Category Archives: 36′>38′

Cristina (Vanguard) A Peek Down Below

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CRISTINA (Vanguard) A Peak Down Below

Cristina has appeared on WW before (link below), now thanks to her trademe listing ex Ian McDonald, we get to have a peak down below.

Designed by Athol Burns she was built by Frank Dellabarca, Island Bay, in the 1960’s and named Vanguard, & measures 36’. She had a major rebuild in the 1990’s and was relaunched in 2000. During this period her hull was stripped to bare timber and all new equipment installed. Isuzu 6BD1 diesel, 142hp, then a new gearbox in 2015. Cristina will cruise happily at 7.5 knots with 5.5 litre per hour fuel burn approx. 
I understand she has done a few laps of NZ, so if anyones looking for a classic to ‘escape’ on – check Cristina out.
 
Previous WW story  https://waitematawoodys.com/?s=cristina&submit=Search

Summer / New Year 2019 Raindance Cruise Photo Gallery – 70+ Classic Wooden Boats

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Best coffee & brownie on the Island = Rocky Bay Hall

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282′ – Available for rent NZD$970,000 week

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Very cool packaging design & yum

Summer / New Year Raindance Cruise Photo Gallery – 70+ Classic Wooden Boats

The above gallery is a selection of photos I mostly took at random over the 12 days we were floating around the bottom end of Waiheke Island. I apologise for the quality of some, but the light & direction I was heading were not always my friend in terms of image quality. I just wanted to record & showcase some of the craft out & about over the holiday period. Remember click photos to enlarge 😉
Like most people in the upper north island we were gifted with stunning weather – I rolled the cockpit canopy clears up on day one & rolled them down again when we returned to the marina 12 days later. I can honestly say that it was the best cruise we have had aboard RD, just perfect.
For those of you that were cruising in other parts, email in some photos so we can share.
Even last week the weather remained near perfect, & allowed me to get the sandpaper & Awlwood (Uroxsys) out & re-varnish RD’s trim – 9 coats, looks very smart.
As I write this I’m hoping for some rain, the garden is crying out for a downpour.
Mahurangi Regatta is fast approaching, I say it every year but in terms of vessel numbers & location, it has to be NZ’s premier classic wooden boating event. Put a circle around Saturday, Jan 26th in the diary & make the effort to be there. More details closer.
Check out WW tomorrow for some great photos from the Bay of Islands Tall Ships Regatta – there will even be a photos of Tony Stevenson on the helm of a classic, its been a while 😉

A Classic Wooden Boat Cruise to The Bay of Islands & Whangaroa 

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A Classic Wooden Boat Cruise to The Bay of Islands & Whangaroa 
Two of the driving forces behind the NZ Classic Yacht Association, Jason Prew (Deputy Chairman) & Nathan Herbert (Launch Captain) spearheaded a summer cruise of classic Woodys up the northland coast to the Bay of Islands & Whangaroa Harbour.
Both Jason’s launch – My Girl & Nathan’s – Pacific have been well featured on their facebook pages but in case you missed it, I have included below a link to Jason’s fb, from which you can click thru to Nathan’s.
The photos above we sent to me by BOI based woody & professional photographer Dean Wright, taken early morning on 30-12-2018 in Opito . As always from Dean stunning photos.
The two below are from Jason Prew – & show the two woodys at anchor, early morning in Whangaroa Harbour.
Enjoy.

Check out the Xmas / NY travels here: 

My Girl – Jason Prew & Pacific – Nathan Herbert
my girl whangaroa jan 2019
pacific whangaroa jan 2019
WIN A COPY OF PETER PEAL’S BOOK – THOUGHTS ON CLINKER LAPSTRAKE DINGHY CONSTRUCTION

 

The first woody* to email me the correct answers to the following two questions, will win a copy of the above 108 page book. NOTE: Entry only by email to:
waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Q1 – What item seen in the above photo/s connects the two classic launches?
Q2 – Name the person behind the connection?
If you do not win – grab a copy from Boat Books in Westhaven (also on-line)
*(skippers & associated hangers-on of the 2 boats, are excluded from entering, and before anyone asks – I decide who is a hanger-on)
AND THE WINNER IS SIMON ADAMS
Correct answers were:
1. Lapstrake dinghy’s (tenders)
2. Brooke Family (one built by Jack & the other by Robert)

