GLENMORE Back in November 2022 we featured several of Picton boat builder Bill Orchard’s boats . One of these was the ex charter boat – the 1958 Glenmore. We learnt from Mark McLaughlin that Glenmore was one of the Pelorus Sound mail boats throughout the 1980’s to mid 1990’s, operated by Ken and Dianne Gullery. She was sold to an Australian owner and moored at Pittwater up Sydney’s north coast. She did the Tasman Sea crossing under her own steam from Picton, which is no mean feat for that type of boat. Mark also sent in the link to her 4sale post.
In the photos below of Glenmore we see her in her orange hull livery during the mail boat years and a the photo of Glenmore on her mooring at Pittwater. Fast forward to today and the 44’ Glenmore is for sale – from the photos above – appears to be a bargain at sub $100k. Forward motion is via a Detroit GM671, 240hp Would be nice to bring her home 🙂
It always amazes me when people trying to sell a vessel go to great lengths to tell you about how many it sleeps, how comfortable it is and I quote “features an actor winch” but tell you nothing about the age , who built it etc. Its a little like advertising on trademe – Car For Sale, 4 tyres and comfortable seats.
Putting this to one side – Triton V is 45’ in length, powered by twin Ford 120hp diesel engines, giving her a cruising speed of 8.5 knots.
Can any of the Motueka woodys enlighten us more on Triton V.
INPUT EX RUSSELL WARD – photo below was given to RW by Layne Stephens of Triton in her original form. Russell commented she would be much more liveable with that top but he would rebuild the original. Original owner Ken Butland used to take sea scouts out to teach navigation. She had a folding chart table and the orders would come down an ex Navy voice pipe from up top. Triton slipped along quite well with her original petrol engines – quite a slippery wee hull. Joe Tatham had her in the 1960s and his kids reckoned she was a real roller.
And more ex RW – Colin Wild built her but refused to do the open bridge that Ken Butland wanted. Lanes finished that off. She was a little MTB and rather tasty. Layne Stephens did the closed in wheelhouse up top in later years. More habitable but I preferred her original config. An early owner was quite tall and had the wheelhouse top raised -you can see the line. Dunno where the V came from.
AND THE WINNER OF SATURDAYS QUIZ RE THE LOCATION OF THE AUCKLAND MOTOR YACHT CLUB LOGO IS – Russel Ward . The answer was on the front door of what is now the RNZYS Training Building in Westhaven.
Todays woody story kicked off with an email from Kane Westgaard concerning his launch – Chrystal Voyager and a request for help uncovering some of the boats history. She started life as a motor-sailer, but that is just about all that is known about her. The guy that sold Kane the boat did not know anything about boats and was just using her as an apartment.
Given its a Hartley design and launched in 1971, normally I would not have finished reading the email – but she was built by Lionel Jefcoate, who was a master boat builder so she makes an appearance on WW today. Read more about Lionel Jefcoate here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/03/12/lionel-jefcoat-boatbuilder-wood-craftsman/
Her story goes like this – she is a ’South Seas’ Hartley design and Kane and a buddy brought her from Tauranga approx. a year ago and were of the belief that there were only be a couple of soft spots that needed addressing, well surprise surprise the boats been in a shed at the Te Atatu Boat Club for over 2 months and guys have been tipping in vast amounts of labour and money.
