Category Archives: 36′>38′

TAURIMA

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TAURIMA

I was contacted recently by Alice Morrison with the news that she had just bought a 1960 (circa) Billy Rogers sedan launch named Taurima. She is 36′ & constructed of double diagonal kauri. Unfortunately the previous owner didn’t know much history about her so Alice is hoping that some of the woodys out there can shed some light on her?
She is obviously a sister ship to Margaret Anne  https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/10/03/margaret-anne-2/ , both very lucky boats as they both have lady owners 🙂

So woodys can we help Alice?

14-02-2017 Update ex Alice M – She has a 110hp Lees Marine Ford. The previous owners were Kevin & Bryce Thorne from Whangarei but the vessel has been moored in Opua or Jacks Bay in the Bay of Islands. I have asked Bryce to find the contact details of the owners before him. All he knew was that it used to be in Auckland where the owner used it to take him from the city to Waiheke all the time.

Marie J + Hirawanu

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MARIE J

Marie J was built in Whangarei by Master-Craft ( M Ryan) in 1956 & measures 30′. Built of kauri & presently owned (for approx 5 years) by Peter Croft  & kept at Gulf Harbour.
Peter C.  bought her off a Mr Hambrook of Auckland, who bought her in Motueka (2005) & cruised her to Onehunga, Auckland, via the West Coast. Then a quick road trip over to the Waitemata Harbour. Her history at Motueka & before that, is unknown.

She has been powered by a 4 cyl 90 hp Ford diesel since new & due to some very bad luck has had a total of 3 of these engines, including one installed  this week by Moon Engines.
The engine history goes like this , whilst in the care of a previous owner, she was tied to a wharf one day, at low water & when the  tide came in she got jammed under the wharf & ended up with water on the wrong side of the hull, which flooded the engine. This resulted in a replacement identical engine. Then the  present owner Peter C. had the misfortune to be cruising along one day & an oil cooler hose ruptured & sprayed lubricating oil all around the bilge & pumped the engine dry, which then promptly seized up. Thanks to Peter Croft & Ken Ricketts for the photos & details (edited by Alan H)

OMG – words fail me……………….. Its a bit like one of those dogs with a big body & very short legs – normally the result of a hole in the fence 🙂
For the record – it’s a 1948, 38′ Lidgard named Hirawanu.

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Almeda

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ALMEDA

The above photos of Almeda were sent to me by Alan Sexton.
Almeda was built by Alan Waters in approx 1972, designer unconfirmed, however Alan S commented that to his eye she looks to be a development of Tarata so there could be a Brooke connection. She is 38′, single skin strip plank hull & decks appear to be 2 layers of tongue & groove.

She is powered by a 6 cylinder Ford, the current owner describing it as a generator spec version, as against the typical marinised truck version, & has a steadying sail on a furler.
She has been moored on the Matakana River for over 20yrs, owned until recently by David Green & had been under the long term care (general maintenance) of Lees Boatbuilders at Sandspit.

Can the woodys tell us more about her?

Mataroa Re-launched

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Hauled out at Evans Bay Slipway
The work begins- new swamp Kauri window trims
Grandson Hendrik
Rob and Robbie Uivel senior
Sven Beirenga

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Rob & wife Sue Dorrington

MATAROA Re-Launched

Mataroa has just spent 10 weeks at the Evans Bay slipway, Wellington getting a very big dose of TLC. Owner Rob Uivel commented to me that he would like to mention how supportive and easy going the crew at the yard are, especially – Sven Beirenga and Peter Maherid, nothing was ever a problem.
Mataroa was built in 1928 by Joe Slattery & named Kenya when launched, she measures 36’ LOA & was originally built for Mr Heard of Heards Confectionary. Like most Slattery boats she is very pleasing to the eye & luckily for Rob Uivel has survived relatively as original. She has featured numerous times on ww so search her name in the ww search panel & you can see / read more.

While she was hauled out Rob concentrated on the exterior & as you can see he stripped the cabin sides back to Kauri and applied numerous coats of epoxy and varnish.
The paint colours used reflect what Rob thinks were the original paint scheme.
One interpretation of the name ‘Mataroa’ apparently is long nose –  which from on deck, she certainly appears to have.

I’m aware that Rob bought Mataroa for a very modest sum because of rumours that she was suffering from electrolysis. While every hull fastening was connected by a maze of wires, she had suffered a wee bit but surprisingly little compared to other examples we have seen on ww. Needless to say the wiring has all been removed along with any superfluous  hull appendages.

