Visitors to {the} Slipway Milford yard last month would have seen the launch – Summer Wine hauled out getting a serious refresh in & out.
Summer Wine was designed and built be Noel May, Buckland Beach, launched in 1993 so slips into the spirit of tradition category .
The weather last Friday when she slipped back into the Milford creek as not very pleasant but she still looked very smart. Launch day photos via cadet WW photographer Jason Prew 😉
In the on the hard photos we also see the 1953 A Couldrey designed, Brin Wilson built launch – Endeavour , hauled out for some cardiac surgery – the engine is being reconditioned.
The above photo of the launch Defender, previously named Scripps III, was taken by H Winkelmann and appears to have been ’torn’ out of a 1918 copy of NZ Yachtsman.
In a 2013 WW story Harold Kidd commented that Scripps III was pretty quick with her 4 cylinder Model K Scripps, bore 5.5″ and stroke 6″ = 475 cu ins =7.6 litres. It was a straightforward side-valve engine with twin ignition, producing vast gobs of torque. The above photo was tagged as saying on the day of the photo she nearly hit 17 knots.
Her specs were 35’ x 7’6” beam. At the time she was owned by a Mr. E. LeRoy.
Question of the day – can anyone ID the white hulled launch (race #94) in the background.
Siesta – approx. 45′ canoe stern bridge-decker – Stockholm
Vasa – 17th century warship – Vasa Museum – Stockholm
Oslo, Norway
Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Gothenburg
Probably steel
WOODY EURO TOUR
Todays story comes to us from the camera of Rick McCay, owner of the 1920 MT Land built 47’ launch – Luana. Rick has been tripping around the northern hemisphere. Rick didi a similar trip back in 2017, you can view that story at the WW link below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/11/02/a-woody-on-tour/
Where known I have tagged the locations – enjoy the photo gallery.
GD has always been a lucky boat in that her past owners have kept her in good nick, and that continues to right now as GD is currently hauled out for a new shiny paint job.
UPDATE FEB 2026 – at anchor in Bon Accord, Kawau Island. Photo ex Angus Rogers
The photo above of the launch Valerie shows her on the slipway at the Lane Motor Boat Company (designer and builder), Mechanics Bay, Auckland just after her sea trial.
Everyone has their own favourite style, but in my eye this is an outstanding example of the pure, uncluttered designs that were being built in the late 1920’s > early 1930’s – then we got greedy and wanted more space at the same waterline length, so the boats got wider and higher ………
Thanks to an earlier Valerie story on WW in June 2022 we learnt from Robin Elliott and Harold Kidd that she was built for a Mr M G King of Whangarei – 35’ in length, beam of 9’ and when launched powered by a 35hp engine.
So woodys that means the woody gathering this Labour Weekend is postponed until we get confirmation of the new date. If you are in the bay I understand you can poke your nose in the door for a work-in-progress peek 🙂
A little late posting todays story – its been rather a full on weekend – on Saturday we had our general election, which resulted in a change of government (very happy with that). Then early Sunday morning the All Blacks had a do or die clash with Ireland in the Rugby world Cup which resulted in a well deserved win for the AB’s.
After the final whistle I was in the car and heading north to Whangarei to check out the Whangarei Maritime Festival. The temptation to stay in Auckland and enjoy a celebratory breakfast was very strong but wow I’m so glad I didn’t – I was rewarded with a most enjoyable day out.
I’ll start by thanking Druce Dunlop for alerting me to the upcoming weekend and also say that the organisers did an great job promoting the event on social member. Anyone contemplating hosting a similar event could learn a lot from mirroring the WMF. It ticked all the boxes and was rewarded with a huge turnout.
A wonderful collection of mostly wooden craft on display that given the location / layout of the dockside, allowed the public to get up close and experience the vessels.
Well done to everyone involved – both on and off the water. Enjoy the gallery of images. As always – click photos to enlarge 😉
Earlier in the year we ran a brief story on the 35’ launch Kurangi, at the time we didn’t generate much intel on her but today we can share more.
Built in 1960, from single skin kauri carvel, her builder is unconfirmed -15 years ago when her owner purchased her he was told Kurangi was a Oliver & Gilpin design / build but this doesn’t sit well with the O&P gurus 🙂
Who ever penned the design, she has very good lines and is well built.