Tiromoana

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TIROMOANA 4 Sale
I have featured Tiromoana several times on WW, mainly because she is just such a gorgeous classic woody. One of those vessels that looks just right from any angle.
She was designed and built in 1937 by Bill Couldrey, from double skinned, diagonal planked kauri, and measures 38′. Current zoom zoom is from a 60hp Gardner 5LW
Tiromoana has an interesting background – having served as a Naval patrol vessel during WWII and later as Aucklands first police launch.
Below decks her layout is very original and features anything and everything one would want and expect of a vessel of her class.
She is for sale on trademe and includes a 12m marina – which are as rare as hens teeth in Auckland these days.
Anyone looking for a very smart classic woody should check Tiromoana out 🙂
To view more on her – click this link   https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/08/15/tiromoana-2/
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Merry Christmas Woodys

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MERRY CHRISTMAS WOODYS
Wishing you all a safe and Merry Christmas and happy New Year, hopefully you will get to spend some time with your family / love ones and ideally in your happy place – where ever that may be.
Remember – a wave or a smile and the words “ good morning” costs nothing and we have no idea what’s going on in other peoples lives, you simply being nice to someone, might make a big difference to their day. Try it – it works 😉
A know quite a lot of you will be finding a WW t-shirt under the Christmas tree this morning, I’m touched that so many of you want to be part of our amazingly cool wooden boating community. On a personal note, I have rubbed shoulders with a lot of you this year and I never cease to be amazed by your friendship and generosity. The feedback and input I get from people is what keeps me motivated to write a new woody story everyday. To those that have sent in stories and photos, I thank you for sharing them with us, without you WW would not be what it is today – 4,100,000+ views.
2018 was a great year for the wooden boating movement and the future looks even better, with more and more vessels either being restored or ear-marked for restoration at a later date.
The real important thing is to use these old girls – varnishing and polishing the bronze can wait – just get out there and enjoy yourself.
It is my intention these holidays, technology and wifi access allowing, to keep publishing the daily waitematawoodys stories. But if for some reason I miss a day, just check in again the next day.
I ask that if you see anything woody related over the festive period you take a photo and send it in to   waitematawoodys@gmail.com  I’m always looking for content.
My Favourite Photo From 2018? – well its several photos and a video. The blood sweat & tears that went into the rebuild of Jason Prew’s launch – My Girl was unbelievable, then to see her sitting alongside Nathan Herbert’s freshly re-fitted Pacific on the slip at Milford Cruising Club was very special – the video below says it all, a very happy woody.
Enjoy 🙂
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Raindance turned 90 this year and I opened up the wallet – some serious TCL in terms of the deck, tram top & doghouse + new canopy + stove + electric dunny and holding tank / electric pump upgraded, and lots of other bits & pieces that most would not pick up but were bugging me from day one of ownership. RD & myself will miss Geoff Bagnall when he closes the yard doors in late January – he has been very good to RD & I enjoy his banter 🙂

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2018 Rudder Cup – Motor Boat Race – 60 + Classic Wooden Boat Photos

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My Girl

Meola
Meola
Trinidad
My Girl
My Girl
Well Wishers

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Korara
Lady Margaret (DL)
Meola
Waitangi
Baden & Richard – Safety Officers
Baden & Richard – Safety Officers
Meola
Ronaki
Matanui
Cowboy
Taree
My Girl
Rorqual
Kumi
Rorqual
Sterling
Lady Margaret (CW)
Waitangi
Waitangi & Trinidad
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Waitangi

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Trinidad
Ronaki & Trinidad
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Rorqual

Sterling
Kumi (r) & My Girl
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Lady Crossley
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Matanui
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Lady Crossley

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2018 Rudder Cup – Motor Boat Race – 60 + Classic Wooden Boat Photos

