Category Archives: 32′>34′

Manuia – Back On The Waitemata

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MANUIA BACK ON THE WAITEMATA

Very happy to be able to confirm that – Manuia, the 32’, Joe Slattery designed and 1928 built launch has made the shift from the Bay of Islands and is now back in Auckland. 

Her new owners have classic woody blue blood in their veins so no-doubt over time she will be tickled up to the standard a Slattery launch deserves. Her last owner, sadly had declining health, so there is some deferred maintenance to address. 

A few years ago Manuia had a heart transplant and now sports a 100hp Yanmar 4JH3-HT6 that I’m sure pushes her along at a good clip.

CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCHES 4SALE

CLICK TO READ > VIEW MORE https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/10/17/buying-or-selling-a-classic-boat/

Robyn Gae – SOS

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ROBYN GAE – SOS

I was out west Auckland on Sunday and dropped into the Te Atatu Boating Club yard for a nosy. Sad to see that the rather pretty x1934, Cox & Filmer built launch Robyn Gas is still hauled out and looking for a new owner. Given the 4sale sign points people to the yard office, I would suspect its being sold to re-coup yard fees. 

There appears to be some ‘average’ hull work done to her, but at $6k, its a very low entry to a worthwhile project. Surely someone will step up and take her own. Make the TBC an offer, you might be surprised.

For no fault of her own other than bad timings, the boat has been crying out for a passionate woody owner for a number of years – see previous WW stories below.

2015 https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/09/10/robyn-gae/

2016 https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/08/06/water-gipsy-connie-v-robyn-gae/

2017 https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/09/10/a-lot-of-boat-for-not-a-lot-of-money/

Bill Couldrey And His Boats – Help Wanted

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BILL COULDREY AND HIS BOATS – Help Wanted

Book author and publisher – Jenni Mence (she will hate me using that intro, but its true) whose last book was the uber cool – ‘K CLASS – The Hauraki Gulf’s Iconic Racer Cruiser’, has committed to another mammoth publication. This time focusing on the Arnold Francis (Bill) Couldrey design and boat building bloodline.

Currently in the final research phase, Jenni has called out to WW readers for help identifying the boats and discovering / confirming things like –  the boats built and when, the current owner and/or anyone (owner or otherwise) who has a story to tell about the boat. Jenni would also love to talk to anyone who has memories of Bill himself.One has to assume many of the boats won’t have lasted the distance, however there may still be stories or family photos hanging around of them.
To help keep things semi organised we have broken it into loose categories

MULLET BOATS / 18 FOOTERS & SAILING DINGHIES

# Athena # Shamrock # Hawke # Limerick # Mamaru # Surprise 

# Desdemona # Lanai # Freedom # Nancye # Sonoma # Salome 

# Tamarus # Gay # Maui # Nudger # Kea # Mawera. 

YACHTS

# Gayleen # Awatere # Tarawai # Ocean Phoenix

LAUNCHES

# Pirimanu # Kereru # Cleone # Manunui # Reremoana # Tirimoana # Lisa Ann

# Rag Doll # Natalie # Cabaletta (may have previously been called Latitude) # Deborah Ann

Any further information anyone has on any of these boats – or other Couldrey boats we may not yet have identified would be really appreciated. 

As a reward for your input, everyone that helps out will go into the draw for a copy of Jenni’s K CLASS book + the best photograph submitted (judged by Alan H) also goes into a draw for a another copy of the book. Thats 2 Copies To Be Won. Draw Close off date is August 1st – just in time for Father’s Day

Initial Contact To Jenni Mence at jennimence@gmail.com

Dorina – Almost free to a good home

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DORINA – Almost free to a good home

Now if that names rings a bell that is because the launch Dorina has been an SOS on WW before, check out the story below – its a doozy  https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/04/30/mystery-project-launch-2/

Yesterday a WW follower sent me the images above and the message – a project for winter ? After all its been thru, it deserves another chance.

Sorry don’t have a contact – but I would suggest a call to the Te Atatu Boating Club would help find the owner 😉

Kathleen II

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KATHLEEN II

Todays 32’ woody – Kathleen II was built be Salthouse c.1970 and is powered by twin 90hp Nissan BD30 diesels that give her a 11>14knots.

She has popped up on tme as a project boat requiring some TLC, there are no interior photos so suspect that is where the TLC is required 🙂

At the right price and with a good eye for detail Kathleen II could be a nice family woody cruiser.

The Relaunch of Quest

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THE RELAUNCH OF QUEST

The last we heard of the Roger Carey 1959 built woody – Quest was back in August 2020 in a report from John Gander who being prompt by a WW story on Quest II, sent in photos dated 2008 of Quest berthed at Waikawa Marina, Picton. In these 2000 photos she looked very smart. Sadly John also included a photo taken in 2013 of her hauled out in Picton looking very un-loved and her planks crying out for a life afloat again.

