Category Archives: 44′>50′

NGATIRA REFIT UPDATE

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NGATIRA REFIT UPDATE

Back in June 2016 Steve Horsley was on the verge of selling his 1904 Charles Bailey Jnr built 49’ B-Class gaffer – Ngatira, link below to that story. Thankfully he didn’t and not long after he hauled her home onto the front lawn for a few wee jobs. June 2016 https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/06/14/20032/

As so often happens the To Do list kept growing and next thing Steve’s into a total refit. Long term WW readers will remember Steve previously rebuilt Ngatira almost single handed. He is a seriously talent man and puts a lot of ’tradesman’ to shame.

I caught up with Steve over the weekend at the Mahurangi Regatta, Steve is a past commodore of the Mahurangi Cruising Club and produces their stunning year book.

I asked Steve how the few wee jobs were coming along and he shared the above photos. Ngatira is now closed in and the varnish (Uroxsys) is getting applied. 

Steves gifted with a very considerate wife – Jo, not many would up up with a 1904 collection of kauri planks to remain at the front door for several years 🙂

I was brave and asked for an ETA back in the water – all I could get was soon Houghty, soon 🙂

23-09-2024 UDATE – Its been a long winter but owner Steve reports that its all down hill now and he will be splashing this summer – fingers crossed.

CLASSIC WOODY + TUG/WORK BOAT RACING

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My GIRL
MY GIRL
PAIKEA
LUCINDA
WAIKARO
ST CLAIRE
REHIA
JUANITA
MERIHI
JEUNESSE
VANESSA
MEOLA
MERIHI – ST CLAIRE

CLASSIC WOODY + TUG/WORK BOAT RACING

On Monday of Auckland’s  Anniversary Weekend I joined a very small club – boaties that have legally exceeded 20 knots in Auckland’s inner harbour. Probably only Deodar (police launch), Coastguard and the Harbour Master would be in the club. As part of the anniversary day regatta Jason Prew organises an around the buoys race for classic launches. The event has the most entrants of any event on the day. The Harbour Master waves the normal 12 knot speed limit and even provides an escort around the course. 

This year I was invited aboard Jason Prew’s xxxx launch – MY GIRL for the race. The conditions were very average SW18>23 knots , gusting 28 knots, bad enough to keep most of the classic yacht fleet tucked up in her berths for the day.

At the bang of the start gun My Girl took the lead and we never looked back – at the 1st mark we were 58 sec ahead of the next boat (Paikea) and just kept pulling away. Crossed the finish line doing 22.9 knots, that woodys is very fast. The foiling kite surfer that miscalculated our speed probably needed a change of wet suit pants 🙂

My Girl is powered by a Volvo 150hp 4cyl. turbo diesel engine that in another life powered a Queenstown jet boat . Mr Prew has tweaked it ‘a little’ – video of engine at idle and proof of speed 🙂 Note – there is no engine box /cover 🙂 

Results 

Across the line – 1. My Girl, 2. Paikea, 3. Lucinda 

Handicap – 1.Waikaro, 2. Lucinda, 3. St Clair

Entrants – My Girl, Paikea, Lucinda, Rehia, Ngaio, Waikaro, St Clair, Juanita, Meola, Marihi, Vanessa, Jeunesse

TUG/WORK BOAT RACING

The 2nd biggest event in terms of numbers is the highly popular tug/work boat race. Photos below.

Lots of Great Photos Here https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=813851850548987&set=pcb.813852363882269

2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH PARADE 130+ PHOTOS 

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My GIRL
MEOLA
Launch Parade

2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH PARADE 130+ PHOTOS 

As regular readers of the waitematawoodys site know the last weekend of January is always a biggie on the wooden boating calendar. The Mahurangi Cruising Club year-on-year pull off the biggest wooden boating event in New Zealand – {the} Mahurangi Regatta. If you type that into the WW search box your day will be ruined – hundreds of classic wooden boating photos.

I’ll apologise upfront for the lack of sailing photos – these days there are a lot of other happy-snappers recording the racing – when and if I get photos or links, I’ll add them to the story. 

