Category Archives: 32′>34′

2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH PARADE 130+ PHOTOS 

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My GIRL
MEOLA
Launch Parade

2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH PARADE 130+ PHOTOS 

As regular readers of the waitematawoodys site know the last weekend of January is always a biggie on the wooden boating calendar. The Mahurangi Cruising Club year-on-year pull off the biggest wooden boating event in New Zealand – {the} Mahurangi Regatta. If you type that into the WW search box your day will be ruined – hundreds of classic wooden boating photos.

I’ll apologise upfront for the lack of sailing photos – these days there are a lot of other happy-snappers recording the racing – when and if I get photos or links, I’ll add them to the story. 

It was a sub 24hr up and back trip to Mahurangi – I had an important family event that I have been dodging for years, and this year the message was – “be here” 🙂

I came away from Mahurangi feeling very upbeat for the health of the classic wooden motor boat movement – there was in excess of 50 classic woodys in the Mahurangi Harbour and from that fleet 32 skippers participated in the classic woody launch parade. A record turnout, so I say thank you those that took part and specially those that dressed their craft.

I was particularly heartened to see the return of several craft that had drifted away from the scene due to relocations, long tern refits and frustration with the community. Of note was Florance Dawn, Kumi and Raiona.

People linked to the supposedly organisation of the the parade (I’m not talking about the MCC) need to wake up to the contribution that the classic launches make to the event – 50+ craft is a mighty powerful visual vista. So fingers crossed the housekeeping improves to ensure the loyalist keep turning up.

After the speed bumps at the start, the parade got underway and a good time was had by the skippers, crews and spectators afloat and ashore at Sullivans Bay.

Enjoy the gallery of photos – some (most) boats appear twice, some I’m sure missed the camera, can’t be everywhere:-) Thanks to Steve Horsley for the photo of Raindance and Murray Deeble for the race start photo.

As always click on photos to enlarge 😉

A reward – first woody to tell me which boat in the above photos has the largest WW flag – wins a normal size WW burgee – enter at waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Bay of Islands Summer Mooching + Anniversary Weekend Cruising 

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RANONI
ENTERPRIZE
ARETHUSA
IORANGI
ALOFA
VALHALLA
RAMPAGE

Bay of Islands Summer Mooching + Anniversary Weekend Cruising 

Todays gallery of classic wooden craft comes to us from the camera of Dean Wright, taken while he was cruising the bay on his woody – Arethusa.

From top to bottom the craft are:

• Ranoni – Army Bay

• Enterprise – Opunga Cove

• Arohanui – steaming past Cable Bay, Urupukapuka

• Arethusa – Whangamumu

• The Logan yacht – Iorangi – Whangamumu

• Alofa – Whangamumu

• Valhalla – Whangamumu

• Rampage – Whangmumu – an early 2000’s Robertson Boats sedan launch ( lengthened and repainted)

• Mary of York – Ben Tomb’s leeboarder

2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – Classic Launch Parade & Sunday Gathering At KAWAU ISLAND 

The countdown is on for one of the worlds best and biggest classic wooden boating events, the Mahurangi Regatta, organised by the Mahurangi Cruising Club.

Sadly due to the freakish weather the 2023 regatta was cancelled, but plans are in place to make 2024 on-the-water and ashore at Scotts Landing bigger and better.

The Classic Wooden Launch Parade is one of the highlights of the weekends activities – followed later in the day by a serious ‘old school’ boaty BBQ ashore at Scott’s – including a massive marquee for the 20 piece dance band.

 On the Sunday, most woody launch skippers head to KAWAU ISLAND and the plan is to gather later in the day for a few sun-downers at the newly refurbished Kawau Boating Club.

