New Golden Hind at Kawau Island – Sailing Sunday
Today’s photo is another from the Auckland Museum’s Tudor Collins collection, this one emailed to me by Ken Ricketts. It shows the ‘New Golden Hind’, designed by Chas. Bailey Jr. & built at the Deemings Opua yard. She is anchored off Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island c.1940’s.
Any one able to ID the launches?
You can see more photos & details on her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/06/22/new-golden-hind/
Max Carter & His Boats
details & photos from Chris McMullen, edited by Alan Houghton
(remember to click on photos to enlarge)
Max Carter was responsible for building a huge number of boats of all sizes in a relatively short time, refer lists below. Chris believes that Max producing his modified H-28 /29ft was the first serious attempt at building stock keel boats in New Zealand. Back then there were no fibre glass boats, no marinas and no travel-lifts in NZ. The industry was experimenting with epoxy resin & glass cloth.
Max was supported by Consolidated Chemicals (Epiglass), the Colmore William’s Bros & their ceo Trevor Geldard. The P-Class & other small boats listed below in big numbers were kit sets for amateur construction. These boats also used up what would have been waste wood in the yard. The idea was to introduce young people to sailing & ensure a future for the marine industry. It certainly worked, but Max never benefited from his effort.
When Chris was reviewing Max’s files he found a copy of a 1989 New Zealand Power Boat Magazine, which he had never seen it before. There is an article on Sandy Sands and Sea Craft. It talks about how Sea Craft increased their productivity by using methods learned by Sandy Sands while working for Uffa Fox. Chris’s previous observation about a possible Fox connection was right. Sandy Sands commented in the article “without people you have nothing”. Max realized the value of his skilled staff and treated them as friends. He stayed in contact with many for almost fifty years. There was a list of his ex employees and their addresses amongst his files.
When you consider the age of these photos the presence of all the health and safety gear – fluro jackets, disposable overalls & hard hats really stands out. Chris commented that there was the odd accident but nothing really serious.
All Max’s boats were built from medium kauri treated and will last forever (well a very long time). He had huge stocks of timber. At the time most boat builders built hull’s & decks & the owners finished them in their back yard. Max did some hull’s but mainly catered for the few that could afford a finished product.
The shed photos above are more reminiscent of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, Bristol, Rhode Island. While Max was way ahead of his time, unfortunately, New Zealand’s economy and small population was such that his operation could not survive. Sadly but wisely he closed the doors, sold the plant and leased the buildings.
To read the eulogy Chris McMullen gave at Max Carter’s funeral, click the blue link below
Chris McMullen’s comments about the photos:
The photo with the 1/2 model is Max with Les Holt. Of significance in the photo is that the model was made by Chris. It was the Pipe Dream design featured in Francis Kinney’s book. The new version of ‘Skenes Elements of Yacht Design’.
The portrait photo of Max shows the MY Du Fresne in the back ground. The yacht on the hard stand is the Rainbow II. Max has written on the back of the photo. “Built in seven weeks after lofting.! “
Another photo shows the kit set boat production. No CNC machinery, just a good man (Lindsey Stone) on the spindle moulder shown in the left of the photo.
Another photo shows Max with his long time friend Laurie Davidson.
The Stewart 28 is the Hop Scotch.
Seems there are huge gaps. Photographers were always at the yard. Chris believes some photos were lost.
Orinda and White Mischief were both Max’s designs maybe 40 years apart.
The brand new Northerner struck Bollen’s Rock while racing through Tiri Channel. Her first race! Max was her skipper for the day. She was raised and repaired like new. Capt Warwick Dunsford, Owner Boyd Hargrave with the binoculars. (more photos & press clippings below)
The H-29 was an H-28 with the sheer raised. It was an attempt to build a small(ready to sail) keel yacht that people could afford. Tom Beaton, Bryan
Williams and Nick Panich in the photo.
The Du Fresne was built for Mr J M Butland and the first H-29 for his son Mr JR. Du Fresne was a Laurent Giles design. The Butland Family were a well known boating people Thetis, Titan, Sirdar, Dufresne DurVille, Inverness and the brigantine Fritha were commissioned by the family.
The Ta Aroa was a 60 foot Sparkman and Stephens design. A beautiful yacht built for Mr Doug Bremner. She had one of the first imported aluminium masts. A single spreader rig.
The Calypso shown being launched with a crane was built for Max’s own use.
The same design shown under construction is the Tamure. This was a Max Carter
design & the second NZ yacht to do a circum navigation of the world. She
was owned by the late Jerry Challet & Mac Nell. boatbuilder, Dave Baxter
was on the crew. From memory (marine engineer) Terry Burling was part owner
or crew.