Mataroa was re-launched on Jan 21st 2017 & I have to say looks a lot smarter when I saw her for sale on trademe. Well done Rob & family 🙂 We look forward to seeing the interior work next winter.

PS – owning a pretty boat helps get a feature on ww but wearing a ww t-shirt in the photos gets you to the top of the waiting list 😉

BIG WOODY WEEKEND THIS WEEKEND – MAHURANGI REGATTA – I’LL BE POINTING RAINDANCE NORTH MID AFTERNOON TODAY, FORECAST LOOKS ACE, SO SHOULD BE A GOODY 🙂 LOTS OF PHOTOS 🙂
IF YOU ARE THERE IN A CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – JOIN THE LAUNCH PARADE ON SATURDAY MORNING. STARTS OFF SCOTTS LANDING AT 10.00AM.

Awarua

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AWARUA
Awarua has made several ‘cameo’ appearances on ww & been mentioned in other stories but due to the fact that her owner (for the last 20 years) keeps her moored at Clevedon we do not see her at CYA events or this end of the Waitemata Harbour. Thanks to the CYA launch captain, Angus Rogers, we now have some great photos of her.

Awarua is 37′, a Roy Lidgard, all kauri launch, built in 1947. Angus was aboard her this week & commented to me that Awarua is kept in wonderful condition with no shortage of TLC.  In the 2nd photo above, you can see Angus’s launch Manhanui anchored behind Awarua.

Click this link to view a c1947 photo of Awarua, taken not long after she was launched

Mansion House Bay c1947

Korara

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KORARA

Korara was built in 1962 by Snow Waters to a design by naval architect, John E. Powell, UK.  The 37’6″ design is for a ‘sport- fishing’ motorboat which can cruise at a good speed in the rough conditions of the English Channel without slowing.
She is a very practical boat with an extremely well built kauri carvel hull. Zoom zoom comes from a 120hp Ford diesel that sees her cruises at 8 knots using very little diesel. While she probably can sail without the engine, her owner has never tried. She has a main stored on the boom under a brand new cover (beige, not shown) and a couple of headsails which have never been out. The main works excellently as designed, to steady her in a sea.
Some specs:
• There are two large plastic fuel tanks in a walk around engine room with about 5ft headroom. Engine room even has its own porcelain hand basin!
• Her propeller and rudder are bronze, the rudder being supported by a large, beautifully cast solid bronze shoe.
• Sleeping is via – 5 singles and 1 double berth.
• Decks are double (possibly triple) diagonally laid with no leaks and no movement save for the odd small seam crack.
• Coamings are all varnished teak including skylight, hinged 2 ways and removable all on bronze fittings, over the aft double cabin.
• Interior is in excellent condition, with all solid teak mouldings. Floorboards are teak and all wear areas are very thick teak (staircases, steps, handles etc)
• Gas stove / grill / oven is used very little. Water in 3 basins is fed from a header tank which is topped up by manual pump from a large stainless underfloor tank.

Korara is a special boat that has been fortunate to have been owned by a very talented & passionate woody. This owner is asking a very reasonable price – $75k ono, I hope a good buyer steps up soon & buys her, she deserve to be passed onto someone who will continue to appreciate her & care for her.
I’m not always a fan of the high gloss varnish coamings but Korara would look like a million dollars if you did the Uroxsys (Awlwood MA ) varnish treatment on her 😉

I very rarely post trademe links but I like the owners & I like the boat – so here you go – buy it.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/motorboats/auction-1237123330.htm
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Sceptre Gets A Top Chop

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SCEPTRE GETS A TOP CHOP

While mooching around Waiheke Island last week the above launch anchored in the same bay, not long after her owner rowed over for a chat. After a few minutes of pleasantries I popped the question ” so tell me about your launch” & got the reply ” You know her but I bet you can not name her” – well folks I could not. The reason? her owner is one of the few woodys that actually pick up the chainsaw & lop off a flying-bridge addition. If ever someone wanted photographic proof to justify to themselves that their classic launch looks better without the ‘block of flats’ – here it is.

Below is a b/w photo of the Ben Hipkin designed & built 36′ Sceptre when she was launched (possibly c1965) & also one I took during the 2016 Mahurangi Regatta, in the Mahurangi photo Sceptre looks fine but its lost that classic look, she could be easily mistaken for a f/glass boat.