It was a sub 24hr up and back trip to Mahurangi – I had an important family event that I have been dodging for years, and this year the message was – “be here” 🙂

I came away from Mahurangi feeling very upbeat for the health of the classic wooden motor boat movement – there was in excess of 50 classic woodys in the Mahurangi Harbour and from that fleet 32 skippers participated in the classic woody launch parade. A record turnout, so I say thank you those that took part and specially those that dressed their craft.

I was particularly heartened to see the return of several craft that had drifted away from the scene due to relocations, long tern refits and frustration with the community. Of note was Florance Dawn, Kumi and Raiona.

People linked to the supposedly organisation of the the parade (I’m not talking about the MCC) need to wake up to the contribution that the classic launches make to the event – 50+ craft is a mighty powerful visual vista. So fingers crossed the housekeeping improves to ensure the loyalist keep turning up.

After the speed bumps at the start, the parade got underway and a good time was had by the skippers, crews and spectators afloat and ashore at Sullivans Bay.

Enjoy the gallery of photos – some (most) boats appear twice, some I’m sure missed the camera, can’t be everywhere:-) Thanks to Steve Horsley for the photo of Raindance and Murray Deeble for the race start photo.

As always click on photos to enlarge 😉

A reward – first woody to tell me which boat in the above photos has the largest WW flag – wins a normal size WW burgee – enter at waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Bay of Islands Summer Mooching + Anniversary Weekend Cruising 

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RANONI
ENTERPRIZE
ARETHUSA
IORANGI
ALOFA
VALHALLA
RAMPAGE

Bay of Islands Summer Mooching + Anniversary Weekend Cruising 

Todays gallery of classic wooden craft comes to us from the camera of Dean Wright, taken while he was cruising the bay on his woody – Arethusa.

From top to bottom the craft are:

• Ranoni – Army Bay

• Enterprise – Opunga Cove

• Arohanui – steaming past Cable Bay, Urupukapuka

• Arethusa – Whangamumu

• The Logan yacht – Iorangi – Whangamumu

• Alofa – Whangamumu

• Valhalla – Whangamumu

• Rampage – Whangmumu – an early 2000’s Robertson Boats sedan launch ( lengthened and repainted)

• Mary of York – Ben Tomb’s leeboarder

2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – Classic Launch Parade & Sunday Gathering At KAWAU ISLAND 

The countdown is on for one of the worlds best and biggest classic wooden boating events, the Mahurangi Regatta, organised by the Mahurangi Cruising Club.

Sadly due to the freakish weather the 2023 regatta was cancelled, but plans are in place to make 2024 on-the-water and ashore at Scotts Landing bigger and better.

The Classic Wooden Launch Parade is one of the highlights of the weekends activities – followed later in the day by a serious ‘old school’ boaty BBQ ashore at Scott’s – including a massive marquee for the 20 piece dance band.

 On the Sunday, most woody launch skippers head to KAWAU ISLAND and the plan is to gather later in the day for a few sun-downers at the newly refurbished Kawau Boating Club.

WEE PAT – STUDIO 88

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WEE PAT – STUDIO 88

Well I suppose its still afloat and providing a waterfront home to her owner but ……………….. 

Todays ‘woody’ is according to her tme listing – 46’ in length, launched in1935, and built from kauri carvel construction. 

There is mention of her once being a mussel trawler in the Coromandel, and possibly spent time in Auckland and the Kaipara Harbour.

These days she is best described as a house boat, not to my taste but there is always the chance that someone will fall in love with her and take her under their wing. Or maybe a prop on a movie set.

CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISING THE HAURAKI GULF – SUMMER 2023/24

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CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISING THE HAURAKI GULF – SUMMER 2023/24

Now todays post is the one you have been waiting on – the classic wooden (mostly) craft that I spotted around the Hauraki Gulf over the Dec 27 > Jan 5th period.

Probably the best turn out of woodys that I have seen – seems it just wasn’t me suffering from cabin fever 🙂

As always some photos are good, some not so good – direction of sun and distance dictates that. Mostly I’m taking photos as a visual account.

Enjoy the gallery – broken into locations – I have endeavoured to list the craft in the tagged section.