All the big Carter boats were launched by the A.H.B floating crane. There were no travel-lifts. Note the ships in the background.
The Sinking, Re-floating & Repair of Northener
Article below from the New Zealand Exporter magazine that tells the story about
the H-29 better. In the photo of the three builders bending steamed ribs on a H-29 they are from the left – the
late Eric Wing, Chris McMullen and Peter Sowman.
Check out the 1967 Prices
09-08-2016 A Tribute To Max Carter – by Nigel Armitage
Below is a link (in blue) to a downloadable file of rather nice tribute to Max Carter by Nigel Armitage. Nigel worked with Max on the replica scow ‘Ted Ashby’ project that he and Max were very involved in together at the Hobson wharf, Maritime Museum. Its an insight into the amazing work Max did.
Ariki – Sailing Sunday
Today’s photo is one from the Mac Taylor collection & shows a gaffer in full flight, given the other yachts in the distance she is either well ahead or well behind 🙂
Who can ID the yacht?
Swallows & Amazons Movie
I have been reading some great reviews on the ‘new’ 2016 remake of the Swallows & Amazons movie based on Arthur Ransome’s book.
Below is the trailer for 2016 movie, due out mid August & below that – the trailer to the 1974 movie for comparison. Also a short video on the ‘secrets’ of filming the 1974 movie, that gives you a peek into the behind the scenes filming of the movie. Enjoy 🙂
New Golden Hind
photos ex Gavin Bedggood & Roger Welch
Yesterdays story on ww featured a great photo of several motorboats & yachts on the beach in front of the Deemings Yard in Opua, Bay of Islands. The photo came from the Coralie Hilton collection, Coralie’s maiden name was Deeming (her father) & her mother was a Bedggood, so that’s how Gavin came by these photos.
In yesterdays story the ‘main actor’ was the 93′ ketch ‘New Golden Hind’, today I have posted more photos from Coralie’s collection, these ones show her build & post launch.
The New Golden Hind was a Chas. Bailey Jr. design & built Deemings for a Mr. Jenkins.
Below is a link to a great blog read about a Pacific cruise aboard the New Golden Hind. The story is by Roger Welch & documents his father, Henry Thomas Welch, on a 1940’s cruise aboard the New Golden Hind to the Pacific Islands . Some of the photos above relate to this story. They are more photos at the link below
http://beyondeyelevel.com/446/aboard-the-golden-hind-1940/ “My Dad, Henry Thomas Welch, was raised in the little country town of Te Awamutu in the Waikato area, the mid North Island of New Zealand. He was an only child, and grew up during the Great Depression. His Dad, Thomas Henry Welch, was by all accounts a hard-working man, with a strong Christian sense of duty to his wife and family. In those days everyone had to work, so it was the case that Dad virtually grew up working in the family butcher shop. I have a framed black and white photograph in my boardroom of Dad on horseback in the 1920s outside the butcher shop. Despite gaining his University Entrance exam (UE) at Hamilton Tech, he was unable to afford to go to University in Auckland. By 1940, at the age of 26, I suppose that he was frustrated with a small town existence and wanderlust took over. Dad got away to crew on a 90 ft yacht that was sailing to the then remote Pacific Islands, a young man’s dream. As far as I can determine he had no previous sailing experience. From a short note signed by Mr. Jenkins (the owner of the boat) I gather Dad signed aboard as a paying crew. Very much on “a wing and a prayer” as there was precious little money in the family kitty in 1940.
I recount the story of Dad’s trials and tribulations aboard the ketch he called “Golden Hind”, named obviously for the famous ship that carried Sir Francis Drake on his epic voyage around the world. According to a newspaper clipping (“Auckland Star”) at the time the ship was actually named the “New Golden Hind”, and owned by Mr. H. R. Jenkins. The ship was a 94 ft schooner, although subsequently dimensions are given as 93 ft overall, with a 22 ft beam, and 10 ft draft. The ship in the previous year had made a similar trip, which constituted her maiden voyage. According to the “Star”, “She behaved well in all weather encountered, and the engine which was used much of the time as the winds were light, never gave any trouble.” In addition to Mr. Jenkins, and the crew, the party aboard includes Miss Culford Bell, and Mrs. Harrison, of Auckland, Mr. W. E. Mitchell of Nelson, and Mr. Welch, of Te Awamutu. Dad paid a princely sum of five pounds a week for the trip, as working crew, and in this regard, please see letter in the gallery from Mr. Jenkins”
YESTERDAYS QUIZ WINNER WAS NATHAN HERBERT BEING THE FIRST TO GET
‘New Golden Hind, Chas. Bailey Jr. Deemings, 1939, Okiato (Opua)’
Nathan, well done. I email you re which framed print you want from Robert Brooke’s boat – Beautiful Boats.
