A Spot of Koha – Seafood or Vension for Boatbuilding Guidance

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A Spot of Koha – Seafood or Vension for Boatbuilding Guidance

The owner of Cobweb, Matt Debono has sent me an unusal request, I get a lot of  WW emails but this one was a first. I have included it below, just as I received it.

“This is probably not a usual e-mail for you. I send you this because of the passion you have for wooden boats. In saying this my yacht Cobweb isn’t even a classic wooden boat. She is a 35ft Laurie Davidson design launched in 1975 with a 3 skin kauri construction under glass… modern classic?

I have recently purchased Cobweb as a bit of a project as I wanted to learn how these wooden boats were constructed and learn some skills myself as the craftsmanship that goes into them astonish me. I saw her potential as a good yacht and got her for a good price. What I am asking for is if you know anybody in the South Auckland region that may share the same passion who has some experience in boat building of this nature who may want to pass some of their skills and experience on to a younger guy like me.

As you can see I have Cobweb sitting on my front lawn, I have opened her up and I’m not too far away from scarfing the inner 2 skins after I let the timber dry a bit. I have all the tools and machinery required however a bit of guidance would go a long way. Whoever comes to help could obviously expect a reward, I can fill freezers up with Venison or seafood fairly easily… or pay cash.”

So woodys, if you have the skills & an empty freezer – drop Matta note mpdebono@hotmail.co.nz

Lots of photos (50) on Monday from the Lees Boatbuilders shed visit 😉

Mystery Launch – Steadman 38

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Mystery Launch – Steadman 38

Today’s woody is a mystery because the broker chooses not to disclose the launches name on the trademe listing (thank you Ian McDonald for the heads up).

We can tell you she is a Steadman design, built in 1960, with 1 planked kauri hull & maitai decks. She measures 38’ in length but her listing says her beam is 4’5” (that has to be wrong) & a draft of 3’5”. Zoom zoom comes from a 6cly 120hp Ford diesel.

She is a big solid girl, sleeps 8 & apopears to be pretty while fitted out. What do we know about her past & a name would be nice.

The NAC electric teal cabin top is unusual…………

 

SOUTHERN ISLES – A Peak Down Below

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SOUTHERN ISLES – A Peak Down Below

Thanks to her trademe listing (ex Ian McDonald) we get to have a peek down below on the 36’ Southern Isles.

Built by Tom Wells at Wakatahuri, Forsyth Bay, Pelorus Sound & launched in 1953 she has a beam of 10’6” & draws 5’.

Her zoom zoom is via a 127hhp Gardner 6LX.

She was featured on WW before in Dec 2017 – link below, where you will find lots of history from John Wicks.

Southern Isles

Update ex Cameron Pollard – photos below show her in 1950, just prior to launching & in work – beaching the ship Matangi.

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20-08-2018 UPDATE – John Wicks just advised that he had recently run into the couple who owned her while she was in Clevedon. They told him they’ve just sold her to someone related (not sure exactly how) to the Wells family of Wakatahuri, and that she’s heading back down to where she was launched, which has to be a good thing.

Fifer

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FIFER

I’m hoping today is a wet, rainy day – why?  todays story on the restoration of the 67’ Canadian motor yacht – Fifer, is such a great read.

Fifer was built in 1928 by the Hoffa- Beeching Shipyard in Vancouver BC, the company went on to merge with the Boeing Company in 1929.

Her owners are passionate woody boaters with a long history of classic wooden boat ownership. She is powered by twin 102hp Gardener 6L3, which are over 40 years old & still going strong.

The owners & Fife’s story is told on their weblog – link below.  You will see from some of the photos above she has had a few ‘adventures’ – read her story it’s very addictive reading – Enjoy.

https://www.yachtfifer1928.com/blog/

 

 

A Woody Sounds Cruiser

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A Woody Sounds Cruiser

The above launch was built in 1960 by Ship Builders & is just over 30’ in length, with a beam of 10’5”. Her zoom zoom comes via a 140hp Perkins diesel. Home port is Picton.

In true broker style there is no reference on the trade listing to the boats name 😦 thanks to Ian McDonald for the trademe heads up.

Can one of the southern woodys give us a name & hopefully more details on her past?

 

Mahana

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MAHANA

Mahana being built in c.1975 by Atkinson falls into the ‘Spirit of Tradition’ category. She is a biggish girl – 46’ LOA & is pushed along by a 315hp Yanmar.

Ian McDonald commented that he was on board Mahana up Kawau Island some years ago. She was then powered by a big old 6 cyl Foden and was owned at the time by two brothers connected with Rinnai NZ. She is strip planked. Ian next saw her in Picton marina about 2008.

Home these days is the Marlborough Sounds & she is for sale on trademe.

Do we know any more about her past life?

16-01-2023 Update – new photos ex tme listing

 

 

 

 

Hero Photos of Luanda

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Trevor at launch

Luanda

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Hero Photos of Luanda

Following from yesterday’s story on Luanda, Mike Elliott sent in the above photos that show her in her finest, before her ‘enhancements’. These photos were too good to just add to the existing story. She was a quite a looker in her day.

Mike has promised to send us more photos on the Managh family boats.

I’ll give a WW t-shirt to the first correct reply in the WW comments section, as to the ID of the yacht alongside Luanda in one of the photos

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Update 02-06-2018 – interior photo below ex Nigel Brown via Ken Ricketts.

LUANDA below

 

Helena

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HELENA

Helena was built by Shipbuilders c.1960. 28’ in length & kauri planked. The zoom zoom is via a 150hp Ford diesel giving a cruise speed of 7 knots.

Her trademe listing states that she is ‘priced to sell’ but at $35k she might hang around for a while + you have to wonder at people’s desire to actually sell a boat when you see how they present them in the photos.

Do we know any more about Helena?

Harold Kidd Input – In 1966 she was registered with APYMBA and owned by A.R. Martin of Palmerston North but kept at Auckland.

 

Very Cool Classic Sailing Clinker Dinghy 4 Sale

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Very Cool Classic Sailing Clinker Dinghy 4 Sale

I was contacted last week by CYA buddy Dan Renall who pointed me in the direction of a woody that was looking to off load one of his dinghys. Wise man, very few that get bitten by the bug are able to let them go.

Owner Drew Hayward has a classic launch that he keeps in the creek on the way out of Kawakawa Bay. He also has another clinker so has decided to part with this one. 

Details are – 14’, built by boat building tutor, Keith Aitkenson of Carrington Tech. Kauri planks with steam bent hardwood ribs. Her sails are by Boyd & McMaster. Mast is solid Oregon, as is the boom & gaff. Drew commented that as pictured above the hull needs a little clean up – mainly mould.

Anyone interested in this woodys should initially contact Drew Hayward via email  drew1949@icloud.com A very cool gift for a young woody, so come on dads & grandads – its the perfect way to start the kids off in woody boating. 

Below is a photo from Lew Redwoods FB page that is titled ‘Yacht Racing, Auckland Harbour, NZ – any of the woody yachties able to advise the class of boat & which part of the harbour?

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Stardust

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STARDUST

Stardust is a 36’ Athol Burns Kauri built woody. 

Her trademe listing states she was built in 1962 & zoom zoom is via a 80hp diesel.

Home is Motueka, Nelson.

Anyone able to tell us more about Stardust?