Category Archives: 40′>42′

Beautiful Boats Attract Beautiful People

Posted on by
6

Beautiful Boats Attract Beautiful People

Friday was one of those special woody days – I travelled out to Pine Harbour marina to see the re-launch of Pirate, the Leon Warne 1939 built, 46’ launch.

Why was it special? Well back in March the launch Kokoru was ravaged in a dockside fire, just weeks after a total refit / restoration, links below to Kokoru. One of the few salvageable items were the brand new twin Yanmar 75hp engines. 

The owners made the tough call and decided to purchase another classic and use Kokoru as a donor. The lucky woody purchased was – Pirate. And she became the recipient of Kokoua’s engines.

For the last 6 weeks the transplant and associated bits – new shafts, props etc and a lot of work to the tankage – size and location, has been happening.

Still a work in progress but back in the water and ready for the next stage of the project. Amazingly Pirate did not take on any water, probably the result of her owners hosing the hull down twice a day while hauled out.

WW will visit again when Pirate is ship-shape and knowing the owners – sparkling 🙂

A big shout out to the owners – it takes special people to (1) restore a woody (2) recover from seeing her destroyed (3) leaping back in and buy another – well done Tracy and Alan. I read somewhere the other day a quote that “beautiful boats attract beautiful people” – seems to fit this story 🙂

( fyi – Kokoru went to a good home and we understand, overtime will be rebuilt, so a happy ending)

KOKORU https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/02/11/kokoru-a-sneak-peek/

PIRATE https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/06/14/pirate-a-peek-down-below-4sale/

30-10-2022 – input below from owners

Chamberlains Bay Classic Launches  – Golden Hour

Posted on by
3
Bottom end of Waiheke Island
Chamberlains Bay
Summer Wine
Sea Fever
Tuna
Isle of Arran
Awariki
Lucille
Summer Wine & Takahoa

Chamberlains Bay Classic Launches  – Golden Hour

The truely talented boating photographers talk about the ‘golden hour’, the period just before sunset and just after dawn. Rarely in a bay is it an hour, sometimes it is 10>15 minutes before the sun disappears behind the hills or clouds.

On the Thursday before Easter, this average photographer (me) arrived in Chamberlains Bay, Ponui Island at just the right time and captured some special photos of the woody launches gathering for the Woody Classics Weekend cruise the next day up the Waihou River to Paeroa.

Tautai > Lady Jan – A Peek Down Below

Posted on by
16

Tautai > Lady Jan – A Peek Down Below

Back in April 2018 I was contacted by (the late) Michael Goldfinch who had just purchased the classic launch – Tautai. Michael advised that Tautai designed and built in 1962 by Max Carter and prior to about 2004 went by the name of Lady Jan. Back then she was presented in the “traditional” white and baby blue typical of the era. A friend of Michael’s bought her in 2003 and did an extensive makeover. 

First forward to Feb 2022 and Tautai is for sale and we now get to have a peak down below and learn more about her. She’s powered by a Lees Ford 120hp engine that gets her along nicely at 7 > 8 knots. Spec’s –   39’ in length, 11’9” beam and draws 4’7”

Tautai is one of those lucky boats where her numerous owners have all cared for her and invested in upgrades thru out the years – a walk through transom, larger boarding platform, new toughened glass throughout, bow thruster, new electronics, radar, auto-helm and auto winch – and a whole lot more. Just prior to coming on the market Tautai had a trip to the beauty parlour for a full repaint and varnish in Burnnand Marine’s shed.

She has also circumnavigated the North Island. I’m very happy to be able to advise that she has a new owner, who while ’new’ to the classic wooden boat scene is a very talented gent in the automotive restoration field. And chatting with him, her name will revert back to Lady Jan – we like that 🙂

New owner is very keen to learn more above the vessels past.
Photos below from back in 2019 when receiving some TLC hauled out at the Te Atatu Boating Club yard.

13-04-2022 Input From Darryll Hart – Top photo below is off a painting of Lady Jan in Schoolhouse Bay on June 04 1985. Painting was done by Denis Davies (family friend) in October 1994.

For a bit of history on the boat – we bought her from Gary Barnett who was a car dealer in Otahuhu and he used to cruise with Sequoia, Monterey and Ngarunui, all the boats featured in for sale advertisements  around this Lady Jan article.The dimensions in the article are incorrect.

