Back in May while mooching around the upper Tamaki River, one of the woodys I spotted was Highlander – the 49’ Roger Carey designed boat. She has a 13’6” beam and draws 5’6”.Highlander featured on WW back in October 2019, link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/10/12/highlander/
The boat has an interesting history, starting life as a ‘home’ build then semi abandoned for 20+ years on a farm in Blenheim. Back in 1984 she was saved by Don Galbraith who along with Peter McManaway gathered all the bits , designed a wheelhouse and finished the boat off. They then brought her up to Auckland. Details on the passage in the above link.
In the above photo photo not sure if she is dockside for some work or whether that is her permanent home – can any one enlighten us? And maybe some more details on her.
Classic Yacht Association AGM – ATTENTION – Launch Members
A call out to all CYA launch owners – we (the launchies) need more say on the general committee, so how about putting your hand up to join the committee – for details on whats involved and required – email the launch captain Jason Prew launchcaptain@classicyacht.org.nz
Bay of Islands resident Greg Philpott has a passion and its tracking down and recording the fate of what he has tagged ‘Boats of the Bay’ (of Islands). Greg contacted me recently re the vessel named Comet III (later changed to Xharisma), he had hit a brick wall and was trying to contact the last known owner – one Morton Brown. Now via the WW site I was able to make contact with Morton’s son Jeremy Brown and the flood gates opened. So today we share with you Greg and Jeremy’s stories / photos. It’s a cracker read, I’ll let Greg tell it 🙂
So woodys the challenge is can anyone enlighten us on what became of Xharisma (Comet III) post 1986.
Comet lll was designed by A J Collings of the famed boat-building business, Collings & Bell and may have been one of Collings last designs as he died on 8th November 1967.
The boat was built for Lionel Bulcraig’s Bay of Islands operation, Hi Speed Comet Cruises. That business was already operating Comet ll (ex Queenstown’s Meteor ll) also an A J Collings design. Construction of Comet lll was undertaken by John Guzzwell at Deeming’s Boatyard at Opua. Guzzwell was a world renowned sailor and boat builder. His reputation was established when he built his own boat, Trekka, and during the late 1950’s completed a circumnavigation of the world in her, then the smallest boat to ever do so.
The original design and intention was to engine the boat with lightweight twin V8 Chrysler marine petrol engines; heavier diesel engines would have added to the displacement thus severely limiting the “fast” aspect of the boat. The Marine Department’s regulations specifically excluded petrol engines in commercial launches which could carry more than 12 passengers. This resulted in a stand-off for a number of years. As a result of the inactivity it is understood that Comet lll sat at Bulcraig’s car yard in Kawakawa.
A valuation undertaken by Ted Leeds in March 1971 stated; ”Comet lll is 44ft. overall and was constructed in 1967, but has never been used. It has not been fitted with engines or seating accommodation. There is some equipment on hand for it including rudders and hydraulic steering gear etc. It is very strongly built to Marine Department survey standards with a hull of two-skin glued kauri planking on multiple stringers and closely spaced frames further reinforced with strongbacks. The entire hull, deck and cabin have been sheathed with Dynel.”
Comet lll was 44ft long, 14ft wide with a full flare, 10 degree deep V and planning chine; a hull similar to a torpedo boat.
Purchased by Stephen A. Bell around 1973 /1974, she was moved to the premises of A & G Price at Beaumont Street in Auckland for the purpose of refit and installation of engines. The concept was “to fit the boat out for passenger service in extended river limits”. It was intended to “fit twin 8V71 GM Diesels driving through Walter Vee boxes; such a set up anticipating a speed approaching 25 knots in favourable conditions normally loaded”.
A Ministry Of Transport ship survey preliminary inspection in 1974 “revealed hull in good order and well constructed. Some considerable deterioration of super structure (coamings and canopy) evident although extent not apparent due to linings”. By March 1975, A & G Price stated that “the owner no longer wished to proceed with the project”.
On 5th March 1980, Comet lll was purchased by Morton Brown, a roading supplies and contractor of Green Lane. At the time the boat was sitting in a yard at Glenfield; it was in a fairly sorry state, cabin top wise, but the hull was in exceptional condition.
Brown had Comet lll transported across the Auckland harbour bridge to a yard in Onehunga, where he employed a Dutch boat builder (John) to bring the boat up to pleasure boat standard. The boat was moved twice from Onehunga, firstly to Penrose and then to Mt Wellington, where it was finished before going into the water at McMullen and Wing’s yard, on the Tamaki River. The cabin top was completely rebuilt and a flying bridge added. The design of the remodelling was not considered great but never the less it had plenty of room and was very comfortable.
The engine was a UD/Nissan 2 Stroke V8 9.5L (this engine being a direct copy of the Detroit 8v71). The engine was positioned mid ships, which was not ideal as it took up a huge amount of room. The stern was quite broad in design which would have been better suited for the engine position, with a vee drive.
