Category Archives: 40′>42′

Sobrine

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SOBRINE c1959

c.1959

Sobrine & Luana

Sobrine and Luana

SOBRINE c1989 ex Carol Stewart

C.1989

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SOBRINE
photos ex Harold Kidd, Brian Mace & Carol Stewart. info ex Ken Ricketts, edited by Alan H

Following on from yesterdays post on Manuroa (Lady Doreen), Gordon Mac replaced her with Sobrine after selling Lady Doreen to Len Swan of Orakei in 1951, Swan immediately changed her name to Manuroa.

Sobrine’s hull was built by Jack Taylor in Onehunga & moved, after some disagreement with Taylor, to the Lane Motor Boat Co in Panmure, to be finished & she was launched in November 1956.

When launched she was 38′ but had her bow extended by approx 4′ by Shipbuilders Ltd., 1 > 2yrs later. When lengthened Mace moved her original stern exhaust to a short stack on one side of the rear of the bridgedeck cabin top, which had to be on one side because of her internal layout. In the interests of aesthetic balance he put a non active ‘look alike’ on the other side.

She originally had a Graymarine petrol engine when launched, which was replaced with a Gardner 6LW diesel, when she was very new. Gordon Mace’s son Brian advised she needed to have the bridgedeck cabin top cut off, in order to lower the Gardner in place.

In c.1962 the Mace’s had moved to Coromandel, along with Sobrine to live.

Mace sold her to a friend, Jeff Innes of Coromandel. The story goes that Jeff Innes had fallen in love with her Sobrine at first sight & had pestered Mace for some time to buy her. One day Mace on the spur of the moment accepted an offer from Innes & the boat was sold, much to the families disapproval.

Innes sold her to Bruce Stewart, of Thames in c.1980’s.

Stewart sold her in July 1992 to Roy Ladd of Auckland, who still owns her.

Note: The name Sobrine came about by one of lifes little oops moments – Gordon Mace’s eldest daughter, Aileen, when christening the boat mixed up the intended name ‘Sabrene’ (pronounced Sabreeny) with Sobrine & with her being very young at the time, the family decided to stay with Sobrine 🙂

Mystery Launch 24-05

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Mystery Launch 24-05
photo ex Harold Kidd

Harold has been trying to ID the above launch & to date had no luck, so Woodys the question today – can any one put a name to her or even the location, that would be a big help in the process.

AN APOLOGY

For some reason the ‘WordPress’ platform who I host the ww site on has been having a few hiccups & keeps re-setting its internal clock – end result is that a few posts that I have had loaded into the system have appeared at random & then disappeared – don’t worry, they will be back 🙂
Cheers Alan Houghton

The floating art work, Lady Margaret (Dick Lang), was hauled out last week at Okahu Bay for some serious bottom cleaning. The X-Foul-E-8 team were applying their magic to her, that kauri looks as good as the day she was launched in 1940. A little birdie tells me we will not be hearing the purr of her Fodens for much longer, some open heart surgery is on the cards – the Lady always was very quick so will be interesting to see how she performs with 2 new light weight zoomers 😉 The Foden installation was a sight to behold so expect no-less with the transplant. (Peter B would kill me if I did not point out that the pile of mussels alongside LM came from another vessel)

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Sou’East

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SOU’EAST

photos ex trademe

Sou’East was built by Lanes in 1947, solid kauri carvel planked. She measure 39’3” & is powered by twin 90 hp Ford diesels on V drives.  Underneath all the additions there is a very smart classic , see photo below.

Currently for sale.

She has younger sister – Nor’West that was built in 1951, also by Lanes. View here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/27/nor-west/

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Ken Ricketts took the above photo of Sou’East in Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island, Christmas 1949

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Tainui – The old days

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TAINUI - c1940s

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TAINUI – the old days

Photos & details ex Fraser Chapman via Ken Ricketts. edited by Alan H

The above photos show Tainui in the 1940’s & 1970’s.
There have been several posts on Tainui on ww (link below) but these photos deserved their own post, rather than be added to the existing. I’m a little confused because the top b/w photo Ken emailed to me is tagged 1940’s but else where on ww it has been stated that she was built in 1967 for the Auckland Harbour Board.

Tainui is currently at the Whangateau boat yard undergoing an extended restoration which includes a full rebuild on the Gardner engine. Her Kiwi owner lives/works overseas so will be very keen to view these photos, equally we look forward to following her progress at the yard.

