Category Archives: 32′>34′

CHRISTMAS 2025 – NEW YEAR 2026 CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISE 

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CHRISTMAS 2025 – NEW YEAR 2026 CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISE 

I have talked previously about the weather that we all experienced at the start of the annual cruise, so I’ll skip that other than to quote Billy Connolly – “ There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes”.

Life on a small launch with a wife, dog and a paddle board can be challenging – normally takes us 2>3 days to get used to living in close proximity, but we have managed this for 18+ years. The bad weather days / nights that include having to take the pooch ashore for a pee in 40+ knots at 6am are quickly replaced with good food, good books and good booze 🙂 One of the positives of evil weather forecasts is low boat numbers, when things improved and we moved to Oneroa for a supply stop, the only other craft in the bay was a yacht and that was ‘washed up’ on the beach.

Today is a bit of a photo bomb from the 10 days  – anchorages visited, food, boats we saw, boats we nearly bumped into and general good times afloat. 

Hopefully the lucky ones are still out there enjoying the weather.

ps check out the woody champagne flute in the last photo – I have the bug bad 🙂

CLASSIC WOODEN BOATS ENJOYING SUMMER CRUISING

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THETIS – HAURAKI GULF
GAY DAWN – HAURAKI GULF
ROA -HAURAKI GULF
WAIARI – HAURAKI GULF
AOTEAROA – HAURAKI GULF
JUANITE & MARINUS – Oneroa
ARETHUSA – BOI
KOROWAI – BOI
POSEIDON – BOI
KAIKOURA – BOI
SOUTH SEAS – BOI
RATBAG – BOI

CLASSIC WOODEN BOATS ENJOYING SUMMER CRUISING

Over the 2025/26 xmas / new year period a couple of woodys have been sending in photos of classic craft that they have seen out and about. Angus Rogers onboard the motor launch CENTAURUS has been mooching around the Coromandel / Bottom End of Waiheke Island and Murray Deeble on his Townson yacht MORGANA in the Bay of Islands. 

The evil weather we had around the 27th >31st keep a lot of boats in the marina and those out were not moving around much . Angus recorded winds of 68 knots in Te Kouma at anchor. 

Quite a few washed ashore and sales of SaltAway will be high this month with a lot of dinghies / outboards flipped over in the high winds. 

PHOTO BELOW FROM ABOARD CENTAURUS

BAY OF ISLANDS – RUSSELL  – CLASSIC LAUNCH PARADE

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VIDEO EX IAN HOLT

https://www.facebook.com/groups/316224205161973/permalink/25652234717800906/?mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=KPLPuWDP0YaaYW1o#

BAY OF ISLANDS – RUSSELL  – CLASSIC LAUNCH PARADE

Yesterday (Friday 9th) saw a group of woody classic boat owners participate in a parade of classic craft as part of the Russell Boating Club – Tall Ships Regatta weekend.

Great turn out with an even mix of launches, ex game boats and ex work boats, looked like perfect conditions and a great time by all. 

Part of the event was a log rally which my spies tell me was a tad too long and my lips are sealed but maybe a few skippers may have been using the smart phones for more tha just phone calls……..

Photos thanks to Hilton Ward onboard SPINDRIFT.  (as always click on photos to enlarge)

Today (Saturday) will be a biggie on the water with the running of the 50th Tall Ships Sailing Regatta.

WINNERS ARE GRINNERS – The winner of the log rally was the Owen Woolley built launch – KORAWAI, owned by Tania and Matt Cooper. Photo below of Matt (R) and cabin boy Grant Gibbs. I suspect they won it fair and square – I know both well and both are luddites when it comes to technology 🙂

12-01-2026 UPDATE BELOW – ex Margo & Jamie Hudson

CLASSIC WORKBOAT – MARILYN – STILL AROUND?

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CLASSIC WORKBOAT – MARILYN – STILL AROUND?

Todays woody is the 34’6” fishing boat MARILYN, built in 1959 by her owner Thomas Clements. Details below.

Question of the day – is she still afloat and if so where and in what condition.

Photos ex Sea Spray magazine c.1960 via Ken Ricketts

CLASSIC LAUNCH – STERLING – Can We Help Out

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CLASSIC LAUNCH – STERLING – Can We Help Out

Todays woody – STERLING was built by Ernie Lane in Picton and launched in 1925. Lots of details and photos in this April 2019 WW story – link here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/04/03/sterling-2/

Last week WW was contacted by STERLING’s owner who advised they were in the process of getting her back up to speed for her 100th next year. They commented that with the help of a tame boat builder, they have removed the dodgy timber and replaced with good Northland Kauri, pulled the engine out and given it an overhaul, reconfigured the main cabin and will replace the very agricultural duck board and raise and reconfigure the aft cabin. Along with a full rewiring, she should be good to go for a wee while. 

That’s all good news put they have a wee problem – in pulling out the old 6 cylinder Ford Lehman, it was discovered that the cast manifold is beyond repair and are reaching out to see if there are any woodys that might know know where they can get a replacement.

So question today is – can we help out, someone must have one in a shed somewhere.

