Category Archives: 40′>42′

PRESTO – Is She Or Isn’t She?

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PRESTO – Is She Or Isn’t She?

If you believe the trademe listing, this is a very old lady – it says Presto was born 1898. Built by Charles Bailey, 42’ in length, 3 skin kauri. Originally powered by a steam engine but now powered by a 1950 100hp, 471 Detroit diesel.

Our resident Bailey guru HDK should be able to confirm or destroy this woodys birth details. Builder aside – what more do we know about her?. Current home is Taurangi. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads-up 🙂

28-07-2017 Comments ex Russell Ward
Port Doctor’s Boat. General workboat around the place when I was a kid at school. Had a boxy wheelbase with control position atop. Always scuttling round Hobson Wharf. Eventually retired.
She lay at Barry Brickell’s Diving Creek property in Coromandel for many years and was sold to a man who did the honours and but put the rakish upper works on her. Painted her green which is what I always remembered her as. Her old wheelhouse may still be at Driving Creek.

presto

Comments below ex Ray Morey
1st an aft view of PRESTO under steam, that cut from the pic of Lady Vie and pan-am flying boat at mechanics bay
2nd is part of the blue boats dated 1973 from left is RANGI-SPRAY-unknown and just showing on the right is PRESTO after rebuild. This when Subritzky owned her.

Photo below from Dave Stanaway from when he knew her in the 1960’s when Bryce Subritzky was her master.

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Input from Harold Kidd – below is a clipping from the Auckland Star, 30 March 1898 – covering the launching.

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Read lots more on the Comments Section

Maka Maile + Waitematawoodys Hits 3,000,000 Views

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Drunken (Isslington) Bay Dec1938>Jan1939 – Aft hand = Eric Clay

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Drunken Bay 1938 – Speed = 10 knots

Drunken Bay, Rangitoto – 1938
Eric (TUT), Aruther (ARTY), Bob (Skipper), Colin (Totsy) – Whangarei 1938/39
Eric Clay (Forward hand, Navigator, Barman) Whangarei 1938
Aruther,Les,Bob,Col,Eric – Kamo Mineral Springs Dec 1938 > Jan 1939
Eric Clay, Aruther Parker
Whangarei Harbour Dec 1938>Jan 1939
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Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island

Maka Maile + Waitematawoodys Hits 3,000,000 Views

Today’s photo essay on the 1937, Sam Ford built, Maka Maile to me is what makes WW so special – out of the blue a comment gets posted on WW by Perrin Reilly advising that he has a collection of photos of Maka Maile that belonged to his Grandfather-in-law, one Eric Clay. Eric crewed on Maka Maile in the late 1930’s. When launched Maka Maile was 41’ in length, with a 10’5” beam & powered by a Chrysler 77 petrol engine that pushed her along at 12 knots.

Perrin emailed the above photos to me & now instead of gathering dust in some one’s bottom draw, they can be shared with the classic wooden boating community. You can read more about Maka Maile’s past on this link   https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/19/mako-maile/

Waitematawoodys.com Milestone – 3 Million Views

When I started this weblog I never imagined that it would grow into the site that it is today, with just over 2,000 stories & followers/viewers from almost every corner of the world. Obviously NZ tops the list with the USA & Australia 2nd & 3rd, after that its everywhere. As always with sites like WW, it would be nothing without the input of people like Perrin Reilly who take the time to send in their stories & photos, so to all of you –  many thanks for sharing. And on that topic, please keep sending in content – whether it’s old photos / stories, restoration projects or just you enjoying your woody.

I would like to slip an apology in – in the first 6>12mths of WW, I only really had 6>8 people who sent me content, I can tell you it was a real challenge doing a daily story back them, now I get over 100 emails a day. So the apology is for not always being able to answer your emails, it’s not that I’m lazy or rude – just busy working on the tomorrows story 🙂

Enjoy today’s WW story & remember there are over 2,000 more in the back library 😉

Alan Houghton

 

The 1946 Launching Of Mahara

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The 1946 Launching Of Mahara

Harold mentioned on the Mahara ww 2015 post (link below) that he had an upcoming article on the Shipbuilders Ltd’s SupaCraft launches in the August issue of Boating NZ magazine. Included in the article is the above great photo taken in 1946 of Mahara being launched. The photo came from boat builder, Tim Windsor’s collection. Thanks go to Harold for sharing Tim Windsor’s photo, its superb quality & showcases what a stunning wooden vessel she was / is.
Check out the link for more photos & details.

Mahara

Rumbotl

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RUMBOTL – Spirit of Tradition – Motor-sailer

Rumbotl is a 42′ motor-sailer, launched in 2002 (hence the SoT tag) but with a very long gestation period (15+ years). She was built/finished off at Warkworth, by & for John Middleton. Her present owner Don Bruce bought her in 2007 off John M. Photos & details ex owner, emailed to me by Ken Ricketts.

She is built of 1″ strip planked kauri, fibreglassed over, the kauri was retrieved from the BNZ building in Queen St Auckland, during its transformation many years ago.
She is powered by a 1980’s 100 hp, 6 cyl., Ford diesel. She has a lead fin keel.
She is fine example of old/new coming together – certainly deserving of a better name than rum bottle, if she was mine I’d be renaming her 😉

10-06-2018 Hauled out at Gulf Harbour (photo ex Ken Ricketts)

Unknown

Mystery Launch 05-07-2017

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MYSTERY LAUNCH 05-07-2017

The above launch has just appeared on trademe & according to the listing the owner due to health reasons is unable to continue with the project. The owner states that he believes she may be called ‘Leigh on Sea’, can anyone ID / confirm a name / more details.
She is 39’4″ in length & powered by a 120hp diesel, it states the engine year is 1920 but I suspect that wrong, more likely the build year?

