Thursday night was the second event in the Ponsonby Cruising Club’s new initiative called ‘Featured Vessel Series’ , this time the vessel on display at one of the berths outside the Westhaven clubhouse was the 1904 Arch Logan designed, built by Bennett Bros & Stitchbury, 34’5’’ guff cutter yacht – WAIRIKI.
15+ years ago thanks to the talent, determination and deep pockets of Jason Prew WAIRIKI was successfully saved from a beehive restoration and totally rebuilt and relaunched in 2010. For the next 10 years Jason and WAIRIKI were a familiar sight at every classic event, then he saw the light and came over to the dark side with the purchase of the launch – MY GIRL, another total rebuild. This coincided with WAIRIKI being acquired by current owner – Keith Logan, grandson of Arch Logan. You can view the restoration at this link https://www.my-girl.co.nz/Wairiki1904/Welcome.html
Complimenting WAIRIKI was a collection of Arch Logans tools on display upstairs at the club, video below + ‘RUMBO’ spiced rum tasting 🙂
WAIMARIE – CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – A PEEK DOWN BELOW
Last September Dean Wright shared with us photos of the Oliver and Gilpin launch – WAIMARIE on launch day, link below to that story. At the time it was recorded that the date was Sept 1964 and she was 32’ in length. WW Sept 2023 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/09/22/waimarie-ii-2/
Now thanks to a recent tme post we get to have a gander down below – interestingly the launch date there was given as 1960 and her length being 34’4”.
Built from kauri planks in the carvel technique. Forward motion is via a Ford 80hp Diesel engine that gives her a cruising speed of 8 knots.
SEA FEVER – Gets A Visit To The Classic Wooden Boat Parlour
Earlier this year SEA FEVER the 34’ 1958 John Salthouse design / build wooden launch changed hands The Wooden Boat Bureau worked with owner Doug Reid to find a new custodian. The buyer ticked all the boxes on Dougs wish list, and if Doug is reading WW today I’m sure he will be very chuffed to see SEA FEVER getting TLC she deserves. (when launched her name was Onetaunga.)
I’ve commented many times that one of the reasons particular craft pass the half century mark is good old luck – luck in terms of having the right owners who value these classic craft, SEA FEVER has had a succession of good people caring for her and it shows.
In the next few days Jason Prew will be applying his skills to SEA FEVER and another one of our classic woody fleet will have a JPPJ (Jason Prew Paint Job)
SEA FEVER below in 2022 at anchor in Chamberlains Bay
No Names (and not SEA FEVER) – But the decal is a little OTT 🙂
LADY FAYE – CAN WE SAVE THIS CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH
WW has been contacted by interests of the Waipuna Boating Club asking for help in regard to the 32’ classic wooden launch – LADY FAYE
LADY FAYE is a Donovan design and built by 20th Century Boats, Takapuna in 1948. The company was owned by Andy Donovan and Fred Steel (the boats 1st owner)
The launch last made an appearance on WW back in April 2013 – photo below from that story. Since then she has several owners, all with the best intentionsof restoring her. These days home has been a pile mooring off the WBC and she is looking very neglected, these things happen so its time to move forward and either find a new home for her or a new owner. The club appreciate her provenance and would like to see her go to a deserving home. WW understands she is powered by a 4cyl. Ford D-series dieselbut requires work to her systems and probably re-caulking. The interior is partially bare.
WW understands the top photo (on pile mooring) is recent.The hauled out photos above are c.Jan 2021. Any woodys looking for a project or know someone that is – initially contact Mark via email waipunaboatingclub@gmail.com Make life easy of him and put Lady Faye in the subject line 🙂
Yesterdays winner of the quiz to name the launch – TEINA , John Dawson returned the favour and sent me the above photos of the launch – MOANA.
John commented that it was on tme late last month with a $1 reserve. According to the listing she was built in 1930, is 33’ in length and powered by a Ford 40hp engine. Located in Rawene, Northland.
As we can see she is looking very sad and probably beyond restoring.
Keen to hear what became of her and any known history.
