Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – AVALON – UPDATE #4

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – AVALON – UPDATE #4

Following from last weeks update (#3) on the restoration of the 1954 Sam Ford built classic wooden launch – AVALON, owner Tobias Forsyth sent in more photos of the work-in-progress.

Tobias commented that the next time home (works at sea) he will be building the cabin top, this has been down the To Do List as keeping it off makes working inside a easier, especially when it’s really hot. 

The rebate is in for the glass and all the templates are made, ready to send to the glazier for new glass. 
 Tobias said the To Do List is getting smaller every time he is home and it feels very good to be finishing jobs and making things look nice again. 

She’s came a very long way since sitting on his Grandma’s lawn and he couldn’t be happier with how good everything is falling into place. 

The plan is in the water ready to go by next summer. 🙂

RESTORATION OF THE CLASSIC WOODEN EX WORKBOAT – CLYDE GS 28

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RESTORATION OF THE CLASSIC WOODEN EX WORKBOAT – CLYDE GS 28

WW has been contacted by Mark McLaughlin regarding the 25’ Roger Carey built (1949) ex workboat – CLYDE GS28. Mark’s notes below – 

“I have been following the Facebook page of Doug Johnson who is a traditional boatbuilder in Picton documenting his restoration of the lovely little Roger Carey 25ft fishing boat “Clyde”. Originally built in 1949, Doug has rescued Clyde and spent the last three and a half years on a thorough restoration which is nearing completion with launching planned for Labour Weekend. Clyde features in the book “By Boats We Live” by Roger’s daughter, Joan Clark, which recorded all of her father’s designs & builds and designs built by others. The watercolour image is by Joan from her book and shows Clyde’s original working boat configuration” 

Mark also sent in the selection of photos above from Doug’s Facebook page, and commented that there are many more photos and videos of the restoration there, link below  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084924609149  Mark tracked down a copy of the story on CLYDE in the “By Boats We Live” book from his mother down in Marlborough. Photos below.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – REHUTAI 428

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – REHUTAI 428

Last week WW was contacted by Mitchell Hutchings regarding the classic 43’ Sam Ford built (1926) wooden launch – REHUTAI, his note is reproduced below. Mitchell also supplied the photos we see above of REHUTAI under construction and on a cruise.  Sam Ford built REHUTAI for C C Ross of Wellington and when launched she was powered by a 50/75 hp Stearns engine.

“The photos were taken by my Uncle, Peter Parsonson, a Milford resident and past Commodore of the Devonport Yacht Club. His wife, Eva, is shown in some of the onboard photos. Also Bob and Bertie Davidson are named, probably the owners? They look like a happy crew. “

In Sept 2023 REHUTAI was in Wellington (painted yellow) and we learnt from Nathan Herbert that she had has several name changes over the years eg ARAWA, NOMAD, IRIHAPETI. Converted to her current configuration by Allan Williams in Milford, Auckland. Link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/09/05/mystery-wellington-launch-2/

Nathan Herbert pointed WW in the direction of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand (Photograph Collection) where there are two stunning WWII photos on file (last two above) of REHUTAI W428, during her time with the Air Force Marine Section, based at RNZAF Station Hobsonville. At the time she was ‘on-loan’ from Stan Parker.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – AVALON RESTORATION UPDATE # 3

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – AVALON RESTORATION UPDATE # 3

Todays photo gallery of AVALON the 24’ 1954 Sam Ford built woody was sent in by John Dawson and is a follow up to our last update in November 2025 – WW link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/11/17/classic-wooden-launch-avalon-restoration-update-2/

Owner Tobias Forsyth has been making good progress and I love his approach to semi finishing areas while the overall project continues – I’m sure it helps with the motivation.

AVALON is a member of a very small classic wooden boating club – one family owner since new.

Lots of background on AVALON in this 2021 WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/11/29/resurrection-of-avalon/

Photo below from pre launch day.

(photo ex Toby Hyman)

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – FANTASY – A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – FANTASY – A Peek Down Below

There are a few classic wooden launches that I would never take my partner onto – one of them is FANTASY, the 1952 McGeady built launch. Powered by a 72hp Sole diesel engine.

Her interior fit out would have me having to create some excuse as to why she wouldn’t be suitable for us. FANTASY ticks most of your boxes and has the added bonus of a fire / heater.