WOODY BAY LIVING UP TO ITS REPUTATION AS A WOODYS MAGNET

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Centaurus
Rehia
Waimiga
Waiari

WOODY BAY LIVING UP TO ITS REPUTATION AS A WOODYS MAGNET

Todays photos came to us ex Angus Rogers, aboard Centaurus while anchored in Woody Bay, RAKINO ISLAND.                                  Its a stunning location and no doubt the world famous on WW wood fired pizza at the Woody Bay Pizzeria help attract such an impressive collection of classic wooden launches.

Above from top to bottom we have  Centaurus (1967/8 Bailey & Sons) > Rehia (1939 Colin Wild) > Waimiga (1968 Chris Robertson)  > and Waiari (1962 Owen Woolley).

Input From Joe Telford aboard – Rehia – the rather large, majestic Lidard – Ngaro underway and the ex whale chaser Primadonna at anchor in Woody Bay.

Primadonna

YESTERDAYS MYSTERY LAUNCH QUIZ WINNER IS – Darrin Kennedy. In fact the only one that got both the launch name and location correct. Launch is the 1949 Lidgard built – Kiwitea. Seen in the photo being relaunched at Stillwater Boating Club, after her recent re-power. Well done Darrin 🙂

EMAIL – jasep@me.com

CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISING THE HAURAKI GULF – SUMMER 2023/24

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CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISING THE HAURAKI GULF – SUMMER 2023/24

Now todays post is the one you have been waiting on – the classic wooden (mostly) craft that I spotted around the Hauraki Gulf over the Dec 27 > Jan 5th period.

Probably the best turn out of woodys that I have seen – seems it just wasn’t me suffering from cabin fever 🙂

As always some photos are good, some not so good – direction of sun and distance dictates that. Mostly I’m taking photos as a visual account.

Enjoy the gallery – broken into locations – I have endeavoured to list the craft in the tagged section.

AS ALWAYS CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

If you have any good photos, send them in to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

RAKINO ISLAND

KAWAU ISLAND

WAIHEKE ISLAND

OUT & ABOUT – on route

Sir Francis & A Cool Family Idea

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SIR FRANCIS 

During the week Paul Drake commented that every year he produces a family calendar for circulation amongst my family – brothers, children, nieces and nephews. What a cool idea 🙂

All family birthdays are included. Every year the birthday list grows longer.  Paul said it takes a bit of work, but it serves to keep family connected, and it pleases him to know that the calendar hangs on walls in England, Austria, and Australia, as well as in New Zealand. 

Every year I choose a photo of one of the familiesboats, for the calendar, this year it features SIR FRANCIS, a photo from the 1980’s, homeward bound on Lake Taupo. Paul brother Michael is on the helm, and out of sight in the cockpit is their mother. Looking at the phot you would think that SIR FrANCIS had just rounded one of the headlands on the east coast of the North Island, a great reminder that Lake Taupo can get little gnarly.

SIR FRANCIS has made several appearances on WW before and is of course is a 1916 Collings and Bell built launch. 

Paul remembers that as children, the brothers all thought that any vessel which was not Collings and Bell was rubbish! These days they are not so blinkered 🙂

I’m back on dry land now after 9 days mooching around the gulf – lots of woodys out and about – big story on Monday. Talking of big – the beast below was anchored in Bon Accord, Kawau Island on New Years Eve – the tender was approx. 48’ 

Wainui – A Peek Down Below

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WAINUI – A Peek Down Below

The 32’ launch – Wainui last appeared on WW back in Sept. 2015, link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/09/30/wainui/

Now thanks to a tme listing (via Ian McDonald we get to have a gander down below.

Quick overview – built in c.1960 and powered by a Ford 60hp diesel engine.

Current home is Monks Bay, Christchurch.

Three Of Our Best Classic Wooden Launches 

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Three Of Our Best Classic Wooden Launches 

Post the Slipway Milford’s year end bbq the yard kicked into gear as three of our finest classic launches arrived / left the creek – Gay Dawn (ex MCC Slip) after a Jason Prew Paint Job, Tasman after some TLC – or as Russell Ward says – in for a shave and some war paint. Then Rehia also for a shave and a very fast head replacement . Not often we see three lookers in one spot. 

