Category Archives: 40′>42′

Lady Mavis

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Lady Mavis

Ray Sutcliffe

LADY MAVIS
WW was recently contacted by Kathy Makan asking for help in her quest to track down the launch – ‘Lady Mavis’ for which she has been searching for some years now.
Lady Mavis was built by her grandfather Ray Sutcliffe and Kathy spent every moment of her childhood from the day she was born into her 20’s on her.
Lady Mavis started out at 32′ built in Ray’s back yard and was launched in 1954 at Browns Bay (North Shore, Auckland). In 1958 she was lengthened to 42′ at her grandfather’s factory at Barrys Point Road, Takapuna where he built flat bottom boats for flounder fishing and dingys for HC Kitchen Ltd.
Her radio number for calling Music Point was Z.M. 2117.  Kathy believes she was built of kauri with two six cylinder engines.  Ray was appointed an ‘Honorary Launch Warden’ in 1963 under the Harbours Act 1950 by the Minister of Marine.
During summer months she was moored at Waiake Beach in Torbay where they lived and would then be shifted to the Milford Marina during winter. The family cruised extensively to Rangitoto, Tiri, Rakino, Motutapu, Wade River, Kawau Island, Mahurangi River to Warkworth, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel and their favourite the Bay of Islands.
In the photos above we see Lady Mavis & Ray Sutcliffe. Ray’s family were friends with the Fullers from the Bay of Islands and used to go fishing with Mr Fuller on his first launch ‘Udine’.  From his late teens into his twenties Ray used to catch the steamer ‘Clansman’ from Auckland up to the Bay of Islands where he spent his holidays  out on the Fuller’s launch ‘Knoxie’ and going out on the ‘Cream Trip’ as well as other special trips.  He used to stay with the Bullen family who was Mrs Fuller’s sister. Below is a photo of Ray with a kingfish caught on Mr Fuller’s launch ‘Udine’, as well as photos of ‘Knoxie and the ‘Clansman’.
Greatgrandfather Sutchliffe

Wooden Boating VIP On The Waitemata

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Wooden Boating VIP On The Waitemata

Today I hosted Ben Mendlowitz on Raindance, Ben is the number one wooden boat photographer in the world & shoots for just about every boating magazine there is & produces the world famous “Calendar of WoodenBoats’ + has authored dozens of books on the subject.
While in New Zealand Ben was keen to photograph some of our classic fleet, so we headed out yesterday to catch the classic division of the RNZYS Winter Series race.
Ben will have some stunning photos, I was just the driver today so only took a few, very average photos – I did however capture 2 rare events:
1. Thelma going a ground off Stanley Point – some very red faces
2. Jason Prew venturing forward of the mast on Rawene – he didn’t look comfortable 🙂
Photos below – enjoy
THE NEW ZEALAND SAILING DINGHY EXHIBITION
In case you missed it – in 2 weeks (Oct 5>7th) is the annual Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition at the Viaduct – this year the theme is ‘The New Zealand Sailing Dinghy’ – I’ll post more on the event during the week – but right now Tony Stevenson is doing a call out to anybody interested in displaying their classic NZ designed and built sailing dinghy, yacht class information or memorabilia.
Please contact Tony Stevenson tonys@nwv.co.nz  or 021 977 456
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Kaiurunga

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KAIURUNGA – Workboat Wednesday

Kaiurunga is a double ender solid kauri planked launch at 41′ long & built in 1935 by Ernie Lane.

She is an ex-Westport Harbour Board pilot boat. The name Kaiurunga means ‘highest cloud’.  

Rumour has it she has done a lap of New Zealand and often crossed the Cook Straight.  

Zoom zoom is via a 95hp Perkin diesel motor that has her cruising at around 7 knots.  

Her trademe listing (thanks Ian McDonald) tells us her current owner has had her for a year and is unable to finish the project.  While looking a little ‘work-in-progress’ there has been a lot of time & money spent on her & she would make a good low cost live aboard / tiny house-boat.
Home port is Mana, Wellington.

