Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

Cygnet

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CYGNET

The launch Cygnet has just popped up on trademe (thanks Ian McDonald) & while the listing makes no reference to her past, given the location of Motueka, one would have to assume that she is the ex Mokau River work boat, previously featured on WW (photo below), with a lot of work done to her.

Details – she is approx. 30’ in length, made of kauri carvel construction in c.1960s. Her zoom zoom comes from a Lombardini 87hp diesel that pushes her along at a cruising speed of 8.5 knots, max 10 knots approx.

In her previous appearance on WW, Harold Kidd commented that she was built in Auckland and shipped down to Waitara for Sjolund of Mokau in July 1913, She was described as “on the tunnel style” 34ft in length, 7ft 6in in beam with a draft of 12 ins unloaded and 18ins with a two ton load. No hint of builder but Baden Pascoe thinks she is by T.M. Lane and Sons and that seems entirely likely. She was meant for the then flourishing Mokau River trade. Sjolund had several launches.

You can view / read more on her at the WW link below.

M.V. Cygnet

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PILAR – A Woody On Tour

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PILAR – A Woody On Tour

A little while ago woody Rod Marler was in Cuba, while there he visited the Ernest Hemingway museum & photographed –  ‘Pilar’, Hemingway’s 38’ sport fisher. Built by the Wheeler Boatyard, Brooklyn New York and launched in 1934.

Below is a great read on the history of the boat, published courtesy of the Hemingway Home website, as are the b/w photos below.
“Returning to Key West from an African safari in 1934, Ernest Hemingway stopped off in New York to take a few meetings. At one with the editor of Esquire, Arnold Gingrich, Hemingway was given a $3300 advance for some short stories. He promptly took himself out to Coney Island to the Wheeler Shipyard and used the cash as down payment on a customized yacht.
Wheeler was known and rewarded for producing exceptional hand-crafted wooden boats. It had begun producing a pleasure yacht called the Playmate in 1920 and been very successful (the model would be produced until 1939.) Hemingway’s modifications to the 38-foot version he ordered included a live fish well and a wooden roller spanning the transom to aid in hauling fish aboard. He also requested extra large fuel tanks so he could stay at sea for longer periods of time. The boat had two motors – a 75hp for traveling and a 40hp for trolling. And he requested a flying bridge. The photo above shows Hemingway atop that flying bridge as Pilar pulls out of Havana harbor.
The finished yacht cost $7500 and was brought to Key West and christened Pilar. (Not only the name of the heroine in For Whom the Bell Tolls, Pilar is also the nickname for then-wife Pauline.) Through Key West friend and hardware store owner, Charles Thompson, Hemingway gained permission to dock her at the Navy Yard (the Navy was barely using it at the time.) This put the ship at dock only a few blocks from Hemingway’s home on Whitehead Street.
In 1940, when Ernest and Pauline divorced and he subsequently married Martha Gelhorn (whom he’d met at Sloppy Joe’s,) they relocated to Cuba and bought Finca Vigia (Lookout Farm) the home on a hilltop overlooking Havana. Pilar was docked at Cojimar, a small fishing village east of Havana, which was the inspiration for Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea.
When he left Cuba in 1960 with fourth wife, Mary he knew he’d be back. But the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 cut off his return and separated him from his beloved Pilar. After Hemingway’s death in July of that year, his widow gave the ship to Gregorio Fuentes who had served as her captain. Fuentes also served as the basis for the character Santiago, in The Old Man and The Sea and passed away in 2002 at the age of 104.
Today, Finca Vigia is a museum where Pilar is on display atop the tennis courts with a walkway encircling her so visitors can view the interior.”

Aquarius – SOS

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AQUARIUS – SOS 
Aquarius has been mentioned on WW before – link below . To remind you she is a 38′ ex big game fishing boat built / designed by McGeady/Supreme Craft and she was the first boat worked on by Ben Hipkins when he started his apprenticeship in 1955.
This time she appears as an SOS. I have been contacted by Murray Smith who has been looking for a project boat for some time and came across Aquqrius advertised on trademe. Murray has viewed the boat but she is a bit small for him, so on behalf of her current owner Phil Tarr, he has asked that we do a shout out on WW to find someone to take her over.
Currently she is sitting up on the hard in a storage yard on Waiheke. Phil pulled her out to renovate her (2012?) and has lots of the interior cabinetry safe n dry under his house. He has brand new fuel tanks ready to go back in then everything else should slot in. Sounds easy but this gives the new owner the chance to build the interior how they want. The engines have not been started for a few years and condition is honestly described as seized, more likely just reluctant to turn over, as Phil has had them overhauled prior to loosing focus. Sadly she is showing the signs of neglect one would expect, but her heart is sound.
A little history – she had been built for and was working in the B.O.I. and has been owned by many big names including Lofty Blomfield and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa’s mum.
I’m told the trademe photos are very poor & do not do her justice , also that the owner is very negotiable on price.

Kaiurunga

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KAIURUNGA – Workboat Wednesday

Kaiurunga is a double ender solid kauri planked launch at 41′ long & built in 1935 by Ernie Lane.

