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 🙂
When you step aboard the 50‘ Arohanui you feel the warmth that comes from 50+ years of tender loving care and consideration.
Built using the finest materials available – NZ kauri and Burmese teak, her planks were later glassed over, this undertaking when combined with the varnished (uroxsys) cabin gives Arohanui the resilience of a modern f/glass vessel. Arohanui was designed by A. Donovan (with significant reference to the the Hacker Boat Company, USA designs of the same period) and built by the Lane Motor Boat Company and launched in 1965 – she featured on the cover and was the lead article of April 1966 issue of Sea Spray magazine, the magazine described her as a twin screw diesel gentlemen’s motor yacht. Arohanui was built to comply with Marine Department survey requirements.
A brief overview – 50’ LOA – 13’6” beam – 3’5” draft, 3 double private cabins + 2 berths in saloon, 6’4” head-room. Powered by twin 300hp Iveco engines. Cruising speed – 15knts – Max – 20knts. And the most impressive Lithium battery power management system I have seen. Her inviting interior is aided by a central heating (diesel) system installed in 2017.
In 2015 she underwent an extensive refurbishment at Lees Boat Builders – view video below to experience the attention to detail and standard to work.A full list of her inventory and specifications is available to likely buyers. Private viewing by appointment only. Contact waitematawoodys@gmail.com
If you have a serious interest in Arohanui, I suggest to go onto trademe and enter the following criteria – boats, fibre-glass, twin inboard, 14>16meter – and review what one would pay for a white plastic floating apartment of a similar size and spec, then come back and take in Arohanui again – then be quick with your reply 😉
WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE A-CLASS CLASSIC RACE FLEET – EGOTISM, ARROGANCE OR JUST INCOMPETENCE ?
You may have missed my comments at the bottom of Mondays WW story, and over the last 48 hours it has emerged that in the last two weeks we have had three serious incidents involving three different A-Class classic yachts, I have detailed descriptions of each incident, but I’ll stay out of the technicalities. Questions of the day – is there a review underway of these incidents? who takes responsibility for the circumstances surrounding the incidents i.e. race starts and finishes? Are there health and safety procedures in place for the ‘worst case scenario’?.
Even if you put any blame to one side, 3 incidents in 2 weeks………………… something is amiss. Me thinks it is time for a fire side skippers chat on rules and good manners.
INCIDENT ONE – Mahurangi Weekend – Sunday Morning – A Class yacht (under power) collides with classic launch – I understand no apology from yacht
INCIDENT TWO – CYA Race Mahurangi > Auckland – Sunday Morning – A Class gaff yacht T-bones another vessel at the start – Other vessel on starboard – near sinking
INCIDENT THREE – CYA Round Rangitoto Yacht Race – A Class gaff yacht collides with finish boat (classic launch) – Again no apology, just laughing
The CYA has its major annual sailing regatta coming up next week – if you’re out and about in your boat- might be a good idea to fender up 😉
22-02-2021 Input From Robin Kenyon
Re Racing at the MCC regatta: I think safety at Mahurangi was greatly improved this year by having the A class racing the outer loop first, therefore greatly reducing the time spent racing in the confines of the estuary and other racers/spectators. My big plea to the organisers would be for the MCC to affiliate themselves to Yachting New Zealand. Then the racing could be held under the more familiar (to racing and coastal sailors) Racing Rules of Sailing. This would remove a large degree of uncertainty that exists when racing at Mahurangi and help prevent a future accident in waiting. Every other race that the A class does uses these rules, not the COLREGS (except on passage races outside the hours of daylight, I believe). I appreciate that this incurs a cost to the MCC but surely the levy to YNZ is just what has to be done. The vast majority of other clubs in the country pay it. I have raced regattas in countries all over the world and this is the only one that I have been to that uses COLREGS for daytime racing. Uncertainty could breed the attitude amongst some that might just blag their way through a fleet rather than abiding to the very clear and proven racing rules of sailing. Stating that their will be no protests must only add to these competitors feeling untouchable. Whilst this is only one aspect covered by the comments above (and thankfully there were no serious accidents at this years regatta yacht race) I think it has some relevance to the bigger picture. I must have done about 10 Mahurangi regattas, all racing on the A class. The heated on the water interactions for this race are often worse than any other race in our calendar. Which is a shame for a fun event and a true highlight of the season. It doesn’t need to be that way and using the Racing Rules of Sailing can go a long way to address this. The COLREGS were never written with sailboat racing in mind. That is what the Racing Rules of Sailing are for. When skippering an A class around the harbour the skippers have enough on their plate without having the rethink the rule book.
22-02-2021 Update ex the CYA Feb Newsletter – lets hope they read this, tucked away at the bottom of the newsletter 🙂
Dean Wright recently slipped the lines on Arethusa and has been mooching around the Bay of Islands. Today’s gallery of photos includes the very salty looking Adventure in Deep Water Cove, also there was the Auckland woody – Callisto. Also featured is Andy and Brenda Bell’s Monowai III and Jim Ashby’s Olga, Dean commented that Olga is a serious bit of kit. She sure is, looks like you could go anywhere in her. Would love to know move about Olga, can anyone give Jim Ashby a nudge and ask him to send WW some background on the boat.
Lastly we see the remains of the burnt out Fleming 55 being lifted from the bottom between Moturua and Motukiekie Islands on Saturday (13-02-21), post the lift Dean saw the barge heading out to sea – probably for a deep water burial, anyone able to confirm? Photos of the boat fire here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/12/31/summer-woody-boating-in-the-bay-of-islands/
The only downside of Dean’s reporting is we never get to see photos of his stunning woody – Arethusa 🙂 see below
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