Category Archives: 28′>30′

Electra

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ELECTRA
 
I was contacted yesterday by David Grogan whose grandfather, Ted (Edward Alfred) Grogan, who’s family lived in Ngunguru up near Whangarei, in 1919 Ted owned the motor launch, Electra in partnership with a Mr. P Wellington.
 
David had uncovered a Northern Advocate report about the arrival in Ngunguru of the vessel, in October 1919, She was described as having, “just arrived from Auckland…about 28 feet overall with a good beam and mast and sails. She is fitted throughout with every modern convenience”. From this brief description David commented that Electra does not sound like she was a working boat. She may have been converted into a pleasure craft, at that point however. David had done a WW search and found a suggestion from Harold Kidd that Electra may have been designed by C. Harrison Smith and built by Bailey & Tyre, at Hall’s Beach, Northcote.
Ted Grogan married in 1922 and its likely he sold his share in Electra, to help finance the family home back in Auckland.
 
I contacted Harold Kidd and he was able to confirm that Electra was designed by C. Harrison Smith and built by Bailey & Tyer at Hall’s Beach Northcote in December 1912 for G. Thorne George and D.M. Davis of Parnell. She was 30’ x 8’ and had a 10hp Djinn kerosene engine. Harold also supplied the above photos.
She was sold after a couple of years to a Mr Hogan who sold her to Whangarei ‘for fishing purposes’ in 1919, so it would appear that David’s grandfather took her north for fishing.
She disappears from the record in 1922, probably with a name change.
 
Is anyone able to enlighten us on what became of Electra post 1922? Harold commented that she looked almost square bilged, but she wasn’t. Hopefully her distinctive lines may have made her memorable.
 

Lake Taupo Launches At The Landing

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Lake Taupo Launches At The Landing
The above photo comes to us via NZ Vintage Postcard fb and is captioned – The Landing, Taupo and is possibly from the 1930>1940’s period.

A question for Paul Drake – is the boat ‘closest to the channel‘ your 1914 Bailey and Lowe launch – Romance  ? If so, that would date the photo post 1931.

Can we ID any of the other boats?

Input from Paul Drake – Yes the launch nearest the channel is ROMANCE, still at Taupo and owned by the Drake Brothers. She arrived ex Napier post 1931 earthquake as a flush decker, and had her cabin raised when acquired by Jack Taylor and put to work as a commercial boat, probably in 1932. The counter stern boat is KINGFISHER. Thomas Ryan ran the 60 foot steamer RMS TONGARIRO ( Bailey and Lowe 1899 and built at Taupo) until 1925. She eventually rotted away on the foreshore between the Boat Harbour and Acacia Bay – photo below at the Taupo Wharf, before the 2 storied cargo shed was built , so quite early on in the 1900’s.

Tongariro

Input from Nigel Drake – The boat between Romance and Kingfisher looks to be Waihora, about 23 feet in length and probably a Couthard built boat, (not to be confused with the Brin Wilson built Waihora). She was on the lake for a long period of time and ran for hire under local identity “Tabby” Tabernacle.
POHUTUKAWA 
Lock-down = less going out = more fires, so collected a load of firewood today, life is easy when there is an arborist in the family 🙂
While at his yard, I spotted this magnificent pile of Pohutukawa logs, the coffee cup is there to give you an indication of the size of the 12 logs . A huge tree came down in a recent storm, blocking a road so out with the big chainsaws. Not destined for firewood, I’m told a few coffee tables and bar tops.
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Bonny M

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BONNY M

Bonny M was designed / built by Morgan’s in 1964. Her specs are 29’6” x 9’6” x 3’.
The forward motion comes via a 2008 190hp Lombardini diesel engine that sees her cruise at a comfortable 10 knots.
Being a Marlborough Sounds vessel she is very well spec’ed in terms of fit out – her owner is obviously not a fan of varnish, thank god for that fuse box 🙂
Deep down she is a woody e.g. 20mm carvel planked kauri but there is a layer of that ‘modern’ wood and ’thick’ varnish (f/glass) 😉
4sale on tme. Nice lines, somewhat hidden under all that white paint, some styling she would look even smarter.

