Category Archives: 32′>34′

A CLASSIC BOATING VENUE LOST FOREVER

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A CLASSIC BOATING VENUE LOST FOREVER

During the week the  media have been flagging the sale of the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron Kawau Island property (Lidgard House and property”) to Ngati Manuhiri. I have no issue with who bought it and I’m not going to enter into the debate around whether the property will be visually and physically respected by its new owner. 

What concerns me is the loss of access to a resource that all boat owners had access to. Sure the RNZYS owned it, but no one ever stopped a boat owner stretching their legs or exercising the family dog. And if you were a squadron member, you had access to an all tide wharf/pontoon where you could tie up the dinghy. 

If you think it will be business as normal re access, you are wrong. I quote from the RNZYS advice to members –  “In recognition of the Squadron’s long stewardship of the property, Ngati Manuhiri has warmly invited RNZYS to continue to enjoy use of the beachfront, jetty, pontoon and lawn area TWICE annually….. for an initial period of 20 years”.

Sadly I suspect the real loser from this sale will be the Kawau Boating Club, there will be fewer ‘walk up’ customers frequenting the club and less fuel sales. The only winner out of all this is Waiheke Island retailers, and when you factor in high fuel costs – I predict boats will be dropping anchor closer to home this summer. 

NORTHWIND – NOT LONG OF THIS WORLD

The 33’ wooden motorsailer NORTHWIND is very close to an appointment with a back hoe. In the words of the wellington Harbour Master – “this is a serious project for a classic boat and not for the faint hearted” – that would be the understatement of the year.

In my eyes probably best viewed as a donor boat for someone wanting some fittings. Searchable on tme. (thanks Ian McDonald)

ATHOL BURNS CLASSIC MOTOR-SAILER – TEIGENES + Sea Scout Hall Needs Your Help

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ATHOL BURNS CLASSIC MOTOR-SAILER – TEIGENES

Back in Oct 2019 we featured the 1956, Athol Burns designed 32’ motor-sailer – TEIGENES on WW. https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/10/14/teigenes/

At the time she was looking for a new owner on tme. She sat on a marina berth at Westhaven for a longtime with a forsake sign on her. I past her whenever I was on-route to a couple of woody launches that the Wooden Boat Bureau were selling on the same dock.

She then disappeared so I assumed she sold. Fast forward to the weekend and we are doing the Sunday morning waterfront dog walk and I spotted TEIGENES hauled out at the Devonport Yacht Club.

At a glance she is overdue some TLC -fingers crossed thatswhy she is hauled out :-).

(2019 photos below)

MORE DEVONPORT NEWS

One of Aucklands coolest waterfront abodes is the Calliope Sea Scouts hall, the building is perched over the sea front and just like our craft is always in need of constant maintenance – the crew that look after the hall are seeking help via a fund raising campaign – see below for details.

WHY DO SOME WOODEN BOATS NOT SELL – MARAMA

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WHY DO SOME WOODEN BOATS NOT SELL – MARAMA

Short answer because the owners are just lazy – take todays 1927 built double-ender 33’ classic wooden boat currently on tme, one photo and the copy below –

“Boat and mooring in Oamaru. Fordson major engine parsons3/1 gearbox. Needs some ribs replaced ( freshwater damage) also comes with 8 meters of brand new 60mm thick heatproof waterproof sound deadening for a new engine cover ( cost me $2000 ) Good wee sea boat. Time for someone else to give it some love. $1 reserve”

OK – there is no reserve and a starting bid of $1, but seriously you’d be better off giving it away.

I hope she finds a new owner, the bones are there of a smart woody.

REMINDER – TOMORROWS BOAT BOOT SALE – 10am – details below – BRING CASH 🙂 PLENTY OF ROOM

CLASSIC MYSTERY WOODEN LAUNCH + Boat Boot Sale RSVP – SURF

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CLASSIC MYSTERY WOODEN LAUNCH – + Boat Boot Sale RSVP – SURF

Today classic wooden launch photo is from Robyn Kellian via Tobias Forsyth so we can safely assume the location is the Leigh region.  No names to help us but thats a very distinctive side profile so I’m sure we will get a positive ID from the readers.

In the photo she looks quite big (40’) until you factor in the child on the fore deck and the gent in the cockpit – so maybe 32-34’.

10-08-2026 INPUT ex HAROLD KIDD – SURF was built in late 1916 by W. R. Dawson who owned her until 1927 . Fred Woolley of Auckland bought her in 1930. She was 32′ loa and was fitted originally with a 25hp Wisconsin which probably developed about 80bhp. She may have spent a season gamefishing out of Whangaroa in 1927 run by Kent.


LESS THAN A WEEK TILL THE WOODYS BOAT BOOT SALE AT THE SLIPWAY MILFORDIF YOU’RE WANTING SPACE TO SELL YOUR TREASURE  – BOOK NOW. Email waitematawoodys@gmail.com

THE BEST BOAT RESTORATION TOOL IS OFTEN A SHARP PAINT SCRAPER 

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THE BEST BOAT RESTORATION TOOL IS OFTEN A SHARP PAINT SCRAPER 

At first glance todays classic wooden launch would scare most off but the last photo shows that beneath all that old paint lies a nice woody. Her seller on tme is open to offers so this could be a great winter (or winters…) project.