Can we help Kane out with any intel – I might be wrong but you’d have to assume that there was a name change along the way – Chrystal Voyager sounds a tad ‘flower child’ / tarot card 🙂
06-05-2024 INPUT BELOW ex TONY SHORT –
My brother Peter and I were the first crew members (1971?) on ‘Crystal Voyager’, for the original owner Russell Berry. From (1969/70-1971) Russell would take Pete and I on alternating weekends (Sat & Sun) to Governors Bay to help (as much as young teenagers could), assist him and the builder Lionel. Although this Hartley design was for concrete, it was of course built with timber (& extended to 40’). All the timber came from Des Hunt’s sheep farm in Pigeon Bay. The boat was originally named ‘Lady Lee’ after Des’s wife Lee Hunt. After launching, Peter and I crewed for a number of years, accumulating many experiences, and some quite scary. LOL. I remember, attempting to leave the Lyttelton Yacht Club (Naval Point Club) pier in a strong southerly, we ended up on the rocks .. sideways to the southerly. Fortunately with the help of 20-30 bods (rushing out from the Yacht Club), we were freed. (Quite a story.) Another time with rollers reaching into Pigeon Bay wharf while attempting to attach a landline, our bow was pushed under the wharf with one surge and with the next surge raised us up, lifting up the entire end of the wharf (& punching a hole into our foredeck). Many stories .. many memories. We so often went to Pigeon Bay (PB) (a 90 min journey. 30 min to Lyttelton heads, 30 across the 3 heads [& crossing Port Leavy could be quite dicey] and 30 min into PB.) we were almost considered ‘locals’. Back then, the ’Lady Lee’ was fondly referred to as the “Push Button Gin Palace”. And as a young teenager, I wondered why. But concluded the emphases was on ‘gin’ not ‘palace’. And ‘Push Button’? .. Hardly! It was at least a year before ‘forward’ & ‘reverse’ gears were controlled from the wheelhouse. Up until then ‘muggins’ here, (lol) had to drop down into the cramp, hot! engine room, recking of diesel! and heave (with all the strength a young lad could muster) on the gearbox leaver, into neutral, reverse .. then Russell would shout “forward”! .. “reverse” .. “forward”, all the while the boat tossed & turned. Hahaha, Fortunately I don’t easily get sea sick, but crap, I couldn’t get out-of-there & back up on deck quick enough.
Again, many memories, and many more stories.
I wish the new owners of ‘Crystal Voyager’ much happiness, many wonderful times and the ‘makings of remarkable memories’.
10-05-2025 INPUT EX RUSSELL TEBAY – My adopted grandad Russell Berry (person I was named after) was as stated the man that had this vessel built. Des Hunt was also a friend of the family. My late Father Mark Tebay I believe also crewed maybe with the short brothers (names really ring a bell) at times on this vessel.
While I was very young born 1979 i do have fond memories of this lovely vessel in pigeon bay going out fishing and having fun. This was definitely called the Gin Palace (always had gin on board) for the captain of course.
I do remember a few instances where grandad would back his Ford panel wagon down the wharf at pigeon bay with his organ so he and friends (brass band I’m told) would take the boat out playing all sorts of music and having a good time. Oh the memories. I hope this email reaches the new owners and I wish them well on their journey with this fantastic boat.
When Grandad sold this boat he brought the Nautalis which is now in Auckland taking tours as it was.in ww2 I think it was with the red cross ship which came complete with bullet holes in th back transome..
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 🙂
During my frequent visits to Thames I used to see Manukura the 50’ c.1960 Shipbuilders built launch on the hard stand at the Thames marina, always looking a little sad. Then in 2021 we got the good news she had a new owner and work had recommenced on her restoration, and that the plan was to transport Manukura to Whangamata where the work would be finished. Link here to her history and time in Thames. https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/07/12/manukura/
I was contacted earlier in the week by owner Allen Watson who advised that Manukura is in the process of a major refit. All new wiring, plumbing, gear boxes, shafts, engine mounts for the Ford 120hp 6 cyl diesel engines plus a new lay out inside. The photo gallery above gives us a peek into the work.
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.
The recent stormy weather in Auckland claimed another woody at the end of last week.
Young Luca Beachman was cycling home after completing his Herald paper round on Friday and spotted the 46’ launch Ussco ‘parked’ very precariously on the Tamaki Drive break water.
Fingers crossed she was re floated with little damage, built of 4 skin kauri so should be able to withstand an oops. Can anyone update us.
INPUT EX BRETT KING – Ussco is hauled out at the hardstand at Half Moon Bay marina
Raindance Gets Some Cosmetic Surgery
For the whole time that I have owned Raindance I have been faced with a do I / don’t I situation regarding the things attached to her hull – too short to be called bilge keels and questionable efficiency as anti-roll stabilizers. All the people whose opinion I value have said get rid of them. So in a weak moment last week at the Slipway Milford I said yes and wham-mo they were gone.
Will be interesting to see / experience the difference…………………
The 1922 Lady Bess was built by Leon Warne, St Marys Beach in Auckland. Originally built for passenger service around Waiheke Island and later in Tauranga. Then purpose modified for fishing charter work out of Helenville on the west coast of the North Island.