That is one impressive cradle, built for the Queen Mary 🙂 Thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads up on the listing.

Wakaiti

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WAKAITI

Wakaiti is a 39’4″, kauri carvel launch built by Dick Lang in 1920, as a commercial tow boat. In today’s world having the same owner for the last 55 years is a very rare thing but all good things come to an end & as the sign on her bow say – Wakaiti is now for sale.

She was re-powered c.2001 with 120hp, 6 cyl. Ford diesel running a 2:1 PRM box and 24×16 3 blade prop. This set up pushes her nicely along at 8 > 10 knots, with a top speed of 12 knots. Her beam is 9’10” & draft is 5’10”. (the interior photos have had the benefit of what they call the real estate salesman’s best friend  – the wide angle lens 🙂  ) Thanks to Ian McDonald for the trademe heads up.

So woodys, what do we know about her past?

Harold Kidd Input (lots more in the Comments Section)

WAKAITI = “little ship” in Maori. Dick Lang built this 36 footer at his yard in St. Mary’s Bay in 1922. She was launched on 2nd September of that year for Parry Bros of the Mahurangi to carry cream on the river. By 1928 the Parrys were using her as a tow boat on the Waitemata. In 1936 they sold her to R.G. Brain of Coromandel. Eventually she ended up in the ownership of Ernie Seagar, marine engineer of wide repute in Auckland. Ernie’s not well and is obviously selling his beloved launch.
I was in the 5th Form at Takapuna Grammar with Ernie Seagar. He had been in that Form for 3 years, unable to get School Certificate because of distractions such as being the Captain of the First 15, Head Prefect (in the 5th Form!!) and an outstanding yachtsman and general sportsman.
Later he went on to get his Marine Engineer’s tickets at sea and then ran his engineering business at Sulphur Beach alongside Dave Jackson. An amazing character.

 

13-09-2022 UPDATE: Back on trademe, current owner bought in Jan 2022, repowered with a Ford 130hp, 6 cyl diesel – BUT since this 2017 story the launch has been seriously negected and would be best described as a project, a large project.

Takitimu

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TAKITIMU

AIan Sexton took the above photos of the Owen Woolley built ‘Takitimu’ at Whangaroa. Takitimu was launched in 1975 for the then GM of NZ Forest Products, Doug Walker. She is 42′ and was powered with a horizontal 250hp Volvo, possibly still is looking at the smoke coming from her 🙂

The Walkers started boating the same time as Alan, their first launch was Gay Dawn in 1971, a couple of years later they purchased the Woolley Karere II, followed by Takitimu. They owned Takitimu for approx 10yrs then downsized to a 10.5m Woolley flybridge launch. Doug’s son Paul later ran the Woolley launch Alchemy in charter.
The only change to Takitimu since launching is the raised flybridge windscreen and solid canopy.

 

Mt. Pleasant

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Mt PLEASANT
The below video is of the 1916, 40’ newly –restored Sydney, Australia ferry – Mt Pleasant. Batemans Bay is home for Mt Pleasant.
The video was done to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the sinking of the HMAS Kuttabul in Sydney Harbour on May 31 1942 by Japanese mini-subs. Mt Pleasant was tied up alongside Kuttabul at the time.
Thanks to WoodenBoat & the Bay Post / Moruya Examiner for the heads up re the video.

Stunning restoration 🙂

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Kawhiti – A Peek Down Below

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Kawhiti – A Peek Down Below

Kawhiti, the 42′, 1952 Collings & Bell bridgedecker has appeared on ww before – check out the link below for details on her past. Today’s post, thanks to her trademe listing, gives us a look down below.

Kawhiti

Alden Ketch – Sailing Sunday

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ALDEN KETCH – Sailing Sunday

We do not see a lot of John Alden designed classic’s in NZ which given they are almost always very pretty vessels, isn’t good.
This one was design #550 & was built in 1939 by Arnold France in Lyttleton & has been lovingly restored by her current owner.
She is 39.35′ & built with full length 1 1/4″ oregon on hardwood frames. Her when the sails aren’t up a 2012 Nissan TD27 88hp diesel pushes her along.
She was re-rigged in Her refurbishment included being rewired, new switches / breaker panels, batteries, instruments, electric toilet and holding tank, new plumbing throughout. Plus new squabs and many other extras, complete hull paint before Christmas.
She is for sale on trademe – a very smart classic & a lot of boat for the asking price of $65k ono

02-04-2017 Updates from Robin Elliott
She is Windswift and was registered as A-8 with Banks Peninsular Cruising Club, She was a 3 year building project by Arnold France.
France probably started building her in 1939 but she wasn’t launched until October 1941. He and his wife and son lived aboard for 3 years during the War.
Seems to have grown a little over the years. Reported as 35-feet when launched, Arnold France gave dims of  “33ft 8in x 10ft 6in x 4ft 8in” in 1949, In December 1956 she was advertised for sale as being 34-feet. She was on Trade Me in 2008 as 41-feet, and now as 39.35ft. Tricky things these Alden ketches.

Here’s a little bit more, courtesy of Papers Past
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19411030.2.63?query=arnold%20france
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LWM19460509.2.22?query=arnold%20france