Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – SEA LEOPARD

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – SEA LEOPARD

On my numerous trips to the OBC marina in Auckland I have walked past the classic wooden launch – SEA LEOPARD. Thanks to a note from Lindsay McMorran we learn that she has just appeared on tme.
What we learnt – 36’ in length, kauri planked and powered by a 120hp Ford Leman diesel engine. 

Previously owned by the Onehunga Working Men’s Club (as it was then known.) which may the origin of the OTT side rails.To quote the owner re her condition ‘definitely not new’, but the bones are there and appears well spec’ed and only asking 7k

Can we learn more about her – design, builder, launch date etc.

THE RESTORATION OF 46’ WOODEN LAUNCH – LIBERTY

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THE RESTORATION OF 46’ WOODEN LAUNCH – LIBERTY

Back in 2014 WW ran a story on the classic wooden 46′ launch LIBERTY, at the time a recent import from the USA and for sale.

Unsure to whom and when she sold but she has popped up over the years in yards and bays.

Fast forward to mid 2026 and Trudy and Paul Thorowgood acquired LIBERY after several years of admiring her from afar.Trudy contacted WW advising they had just commenced an extensive restoration on LIBERTY – I’ll let Trudy tell the story (edited)WW will follow this project with regular updates.

“We love Waitemata Woodys and the wonderful collection of wooden boats and stories you’ve documented over the years, so we thought you might be interested in what we’ve just taken on – the restoration of a 1969 Stephens Bros boat named Liberty.

You’ve actually featured Liberty on Waitemata Woodys before, back in 2014, so you may remember her: https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/03/10/liberty/

We first fell in love with Liberty when we saw her down at the Viaduct back in 2018. There was just something about her – the lines, the character and that unmistakable Stephens look. So when the opportunity eventually came up to buy her, we knew we probably couldn’t let it pass.

The only problem was that, by the time we bought her in May this year, Liberty was in pretty poor shape. In fact, we were advised to walk away from the purchase unless we had very deep pockets. We definitely don’t have deep pockets, but we decided to take the risk anyway!

My husband is a carpenter and builder by trade and has built smaller boats from scratch before, so we knew we had some of the skills and experience needed to take on a project of this size. We’re also very fortunate to have some great local contacts through Milford Marina – people with years of experience working on and around wooden boats – who have been generous with their advice, knowledge and help along the way. It’s quickly becoming a bit of a team effort, which is exactly what we hoped for with a project like this.

More than anything, though, we couldn’t bear the thought of such a beautiful old Stephens being allowed to deteriorate beyond saving.

Our plan is to restore her properly and make Liberty our forever boat. We see ourselves less as her owners and more as custodians of this classic beauty – with the responsibility of bringing her back to life and preserving her for the next generation.

She is a 1969 Stephens Bros Sports Cruiser/Fisher, built in Stockton, California, and is hull number M-156. Stephens Bros were building some of America’s most beautiful wooden boats from the early 1900s through to the late 20th century, and Liberty is a wonderful example of that heritage.

We’ve also discovered that the original Stephens plans and correspondence relating to Liberty are now held by the Haggin Museum in Stockton, which makes the boat’s history even more special to us. We’re hoping to dig further into her story as the restoration progresses.

For now, however, we have a rather large job on our hands.

We had Liberty transported from Gulf Harbour to our property, where she is now sitting on the driveway under a purpose-built shrink-wrap shelter. We built a timber frame around her and have started stripping her back to see exactly what we have.

She is carvel-built, and we have now taken the hull back to the bare planks so that the timber can dry out properly. We’ve also removed several hundred kilos of old equipment from inside her – water tanks, fuel tanks, generator and other machinery – much of which was in very poor and corroded condition. The plan is to spline and glass the hull once the timber has dried sufficiently.

The existing Detroit diesels – the famous “Screaming Jimmys” – will also be coming out, and we’re planning to re-power her with a new pair of FPT 280hp engines (these motors also meet the new IMO Tier 2 Regs).

There will be plenty of other work along the way. We’re planning some changes to the interior layout while retaining as much of Liberty’s original character and heritage as possible. We’ll share more of that as we get further into the project.

For now, she is staying under wraps while she dries out, which we expect will take the next few months. Hopefully, in the new year, we’ll be able to start the major hull work.

It is definitely a labour of love – and probably a little bit crazy. But there is something pretty special about taking an old wooden boat that has reached this point and giving her another chance.“

DEFIANT — A RATHER MAGNIFICENT CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH

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DEFIANT — A RATHER MAGNIFICENT CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH

On one of my recent trip north I spotted a rather impressive woody hauled out at in Whangarei named DEFIANT. Hard not to miss her given her size.I had a brief phone chat with her owner Chris Wilkens, and was given the green light to go aboard. Chris went to great lengths to tell me she was a tip inside as he was part way thru an upgrade project.

Excuse the quality of some of the photos, as I edited them to remove WIP clutter.