Miss Brett Needs A New Woody Owner

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Miss Brett

 

Miss Brett Needs A New Woody Owner

I have been contacted by Donna Lewis, the owner of Miss Brett, who needs to offer the launch up for sale. Donna lives in Australia. Miss Brett was launched in 1927 & built by Dick Lang at Russell  for the Bay of Islands famous Fullers Cream Trip. She measures 40’ x 10’9” x 2’11” draft. Zoom zoom is via a 100hp 6 cyl. Ford Trader Lees Marine diesel. Renamed Knoxie II c.1928, the name coming from her 4 cya Knox engine, when launched.
Below is her edited call for help

“Regrettably I realistically need  to put MV Miss Brett up for sale. I am very aware of her historical significance and have been her owner … caretaker really since September 2015. I would hope in an ideal world that someone capable of enjoying her as we have and enjoys the maintenance  (as I do) might be interested in her.

The top photo above is a recent photo taken last month & shows Miss Brett moored on her own mooring in Kororareka Bay (Russell) Bay of Islands.”

Interested parties can contact Donna for more details, she has had an impressive amount of work done in the last few years – via email at              lewisdn@hotmail.com

Miss Brett features in the video ‘ NZ Marlin’ – at the 1′ 48″ stage & again at 7’24” – link below:
You can view more photos of Miss Brett here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/08/08/miss-brett/
Details ex Harold Kidd
Photos below of Miss Brett – Russell c.1960

Neptune

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NEPTUNE

Neptune is a 39’ John Gladden designed ex work boat / converted trawler & is now a potential live aboard.

She was extended .6m eight years ago & has a 11’5” beam & draws 5’2”.

Her trademe listing is very light on details, the only other things I can advise is that she was built in 1982 & made of wood.

( thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads up)

 

 

Mizpah

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Mizpah 1

Mazpah 2

MIZPAH

The 1st photo above shows the launch Mizpah at a jetty in Crail Bay, Pelorus Sound, dated c.1900’s.
Harold Kidd has commented that she was built in Dunedin c.1904 most likely by Jas M’Pherson for FJ Sullivan. M’Pherson had him also build the hire launches Moana & Maitai around the same time.
Sullivan bought a fishing company in Pelorus in 1905 & shipped Mizpah up there. By 1909 she was being used as a passenger & hire vessel from Pelorus by JW Taylor of Kenepuru. In 1924 she was taken to Wellington & survived there under that name into the 1930’s. She had a 20hp Standard engine around 1920’s but was re-engined in 1929. Her dimensions were 40’x8’6”x3’.
(photo is ex Lew Redwood fb)
24-11-2018 Harold Kidd Input – I thought I would hasten to advise that MIZPAH was built by John M’Lellan in Dunedin, not by James M’Pherson. Any residual stress occasioned to WW followers by doubts about her provenance are therefore resolved, and they can now resume their normal lives, untroubled by this concern.

Lady Margaret For Sale – Buyer Beware

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Lady Margaret A Peek Down Below

Lady Margaret was built in 1948 by Peter Gardiner in Whangarei, given her looks, to a brief that must have said “I like Chris Craft boats, build me one”.
She has a 3” double diagonal kauri hull, & is powered by Ford 120hp twin diesel engines, one of which (port side) is seized.
Her seller, an infamous lurker on WW, has either tried to or has sold several boats in recent times, I won’t comment on these boats as the last time I did I was told – “we know where you live / where you keep your boat – be careful……………..”
On her trademe listing the seller states that the boat was listed by one of Auckland’s biggest brokers for $112k, then $98k & now he is selling it for $49k ono. I wonder why the falling asking price ? Dockside chat tells me she has been hauled out in the last year, can anyone enlighten us on the reason for the haul out & the nature of any work?
You can read more on her past at this 2013 WW link https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/16/lady-margaret-2/
Tip Of The Day: WW always encourages people to do a survey b4 buying a classic wooden boat.
UPDATE 09-08-2018 Photo below (dated 11/04/2018) sent in be a woody.
Lady M oops 11:04:18
UPDATE
Lady Margaret – Listed on Tom Nesbitt website – the asking / starting bid is $40k
Robin Gae – has just appeared on the same site, I’m told a coat of paint & its now double the purchase price. Nice of him to use some WW photos + video in his listing.
UPDATE 23-09-2018 After being banned on trademe the seller has now popped up on facebook marketplace
UPDATE 24-09-2018 SOLD – see below (owners name deleted)
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Working Waterfront Boatbuilders Shed – 50 photos

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Working Waterfront Boatbuilders Shed – 50 photos

As I’ve send many times before, if your want a stunning day weather wise, schedule a Classic Yacht Association event – the hit rate must be 9/10.