She is 36 ft long by 12ft wide and was built in 1961 in Onehunga. Originally had a 590 series Ford Trader in her with a manual gearbox.

Fuel was stored in 44gal like tanks either side of the underfloor engine and Gary Barnett added a further 50gals foward when fuel was in short supply in the early 80s up north.At 8 kts she had a range of 70 plus hours.

Kokoru – A Sneak Peek

Posted on by
6

KOKORU – A Sneak Peek

Almost 2 years ago the Wooden Boat Bureau found a new owner for the 1960, 40’Jack Morgan designed and built launch Kokoru. At the time she was calling Picton home and her new owners bought her north to Auckland and almost immediately hauled her out and into a shed. Kokoru was a very well maintained boat and in great presentation – but plans were afoot.

Yesterday I got a peek at the project – still a few bits and pieces to be signed off so today you just get to see her exterior and the new twin Yanmar 75hp engine installation (below)

The design and workmanship is faultless and very soon you’ll get to see the complete boat.

Link to previous WW story  https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/02/26/kokoru/

Update 16-02-2022 Name board photo ex Gavin Pascoe

Worldwide Classic Boat Show

Posted on by
Reply

Regular visitors to this site will be familiar with my enthusiasm for the uber cool website – offcenterharbor.com (screen grab above), last year the crew behind OCH during CV-19 lock down pulled together a world first, an online virtual woody boat show and today I can advise that its on again in 2022. With a slight twist – this year access is complimentary thanks to the generosity of the OCH founders. Details below

And because I couldn’t not give you a woody treat today – check out this link to a great OCH video, it is one of my favorite videos, I’d be a little embarrassed if I told you how many times I’ve watched it 🙂 Its titled ‘Live Well: The Cruising Smack STORM BAY with Tim Phillips‘

So woodys mark your calendars — the second annual Worldwide Classic Boat Show is almost here, and friends of Waitemata Woodys are invited to CLICK HERE to register and get a COMPLIMENTARY PASS to the entire Show!

The Show is a completely online event from February 18th-27th, which means you can enjoy this gathering of the world’s best classic boats from wherever you are (without leaving the comfort of your favorite chair). 

More details about the Show are below, and…

You can CLICK HERE to GET YOUR COMPLIMENTARY PASS while they last.

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?

Our friends at Off Center Harbor have used the power of the internet to put nearly everything in the world related to classic/wooden boats on one big interactive Google map…


WHAT’S “ON THE MAP” AT THE SHOW?

  • The Map – Everything related to classic boats is on one interactive Google map
  • Boats – Over 1,000 of the world’s best classic boats (with photos and details)
  • Organizations – Explore festivals, boatbuilders, clubs, museums, schools, etc.
  • Live Presentations – Inspiring presentations featuring experts on a variety of topics
  • People – Connect with other attendees anywhere in the world (right on the map)

YOUR BOAT COULD BE IN THE SHOW:

You can submit your own classic/wooden boat to be in the Show! Again, the Show is entirely virtual/online and will be open February 18th to 27th at ClassicBoatShow.com, and…

You can CLICK HERE to GET YOUR COMPLIMENTARY PASS while they last.

Enjoy the Show!

Mahurangi Regatta 2022 – 150+ Classic Wooden Boat Photos

Posted on by
9

MAHURANGI REGATTA 2022 – 150+ CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT PHOTOS

2022 will be remembered as the no frills regatta – no small boats, no beach activity, no beach party (band, bbq’s), no prize giving – but woodys it still rocked. Great turn out of both launches and yachts, and the weather gods delivered a breeze that provided some of the best racing we have seen in a long time.

I was told by someone that should know – that the budget for previous regatta’s is knocking on the door of $50,000 – maybe CV-19 has been a relativity check and maybe – less is more 🙂

I’m told Peter Brookes has Rawhiti in the groove, she is smoking the rest of the fleet – well done skipper and the grey haired crew 😉 for taking out the A division + Little Jim backing up last years Logan Trophy win with another win.

Tomorrow we will have a look at Mondays launch drag race for the quicks – conditions were below average on the inner harbour – correction, bad everywhere, I had the 2nd worst passage back from Kawau yesterday – 4.5 hours of my life I’ll never get back 🙂 . If I ever see the prick in a very large Riviera that went past me at full chat less than 50m away in the Rangi Channel and almost rolled me – he will get a bottle of Thai Fish Sauce in his air-con intake. 

