Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

Querida 1

Posted on by
6

Screen Shot 2017-11-28 at 5.15.57 am

Screen Shot 2017-11-28 at 5.18.21 am

QUERIDA 1

Built in 1962 by Don Norton, a Herne Bay wooden boat builder, using a combination of imported exotic hardwoods and New Zealand native timbers and marine ply. She measures 17’6” in length & is powered by a 75hp Mercury outboard.

She was featured in New Zealand Power boat magazine (see below) in 1987 as a classic vintage cabin boat 25 years after being built. 55 years later she still looks in amazing retro condition. A reflection that in all this time Querida 1 has remained on one family ownership.

Currently 4sale on trademe, she appears to offer someone a turn-key intro to the world of classic wooden boating & has Lake Rotoiti written all over her.

Screen Shot 2017-11-28 at 5.17.51 am

Mystery Project Launch

Posted on by
2

Screen Shot 2017-11-23 at 12.44.14 pm

Screen Shot 2017-11-23 at 12.44.59 pm

Screen Shot 2017-11-23 at 12.44.52 pm

Mystery Project Launch

The above boat has just popped up on trademe, all the listing tells us is that she is 28’ long & made of wood. There is a dismantled Perkins diesel that comes with the boat.

The starting bid is set at $2800 & there is no reserve, so could be a great no-cost project for someone, the location is Levin so maybe of interest to a Lake Rotoiti woody 🙂

Anyone recognize the boat?

(Thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads up)

Devonport Yacht Club Very Classic Friendly

Woody Chris Leech sent in the photos below from last weekend at the DYC – (from L>R) Moana, Seafarer, Lady Mary, Castaway – all waiting to splash after some TLC over winter.

Classics @ DYC

Olive Rose

Posted on by
15

Screen Shot 2017-11-17 at 10.53.47 am

Screen Shot 2017-11-17 at 10.55.44 am

OLIVE ROSE

Ian McDonald gave me a nudge yesterday about the 50′ Olive Rose being 4sale on trademe, my initial reaction was that I was sure I had covered her story previously but a quick WW search, said no.

She has just popped up on tme & if you believe the story – must be sold in the next 2 weeks. Reviewing the above photos & the bidding to date, she would have to be the cheapest waterfront accommodation packages in Auckland. Her owner has spent a lot to money on her, $30k alone on the 6LX Gardner 127hp engine.

Built in 1910 she must have had a good life as a commercial boat but her current configuration is all about cruising / live-a-board. She is built like the proverbially brick out-house & she should be able to do laps of NZ.

Check out the listing for more details.

Anyone able to comment on her previous life?

04-07-2018 Harold Kidd Input – Snorky (Norman John) Inglis &  Rose Smyth were married in 1916. So, the long story is that Snorky named his first passenger launch OLIVENE (1915) after his highly successful racing 14 foot sailing dinghy of 1911, which in turn had been named after his younger sister Olive Jean Inglis (b1892). OLIVE JEAN (1919) was the second boat and named after his sister too. Number three was named OLIVE ROSE (1925), I guess because he now had three OLIVE boats that formed a little fleet, so he put his wife’s name in as well as his sister’s (to keep the peace?).

 

 

 

Iona

Posted on by
6

Screen Shot 2017-11-08 at 10.35.45 am

 

Screen Shot 2017-11-08 at 10.36.06 am

IONA

Iona is another classic that sits in the ‘Spirit of Tradition’ category, with a build date of 1984. Her designer Bruce Askew had a very good eye for turning out retro classics.

Iona measures 32.81’ & is constructed of kauri, & built in Wellington c.1984. She was sailed by the boat builder (not sure if it was Bruce Askew?) throughout Wellington and Queen Charlotte Sounds for a few years before being purchased by her current owner in 1987. Since then, being based in Picton, she was often seen cruising Queen Charlotte Sound.

Her zoom zoom comes from a 36hp Bukh diesel.

