Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

Can We Identify This Coulthard Launch

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Can We Identify This Coulthard Launch

Several woodys have drawn my attention to this  24’6” launch thats recently popped up on tme. The listing states that it was designed / built by L G Coulthard in Onehunga. The build year says 1965 but Nathan Herbert has commented that Coulthard’s last boat was in 1959, this one resembles a build year c1930s. Nathan also as pictured above she will have had a new cabin since launching. 

There is some uncertainty around the launches name – when her current owner bought her in 2006 in Auckland, her name was  – Talofa and it was claimed she was originally  built for the Mayor of Thames. Her name was subsequently changed to Kotare.

What we know  – 24’6” in length, 8’ beam and draws 2’3” – powered by a 28hp 3 cyl. Vetus marine diesel engine giving her a top speed of 7.5 knots.

Current home is Kenepuru Sound, Marlborough Sounds, South Island.

J .(Jimmy) Mc McLaren Boatbuilders Onehunga 

Recently contacted by a James H McLaren regarding his grandfathers boat yard, the yard was probably side-by-side with the L G Coulthard yard in Onehunga.The photo below shows the McLaren builders plate. James is looking for a surviving dinghy made by his granddad – Jimmy McLaren, James commented that they were his stock in trade.Can anyone help out eg have one for sale – any condition.

AWARIKI – On The Market – PRICE REDUCED – $48,000 ono

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27-02-2024 UPDATE – Owner has just installed new exhaust hose to transom, new S/S through stern fitting turning. 90deg outside to a flapper finishing inside the belting starboard side.

AWARIKI – On The Market

Two years ago I helped sell the classic launch Lady Adelaide for her owner of 20+ years, my first question was – what’s next – well he was way ahead of me, having identified a very smart 32’ Owen Woolley designed and built launch named – Awariki. It was one of those relationships always meant to happen because back in 1967 Kerry was serving his apprenticeship under Owen Woolley and helped build Awariki. So the DNA was strong. 

When I inspected Awariki she was a little tired, but the bones were there and Kerry was the man to give her a serious dose of TLC. Over the last two years Awariki has had a refit to her interior and most of the systems  enhanced / upgraded – including a solar system and auto windlass – there’s even a custom built in wine frig 🙂

Some specs – 32’ x 10’5’ beam and 3’ draft. Built from Kauri planks. A 6cyl. Perkins 97hp engine (recon 1987) gives Awariki a top speed of 10 knots.

Another rarity in a 32′ classic is her 2m headroom.

Its not often that a 32’ launch with a flybridge looks good to the eye – Awariki carries hers well, everything is in proportion. Check out the last photo with everyone ‘up top’ – as I mentioned – she just looks right to the eye.

So woodys after reading all this its obvious that Awariki is reluctantly on the market – she is in turn-key condition – a wonderful classic cruising launch ideal for family summer cruising in absolute comfort

Interested parties to initially contact {the} Wooden Boat Bureau at waitematawoodys@gmail.com

The Halvorsen Story

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Neutral Bay, Sydney – 1936
25′ Wonglaa
42′ Pollyana – 1934
38′ Kweena – pre restoration
Kweena – post restoration
Kweena – interior
60′ Tooronga – owner by A/Cup skipper – Ian Murray
57′ Sinana

THE HALVORSEN STORY

Todays WW story comes to us via the crew at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival and features a video presentation by Tony MacKay on the legendary

Australian boat building dynasty – the Halvorsen family. Tony gave the presentation at the 2023 festival. 

Some background on Tony – he has been on board Halvorsen boats all his life, having owned nine substantial cruisers, all of which were significantly and lovingly restored. Through his involvement with the Halvorsen Club, he has passed some of this passion and energy to like-minded owners of these beautiful craft, also assisting with the improvement of skills and historical information. He has also represented the family for significant events at the Australian National Maritime Museum, exhibitions, on water parades, birthdays and even eulogies. It has been a lasting passion. 

Tony is a real character and has a very salty Australian vocabulary e.g when referring to a narrow beamed craft he said “it would roll on a wet lawn’.The photos above are just a taste of the many in the presentation – linked below – ENJOY.

LYNETTE – A Peek Down Below

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LYNETTE – A Peek Down Below

Regular WW readers will be familiar with my view that the builder of f/glass L33 launches, 20 years ago was decades ahead of their time – the market is ripe for low maintenance classic looking launches that has a degree of mast/sail to keep the older sailors happy and tell themselves they have not really moved over to the dark side 🙂

Lynette would be one of the top fitted out and maintained L33’s in the fleet. Her price on tme reflexes this but like most things in life – you get what you pay for 😉

Standard specs – 34’4” in length / 7’10” beam and draws 1’11”/ 35 hp Lomdardini engine  and lots of bells and whistles.

Mystery 1939 Lane Launch

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MYSTERY 1939 LANE LAUNCH

A recent addition to tme this 27’ Lane, 1939 built launch is powered by a Perkins 40hp diesel engine, and that woodys is all we know, other than current home is Whangarei. 

Can we put a name to her and maybe learn where she has spent the last 80+ years.

(Thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads up)

29-10-2023 Input ex Mark Sorrenson – Looks like Lyrebird. I bought her from Brian Juers in 2004. She was on a swing mooring at that time off McLeods Bay. Brian believed she may have been a Lanes and that she had spent time on the Hokianga Harbour. My late father Graham helped me bring her down the coast to Milford marina. It was a great journey.
We sold her to a couple of gals that lived at Mangawhai Heads. They motored her over the bar and she was on a mooring in the Mangawhai Harbour for a number of years.
She featured on W/W in 2015.
She is very hard chined and would be quite a speedster with a higher powered modern lightweight engine. I had a dream that I would buy her back and repower her, but I’m in the final throws of refurbishing my current boat Manapouri and I will have to wait for the next time she comes up for sale.

MILADY – A Peek Down Below

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MILADY – A Peek Down Below

Todays woody is the Billy Rogers designed and built launch – Milady. Milady was launched c.1955 , approx 38’ in length she is powered by a Ford 130hp diesel engine. In recent times she underwent an extensive refit, in my eyes a tad too modern in places, but certainly a very well presented craft.

Thanks to Ian McDonald spotting the tme listing we get to have a gander below decks. 

Previous (Aug 2015 WW story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/08/31/milady/

NGAIO – Another one

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NGAIO – Another one

Ngaio must be one of the most popular launch names, todays Ngaio popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) 

You have got to love the listing headline – ’38 ft BOAT’, now thats going to generate a lot of eyeballs….. The seller is very honest – not many details but they say “She needs work” – never a truer comment 🙂 but the price reflects that.

We don’t know who designed / built her or when, just that she is 36’ (yes that differs from the headline), and has a Ford 70hp 4 cyl. diesel engine in her.

Location is Matakohe, Northland (home of the famous Kauri Museum)

Can anyone tell us more about this Ngaio.

KAWAU BOATING CLUB NEW CLUBROOMS OPENING DELAYED

So woodys that means the woody gathering this Labour Weekend is postponed until we get confirmation of the new date. If you are in the bay I understand you can poke your nose in the door for a work-in-progress peek 🙂

Marietta

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MARIETTA

Back in March 2023 WW was contacted by Stuart Myers regarding the whereabouts of Marietta. Stuart’s family owned her from the late 1950’s > late 1970’s. At the time we uncovered some of her past, link to that story below. In the comments Nathan Herbert tabled the suggestion that she wasn’t a Collings & Bell build, built by a gent named Casey in 1927. March 2023 WW Story https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/03/17/marietta/

Recently Marietta popped up on tme, thank you Ian McDonald, below is what is recorded there.

Built 1936 by Collings and Bell, 36’ in length with a 9’ beam, powered by a 170hp Hino. Her hull has been splined and glassed.

VERY in need of some TLC but as the architects say – ’she has good bones’

Not too sure about how she is sitting on those blocks, hopefully well supported else where.

WHANGAREI MARITIME FESTIVAL TRIP REPORT

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WHANGAREI MARITIME FESTIVAL TRIP REPORT

A little late posting todays story – its been rather a full on weekend – on Saturday we had our general election, which resulted in a change of government (very happy with that). Then early Sunday morning the All Blacks had a do or die clash with Ireland in the Rugby world Cup which resulted in a well deserved win for the AB’s. 

After the final whistle I was in the car and heading north to Whangarei to check out the Whangarei Maritime Festival. The temptation to stay in Auckland and enjoy a celebratory breakfast was very strong but wow I’m so glad I didn’t – I was rewarded with a most enjoyable day out.

I’ll start by thanking Druce Dunlop for alerting me to the upcoming weekend and also say that the organisers did an great job promoting the event on social member. Anyone contemplating hosting a similar event  could learn a lot from mirroring the WMF. It ticked all the boxes and was rewarded with a huge turnout.

A wonderful collection of mostly wooden craft on display that given the location / layout of the dockside, allowed the public to get up close and experience the vessels.  

Well done to everyone involved – both on and off the water. Enjoy the gallery of images.  As always – click photos to enlarge 😉

KURANGI

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KURANGI – 4sale

Earlier in the year we ran a brief story on the 35’ launch Kurangi, at the time we didn’t generate much intel on her but today we can share more.

Built in 1960, from single skin kauri carvel, her builder is unconfirmed -15 years ago when her owner purchased her he was told Kurangi was a Oliver & Gilpin design / build but this doesn’t sit well with the O&P gurus 🙂

Who ever penned the design, she has very good lines and is well built.

Kurangi is propelled by a Ford 6cyl. 100hp diesel and has a speed range of 7.5>9 knots.

Unlike so many woodys – Kurangi has an impressive service history and has been well maintained – in recent times – new frig/freezer, new toilet, new starter motor and batteries, new canvas canopies, heat exchanger serviced.

The boat has also just had an out-of-water survey for insurance purposes.

After 15 years of family cruising her owners are now at a stage in life where boating is a challenge so have made the decision to pass Kurangi onto new owners. OBC marina available tbc.

Interested parties looking for a turn-key classic launch , ready for summer cruising – contact the Wooden Boat Bureau for more details  waitematawoodys@gmail.com