The boat, now renamed Xharisma was finally re-launched in February 1986. Unfortunately Brown suffered a major heart attack and consequently sold the boat about a year or so later.
The new owner modified the cabin extensively and installed a smaller engine. The new owner and current location Comet lll / Xharisma are unknown.
MANUKURA In recent years I have been spending time in Thames, catching up with family – when I need to ‘escape’, I drive down to the Thames marina and have a mooch around. Depending on the tide it either looks like a normal marina or as if someone has pulled the plug out and most of the boats are sitting high and dry in their mud berths (see below photo). The launch Manukura had always been hauled out and looking like a Beehive restoration was around the corner – the top photo is from a February 2020. Ken Ricketts has pulled together the below insight into Manukura’s past and current situation (edited a lot by AH)
Manukura is approx. 50′ long and was built in late 1950 > early 1960’s by Shipbuilders and is one of 3 more or less sister ships, which include Corinthia and Romany II. which were a development on the 1946 built Mahara. Manukura is presently owned by Allen Watson. He bought her fairly recently, in a very sorry state, on the hard at Thames off a lady owner, who had only had her for a short time. She bought her off a gentleman called Paul, who had taken her to the Thames area 3 & ½ years earlier, & who had bought her off the elderly gentleman as referred to below.
Allen is a well experienced boat builder / painter, and has commented he is intending to restore her to her original former glory. As visible in some photos above, Allen has commenced work on her on the outside – focusing on re-calking, painting and repairing hull timber work at Thames marina. The interior is in a completely stripped out and the intention is totally rebuild it, with some changes to the interior layout, without alteration to the exterior. The stainless steel work at the flying bridge will shortly be removed 🙂
Allen commented that interior was ruined as a result of her almost sinking on a return trip to Auckland from Great Barrier Island about 14>15 years ago when the then elderly owner of the day, was encountering big seas and did not notice that a forward hatch had opened and she was taking in large quantities of water, through this hatch, which reached a point, where one engine sucked in water and stopped. She was also getting very low in the water. They towed her back to Gt. Barrier, pumped out and brought her back to Auckland but everything inside including all wiring, furniture, etc., along with the engines, had to go. Sadly she was not insured and was eventually sold by the elderly gentleman (as-is-where-is), who had kept her for 10 years in a shed In West Auckland. The new owner (Paul) took her to the Thames marina where he kept her for 3 & ½ years. Then the ownership chain, mentioned above took place.
Current owner Allen moved the boat on 26-2-21, to Whangamata for a week or 2 on the hardstand for a little exterior finishing and then be put in the water. Allen intends to live aboard, on a swing mooring while rebuilding the interior.
Manukura had a pair of 120hp 6 cyl. Ford diesels fitted during her 13 & ½ years on the hard, which replaced 2 previous Fords.
The b/w photo below ex Harold Kidd show the launch c.2012
c.2012
Update – current photo by Allen Watson via Ken Ricketts
While catching up on the where abouts of the launch – Kitty Vane, I learned that Chris Geddes, a previous owner of Kitty Vane, swapped KV for the launch – Gytha. Chris advised that Gytha was built by Doug Robb in Timaru in the mid 1960′, he believes the launch date was 1967. Doug Robb was also the builder of Strathallan which features on WW’s and a number of the Timaru fishing fleet. Gytha is 45′ long and powered by twin Ford diesels.
Last year, when Gytha was hauled out at Orams, Harry Jorgenson saw her parked in the yard and was able to identify where she had come from by looks alone.
Home these days for Gytha is the Te Atatu Boating Club in West Auckland. Any woodys able to tell us more about Gytha?
LIDGARD 1/2 MODELS – Help Needed Saturdays story on the 48’ Lidgard launch – Ngaro, link below, promoted Donna Lewis to contact WW re three 1/2 models that she purchased from a garage sale on Kawau Island, when she and husband Norm were living at Schoolhouse Bay. At the time she was told all three were Lidgard vessels. The painted one is obviously Ngaro, the writing on the back, supporting this.
Donna and Norm live in Australian the Sunshine Coast, Queensland and took the models with them, hopefully one day they will find their way home to NZ.
The challenge is that Donna doesn’t know which launches the other two models ‘belong’ too, so woodys – big ask today. Maybe an ex Lidgard worker can suggest suitable candidates. Or maybe one of the more talented WW readers recognizes something in the 1/2 model that is specific to a particular Lidgard design.
I suppose I should put a reward to the woody that provides the most credible suggestion. So a WW cap is on offer. For once, let’s do entries / suggestions via the WW comments section. I think the answers will be via a collaborative approach.
12-03-2022 UPDATE The models have arrived back in NZ from Australia, thank you – Donna Lewis, obviously the painted one at the bottom is Ngaro, there was comment on WW that the other two would be
TOP > TAILSMAN
MIDDLE > MELODY
Are we able to confirm the likelihood of this provenance and if so can anyone supply contact details of the current owners ?