Classic Wooden Boat Cruise – 72 photos

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S/S Romany

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Arohanui

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Trinidad

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Matira

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Ann Michelle

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Lady Crossley

Raindance CCC trip Aug2020

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CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT WEEKEND CRUISE TO CLEVEDON  – 72 Photos 

Lets be honest, a large chunk of 2020 has been very average – locked marina’s, no on-the-water boating and cancelled events. After spending the weekend on-board Raindance, cruising up the Clevedon river and over-nighting with 12 other woody boats at the Clevedon Cruising Club, I realised what I had missed the most was the sense of fraternity that comes with being in a space shared with people who love the same things as I do – woody boats. 
 
The trip up the Wairoa River revolves around a tide window, so it was a very early start for some of us, helped by coffee on-route, the smart ones left on Friday and were enjoying breakfast in a bay as we were sliding down the Tamaki Strait. We were meet at the river entrance by CCC member Barrie Abel who ‘piloted’ us up the river – no opps, so thank you Barrie.
 
Awaiting for us at the CCC wharf was Russell Ward with his steam boat – Romany. The gent deserves a medal – all day Saturday and Sunday morning he was taking the CCC members and families + the woodys for rides. Romany is coal fired and as Russell tells everyone getting aboard – “if its metal – its hot, if its varnished – its dirty 🙂 . I’m a big fan of Romany, but the star was Cooper the English springer spaniel – I could have taken him home.
 
After some wonderful ‘air-traffic control’ we managed to get everyone either alongside the wharf or rafted to another boat that was alongside – soft bumper fenders along the entire wharf makes for very civilized berthing. However – no names, but one woody had to leave the Saturday night BBQ to check that their diesel fired on-board central heating outlet wasn’t roasting the fenders 😉
 
The day was very leisurely with most people enjoying a dockside lunch and CCC members dropping down to view the boats and people having steam boat rides. One woody took the opportunity to buy some fuel from the club’s dockside bowser, seems he forgot to check the level before departing, staring to become a habit……….
In addition to the activities afloat we were treated to some eye-candy in the car park – a stunning 1947 Ford Coupe and a replica 1945 Fairliner Torpedo speed boat.
 
Come 4pm we invaded the CCC club house for the main event – as always amazing hospitality from the club and to use that old saying “a good time was had by all”. It was announced that our visit will be a compulsory event on the club’s annual calendar – so woodys – no excuses for missing out next year. Date to be advised.
 
Check out the outdoor heater – a piece of kiwiana and it worked a treat.
 
Overnight it was a tad nippy, with several re-filling the boat water bottles in the early hours of the morning. But we woke to a stunning day and departed at 10am for the trip home.
 
And the Clevedon Coast Oysters were divine – photo below was my lunch – another set were dispatched as a appetizer – 8.5/10 – not Bluff but on the day as good 🙂
Special note of thanks to David Cook (Trinidad) who is my sidekick pulling these events together 🙂
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Tides Out 🙂  (photo ex Alan Good)

CCC tide out

Spindrift

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Spindrift CCC Picnic

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Spindrift 1953 Waipu Landing

SPINDRIFT
Weather permitting as you read this we will be on-route up the Wairoa River to the Clevedon Cruising Club, so it seems fitting that today I feature a local boat.
In the above colour photo we see the launch Spindrift heading to the Clevedon Cruising Club picnic at Ponui Island, the ‘crew’ were the the McKenzie family, owners at the time. Read the page ex the CCC 75th Jubilee booklet for details, but quick headline – Gordon McKenzie purchase the 30’ 1934 Spindrift from Harry Morton in 1948 and owned her for 34 years, she sold in 1987 to the current owners, the Renall family.
The CCC Jubilee booklet was written by Merle McKenzie.
In her early years Spindrift had an interesting life as a work-boat, refer story.
The black and white photo, shows Spindrift  in 1953 alongside the Waipu Landing.
(Thanks to Barrie Abel, Colin McKenzie and Jess McKenzie for photos & input)
I love the poem below – very on the mark 🙂
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Southern Woodys – Work Boat Wednesday

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Southern Woodys – Work Boat Wednesday
 

Iain Forsyth, owner of the 1961, 42’6″’, Miller & Tunnage built ex work boat – Meola, has recently returned from a trip to the other island. Ian commented that he stopped off at Carey’s Bay and saw Pakeha (recently featured on WW) on the slips after a large refit by Carey’s Marine and ready to launch.


