Jack Brooke Mystery Launch
Todays woody is only a mystery because the seller didn’t disclose the vessels name 😦
What we know is she is 36’ in length, with a 10’ beam. Built in kauri utilising carvel construction and launched in 1962.
Powered by twin Ford 65hp Diesel engines, cruises comfortably at 8>9 knots.
Anyone able to tell us more about the boat – name, builder, history etc 🙂
WOODYS STILLWATER / WATERFRONT PICNIC – NEW DATE – APRIL 15TH
ALIBI – A Peek Below
In early Jan 2023 we featured the 42’ Mason Clipper – Alibi, entering the Sandspit shed of Greg Lees Boat builder. That story generated a great inside into her past, link below to that story.
https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/01/02/mason-clipper-alibi/
Today thanks to the ‘Mason Clippers’ group and Lew Redwood’s fb we get to see her interior. The photos show her almost unchanged in 42 years with the original upholstery still in great condition.
Looking forward to seeing what Alibi well look like after the Greg Lees team have rubbed their magic over her. (Nudge nudge Greg)
Woodys Stillwater Picnic + Next Event Announcement
Sadly Saturdays waterfront picnic was postponed based on weather forecasts and sea state. The right decision on Friday night and probably the wrong one at mid-day Saturday. There will be announcement later in the week re a new date. But moving on – the next Woodys event is a long overdue lunch cruise to the historical Riverhead Tavern.
See below flyer – but quick overview – Sunday 26th March – meeting at 10.am off Lucas Creek / Herald Island.
RSVP with vessel name and approx. number aboard to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
RATA – A Peek Down Below
The launch Rata is 35’ in length, has a 9’ beam and draws 3’.
Rata was built in 1926 from Kauri, carvel method by Dick Lang in St Mary’s Bay. Powered by a 85hp Ford Lees Marine diesel, giving her a 7 knots cruising speed.
And that is all we know, lots of craft named Rata on WW but this ones a newbie. Was hauled out on the hard at Waiheke Island for an extended period. Thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up.
CLEONE – A Peek Down Below
The Jim Young built, Couldrey design launch – Cleone, has appeared on WW before – link below, lots of details and photos. Now thanks to Ian McDonald and tme we get to have a peek down below.
Quick over view- built c.1950, triple skin kauri, 30’ in length, 10’ x 5” beam. Powered by a Ford 72hp diesel. Previous WW Story https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/06/11/cleone-2/
Mystery 40’ Bridge Decker
Todays 40’ woody if you believe her tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) was built / launched in 1928 by Miller and Tulloch.
Forward motion is from a 120hp Ford diesel. Home port is Tauranga. And that woodys is all we know about her.
I did have a note I had written with the name – Aoroa on it, but I can’t remember if that is the vessels name or not.
Anyone able to ID the boat and tell us more?
INPUT ex WILLIAM BROWN – Check out an earlier WW posting https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/03/12/aoroa-a-peek-down-below/
Someone please buy her and restore her to her former glory!
Todays trawler style woody is the 42’ 1955 ex workboat – Santa Marie, built in Nelson by Curnow and Wilton for the ‘Italians’, fishing hapuka and crays in Cook Strait. She subsequently worked various roles around much of the rest of the country. Powered by a Gardner 127hp engine she was converted to leisure use around 20 years ago.
I was aboard a couple of years ago in Kerikeri and she truely is a magnificent craft. One could easily spend extended periods aboard.
Thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up on this woody.
INPUT ex Brian Kidson – Santa Maria was launched 7th Sept 1949, Curnow and Wilton’s, Nelson. Built for Mr Basile of Island Bay, Wellington for fishing around Cook Strait.
Full details on this Saturdays woodys picnic at Stillwater have been emailed out – if you didn’t get the email let me know and I’ll add you to the mailing list. (email link below)
CAERNARVON
WW was contacted recently by Rhys Hanna who back in 1972 had built and launched a 33’ Woollcott yacht named Caernarvon. She was based on the original plan of the Bert Woollacott designed Vectis , and redrawn by John Woollacott as a ketch with a more raked bow and a raised fore-deck. Caernarvon was built of kauri with much of it being demolition timber from the bank building on the corner of Queen Street and Wyndham Streets, in Auckland.