She is an ex-Westport Harbour Board pilot boat. The name Kaiurunga means ‘highest cloud’.  

Rumour has it she has done a lap of New Zealand and often crossed the Cook Straight.  

Zoom zoom is via a 95hp Perkin diesel motor that has her cruising at around 7 knots.  

Her trademe listing (thanks Ian McDonald) tells us her current owner has had her for a year and is unable to finish the project.  While looking a little ‘work-in-progress’ there has been a lot of time & money spent on her & she would make a good low cost live aboard / tiny house-boat.
Home port is Mana, Wellington.

Maureen R >> Moana Roa

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Launching

Original Bostaki Bay

Bostaquet Bay c.1962

Maureen R

Orams 2000

Mooring Stanmore Bay

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MAUREEN R  >> Moana Roa
I love stories like this, out of the blue my email inbox goes ping & I get sent the below – thats one of the cool things about WW, the huge group of followers who help me keep the site alive. And on that subject, don’t hold back sending in photos & intel on vessels – where I can I’ll use it. Sometimes it may not be enough to warrant a story, then out of the blue, someone else sends we stuff on the same boat & we have the makings of a WW story 🙂
Stuart Johnston sent me the above photos of the Owen Woolley built launch – Maureen R. As far as Stuart is aware it was one of Owen’s early builds in his Tamaki River shed.
Maureen R was built for Ross Reid of the earthmoving company of the same name and named after his wife. Stuart’s father purchased her in late 1962 from Ross who had a new Patiki built which Stuart recalls was named Maureen II.
In regards to her size, Stuart thinks she grew under his Dad’s tutelage but he recalls she was 28′ but maybe 30′ overall and was powered by a 40hp Parsons Pike which could be started by hand with a crank through the bulkhead if the batteries were low.
The family continued to keep her in the Tamaki opposite the yacht club but was also moored her at Stanmore Bay on Whangaparaoa for much of the time and they spent many hours in and around the Kawau area.
When purchased by the Johnston’s the coamings were all painted and one school holiday -Stuart, his brother and a mate spent hours sanding off the paint including red lead to wood and varnishing, the end result which is seen in the photos above, when she is moored at Stanmore Bay and also launching from the beach after another seasonal paint job. The side on shot at anchor with a number of people on board is in Bostaquet Bay probably the summer of 1962 or 1963. The coloured image taken at Orams around 2000.
The family sold her to a Mr Maltby who used her from Tindalls Bay for some years and its believed she later found her way to Samoa and word would have it that she was used for charter work.
A somewhat ugly aircon unit was fitted to her cabin top which Stuart spied at some point on her return, he was told that she had hit a reef whilst in Samoa and was returned to Auckland for repairs when salvaged.
Stuart commented that she was a very pretty little vessel but did not like a following or beam sea. The fiberglass dingy seen swinging off the davits in some photos is still owned by Stuart.
So woodys – the question/s of the day – where she is today? and can anyone correct Stuart’s memories and or fill in some gaps?
Input from Harold Kidd– APYMBA records of her start in 1957 when she was owned by R.C. Reid of 27 Tamaki Bay Drive, Pakuranga with dimensions of 29’x27’x9’x2’9″ and had a 40hp diesel. Later owner C. J. Johnstone. All of that squares with Stuart’s memories. I have nothing after Stuart’s father.
Photos below ex Paul Drake
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Norman and Jocelyn Pointon, at Waihora Bay, Lake Taupo.

Input from owners – Norman & Jocelyn Pointonn –  Maureen R >> MoanaRoa is berthed at Lake Taupo. We purchased her from the Fransham family in 1999 and had Bernie Dale renew the teak decks plus raise the dodger for sun protection and headroom in the cockpit. The builders plate states that she was built by Owen Woolley at Panmure in 1957
We have found her to be a good boat on the Lake, she does not like a beam following sea very much but apart from that a very comfortable and safe boat. We have continued to maintain her, new teak and holly floors, squabs, toilet, holding tank, stove, GPS and servicing of the Ford four cylinder engine and Paragon gearbox. 
The best useage that we have had is 40 trips in a year, so she is  well used and loved.
The story about her going to the islands was told to me by the previous owners plus the grounding a  coral reef. It was suggested that she made her way to the islands under her own power but that seems unlikely considering the amount of fuel required for the trip
The photo below shows the addition of the dodger, moored in Mine Bay where she spends a lot of time.
Alan on Moana Roa
And more photos ex Bruce Pullan – Feb 2018

07-06-2022 UPDATE ex Jason Prew – Spotted at Motuoapa Marina, Lake Taupo

Naiad

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NAIAD
Naiad is a Norm Beetson design, built in 1957 by Stan Blake. She is a sister ship to Gayella & Georgella (later Kararik) & based on Beetson’s own, 32’ Acquiesce. In a previous life (1966>1970) she was owned by Russell Ward’s father, & back then powered by a 60hp Ford diesel.
She measures 36’ & these days the zoom zoom is via a 120hp Ford.
In recent years she has been hauled out at Te Atatu Boating Club & as you can see in the above photos, has received a lot of work.
Unfortunately her owner has to move Naiad on, so she is offered up for sale as a work-in-process. Most of the bits , including engine, gearbox, tanks etc are on hand to complete the rebuild.
She is currently back in the water, so we know she floats 😉
She looks a lot different from ‘as designed’ – I have included below some b/w photo’s for reference.
Details via Harold Kidd & trademe listing heads up from Ian McDonald.
Naiad
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Mystery Whangarei Launch

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MYSTERY WHANGAREI LAUNCH

The above launch is listed on trademe as a ‘Samsford’ – one would have to assume they mean Sam Ford.

