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
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
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
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
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
CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH MONTEREY RE-LAUNCHED
A couple of weeks ago we reported on the work underway on the classic Lidgard built wooden launch MONTEREY at the Slipway Milford yard – link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/11/14/classic-lidgard-launch-monterey-gets-a-birthday/
On Friday MONTEREY slipped back into the water looking the best she has in the last 20 years, a tribute to her new owner and the skills of the craftspeople at the Slipway Milford yard.
Still a few projects to be finished off back on her marina, but today we celebrate the ‘homecoming’ of one of the fleets best looking classic wooden launches.
Lots of dockside chat regarding the grey anti-fouling and how it will look with the normal bits hanging off in a few months – time will tell 😉
We will follow up with an interior story in a few weeks.
(Photos ex owner, Jason Prew and Alan H)
WW MERCHANDISE – IF YOU ARE THINKING OF ORDERING – DO IT NOW B4 STOCK RUNS OUT
SONGBIRD – A SPIRIT OF TRADITION WOODY
It is pretty rare these days to see the launch of a new wooden boat so Bill Townson’s SONGBIRD gets to make an appearance on WW via the ’spirit of tradition’ umbrella.
Todays photos and comments (below) come to us from Hugh Gladwell.
“Bill Townsons new launch Songbird went overboard at the Warkworth Cement Works on Wednesday. A backyard designed and built wooden launch is a rarity these days. She is 3 skin kauri and Alaskan yellow cedar glassed inside and out with no stringers or ribs. Powered by a Yanmar 110. The standard of finish is impeccable. Bill is now 82 and has been building her with his wife Mona for the last 6 years. Mona explained that she didn’t actually work on the boat but supervised Bill throughout.”
WW MERCHANDISE – IF YOU ARE THINKING OF ORDERING – DO IT NOW – DOWN TO SINGLE DIGIT NUMBERS ON MOST T-SHIRT SIZES AND LESS THAN 12 CAPS IN STOCK
WHO’S BRAVE ENOUGH TO PAY $1 FOR THE CLASSIC LAUNCH LADY FAYE
Sixteen months ago we ran a story on the 32’ wooden launch – LADY FAYE, that at the time was needing a new custodian. Link below to that story. https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/07/25/lady-faye-can-we-save-this-classic-wooden-launch/
Fast forward to November and the vessel has gone even further down hill – and not surprisingly has a starting price of $1. And even at that figure no ones bidding.
What we know – built in 1948 by Des Donovan and Fred Steele of 20th Century Boats for Fred Steele’s own use. The current engine is a 60hp Fordson 4 cyl. diesel, condition unknown.
While her current presentation looks very intimidating – if you view it like an old house and put a dump bin at one end and just shovelled everything out, you could have the bones of a nice classic rebuild project. The photo below could be our inspiration 😉
MYSTERY WOODEN LAUNCH ON THE MOVE
Todays classic wooden launch looks vaguely familiar but the WW brain draws a blank.
The photo comes to us from Bryan McMurtrie via Maurice Sharp. The photo was tagged – Burnside Bros, Papatoetoe – International truck traveling from Papatoetoe to Tamaki River. In the photo the rig is rounding the bend on Mt Wellington highway on the outskirts of Mt Richmond Domain in Auckland.
Can we ID the boat – please tell me its not a Vindex………..
INPUT ex ALAN SEXTON – She is a 32′ Vindex, originally named Pai Rawa Atu, very skillfully home built by boiler maker Des Gray (he was a foreman at Steel Tanks and Structures) over a 5 yr period at their Papatoetoe home, double diagonal kauri hull powered by an upright T6.354 145 Perkins. Launched early 1972. I know all this because she was berthed beside us at HMB when my father owned Tarata. She is still around, has been re-engined and renamed, I believe lives at Gulf Harbour these days
02-02-2026 INPUT ex CHRIS MCMLLEN – Built by Des Gray of Panmure
CLASSIC WOODEN BOATS AT SANDSPIT MARINA
Today we have a report in from Mark Newcomb who was stooging around Sandspit Marina and the Club hardstand over the weekend.
The first classic woody above is one we normally see at the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – its named RURU was possibly built in 1935 by Lidgard, 19’ in length. https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/07/22/ruru/
In the second photo we see JUANITA, the 32’ , 1951 Allan Williams designed and built classic launch, getting some serious pre-summer TLC. https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/03/21/the-rebirth-of-juanita/
In T he third photo we see LADY MAY, a Salthouse 37, spirit of tradition classic. If its the same launch I spotted at KAWAU ISLAND over Labour weekend , I think is is running a Hamilton Jet unit.
Lastly we have the 36’ , 1922, Dick Lang built launch – LADY ADELAIDE looking like she is about to be hauled out. https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/11/22/lady-adelaide-a-peek-down-below/
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