First impressions of DEFIANT is her overall size , she is huge. As a guide in the photos you can see some ‘LazyBoy’ armchairs – there are 4 in the saloon and they are the full domestic size.

Keen to learn more about her – but for now – designed by Nick Peel, I think 54’ in length, powered by a Gardner engine (possibly 150hp).Home port is Whangaroa, Northland.

INPUT ex PAUL WILSON – built by Dave Bryant, an experienced off shore sailor, as a long range cruiser.

THE IDEAL COMPACT CLASSIC MOTORSAILER

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THE IDEAL COMPACT CLASSIC MOTORSAILER

There are a few ‘hard to achieve’ things in classic boat design – one is to create a motorsailer that doesn’t look like a compromise between a yacht and a motor boat and second to create a craft 30’ or less that to the eye looks proportional correct and visually appealing. Most get it wrong.

On a recent web forage on the Wooden Boats of Tasmania fb I came across todays woody that straightaway caught my eye. 

The boats name is HUON KELLy and is a design by Terry Lean and tagged ‘Cloudy Bay 30’, built in Tasmania at the Wooden Boat Center in Franklin c.2005/6. The fb poster, Andy Mac,  commented that 4 sister craft were built between 2005 >2011.

A quick google search popped up a broker video , link below, from 6 years ago when she was for sale in Sydney. Check it out, a very impressive woody packed with everything you would want aboard but discreetly hidden to give a heritage look.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – LADY MARGARET 4sale

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Dec 2019 – Below

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – LADY MARGARET 4sale

During 2019 I closely followed the fate of the classic wooden launch LADY MARGARET, back then home was the top of the South Island and she was for sale. By birth LADY MARAGRET is a Waitemata woody, but its rare that we get one back from the south – transport costs being the #1 hurdle. 

So in December 2019 I was very happy to learn that she had sold and was heading north again. I meet the new owner and transporter at Westhaven and LM was looking very smart. Link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/12/09/lady-margaret-back-home-briefly/

Sadly her time in Auckland was brief as she relocated further north, where she currently remains.

Some background – built in Mt Albert, Auckland in 1955 by L. Deacon. As launched she was named Lady Mary, sadly her builder / owner passed away in 1956 and Lady Mary was sold to Mr John Senior, who changed her name to Happy Wanderer. At some stage she was renamed again to Lady Margaret.

While classified as a ‘home-build’ her builder was a professional builder / cabinet maker and the standard of workmanship and finish is second to none. There is a dockside tale that LM was based on a Colin Wild design, scaled down to 38’. The tale mentions that a friend of a friend lent some plans…….. no proof of this but in my naive eyes she is too perfect to not have had direction from one of the grandmasters.

Her hull is two skin kauri – inner is 3/8” diagonal and the outer is 7/8” horizontal. 

LADY MARGARET is been re-powered several times and currently forward motion is from a Ford D series 120hp diesel engine.

Thru out LADY MARGARET’s life she has been blessed with good owners who have maintained her very well, in the 2007/8 period approx. $300k was lavished on her. This care has been continued by her current owner, a marine engineer. 

Recently I received a call asking for assistance in finding a new custodian for LADY MARGARET, in an earlier life I would have bought her 🙂
So woodys if you or someone you know are in the market for one of the best looking classic launches afloat, contact me at waitematawoodys@gmail.com fast. Serious buyers only please.
Its a buyers market, has been for 2+ years. Now is the

 time to take that leap of faith, throw caution to the winds, take the plunge, and get yourself, your family, and your friends on the water this summer.

(footnote – along the way she lost the varnished coamings (1st photo below), I have taken the liberty to render an image, below, of what could be, est cost $10k.) FYI – I will be taking more photos this week.

MYSTERY NELSON CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH

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MYSTERY NELSON CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH

It is only a mystery because the owner doesn’t think a vessels name is part of its history…….

The woody featured above is approx. 33’ in length, with a carvel hull and powered by a Ford 75hp diesel engine. And that woodys is all we know so keen to learn more about her other than home is Nelson.

I suspect her owner has some basic engineering skills – the stern davits suggest a DIY addition, practical I’m sure but maybe better suited to a workboat.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUCNH – ROSINA (Iron Bark) 

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUCNH – ROSINA (Iron Bark) 

Earlier in the week WW contacted by Steve Bass concerning details on a Weiti River craft. Steve mentioned a launch that he had previously owned named – ROSINA, and in reply to my standard reply -“send details”, we get to learn her history. Best if I let Steve tell the story (edited)

“I bought Rosina at Easter 1999 after she had had a major rebuild from 1986 to 1995, work included her Kauri planked hull clad in 1/4″ ply on the sides of the hull and 1/2″ on the bottom over 1/2” kauri planks and then fibreglassed. Her decks, cabin and interior were new so was basically a brand new boat when relanched at Stillwater on the 15th Jan 1995.

She was originally called Iron Bark and was launched at Meola Creek in 1947. I re-powered her in 2005 with a Nanni 3.10HE as the original 2 cyld Nanni was too underpowered. She is 20’ long x 6’ wide and draws 18”. Has a cruising speed of 6.5k and tops out at 8k. 