Iain snapped the above gallery of workboats. It was opportune timing as the Bluff fleet were in port and getting ready for the season. Now I’m sure they aren’t all woodys but as per the NZ Classic Yacht Association rules (see below) metal is all good 🙂 
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Georgia

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GEORGIA

Today’s woody is the 28’ Lidgard built launch Georgia, built in 1974 so she slides into the ’spirit of tradition cateogory’, helped by the fact that she was built of 1 1/4” copper riveted, carvel, kauri planks.
As per most Lidgard’s she fits into the ‘FBG’ mold i.e. a 10’ beam on a 28’ boat..
Powered by a 50hp diesel engine.
Reviewing her tme listing (thanks Ian MacDonald) she is very well appointed and the vendor is very motivated for a sale e.g. keeps dropping the price, so someone could get a nice entry level woody for a good price.
WW Bucket Hat Winner – lots of entries, including some very ‘amusing’ ones but at the end of the day there were only two correct entries – the answer to what is the most searched word on WW was – ELECTROLYSIS. Lots of entries like classic or boat or launch BUT you rarely get a single word like that searched – it would be ‘Classic Launch’.
The first correct answer of the two was Jason Prew, but he already sports a WW bucket so I ruled him out of the draw :-), the winner is Mike Elliott. I have emailed you Mike, reply with your postal address and I’ll send you the hat 🙂
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Not Spindrift (now a mystery launch)

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SPINDRIFT   Mystery Launch

I have been sent the above photos of the launch Spindrift by Christoph Hoessly, whose grandfather, Ken McLeod owned her prior to having the launch Marquerite built.
At some stage in the 1940’s she may have been owned by Auckland (North Shore) identity – HT Morton.
The last known where about of Spindrift is a note (Feb 2016) in the WW comments section by Rob Lees, advising that the boat was then owned by Bruce Ashby and moored at Kawakawa Bay. Rob also commented that other than having her varnished coamings painted white, she looks the same, as launched.
Can anyone update us on the current whereabouts of Spindrift and any photos? + details on builder / launching date.
OOPS – IN FACT MAKE THAT A DOUBLE OOPS 😦

Seems woodys we have a wee issue with todays story – numerous people have contacted me and advised that the launch pictured above is not the boat owned by HT Morton.
The big question is – were there two launched named – Spindrift ? Or has Christoph Hoessly got his photos mixed up, it is after all over 70 years ago that his grandfather took these photos. As one woody commented it appears the stories have become ’tangled’.
The photos below, ex the Clevedon Cruising Club 75th Anniversary (2017) commemorative book (by Merle McKenzie), clearly show the Spindrift that was owned by HT Morton. (Thanks to Barrie Abel, Colin McKenzie and Jess McKenzie for photos & input)
So woodys can anyone help us clear up the confusion? Identifying the launch above in the b/w photos would be a big step.
Spindrift CCC Picnic
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Woody Lake Taupo Boat Tour + Woody Event Details

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WOODY LAKE TAUPO BOAT TOUR + WOODY EVENT DETAILS
One of WW’s most local supporters is Bay of Islands woody, Dean Wright – today Dean takes us on a recent mooch around Lake Taupo’s shoreline, click photos to enlarge –  Enjoy 🙂
WAIROA RIVER – WOODY OVERNIGHT CRUISE
Back in November 2019 we had an amazing woody weekend at the Clevedon Cruising Club. At the time everyone expressed a desire to repeat the trip up the Wairoa River asap, then CV-19 popped up, so we pulled the hand-brake.
Well folks the cruise is back on and for now there are two things to do:
1. Circle August 8-9 in the diary
The CCC is a brilliant venue, with dock-side berthing, undercover BBQ / dining facilities and a great group of members that make the trip so special.
And its dog friendly ! – so fido gets to come along.
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Classic Wooden Boat Riverhead Cruise

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Classic Wooden Boat Riverhead Cruise

Yesterday’s creek (river) cruise to the Riverhead Tavern was another successful gig on the Woodys Classics Weekend calendar. 14 boats made the trip up the creek and with no ferries working, we had the wharf to ourselves. Always nice to be greeted at the wharf by the publican and woody boater – Stephen Pepperell. We enjoyed brilliant support and service from the rest of the team at the tavern insured the day went like clockwork and 85+people enjoyed a great catch up, chat and lunch. The sun shone at the right times (most of the day) so a good times was had by all. Wonderful to see the support from the people that made the trip by car.
Details on the next event soon 🙂
MORE PHOTO’S @ link below
My crew for the day Chris Miller has posted some great photos on his weblog, I was concentrating on helming the ship and given CM is a pro photographer I left the camera work to Chris. Enjoy 🙂