No real story today, just a photo gallery from the weekend – sit back and enjoy. Remember click photos to enlarge. No photos from the Scotts Landing casual gathering – no need for a record ;-).

Special thanks to Murray Deeble and Glen Keeper for sending in photos 🙂

Update 02-02-22 Mahurangi weekend photo gallery below sent in by Graeme Finch

In Case You Are Hiding At Home, Wearing 2 Masks And Wondering What You’re Missing This Weekend – Check Out the 2019 Mahurangi Regatta

Posted on by
10

MAHURANGI REGATTA  2019 – The biggest & best classic wooden boat regatta in NZ – 90+ photos

FRIDAY NIGHT

p1040788

SATURDAY – REGATTA DAY

p1040795

p1040798

p1040803

p1040839

p1040867

p1040869

p1040872

p1040899

p1040916

p1040940

p1040949

p1040965

SATURDAY NIGHT AT SCOTTS LANDING

p1040987

p1040989

p1040990

p1040988

SUNDAY MORNING

p1040994

MAHURANGI REGATTA  2019 – The biggest & best classic wooden boat regatta in NZ – 90+ photos

WoW what a woody weekend – simply stunning on all fronts –  sun > wind > location > people & of course the boats. On my estimate, the biggest turnout of classic wooden craft ever. Record numbers for Saturday mornings launch parade.
I’ll go out on a limb & repeat a comment made to me on the deck of Lidgard House, Kawau Island on Sunday night by one of our most prominent & influential classic wooden boat people – “Mahurangi is the real Auckland Anniversary Weekend Regatta” & after cruising back into Auckland today, & not seeing a lot of yachts, I would have to agree.
On Saturday between Jason Prew on My Girl & myself with Raindance we hosted three of the wooden boating world’s superstars – if you read or follow the WoodenBoat magazine, Classic Boat & the hottest property on the block – the vblog, https://www.offcenterharbor.com
then the names Maynard Bray, Benjamin Mendlowitz & Steve Stone will be very familiar to you. These gents were motored around the harbour & very selectively photographed / filmed our beautiful woodys. When I mentioned that I had cancelled my trip to next months Hobart Wooden Boat Festival, one commented “why would you go – it’s all here” & woodys – it was.
I have never attempted to understand the ‘politics’ / issues between the Mahurangi Cruising Club & The Friends of Mahurangi people – but between them they turn on a wonderful day, that equals anything on the world classic wooden boat calendar. As with anything, a few wee niggles e.g. crap PA sound system at the beach prize giving meant most people didn’t know the results – but I can tell you that Tony Blake & the crew on Thelma gave all the other A division skippers as master class in regatta sailing. It was wonderful to see the big 5 Arch Logan yachts – Thelma (1897), Rainbow (1898), Ariki (1904), Rawhiti (1905) & Rawene (1908) all on the same race track together, for the first time ever (I think I’m right – Harold?) The results were:
Thelma, followed by Rawhiti, followed by Ariki, then Rainbow & Rawene.
As a result of playing driver for the overseas crew – I’m a little light on sailing photos, but you can see from the gallery above that it was a special day.
Well done MCC and F. of M. for another magic weekend.
If anyone else had the camera out & captured some goodies, email them to   waitematawoodys@gmail.com
We bailed out of Mahurangi on Sunday morning & headed to Kawau Island for some family R&R – photos below.
Question – what do you do when there is no shotgun to signal sunset & the lowering of the burgee? – well a few lads decided to bang some pots together, then drop the flags at Lidgard House – me thinks there might be a letter in the mail to certain members 🙂
_1050003
A WEE BIT OF PR GOING ON HERE – WW T’s & OFF CENTER HARBOUR CAPS 🙂
THERE ALWAYS HAS TO BE A FOOD SHOT – KAWAU BOATING LUB, DINNER SUNDAY NIGHT.
img_0612

Check out the video below of Rawhiti – sent in from Benjamin Mendlowitz from Off Center Harbour

http://offcenterharbor.com

Update – due to not all launches completing 2 laps of the launch parade – I missed photographing a few boats – photos below ex Justine Ricketts (edited by myself)

AND MORE – link below to the Off Center Harbour video of the 2017 regatta, featuring Steve Horsley’s stunning 1904 Chas Bailey Jnr – Ngatira