You would have to look long and hard to find a classic woody in as original condition and as highly presented as the 1953, 48’ Lidgard built launch Ngaro. Scroll down to the b/w press clippings below, showing her as launched. One well respected woody once said “Its one of the few boats that, in my opinion looks better with painted coamings than the original varnish”.
The Lidgard clan really aced it when they designed and built Ngaro – I do not think I have seen a more perfect bridgedecker and that flying bridge, which has been there since day one, scores a 10/10.
She is a very well built ship being triple skin kauri – 2 – 6’x1/2” diagonal planks and 1 – 6’x1” longitudinal plank, with 3” bronze rivets.Power comes from twin 1985, 120hp Ford diesels, both rebuilt in the last 3 years, including gearboxes. Professional bare wood anti-foul in 2020 and full repaint in late 2014 – she presents as new. The mix of painted surfaces and varnished trim is perfect. As always – click on photos to enlarge.
PANDORA After all the shinny paint yesterday probably best to have a work-boat story today. The 48’ fishing boat – Pandora was built in the late 1960’s at the Alex Baxter Yard in Whangarei.. Her original owners were Brook and Winston Richards of Kaitaia, who had her built for commercial crawfishing. But she was set up so she could be converted to trawling within a few hours.The photo taken on launch day is dated Feb 1970 and is ex Photo News, and comes to us via Lew Redwood’s fb. A comment there stated that Pandora was the best looking fishing boat built- big call, but she is a looker.
The news paper headline read – ‘$40,000 Boat Launched’ so she must have been out there in her day.
Do we know what became of Pandora?
Remember the Riverhead Tavern Woodys cruise today – lots arriving by car, so if you are put off by the weather – take the car for a spin 🙂 details below
Photo below ex Greg Philpott, of Pirate next to the Deeming’s boat shed at Tapu Point across the water from Opua.
PIRATE – A Peek Down Below
Unless you are a Warkworth river rat, mooching around the upper reaches of the Mahurangi Harbour you wouldn’t have seen much of the stunning 1939 46’ launch – Pirate. Launched in 1939 at Matauwhi Bay in Russell, Bay of Islands, designed and built by Leon Warne. She has spent a large chunk of the last 18 years berthed alongside the old Cement Works. She always makes an appearance over the Mahurangi Regatta weekend and is one of those boats that just look right from any angle.
Pirate is constructed in full length kauri carvel plank and has twin Ford 6 cylinder 100HP diesel engines.
Pirate has an interesting provenance having been built for a German wool buyer (Otto Sommer), commissioned by the NZ Navy in World War II and used in degaussing operations, and subsequently in 1944, became Auckland’s second Police launch, replacing Tirimoana. Later she was a well known big-game fishing boat in the North, hosting among others Lord Mountbatten, who signed the Log Book.
She is a fine example of a classic launch restored and cared for by passionate owners (18 yrs), these owners have just made the hard decision that it is time to pass Pirate onto her next custodian – so woodys, this is a unique opportunity to own a classic wooden boat of the caliber of Pirate. Expressions of interest should be directed to waitematawoodys@gmail.com BUT – do not hang back, boats of Pirates size, presentation and provenance find new owners very quickly
Marcus Petraska sent in the above photos that he snapped on Easter Monday, in Opunga Cove in the Bay of Islands. Tamaroa was built / launched in 1953 by Collings & Bell, she last appeared on WW back in September 2020, where thanks to Eric Stevens, a previous owner (1994>2010) we got to have a peek down below and read a brilliant history lesson on her. Link below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/09/21/tamaroa/
Mason Bay – would have to one of the saltiest woodys afloat. Built by Curnow & Wilson c.1956/57 – and this time thanks to Gary Underwood you can read her history at the link below to a September 2015 WW story. Gary owned her then, not sure if he still does? https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/09/22/mason-bay/
Input from Brian Kidson – The builders of Mason Bay were Curnow and Wilton, not Wilson, of Nelson. George Curnow and Maurie Wilton were boat builders with ER Lane of Picton until moving to Nelson in the mid ’30s to start out on their own. They stayed in business till their last fire in 1966 when Nalder and Biddle carried on their boat building and repair work. Mason Bay was launched on the 11 April 1956 as the San Giuseppe for Mr T Lamacchia of Island Bay, Wellington. That was from the workshop fore-mans notebook at the time of building.
Sometimes I crop / trim photos down, but today’s photos are as taken – the water and light is just so BOI’s 🙂
WHAKARI Mooching around Gulf Harbour marina yesterday and spotted the 1925 Sam Ford launch – Whakari looking very regal. Would have to be best presented Sam Ford a float and a credit to owner Gordon Cashmore.
In 2014 she had a wee oops and was hauled out for some serious TLC. The shine we see the above photos looks very new-ish, so the TLC appears to be a regular occurrence – we like that 🙂
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