She is built of kauri, carvel hull, 48’6” in length and powered by a 471 GM Detroit engine, this gives her a cruising speed of 7>9 knots.
Interior is particularly stripped out ready for a new interior to suit her next life – domestic or back in charter.
Her tme me listing (thanks Ian McDonald) closes on 23-05-2023 and current bidding is sub $2500. Located at Gulf Harbour.
21-05-23 Input ex Alan Johnson (the nice one) – subject to final bidding but it looks like Lady Bess is off to Mangawhai
And from Bill Faulkner — She ran as a workboat for Harbour Transport on Tauranga harbour for many years. At least 1955 -1975 towing barges / logs from Bunns Mill on Matakana Island and ferrying workers / residents at the mill. I recall her coming into Coronation Pier circa 1962ish and the reverse gear failed at the optimum moment and she went under the pier and wiped the wheelhouse off. No injuries thankfully. A nice hull shape and one of the quickest displacement launches on the harbour. Great to see she’s still going strong.
The John Lidgard built launch – Kingfisher* was built c.1965, her owners Noel / Thora and son Gary Sparnon finished the boat off at the Lidgard shed in Glen Eden. With Noel being a cabinetmaker the fit out was to a very high standard. When launched she was 43’, with a beam of 13’6” and drew 3’6”. Her hull is 3 skins kauri with the 2 inner skins on opposite diagonals and the outer skin full length fore and aft + f/glass.
As launched she was named Avenger and kept at Te Atatu.The Sparnon family did not keep her long because by 1968, the family were living in Paihia, Bay of Islands.
Prior to Avenger there was Olympia II, also built to hull & decks stage by John Lidgard c.1962-63, with Noel S again fitting out the interior – link to previous WW story below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/15/olympia-ii-2/
Noel S also built the Avenger II after her, having bought a 42′ molded Cookson hull, onto which he added & completed all the varnished teak coamings & interior himself, at his daughter’s property in Avondale, Avenger II was later sold.
Noel S never actually kept any of his boats very long after they went in the water. Kingfisher was quite unique when launched having a fly-bridge styled in to her coamings making it visually part of the boat i.e. not appearing to be an add on or afterthought.
There are still some gaps in her ownership records, Ken Rickets has established that she was bought c.2015 off a policeman who had been living aboard her for an unknown length of time up to 2015, at Westpark Marina, by Richard & Bernadette Schofield. During their ownership they re-conditioned her Ford 120hp diesel engine and Borg Warner gearbox. She was sold c.2018 to her present owner, then Mangonui resident Brett Walford. Now retired Brett has moved to Great Barrier Island and has the boat for sale, still based at Mangonui.
Brett W also changed her name to Kingfisher*, he commented to KR he made the change because as she cruises around 8 knots and this is an ideal trolling speed to catch kingfish.
Both of the last 2 owners have spent collectively large sums on maintenance and upgrading of the interior and equipment, hence she is in very good condition and more or less just as KR remembers her when launched. Keen to fill in any ownership gaps, in particular Noel Sparnon’s son, Garry Sparnon, who may still be in NZ and hopefully he gets to view this story and might be able to embellish it more. (Update – have been in touch with Gary Sparnon , he is still in NZ, father Noel died 3 years ago aged 96. Gary was very happy to read todays story, but has nothing to add. He will however keep a look out for any old photos. AH)
(Thanks to Richard and Bernadette Schofield, and Brett Walford and wife for providing access to the data and images and Ken Ricketts for pulling this story together – edited a lot by Alan H)
The 1953 A Couldrey designed, Brin Wilson built launch – Endeavour , under tent, is coming to the end of her refresh – most impressed with the new name board on the stern – nice touch. The gent in the photo is Luca Beachman, the great grandson of her original owner, Borrie Beachman and has been beavering away on the project – no doubt securing his future path to ownership 😉 More on her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/01/27/endeavour-gets-a-birthday/
Just across the yard at the Milford Cruising Club slip – the launch Ngahi, photo below, was being relaunched after an extensive re- fit/refurbishment – hopefully we will see interior photos soon. More here https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/04/10/ngahi-gets-a-makeover/
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