Woody Angus Rogers recently came across a copy of Sea Spray magazine from October 1965 which had the 36’ Andrew Donovan designed wooden launch – DIOMEDEA on the cover. DIOMEDEA was built by the Lane Motor Boat Co.
The first thing that Angus noticed was how similar she was to her bigger sister the 50’ AROHANUI, also built by the LMB Co. and launched in early 1965. Which also graced the cover of Sea Spray in April 1966 (photo below).
DIOMEDEA was a magnificent build and spec’ed to the max – the article is an insightful read. Sea Spray magazine described her design / style as a ‘sport fisherman’, she had a beam of 11’11” and draft of 2’10.5”.
When launched she was powered by a Caterpillar turbo D330 4 cyl. 180hp diesel that gave her a top speed of 14 knots.
On one of my trips (Oct 2022) to Whangaroa I spotted DIOMEDEA docked at the Whangaroa Game Fishing Club marina. In the photo, below, she appears to have lost the hothouse that was up top when Dean Wright photographed her in May 2016, also at WGFC.
Today thanks to the eye / camera of Dean Wright we get to have a virtual Fiordland woody cruise aboard the launch – MONOWAI III.
Lets start with some background – Dean and partner Deb are ‘frequent flyers’ when it comes to these cruising grounds. They were back there last in May 2019. As before guests of Andy and Brenda Bell aboard their launch – MONOWAI III for a week in Fiordland mid July.
This time they flew into Dusky Sound and worked their way North, Breaksea, Charles Sounds before flying out of George Sound a week or so later. They aced it with brilliant, calm weather and just a bit of rain. The photos above show a few of the amazing anchorages down there.
MONOWAI III is a 47’ Saunders, built by Harold Saunders in 1976, carvel kauri construction. Her beam is 11’10” and she draws 4’6”.
On one of my many scrolls thru the classic wooden boating online world I came across a story by Tad Roberts, an American yacht (the generic USA term for all boats) designer. Tad was talking about the iconic Australian boating marquee – Halvorsen.
Several of their craft have appeared on WW, but Tad’s focus was on the Halvorsen 21’, and he advised that the craft were built from the late 1940’s and were available with both a broken and straight steer. Tads preference was the broken sheer version, commenting that ‘it carries a bit more strength of character’.
Else where on the story we learned that the 21’ launch had a beam of 7’3” and was originally powered by petrol engines of around 50hp.
These smart looking woodys were years ahead of the market, and sadly we never had anything similar in NZ. If had and they were still around today – the Wooden Boat Bureau would be able to sell them in a flash 🙂
The colour photos above feature the launch – GLENORIE. The black and white photo below is of the Halvorsen yard in Neutral Bay, Sydney c.1936
Back in June we reported that the owners of the 1902 yacht – JANET were looking for a new custodian. Of course they looked long and hard, it would be like looking for a rest home for your 122 year old grandmother, you would only want the best of the best.
JANET had an 11 year sojourn in the Hawkes Bay and was cared for by passionate Napier woody Micheal O’Dwyer and his sailing partners. Now thanks to their affection for JANET and their generosity, JANET arrived back in Auckland yesterday and into the arms of a new ownership partnership that are perfectly qualified and situated to care for her.
Some facts – Designed by Chas Bailey Jnr and built by the Sutherland brothers in Devonport. JANET was launched in1902.
Now if the new owners are wondering about who gets to go sailing and when – check out Mike’s 2016 b/w photo below – plenty of room 🙂
12-08-2024 UPDATE ex Richard Guy – My Grandfather Clement Menzies owned “Janet” many years ago (after WW1) and the photo below is from when he had it.
CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – OKAREKA – A Peek Down Below
The classic wooden launch OKAREKA popped up recently on tme (thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up) The listing states she was built in 1952 by Colin Wild, is 36’ in length and powered by twin 75hp Ford 2704 diesels.Being sold as-is-where- is. Can we learn more about her past.
Morning woodys – there was a typo in the spelling of the boats name it wasn’t Orareka its OKAREKA, previously named FERG AND FERGY. Sorry for the confusion – you can view and read more about her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/08/17/okareka-2/
30-01-2025 INPUT ex BARRIE ABEL – photo below of OKAREKA moored off Brooklands Boating Club on the Clevedon River.
THE REAL REASON FOR TODAYS STORY – Sadly plans are a foot to close the winter haul out area at Little Shoal Bay, Northcote. Yeap another one under the axe of Auckland Council. So woodys have your say, click the link below to sign the petition. https://www.change.org/p/save-little-shoal-bay-boatyard
During the week I received an email from Otto Schuttle with the great news that the Athol Burns designed 26’ cutter – TAIROA had been relaunched after her unfortunate 2015 accident. Read below-
Back in June 2015 we ran a story on the yacht being swiped onto the rocks during a fierce storm in Wellington harbour. From the ‘news’ photos things looked grim but Athol Burns built his craft like the proverbial brick out house.
Thanks to the efforts of Russell Ward and family we received photos of TAIROA being salvaged. Then in Oct 2018 we received an update from her new owner (Otto) with some work in progress photo.
Otto’s note covers off the news and his happiness at finely getting her back afloat – I’ll hand over to Otto –
“It was a tremendously emotional day for me on Saturday 27th July 2024 when many friends and family gathered at the Evans Bay Boat yard to see TAIROA relaunched.