Friday 14th December , was only the third time in one hundred & ten years that the Rudder Cup race has been run – previous dates were 1908. 2008 & now 2018. Always in December, always the same course to Sail Rock & back, always overnight & always 108 nm in distance.
The background to the race has been well documented on WW so I will not re-hash the details – WW search Rudder Cup for more details.
2018 saw 15 classic Woodys assembling on the start line in front of the RNZYS for the 7pm start. The fleet were joined by almost as many fellow woodys who gathered to see the fleet off. John Street fired a magnificent cannon (details of which will appear on WW at a later date) to start the race.
Conditions were overcast & a little damp but that did not stop the skippers & crew from putting on a stunning sight for the crowd assembled on the foreshore.
By North Head the fleet had established itself in terms of boat speed & positioning – the race is a sealed handicap event, with skippers not knowing their handicap until the prize giving. This year, technology via the PredictWind race tracker app, allowed skippers & shore based woodys the opportunity to view the position & speed of the boats in ‘real-time’. Helped make the hours slide by quicker.
I had a very comfortable race aboard Barbara & David Cooke’s sensational Salthouse motor-yacht Trinidad. The mix of vessel, company, catering & banter was perfect – a good time was had by all. Not a lot of sleep (zero for myself & the skipper), but when dawn came around we all had found our second wind, or maybe it was Brian Fulton’s scones topped with brandy butter 🙂
We ran a sweep onboard Trinidad as to our finish time & I won – only 10 seconds off my prediction of 12 hours / 40 minutes.
Results below – you will see that Trinny won her divisional prize, which made Captain Cooke a happy chap 🙂
VETERN DIVISION (pre 1918) – STERLING 
VINTAGE DIVISION (1919-1949) – WAITANGI (note: no photos below of skipper Ian Cooke – as RNZYS commodore, Ian was attending another function)
CLASSIC DIVISION (1950-1978) – TRINIDAD
OVERALL RUDDER CUP WINNER – STERLING 
 
Todays photo gallery of the race, comes to you via the camera’s of numerous woodys – thanks go out to Graeme Finch, Rod Marler, yours truely – Alan Houghton. Some are not any where near perfect – boat speed, sea conditions & a very long tele-lens are not a good mix if you are aiming for great photos.
I’m sure I’ll get sent more in the next few days, so will update when & if we get more. If any of the skippers want a copy of a photo – drop me an email at waitematawoodys@gmail.com
I would like to thank the Rudder Cup Race Committee for pulling the event together, a huge amount of time & co-ordination goes into one of these events & with out the folks below, it would never have happened:
Jason Prew (Chair), Nathan Herbert, Barbara Cooke, David Cooke, Alan Houghton, Joyce Talbot (Wonder Woman), Chris Collins & Baden Pascoe.
I would also like to mention the support we received from the Classic Yacht Association committee in stepping forward & underwriting the event – a progressive move from the then new CYA Chairman, James Mortimer. Thank you James.
 
ENJOY – As always, click on photos to enlarge + I have been extra nice today & captioned most of the photos 😉
 
Photos below from the prize giving at the RNZYS on Saturday night – weather was perfect & the food VERY good- well done RNZYS team.
A few ‘tired’ eyes – most of these guys had been awake for 24+hrs 🙂
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CYA Chairman James Mortimer + Brett Evans – Sterling – Winner 2018 Rudder Cup

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Sterling Skipper & Winning Crew

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CYA Chairman James Mortimer + David Cooke – Trinidad – Winner Classic Division

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CYA Chairman James Mortimer + Iain Forsyth – Meola – Spot prize winner

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Peter Boardman Skipper – Lady Margaret (D. Lang) Spot prize winner

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Ferro Skipper – Dick Coughlan – Spot prize winner

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Ronaki Skipper – Daniel Thomas – Spot prize winner

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Korara Skipper – Anatole Perry – Spot prize winner

Arima

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ARIMA

 
I was contacted by Kelly Ellis back in May 2018 – looking for some intel on her launch Arima. Kelly bought Arima in Oct 2017 and is aware that Arima had a remake around 1970 when a Ford D-series was installed along with a lot of brown Formica. When purchased both are showing their age. In Kelly’s words – the Ford was a filthy glutton and the downstairs helm station was virtually unchanged from 1970 and was a bit crowded.
Since taking over the custodianship Arima has had a new head, new electronics, new autopilot, been re-upholstered and had a back-to-bare bum job.
Kelly has also commissioned an internal revamp with the old Ford D series being replaced with a Cummins 6B. The plan is to relocate Arima from Whangarei to her new home in Havelock. 
Kelly commented that Whangarei boat builder Jon Jones is responsible for the lovely work.
 
