The photos show that 2017 was another cracker Patio Bay year, but what photos don’t get across is what a great group of woodys were there. The numbers were down a little on previous years but those that made the trip will remember it as one of the best. Plenty of room to walk around & mingle without standing on someones dinner plate.
Several Riviera owners, did they bit to re-confirm that they all have big egos & small brains – motoring thru the race finish line at 25+ knots & creating wakes you could surf on. A little exciting if you are sitting in an 8’ dinghy taking photos & wondering if the Riviera is on autopilot & the skippers playing with his small willy 😦
One of the Patio Bay race traditions is the winning skipper of the A Division has to fill the trophy barrel with rum for the following years party. Last year Prize was the winner & based on dock chatter, a sample was drawn off for analyse at the Mount Gay distillery – purity & alcohol content results to follow 😉
Great photo above of the 1929, Riley 9 twin cam that Baden Pascoe recently finished restoring. The Riley is parked in front of Aumoe, the 1913 Tom Le Huguet built classic launch owned by Andrew Pollard.
Streaming Planks
The above link to the very cool youtube clip on steaming Huon Pine planks onto Ian Smith’s (new build) 24’ Ranger class gaff rigged sloop, was sent to me by Robin Elliott
Looking for Scorpio – Sail # 1025
I was recently contacted by John McIntosh who is endeavoring to locate the current owner of ‘Scorpio’, a Californian Bear design about 23’ loa. Built in Milford about the 1950s by a professional boat builder (Gladden?) I’ll let John tell the story – read below.
The story is that she was built for Rush Clark snr who was the Auckland Pan Am representative, and as a young boy I went out for a picnic sail on her. I was calibrating new Raymarine instruments on Monday 30th Oct. on my boat, when I noticed a small keeler doing leads off Princess wharf. Later we past close by her transom and I noticed the word Scorpio carved on her stern. I immediately looked up at the mainsail and noticed a black bear on all four paws was near the peak, together with the registration number 1025. Because we were out “on business” I couldn’t go back and check on anything. Needless to say she was much smaller than I recalled.
When I got home I checked my old 1977 NZYF register, and the name and number were in there, but no owner. I got in touch with a friend who remained in touch with Rush Clark jnr in Atlanta Georgia. What must have amounted to reply the same day, I got an enthusiastic reply from Rush jnr, telling me “Scorpio” was only 23’ long and had been built in Milford. He went on to say that it was a testament to NZ Kauri and the skill of Kiwi boat builders that “Scorpio” was still sailing.
Rush is intending to come out to NZ early in the New Year and says he would love to see her again and would I please do my best to track “Scorpio” down.
I have rung all the marinas, most recognised yacht clubs, & Yachting New Zealand, but none could help me. The Harbour Master’s office promised to ring back, but haven’t done so. I have been to Gladden’s workshop, but John has been gone for decades, and workmen having a beer after work suggested that I contact your site.
There is a nice story about the name “Scorpio”. Rush snr and his wife Anne were captured by the Japs in the Philippines and in the prison camp they would look at the stars and think that somewhere in the world people were still free and one day, if they survived, they would also be free.
My father occasionally raced on “Scorpio” with the Squadron and said it was the slowest boat in the fleet. Sometimes when they crossed the finish line at Orakei wharf, they could see that the tower was all closed up and the race management had gone home.
So woodys hopefully we can locate the where abouts of Scorpio for John.
Once again WW delivers
Just received an email from Neil Chalmers, with the below photo of Scorpio. Neil was sent the photo by Dan Ranall back in June 2016. Dan had been mooching around Okahu Bay & snapped the photo, then sent it to Neil to see if Neil could ID the yacht. Boom connection made 🙂
Neil commented that he thought there was another Bear Class in Auckland (sail #577), called Little Bear. Anyone able to confirm?
Proteus was built by Owen Woolley in 1968, she is 38’ in length & powered by twin Commer diesels. Current home is Chaffers Marina, Wellington. That folks is all her trademe listing tells us, can’t see her leaping of the listing sheets with that level of info…………….. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads up.
One for the workboat woodys today, Skagen is a 36’ Danish double ender, built by Salthouse in 1973. She has a beam of 10’7” & draws 4’11” with a carvel kauri hull. Powered by a mighty 5LW Gardner diesel, 4 berths in 2 cabins, toilet, gas cooker, radar, 2 x GPS chart plotters, depth/fish finder, autopilot, hyd. steering, electric capstan, easy walk round side decks, wheelhouse side doors, steadying sail. A very salty ship that you would feel very safe in.
She spent over 10 years in commercial fishing on the East Coast & has recently been restored.
Look at the Kim Kardashian backside on her – that’s a work of art 😉
Thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads up on the trademe listing.
Input from David Glen – Skagen’ was moored in the Whangapoua Harbour, off Matarangi Wharf, for the best part of the last 20 years. She was owned by a local resident who worked in the local forests. She caught my eye at Matarangi in 90’s and she appeared to be well maintained, but seldom used. She looks good in the pics.
The Continuing Issue of Electrochemical Damage To Our Wooden Boats
I recently received an update from Bruce Mitchinson on the restoration work underway on his 36’, McGeady built (c.1950) classic launch, Lady Ellen. Unfortunately the old lady has a been struck with a dose of electrolysis.
