Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

Lane ‘Bridge-decker’

Posted on by
13

Screen Shot 2017-04-21 at 4.00.26 AM

Screen Shot 2017-04-20 at 4.14.21 PM

Screen Shot 2017-04-20 at 4.15.07 PM

LANES BRIDGEDECK LAUNCH

Given the recent debate on ww as to what constitutes a bridge-decker, today’s boat has the potential to have a major identity crisis 🙂 But if we park the owners trademe description & just take the boat on face value, she a pretty looking classic wooden launch.

Built by Lanes Boatbuilders in 1915, she is 30′ in length & built with carvel kauri planks & her decks are plyed / glassed.
Her owner has had her for 20 years & uses her regularly. Back in 2000>2003 she had a total refit (refer above photos).
Zoom zoom is via a Standard 23C engine, which is an early (1958) 35hp Massey Fergusson 4 cylinder, 2200cc. This easily sees her cruising at her hull speed & 7 knots is a comfortable speed without pushing anything too hard.
I like this classic & at $26k she would make a very affordable entry into classic wooden boating. Spend a few dollars & she could be made very special.

Sorry no name – so the question, as always 😉 woodys is, who is she & what do we know about her?

Bondi Belle – Relaunched

Posted on by
3

image2

image1

IMG_0471

IMG_0469

IMG_0504

 

BONDI BELLE – Relaunched

A couple of days ago I was alerted by Baden Pascoe to the recently relaunched Bondi Belle, ww readers may recall that back in February 2014 Baden alerted us that her owner at the time Ted Carter was looking to sell the old girl. Well she was bought by Dan Abernethy, the photo below of her resting on the poles was taken on the day Dan bought her from Ted at Sandspit.

I’m pleased to be able to report that she has undergone a very sympathetically rebuild at Pine Harbour & looks wonderful. Dan asked that I give a special mention to his brother-in-law’s father, John Waterman, seen in one of the photos above. John’s has spent numerous hours on the boat doing all filling and fairing and spray painted the boat. Happening this week will be the addition of her mast 🙂

Bondi Bell was built as S.S.Whakapara, at Whakapara (North of Whangarei) by Charles Bailey Jr. for the Foote family who were saw millers at several Northland locations . Launched in 1901, initially she was a steamer and was converted to diesel in the 1920’s. You can view / read more details on her past here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/02/17/bondi-belle/

IMG_0389

IMG_0560

15-11-2024 UPDATE – photo ex John Sloane below of her hauled out at Half Moon Bay marina for some TLC

Primadonna

Posted on by
11

Screen Shot 2017-04-13 at 8.27.30 AM

PRIMADONNA

Primadonna is a 36′, 1905 whale chaser built by Lanes for a family with a farm in Tory Channel. Was used as a whale chaser until the end of the whaling era and then became a farm transportation boat for the same family who owned her till her current owner bought her.

She is built out of double diagonal kauri and powered with a 72hp Ford. Cruises at about 8 0r 9 knots at 1500 revs. She has accommodation for 2 and a small wheel house which you can steer from inside of the weather goes bad. Currently 4sale on trademe- thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads up.

Harold Kidd Input
There’s a bit of manufactured history here. Ernie Lane didn’t come to Picton until 1907 and doesn’t appear to have built PRIMA DONNA. Most authorities say she was built by Alf Baldick between 1910 and 1915 for himself and Derbyshire as a whalechaser to compete with the Peranos. She remained in the ownership of the Baldick family until at least 2001.
She’s been on WW before; see https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/02/27/welly-woodys/

PS the “second generation” of whalechasers used by the Baldicks were SUSSEX and PEERLESS, in competition with the Peranos’ CRESCENT, BALAENA and CACHALOT. Ernie Lane built SUSSEX and PEERLESS for the Baldicks in 1916. Lane built the Peranos’ CRESCENT and BALAENA but CACHALOT was built in 1916 to a design by Chas. Collings by Kensitt at Picton. She was the THIRD generation of whalechaser and had a 130/150 hp Van Blerck, typical Collings’ concave-convex hard chine planing hull.

Update 24-05-2020 photos below added ex trademe listing

Screen Shot 2020-05-24 at 11.38.38 AM

Screen Shot 2020-05-24 at 11.38.54 AM

Arawa

Posted on by
22

Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 12.07.08 PM

Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 12.10.54 PM

ARAWA

The above 45′ Gladden pilot house bridge-decker was built in 1972. Powered by twin Ford 180hp diesels that get her along at 10>14 knots. Thats about all I know, photos ex trademe.

Can anyone put a name to her & some history? (see comments section – lots of info there )

Sorry about the poor image used as the main photo but that was all there was available.

Photos below ex Brian Worthington & Ken Ricketts

 

Tawera 1935 Logan A18

Posted on by
1

Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.15.43 PM

Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.19.36 PM

Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.19.54 PM

Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 1.17.45 PM

TAWERA 1935 LOGAN – A18

Tawera was launched on 30th December, 1935. Tawera was designed by Arch Logan and built by Colin Wild of Stanley Bay, Devonport. Her first race was the Auckland Anniversary Regatta in January 1936.

She was Arch Logans last big cutter, measuring almost 50 feet on deck and the culmination of a number of racing keelers built at that time. As the largest of the more modern keelers from Arch Logans drawing board she represented the very best in design development and to this day still epitomises all of the racing winning and wholesome sea keeping abilities of Arch Logans designs.

Tawera is immaculate and has been extensively restored and is now considered one of the finest examples of the a keeler of the pre-WWII era. Her owner is one of the Classic Yacht Associations most loyal members & has loved her as a Logan should be & spared nothing on her maintenance & restoration. She is for sale & is I believe amazing value for money.