New Zealand’s Mahurangi Regatta – Featuring Chas Bailey’s NGATIRA

UPDATE ex Graeme Finch of the A Class fleet racing Saturday + one of Raindance showing myself & Steve Stone from Off Center Harbour filming / clicking away 🙂

As always – click photos to enlarge 😉

rd @ mr2019

Also from Graeme – one of Bruce Tantrum’s pride & joy – Paramour + Graemes stunning ship – Te Arahi 🙂

dsc_0139

dsc_0034

UPDATE – An early Saturday morning drone fly-by over Sullivans Bay, Mahurangi. Filmed by Neil Lawton, heads up on the movie from Ian Gavin.

30-01-2019 Update – photos of Laughing Lady ex Jason Prew

Update 11-02-2019 photos below ex Angus Rogers.

IMG_0153

IMG_0123

The Endless Summer

Posted on by
6
Tasman
Tasman & Viveen
Viveen
Waiari
Juanita
Pacific

Peter Loughlin Photos Below

Lady Margaret

The Endless Summer 

I know I’m tempting fate with the headline, but who can remember when it last rained? Todays gallery of woodys comes to us from the camera of Nathan Herbert (Pacific) as he mooched around the Hauraki Gulf last week. The last 5, are from Peter Loughlin (Lady Margaret -CW) doing the same thing.

We see Tasman, Viveen, Pacific, Arihi, Escape, Chandos, Zoe, Motunau, Waiari, Juanita, Pacific, Lady Margaret (CW), Rehia, Ngaro and a few that I can’t put a name to.

A question – did Colin Wild ever design / build an ugly boat? 

It was a pretty wild and woolly weekend in some parts of the north and reviewing the news and photos, Tutukaka took the brunt of it – sad to see the carnage. Angus Rogers sent in the photo below from Russell last night – tagged ‘After the Wind’ showing the Russell ferry and the launch Miss Brett, bottom right closer in.

JOAN + AUCKLAND ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND CLASSIC BOATING MUST DOs 

Posted on by
4

JOAN + AUCKLAND ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND CLASSIC BOATING MUST DOs 

While sliding down the harbour the last week, I was passed by a very grand old lady – the 42’ Joan, built in 1919 by Baily & Lowe. She just slices thru the water with ease – no doubt helped by the very rare Gardner 612 engine. I have reproduced Harold Kidd’s notes below from a 2014 WW story – link to that and another story at the end.

“JOAN was built by Bailey & Lowe in December 1918 as IMANOTA for William Lang Casey of Hamilton Road, Herne Bay, the then President of the Victoria Cruising Club. She was 42ft x 11ft and was fitted with a Millar engine. Casey sold her to James Donald in early 1922 and he renamed her MARION D, although the name didn’t stick very well and she was often referred to as IMANOTA for years afterwards. During the winter of 1922 Donald re-powered her with a 30hp (rated) 3 cylinder Twigg and had the dodger built on. Donald owned her until just before WW2 when Athol Umfrey Wells of King Street, Panmure bought her and renamed her JOAN, probably after a daughter because his wife was Gladys. During WW2 she was with NAPS as Z19 under Wells’ command and the Twigg was replaced by a Gardner in 1944. Athol Wells owned her for many years, I think until he died in 1975. A chap called Walker owned her in the mid eighties when her provenance had transmogrified into her being built by Chas. Bailey in 1914 and being used by Zane Grey for game-fishing, all myths.” LINKS TO WW JOAN STORIES – more insights here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/11/20/joan-2/ https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/03/17/joan/

A Pot-Pourri Of Woodys

Posted on by
3
Viveen @ Te Komua 
Raira @ Te Kouma
Tamure
Altair
Olive Rose @ Waiheke Island
Alma G @ Russel Wharf 

A Pot-Pourri Of Woodys

Today’s collection of classic launches come to use from a collective of woodys photographers that are cruising the Hauraki Gulf and outer waters – thanks to Angus Rogers, Murray Deeble, Colin Pawson and Lindsay McMorran.

And if you need a reminder of the cleverness of Chris McMullen, check out the link below to the story of his Herreshoff steam launch – just updated with shed photos post her ‘pretend’ (waterline check) launching.  https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/04/26/chris-mcmullens-herreshoff-steam-launch-2/