Her current owner has just, after 31 years of ownership offered Iona up for sale – when I look at her, a see Lake Rotoiti (Nth Island) all over her…………….

Given the length of ownership, her history is well known but there must be some cruising photos out there from her time in The Sounds 🙂

ONE MANS JUNK…………

……….ANOTHER MANS TREASURE 🙂

I was tipped off about the remains of a clinker dinghy heading to the dumpster – I thought maybe if I chainsawed the bow off, it would make a cool firewood shed but a Sunday morning inspection showed that unfortunately it was too far gone – but a bit of bin diving turned up a few nice bronze fittings that will be added to the big box off bits that someone will need one day 😉 + a couple of oar blades for the collection.

IMG_1298

IMG_1299

IMG_1301

Irwyn

Posted on by
2

Screen Shot 2017-11-09 at 8.27.13 am

Screen Shot 2017-11-09 at 8.27.34 am

 

Screen Shot 2017-11-09 at 8.28.11 am

IRWYN

Looks can be deceiving, Irwyn falls into the ‘Spirit of Tradition’ category with her build date of 1997.

At 21.32’ & a beam of 7’6” she is wouldn’t be the biggest boat in the bay but she certainly has the salty look.

Planked construction & pushed along by a 24hp 3cyl Yanmar diesel, she has a leisurely cruising speed of 5 knots. Irwyn is currently for sale & with some TCL & a lick of paint she would make a very nice wee ship.

Thanks to Ian McDonald for the trademe listing heads up.

In Case You Missed The Advice – TODAYS CYA OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO FAIRWAY BAY, GULF HARBOUR HAS BEEN CANCELLED –  it was an early call to cancel but a peek at the below will tell you why 😉 But do not despair, I have a woodys event for you very soon, details in the next few days.

Unknown-2

 

 

 

White Star – Part 1

Posted on by
6

Screen Shot 2017-11-09 at 10.05.36 am

White Star – Part 1

The above bridgedecker was launched in 1968 & built / designed by Ken Turner. Her measurements are 45.9’ x 12’11” beam & a draft of 4.92′.

In a previous life she was in survey & is built accordingly i.e. 1 1/4” kauri. Power comes from a 190hp GM671 diesel that pushes her along at 8>10 knots. She has massive fuel capacity – 2,400L, so is up for some serious cruising.

Her 4sale listing is very light on details so can we put a name to her & hopefully some insight into her history.

Another Ian McDonald trademe nudge

 

 

 

Proteus

Posted on by
8

Screen Shot 2017-11-07 at 7.46.17 am

PROTEUS        

Proteus was built by Owen Woolley in 1968, she is 38’ in length & powered by twin Commer diesels. Current home is Chaffers Marina, Wellington. That folks is all her trademe listing tells us, can’t see her leaping of the listing sheets with that level of info……………..   Thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads up.

Do we know any more about her?

 

 

Jeanette

Posted on by
8

Screen Shot 2017-11-06 at 1.04.08 pm

Screen Shot 2017-11-06 at 1.03.57 pm

JEANETTE

Jeanette was built in 1914 by Lane & Brown, she measures 30’ LOA , with a beam of 7’9” & draft 2’6”. Power comes from a 73hp Nissan SD23 diesel engine, that allows her to cruise at 7-8 knots.
Presently moored at Sandspit / Kawau, her trademe listing states that she is a part of Northland History. What that means we do not know, hopefully some of the woodys & supply more intel on her past.

Harold Kidd Input – Well she was at Tutukaka for years then at Taipa. She may have been built by T.M. Lane & Sons at Mechanics Bay but not by Lane & Brown at Whangaroa who dissolved their partnership around 1902. T.M. Lane & Sons transferred their launch-building to Mechanics Bay in 1905 after they built SLIM JIM.

