Category Archives: 36′>38′

Tara III – Sailing Sunday

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TARA III – Sailing Sunday

WW recently received an envelop of photographs from retired South Island boat broker – Phil Vining, who these days resides in Motueka.

The above photo was tagged – Tara III , 36’ Chris Robertson built. Phil owned her himself in the 180’s, he sold her to a couple named John & Jane who sailed her around the world.  We believe that she is still owned them and these days calls Mana, Wellington home. Todays photo was taken during Phils ownership period i.e. late 1980’s.

Can we learn more about Tara III and get confirmation on her present location.

HOANI – A Peek Down Below

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HOANI – A Peek Down Below

Todays woody – Hoani has a wee bit of an identity crisis – her tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) labels her builder as Salthouse in 1976. In a previous WW story from 2017 (link below – lots of details and old photos) we had great intel that Hoani was built in Coromandel, over a 15 year period by Charley Turner and launched in 1979. On launch day she was 36’ x 12’ x 3’10. Now she is just over 39’, most likely that ‘bit’ tacked onto her stern – a walk thru transom.

2017 WW STORY https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/03/10/honai/

In 2021 Hoani was re-powered with a Yammer 110hp turbo Diesel engine. As they say in the car sales game – she has had a lot of fruit added to her so with a wee bit of TLC would be a nice woody. Back in the day her cabin sides were varnished and she was a looker 🙂

Fantasia

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FANTASIA 

Earlier in the week I was out east and called into Leader Boats on the Panmure River. Dave Patterson and his team are currently breathing newline into a launch named – Fantasia, previously she was ‘berthed’ near-by.

Fantasia started life as a Crestacraft design and was built by Harry Biddle in a shed in Saleyard Rd, Otahuhu c.1968.

She has had several face lifts over the years and at time been a little un-loved. Now is getting what I’d describe as a sport fisher look, check out the new sheer line – close your eyes and think Oliver & Gilpin. The boat was re-engined in 1978, with what I’m not sure – much to K Ricketts disgust, I’m never that interested in the engines.

Her owner commented to me that he only came in for a new duckboard and paint job 🙂 I said to Dave that he could always get a job at McDonalds i.e. he’s the champion of companion selling – “do you want fries with that” 🙂

Still very much a work in process but you can see from the photos what she will look like.

HAROLD KIDD INPUT – According to the contemporary APYMBA records FANTASIA was built in 1963 By B. Everett of 51 Kiwi Esplanade Mangere. No mention of a designer. Make of that what you will. Did Everett simply pay for her to be built? That’s not the normal way APYMBA recorded information. Did he finish off a hull perhaps?

The Halvorsen Story

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Neutral Bay, Sydney – 1936
25′ Wonglaa
42′ Pollyana – 1934
38′ Kweena – pre restoration
Kweena – post restoration
Kweena – interior
60′ Tooronga – owner by A/Cup skipper – Ian Murray
57′ Sinana

THE HALVORSEN STORY

Todays WW story comes to us via the crew at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival and features a video presentation by Tony MacKay on the legendary

Australian boat building dynasty – the Halvorsen family. Tony gave the presentation at the 2023 festival. 

Some background on Tony – he has been on board Halvorsen boats all his life, having owned nine substantial cruisers, all of which were significantly and lovingly restored. Through his involvement with the Halvorsen Club, he has passed some of this passion and energy to like-minded owners of these beautiful craft, also assisting with the improvement of skills and historical information. He has also represented the family for significant events at the Australian National Maritime Museum, exhibitions, on water parades, birthdays and even eulogies. It has been a lasting passion. 

Tony is a real character and has a very salty Australian vocabulary e.g when referring to a narrow beamed craft he said “it would roll on a wet lawn’.The photos above are just a taste of the many in the presentation – linked below – ENJOY.

Hauraki Gulf Mooching

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WAIKARO
AC/DSEA
HINEWAI
KOWAI

Hauraki Gulf Mooching

Bay of Islands woody Dean Wright reversed the trend over the Labour Day holiday long weekend and pointed the car south for some Hauraki Gulf cruising aboard his friend’s classic 33’ launch Waikaro. Waikaro was designed and built in 1978 by Roy Parris and later underwent a major refit at the hands of boatbuilder Geoff Bagnall.

Waikaro’s owners, the Smit family have given her a new lease of life with system upgrades and a return to varnished coamings.

Dean also spotted several other woodys out over the weekend – in the photos above Waikaro, AC/DSEA and Hinewai are anchored off Ocean Beach at Motuihe Island. Kowhai is in Waikalabubu Bay at Motutapu Island.

As always from Dean, stunning photos.

Previous WW Stories

Kowai https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/11/22/kowai/

Hinewai https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/06/21/hinewai-a-peek-down-below/

AC/DSEA https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/02/18/ac-dcs/

Waikaro https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/11/10/waikaro-emerges-from-the-beauty-parlour/

Woody Euro Tour

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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.

MILADY – A Peek Down Below

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MILADY – A Peek Down Below

Todays woody is the Billy Rogers designed and built launch – Milady. Milady was launched c.1955 , approx 38’ in length she is powered by a Ford 130hp diesel engine. In recent times she underwent an extensive refit, in my eyes a tad too modern in places, but certainly a very well presented craft.

Thanks to Ian McDonald spotting the tme listing we get to have a gander below decks. 

Previous (Aug 2015 WW story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/08/31/milady/

NGAIO – Another one

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NGAIO – Another one

Ngaio must be one of the most popular launch names, todays Ngaio popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) 

You have got to love the listing headline – ’38 ft BOAT’, now thats going to generate a lot of eyeballs….. The seller is very honest – not many details but they say “She needs work” – never a truer comment 🙂 but the price reflects that.

We don’t know who designed / built her or when, just that she is 36’ (yes that differs from the headline), and has a Ford 70hp 4 cyl. diesel engine in her.

Location is Matakohe, Northland (home of the famous Kauri Museum)

Can anyone tell us more about this Ngaio.

KAWAU BOATING CLUB NEW CLUBROOMS OPENING DELAYED

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 🙂

Marietta

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MARIETTA

Back in March 2023 WW was contacted by Stuart Myers regarding the whereabouts of Marietta. Stuart’s family owned her from the late 1950’s > late 1970’s. At the time we uncovered some of her past, link to that story below. In the comments Nathan Herbert tabled the suggestion that she wasn’t a Collings & Bell build, built by a gent named Casey in 1927. March 2023 WW Story https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/03/17/marietta/

Recently Marietta popped up on tme, thank you Ian McDonald, below is what is recorded there.

Built 1936 by Collings and Bell, 36’ in length with a 9’ beam, powered by a 170hp Hino. Her hull has been splined and glassed.

VERY in need of some TLC but as the architects say – ’she has good bones’

Not too sure about how she is sitting on those blocks, hopefully well supported else where.

WHANGAREI MARITIME FESTIVAL TRIP REPORT

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WHANGAREI MARITIME FESTIVAL TRIP REPORT

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 😉