Kurangi is propelled by a Ford 6cyl. 100hp diesel and has a speed range of 7.5>9 knots.
Unlike so many woodys – Kurangi has an impressive service history and has been well maintained – in recent times – new frig/freezer, new toilet, new starter motor and batteries, new canvas canopies, heat exchanger serviced.
The boat has also just had an out-of-water survey for insurance purposes.
After 15 years of family cruising her owners are now at a stage in life where boating is a challenge so have made the decision to pass Kurangi onto new owners. OBC marina available tbc.
Interested parties looking for a turn-key classic launch , ready for summer cruising – contact the Wooden Boat Bureau for more details waitematawoodys@gmail.com
VICTORIA CLASSIC BOAT FESTIVAL – Vancouver – Dockside Tour
Last week we had a story about Peter Knowles and his travel to the Victoria Wooden Boat Festival vis his v-blog ‘Boat Life – Travels With Geordie’. Peter very briefly showed us some of the craft arriving – today we get a dock-side wander, complete with captions for the classic woodys.
I hope the people at Auckland’s maritime museum see this video – re their upcoming Auckland wooden boat festival next year. The stand out observation is the mix of yachts + launches + work boats + small craft – it is all mixed in together and thats what works all around the world – not rocket science……………..
INPUT ex Neil Chalmers – Great video , at 2 56 there is the NZ yacht ‘Two Sisters’ (was sail no. F3) . Has a Woollacott look about her. I often wondered where she got to .
A picture of her at Bon Accord Kawau appears in the ‘Cruising in NZ Waters’ by GR Paul (below). This was the go to book in the 1960’s before to the RAYC Cruising Guide was published.
REMEMBER BOAT BOAT SALE 11am SATURDAY @ MILFORD SLIPWAY – 5 OMANA ROAD, MILFORD $BRING CASH$WW MERCHANDISE FOR SALE
Today thanks to Dean Wright we get to wander the docks at Tutukaka marina and point the lens towards the Ngunguru River.
It was a slow day yesterday so I have done the hard work for you i.e. you will find links to previous WW stories on the boats that have appeared on WW in the past. Links found in the title section under each photo – enjoy 🙂
And if you can tell us more about the unknown boats e.g. there provenance, that would be great. If you haven’t come to grips with using the comments section – just send an email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Major (christian name, not a rank) Bailey built four launches that we are aware of – thanks to Ken Ricketts and Graeme Varcoe today we get to see them together, excluding the last built, those name is not recorded. The First built was – Florae / Floray (seems to have had an identity crisis over time) , later named Leilani and currently high and draw in a Thanes paddock.
Second was – Flolaine, now named Awatea
Third was – Christine
Fourth – unknown – anyone able to help with details. Amusing (in hindsight) launch day story below ex KR. The Launching And Near Sinking Of #4 Boat
KR commented that Major Bailey had some radical views on boat systems and fit out. With the fourth boat he developed a steering system which was or looked like half a petrol or oil drum encircling each propeller and turning right left which was supposed to direct the prop wash and steer the boat but when you turned the wheel absolutely nothing happened, as much of the prop thrust water just went out the back and the prop thrust was simply lost completely.
#4 had two 6 cyl. second hand Fords, very poorly home converted, and badly installed in the stern with detached vee drives, along other bits & pieces. All the underwater gear seemed to leak through the hull and added to almost sinking post launching, refer below.
KR commented that on launch day she almost sunk immediately on launching and would not steer. The yard would not lift her out again due to a dispute, so they steered her as best they could with the engines as quickly as they could downstream to Eastern Marina Services (Terry Burling). There they beached her on the ramp, to effect urgent matters to make her seaworthy and steerable.
The boat had all sorts of unique bits about her all of which mostly designed by Major Bailey and mostly just did not work.
KR also commented that #3, Christine was very ugly, with the hull, all rough and showing all the planks & seams, and the flare was horrible with a slanting forward deck line at the bow. He was putting more & more radical & impractical ideas in the succession of his boats as they went on.
So woodys it appears and KR agrees that Leilani was the pick of the bunch 🙂 I wonder what became of the fourth build ………….
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