Skagen

Posted on by
7

Screen Shot 2017-11-02 at 7.58.22 am

Screen Shot 2017-11-02 at 7.58.32 am

Screen Shot 2017-11-02 at 8.00.36 am

Screen Shot 2017-11-02 at 7.58.48 am

SKAGEN

One for the workboat woodys today, Skagen is a 36’ Danish double ender, built by Salthouse in 1973. She has a beam of 10’7” & draws 4’11” with a carvel kauri hull. Powered by a mighty 5LW Gardner diesel, 4 berths in 2 cabins, toilet, gas cooker, radar, 2 x GPS chart plotters, depth/fish finder, autopilot, hyd. steering, electric capstan, easy walk round side decks, wheelhouse side doors, steadying sail.  A very salty ship that you would feel very safe in.

She spent over 10 years in commercial fishing on the East Coast & has recently been restored.

Look at the Kim Kardashian backside on her – that’s a work of art 😉

Thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads up on the trademe listing.

Input from David Glen –  Skagen’ was moored in the Whangapoua Harbour, off Matarangi Wharf, for the best part of the last 20 years. She was owned by a local resident who worked in the local forests. She caught my eye at Matarangi in 90’s and she appeared to be well maintained, but seldom used. She looks good in the pics.

Merlin – Sailing Sunday

Posted on by
8

Unknown-4

Unknown-1

Unknown-2

MERLIN – Sailing Sunday

I recently received a note from Andrew Hewitt from Ashburton, concerning his 22’ yacht Merlin. Andrew became custodian of her three years ago, when she was put up for sale by a broker on behalf of her former owner’s widow (Peter Beaven, a notable Christchurch architect and heritage advocate).

Peter had had her hull restored professionally in Christchurch some time previously, but the earthquakes and his ultimate death intervened. Andrew completed the job, rigged her and commissioned a trailer for her locally. So she’s now, home from the sea in her retirement – converted for use as a ‘trailer-sailor’ and lives protected from the elements in a boat shed at Lake Hood (just east of Ashburton) – where Andrew sails her when time allows.

Andrew commented that Harold Kidd kindly supplied a little history on her and Les McBean (Dunedin) also did a quite an extensive one (link here Les McBean Merlin), but unfortunately they contradict each other J According to Les, it seems she dates from around 1902 by Mr Derwent Aitcheson of Waikouaiti, where she was originally a fishing boat fitted with an engine. She appears to have been based there and Moeraki, moving about in the general Otago area. At some time mid-century she was converted to a yacht, and was well known in Otago Harbour for some decades, prior to becoming derelict and ultimate salvation by Peter Beaven.

The registration number seems original (V9) – it is on an old cotton sail that came with her.

Like all woodys, Merlin’s restoration is an ongoing thing….. the photos above ange from the fitting out/rigging stage at Andrew’s home to an early pic of Andrew under sail at Lake Hood.

Andrew is keen to discover more on Merlin past, to date he has made one or two connections through the Canterbury Classic Boat meets and tried both the Port Chalmers Maritime Museum and the two yacht clubs down there for info, but nothing forthcoming. The Museum at Waikouaiti knew of the builder, but didn’t supply any info when requested.

2017 Centreboard Cup – Herne Bay Yacht Club – Sat 9th Dec – Sloanes Beach, Herne Bay

Screen Shot 2017-11-03 at 2.58.42 pm

Pencil midday on Saturday the 9th of December into the diary, the Herne Bay Crusing Club are hosting their legendary Centreboard Cup Regatta. Its one of the coolest sailing events in town & the venue is rather special.

Details here   http://hbcc.net.nz/centreboardcup2017/

And check out my photos from a previous regatta. https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/12/20/whats-the-coolest-yacht-club-10-minutes-from-queen-st/

Anyone Looking For a Wooden Mast?

The Herne Bay Cruising Club have a 31’6″ laminated, hollow wooden mast that needs a home, the price will be very attractive if its for a classic yacht, if you want it as a flag pole expect to pay more 🙂 email Andrew Mason at    a.mason@auckland.ac.nz