CLASSIC LAUNCH – KARINA – FLASHBACK

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CLASSIC LAUNCH – KARINA – FLASHBACK

Back in Dec 2023 thanks to a tme listing we got to have gander down below on the 1959 Brin Wilson built launch – KARINA. Link to that story here – https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/12/11/karina-a-peek-down-below/

Today thanks to Ken Ricketts and Sea Spray magazine (June 1959) we get to see her as launched.

THE WINNER OF THE XMAS DAY CALENDAR QUIZ WAS DARRYLL HART – correct answer being Sir Frank Mappln

BEST NZ CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT OF THE YEAR -NGAIO

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4 months out and she was very thirsty

BEST NZ CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT OF THE YEAR – NGAIO

Hands down the winner of the best woody to make an appearance on WW in 2025 is Jan Barraclough’s , 1921 36’ Arch Logan built – NGAIO.

Yesterday she slipped back into the water at Milford Creek, Auckland after a 4+ month refit at the hands of master boat builder Paul Tingey .

Read / view the work-in-progress at these links.https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/11/15/classic-logan-launch-ngaio-heritage-refit-boat-yard-visit/ https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/10/08/heritage-refit-for-1921-logan-launch-ngaio/

Sadly her owner wasn’t there to see the event, but she will be reading WW today while sipping an Aperol  Spritz on the other side of the world 🙂

09-01-2026 UPDATE – It’s the little details that make all the difference. NGAIO’s wheel was just a tad too big, the boys at the Slipway Milford, dived into the treasure chest of old / good boating bits and refurbished a ‘new’ wheel – perfect ✓

It was a very busy morning at the Milford slipway – a total of 4 launches were re launched after getting some pre-xmas cruising TLC

The magnificent 48’ 1965 Lane Motor Boat Co. built  – AROHANUI

The L33 (Logan replica) – SEMELE 

And even a Pelin sneaks onto WW today – well it is xmas 😉

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – SUNBEAM FINDS A NEW HOME & THE WORK BEGINS

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – SUNBEAM FINDS A NEW HOME & THE WORK BEGINS

Back in June 2025 we draw WW readers attention to the 32’ classic wooden launch – SUNBEAM, built by Bailey & Lowe in 1901 and advised her then owner was seeking to find her next custodian. WW link to that story https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/06/15/classic-bailey-lowe-launch-needs-a-new-home/

Fast forward to earlier this week and WW was contacted by Garry Quayle who advised he had taken over custodianship on Sunbeam (3/10/2025). Garry sent in todays photos of the progress thus far. And even the tender is getting some TLC.

Garry commented that she is now moored in Portage and is much welcomed with interest by locals, Garry has also upgraded the solar system along with some overdue maintenance.

We understand she is a magnificent sea boat, Garry and crew got caught out in big swells on Big Bay when moving to Kenapuru Sound . There was white water across the bay but she handled it easy much better than her crew did 🙂

OMG – see below, sent in by one of the WW Hauraki Gulf spotters – how can his happen, who designs something like this and more importantly who buys it ………….

A NEW CLASSIC BOAT IS LAUNCHED – MALOLO 

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https://videopress.com/v/HNJxOisX?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true
THIRD TIME LUCKY 🙂
PROUD DESIGNER – NICK PEAL

A NEW CLASSIC BOAT IS LAUNCHED – MALOLO 

Today woodys you are seeing the future of classic motor boating, MALOLO is best described as a salon style launch, in America they call them Picnic boats.

Having had the privilege of being at the launch last week and getting up close to MALOLO I can report the future looks outstanding. 

Some facts –

• MALOLO was designed by Nick Peal and built at Wayne Olsen’s Horizon Boats yard.

• She is appprox 35’ (10.6m) in length and has a beam of 10.5’ (3.2m).

• Forward motion is from a Yanmar 315hp diesel naturally aspirated engine.

Her owner went to great length to keep her as low tech as possible but there is no shortage of systems to enhance the on-the-water experience.

Her name MALOLO means ‘Rest & Relax’ in Samoan.

Below is a snap shot gallery from the Horizon Boats yard.

Once MALOLO has had all her sea trials and gets thru the xmas / ny period we will revisit for more details.

Now a shout for Wayne Olsen and Horizon Boats – if you like what you see today, Wayne is ready to build one for you.  

1941- CLASSIC GAME BOAT BURNS TO THE WATERLINE

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1941- CLASSIC GAME BOAT BURNS TO THE WATERLINE

If I had run the headline ‘ Classic Launch VALHALLA Catches Fire’ Peter Busfield would have had a heart attach, so I toned it down 🙂

Todays photo was sent in by John Dawson and is ex the NZ Herald heritage collection.The image was tagged ‘March 1941 Otehei Bay, Bay of Islands. The 35’ fishing launch belonging to Mr L Blomfield VALHALLA destroyed by fire (burnt to the waterline)

The owner suffered burns and shock.
Do we know any more about this VALHALLA – builder, year built and was she rebuilt or scraped.

CANVAS CAPS – BLACK (white embroidered logo) – one size fits all – $42

COTTON T – SHIRTS  – DARK CHOCOLATE (white screen printed logo) – short sleeve only – – SIZES  > SML / MED / LRG / XL / 2XL – $39

Numbers are very limited so order now – just tell me what you want and I’ll confirm we can supply and send payment (+ postage) details. waitematawoodys@waitematawoodys