What I can tell you about her is that is is 30’ in length, built of wood in 1965 & is powered by a 4 cyl. 72hp Ford diesel.

Home post is Whangarei. (thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads up)

Anyone able to ID the launch & tell us more about her?

 

Mystery Launch at Kawau Island

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Mystery Launch at Kawau Island

The above photo ex Lew Redwood’s fb is tagged 1900>1920 & other than the location, thats all we know.
Any thoughts on the name of the launch in the foreground ?
Harold Kidd Input – The launch at Kawau looks very like one of the Harrison Smith designs built by Bailey & Tyer at Hall’s Beach…….. MANUKURA, ELECTRA, but probably not KOTAHI now at Auckland Zoo.
Looking for a well priced classic woody?
The 1914 Lane built launch Rosemary M has featured several time on WW, in recent times she has been mainly used as a floating apartment, now for sale at what appears a very fair price of $19.5k ono, someone needs to save her from life as as an apartment & start using her again. Details below.

Neptune

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NEPTUNE

Neptune is a 39’ John Gladden designed ex work boat / converted trawler & is now a potential live aboard.

She was extended .6m eight years ago & has a 11’5” beam & draws 5’2”.

Her trademe listing is very light on details, the only other things I can advise is that she was built in 1982 & made of wood.

( thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads up)

 

 

RainDance Back In The Water

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RainDance Back In The Water

I have had RD hauled out at Geoff Bagnall’s Milford yard for some winter maintenance & TCL. I always rock up with a list, the content of which makes Geoff chuckle & say “are you serious?”.
This year there were a few jobs that to most people would seem frivolous e.g. can you reduce the height of the bow rail. It was completely out of proportion for the size of RD.

I come back the next day & Geoff has done a template of the height (less than I wanted) & new shape – as always he was spot on & the finished job, to me, is perfect (not to Jason Prew – who has been telling me for years to remove it).

Thats the thing with Geoff Bagnall, he has a great eye for what is appropriate & more importantly what looks right.
It will be a sad day when he closes the shed doors for the last time & heads North. The wooden boating scene will be the poorer, great wooden boat craftsman & railway haul outs are few & far between these days. So woodys – while he is still around – use him 09 486 1445
Lots of other stuff on the list, including re-caulking an area of the garboard seam to fix a persistent wee leak, but the #1 – happy wife = happy life project was a completely new toilet set up. These days the size of a 12v electric head has reduced greatly, so we ripped the (not that old) unit out along with way too much piping / fittings & installed a new electric number + a monster electric pump to empty the holding tank (used to be a manual pump).
Still needs some shiny paint in / around the new head area, but very happy, there will have to be a ribbon cutting ceremony 🙂
Slashed some paint & Uroxsys on & in my eyes – she’s looking very smart. Still got a long To-Do list but thats 1/2 the fun of owning a woody, if you don’t like the process, buy a plastic boat 😉
RD Aug2018
RD was in good company at Milford, Nathan Herbert’s new woody – Pacific, is getting some major love & Jason Prew’s – My Girl, is very close to splashing, even sitting on the trailer, she looks very quick.
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18-08-2018 Update

As requested by Jason Prew – photos below of my latest piece of bling – a Cattroll Collapsible Pennant Mast, made 25+ years ago by an Auckland company named R. Geo Cattroll. They were based a 1114 New North Rd, Auckland. The box it came in stated “Can be fitted to cabin top or deck mounting. Precision engineered from solid brass, chrome plated. Unique locking devise. Height of mast 889mm

I found it for sale on trademe, bid & won the auction – now he’s the twist. The seller was woody Nick Voerman, who owns the classic launch – Maria (ww link below). Nick bought a ‘job lot’ of old marine accessories / fittings for someone contacted to the long closed Cottroll business.
Fast forward several months & I was having 2nd thoughts fitting it to Raindance when snap – I spy the exact same fitting gracing the foredeck of Jason Prew’s launch – My Girl. Chatting to Jason, seems several CYA launch owners have acquired one from Nick. In fact the trademe listing is still live so he must still have a few. Be quick 😉
Excuse the square-drive screw, I’m doing my best to convert Geoff B 🙂 they will be replace .
MARIA
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You will note in the above photos the deck was a little worn so as part of the 90th birthday treat, the decks, toe-rails, tram-top & dog-house got a lick of paint.

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