Earlier this year the 33’ launch – SKIPJACK made an appearance on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) at the time we were told that SKIPJACK was built in 1918 by Chas Bailey. During her life she has twice been ‘modified’ to create more headroom in the wheelhouse and cabin.
Forward motion is via a 80hp Ford Dover diesel engine that gets her along at a comfortable 7.5 knots.
SKIPJACK has had several home ports having spent time in Auckland and now calls Waikawa marina in Picton home.
The launch has made several appearances on WW, the most recent back in July 2019, link below, when she was relocating south (by road). In a previous life was was named SEA DEVIL. https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/07/26/skipjack-sea-devil/
If we believe her tme story, the classic wooden launch – MAXIE, was built in 1903 by Logan Bros in Auckland. That makes her royalty in the NZ classic boating world – with a starting bid of $10k, someone needs to snap her up quick. Home is Lake Taupo.
What we know from tme is she is 32’ in length, and powered by a 75hp Ford 2701E diesel engine.
Back in 1985 she had some serious work done which included a new engine, new deck and new cabin. The hull is double skin kauri and in sound condition as is the cabin structure. The deck as seen in the photos has rot and is leaking and in need of replacement.
So woodys who is going to step up and take over ownership of this blue blood classic Logan launch.
UPDATE – I asked Harold Kidd if MAXIE was the real deal – answer below “Yes it is. She was built as LIGAR for H H Harris of Pelorus but was sold to the Kennys at Picton then on to Wellington in the early 1920s renamed MAXIE. She was there for many years but has been on Taupo recently.She’s in the Logan book as unknown built for Harris in late 1903.”
INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – Photo below of MAXIE at Paremata Wellington not long after her rebuild and before coming to Taupo – in the 1980’s?
Todays story is stepping over the self imposed Berlin Wall of classic craft – you see FEATHER has DNA dating back to 1912 when the Arch Logan designed 33’ DOREEN and then fast forwarding to the early 2000’s when Eric Knight started making the L33 fibre-glass replicas off a mould of DOREEN.
The concept appealed to FEATHER’s owner but he commissioned some tweaks – like forward motion from a 4-stroke outboard and an awful lot of at the time wonder material – think carbon fibre. End result was the very special craft we see today.
In the USA there is a new word appearing at some of the classic regattas – its ‘GLASSIC’, and is used to describe craft that appear to be old, wooden, classic craft but are made from f/glass. In my eyes a classic is wooden and always will be.
I’m sure the fisheads that sit on the classic yacht association steering group will one day soon, in their hunger for dollars to fund their yacht races, tweak the membership criteria and allow GLASSICS to join up. Rest assured WW will stay pure 🙂
Back to FEATHER – after several weeks hauled out at the Slipway Milford getting some serious TLC that included a JPPJ* – she slipped down the railway slipway back into the Milford Creek on Thursday looking better than new. (*Jason Prew Paint Job) Photos & videos – Cam Malcolm, Jason Prew and Alan H)
Todays woody bridge-decker is only a classic because the seller choices to not record her name, nor builder (made not known). What we know is she is 32’ in length, has a beam of 8’3”, and draws just over 3’ and is built from kauri.
Forward motion is via a 4 cyl., 3.6L Fordson Major diesel engine.
Currently inWellington, previously Christchurch and Auckland before that. Given current tme bid of $1500 (reserve meet), could be a good buy given what appears to be a lot of worked / $$ done to her. (thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up)
Can we put a name to the vessel and maybe learn who built her and when.
FATHERS DAY SORTED FOR ANYONE WITH SALT IN THEIR VEINS
Rarely these days do I pick up a book and can not put it down – well it happened recently. I received an advance copy of Davey Jones just published book – ‘Davey Jones of Wakatahuri’ and its both a cracker read and an amazing account of his boating life and his interaction with the Wakatahuri region. Now I’m sure some of you will be asking yourself ‘ where is that?’ – well its in the outer Pelorus Sound at the top of the South Island, the Marlborough District (refer chart below). The area has been many things to many people – a fish factory, a boatyard, a ship breaking base and a community hub.
Davey Jones arrived at Wakatahuri as a young fisherman in 1956 and still lives there today , on and off when he’s not lapping NZ in his boat.
It’s an additive read that with the help of over 200 photographs will have you hooked.
And as a bonus – included is a reprint of an equally wonderful read -’Sounds Wrecking Co.’ by Martin Burthold.