View details and photos at this WW link https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/08/19/quest/

Then yesterday Bay of Islands woody Dean Wright sent in the above photos taken on Monday. Dean had been at Waipapa Landing, Northland to see Quest being put back in the water after a huge amount of work by owners Eric and Win Sanderson to get her back in the water again after spending so long on the hard in Picton. In my eyes there is a lot to like about this boat – while she started life as Roger Carey’s private boat, she was later sold and converted to a work-boat. She measures 33’ x 9’9” x 4’6”, has a canoe stern and best of all down below is a Gardner 5LW 🙂 Mondays splash was brief to check a few systems and caulking, we look forward to getting a peek-down-below when she is finally ship-shape.

You have to love the EBH (Exclusive Boat Haulage – JJ & Shelley ) rig, that is the way to transport your pride and joy 🙂

PESCADOR – A Peek Down Below

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PESCADOR – A Peek Down Below

The 33’ John Lidgard designed and 1968 built woody – Pescador, has appeared twice before on WW, links below to the stories – lots of details / history on her in the first link.

A Ford 120hp 6cyl. diesel gets her along at a comfortable 9 knots.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/12/13/pescador-in-the-late-1980s/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/12/01/pescador-a-southern-woody/

Now thanks to tme we get to have a peak down below.

Classic Boat – Barn Find

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Classic Boat – Barn Find

The launch – Oscar according to her tme listing was built in 1970 by Sam Ford, which I suspect is wrong – Sam would have been a very old man at that stage – maybe it was built then to an old SF design.

All that aside Oscar could be the project boat buy of the year – last I looked the reserve had been meet at $11, yes eleven.

She is approx. 34.5’ in length, double skin diagonal kauri and powered by a 165hp Perkins.

The tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) states – Oscar has been neglected for the past several years, languishing unused on a mooring, she’s in need of loads of TLC to bring her back to her prime. She recently developed a leak, we haven’t identified where it’s coming in.

Currently on the hard at Pier 21, Westhaven. Sold As-Is, Where-Is, the new owner to take delivery within three days of auction ending.

22-12-2023 INPUT EX STEPHEN FORD – Sam, my grandfather did infact start the build on Oscar origonally  SHIMCA , from memory hull, decks and combings, but due to his death my father Trevor Ford , Sam’s son quit his job and completed the build of Shimca at Sam’s yard and resedence 12,Arthur’s  st Ellerslie for the owners Hugh & Inness? Abbot hence the name Shimca , Samual,Hugh, Iness M??? Abbot. I don’t know the year she was built but I remember I was at high school 4th form I think when Sam passed and I was born in 1952. Unfortunately my father passed away 10 years ago and a lot of history went with him whilst I know a few things about the build if anyone wanted to know, I do know she Oscar is at masden cove having some mechanicals sorted

I

Chamberlains Bay Classic Launches  – Golden Hour

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Bottom end of Waiheke Island
Chamberlains Bay
Summer Wine
Sea Fever
Tuna
Isle of Arran
Awariki
Lucille
Summer Wine & Takahoa

Chamberlains Bay Classic Launches  – Golden Hour

The truely talented boating photographers talk about the ‘golden hour’, the period just before sunset and just after dawn. Rarely in a bay is it an hour, sometimes it is 10>15 minutes before the sun disappears behind the hills or clouds.

On the Thursday before Easter, this average photographer (me) arrived in Chamberlains Bay, Ponui Island at just the right time and captured some special photos of the woody launches gathering for the Woody Classics Weekend cruise the next day up the Waihou River to Paeroa.

Ariana At The Paeroa Maritime Museum & Park

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Ariana At The Paeroa Maritime Museum & Park

Following on from yesterdays story on the weekends journey to and from the Paeroa Maritime Museum & Park, today we shine the light on one of the coolest attractions at the Museum.

The classic wooden 34’ launch Ariana , under the command of skipper and tour guide – Peter Vandersloot, takes passengers from the Museums dock to the town dock in the centre of Paeroa township. The journey takes approx. 55 minutes and passengers normally do the return journey via bus – the trip is very tide dependent, so always check in advance re sailings.

I recommend the ride, for me it was the highlight of the weekend, and we were treated to a good old school – morning tea at the RSA, just so good 🙂

Read more on the trip and the other vessels servicing the route at the link below

https://historicalmaritimepark.co.nz/park-services/river-cruises/

Ariana was built by Lane Brothers in Auckland’s Judges Bay in 1923, more about her provenance at the link above.