Category Archives: 40′>42′

TUATEA – Why Do We Have To Muddle With Things

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TUATEA – Why Do We Have To Muddle With Things

I know an owner can do what ever they like to a boat, it is theirs – BUT it would be nice if owners came from the angle of refinement versus modernisation.

One of the photos ex Tauranga Library archives via Dean Wright, was the top two photos of Tuatea, the 1954 Lane Motor Boat Co built, 39’6” launch. This photo is dated February 1961 and show the game boat looking superb. The third photo is dated 1984 and the location the Bay of Islands, we see a fly bridge added to her. In a previous story a sage woody described her then paint job as ‘calf sh_t brown’.

The in the last photo we see her as she is today – trying to impersonate a 1980’s Riviera………

(yesterdays WW cap winner was K Rickets – who ID’ed the launch as Marline in SE Bay (Opo), Mayor Island, most likely shot from inside the Game Fishing Club)

07-04-2025 UPDATE ex DEAN WRIGHT

 The photo below of TUATEA has been colorised by Dean Dean Wright . The original was captioned – ‘Launch Tuatea 3rd Feb 1961’ and came from the Tauranga City Library Collection, Gifford-Cross Donation 1992, Photographer: Bay of Plenty Times.

AND WHY WOOD YOU – Photo below sent in by a serious woody boater – a tin can trying to …….. actually I do not know what they are trying to do 🙂

SHANGO – A Peek Down Below 

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SHANGO – A Peek Down Below 

Back in mid January in one of the few good boating days we had I spotted the 40’ Atkinson designed/built (1970) launch – Shango anchored at Waiheke Island – link below to photos and details.

Shango

Now thanks to an appearance on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) we get to have a peek down below.  A Ford 200hp 2728T engine gives Shango a comfortable cruising speed of 9 knots. Reviewing the photos she appears to be a very well presented woody. 

She ‘lost’ her NASA space centre control tower (refer below older photo) as part of a 2021/22 refit – we like that 😉

ALIBI – Re-Launched Briefly

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ALIBI – Re-Launched Briefly

We have been following the refit / refurb of the Mason Clipper – Alibi at the Greg Lees Boa Builders yard at Sandspit.

Early this month ‘Alibi” came out of Lees shed after 5 months and slipped briefly into the water and out again on to the hardstand. The stern legs will be removed and serviced and painted along with engine servicing, some electrical work and general bits and bobs, this work will take a few months. We’ll keep you posted 🙂

(thanks to Mason Clippers fb for the photos)

CIRCLE THE CALENDAR

Put a ring around November 18th – for the Karapirp Classics – Off the water boat show followed by on the water activities, open to Classic and Wooden boats, Classic jet boats and home built boats of the 1960-70’s at the Horahora Domain – more details closer to the event.

ROAMER & The VOS Shed

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ROAMER & The VOS Shed


Over the last week I received several emails concerning the 40’ launch – Roamer that was on tme listed as ‘as is where is, any offers considered’. When had I had a look for her it was showing as withdrawn, so fingers crossed that a new owner was found. Roamer last appeared on WW back in July 2016 – link to the story below https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/07/01/roamer/

Roamer was built in 1911 in Ferrymead and has been modified multiple times over the years. Recently including a new cabin top to increase the height inside the main cabin. Repairs were done by Davie Norris Boatbuilders/Norris family over many years. The top photos show how it was in the water before she unfortunately sunk at the moorings 12/11/20. Since then she has been stored at Davie Norris Boatbuilders awaiting final repairs to make her watertight again. The engine, a Ford diesel had been serviced and ran. Unfortunately Davie passed away recently and the Norris syndicate who were looking after the Roamer were unable to keep her and get her back on the water. The tme listing was a shout out to locate a caretaker for her.

AUCKLAND’S WATERFRONT PINK ELEPHANT – THE PERCY VOS SHED

Nearly 8 months ago I asked WTF was happening with the Vos Shed, while strolling the waterfront yesterday I detoured to have a look – and, looking worse than ever – note the old newspapers on the windows 😦 Come on Auckland Council / Panuku – open the bloody doors.

Classic Canadian Wooden Boat Eye Candy

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Classic Canadian Wooden Boat Eye Candy

Today we get to have a dockside gander at the 20+ fleet of classic craft that came together for the 2023 Ladysmith Heritage Festival at the Ladysmith Community Marina in the town of Ladysmith, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. 

The photo gallery is via the camera of Maurizio Hublitz, one of Maurizio’s fellow woodys commented that he is fixated with sterns, but it’s all about showcasing / recording the vessel names.