So woodys drop a hint to the family re what you want for Fathers Day (Sept 7th) or just order one for yourself – $60+ p&p – all enquiries to daveyjonesofwakatahuri@gmail.com
AND I HAVE A COPY TO GIVE AWAY – just answer correctly the name of the vessel Davey Jones has most recently been lapping NZ on. Enter ONLY via email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com all correct entries go in the draw. Closes 6pm 17-08-2023.
AND THERE ALWAYS HAS TO BE A BOAT PHOTO – this is from Davey’s book and shows the work boat MARLBOROUGH PN47, in Picton Harbour c.1929, built by E R Lane. In the background are VALMARIE, at left, and Ernie Lane’s boat shed, the Picton Rowing Club sheds at right. The vessel under repair at Lane’s yard is a lighter from Port Robinson (Gore Bay)
Todays woody story features the 33’ Roy Parris designed and built (1978) classic launch – WAIKARO. Some history, I brokered the sale of WAIKARO to her current owners back in 2021. At the time she was a very practical classic sedan cruiser , that had been lucky to have good past owners and Geoff Bagnall as their boatbuilder.
Her new owners were newish to classic craft and over the next 4 years undertook a rolling restoration / refit – lots of system upgrades and corrected some deferred maintenance. Work included removal and full service of anchor windlass, replacement of 7 windows, with 8mm toughened, new engine mounts, exhaust, hull repaint, replacement of nav lights and wiring, fitting of bow thruster, new anchor chain & anchor and new Lawrence plotter/sounder.
But it didn’t stop there – with a lot of lobbying from myself and Jason Prew (Slipway Milford) WAIKARO’s coamings were taken back to bare wood and she got the Awlwood (Uroxsys) treatment + the additional of some shiny bronze bits. And that transformed WAIKARO into the striking craft we see today. See below photo of WAIKARO as purchased with painted coamings.
As per most of Roy Paris’s builds forward motion is via a 120hp Ford 2715, non-turbo. With her semi displacement hull, the 120hp sees her comfortably cruising at 9 knots, with a top speed of approx. 14 knots. Construction is carvel planked kauri. Her beam is just short of 10’ and she draws 3’3”. (Fits a 10.5m marina berth).
And woodys it is pretty obvious this is a 4sale story – WAIKARO is a family partnership boat and the crew are saying – ‘bigger, faster boat please’.
It Is easy for me to say this, but its true – rarely do boats of this standard and looks, come on the market. It is currently a buyers market, her owners have invested more than their purchase price on her, so someone will get a good buy. In summary WAIKARO is a timeless blend of elegance, craftsmanship and performance.
Interested parties to initial connect waitematawoodys@gmail to arrange an inspection.
The photo above of the wooden launch – CHLOE was sent in by a reader (not the owner of the vessel), more details on why in a later post. For now what we are wanting to do is learn what we can about the craft.
Its said that she is a Cauldry design, but builder is unknown, possibly Cauldry.
Home these days is in and around Mahurangi Harbour.
From what we can see from the photo, appears to be in relatively original condition, rare to find a sedan launch that hasn’t had a small addition added on top 🙂
CLASSIC LAUNCH LADY JANE REMAINS UNSOLD AFTER SINKING INCIDENT
The classic wooden 34’ launch – LADY JANE appeared recently on fb, it was a being auctioned by Turners Trucks, and hadn’t reached the reserve price when the auction closed. Thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up.
Reading the listing the seller states that the boat and engine ‘had taken on water’ so I assume she is now a member of the submariners club.
For the record the engine in her is a Ford 80hp diesel.
Hard finding a buyer to take on such a craft, even harder when the seller lists it as fibreglass Roy Ford boat……
Our first glimpse of the 34’ ex game fishing boat SUSAN ROSE was in August 2017, (2nd photo above) this 1984 photo and others were shared with us by Dean Wright. At the time we saw her docking at Paihia in the Bay of Islands – link below to that story. https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/08/17/susan-rose/
Now thanks to a tme listing we get to see her back in 1975 (top photo) and today, re named ODYSSEA, with an extra ‘story’ on top and a lot of upgrades.
Her back story is she was launched in 1960 in Mangonui, Northland but it has been reported that it took 18 years to build her. Design unknown.
In c.1991 she was repowered with twin 90hp Ford 4cyl. 2722E diesel engines that gives a cruising speed of 8 knots.
The seller comments that all she needs is a lick of paint and an oil change. These days she is Auckland based.
SPOILER ALEART – THE WW SITE OR THE WRITER ISN’T THAT SMART – NO ONE PICKED UP A PREVIOUS STORY WHERE THE BOAT NAME WAS SPELT – ODYSEA………… sorry and just too tired to write a replacement 🙂
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