CLASSIC WOODEN MOTORBOAT RACING ON THE WAITEMATA HARBOUR – Auckland Anniversary Regatta
After the disappointment of a cancelled Mahurangi Regatta weekend I was chafing at the bit to get out on the water.
Being Auckland Anniversary Day yesterday , I secured a spot aboard Jason Prew’s classic launch MY GIRL – WW readers will be aware that MY GIRL holds the title of fastest classic wooden launch on the Waitemata.
So at 11am we were on the start line for the classic launch inner harbour race – start off RNZYS > down to Orakei Bouy > across to Devonport area > back up the harbour to the finish line (aka the start line). Conditions were best described as ok, certainly better than the previous 4 days, overcast, the occasional shower and westerly >20 knots.
This year we were lacking a few of real quick woodys so Mr Prew had the race in hand after 10 seconds. Some close racing with the ‘recently’ re-powered woodies – NGAIO and LUCINDA. Do not have the handicap results but line honours went to MY GIRL / NGAIO / LUCINDA. All serviced at The Slipway Milford yard so a nice trifecta.
Earlier in the morning the tug/workboats put on their normal spectacular performance – see below.
The parade of sail was bolstered by several classic woodys that did not race – parade photos second group above.
Enjoy the photo gallery, light on the winning boat, always is when the bloke with the camera is aboard the favourite 😉
As always – photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.
RACE RESULTS – MY GIRL collects line and handicap honours
Todays woody story features the 35’ ketch rigged motorsailer- SOUTHERN BELLA, launched in 1960. She featured in the August 1961 edition of Sea Spray magazine.
In the top photo we see her preparing for launching at the Devonport Yacht Club. In the Sea Spray article , below, they described her as amateur designed and built by Barney and Peter Soljak (father & Son), alongside they Devonport home.
When launched she was powered by a 50hp BMC Commodore Diesel engine + a 4.5hp Lister auxiliary engine.
(Story and photos ex Sea Spray magazine via Ken Ricketts)
Southern Belle and Raiona B.O.I. – date unknown
Back in 2019 in another story, DYC related, Chris Leech commented at SOUTHERN BELLE had suffered fire damage and been restored. Chris supplied to photos , the first hauled out at DYC and afloat post repairs. Can we learn more about what happened and what became of SOUTHERN BELLE after this.
Following on from the weekends story on the Russell Boating Club’s classic wooden launch parade (link below), today thanks to BOI photographer – Dean Wright we get to enjoy some stunning photos from the race.
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 🙂
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.
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 🙂
In mid December 2025 WW was contacted by John Woodcock with the good news that the 35’ 1934 classic wooden launch – NANA had just been relaunched after a mammoth undertaking to save her.You see back in June 2023 WW ran an SOS story on the boat, she was in very sad state. In fact the listing was an ‘as-is-where-is’ listing. As in life, the good lookers tend to receive the special treatment, this wasn’t NANA’s first rodeo – she had been close to an appointment with a back-hoe several times. Link here to her in 2019 post a refit. https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/06/03/nana-3/
Some background – NANA was designed by C. Bailey Jnr. & built by C. Bailey & Sons for Mr F Alison of Matiatia, Waiheke Island in1934 & launched in late November / December.
She is 35′ with a 8′ beam and a 3’ draft and built in kauri > carvel
So today woodys we tip out hat to John Woodcock for giving NANA another chance. Still a few bits to finish off but from what we can see in the photos above – NANA is lucky boat.
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.
2025 KAWAU ISLAND SPRING SPLASH REGATTA – A WOODY WEEKEND TO REMEMBER – 50+ PHOTOS
Pleased to report that the long weekend’s woody action at Kawau Island was an absolute triumph. Now in its second year, the Spring Splash Regatta — a joint venture between the Kawau Boating Club, Ponsonby Cruising Club, and Waitematawoodys — continues to grow in both size and spirit.
It’s still early days for what’s shaping up to be a great annual tradition, but this year’s event had an unmistakably upbeat, jaunty vibe. Everywhere you looked, people were smiling, swapping yarns, and clearly having a great time afloat and ashore.
I’ll apologise up front for being light on the yacht racing and prize-giving coverage — for reasons I won’t bore you with — but rest assured, the competition and camaraderie were both in full swing.
Sunday’s Woodys Classic Parade was the visual highlight of the weekend, showcasing a handsome flotilla of 17 classic launches for all those anchored in Bon Accord Harbour and watching from waterfront properties. Aside from a brief 10-minute burst of H₂O at the start, the weather came right and the parade looked spectacular.
A big thank you to the classic skippers and crews who took part — your efforts made for a great show.
Helming a boat among moored craft while trying to take photos is a fine line between “challenging” and “slightly reckless,” so I’m especially grateful to Dean Watchlin, Murray Deeble and Richard Bicknell for sharing their superb photos from the weekend.
