Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

CLASSIC LAUNCH – NANA – SAVED AGAIN

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CLASSIC LAUNCH – NANA – SAVED AGAIN

The classic wooden launch – NANA started life in 1934, designed by C.Bailey Jnr and built by C. Bailey & Sons. 35’ in length she was very quick in her early days eg 17 knots.

Fast forward to 2014 and she was hit on her mooring and took on a lot of water. The wonderful shipwright- John Wright stepped up and rescued the boat and restored her (photos below c.2017/8 when relaunched.

Fast forward again to June 2023 and WW was running a SOS story looking for a new custodian, not sure the outcome but one of my woody spotters John Dawson saw a fb story by John Woodcock advising he had purchased NANA and had commenced a refit on her – as seen above.

Hopefully we can follow the project and keep you updates.

13-11-2024 UPDATE ex John Dawson ex John Woodstock fb. Strengthening broke ribs, bilge prepped for repainting, recon Ford 2725e 135 hp to be fitted.

18-11-2024 UPDATE – Coming along nicely 🙂

Screenshot


RSVP to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

SOUTHERN WOODY MASON MARLIN RUNABOUT + Riverhead Tavern Lunch Cruise Details

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SOUTHERN WOODY MASON MARLIN RUNABOUT

I was contacted about todays woody earlier in the year, at the time the boat was based in Queenstown and was looking for a new owner.

Her then owner had spent a lot of money on her, the Honda 50 hp 4-stroke would have broken most peoples budget.

No name visible – keen to learn if she sold and where she ended up.

EXCITED ABOUT THE UPCOMING LABOUR WEEKEND WOODY SPRING SPLASH AT KAWAU ISLAND. Below are details on the next woody event after Kawau – circle the calendar. 

RSVP to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

IF I WON LOTTO – WHAT CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT WOULD I OWN

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Deal Island 50

IF I WON LOTTO – WHAT CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT WOULD I OWN

Well woodys the first thing I would do is jump on a plane and fly to Melbourne , Australia and go and see Tim Phillips at The WoodenBoat Shop in Sorrento. I met Tim in Feb 2023 aboard his 100 year old ’cruising smack’ – STORM BAY at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart, Tasmania. Tim, family and cruising buddies had sailed over for the festival. Fresh crew attire was supplied via the waitematawoodys merch bag. (Photo below of Tim aboard STORM BAY)

At the time I just thought Tim was a genuine good bugger but unbeknown to me Tim is the powerhouse behind Australis’s leading wooden boat yard – The WoodenBoat Shop. And that woodys is who I would trust to build me my dream boat. Visit the website here to view / read more about them www.woodenboatshop.com.au

The TWBS team have just launched their latest creation – WINTER COVE, the Deal Island 50, on display this weekend at the Melbourne International Boat Show at Docklands Marina.

As well as building and restoring wooden boats, the WBS have their own custom range of bronze chandlery.

In the photo gallery above, most of the photos are of the WINTER COVE the Deal Island 50, but I have included a few workshop and other TWBS craft images to help set the scene.

CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT – PATINA (Le Reina) A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT – PATINA (Le Reina) A Peek Down Below

The 39’ wooden launch PATINA, built in 1913 by Ernie Lane in Picton has made several appearances on WW but we have never had a decent gander down below. Today thanks to Ian McDonald and tme we do .

I have included a link below that will give you a summary of all the previous WW stories. 

Built from double skin kauri, when launch she was named LE REINE.

The forward motion is via a Yammer 54hp Diesel engine.

https://waitematawoodys.com/?s=Patina&submit=Search

CLASSIC WOODY BOAT FESTIVAL AT THE WHANGAREI TOWN BASIN – 48 Photos & Videos

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CLASSIC WOODY BOAT FESTIVAL AT THE WHANGAREI TOWN BASIN – 48 Photos & Videos

The weekends weather in Auckland certainly wasn’t conducive to boating so on early Saturday morning I pointed the car north and headed to Whangarei for the 2024 Maritime Festival at the Town Basin.

Year two and a quick overview, – more tie-dyed tee shirt vendors and food trucks, a lot more general public – less launches, more large cruising yachts. Steam boat rides were the most popular offering – long queues of kids that probably walked away with a life time memory – well done to all the  steam boat skippers and crew.

Nice to see a couple of woodys from the Waitemata make the trip north – RAWHITI and JOHN DORY. 

As always when she makes an appearance anywhere Dick and Colleen Fisher’s ex pilot boat – AKARANA was the start of the show.

THE AUCKLAND WOODYS HAD AN INTERESTING TRIP HOME ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON 🙂

RAWHITI
JOHN DORY

TUAHINE – 43′ CLASSIC YACHT 4SALE – MAKE AN OFFER

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TUAHINE – CLASSIC YACHT 4SALE – MAKE AN OFFER

When a classic woody has had the same owner for over 50 years, not a lot of people have popped their heads down below, today we get to do that.

