Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

Te Anau

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TE ANAU

Todays woody the 28’ Brin Wilson designed and built (1966) launch.

An absence of varnished timber equals a vessel that is easily maintained by the DIY boaty. When and if you got the urge to pimp her a little, some varnished trim e.g. grab rails, would really make Te Anau standout.

Built from kauri, a reconditioned Ford 100hp diesel gives Te Anau a comfortable cruising speed of 7.5 knots. An inspection showed her structure was sound but needed some refinishing inside and out.

14-09-2023 UPDATE – Te Anau is back in the water having had the following done work done – photos below

  • scrape, sand, primed and antifoul (2 coats)
  • diesel engine services (oil change, oil filter, diesel filter)
  • new zinc anode
  • propspeed

Glenmore – A Peek Down Below

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GLENMORE
Back in November 2022 we featured several of Picton boat builder Bill Orchard’s boats . One of these was the ex charter boat – the 1958 Glenmore. We learnt from Mark McLaughlin that Glenmore was one of the Pelorus Sound mail boats throughout the 1980’s to mid 1990’s, operated by Ken and Dianne Gullery. She was sold to an Australian owner and moored at Pittwater up Sydney’s north coast. She did the Tasman Sea crossing under her own steam from Picton, which is no mean feat for that type of boat. Mark also sent in the link to her 4sale post.

In the photos below of Glenmore we see her in her orange hull livery during the mail boat years and a the photo of Glenmore on her mooring at Pittwater.
Fast forward to today and the 44’ Glenmore is for sale – from the photos above – appears to be a bargain at sub $100k.                                                                                                               Forward motion is via a Detroit GM671, 240hp Would be nice to bring her home 🙂

Mapu Gets A Refresh + New Woody Event Dates Released

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MAPU GETS A REFRESH 

The 30’ 1914 Lane Motor Boat Co.designed and built launch Mapu has just emerged from the Blair Boats yard in Oromahoe, Harare (Far North) after a some TLC.

Mapu is one of the lucky woodys, still in the family of the great grandfather that built her. Like most woodys from her era she has undergone several additions / configuration to her tramtop / doghouse but the hull is still the original solid carvel planked kauri.

While it appears from the photos that she has lost her varnished coamings – I can report they were never varnished – the finish was a very smart brown paint and made of ply.

Mapu has appeared numerous times on WW – lots of history and photos in the links below.

MAY 2023 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/28/the-launch-mapu-far-north/

JUNE 22 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/22/mapu-2/

JUNE 1 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/01/mapu/

Photo (L) below ex Nathan Herbert 2016

Photo (R) below ex Mark Lane 2013

2023 CLASSIC WOODY ON-THE-WATER GATHERINGS – DATES

Has it stopped raining………. I’m too embarrassed to tell you how many nights I’ve spent on the boat this year, makes the return on investment look very sad. But thankfully most of us don’t measure life on that template.

So on the assumption that the current meteorological conditions will end , we have pulled together a calendar of woody gatherings for the 2023 spring > summer period. Later in the year we will publish the 2024 calendar.

So woodys circle these dates on the calendar, and we will talk to you closer to each event.

In the meantime, light the fire and open that bottle you have been saving for a special occasion. 

Fraulein Maree

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FRAULEIN MAREE

The 36’ Fraulien Maree would probably just just slip into the CYA criteria as a classic, designed and built by Jim Ashby in 1967. Her tme listing states that she is a Mullet design, someone from the yotting fraternity will have to explain that. Built with kauri planks on Kowhai frames and matte decks. Rather a sexy stern.

Her interior is very salty with that classic Herreshoff look – white panels with varnished trim.

When the wind dies there is a 30hp Vetus diesel to push her along.

MYSTERY LAUNCH 30-06-2023

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MYSTERY LAUNCH 30-06-2023

Todays woody was nearly one of those projects that got started then life and time got in the way – thankfully Simon Raikes discovered the hull and took on the project.

What we see above is the result of Simon’s very talented skills. Simon’s company Craftbuilt won the 2023 Supreme Award at the Master Joinery Awards.

The launch is 30’ in length, constructed of diagonal laminated kauri planks and powered by a 80hp Ford D series engine. Not a lot more is known about the launch, so if anyone recognizes her – let us know.