What we are told – built in 1929 by Lidgard , she measures 31’6” and has been dry stored for a period.Her interior has been removed, as has the engine – so a blank canvas.

Anyone know the name of the vessel.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – NGATEA

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – NGATEA

WW was contacted earlier in the week by Bob and Lea advising they were the ’new-ish’ owner of NGATEA, the 1909 built 31’ carvel kauri planked launch.

Her builder is unknown but there has been speculation that she might be by Collings & Bell.Built for the Works Department (which helps the C&B story, as they did a lot of work for the Works Dept and the Navy) for use on the Hauraki drainage scheme

Currently powered by a Yanmar 3cyl diesel 30vhp. 

Approximate owner dates – Lands and Survey Dept from 1909 > c.1923. Kapiti Island rangers boat for nearly half a century 1923 > 1973. R Saunders 1973 > 2008. Alan Codyre 2008 > 2026. And now Bob and Lea.  While operating as the Kapiti Island rangers boat she was used for mail and supply runs, and also for sea rescues up as far as Whanganui. Reg Saunders purchased her after she broke her mooring at Kapiti Island and was grounded suffering damage to its stern. Reg faithfully rebuilt her, which is probably why she remains in such great condition to this day,

Bob is yet to discover whether the cabin was modified at that time. Bob has given NGATEA a topsides repaint over the past 7 weeks while on the slip.                                                              

While NGATEA currently remains on her mooring in Ivey Bay, Wellington, later this year she will move to the Marlborough Sounds and be housed there.

13-07-2026 Update

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1JRYJByZx1/?mibextid=wwXIfr

SOUTHERN SEAS – A Peek Down Below    

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SOUTHERN SEAS – A Peek Down Below    

The 34’ classic wooden launch SOUTHERN SEAS was launched c.1966, most likely built to a Shipbuilders ‘kit boat’ design. Her hull is triple planked kauri (f/glassed over).

She last appeared on WW back in April 2014 – link here –  https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/04/04/6728/ at the time we only saw her hauled out at Gulf Harbour Marina.

Back in Sept 2025 she came on the market, and thanks to Ian McDonald we get to have a peak down below. The photos are a good example of a seller not maximising the vessels features eg most photos are very cluttered with items that should be removed, but its their boat, their money.

Back in 2014 she was powered by a Lees Ford 6cyl. engine, but was re-powered in 2018 with a Ford D Series (2nd hand).

Do we know what became of SOUTHERN SEAS. 

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ARAB

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ARAB

The  32’ Collings & Bell built (1913) launch ARAB has appeared several times on WW, but today thanks to John Dawson recovering from a unplanned hospital visit and having to rest up, we get to share some perviously unseen on WW photos of ARAB.

Most of the photos are from the McLeod collection at the Auckland Libraries heritage section.

In the first two photos we see ARAB moored at unidentified road bridge c.1910/19.

In the third photo we have ARAB on the left and a launch identified by it’s commercial number – A.K.719 in the centre. The location is Te Kouma Harbour. 

The last photo is also from TE Korma and dated c.1910/19.

The b/w photo below is dated early 1900’s .

1908 CLASSIC WORKBOAT WOODYS PICNIC

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1908 CLASSIC WORKBOAT WOODYS PICNIC

Todays woody photograph was taken by A. J. Watson and originally published in the Auckland Weekly News in February 1908.

The photo captures the Thames fishing fleet departing for a community picnic ‘up the river’, which usually refers to a trip toward Kopu or further up the Waihou River, a common tradition for the local heritage groups and fishing families to celebrate a successful season.

While the full names of every vessel in the 1908 fleet are not all documented in a single public list, we can identify several based on the registration numbers visible in the high-resolution original:

Identified Vessels

T 547 (Left): This is the DREADNOUGHT. It was a well-known launch in the Thames fleet during this era.

TS 35 (Right, background): This vessel is the VIKING The “TS” prefix was common for Thames-based sailing or auxiliary vessels.

T 514 (Right, foreground): This is the MIZPAH. 

 Historical Context- The fleet shown here represents the early motorisation of the Thames fishing industry. At this time, many of these launches were owned by local families (such as the Judd, Maxwell, or Mears families) or by the growing Dalmatian fishing community that revolutionised the Hauraki Gulf fishing trade.

(photo ex Toby Hyman)

FRIDAY FLASH BACK  – CLASSIC WOODY BOATING CLUB  

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FRIDAY FLASH BACK  – CLASSIC WOODY BOATING CLUB LIFE 

Todays woody story comes to us from the Shelly Park Cruising Club (East Auckland) via woody owner James Dreyer (MV LAUGHING LADY) . James sent in the above video that was pulled together by one of the club members from the clubs archives and with the help of AI (image retouching and historical data input) we get to have a flash back to how the boating club scene snowballed in the 1970’s > early 1980’s.

After the first minute we get to see some amazing craft, a lot of which are still very active in the classic wooden boating movement today.

The film is less than 5 minutes so make yourself a cup of your poison and sit back and enjoy the film.