Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

Vanessa – A Peek Down Below

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VANESSA – A Peek Down Below

Vanessa made a very brief cameo appearance on WW back in April 2018. Given that under her tme (thankx Ian McDonald) ‘Hull Type’ tag it says ‘Other’ I’m not sure if she is a woody* and with a build date of 2005 differently slides into the spirit of tradition category. It is claimed that her design was inspired by Carey workboats and her builder was Rob Robson.

At 46’ in length and powered by a 210hp Caterpillar diesel Vanessa was built for extended off-shore cruising.

Today we get to have a gander down below and the abundance of wood sure makes her a woody in my eyes 🙂 Note: *just read the previous WW story again and see Vanessa is built from 2 skin kauri ply.

STILLWATER WOODYS WATERFRONT PICNIC – OCT 7TH – RSVP NOW waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Snow Goose

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SNOW GOOSE

The 24’ launch Snow Goose was built in 1963 at the Salthouse yard, and recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald). The forward propulsion is via a marinised 3L Mazda Titan diesel engine.

And that woodys is all we know about her – can we learn some more about what she has been up to for the last 60 years. Home is currently Tauranga.

STILLWATER WOODYS WATERFRONT PICNIC – OCT 7TH – RSVP NOW waitematawoodys@gmail.com

INEAWA – A Peek Down Below

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INEAWA – A Peek Down Below

The 34’ Ineawa was built c.1926 by a Jimmy McLaren to a Clyde Boat Builders design, possibly in Onehunga, Auckland. Constructed from single skin full length kauri planks, sourced from Gt Barrier Island. Her beam is 9’ and she draws 2’5”.

Forward motion is via a 150hp diesel, but back in April 2014 when she last appeared on WW (link below to that story) the engine was recorded as a 105hp AEC – comparing photos it appears the same engine, maybe a typo. WW April 2014 https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/04/03/6721/

STILLWATER WOODYS WATERFRONT PICNIC – OCT 7TH – RSVP NOW waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Gale

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GALE

Back in June 2022 WW was contacted by the owner of the 1949 36’ yacht – Gale C4

Her story goes something like this – Gale was designed by Charles Bailey Jnr., but not built till 40>50 years later, possibly in Titirangi West Auckland, builder unknown. Construction is two skin kauri on Oregon stringer.

At the time WW was contacted her owner was going thru the ‘do I – dont I’ stage in regard to either a restoration or selling Gale as-is-where-is.

Do we know what happened – hopefully it was a ‘I Do’ decision and Gale is tucked away in a shed somewhere.

HEADS UP – OCT 7TH – STILLWATER WATERFRONT WOODY PICNIC – ASAP TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Jo Marli – A Peek Down Below

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JO MARLI – A Peek Down Below

A couple of weeks ago (Sept 1st) we ran a story on the launch – Jo Marli, link below, at the time we uncovered some intel on her, short story –  built in 1959 by Jack Taylor. 

Today thanks to a tme listing from May 2023 we get to have a gander below decks. Photos sent in by K Ricketts. The listing must have resulted in the relocation from a swing mooring in Mahurangi to Auckland. Always nice to see the classics going onto a marina berth – they get better looked after and more people see them, and we like that 🙂

https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/09/01/jo-marli/

FANTASY SOS – Sailing Sunday

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FANTASY SOS – Sailing Sunday
On Friday I received a heads up about the 30’ yacht – Fantasy, lofted by a Bill Spence, a Sheltans Islander and built in the Pattersons yard, St Aspeh Street, Christchurch c.1948. Her planked hull is Oregon and post launching her keel was moulded in the sand at Brighton Beach, try and get away with that today 🙂
Fantasy’s owners have had her for 40 years and sadly have made the decision to pass the yacht onto a new owner who will undertake the work required.Fantasy was accidentally sunk in Port of Terakoe and an exhausting legal battle followed, her owners do not have what it takes to begin the refit. 

Her solid rimu interior is still in excellent condition and beautiful. As shown in the above photos, Fantasy is now in a cradle at the owners property in Golden Bay, Nelson and they would like her to go to someone who is able to restore her.

Fantasy has a great back story, having sailed in the Centennial race which resulted in New Zealand’s greatest yachting disaster, the owners have a lot of information and records relating to this, including Fantsy’s log of that race. The asking price on tme is $1 so there must be a woody out there looking for a project.

