back in the Brooke family armada. 

Along side NGAHI is the 35’6” Lane Motor Boat Co. 1945 launch – HANI (Wanda II) getting some serious TLC.

Both GLEAM and HANI are on display at next months Auckland Wooden Boat Festival, no doubt the marine chandlers are doing a good trade in varnish at the moment 🙂

SERIOUSLY……………… During a peek down below on NGAHI I spotted some VERY dodgy fittings – refer below. No seacocks and single jubilee clips the only thing between floating and joining the submariners club……………. you’d like to think this wasn’t a ‘professional’ installation.

UPDATE – That was quick, looking more fitting of an ocean going craft 😉

BAY of ISLANDS CLASSIC WOODY – KERIKERI INLET RAID

Posted on by
Reply

BAY of ISLANDS CLASSIC WOODYS – KERIKERI INLET RAID

Last weekend a few of the B.O.I.’s classic launch skippers gathered for a cruise up the Kerikeri Inlet to raft up at the Stone Store for a catch up. The real reason was a session at the Plough & Feather waterfront pub. 

One of the WW cub reporters – Grant Gibbs was aboard KORAWAI to record the event. 

I note from the photos that a couple of ‘visitors from Hawkes Bay’ managed to tag along, but we will turn a blind eye to that.

I’ll comment more on the Bay of Islands woody scene in Mondays upcoming story.

2026 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE + PICNIC – Report. 140 photos

Posted on by
3

PARADE 🔻

PICNIC 🔻

LADY BETH

2026 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE + PICNIC – Report. 140 photos

As the photos will quickly confirm, Saturday 7 February delivered near-perfect conditions for the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Association’s annual gathering. While the event unfolds over four days, it’s the Saturday on-the-water get-together that remains the undisputed highlight.

From a photographer’s point of view, wall-to-wall sunshine and tricky angles don’t always play nicely with timber and varnish. So, if I’ve missed your boat or the images aren’t quite showroom-perfect, my apologies — I was doing my best to keep up with a lot of very good-looking boats.

The day naturally divides into two acts: the Parade, followed by the Picnic. A few familiar regulars were absent this year, but they were more than ably replaced by some truly stunning “new” additions to the fleet, making for an impressive and varied lineup on the water.

Sit back, enjoy the gallery, and soak up a little Lake Rotoiti magic. As always click photos to enlarge.

Special thanks to David & Glenys Wilson for the generous loan of a boat for the day 🙂

CLASSIC WOODEN MOTORBOAT RACING ON THE WAITEMATA HARBOUR – Auckland Anniversary Regatta

Posted on by
2
RACE START VIDEO
MY GIRL

THE PARADE

CLASSIC WOODEN MOTORBOAT RACING ON THE WAITEMATA HARBOUR – Auckland Anniversary Regatta

After the disappointment of a cancelled Mahurangi Regatta weekend I was chafing at the bit to get out on the water. 

Being Auckland Anniversary Day yesterday , I secured a spot aboard Jason Prew’s classic launch MY GIRL – WW readers will be aware that MY GIRL holds the title of fastest classic wooden launch on the Waitemata.

So at 11am we were on the start line for the classic launch inner harbour race – start off RNZYS > down to Orakei Bouy > across to Devonport area > back up the harbour to the finish line (aka the start line). Conditions were best described as ok, certainly better than the previous 4 days, overcast, the occasional shower and westerly >20 knots.

This year we were lacking a few of real quick woodys so Mr Prew had the race in hand after 10 seconds. Some close racing with the ‘recently’ re-powered woodies – NGAIO and LUCINDA. Do not have the handicap results but line honours went to MY GIRL / NGAIO / LUCINDA. All serviced at The Slipway Milford yard so a nice trifecta.

Earlier in the morning the tug/workboats put on their normal spectacular performance – see below.

The parade of sail was bolstered by several classic woodys that did not race – parade photos second group above.

Enjoy the photo gallery, light on the winning boat, always is when the bloke with the camera is aboard the favourite 😉

As always – photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.

RACE RESULTS – MY GIRL collects line and handicap honours

TUGBOAT RACE

1942 EX OTAGO HB CLASSIC WOODEN WORKBOAT – MARORO

Posted on by
Reply

1942 EX OTAGO HB CLASSIC WOODEN WORKBOAT – MARORO

When I get an email that has the boat name MARORO in the subject panel, it gets opened straight away – lots of classic boating history surrounding that name. Turns out todays woody is an ex Otago Harbour Board workboat, that started life as a tender to a OHB dredge. 

MARORO was launched c.1942 and she is 30’ x 9’3” x 3’ and built from kauri carvel planks and rebuilt in 1990 and still owned by the family that rebuilt her. Powered by a Mazda 4cyl HA 76hp diesel engine, she has a cruising speed of 7>8 knots.

Home is still Dunedin and she looks like she could handle a sporty weather day + very well fitted out.

Each to there own but the mahogany interior doesn’t get a tick from me – a tad too perfect for an 80 yr old classic. (Thanks Ian McDonald for the tme heads up)

Remember – if you are at a loose end tomorrow (Monday), head down to Westhaven / waterfront to watch the Auckland Ann. Day Regatta – Classic MotorBoat Inner Harbour Racing.

Race start off RNZYS / Westhaven > Orakei and return > RNZYS

CHRISTMAS 2025 – NEW YEAR 2026 CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISE 

Posted on by
1

CHRISTMAS 2025 – NEW YEAR 2026 CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISE 

I have talked previously about the weather that we all experienced at the start of the annual cruise, so I’ll skip that other than to quote Billy Connolly – “ There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes”.

Life on a small launch with a wife, dog and a paddle board can be challenging – normally takes us 2>3 days to get used to living in close proximity, but we have managed this for 18+ years. The bad weather days / nights that include having to take the pooch ashore for a pee in 40+ knots at 6am are quickly replaced with good food, good books and good booze 🙂 One of the positives of evil weather forecasts is low boat numbers, when things improved and we moved to Oneroa for a supply stop, the only other craft in the bay was a yacht and that was ‘washed up’ on the beach.

Today is a bit of a photo bomb from the 10 days  – anchorages visited, food, boats we saw, boats we nearly bumped into and general good times afloat. 

Hopefully the lucky ones are still out there enjoying the weather.

ps check out the woody champagne flute in the last photo – I have the bug bad 🙂