In a previous story on WW there has been some confusion as to when & who built her – 1953 or 1955 and possibly by Salthouse. As always I revert to Harold Kidd – HDK’s view is below:
 

“As I understand it, ARIMA was designed and built by Colin Wild in 1953, one of his last designs. Bob Salthouse was an apprentice at the time working on the boat. The first owner was Joe Dent and subsequent owners included Noel Kitchen, Ken Archer (1974 ish), T Whillans (1977) and David Campbell-Morrison (1989). Her original engine was a 4 cylinder Ford, replaced by a 6 cylinder Trader.
So her pedigree is superb.
John Salthouse built several near-clones of course.”

You can see photos for Arima here, before Kelly bought her

Hirawanu

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Back in February 2017 I posted a photo (below) of Hirawanu, the 1948 Lidgard bridge-decker & asked the question – WHY? Well thanks to Gerard Dods, the grandson of George Nesbit Dods , who owned her in the 1970’s (& kept her in Tauranga) we now have a photo of her c.1977-78 to she her as she was a designed / built & looking very handsome.
 
Gerard commented that his grand father bought her off the estate of a man from Rotorua whose name was Walter Lee. Walter Lee and his brothers owned a timber business in Rotorua called ‘Lee Brothers’. His son, Colin Lee was a friend of George Dods and to the best of Gerard’s knowledge is still alive and lives in Te Puke. Gerard is not sure how long Walter Lee owned Hirawanu before his grand father bought her in 1974.
Gerard has also questioned the build her, previously on WW we have said c.1948, but he thinks its more like mid 1950s – I’m sure someone can clear that up for us. Harold Kidd is on record saying c.1946, so I would believe that over distant memories. 
Hirawanui is a bigger version of the 1946 Lidgard launch – Monterey, this adds weight to the mid 1940’s build versus mid 1950’s. Monterey is owned my my friends Sue & Mark Edmonds, who have a photo of the Lidgard.  shed, which looked like an assembly line – at the time, old Roy Lidgard was pushing out these boats like peas out of pod 🙂

Thanks to Ken Ricketts for forwarding in Gerard’s comments & photo
Harold Kidd Input – Well HIRAWANU was owned by C.T. Jonas in 1946 as recorded in his RNZYS membership from 1946 to 1948, equipped with a 30hp Lister. In 1952 she was owned by M. Matos. C.T. Jonas was a very well-known yachtsman at the time. He had owned the Coulthard CAROLYN (E61), then had Lidgards build MATATUA (B9) in 1938 and HINEMOA (A1) in 1948. HIRAWANU seems to have filled the brief gap between MATATUA and HINEMOA……all Lidgard boats.
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Awarua – Gets  A Make Over

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Awarua – Gets  A Make Over

Last year we featured the 1947, 36’ Roy Lidgard launch Awarua twice on WW, with photos of her afloat & even a ‘peek down below’(WW links below)

In recent chats with owner Ross Mason, he mentioned that he had hauled out at Pine Harbour & put her in the Harkins Boat Builders shed, where Jared Kirby & team were painting her topsides. A Altex alkyd 7 coat (roller & brush) system was used that consisted of –   x2 coats primer, x3 undercoats & x2 gloss coats. Prior to this the hull was sanded back to bare wood in places.

You will see in the above photos that her kauri hull was in excellent condition, a great testament to the kauri timber used & the skills of her original builders. Ross understands that the kauri used originated from the Naval Dockyards.

I’m (as is Ross) very impressed with the end results, she was always a very smart ship, now she is up there with the finest in our woody fleet. Well done to everyone involved & Ross for the biting the bullet & commissioning the work.

Awarua – A Peek Down Below

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Launch day video ex Ross , via Ken Ricketts

Mariki

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MARIKI
Now it’s not often that I will do a story on a 1975 boat & even rarer when its built from ply & glassed over BUT Mariki just jumped out at me from her trademe listing. Her owner deserves a big tick in terms of how to ‘finish’ a vessel. The combination of colours, wood trim etc make Mariki look like she is moving even when sitting in a cradle.
Mariki is a 36’ Pelin Empress, & powered by a 1965, 80hp, Ford D series engine. While I’m sure she would lift her skirt & dance with a bigger donk, with a cruising speed of 10 knots she only sips 1 > 1.25 gallons per hour, combine that with fuel tank/s capacity of 160g, you can go a long way between top ups.
If the cabin looks a tad bear – the squabs are away being re-upholstered.
A lovely boat – perfect for a woody looking for a low (ish) maintenance classic (can’t believe I used the word).