Sadly I sold her in March 2024 after owning her for 25 years when I retired. She is currently land bound near Raglan after her current owner took her out of the water after sitting in the mooring at Wyuna Bay Coromandel for 20 months. Hopefully she will see some more use in the near future.”
In the last photo we see ROSINA being hauled and trucked back to Steves property for her biannual dose of TLC.

Anyone able to make a suggestion on the design / builder.

In NZ we get upset when the Prime Minister uses one of our Air Forces ageing transport planes – life is a tag more swish in Oslo, Norway – check out the Royal yacht below https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdEdyxFoZtF/?stkn=ZHJjb3IzcW14YnZw

CLASSIC MOTOR SAILER – ASTROLINDA + 4Sale

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CLASSIC MOTOR SAILER – ASTROLINDA  + 4Sale

Todays classic wooden motor-sailer ASTROLINDA has a magnificent provenance – designed by Athol Burns and built professionally by Morgan Boatbuilders  of Picton in 1966 (named MANUTAI when launched)                                                                                                Built of carvel construction, 34’6”, with kauri hull and decks, mahogany cabin sides and ply deck-head. Put simply an elegant classic with pedigree and class, she fully retains her original aura, character and pedigree. But at the same time, a careful integration of modern systems and technology ensures the very latest in comfort – auto pilot, cabin heater, furling headsail, hot shower, + extensive systems upgrade, sleeps 4>5.

ASTROLINDA has benefited from a succession of caring owners that have all maintained her in consistently exceptional condition.

 Her current owners have enjoyed her for approx. 10 years, during this period they have undertaken the following projects – (overview only) –

• Powered by a Ford 80hp 4 cylinder diesel engine – fully reconditioned • New fuel lift pump, new starter motor, new alternator, reconditioned raw water pump • New Maxwell RC10 anchor winch installed with remote control • New 12 volt batteries installed • Mast removed and all rigging stripped off > mast paint stripped/sanded and repainted with 8 coats of paint, halyard winch fitted > mast fitted with new wiring and new riding  and steaming lights plus new deck floodlights. Rigging checked, reassembled and mast reinstated • New Simrad  radar + chart plotter/sounder + / VHF (AIS capable) installed  • New 1 KW transducer installed • New 12/230 volt fridge fitted • New 80 m x 10mm galvanised anchor chain  fitted • New gas detector and electric solenoid safety on/off valve installed

ASTROLINDA is a practical classic motorsailer that is fun to use and with the use of low maintenance materials is easy to maintain.  An inspection will showcase the quality of materials, construction and craftsman ship evident throughout and attest to the fact she has been well loved and cared for by her owners, past and present.

Now offered for sale to the next generation of cruising sailors and their families. ASTROLINDA should be a must-see for anyone in the market for a well-maintained, classic sailing yacht on which to have their own adventures, whether that be as a floating bach in the Picton or relocated to the northern cruising grounds.Interest parties wanting to learn more about ASTROLINDA to initially contact waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Possibly when launched

Click images below to enlarge

CAN WE PUT A NAME ON THIS CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – SAGA

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CAN WE PUT A NAME ON THIS CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – SAGA

Today’s woody has us scratching our heads — can anyone put a name to this classic?

We’re told she was built in 1946 by Bailey with a kauri hull, and measures 35’. Power comes from a 146hp Perkins T6354 diesel.

A recent appearance on tme — thanks Ian McDonald for spotting her — suggests she has benefited from a number of systems upgrades and maintenance work in recent times.

At under 15k, she could represent a very affordable ticket into the world of classic wooden boating.

If you recognise the boat or know anything about her history, drop a note in the WW comments section. Home is Opua, Northland.

INPUT ex NATHAN HERBERT – her name is SAGA https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/11/06/saga-a-peek-down-below/

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH STERLING GIRL RISES IN PRICE

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH STERLING GIRL RISES IN PRICE 

It seems the southern woodys haven’t quite received the memo about the classic wooden boat market reset.

Back in 2018, while wandering the Picton waterfront, I had to be practically dragged away from the 1913 bridge-decker STERLING GIRL.

Back then, she ticked just about every box for me — 35 feet, Bailey & Lowe, ex-workboat, a wood fire and, best of all, a Ford Model T steering wheel/helm. (Yes, I know… I’m shallow.)

And in my eyes – absolutely drop-dead gorgeous.

At the time, STERLING GIRL was priced at 26k, which seemed pretty fair value. Fast-forward seven years and she’s apparently still looking for a new custodian — but the asking price has risen to 29k

Perhaps she has been re-powered or received some serious TLC along the way. Or perhaps there’s simply now a broker involved and a commission to accommodate…

The real challenge may simply be geography. For a northern-based woody enthusiast, getting STERLING GIRL relocated could add a significant chunk to the purchase price.

Seven years later, I still think she’s a stunner.