Fraser Chapman has told Ken R that he recalls he bought Tainui in the 1980’s off the widow of a Helensville gentleman, who had owner her for approx. 10 years. Tainui was moored at a jetty, on a private property, opposite Herald Island, (probably Beachaven), when he inspected & bought her. He took her to Thames, where he has lived for a great many years. He owned her for approximately 7 years & sold her to the proprietor of a Boatel in the Sounds, who sailed her directly down the East Coast, to the Sounds from Thames, without stopping. This ties in with the existing details in one of the previous posts on herr which states she was on-sold, (presumably by the Boatellier) in Plimmerton in 1994.

When Fraser C., bought her she had a 3 LW Gardner, but whilst on a trip to the Bay of Islands, not long after he bought her, Fraser called on the people at Opua who had replaced her original engine, which was a 3 cyl Kelvin, with the Gardner & actually saw the old engine, which was painted green, still there, under a tree, on the property. Fraser believes it was replaced because the Gardner was more economical & she went faster. Fraser said she cruised at 9 knots all day.

Fraser believes she was built by Coulthard possibly around 1953/55 & the kauri for her milled in Thames at the Twentymans Mill. Fraser was good friend with the Gt. Barrier Island radio operator at that time also, during the early days of her Govternment ownership era. They both spoke often, about her trips to service the lighthouses in the area during that period.

Fraser advises that her new owner John Sloane, rang him in an effort to try to find her, some time back, as John Sloane’s father, along with John as a young lad, had cruised on Tainui with Fraser frequently & John had such happy memories of that era, he contacted Fraser & told him he would like to buy her. Fraser told him that she belonged to the Christiansens, of Gt. Barrier Island, who he thought had had her there for about 10 years. John tracked the boat down & now owns her.

Can anyone confirm the builder / year?

Link to past ww stories on Tainui

Tainui On The Move

Valhalla

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Valhalla 2016

Launch day – May 1964
Launch day – May 1964

VALHALLA - 1

VALHALLA
details & photos from Kazik Jascia, Sea Spray magazine (Aug 1964) Ken Ricketts & B Worthington. edited by Alan H

Valhalla was designed & built by John Gladden of Milford & launched in May 1964 for Tony Bullock, as a sport game fishing boat.

She is 40 ft x 12ft. 6 x 3 ft. 6 draft, could sleep up to 7 people, & at date of launching was powered by a John Andrew converted, 100 hp, naturally aspirated, 6 cyl Ford diesel. She also had a 9 hp Lister auxiliary, for trolling, on the port side,  at the time of launching. Currently she s powered by a 130hp Ford Dover engine.

Her original cruising speed was 9.5 knots (now 8.5) at 1950rpm through & “Snow-Nabsted” hydraulic gearbox fitted with Morse controls, with a 2 to 1 reduction to a 3 bladed Henley 24 x 16 propeller

Her hull is single skin kauri carvel construction, with varnished solid teak coamings & decks & hardwood timbers.

Given that she spent time in charter there must be some photos & stories out there so if you can contribute to details on her past, email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

CYA 2016 Classic Yacht Regatta

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CYA 2016 Classic Yacht Regatta
photos from Simon Smith, Rod Marler, Peter Loughlin & myself

Yesterday (06-03-2016) was the final day of the 3 day regatta & the weather gods delivered the goods to finish the regatta on a high note.
I’ll let the photos tell the story but really need to say that the new venue & host club, the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron was a winner with everyone, perfect venue for our event & the crew at the RNZYS were fantastic.
I’m sure race results will be view able on the CYA website, I’ll post a link when they go live. Enjoy 🙂

Remember to click on photos to enlarge

Day 1 – sorry working

DAY 2

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Day 3

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Prize Giving

CYA Regatta Fleet @ RNZYS

PLUS – some great up close photos on Jason Prew’s facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/jason.prew/media_set?set=a.10154699374602178&type=3

OLIVE (Tokatea > Enna De > Waitika)

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TheOlive(Tokatea)&ErnestinWhite

OLIVE (Tokatea > Enna De > Waitika)
photo & details ex Baden Pascoe

Today’s post is of the very stunning small seiner, Olive, built for Morgan Hayward by Ernie Harvey. Morgan owned or was a partner in one of the Thames “Fish Sheds” as they called them in the old days. (Shortland Fish Co Ltd). Olive was later purchased by Sanfords.
Baden thinks in the above photo, Ernie is the man under the boat with braces on.

I’m not sure if she was christened Tokatea when launched or if that was a later name change. Tokatea is the name of the mountain ridge between Coromandel town and Kennedy Bay. In the 1870’s Tokatea was the site of extensive gold-mining activity.

Baden does not know her launching date & is keen to learn more about Olive & what became of her.