The launch made a brief appearance on tme last year and then disappeared, hopefully her owners changed their mind 🙂

MYSTERY 43’ WELLINGTON LAUNCH

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MYSTERY 43’ WELLINGTON LAUNCH

Todays woodys sat on tme for a while (thanks Ian McDonald) and has now been removed, hopefully sold.The vessel was promoted as a live aboard option and at $20k was low cost city pad.What we knew about her :

  • 43ft bridgedecker launch
  • Carvel kauri hull
  • 120hp Ford diesel, with a few minor issues
  • Cruises comfortably around 8 knots

Looking at the last two photos above as compared to the lead photo, she is in need of some TLC. Can we learn her name, designer/builder and what became of her.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – MAHANA 

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – MAHANA 

The classic wooden launch MAHANA has appeared before on WW but woody John Dawson sent in this gallery of photos, to give us a better look down below.

She was built in c.1975 by Atkinson and with the date falls into the ‘Spirit of Tradition’ category. A lot bigger than she looks in the photos -– 46’ LOA and not sluggish with a 315hp Yanmar providing the forward motion.

EASTER ON THE WATER – Classic Wooden Boat Cruising

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EASTER ON THE WATER – Classic Wooden Boat Cruising

Just back from three days on RD , Friday was one out of the box, simply stunning. Saturday was another goody and Sunday a tad overcast but still warm. Very happy with the number of classic woodys at Rakino Island over the weekend. I managed to catch up with a lot of the skippers, general consensus was ‘grabbing a few days afloat before winter kicks in’. 

The white bridge-decker above was a mystery to me, short 4 letter name – Nathan what say you?

On Saturday I caught up with Bill Brown whose family (Corrine & James Brown) owned my launch in the late 1960’s. Back then she was named LADY GAY. Bill works off shore but keeps a very smart woody yacht (SusanJane) at Westhaven for when back in NZ. 

We meet a few years ago via a mutual friend and the WW site, the penny  dropped re the boat link and Bill sent me a great album of b/w photos from back in the late 1960’s.

 I spend a lot of time matching other people and boats from the past so it was extra special to have an ‘own goal’. 

One of Bill’s photos below of LADY GAY (RAINDANCE). For those interested more on RD’s past here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/04/23/lady-gay/

Late 1960’s
2026

CLASSIC LAUNCH – LADY GAZELLE – A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC LAUNCH – LADY GAZELLE – A Peek Down Below

The classic wooden launch LADY GAZELLE , designed by Jim Young,has made several appearance of WW, link below to those stories. https://waitematawoodys.com/?s=LADY+GAZELLE+&submit=Search

Sadly back in March 2023 during Cyclone Gabrille, LADY GAZELLE ended on the rocks in the Coromandel Harbour, photo below .

We next saw her in August 2023, being relaunched at Clevedon, photo below.

Today thanks to Ian McDonald spotting a tme post, we get to have a gander down below. The rebuild of LADY GAZELLE isn’t completely finished but it would be a great winter project and then you would be boating next summer.
Do not normally quote $$ but at around $25k its a bargain.

SOS – CAN WE SAVE CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – LIBERTY –  FROM THE LAND FILL – SOS

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SOS – CAN WE SAVE CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – LIBERTY –  FROM THE LAND FILL – SOS

 WW was contacted yesterday by the owner of the 30/33’ classic wooden launch LIBERTY that is moored in Whitianga.

As a result of last weeks storm, she has been taking on water and the Harbour Master has advised the vessel will be removed from her mooring and towed to a ramp and sadly then await a visit from the back-hoe.Note: her engine has been partially submerged.

LIBERTY has appeared on WW several times, links below to those stories. But in a nut-shell built somewhere in the 1919> early 1920’s period, 30>33’ in length, powered by a 35hp BMW engine (only 160hrs). Her provenance differs depending on who you listen to – some say built by Lou Burns and Stu McCallum in Te Papapa Onehunga.                                                     Harold Kidd has previously commented that he always thought she was the LIBERTY built by F and S Shaw in Devonport in 1919 when both brothers got back from WW1. She had a 12hp Regal originally. HDK suspected she’s been lengthened as well as had a couple of tophamper additions. L.R. Matthews had her in 1947 when Commodore of PCC and Noel Mitchell owned her in the 1960s.

WW Feb14 2020.https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/02/14/liberty-2/ WW Feb22 2020.https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/02/22/liberty-446/ WW May 2021. https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/05/27/liberty-a-peek-down-below/

FREE – CAN SOMEONE STEP UP AND SAVE HER – FREE

(Last two photos above from back in time)

Contact Owner TODAY 027 371 3824