Classic Wooden Boat – Waiheke Island Party – 50 Woody Photos
At the weekend anyone thats serious about classic wooden boats headed to Patio Bay, Waiheke Island for the best event on the calendar – the Classic Yacht Association yacht race + Xmas party BBQ at Margaret and Bert Woolicott’s waterfront bach. Last year was cancelled due to bad weather, so we were all way overdue for this years gig.
As is almost always the case with woody events – the sun shone, the wind blow at the right time and everyone had a blast.
The race down saw an impressive mix of yachts – the numbers boosted by great support from the Townson fleet.
Lots of new faces and a healthy mix of ages. To those that think Patio Bay weekend is a ‘boys weekend’ – check out the photos, the movement is in good health 🙂
If someone could bottle the smell / taste of the Pohutukawa fired BBQ’s – I’d buy it – whether its bangers or venison steaks, everything gets equal status on the BBQ’s.
CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCHES IN THE BAY
YACHT RACE FINISH
PARTY TIME
MORNING CHAT
HOME TIME
See below another stunning video of the race / passage down by master camera man Roger Mills
I can not tell you much about the above launch other than she is 29’6”, her TME listing states she is a Lane, but to quote HDK – Lane = the default name for most wooden boats. The motor and box are out, but ‘complete’ (what ever that means).
At a guess her name appears to be Wai Lani, but the photos are too low res to blow up to read.
Bids are sitting at around $650 for even if you don’t want the boat, there are some good fittings to be had 🙂
Harold Kidd Input – WAI LANI was built in the winter of 1916 by Dick Lang for H T D Lloyd of 19 Ring Terrace, St Mary’s Bay.
WW T-SHIRTS & CAPS
If you are thinking about ordering some WW branded gear – might be best to get a wriggle on, getting tight on some sizes 🙂
Its a Mark-Foy start for the CYA yachts so we should be seeing another tight finish. Launches are encouraged to get there early to secure a good viewing anchorage – and less rowing when returning from the legendary party / BBQ ashore.
Woody Classics Weekend BBQ Cruise to Clevedon Cruising Club – 60+ photos
Morning woodys, as you will see from the above photo gallery the weekend woodys cruise up the Wairau River to the Clevedon Cruising Club was a great trip – had the 3 F’s that always make for good times – Fun, Friendship & Fraternity.
To hit the right tide window it was a very early start for most i.e. 6am at the marina – the smart ones, left Friday night.
We assembled at the river mouth around 9.30am and were met / piloted up the river by Barrie Abel, and woodys I have to say – just as well Barrie volunteered, because if you believed Navionics at times we were traveling over dry land, when in fact we had 3m of water under us. So a big thank you Barrie. Barry owns the 1912 woody – Matira, I will do a WW story on her on Wednesday.
Several boats missed the rendezvous but still safely made their way up the river.
After arriving at the clubs jetty late morning, the group split up – some went walking, some snoozed, and the rest hopped in the dinghies and ventured to the upper reaches of the river. We got very close to the Clevedon township before the fuel starting running out. Luckily a few had spare fuel so it was passed around like a good wine and everyone took a slip. I was aboard Dave Gidden’s dinghy and we had about 1cm in the tank when we switched off. Spotted a few interesting woodys along the way – Nathan Herbert and I would love to hear more about the launch – Liberty (tagged below).
Some wowser decided that 5pm would be drinks time, so a few of us had to retire to Dave Giddens floating man bach – Allergy for a cup of tea…..
The evening centred around a BBQ at the CCC, which is a fantastic set up and the members hospitality was first rate.
As a thank you for hosting us, we presented a donation to the club and rewarded Barrie Adel for his services with a bottle of Appletons finest Jamaican Estate golden rum. Club Commodore – Bruce Robson also now sports a WW T-Shirt 🙂
In return we have a CCC burgee for our virtual clubhouse.
On a personal note I would like to thank all the woody boat owners for ‘opening’ your boats up for the club members to inspect thru-out the day. Good chat was had.
We must have behaved ourselves, as we have been invited back – so woodys, more details to follow, but we will be repeating the cruise early 2020 e.g. April.
🙂 a visit to the GENTS was amusing – the uninitiated were in for a foot wash – the system was good old kiwi DIY at its finest 🙂 I can report that the LADIES was Regent Hotel standard.
Photos: myself and Nathan Herbert
Now I’ll bore some of you with the below video of my Raindance, taken by Nathan Herbert aboard Jas Prew’s launch – My Girl. I think it’s the only time Jason has ever let me pass him 🙂
The 30’ Time Piece was built by Ship Builders, year unknown. She is kauri planked* and powered by a Ford 96hp, 6 cyl. mark 2 Trader 590 series diesel engine that sees her cruising at 7.5>8 knots. * a question – did Shipbuilders build any carvel planked boats?
