CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT – KORARI II – A Peek Down Below
Back in 2017 the 1964 built, 36’ Mason Clipper – KORARI II made an appearance on WW but we never got a gander below. Now thanks to Ian McDonal’s eagle eyes on tme we get to see her impressive interior.
KORARI II is powered by twin 135hp Perkins HT6364M diesel engines.
CLASSIC WOODEN MOTOR-SAILER – KAIKOURA – A Peek Down Below
The 36’ classic wooden motor-sailer – KAIKOURA was for sale earlier this year, and it must have sold because I had numerous people enquiring about her – she ticked a lot of boxes and her size was an added bonus i.e. not too big.
KAIKOURA was built in Wellington in 1959, builder unknown, for a Mr. Palmer, it has been commented that she was a ‘Scottish Drifter’ design. She was used as a pleasure craft by the Palmer, then Blundell families through the 1960s. In the early 1970s Kaikoura was commercially used by ‘Mana Island Transport Services’ then from 1972 till 1974 as the Wellington Police launch. Kaikoura’s fourth owner from 1974 to 1999 was Mr George Jannis. George added masts and sails initially and a new engine, new keel bolts and fuel tanks in 1988. Kaikoura made many trips to the Sounds over these 25 years, then finding a home there with a new owner till 2008. From 2008 to 2017 Kaikoura, now based in Dunedin, was frequently used as a harbour and peninsula pleasure launch and occasionally entering, and winning club sail races (in her class of one). Ten days after taking ownership of “Kaikoura” in late 2017 her owners did the first of several trips to the bottom of Stewart Island, they also made a winter trip to Wellington, the Sounds and D’Urville Island.
Forward motion is via a Cummins B Series 6BT5.9 As you would expect for a Southern lass she is very well appointed.
Given my attraction to the work-boat look, in another life she could have been mine 🙂
SAD NEWS ON THE EX WWII NAVY 72’ SHIP – KUPARU News reports have her abandoned off Ninety Mile Beach on the West Coast of the North Island over the weekend. Crew all safe and rescued by helicopter. 2018 WW story on the vessel here https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/10/04/hmnzs-kuparu-hdml/
CLASSIC SOUTHERN WOODEN LAUNCH – MANDALAY
Yesterdays deluge of emails to the WW inbox contained a gem – todays top photo (2013) and a note from Janet & Bob Heart the owners of the 36’, 1940 built classic launch MANDALAY. Over the years MANDALAY has appeared on WW – first in Sept 2016 as a mystery launch seen at anchor in Jacobs Bay in Pelorus Sound, (second photo above).
Next appearance was in May 2023 when Dean Wright was mooching around Havelock Marina (third photo above). This story prompted WW reader Phil Vining to recall the vessels broker listing from c.1980’s when she was 4sale – see below.
Janet has commented that MANDALAY was built in Auckland by Lanes in 1940, this has been questioned on WW previously because she certainly has the look (and paint scheme) of Lanes Picton.
Janet has kindly written a brief review of the craft.
“We ( Bob and Janet Hart ) have owned Mandalay for 39 years since 1987. She’s been based in Havelock Marina and has been a regular sight around Pelorus Sound over these years. Her original design has been faithfully maintained. She’s been much loved and cared for.
She has a cockpit with seats. With full headroom, there’s a saloon with table and seating for captain and passenger facing forward. A separate bunkroom sleeps 4 people and a separate bathroom has the rope and chain locker.
With a Ford 75Hp engine, Mandalay uses approx. 1 gallon of diesel an hour.”
ENTRY LEAVE CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – WANDERING WAYS
Todays classic launch needs some serious TLC from someone with the space to park her and a winter of part-time work but come next summer they could have a no cost entry into the classic wooden boating movement.
What we know – 36’ supposedly built in 1965 by ‘Baileys’, she is double planked, and powered by a 120hp Ford diesel (tme listing states 2014, and recently recon’ed).
WANDERING WAYS is currently hauled out in Rotorua, so may have been a lake boat in recent years. (thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads up)
Can we learn anymore about the launch.
CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT – MAHENO
Todays woody is described as a 38’ Morgan design, built by JackGuard.
She was launched in 1966 and has strong work boat styling.
Forward motion is from a 210hp Caterpillar V8 that gives her a comfortable 8.5 knot cruising speed, 10.5 tops.