Input from Harold Kidd

Lovely image of OLIVE. According to Chris Rabey, who knew her well, and please amplify these comments, Ray, Ernie Harvey built OLIVE in 1934 at Thames (I would have thought a shade earlier, perhaps). Anyway she was registered as suitable for wartime purposes as OLIVE in 1940 No. TS21 owned by L.M. Hayward of Thames with a 44hp Kelvin and dimensions of 43’x11’x4′.
She became TOKATEA much later when bought by the Government as a Fisheries Patrol vessel. Later again (about 1965) Bert Subritzky bought her and renamed her ENNA DE after his wife, the former Enna De Vera Davenport. I think it was then that Chris was on her.
I identified her, with Chris’ help, derelict at Lake Dunstan in 2008 and later at Oamaru in 2011, renamed WAITIKA.

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Below is a photo of Ernie Harvey on his 80th birthday.

Ernest-80th birthday

Photo of Olive/Tokatea at Thames c.1950’s ex Geoff Brebner

Tokatea

05-03-2016  Input from Baden Pascoe

Fore foot is exactly same profile as boat in photo. Just remember she has been built up, note the change in angle of tumble home, a sure sign of an extra plank.

23-05-2016 Photo below of Tokatea at Whangarei 1952 ex Geoff Brebner

Tokatea Whangarei 1952

Kotiri B20 – Sailing Sunday

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KOTIRI B20 – Sailing Sunday

Today’s post is an amazing story – firstly Nathan Herbert tipped me off that a 1897 Logan yacht was in a boat shed in the Auckland suburb of Herne Bay & had not seen the light of day (or water) for over 30 years. Next thing I’m on a RIB at Westhaven with the son (Don Webster) & grandson (Nick Webster) of the gent (Blair Webster) that purchased Kotiri back in 1947 & locked the boat shed doors sometime c.1986 & we were heading around to Herne Bay to view the ‘extraction’ of Kotiri from her boat shed. We were joined by Don’s younger brother Charles & a film crew from TV3 that were filming the event as part of an upcoming (semi-related) progamme. The day was a big boys dream – tug boats, barges, cranes, old shed full of cool stuff & the odd yummy mummy watching from the beach 🙂
It was a treat to watch a team of pro’s doing something that is beyond what most of us could do.
Some details on Kotiri – LOA 40′, LWL 28′, Beam 8’6″

Also in the shed was very cute dinghy / runabout that will be a winter project for Nick.

Below is some history on Kotiri & how she came to be sitting on a Boat Haulage transporter on-route to Peter Brookes yard.

Details below & photos above ex Classic Yacht Charitable Trust

Kotiri was designed and built by Logan Brothers in 1897 (launched 18th October 1897) at the height of the boat design and racing rivalry period between the Logans and the Bailey Brothers. The Baileys launched Meteor in the same month, both boats being built to the 30ft linear rating of the time.

Kotiri passed through many owners, including a period in Wellington, where she was renamed Kotiri II to differentiate from a smaller 30 footer of the same name. She was owned for a time by Laurence “Bruce” McCallum, the son of R H McCallum of Marine Parade Devonport who owned the family business Winate and Co based in lower Queen Street opposite the Central Post Office. Bruce MCCallum died in a bomber crash over Belgium on a mission to Cologne in 1943. The McCallum’s won the Devonport Yacht Club’s Duder cup in 1941 & 1942. The trophy is still held by a family member Tom McCallum of Pakuranga. Tom is also caretaker for another small trophy inscribed “RNZYS Kotiri 1939”.

Kotiri was purchased by Blair Daniel Webster in 1947 who converted her to marconi rig c1949. She was still sailing in 1952 but Blair layed her up in his boat shed at at 75 Sarsfield St Herne Bay in 1953 as her decks were leaking badly. In 1961 Blair commissioned R L (Bob) Stewart to draw up plans for conversion to a K class. From 1962 to 1968 Blair, with his closest friend J S G (Jock) McLanachan and a boat builder Jim Dennerley of Coxes Creek, worked on the comversion by increasing the height of the freeboard by 3 planks (approx. 9 inches); fully rib her; add new Bob Stewart “Patiki” style coamings; cut off rotten counter stern and build tuck. Boat shed ramp and railway tracks were laid for her ultimate return to the water. In November 1968 Kotiri was relaunched and moored on pile moorings at Westhaven. A second masthead rig and used sails were subsequently purchased. The boat shed at Herne Bay was regularly used for cleaning and antifouling haulouts. Kotiri sailed on rare occasions over the following years. Circa 1985 she sailed in a Classic Yacht regatta and by the late 80’s she had “retired” to the boat shed.