VICTORIA CLASSIC BOAT FESTIVAL – Vancouver – Dockside Tour 

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VICTORIA CLASSIC BOAT FESTIVAL – Vancouver – Dockside Tour 

Last week we had a story about Peter Knowles and his travel to the Victoria Wooden Boat Festival vis his v-blog ‘Boat Life – Travels With Geordie’. Peter very briefly showed us some of the craft arriving – today we get a dock-side wander, complete with captions for the classic woodys.

I hope the people at Auckland’s maritime museum see this video – re their upcoming Auckland wooden boat festival next year. The stand out observation is the mix of yachts + launches + work boats + small craft – it is all mixed in together and thats what works all around the world – not rocket science……………..

INPUT ex Neil Chalmers – Great video , at 2 56 there is the NZ yacht ‘Two Sisters’ (was sail no. F3) . Has a Woollacott look about her. I often wondered where she got to .

A picture of her at Bon Accord Kawau appears in the ‘Cruising in NZ Waters’  by GR Paul (below). This was the go to book in the 1960’s before to the RAYC Cruising Guide was published.

REMEMBER BOAT BOAT SALE 11am SATURDAY @ MILFORD SLIPWAY – 5 OMANA ROAD, MILFORD $BRING CASH$ WW MERCHANDISE FOR SALE

It’s A Tough Job But Someone Has To Do It

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Cabin heater fogging up windows 🙂
West Bay, Rakino Island
Drone filming crew
There is always food
Beer O’Clock
Photo ex Mark Smith

21-09-2023 UPDATE – Can now show what the day was all about. A fashion shoot for the new WORKING STYLE summer range – click this link to view video from the day https://www.workingstyle.co.nz/

Also below more images from the day (click to enlarge)

It’s A Tough Job But Someone Has To Do It

All week we were scanning all the weather apps looking for that ‘magic’ day to schedule a fashion photo shoot afloat. The 1947 Colin Wild built motor launch – Lady Crossley was on stand-by, all buffed up from her recent round of TLC in Opua in the far north. The model was flying in from the UK so come Tuesday the call was made for Friday, and what a call – best day of the year – blue sky, flat seas, norther boats in the bay and the prefect light for photography.

Come 6am skipper Jamie Hudson and myself were drying LC off and at 7am we were heading to West Bay at Rakino Island. 

I’ll let the photos tell the story but Lady Crossley was the perfect catwalk for the shoot. 

More on LC here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/01/14/a-woody-trip-up-the-coast/

ENJOY 🙂

Stormbird + Boat Boot Sale

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STORMBIRD + Boat Boot Sale

The 26′ Roy Paris c.1960 clinker built launch – Stormbird recently popped up on tme , thanks Ian McDonald, and to a brave buyer could be a great gulf cruiser. By brave I mean having the courage to get out the tungsten tipped chainsaw and dropping the cockpit top down some, if you want full headroom and good looks , there is only one solution – buy bigger 🙂

Stormbird is powered by a 60hp Isuzu desel engine that gets her along at 5 knots.                 

Home is the inner estuary at Sandspit and she comes with a swing mooring, which probably justifies the buy price of $12k alone.

Anyone know more about her past.

NEXT SATURDAYS BOAT BOOT SALE AT THE SLIPWAY MILFORD – so we can ensure there are enough bangers on the BBQ, if you are intending coming – seller or buyer – can you give us a heads up email waitematawoodys@gmail.com

AND I WILL BRING ALONG SOME WW CAPS AND BURGEES FOR SALE – SAVE ON POSTAGE. If you are an out-of-towner – shop on line https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/11/11/58095/

VICTORIA CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL – Video

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VICTORIA CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL – Video

For several years I have been ‘following’ on-line a YouTube weblog named ‘Boat Life – Travels With Geordie’. The Chanel is hosted by a gent named Peter Knowles and Peter has been recording the restoration of 3 classic wooden cruisers, plus we get to go/see his annual cruises in and around the Vancouver, British Columba, Canada area. Amazing location.

Earlier in the week Mark McLaughlin posted on WW a link to Peter’s latest story that includes a visit to the 2023 Victoria Classic Boat Festival – see above. Well worth checking out, lots of boat porn to view + I would encourage you to check out the past episodes of – ‘Boat Life – Travels With Geordie’. Link to more details on the site here https://www.youtube.com/@TravelsWithGeordie/about  Warning it can get slightly addictive 🙂