Very nicely presented below decks – she has however gone the way of a lot of Ship Builders craft and now sports a second story………… I’ll sign off before Cameron P bites and points out that people can do what ever they like to their boat 🙂
Recently sold. Thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up.
TRIP DETAILS FOR THIS WEEKENDS WOODY CLASSICS WEEKEND – CLEVEDON CRUISE HAVE BEEN EMAILED TO ALL ATTENDEES. IF YOU HAVE NOT RSVP’ed – DO IT NOW
Email your name & boat name to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Woody Ian Gavin was travelling with family in July and included the Thames Traditional Boat Festival (Henley-on-Thames) in the itinerary.
Its an event on my bucket list, so I was a little envious when Ian handed me a USB stick with 100+ photos of the event. Special thanks to Ian for sharing.
Included in the Festival was a special Dunkirk Little Ships section. As you would expect it was a very civilised affair with the boats moored up to the river bank and they took turns at parading up and down the river.
The large rowing barge is an ex/retired Royal barge that has been recently restored.
Included on the day were a selection of old motorbikes and cars, including a few amphibious one.
In late Jan 2018 when myself and Jamie Hudson were holding David Cooke’s hand as he piloted Trinidad around the top of NZ and slid down the West Coast to the Marlborough Sounds, Jamie and I had an evening to kill after being cast ashore in Picton. The plan was to catch the late (overnight) ferry back to Wellington. My idea was to hit the waterfront bars, but Jamie has more self-control than I and suggested me stroll the marina for a few hours before we hit the bars, otherwise we might struggle to catch the ferry – as it turned out, very sage advise from Mr Hudson 🙂
While taking in the Picton sea air, we spotted numerous very smart woodys at the marina – one of them being Kiwi. Now fast forward 20 odd months and I get an email from Alistair McRae, who had just returned from Picton, on a trip to purchase a very nice Colin Wild woody launch – details on that another day.
While in Picton, Alistair visited a mate – Wal Edwards, who had bought an old double ended fishing boat named – Kiwi, built in 1922 (he thinks). Kiwi is 33′ long and was built by Steve Carey of Carey’s Bay. As you will see from the photos above, Wal has done a magnificent job of rebuilding Kiwi. Check out the ballast they removed from her bilge.
Kiwi is powered by a John Deer.
The photos above a mix of mine and from Wal and Alistair’s collection.
Can anyone tell us more about this very cool woody?
Last month I did a quick trip to Thames and called into the ‘marina’. The tide was out in the estuary so you get to see the marina looking it finest.
Lots of old girls there, resting up, contemplating life.
If you’re down that way The Wharf bar and Thames Wholesale Fisheries shop are ace. Same owners, so they deliver your newspaper wrapped dinner to the bar – we like that. Worth a visit just for a cold one & the snapper & chips.
Off to check out another river today – the Wairau River, Clevedon – David Cooke and myself are doing a recky for the upcoming Woody Classics Weekend BBQ cruise (Nov 16>17th). Via car 🙂
All week, the weather gods have been saying that Sunday was going to be the best day for boating – well folks that it was 🙂
Barbara Cooke summed it up perfectly in an email – “Great day today team! Great to see people enjoying the good weather, relaxing and lolling about on picnic rugs, some with pooches. Interesting bikies! Nice boats too! “
Today’s story is just really a photo gallery of the day – the boats and bikes, the venue and the people + a few woodys I spotted along the way.
A hell of a lot of work goes into organising these events – and I would like to acknowledge the team that bring it all together, without their help and input there would be no Woody Classics Weekend events. Barbara & David Cooke, Sue & Mark Edmonds, Nathan Herbert, Jason Prew and lastly yours truely.
Lots of chat about the next event in November – just working thru the logistics, more details ASAP.
The day was made extra special by the inclusion of a display of classic motorcycles ( see below) and their owners were big admirers of our classic woodys.
Enjoy and as always, click on photos to enlarge – alan houghton
Valerie was built in 1931, in Milford. 31’ kauri planked with an oregon cabin top. As you will observe from the photos she really is a project boat crying out for someone to take her on and completer the restoration / rebuild. She comes with a 1990 Ford 60hp diesel.
Currently hauled out on Aucklands North Shore – any Woodys looking for project?
Her trademe listing is light on details- does anyone know more about Valarie?
UPDATE 22-10-2019 ex Nathan Herbert – Valerie was built by W.Kendall and H.G. Lodge at Milford, c.1938. Photo below
15-04-2021 ex Brian Fulton ex NZ Herald
Woody Classics Weekend – Stillwater Picnic- This Sunday – Weather Looks Spot On – See you There
Sad to see one of the Devonport Yacht Clubs long standing yachts – Pikelet – broke her moorings early last night and has washed up in the sadly very familiar spot by Windsor Reserve. As always locals were able to get a line to her to hopefully keep her off the rocks. Fingers crossed todays weather and tide is kind to her.