Enjoy today’s gallery — loosely divided into two parts: the weekend’s happenings and the Sunday Parade. Sorry if the cameras missed your boat – some joined the parade midway and some departed midway. The crew of KAIKOURA below, correctly attired for the occasion 🙂
1911 CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – KERERU – A Peek Down Below
Today thanks to Ian McDonald’s eagle eye spotting the 35’ classic wooden launch – KERERU popping up on tme, we get to have a gander down below on this woody that was built in 1911 by Charles Bailey Jnr.
Her owner is very frugal with words, all we learn is that its home port is Picton and it is powered by a Ford 80hp engine.
For a craft that is 114 years old we must be able to learn more about her provenance. We did find press clipping from the Southland Times () relating to an incident in June 1933 – reproduced below.
Photo below of KERERU/s sea trial on the Waitemata Harbour, post launching.
LAUNCH ADRIFT– PILED ON ROCKS CREW LAND SAFELY – A NIGHT IN THE SCRUB (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, June 5,
A Wellington Aero Club _ plane, piloted by Captain Bolt and with Mr R. Morphy as observer, left the Rongotai aerodrome at daylight to search the coast to the eastward for the launch Kereru. When they got four miles past the mouth of Orongorongo they saw the launch piled up on the beach, but no sign of the men. The plane thereupon flew low, returning along the. beach, and soon saw four men walking towards Riddiford’s station apparently in a fit condition. A message frorn Riddiford’s station at about ten o’clock stated that the men had arrived there and had already been sent on their wav to Wellington. The launch Kereru’s engine broke down off Turakirae Head and, afterthat, the sails were tom to ribbons and the launch drifted for 91 hours from mid-day before being driven ashore. The Kereru was manned by A. Wolfe, Wolfe, H. Green, C. Prince and H. Nagle, who left yesterday morning for a day’s fishing off Baring Head. The launch, which is 35 feet in length, was thrown on the beach by a big wave, landed on an even keel and is reported to be undamaged. The men made a fire in the scrub, spending the night where they landed.
A NIGHT OF TRIAL CREW’S DESPERATE FIGHT. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, June 5.
The story was told by the crew of the launch Kereru on their return to Wellington to-night of their fight to keep the boat from being wrecked on the stormy and rock-bound coast in Palliser Bay. The party fished off Baring Head until noon and then decided that as the wind was rapidly freshening, they would return into the harbour. The engine was started, but owing to a defective water pump it continually became overheated and would not function for more than a few minutes at a time. At about 4.30 p.m. the northerly wind changed to an increasingly gusty south-easterly, which threatened to drive the partly disabled vessel on to the coast. Two small sails, a jib and jigger, had been set, but these soon carried away in the heavy squalls. The skipper tried to head the launch for a less forbidding part of the coast near Riddiford’s station, but the engine worked only intermittently, making that objective impossible. The crew’s main efforts were then turned to keeping the launch away from the long shelterless coast on to which the wind was driving it. As darkness grew the men on board the storm-tossed Kereru began to lose all idea of their position. They could only tell they were still dangerously near the coast by the sound of breakers on the rocks. As a last desperate resource, Prince, who was at the wheel throughout, decided to anchor- the launch and try to ride out the gale which was approaching hurricane force. Two anchors were dropped when the launch was two or three hundred yards from shore, but the seas continued to increase until they were breaking on the deck. At about 9.30 p.m. a huge wave broke over . the launch and snapped both anchor lines.
“We rushed out on deck,” said Prince in describing the adventure, “and were buffeted about in the seas which flooded the deck, sometimes five feet deep. Another great wave caught the launch and in the darkness we felt it lift and strike the shore. We were simply amazed when we jumped down and found ourselves standing on a small sandy beach. There was the launch out of reach of the waves lying on the beach on an even keel. We all shook hands and considered ourselves (he luckiest men alive.” The party lit a fire from driftwood and spent the rest of a wild and cold night in the scrub. In the morning they made their way to Orongorongo station. The launch was left on the beach, only slightly damaged. Arrangements will be made for it to be towed back to the boat harbour on the first suitable day.
INPUT ex BRIAN BICKNELL – Kereru was built in 1911 for the Hay family of Pigeon Bay as a sister ship to Bailley’s Phyllis, and I believe they had her for ten years. I am not sure what happened next but my understanding is she came up the coast in 1968-69, possibly by members of the Carey family, for Alan Crawley of the Marlborough Harbour Board. It then went to a marine engineer, Roger Frazer around 1975, who had it out of the water for some time and totally renovated her. She was then owned and lived on by Bruce Vickers in the Sounds and we bought her in 2005. There are also a couple of great articles by Harold Kidd and Robin Elliott on the Hays and their boats. I have never heard of her being in Wellington, or having sails, but there are large gaps in her history so it is possible. Such a seaworthy and comfortable boat but our family is older now and we use it less so it is time to let her go. Hope that gives a bit more background,
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