AS ALWAYS CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

If you have any good photos, send them in to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

RAKINO ISLAND

KAWAU ISLAND

WAIHEKE ISLAND

OUT & ABOUT – on route

Lady Karita Needs Some TLC

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Lady Karita Needs Some TLC

The magnificent 43’ Sam Ford built (1934) launch – Lady Karita is looking very unloved on her Nelson marina berth. Sadly her owner passed away earlier this year and the southern sun is starting to have its way with the finish 😦

Someone needs to buy some shade cloth. 

(photos ex J. Burland)

Boatshed Parties Getting All Trendy

The Slipway Milford had their end of year bbq bangers in bread + few beers yesterday – Here I go getting in trouble with the Human Rights Commission again – but the additional of some workers with two X chromosomes has stepped up the calibre of the fare 🙂 Two of the below graced the lunchroom table – well done Jan B.

PATIO BAY CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT WEEKEND – 2023

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Moerani + Ariki
Tawera
Message To Santa – I Want One
Cake Day Entries – It Did Not Win But The Chocolate Cake Was The Best

PATIO BAY CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT WEEKEND – 2023

Todays story wasn’t meant to happen, the 2023 Patio Bay Weekend was not on the radar but several woody skippers told me late in the week that they were going so I shuffled the plans around.

Saturday mornings weather and sea state was average but sometimes you just have to make the call and head out. I was also suffering from serious cabin fever, so little boating in the last year.

As the day unfolded the weather improved but from the fireside chat post race, the classic yachts racing down did not have a pleasant trip.

CYA numbers were down significantly from previous years , in fact I was the only launch in the bay. 

The venue hosts, the Mahoney family, ensured a great time was had by all, with the emphasis on an old-school / retro boating gathering e.g. open fire / bbq, Pohutukawa and driftwood smoke and the legendary barrel of rum……….. on that subject most were amused when the yacht “Prize” won her division – part of the winning is having to re-fill the rum barrel the following year – I was told Prize’s skipper historically has gone to great lengths to sidestep the expensive.

The assorted collection of photos above is simply to give you a glimpse of the weekend, and showcase the magic of Aucklands woody fleet and Patio Bay. Enjoy (passage photos B15 Frances & dark hulled yacht ex Dennis & Sue Rule) – (some photos below average in definition – long lens the camera).

Xmas Boat Reading – 10+ years ago I asked at my local 2nd hand book store, about an out of print copy of a book titled “Hemingway’s Boat’ by Paul Hendrickson – out of the blue last week I got a call telling me one had turned up – I started to read over the weekend and after just 10 pages put it down, just a gem, to be saved for the summer xmas /ny trip. Best $15 I have spent. If you see one for sale, grab it.

Tinopai

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TINOPAI

Back in Oct 2015 we ran a ‘mystery launch’ story – the boat was ID’s as Miss Picton (later named Mitre Peak) thanks to Harold Kidd we learnt that Miss Picton was built by Collings & Bell for a Captain M. Steele of Picton and was launched in December 1933.

Miss Picton was a replacement for Steele’s 45’ launch Tinopai that was also built by Collings & Bell and launched in November 1932, sadly Tinopai was destroyed by fire in Marlborough Sounds just on month after being launched.

Today thanks to a NZ Herald press clipping, sent in by K Ricketts we get to view the short-lived – Tinopai

Oct 2015 Miss Picton WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/10/28/mystery-launch-28-10-2015/

INPUT EX HAROLD KIDD – vastly better photo 🙂

Proof I’m A Nutter – suffering from post AB’s loss blues so Sunday afternoon was spent polishing the engine and upgrading the old engine box insulation 🙂

Woody Euro Tour

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Siesta – approx. 45′ canoe stern bridge-decker – Stockholm
Vasa – 17th century warship – Vasa Museum – Stockholm
Oslo, Norway
Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Gothenburg
Probably steel

WOODY EURO TOUR

Todays story comes to us from the camera of Rick McCay, owner of the 1920 MT Land built 47’ launch – Luana. Rick has been tripping around the northern hemisphere. Rick didi a similar trip back in 2017, you can view that story at the WW link below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/11/02/a-woody-on-tour/

Where known I have tagged the locations – enjoy the photo gallery.