Rhys had built her to go cruising but the children grew up too quickly and she was sold in 1975. Rhys replaced her with 36 ft John Lidgard yacht named Mon Desir, which he renamed Caernarvon II. In 1976 they sailed out for a 3 year trip and returned to New Zealand in 1996. That is impressive.
Rhys last saw Caernarvon again in c.2014. He had been to the Burt Munro motorcycle rally in Invercargill and on the way back had a day in Picton waiting for the ferry booking and wandered out to Waikawa Marina and saw her there on a berth. She had been re rigged with a new main mast and a bowsprit. Res commented that he was really chuffed to see that there was only one plank seam showing (port side and close to the waterline) he had really worked hard to get the planking right.
Rhys did have a couple of phone calls from various people when she came on the market about 4 years ago. Is anyone able to update us on the whereabouts of Caernarvon?
INPUT EX CHRIS LEECH – photo below, date and location unknown.
Details on next Saturdays Woody picnic at Stillwater will be sent out later today – life catch up got in the way yesterday. 8 days away from home in the midst of a cyclone equaled a long ’TO DO’ list from the first mate 🙂
MAORI LASS – Who Can Enlighten Us On Her Name
Master woody boat builder Colin Brown dropped me a note re the yacht Maori Lass at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival, so off I went to find her.
What we know is that Maori Lass is 30’, was built in 1950 by Ron Andrewartha to a H. E. Cox design from Celery Top Pine, using carvel construction. She was built as a club racer in Hobart, her show card stated that “ Maori Lass reflects post WWII optimism in Australia’.
So woodys the question today is – what’s the significance of the name. Has to be a good story there 🙂
GOOD BUGGERS
During Auckland’s recent cyclone I was quite concerned about my woody in her marina berth – on the night of the big storm (13/14th) at 2am NZ time I received the below txt message from woody Dan Renall who keeps his Herreshoff yacht on the same pier – and then an update later in the morning.
Thank you Dan – I owe you 🙂
ADELA at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival + Details on The Next Big Woody World Event
One of launches that caught my eye was the 26’ Adela – built in 1925 from Huon Pine, carvel construction. Designed by Charles Snook and built by James Andrewartha , she is described as a ‘Gentlemens Racing Launch’. Her 10hp Brooke engine gets her along at a very respectable 10 knots. Owned by maritime historian – Colin Grazules.
I want a helm seat like that………….
See The World’s Best Classic Boats (from your favourite chair)
Tomorrow the third annual Worldwide Classic Boat Show kicks off, and friends of Waitemata Woodys are invited to CLICK HERE to get a Full Access Pass to the Show!
It’s just $10 for the entire Show – 100% online from February 17th-26th – which means you can enjoy this gathering of classic boats and fellow enthusiasts from around the world without leaving the comfort of your favorite chair.
There are quite a few NZ woodys in the Show again, among 1,200 great classic boats from around the world. And while the boats are a main attraction, there are also daily live presentations and movie events, featuring experts on a variety of topics including:
– Hidden Stories of the Herreshoffs with Evelyn Ansel
– The Aesthetics of Top Classic Yacht Designers with Maynard Bray
– The Race to Alaska Movie Night
– Synthetic Standing Rigging on Classic Boats with Brion Toss Yacht RiggersThe Show is entirely virtual/online and will be open February 17th to 26th at ClassicBoatShow.com CLICK HERE to GET YOUR FULL ACCESS PASS.
Enjoy the Show!
Woodys On Tour – Hobart – Australian Wooden Boat Festival – 50’ HALVORSEN MOTOR LAUNCH
Hello Woodys
While the Australian Wooden Boat Festival is done and dusted the woody camera is loaded with photos – today we feature the 1947 built, 50’ Halvorsen motor launch – Minocqua. Designed and built by famous Australian boat builder Lars Halvorsen, she was one of seven built in the late 1940’s. If my memory is working, the Australian Americas Cup legend – Ian Murray owns one (possibly this one).
76 years later she is still a very imposing vessel and stands out anywhere.
Something for the petrol heads – check out the video below of a 1945 Tasman Marine engine, two stroke, 3hp, single cylinder. Built by the Tasman Engineering Company.
And Then They Were Gone 😦
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