Talking of spots, check out the photo below – someone really needed a pair of disposable overalls 🙂

Way too much eating yesterday, but we never learn.Santa did find me, but i now need a bigger boat.

WAIONE – LATE 1960’S

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WAIONE – LATE 1960’S

Todays photo of the 32’ launch – Waione was sent in by Neil Cummings, whose parents owned her in the late 1960’s , in the photo Neil is seen with his older sister, at the time Neil was aged 4>5 years old.

Harold Kidd has previously commented on WW that she may have been built by Joe Wheeler, in Bayswater c.1970.

Waione has made many appearance of the WW site, a lot linked to my ‘recent’ restoration. The link below will take you to a summary go Waione stories.

https://waitematawoodys.com/?s=Waione&submit=Search

In the 2022 photos below we see her first at the Mahurangi Regatta and then again in November at Kawau Island.

The fat man in the red suit is scheduled to make an appearance tonight – remember to leave out a piece of Christmas Cake, a glass of whisky and a carrot. 

RAWHITI I

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RAWHITI I

Todays woody photo was sent in by Peter Radford who spotted the photo on his sister-in-laws wall, sadly no comments/ notes on the back. 

Recently another woody – John Dawson sent in the bottom photo with the comments that he believed the 32’ Rawhiti I  was built c.1905 by Bailey & Lowe for Caesar Roose of Mercer. 

Started life as a ferry. What became of her after that is a blank to WW.

As you would expect of anything that came out of the Bailey & Lowe shed, she has wonderful lines. The small cabin ‘fits’ perfectly. Very unpractical but as designer William Atkin once said – ‘lack of headroom is one of the least objectionable features a small boat can have’ 🙂

21-12-2023 INPUT ex RAY MOREY – In both of those photo’s Caesar’s baby sister Mary is fourth from the bow of the young girls. This was a picnic outing to what was called “The Rocks” at Pukekawa and later the site of Smeed’s Quarry”. Somewhere I have the complete list of all on board, included is the local P.C. plod. That launch was later sold to Walter Dwenn, Ceasar’s wharfinger at Port Waikato and when in season he was a whitebait buyer, the launch was renamed “Seagull and he sold to the cannery at Tikorahi, up towards The Elbow. After Walter passes away his son Sammy sold it but I don’t know where she went. This was about the very early 50’s. I have a photo somewhere of her alongside the LST when she came in to Port Waikato

22-12-2023 Photo below ex Ray M. of Rawhiti in later life. As mentioned above, called “Seagull” a play on words, Walter was a whitebait buyer in season and seagulls like whitebait too.

TAIHO II – A Peek Down Below

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TAIHO II – A Peek Down Below

Todays woody is somewhat of an unknown boat – the only time I have seen her out and about was back in November 2022 at our ‘Woodys Beach Picnic’ at Motuihe Island, the top photo is from that outing. Todays photos come to us for a tme me listing, spotted by Ian McDonald.

What we know about the 34’4” Taiho II is the she was built in 1968 by Shipbuilders using double diagonal kauri.  Power is via a 150hp Ford D-Series turbo Diesel engine that gives her a 7>8 knot cruising speed.

Back in 2020 she underwent something of a re-birth and her interior is now very modern in layout and build – but as they say each to their own. Certainly well spec’ed in terms of home comforts.

Personally I’d lose the batwing which doesn’t appear to do anything other than be a mounting spot for the anchor light.

Do we know anything about her early days.

INPUT BELOW (press clipping) ex Nathan Herbert

Heading To The Bay of Islands This Summer – – circle Jan 6th 2024 in the diary for the Tall Ships Regatta , hosted by the Russell Boating Club it is always a dozy of an event.See below – more details at russellboatingclub.org.nz