Category Archives: 32′>34′

EX WOODEN WORKBOAT – BELFAST – WHERE IS SHE NOW

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2023

EX WOODEN WORKBOAT – BELFAST – WHERE IS SHE NOW
Back in Feb 2023 the 32’ BELFAST made an appearance on WW via a tme listing (via Ian McDonald), at the time she was looking rather sad and needed some serious TLC. Link below to that story. WW Feb 2023 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/02/04/belfast/
At the time it was commented that she was built by Jack Guard in 1940 and has spent time in survey, 

Fast forward to last week and Ian  McD spotted BELFAST again, this time on a FB group page titled ‘Ex NZ Post Office Construction Staff’, from the photo she looks to be loading/unloading goods, or maybe it is just a person transfer. Can we get an update on what happen with the tme listing – did she sell, where is she now and the current status / condition of the vessel.

25-02-2026 INPUT ex HYLTON EDMONDS – Photos below of Belfast at Matauwhi Bay as of 24-02-2026


UPCOMING AUCKLAND ON-THE-WATER BOAT SHOW – 5>8 MARCH
If your looking for classic wooden boats you will looking for a long time but if you need a new – tender, outboard, safety gear, bbq, electronics, VHF etc – this is the boat show for you. Personally I always seem to find something I didn’t know I needed for the boat 🙂 Its a very professional run show and a great opportunity to see the latest and greatest marine related goods – just do not buy a white plastic boat 🙂

LOCATION IS DOCKSIDE AT THE VIADUCT EVENTS CENTRE – DETAILS HERE https://www.auckland-boatshow.com

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH TARATA

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH TARATA

Back in November 2016 we ran a story on the 1962 Snow Waters built classic launch – TARATA that Alan Sexton’s father, Howard, owned back in the 1970’s. Alan was trying to locate TARATA and after some great detective work we got a great insight into TARATA’s provenance – link here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/11/21/tarata/

Fast forward to earlier in the week and Alan sent in the above photos of TARATA that Mark McLaughlin took last year of the launch at the Evans Bay Marina , Wellington. Alan commented that it was good to she her so well maintained.` Lots of details on TARATA in the WW link above.

Back in 2016 Robert Brooke commented that Snow Waters built TARATA to a modified MAPUNA design of Robert’s father John (Jack) Brooke. FYI – these days MAPUNA is owned by Mark McLaughlin.

CLASSIC WOODY CRUISING AT WHANGAROA

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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 🙂

WHAT DO ALL THESE CLASSIC WOODEN CRAFT HAVE IN COMMON

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MARLINE
KORAWAI
OTEHEI
ALMA G II
LADY CROSSLEY

WHAT DO ALL THESE CLASSIC WOODEN CRAFT HAVE IN COMMON

As I have noted recently on WW the classic wooden boating scene in the Bay of Islands is experiencing a re-birth. Seems one in three woodys the Wooden Boat Bureau has sold in the last 2 years has headed north. And recently the woody skippers have been organising events to show case the woody movement in the B.O.I. – we like that.

At the recent Russell Tall Ships Regatta on the Friday prior to the sailing regatta there was a Classic Launch Parade that had 13 woodys participating. Post the parade one of the skippers pointed out the % of woody craft that owed their good looks to time spent at the CMC Design – Boatbuilders Opua yard. So I did a count and in recent times and in no particular order the following woodys have been under the care of the talented crew at CMC Design – LADY CROSSLEY, KORAWAI, OTEHEI, MARLINE and ALMA G II.

Now they aren’t the only boatbuilders up north but they seem to get the cream of the work. When you factor in haul-out yard costs in the greater Auckland area, a wee road trip on one of the specialist boat haulage trucks isn’t the budget stumbling block it once was.

If todays WW story reads like an ad, I suppose it is, I’m passionate about seeing our classic fleet get the TLC they deserve.
Check out the CMC website – some great work-in-process photos on their work + its not all boats, some stunning architectural  and commercial wood work.  https://www.cmcdesign.co.nz/marine

BAY of ISLANDS CLASSIC WOODY – KERIKERI INLET RAID

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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

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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 🙂

PERFECT WEATHER, PERFECT WEEKEND FOR WOODEN BOATING

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PERFECT WEATHER, PERFECT WEEKEND FOR WOODEN BOATING

Today’s story is a potpourri from the weekend. A good forecast had a lot of woodys slipping the dock lines and heading out. Some were at Kawau for the sailing activity there and a lot dropped anchor at Rakino Island. 
Because I’m sure I was spotted – I’ll own up to my worst anchoring exhibition in Woody Bay, just couldn’t get it to dig in. Made worse by the number of craft. Gave up and retreated to West Bay- less boats and a better % of woodys at anchor.  BUT – I made a novice mistake – anchored close to a large plastic US import with a petrol genset. I quote the owner “everyone tells me it sounds like a Massey Ferguson tractor “ – IT DID 😦
Experienced a stunning Rakino sunset on Saturday night.

VISITING USA WOODY

Over the last 2 weeks we have had one of the USA’s nicest wooden boating ambassadors – Bob Yaro visiting NZ Aside from being a great guy, Bob has some serious tags to his name – Chairman of the Herreshoff Marine Museum & America’s Cup Hall of Fame in Bristol, Rhode Island.

We had big plans to host Bob and friends aboard Angus Rogers – CENTAURUS for the Mahurangi Regatta but the weather gods dealt to that plan – so Bob’s been lunched on CENTAURUS in Auckland and had a day cruise on Margo and Jamie Hudson’s  – LADY CROSSLEY up in the Bay of Island. The woody web is world wide 🙂

BOB YARO ABOARD CENTAURUS
LADY CROSSLEY – BOI
BOB YARO & JAMIE HUDSON – LADY CROSSLEY

WHAT BECAME OF THE WOODEN LAUNCH – HOPAI

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WHAT BECAME OF THE WOODEN LAUNCH – HOPAI

Back in mid 2024 the owners of the 32’ Chas Bailey Jnr, 1926 built bridge-decker launch – HOPAI were looking for someone to step up and take over the rebuild of the vessel.

The rebuild had been an ongoing project for an extended period and her owner was unable to complete the project. I believe her hull has been f/glassed…..

Does anyone know what happened to HOPAI, hopefully now in the care of someone finishing the work, or is she still in a shed in Kaukapakapa.

REMEMBER SAT 7TH FEB – LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE 

Details here  https://www.woodenboatparade.co.nz/wooden-boat-parade/

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

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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

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – TAKARO – A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – TAKARO – A Peek Down Below

The classic wooden launch TAKARO last made an appearance on WW back in May 2014 – link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/05/04/7089/

Back then we learnt that TAKARO was built approx 1952 and was 35’, kauri planked with a 11’3” beam. In 2014 she had been fitted with a reconditioned 120hp D-series Ford motor with Lees Marine conversion. This engine was reconditioned in 2013.

At the time Harold Kidd commented that there was the possibility that she may have been designed by or to a Colin Wild design. From todays photos TAKARO appears to be very fitted out. (Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up)