Being a southern lass (Marlborough Sounds) MAHENO is very well fitted out. The marine chandlers down south won’t get rich selling varnish 😉
SILENS – A CLASSIC BOAT OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY – WHO WILL STEP UP
Yesterday WW was contacted by the owners of the 1912 Harvey & Lang built, 38′ classic wooden launch – SILENS and advised that post her recent sinking (refer WW story link below) they had made the decision to walk away from SILENS. https://waitematawoodys.com/2026/04/01/an-update-on-the-sinking-of-classic-wooden-launch-silens/
WW has been asked to help locate a suitably woody enthusiast interested in taking her on as a project, that has the time, resources and space to work on her.
A lot of people buy an older wooden boat and do not bother with a survey and subsequently discover they own a black hole that they are constantly tipping money into. SILENS could be the opposite eg you know exactly what you are acquiring and any surprises have been identified.
SILENS was/is great boat and probably just needs a systems upgrade. Do not let a couple of days under the waves put you off – the membership list of the ‘Classic Submariners Club’ is not as exclusive as most would think. Even my own woody has spent time (weeks) sitting on the bottom.
Interested parties to initially make contact via email to facilitate the process re liaising with the insurance company. Contact Leigh-Ann leighann.newton24@gmail.com
CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH MATAROA RETURNS HOME & GETS SOME TLC
In late 2023 the Wooden Boat Bureau brokered the sale of the 1928 Joe Slattery, 36′ classic wooden launch – MATAROA. Named KENYA when launched. At the time she was berthed in Wellinton and her new owner relocated (by road transporter ) the vessel to Auckland.
Fast forward to 2025 she was transported by road to the South Auckland (inland) yard of Burnand marine for a birthday.
Thanks to John Dawson’s eagle eye on fb we get to have a gander at the work and her re-launch in November 2025.
Its always a win win when we get a good looking woody coming home to the Waitemata ✔️
A selection of previous MATAROA WW stories here, lots of photos and history
Oct 2016 https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/10/31/mataroa-kenya-2/
Jan 2017 https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/01/27/mataroa-re-launched/
April 20217 https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/04/29/mataroa-kenya-3/
April 2023 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/04/03/mataroa-kenya-looking-for-a-new-owner/
CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH REHIA GETS SOME UNPLANNED TLC
Post an oops (non skipper related) at the recent Auckland wooden boat festival, REHIA needed an appointment at the Jason Prew beauty salon at the Slipway Milford yard.
This 1938 woody is a showpiece of Colin Wild’s design and build team and a big nod to her owners who present her in magnificent condition.
20-04-2026 UPDATE – 3ed and final coat ✔️
150 YEARS OF NZ SHIPBUILDING – Reference Guide
Released in 2012 as a compact disc (CD), by Miles Hughes and covering the period 1795 > 1945, this booklet is of epic proportions – topping out at 837 pages. For easy of reading in todays digital world the ‘book’ is below in PDF format.
The publication contains more than 1,200 NZ shipbuilders, shipwrights and boatbuilders and includes their biographies and the names, specs and first owners of over 5,600 craft.
HEADS UP: WW can not vouch for the accuracy of the content and when reviewing the list of contributors , several stood out as ‘being fond of interviewing their typewriter’ i.e. they make up what they either do not know or are unsure of. So woodys best treat it as a guide 😉
WW would be interested in feed back on this guide – maybe chose a designer/builder well known to you and review the content.
As an example below is the listing on my boat RAINDANCE, some of the content is correct and some unknown or speculation that I have been told over the last 18 years of ownership, but it is very close her provenance.
So the question of the day – is this an amazing reference tool or to use that old school english saying ‘A Load Of Pants’ ?
UPDATE – Still available in print version at Boat Books in Westhaven, Auckland.
CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – FANTASY – A Peek Down Below
There are a few classic wooden launches that I would never take my partner onto – one of them is FANTASY, the 1952 McGeady built launch. Powered by a 72hp Sole diesel engine.
Her interior fit out would have me having to create some excuse as to why she wouldn’t be suitable for us. FANTASY ticks most of your boxes and has the added bonus of a fire / heater.
The launch made a brief appearance on tme last year and then disappeared, hopefully her owners changed their mind 🙂
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