If the owner of Sceptre contacts me at waitematawoodys@gmail.com I’ll send them a Lake Rotoiti Wooden & Classic Boat Parade calendar – brave woodys need rewarding 😉

The owner also was the first launch I have seen flying the drinks / gin flag – more proof he is a good bugger 🙂

Note: Lots more interesting photos of yesterdays woody – Otehei added, scroll down this page to view

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Taree

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TAREE
Taree, the 1966 36’ Owen Woolley sedan launch has appeared before, briefly, on ww.  Back in the late 1980’s I even looked at buying her. I think she held a few records:

(1) the longest trademe listing for a classic launch
(2) the number of failed surveys

So to see her in the hands of a new owner & one thats sympathetic to woodys is a very good thing. From the photos above, some ex her owner & some 2016 emailed to me by Ken Ricketts, she is getting the attention she deserves.The name Taree  means “sticks” in Aborigine, I assume a link to the fact that she is built with kauri, carvel planked over jarrah ribs, the Australian hardwood. She has teak coamings.
Power these days is via a GM 165 hp V8 Diesel fuel pincher, installed by the previous owner in 2009. This sees her easily cruise at 8 knots.

She was bought by present owner Don Bruce in Dec 2015 & is now kept at Gulf Harbour. He  bought her off a  John Graham, who owned her for  23 years & kept her at Pine Harbour

Her current owner believes she was built for Emmitt Keenan and had a Perkins 46109 installed when launched.

Gray Mathias, possibly the 3rd or 4th owner,  fitted a 2 stroke Detroit in 1985 and after one more owner Mike McDonald, John Cameron bought her in 1988. The Detroit lasted till 2005 and the 165hp V8 fuel pincher was fitted in 2009, at a cost of $17000.

Recently she has spent time in the Brin Wilson shed at Gulf Harbour (see photos above), receiving some serious TLC.
Always good to see a classic get lucky & find a good home – well done Don Bruce 🙂

Peter Peal  Book Winner
The winner of yesterdays quiz for a copy of – Thoughts on Clinker Lapstrake Dinghy Construction.
Is Nathan Herbert with – Z Class. Lots of people sent in Silver Fern & Frostbite but surprisingly only one – Z Class entry.
Well done Nathan.

Vacuna

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VACUNA

I have deleted my comments about this boat – yes its for sale but be careful. The 4 sale story & her actual past appear to not add up.

I repeat – be careful – in fact refer the last ww story on her – link below

Vacuna

26-11-2016 UPDATE

This weblog is many things to many people, one of those things is to ensure that the classic wooden boating community is kept abreast of happenings in & around the many marinas & boat yards scattered across NZ.
We get sent 100’s of photos of boats hauled out, photos of work-in-progress – both good work & dodgy work, I publish most things, often just an addition to  previous story, that way future owners can get an insight into a vessels maintenance history. Quite often an owner gets a surprize to learn that at some stage in the past their pride & joy may have hit a rock, or even been to the bottom. In fact I learned this about my own boat.

So folks when I hear things that appear to be not right, I alert you to them – the launch Vacuna is a case in point – I have NEVER had so many phone calls or emails about one single vessel, all I’ll say is that I would not buy her 😉

Also at waitematawoodys we very rarely moderate what others post in the comments section – the seller of Vacuna has attempted to post 9 comments that we have chosen to not publish – the last will be enough to get them banned from waitematawoodys, only the 2nd person ever.
I have repeated the comment below – this was their reply to a comment made by one of waitematawoodys most loyal & knowledgeable woodys.

“Get your facts right before you comment on marking a quick Buck.
Who the hell are or what are you. A lose mouthed women that has no idea about anything trying to get a name for her self at the expense of others.”

The launch of Albacora

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The launch of Albacora

Thanks to Hylton Edmonds there is a very detailed & accurate history of Albacore already on ww (link below). What we were missing was launch day images. Thanks also to Hylton Edmonds for the above photos showing her being splashed in 1954.
Albacora was a McGeady, which is surprising as she was rather pretty, she measured 38′ & was purpose built for big game fishing. Albacora spent the early part of her life in the Bay of Islands & was then freighted to Fiji in 1968. Sadly she was a victim of the 1983 Cyclone Oscar but prior to this she very neglected. Post the cyclone her fate was a bulldozer & a box of matches 😦

Full details here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/07/06/13148/