The 33’ launch ROTHESAY has recently popped up on tme, back in July 2018 WW reported that she had changed hands and there was a plan to restore her. Based on the photos above that hasn’t happened and now her ‘owner’ and interested parties are trying to find a home for her. According to the tme post ($1 reserve) she was built in 1930 and has a Ford 40hp engine in her. I will not attempt to ID the builder, a Nov 2013 WW story (link below) with input from Harold Kidd, talked at length about several vessels named Rothesay. https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/11/15/the-rothesays/
It will be a big challenge but if there is a woody out there looking for a project, this could be it. Boat location is Rawene on the Hokianga Harbour, Northland.
OLLIE IRENE- with covers removed, catches her breath in Port Macquarie for a couple of years
Splined hull and repaired bow …and installed 5 new laminated ring frames to secure shape
Repaired garboard and glassed under waterline rolling the glass into a rebate and glued a “spline” into it secure the transition at water line.
Installed self draining front cocktail cockpit through front hatch carlings, including provision for ice bucket to chill the “ bubbles Also allowing safer working space for anchoring. Storage for 3 piece hard deck cover when cockpit not in use and spare anchor in locker under seat…
Fabricate and fit keel extension for rudder and install new prop shaft tube
New rudder
After removal of a number of previous era bearers New engine bearers install to take 80HP Vetus, new prop shaft and drip less seal
The tank!…..out, modified to fit and be removable in future increased baffling, water sump and inspection plate which now sits below the cockpit engine hatch…Cockpit sole and structure remained in tact
Engine pan fabricated and installed
Engine in position for installation
Front engine cover/ companion way with storage bins in each step for oils , spare belts, filters etc
About this time I decided to put Ollie out in my back paddock
OLLIE IRENE
Over the past couple of weeks I have been chatting online with woody from over the ditch – Keith Glover is well known to some of us in the classic wooden boat community having competed in several Auckland classic yachting regattas as crew on Auckland classics. Unlike most Keith has even gone as far as to sail his 1949/50 Alden ketch ‘WRAITH OF ODIN’ (photo below) from Brisbane to Auckland to compete in the 2010/11 regatta.
Todays WW story is based on Keith’s launch – OLLIE IRENE, that Keith has been restoring/rebuilding//recommissioning/rebirthing (multi-choice) for the last few years as he says “out in the back paddock’Probably best if I let Keith tell us about OLLIE IRENE:
* LOA 32’x Beam 9.3″‘x Draft est 3’ x Displacement est 5.5 Ton
* Original Iron bark keel, Spotted gum frames and hull planking, new sheathed ply deck, house, and laid teak cockpit sole
* Little is known of history or providence (long story of how it finished in my hands) other than to say it was a completely stripped-out mildly hogged hull, with a rebuilt deck, and bare house structure. No engine, gearbox, drive train, prop or rudder, although you could see from remaining engine beds it would appear at least 3 different power plants had made an appearance over time! However there was a fuel tank of unknown age or condition totally built-in positioned aft between floor plates and captured by custom deck beams prior to the teak cockpit sole being laid BONUS!!….it was sport but suffice to say it turned out to be new SS which now has better baffles, removable and the cockpit structure remains intact!
* De hogged (adjustable steel cradle) and Splined hull, installed a 80HP motor with hydraulic box ,bow thruster pressure hot water, head etc etc etc
*The complete fit-out has been built, dry fitted, finish coated including upholstery ,basic electrical systems and switchboard etc etc and are in storage awaiting installation whilst we finish painting stuff.
* Limited research suggests Ollie was built in Brisbane during the 1920s as a spec (launched as Irene) built by a yard long since gone and appears to have a close design reference to Blanchard Lake Union Dream Boats of the 1920s from the NW coast USA.
Along the way, I have managed to repurpose many orphan genuine classic bronze bibs and bobs boat bits including some from my original restoration of Wraith of Odin, and targeting a Wooden Boat show in Pittwater November this year.
The purpose of Ollie is to explore some Australian East Coast river systems for which Wraith is unsuitable.