Nana SOS

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NANA – SOS

The launch Nana popped up on tme 4sale by boat yard as a ‘As-Is-Where-Is’ sale.

Someone needs to snap her up – she has blue blood – designed by C. Bailey Jnr. , and built in 1934 by Chas Bailey & Son . 35’ in length and a very pretty woody.

Nana has appeared on WW several times – back in Feb 2017 she had just been repaired after being t-boned on her mooring by a wayward vessel. Link to that story with lots of pictures here https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/02/01/nana-resuced-restored/

I very rarely post links but check Nana out here https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/boats-marine/motorboats/listing/4199572782?tm=email&et=47&mt=16373835-5D46-4FFE-A44C-B8ECA6A92162&bof=hzam1Goh

Be quick woodys – someone will score a bargain. Starting bid is $5k. Photos below from 2017.

(Thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up)

Triton V – A Peek Down Below

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Triton V – A Peek Down Below

It always amazes me when people trying to sell a vessel go to great lengths to tell you about how many it sleeps, how comfortable it is and I quote “features an actor winch” but tell you nothing about the age , who built it etc. Its a little like advertising on trademe – Car For Sale, 4 tyres and comfortable seats.

Putting this to one side – Triton V is 45’ in length, powered by twin Ford 120hp diesel engines, giving her a cruising speed of 8.5 knots.

There is even a nice video, but no audio  https://youtu.be/Ykx_U95a0Bo

Can any of the Motueka woodys enlighten us more on Triton V.

INPUT EX RUSSELL WARD – photo below was given to RW by Layne Stephens of Triton in her original form. Russell commented she would be much more liveable with that top but he would rebuild the original. 
Original owner Ken Butland used to take sea scouts out to teach navigation. She had a folding chart table and the orders would come down an ex Navy voice pipe from up top. 
Triton slipped along quite well with her original petrol engines – quite a slippery wee hull.
Joe Tatham had her in the 1960s and his kids reckoned she was a real roller.

And more ex RW – Colin Wild built her but refused to do the open bridge that Ken Butland wanted. Lanes finished that off. She was a little MTB and rather tasty. Layne Stephens did the closed in wheelhouse up top in later years. More habitable but I preferred her original config. An early owner was quite tall and had the wheelhouse top raised -you can see the line. Dunno where the V came from.

AND THE WINNER OF SATURDAYS QUIZ RE THE LOCATION OF THE AUCKLAND MOTOR YACHT CLUB LOGO IS – Russel Ward . The answer was on the front door of what is now the RNZYS Training Building in Westhaven.

KA-IWI Only Read If You Own A Petrol Station

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KA-IWI Only Read If You Own A Petrol Station

Todays woody appeared in WW back in 2016 (link below) since then   she has been re-powered with twin 350 Chef V8’s that give her a top speed of 30 knots – as they say if you have to ask what the consumption is – its not the boat for you 🙂 The re-power was more a de-power, the previous engines saw her topping out at 45 knots.

On WW June 2016 https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/06/04/ka-iwa/comment-page-1/#comment-64552

Ka-iwi is a 26’ Mason Clipper, built in 1968 and possibly the first twin engined one. Originally owned by the Stevenson family and used up north at their family bach. Has also done some powerboat racing in her early days. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up

29-06-2023 UPDATE ex Hamish Moore – Hamish spotted the article below in the May 1968 edition of Sea Spray magazine

Marlborough Sounds 30’ Classic Launch

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Marlborough Sounds 30’ Classic Launch

Today woody recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald), the listing doesn’t tell us anything about who built her and when but what we do know is –

30’ in length, she started life as  a trawler from Greymouth. Then brought up to Picton and at some stage converted to a yacht then filled wth concrete to negate the need for chalking caulking. Later convert to the launch configuration we see today.

Forward motion is via a  30hp Yammer engine that sees her cruising nicely at 7>7.5 knots.

Can we have a crack at the design / builder and a new would be nice. Can’t see her moving from the south so fingers crossed a southern woody is looking for a low entry woody that with a small investment could be a very smart sounds boat.

WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE WANT FROM A CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT GROUP

The answer is very simple – events + know how + friendship Seems that Lake Rotoiti’s Classic & Wooden Boat Association know the answer 🙂 Lets hope ‘others’ take notice 😉