Her recent restoration was to the highest specification which includes the building of a new spruce mast to the original specs, new Volvo Penta engine, and redevelopment of the saloon, galley, heads and fore cabin. A new wooden spinnaker pole and wooden turning blocks on deck as well as an all new sail wardrobe consisting of Mainsail, #1, #2 genoas, asymmetric and conventional spinnakers.
Anyone interested in acquiring one of, if not, the best Logan a float could contact me on waitematawoodys@gmail.com & I’ll pass details on to the owner 🙂

Moananui

Posted on by
2

Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 12.41.20 PM

Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 12.42.16 PM

MOANANUI

Moananui was launched in 1950, is 28′, carvel built from kauri & powered by a 1970 60hp Ford (Ebro) diesel. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the trademe heads up 🙂

Anyone able to supply more details on her?

Home Wanted – Seacraft Run-about

Posted on by
3

P1210205

P1210202

Home Needed – Seacraft Run-about

While out & about Mori Flapan came across the interesting small clinker runabout above, in a café at Rawene in Northland.

It is 12.4′ long and has a steering wheel marked ‘Seacraft Ltd, Auckland’. The history of the Sea Craft Ltd company can be found at http://www.mmsc.co.nz/history Makes for some interesting reading, particularly Yeoman Lionel Sands’ story, and the introduction of fibreglass.

The boat originally was an inboard, but the engine has been removed and transom cut to mount an outboard. However, a rudder with the boat looks like it might have been original.

The café owner told Mori that she is looking to dispose of the boat in the near future. She has had plenty of offers from locals to take the boat and use it as a garden ornament filled with soil and plants, but she hopes that the boat might have a better fate.

If there is anyone interested in the boat, contact Mori at mflapan@gmail.com & he will pass details on to the cafe.

Leonardo

Posted on by
5

Screen Shot 2017-04-10 at 6.12.02 AM

Screen Shot 2017-04-10 at 6.11.28 AM

Screen Shot 2017-04-10 at 6.12.27 AM

LEONARDO
Leonardo started life in 1960 as a fishing trawler, last of Island Bay Italian fishing fleet. She has fished Cook Straight, Nelson, D’urville island and Marlborough Sounds. Has been moored in Purau for the last 20 years. Measuring 21′, carvel planked kauri and powered by a 20hp Ford diesel, Leonardo is a very pretty little ship that has had major work done on her & now is looking for an enthusiastic new owner.

Situated currently in Christchurch, at 21′ you could easily truck her anywhere in NZ. (Asking price is $6k)

Do we know any more about her? the work boat group must be able to chip in.

Nor’West

Posted on by
6

Nor'west Lochmara Bay 31 12 2007

Nor'west with [Te] Atatu (1919), Lochmara Lodge mooring 1 Jan 2008.

NOR’WEST

Nor’West is one of 2 identical boats built by Lane’s at Panmure circa 1948-50, Nor’West & Sou’East, given the year of their design, they had a very futuristic, low, sleek, appearance.
Both were used extensively for game fishing for many years. You can read more here in the comments section https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/27/nor-west/
I was sent the above photos dated 2007/2008 by Frank Stoks who crewed on her back them.
The photos below are from Brian Worthington.

Input from owner Daryl Brighouse – edited by AH
“I own Nor’West, when I bought her in Picton she was a little sad with very tired Ford diesels (two of the 1,000 units imported by Lees Marine ex Germany – and apparently the very first of the overhead cam diesels – now with no parts available world wide so magnificent anchor projects) I have recently replaced the engines with Nissans and at the same time replaced the vee drives that were well past use by date with decent American units. The rest of the vessel is absolutely solid and as good as the day she was built. Based in Havelock now she is still a very pretty and well founded much treasured vessel.  
The external fibreglassing on the cabin and some parts of the internal fine paint job had unfortunately covered up patches of dry rot / black water disintegration … in the extended coamings – looks as if, while the original coaming materials were kauri and in perfect condition, oregon or similar had been used to do the extension and end grain water ingress did the damage on the very course grain timber.  The silastic put into the hull instead of putty no doubt looked good when first completed however turned into a disaster after a season with all planks and joins showing badly and the silastic peeling out while under way.  With putty replacing the silastic and professionally painted she is starting to look as she should.  However I am really pleased to say that the heavy work is now done and only the cosmetic touch ups on the coamings and interior are left for me to play with this season / winter – which I do get a great deal of pleasure out of pottering around with, she is a fabulous vessel, handles magnificently and very comfortable. I remembered her as a child sailing in the Bay of Islands watching her thunder past with her nose in the air and stern well tucked down.
Any details from past owners would be well received.

NOR WEST (I) BY G LANE - 1951 EARLY DAYS

Gay Rambler

Posted on by
5

Screen Shot 2017-04-04 at 8.16.45 PM

Screen Shot 2017-04-04 at 8.17.33 PM

GAY RAMBLER

Reading the latest issue of the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Associations newsletter, I came across the above photos of the c.1960’s 15ft Hartley run-about ‘Gay Rambler’, owned by Gavin Finch. Gavin purchased her in 1972 from her builder, Allan Hall of Ngongataha. Gay Rambler is powered by a 50hp  Johnston that Gavin purchased new in 1974. Trolling power comes from a 2010 Yamaha 3hp.
After 44 years of ownership, 82 year old,  Gavin would like to sell the boat & see her enjoyed by another family.
To discuss & view – contact Gavin on (07) 888 8182.

How To Build A Half Model
The link below is to another of Ian Smith’s short videos, this one is on how to make a half model. Thanks to Robin Elliott for sharing the link 🙂