23-06-2016 update from Harold Kidd – photo below of Chas Bailey Jr. wishing Jenkins well on the departure of the yacht on its Pacific voyage.
The Bristol Pilot Cutter – Cornubia – Sailing Sunday
Today’s post is a 8 minute film on the 1911 66′ bristol pilot cutter Cornubia. Built by J. Slade & Son, Polruan, in the UK, she was restored by current owner Tony Winter in 2009. She is carvel constructed, larch planking on oak frames. The film is wonderfully narrated by Tony Winter.
She is a thing of beauty both on the water & down below.
Anyone know the status of the bristol pilot boat that Peter Brooke is building at his yard in Waimauku?
Now if you have ever seen me mooching around in a bay in the dinghy collecting drift wood, if its a tree branch its for the garden. If its a piece of timber its for an old mate, Simon Yates who makes these rather cool signs. He bought an old metal stencil set in the USA (on ebay) & now knocks up the below – they look great at the bach – not for sale, its a labour of love 😉 All the wood on this one I collected last xmas around the gulf.
Careened early 1900’s
IDA – Sailing Sunday
photos ex Gregor McQuaters
In February Gregor sent me the above photos, with the promise that family members had more & he would track them down, so todays a little bit of name & shame – where are the photos Gregor? 🙂
In the back of my mind Harold Kidd posted a comment on ww a while ago about Ida but I have had no joy tracking it dowm. I can tell you she was built by Bailey’s in 1895, measures 65′ LOA & 45′ LWL. Home is Sydney, Australia & has been for a very long time. HDK – can you help out (again) 😉
23-07-2016 Input from Robin Elliott
Here’s a bunch of owners for Ida. Jim Platt was part of a syndicate that registered her in 1962.
W. Hicks 1919/21+? L.(& O.) Jenkinson 1922/32 A.A. Angell 1932/39+? A. Angell 1946?/49+? E.S. Green & Others 1950+? J. M. Pinkerton & L.H. Mirams 1951?/53+? J.M. Pinkerton 1952/60+? R. Price, J. Platt, O.C. de Bruin 1962+? J. Tenbroeke 1969+? G. Broeke, T. Guthrie & C. Taylor (RNZAF Hamilton) 1970+? E. Tansell (Pt Chevalier) 1976+? (Still Registered Owner NZYF 1980) R.B. Cornell (Pakuranga) 1982+? (Still shows as owner in 1984 NZYF).
In 1968 she was reported as being owned by several members of RNZAF Hobsonville and in 1969 was reported as being on moorings near the Hobsonville slipway.
Cornell of Pakuranga appears to be her last registered NZ owner. By 1992 her sail number (11) has been re-issued to Francis
23-07-2016 Input from Harold Kidd
IDA was built by C. & W. Bailey for the Jagger brothers and Frater and launched on 21 December 1895. She was a contemporary and competitor to the other 5 rater of that season, the Logan Bros’ MOANA which had the measure of her from the start. However, when C.P. Murdoch of Devonport bought her in 1900 her performance improved radically. The hauled-out pic above is during his ownership and she’s seem on the beach in front of Garden Terrace Devonport where Murdoch lived. His house, with a turret, still stands. Murdoch was Commodore of the Squadron at this time.
Harold Nathan bought her in 1907, N A Nathan in 1908, J. & W. Smaill in 1911, W. Hicks 1919 and then L & O Jenkinson in 1920. Robin has provided the rest.
She was badly knocked around in the gale of March 1918 on the Devonport foreshore where she had been laid up by the Smaills with her keel removed for several years since the start of the War.
In the 1940s she was seen as very old-fashioned and survived both wars because of the incredible rise in yachting as a sport post-war and the shortage of good yachts to satisfy the demand.
Details of Classic Boat Construction – 25th Anniversary Edition
Larry Pardey is/has just relaunched a 25th edition of his world famous book. The link below takes you to Larry & Lin’s very cool website where you can see a great collection of photos of the construction of his ex yacht ‘Taleisin’. I understand that more photos will be added next week, so make sure you check back in 😉 http://www.landlpardey.com/details
Looking for a bargain buy woody project?
The Woollacott (Marco Polo) ketch ‘Rakino’, was recently salvaged by the Wellington Harbour Ranger after its mooring
failed and it sank against the Evans Bay Marina breakwater on the night of
22/23 April 2016.