Over 100 CYA members & friends made the trip north to Lees Boatbuilders at Sandspit – our host for the day, Greg Lees, turned on a brilliant woody event – we had everything – woody projects underway, the best collection of 1/2 models I seen outside of the RNZYS walls, a photo montage recording the history of the yard & the vessels built over the years.

 Center stage was Jenny & Angus Rogers – Mahanui, in the shed for a new deck, alongside her was a very original Chris Craft that was getting a restoration. 

The varnish guru Dale has already applied 23 coats, with 6 more to come. Compared to our old girls, these American woodys are very lightly built, amazing that so many have survived.

Outside we had Anna & Nic Davidson’s – Juanita, on one slip & Barbara & David Cooke’s woody flagship – Trinidad, alongside the wharf. In midstream was Yvonne, waiting her turn in the shed.

On the hard was a selection of small craft built by either Greg, his father Tim or other local craftsman. Not woodys but certainly classic were Greg’s two English built, aluminium Albatross runabouts – the very rare 4 seater is next on Greg’s to-do list. Included are a few photos of other woodys in or out of the water.

Greg gave an articulate talk on his families boatbuilding history & how they came to be situated on the Sandspit foreshore. At the end he announced the official launch of the 2018 Rudder Cup launch race to be run on Friday 14th December to Sail Rock & back. See flyer below, I encourage all woody owners to consider participating. At this stage we (I’m on the race committee, along with Jason Prew, Nathan Herbert, Baden Pascoe & Barbara & David Cooke) are calling for expressions of interest in racing – entry to the race is by invitation, as per the original race format in 1908.

 Big ups to Greg & family + staff for turning on the day, including BBQ. Special thanks also to the CYA committee members that pulled it all together. 

Lastly a little something below for the petrol heads – Greg had on display his Jesser BSA 500cc twin, hill climb racer. Built in 1962 by Les Jesser, she is a 2 time Australian  class champion. 

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CYA Rudder Cup 2018 flyer

It Might Be Wood – But It Sure Isn’t A Classic

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It Might Be Wood – But It Sure Isn’t A Classic

The above boat was bought to my attention on trademe by James Dreyer, its listing states it’s a mid 1930’s build, 41’ twin skin kauri hull, with a beam of 14’9” / draft 3’3” – but somewhere along the line its been turned into a floating apartment.

Interestingly the main engine has been removed and replaced with ballast, & she now has two 15hp 4 stroke outboards hanging off the back.

Her owner is very honest & states that she is only really a vessel to potter in the marina and potentially the harbour on a calm day, so woodys if you’re looking for a love shack in Wellington…..

My real reason for posting was to give Jason Prew some interior decorating hints for his My Girl 🙂

Beth

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BETH

The above photo ex Lew Redwood’s FB page shows the 40’ launch Beth arriving in Auckland (on the steamer Kartigi) from South Australia. The date was April 1930. She was owned by T. H. Webb, a former resident of Adelaide, who had moved to Auckland.

I seem to recall comments on the boat, elsewhere on WW but I can’t find it – so woodys remind me.

Harold Kidd Input & photo below ex paperspast

BETH was built by R.T. Searles in Australia (Adelaide?). She was a raised deck motor-sailer with dimensions 40’6″ x 38′ x 10’6″ x 5’6″ , 9.8 tons and fitted with a 28-30hp Ailsa Craig. T.H. Webb of Northcote owned her. He had her shipped to Auckland on the KARTIGI, arriving in March 1931.
For whatever reason he decided to return to Adelaide in September 1932 and decided to sail her back. It was not a nice trip.

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