The 43’ yacht Tuahine was designed and built in 1957 by the Dickson family, lead by Roy Dickson’s father (grandfather to Chris Dickson). Dickson senior along with Roy and twin brother had all sailed on Ranger with Lou Tercel and got many ideas from Ranger – longish with narrow beam (9’).

Stepping aboard Tuahine is like entering a time capsule being almost unaltered from new, always a sign that the designer / builder got it right first off. Tuahine even has the original Crown Lynn dinner set and on her bulkhead the pennant / decals recording her off-shore races (1977 and 1979 Auckland > Lautoka).

Home for most of the last 40 years has been the Bay of Islands, where she still resides, upstaging her plastic neighbours in the bay.

Her owners have followed a regular maintenance schedule that has included – recently removing the teak decks and plywood substrate laid and the deck relaid. The windows have also been removed and re-sealed. Other work has included the installation of a new Lombardini engine, new stove, new batteries and new main sail.

If the above sounds like an advertisement, it is – the Wooden Boat Bureau has been tasked with finding the next custodian of Tuahine. Her owners are motivated to sell so if you are looking for true blue classic with one of the best pedigrees in the fleet – contact waitematawoodys@gmail.com for more details on Tuahine, and then make an offer.

KIRI – CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH

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KIRI – Classic Wooden Launch 

Todays 30’ wooden launch has made a recent appearance on tme – at first glance you would have to assume that a previous owner has been an automotive glazier and had access to low cost windows. There is a lot of glass action going on. Forward motion is via a BMC Commander diesel engine.

The hull looks a tad modern so maybe I’m being too generous in the use of the ‘classic’ term. Home is Picton

WHANGAREI MARITIME HERITAGE FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND

Hopefully as you read this I’ll be pointing the German peoples car north and visiting the Whangarei Town Basin for the festival. Expect lots of photos on Monday.;-)

Full details here  https://www.whangareimaritimefestival.co.nz/boatshow

CLASSIC LAUNCH MOANAROA GETS A BIRTHDAY

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CLASSIC LAUNCH MOANAROA GETS A BIRTHDAY

During the week we were contacted by Rob Griffin regarding his classic wooden launch – MOANAROA. She previously appeared on WW back in Sept 2021, link below to that story. Rob advised they have just completed some maintenance work – I’ll hand over to Rob to tell the story –  
“Work included sand and repaint, a bit of re-caulking, Primocon and anti-foul, new engine mounts, servicing and retiming diesel injector pump and injectors, plus lots of other sundry items. Moanaroa was designed by Jack Taylor and built in Taupo by McLeod Brothers in 1949. She is carvel Totora planked construction, there has not been glassed. Powered by a 90hp Fordson Major diesel, 34.5ft long and these days calls Waiheke Island home.”

WW Sept 2021 https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/09/22/moanaroa/

INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – MOANAROA ( more correctly MOANA ROA) was launched at Lake Taupo at the end of December 1949, on the day the Lake Hotel was destroyed by fire. Her ribs are spotted gum and everything else is heart totora, milled at Oruanui (near Taupo). Her build took two years, at the Tamamutu Street home of Don McLeod. She operated commercially for many years, skippered by Don McLeod’s father – known locally as Braces McLeod because he always wore braces in lieu of a belt.

In 1978 the Pointon family got hold of MOANA ROA in a very run down condition. Over a period of a few years they built a new wheelhouse with door and raised a forward cabin, which vastly improved her use-ability. She is a very lucky boat, having had loving owners for a long time. It is very heartening to see that her newish owners are continuing to love her

CLICK IMAGE FOR DETAILS

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – SHANGO (ANI > BRIEF AFFAIR) – A Peek Down Below

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SHANGO (ANI > BRIEF AFFAIR) – A Peek Down Below

Back in Jan 2023 (linked below) we shared some photos of the 40’ Keith Atkinson designed / built wooden launch – SHANGO anchored in Little Oneroa, Waiheke Island. Today thanks to Ian McDonald and tme we get to have a gander below decks. Construction is stripped plank kauri. Built c.1970’s.

SHANGO is powered by a Ford 200hp 2728T diesel engine  that gives her a 9 knot cruising speed. At some stage in her ownership life someone must have done some serious cruising her her – she has 1000L fuel capacity.

Has previously been named ANI and BRIEF AFFAIR.

WW Jan 2023 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/01/17/shango/

CLICK IMAGE FOR DETAILS

CLEONA MAE – A Peek Down Below

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CLEONA MAE – A Peek Down Below

The classic wooden launch – CLEONA MAE last made an appearance on WW back in June 2017, link here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/06/19/cleona-mae/

In the 2017 story thanks to a previous owner – Nigel Drake, we received a wonderful insight into the vessels past. 

Today thanks to a Ian McDonal and tme we get to have gander below decks.

Some intel – designed and built in 1962 by Brin Wilson, 39’ in length, built from kauri, carvel construction. Forward motion is by the ever popular Ford 120hp, 6 cyl, diesel engine.