Over the years I have enjoyed Maurizio’s event reports and been very envious of the set up at the Ladysmith Community Marina, reading this years report I was surprised that there is a dispute underway in regard to future access to the marina area – in fact they have been issued with an eviction notice to be out by Dec 31 2023 – I won’t bore you with the details but it appears that New Zealand isn’t the only country with indigenous (minority) land ownership issues. Fingers crossed sanity rules so this remarkable location can be enjoyed by everyone.

Politics aside – enjoy the photo gallery. Great to see the ex work boats sharing the limelight 🙂

As always – click on photos to enlarge 😉

A Recount Of Our Classic Wooden Craft DNA 

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Grace under sail
CLICK The Headline – Grace Under Sail to view

A Recount Of Our Classic Wooden Craft DNA 

Recently I was sent a link to an article that appeared in the New Zealand Geographic magazine back in 2000 – in fact issue 45 , Jan-March. The article was headlined – GRACE UNDER FIRE, written by Vaughan Yarwood with supporting photos from the late Henry Winkelmann and more recent photos ex Hamish Ross and Paul Gillbert.

The stars of the article is the 42’ 1908 Logan built gaff rigged cutter – Rawene, and her then skipper Russell Brooke.

This is a brilliant insight into the early days of boating in and around Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour, I’m sure there will be some mix ups re dates, skipper/craft names but overall we get to see and read the history of these magnificent craft, a lot of which are still sailing today.

Have a read, its only 10>15 minutes, longer if if you linger over the photos 🙂  – even a die-hard motorboat owner like myself found it a fascinating read.

Puruwai

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PURUWAI

Sometimes the odd email in the WW inbox sips between the cracks – today woodys is one of those, back in June 2022 Mike Ogier pointed me to a fb marketplace post on the yacht Puruwai – a kauri planked 40′ restoration project. Her story stated that she had been ’sailed internationally.At the time she was in s yard in Te Puna, Bay of Plenty.

Question of the day, did she sell and what became of her.

18-09-2026 UPDATE ex ANDREW HALL – She’s been spotted. Anchored pretty comfortably and looks all ship shape (despite missing her mast) in a well protected harbour, the north of port Havana, efate, Vanuatu. A local said she arrived around June ‘26, this winter sailing season and the owner has returned to nz to sort some rig issues. Which looks like was dropped intentionally.

Dream Girl – Project Boat

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DREAM GIRL – Project Boat

Todays woody while based in NZ started life on the other side of the world – at the Merritt boat yard in Fort Lauderdale, USA. Built in the early 1960’s she was originally named  – Tuna Teaser. Fast forward to the mid 2000’s and she is now named Dream Girl and pops up in Pago Pago (American Samoa) and then in Rarotonga. Sadly while in Rarotonga she sunk on her mooring in Feb 2006, fast forward again and she was freighted to New Zealand. Not sure of the timing between sinking and transport to NZ but before the sinking Dream Girl was powered by 2x 320hp Cummins giving her a reputed cruise speed of around 15knots and a top speed of 25knots.

Home these days is in West Auckland where she has been stripped back, damage repaired and is currently a hull and deck + a few original fittings.

What we know about her is that she is 40’ in length and appears to be strip planked and glassed.

Top photo and below from her ‘off-shore’ days.

While lacking the kiwi classic woody looks, if a fast classic sport-fisher appeals, Dream Girl could be a good entry point. You’ll find her on tme, if not already sold.

ORDER HERE waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Freedom DN.33 – A Peek Down Below

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FREEDOM DN 33 – A Peek Down Below

Regular WW readers will know that I have a soft spot for converted workboats, Todays woody – Freedom started life as a cray boat, built from kauri in 1956 by Millers in Lyttelton and fished out of Dunedin. Later (date unknown) converted to a live-aboard.

Thanks to Ian McDonald giving us a heads up on a tme feature we get to have a look below. Freedom is 40’ in length and powered by a 1970’s 120hp Ford diesel engine. Being a southern lass, she sports a Dickensen heater – we like those 🙂

Can we learn more about Freedom

WANDERER II – A Peek Down Below

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WANDERER II – A Peek Down Below

The 39’ launch Wanderer II was built in 1965 by Owen Woolley in his boatyard on the Tamaki River.

Powered by a 100hp Ford diesel, she cruises at 8 knots. Current home is the Bay of Islands and thanks to Ian McDonald spotting her tme story we get to have a gander below.

More details and photos at the link below to a Oct 2020 WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/10/21/wanderer-ii-2/

At the risk of ruffling Cam Pollard’s feathers – I include the two photos below to show / support my personal view on varnished coamings and the addition of a fly bridge 🙂