Back. In October 2022 we reported that the Bruce Askew designed 36’ launch – IONA II had been sold and relocated from Nelson to the Milford Marina in Auckland. INOA II was built in 1994 so slips comfortably into the ‘spirit of tradition’ category of classic wooden vessels. At the time the story she was hauled out at the Slipway Milford for some maintenance – link to that story here – https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/10/04/iona-ii/
Fast forward to yesterday and IONA II is back at the yard booked in for a serious dose of TLC. Total refresh of everything other than the engine , a 60hp Nissan TD23. Should be a great project to follow.
UPDATE 09-08-2024 – Lots of activity at the yard, loving the custom bow / anchor sprit
UPDATE 29-08-2024 – new cabin sole undrway
11-09-2024 UPDATE – New windows going in, liking the green tint ✔️
01-10-2024 UPDATE – Get close to re-launching. First coat on the topsides and interior waiting for the varnish brush. The replacement duckboard brackets are a big improvement from what was there 🙂
04-10-2024 UPDATE – 2nd coat of paint on and some very impressive engineering work on the electric motor installation from Cam Malcolm at the Slipway Milford.
09-10-2024 UPDATE – getting closer, the shiny stuff is going on 🙂
MULLET BOAT ON THE WAITEMATA – SPINDRIFT Recently I discovered (thanks to Lew Redwood) a reference source that wasn’t on my radar – the Auckland Research Centre, which appears to be part of the Auckland Libraries offering. Most of the content will put you to sleep but an article this week on MULLET boats I think is worthy of reproducing. Reproduced below. The photo above shows an open cockpit mullet boat, commercial fishing boat # AK89, off North Head, Auckland. Can we match a name to the commercial number?The image comes to us via Auckland Libraries Heritage collection 37-173 and may possibly have been taken by Henry Winkelmann.
It started off as a fishing boat for the working class man that became a cult classic – the mullet boat (aka the mullety). The mullet boat was developed in the 1860s for fishermen unused to the estuaries and tides of the Manukau and the Waitematā Harbours, to get their haul of fresh mullet, snapper or tarakihi back to Queens Wharf or Devonport as soon as possible. Included was a covered but cramped foredeck if the fishermen needed to spend a night out on the water.
By the early 1900s, the days of fishing for mullet on sailboat were coming to an end as steam powered boats took over, but sailing the mulleties as a pastime was booming. They competed for the Lipton Cup which was donated to the Ponsonby Cruising Club by Sir Thomas Lipton, who had raced in the America’s Cup five times but never won. In fact, the trophy itself was made by the same silversmith who made the America’s Cup, is New Zealand’s oldest yachting trophy, and is still raced today.
HAROLD KIDD INPUT – This is the 26ft mullet boat SPINDRIFT owned by H. Parker of Devonport in 1908. She was built at Devonport in 1904 by R.O. Farquhar. Later went north (Whangaruru, Whisk Martinengo thought) and wrecked.
The Best Sub 35’ Owen Woolley – AWARIKI – Now Offered 4sale At Reduced Price One of the best presented woodys 4sale with the Wooden Boat Bureau is the 32’ Owen Woolley built launch – AWARIKI Link below to more details and photos/
WBB has been advised that her owner wants her sold asap and has agreed to a significant price reduction – NOW $48,000 ono
Back in August 2019 we reported on the 32’ Alan Williams designed / built launch – KOTUKU and her refit happening at Gulf Harbour – link below WW August 2019 Story https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/08/29/kotuku-2/
Then in Feb 2023 KOTUKU was a casualty of Cyclone Gabrielle, while moored in Wyuna Bay in Coromandel. She broke her mooring and was swept ashore in 160kph winds. KOTUKU was salvaged and taken to the Coromandel hardstand, composite photos above.
Fast forward to March 2024 and Rod and Karyn Klarwill while cruising the Coromandel area discovered the vessel and acquired / rescued her. Yesterday WW was advised that KOTUKU had been relocated to Gulf Harbour where her new owners are busy working carrying out repairs and installing a replacement engine. She will then make her home in Matauwhai Bay in the Bay of Islands under the ownership of the builder’s great nephew, Karl Takle. Photo below ex Gulf Harbour 2019
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