Rakino is a sister ship to Ebb Tide & Maia II both owned by Jeff Cook. See the Woollacott Association website re the Marco Polo design & the exploits of Tony Armit. http://www.woollacott.org.nz/
Since salvaging on the 24th April, the Volvo Penta engine (about 700 hours)
has been professionally flushed and the starter motor and alternator removed
and flushed. The single skin timber hull appears to have relatively minor
damage consisting of one hole and other apparently cosmetic damage.
Most loose interior items and the sails have been removed (and stored) to
enable better access for viewing and drying.
The Greater Wellington Regional Council wishes to dispose of the yacht by way of a closed tender process and
invites firm expressions of interest.
The tender conditions are below. Note the close of date id May 30th so if you are interested , place a tender, historically some real bargains can be had in these circumstances.
WAITEMATA – Pilot Cutter
photos ex Hylton Edmonds via Ken Rickettts
The above photo gallery shows the 58′ ex Auckland Harbour Board pilot cutter Waitemata from when first launched to her refit to pleasure vessel & as she is today. Her ‘sister’ ship Akarana has featured numerous times on ww.
I’m sure Hylton & others will chip in with more details on her.
Photo below ex Nathan Herbert
UPDATE 04-10-2021 Photo below ex Dean Wright of – Waitemata on her mooring up the Te Puna Inlet, B.O.I.
SAN CRISTOBAL (Pagan)
photos from Peter Croft, Alan Good & trademe
Over the last few summers I have seen the San Cristobal anchored up around the gulf, she appears to be a live aboard at Matiatia on Waiheke Island & is regularly seen on the weekends in Man 0 War Bay. I understand that she is a 1943 60ft converted Scottish drift trawler & have heard that $100k was spent on reconditioning the 8 cyl. Gardner………
San Cristobal is currently for sale on trademe & the following details are ex there – she was built by the British Admiralty in Lowestoft in 1943. Built to take saboteurs and supplies to Norway. The German High Command had instructed the German submarines not to torpedo fishing boats. Bronze fastenings below the water line as not to set off the magnetic mines. After the War she sailed to NZ and was purchased by Sanfords. Name changed from Pagan to San Cristobal. Commercial fishing around NZ. Designed off the Scottish Drifter developed for the herring fleet in the North Sea. Built of larch on oak and measures – length 20m, width 5m with a 2m approx. draft.
She is a perfect example of the the magic powers of paint, from memory she was classic work boat green & looked like she had just escaped from the fishing fleet, then bang she is sporting a salmon / terra-cotta & cream colour scheme & looks a different vessel. It would have been a big call looking into the paint tin but it works a treat (in my eyes).
Any of the woodys able to supply more info on her past, must be a few woodys that have worked on or alongside her.
Update 19-12-2016 ex Ken Ricketts
She was sold by the insurance company 2 weeks ago to a Andre Botha, after she had come to grief in the Warkworth River sometime earlier this year.
He put her in the water last Friday afternoon & lifted her out again about 3 hours later, about 6 30pm, with massive quantities of water on the wrong side of the hull, which was all falling out of her, at high speed after lifting.
As shown in the photos below she is has a substantial recaulking exercise underway at the moment & the new owner hopes to have her back in the water in about a week, & will initially keep her at Gulf Harbour for a few days & will then move her to town to a mooring site in the central city area, as yet unconfirmed.
The owner told Ken he has bought her with a view to restoring her & ultimately he is considering living aboard in due course. The purchase of San Cristobal is his first ever venture in to the world of boating. He also mentioned she is built of oak & she still as the 8L3 Gardner diesel engine, which he says, has only done around 2500 hours.
MOERANGI
photos & story from NZ Life & Leisure magazine
Today we feature the Logan Bros ex work boat Moerangi. When launched in 1901 she was schooner rigged & also had one of the first oil engines in New Zealand.
Built for Archibald Weir Jnr. she started her working life towing the commercial fishing fleet in & out of Moeraki, as the fleet started installing engines her role became redundant & she became a passenger ferry with the Peninsular Ferry co. in Otago. Around 1920 she was converted back to a fishing boat & moved around several ports – Port Chalmers > Lyttlelton > Akaroa. Her past is a lille cloudy after 1920 until the early 1980’s when she was converted to a pleasure craft. Her owners Alice & Mick Sinclair would love to know more about the ‘missing’ years.
ww has a great relationship with the crew at NZ Life & Leisure magazine, the #1 selling magazine in its field & we thank them for sharing this story with ww readers. You can find out more about the magazine here http://nzlifeandleisure.co.nz/
More details & photos on Moerangi’s past here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/12/15/moerangi/
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
Day 3
Prize Giving
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
waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news - updated daily - 15+ million views 