This has been a long journey with a vast amount of research and learning ,many hours watching YouTube. Trying things and scraping them locating materials online to find it wasn’t exactly what I wanted or it didn’t quite fit. . at times things went wrong and had to be redone, or just pack up and go home and come back another day and have another go with fresh eyes and mind. OH and going to work when things were going really well on a project and wanting to get back to it. having to pack up and go away and wait for the glue, varnish or paint to dry,
She is now afloat in the Evans Bay marina looking as if she belongs
I still need to have some sail modifications done to suit the furler, permanent mooring lines fitted to the berth and some interior work done but its a boat always work to do and things to buy don’t you just love BOATING”
Photos below from 2015 and 2018
2018
UPDATE: Todays story prompted two woodys to contact me re a photo of the yacht , not long after launching – the amazing thing was it was the same photo – below. Brian Peet commented – the photo was taken by my father John in the 1960s. Alby Bland was a member of the Glendowie Boating Club and he built the boat in his back yard. I used to walk past it everyday on my way to school. Russell Ward commented – the photo of her was when new. It was sent years back by the builder’s daughter. Fabulous ship. The spirit of Athol Burns.
CLASSIC WOODEN LAKE BOAT – HEATHER DAWN – A Peek Down Below
Thanks to the eagle eyes of Ian McDonald who spotted the 21’ ex workboat – HEATHER DAWN on tme, today we get to have a gander at this craft that has an interesting back story.
Built in Glasgow Scotland in 1950 by Darroch and Espie Boat Builders, she carries the serial no 1666. D&E were famous boatbuilders, particularly lifeboats for major shipping companies back in the day. So HEATHER DAWN started life as a lifeboat, built from oak and was bought off a tug called DASHER in Auckland. Her wheelhouse and decking a later (NZ) addition, being made from kauri.
Powered by 30hp Yanmar 3 cylinder shaft drive, giving a cruising speed approx. 6 knots. Very well fitted out – the diesel oven / heater caught my eye.
I can just see HEATHER DAWN fitting in very well with the Lake Rotoiti (Nth Is) flotilla.
A CLASSIC WOODEN TRAILER-SAILER YACHT – Yeap You Read That Right 🙂
As covered many times on WW the cost of a marina berth is the #1 deterrent to owning classic wooden craft. I have speculated that smaller trailerable woodys will be the future of the classic boating movement in NZ.
MERLN – todays 22’ clinker kauri built, gaff-rigged sloop is one such boat that ticks all the boxes. And most importantly MERLIN is a looker and we like that.
Built c.1902 as a motorboat she was converted in the 1920>30’s to a yacht (deadwood/keel added etc). Then in the late 2000’s restored by professional Christchurch boat builder – Davie Norris.
MERLIN received another birthday in 2015/16 with restored gaff-rig and ‘converted’ to tabernacle set-up, plus new sails and all rigging. Also included was a new custom trailer and new 4-stroke 6hp outboard.In the last 10+ years MERLIN has been shed stored and only used on Lake Hood, Canterbury, South Island.Her current status is in storage and as with all traditional built clinkers may need some tweaking / re-caulking to the garboard seam.
So woodys if you’re considering stepping up to life as a classic woody owner, MERLIN is the vessel for you and at the end of a days sailing you get to take her home. Interested parties to initially contact Andrew andrew@siseed.co.nz for more details. And almost forgot – she will sell for around $25k – a bargain.
Todays thanks to the owner of the launch – IONA II we get another peak at the wooden boating scene on the other side of the world. The family are currently cruising the Canal du Midi in the South of France for a week and sent in some photos of the local work boats earning their keep. Most of the boats are old converted steel bulk barges (with wooden wheelhouse and interior) or the modern plastic rental boats. The photos of the rarer wooden boat on the canal is rather smart
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CAN YOU HELP LOCATE THIS WOODEN BOAT
Last week WW was contacted by John Chambers the owner of the launch – NGARUNUI, asking for help locating a boat from his past – I’ll hand over to John to tell the story –
“In my earyl years, aged 10 to12 years i.e.1957 -58, I lived at Okura River (Long Bay / Wade River) after school, weekends, holidays – the river was my playground. I was the only kid on the river full time, there were only 11 locals living there at the time plus 2 farms. The 1st was Warmans just up from the houses, 2nd was Jacksons about 1mile up the road down a long drive. Mr Jackson built a big boat in the shed which I used to check out every few days. Launch day – boat was 60’ long, a double end ketch, heavily built in kauri and teak. The boat was towed across the paddocks by bulldozer to the river where a ramp had been bulldozed and a wire cable across to big tree on the other side then back to the dozer. Boat in water high tide, my job lead the way down the river to deep water, job done. Next hurdle a big ketch that had broken the mizen mast on the new harbour bridge. The point of this – what was her name and were did she go? I think the plan was to sail back to England.I think the boats name was Tyrant or Truant “.
WW was contacted over the weekend by Mark Wakefield regarding his grandfathers launch – KOALA, previously named AMARYLLIS.
Mark sent in the above photos, the photo of the baby is in fact Mark in a high chair on the freezer of KOALA in about 1978. Mark commented that one thing he remembers is the freezer had a Hauraki Gulf navigational map on the top with epoxy over it. In a previous WW KOALA story in April 2015 we had a photo of a launch that Mark is confident was wrongly labelled as being KOALA, Mark pointed out that the featured boats roof line was different and KOALA also never had a davit attached. ( I have made a note on the previous story)
In another WW story in Oct 2021 a comment was made about the fenders being out while underway – Mark said that was probably because his dad and his mates were on board – all rough dairy farmers from the Waikato at the time. The grandfather, the skipper, would have had his hands full dealing with them.
KOALA cruised at around 6kts, and was terrible in a following sea. Mark’s dad reckons he saw the speedo dial max out once at over 20kts, stuck riding a wave and was fearful for his life as it was not overly controllable.
Mark is keen to learn if anyone might know what happened to KOALA.
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