You can see when the secondary shaft log was removed, electrolysis had destroyed the planking around the plate fastenings. The same problem around the main shaft log, and strut fixings, through structural members, which were all bonded together. The affected timber has been removed and new kauri blocks glued in and around the shaft log, keel bolts and floors.
The to-do list this week includes laminating up pilularis frames insitu, to replace the 15 broken, or electrolysis affected members that have been removed.This will complete the inside structural work, below the waterline, that had been put off until things dried out enough.
Other work has seen the old fuel tank removed and a clean up around the bilge in the engine bay Following this Bruce will be working his way forward with stripping and refastening on the outside of the hull.
The shaft, prop and drive couplings have gone down to Whangaparoa for adjustment, set up, and balancing.
Hats off to Bruce for doing the best of Lady Ellen. To read more on this problem, the causes & remedies – visit Chris McMullen’s WW story – link below. Its the most referenced story on WW.
Steve Thomas, the owner of the classic launch Seabird, that won line honors in the 2008 Centennial Rudder Cup, has just sent me the above collection of photos of Seabird hauled out at Nelson for a repaint.
Seabird was built in 1908 by James Reid & now looks set for another 100+ years.
Steve commented that he needed to redraw the waterline, after years of paint build up & “quick in and out jobs” done in the last few years.
Her old 6 Cyl Ford is still running sweetly & with a clean bum & new prop speed she cruises at about 10.5 knots.
Great to see what she looks like out of the water, with that shape, you would think she could really fly with a bigger power plant……… 😉
I was recently contacted by Karen Bennett concerning the launch – Eunice K, pictured above in 1980, that her father, Mike McDonald, owned on the 1980’s. Karen & her family lived in Thames & used to cruise around the Coromandel area.
Karen was prompted to contact WW by an old friend John Managh, John had also owned Eunice K, previous to Karen’s family buying her, this was in the late 1970’s early 1980’s. The McDonalds went on to own the launch Taree, photo below during their ownership in 1987.
Do we know what happened to Eunice K & is she still on the water?
25-10-2017 Update
Received an email from Henk Van Wijk to say that he was pleasantly surprised to read the WW story on Eunice K & he was able to advise that approx.. 8 years ago he found her in a pretty sad state of disrepair and as the family were looking for a project, they purchased Eunice K & renamed her Pathfinder in 2009.
Hank had always been curious about her history & when he compared the photos posted on Woodys of her in the 1980 to what she looks like today, he commented that she obviously has had a few changes done to her.
Hank would love to learn more about her early years, they know that she was built by Collings and Bell in 1948 and was previously owned by Rod Barker and was based at Pine Harbour, Auckland.
Pathfinder has spent most of her time in the lower Hauraki Gulf, and in summer up in the Bay of Islands. Hank commented that she is loved and well used by his family. The photos below show her when they found her and what she looks like today.
Update 28-05-2021 ex Dean Wright – photo below of Pathfinder , berthed at Tutukaka.
Link to Taree on ww here https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/05/01/taree-a-peek-down-below/
CAROLINE
Caroline was built by Roger Carey for Gilbert Rivas of Whitianga in 1951. She still has her original 3LW Gardner & measures 36’L x 10’B x 4′ 6″D. She still has her original 3LW Gardner. She was maintained by Howard Pascoe.
The photo above shows her berthed at Whitanga, Baden commented that it was nice to see an old girl return to her home port.
Do we know anything about her past life?
UPDATE 07-10-2019 Movie below, ex Allen Heatlie, showing Caroline underway after painting inside and out.
Ever Wondered How They Used To Make Rope?Click the link below (ex The Mariners Magazine)
Port Townsend Classic Wooden Boat Festival 2017 – 80+ photos
Kiwi woodys Jenny and Malcolm McNicol sent me the below photo essay from the Port Townsend 41st Classic Wooden Boat Festival from The Puget Sounds in Washington State USA. They were holidaying in the Sounds and got to enjoy the festival.
The McNico’s are members of The Rotoiti Wooden Boat Association and are the proud owners of Tauraka, which has featured on WW.
Enjoy the collection – sorry if I have ruined your day ……… 🙂
The 1934 Cox & Filmer (Speedcraft Boat Co.) built Robyn Gae has had a very interesting & colourful life – you can read all about it on the WW link below. But to regular WW readers thats old news & not the reason for today story. https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/08/06/water-gipsy-connie-v-robyn-gae/
Robyn Gae has been ‘hanging-out’ on trademe for a very long time waiting for a woody to takeover her ownership, I in fact gave the sale a plug on WW just over one year ago, but still no takers.
It is rare these days to find an almost original condition classic that is just in a run-down condition. On face value, mechanically she is good, she has just suffered from a lack of exterior maintenance – in my eyes nothing that could not be fixed by a wooden boat enthusiast with the basic skills. Her interior is very ‘as-built’ but that is all good,most woodys have had square edged MDF cabinetry fitted & need to be gutted, give RG’s interior a good scrub with sugar soap & a lick of paint & you could go boating this coming summer & start a rolling restoration next winter. I suspect the right buyer could own RG for not a lot on money. Take a look at the wonderful old photos of her in the WW link & you’ll see the potential she has to be a stunner.
So woodys, we must know someone thats looking for an entry level classic……………..
waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news - updated daily - 15+ million views 