Blair Webster passed away on the 16th August 2000 and left Kotiri to his eldest son Donald. After 66 years ownership in the Webster family Kotiri was gifted to the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust on 14th March 2013 by Donald Webster. The token sum of 20 cents passed hands, for which 10 cents “change” was given, to mark the change of ownership.

Having been stored in a sound shed, over water, with good airflow, her hull was preserved in exceptionaly good order.

The Classic Yacht Charitable Trust are looking to raise funds to restore Kotiri to original sailing condition and preserve her for the long term enjoyment of New Zealander’s.

John Street
Don & Nick Webster
The audience
Don & Charles Webster
Peter Brookes looking for his teeth 🙂
UPDATE 13-01-2019
WW has been contacted by Lesley Brennan those father, Lex Dowling, owned Kotiri in the mid 1960’s.
If anyone now related to the yacht would like the photo below – contact Lesley via email
alesley@actrix.co.nz
kotiri photo

Wild Duck – 4 Sale

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WILD DUCK
photos ex Dean Wright, details ex Tino Rawa Trust

ww has spies everywhere 🙂

Last week Dean Wright sent me the above photos of Wild Duck anchored in Hahangarua (Norwegian) Bay, Moturua Island in the Bay of Islands. I suspect she was catching up on some R&R after the BOI Race Week.
The Wild Duck is the ‘mother ship’ to the Tino Rawa Trust fleet of classic yachts. She was built by JB Jukes in 1937 as a fishing boat (Reg # WN290) by “Joe” Jukes at his yard in Balaena Bay. Built of kauri using the carvel method she is 42′ x 12′ x 4’6″ and powered by a GM Detroit 371 85hp.

Wild Duck was named after an early immigrant ship to Wellington run by the Shaw Savill company.

Joe Jukes (1889-1956) started in business in 1919 after serving his time with Ted Bailey at Aotea Quay and returning from the First World War. He rapidly established a reputation for sound craftsmanship and built some outstanding  yachts, including Raukawa (1936) and several successful 14ft One Designs. His launches included Nereides (1925) and Vagabond (1926).
In her earlier years Wild Duck was owned by the South Seas Fishing Co and used as a tender to the Lyttelton-based ex-Hull trawler South Sea off the Chatham Islands.

By the late 1930s she was back in Wellington as a general purpose vessel. For example she was the vessel which refueled the Empire-class Short  flying boat Centaurus in Wellington in January 1938.

For several years Wild Duck was renamed Parera, the Maori name for the grey duck, but has now reverted to her original name.

Wild Duck has several restorations since being owned by TRT, to bring her into line with all the recommendations from her survey and maintain her in good order.  The stem post and rotten keelson has been replaced along with new floors and the replacement of broken ribs. The two coreten metal tanks have been replaced with lighter weight plastic tanks.  A new engine room bulkhead has been installed and the entire vessels interior and exterior has been stripped, repaired, fared and painted. A new shaft-log, s/s shaft and bronze mounts have been fabricated and installed. A new wet exhaust has been installed. She may look slightly ‘commercial’ in these photos but the interior is very cool.

For details & viewing: contact Wooden Boat Bureau c/o waitematawoodys@gmail.com

UPDATE: Wild Duck Hauled Out @ Milford (August 2017)

 

July 2020 – Video

Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Parade – 2016 – 150+ photos

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Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Parade Weekend – 2016 – 150+ photos

Get comfortable this ones a biggie, 150+ photos from the 2016 Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Parade weekend.

The inclement conditions (lots of H2O) on Saturday resulted in the parade being moved to Sunday, to most this was a positive as it gave everyone more time to socialize. We took the opportunity to mooch around the lake & visit a few lake-side properties. The transport for the day was rather special – 2 of the regular parade attendees, Cathy & Shawn Vennell and Pam & Tim Aurisch had bought their classic cars – a 1960 Dodge & 1956 Chev Bel Air, very impressive tow cars & a cool mode of transport.

So today’s post is a mix of classics – motorboats, day boats, speedboats, steamboats, yachts & cars – Its a visual attempt to give to you a taste of the weekend & showcase the vessels that make up the parade.
Special thanks to the LRC&WBP committee, especially Commodore Grant Cossey, past Commodore Fraser Wilson and the lass that makes it all happen Rachel Jamieson.

Due to another engagement we could not attend the post parade picnic.

Each boat carries a number, to find out more details on any vessel e.g. name, year, owner – refer to this link to a master listing. 2016ParadeEntrantDetails

Enjoy 🙂

Click photos to enlarge 😉

(L>R) Commodore Grant Cossey, past Commodore Fraser Wilson, Chris Miller

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