Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

Katherine – A Peek Down Below

Posted on by
7

KATHERINE – A Peek Down Below

Back in Feb 2020 I wrote on WW that launches like Katherine would be the future of classic / spirit of tradition boating – in a nutshell – stunning looks, voluminous interior and low maintenance.  Katherine was built is 2013 by Robertson Boats, her design lead by Conrad Robertson. But her roots go back much longer than that – back to the Hokianga Harbour where a workboat played its trade, the hull of which ended up in a farm shed. The hull was moved to Robertson’s yard in Warkworth, where a mould was taken off the old hull, as an aside – the old hull was refurbished and repurposed as a charter steamboat.

When you view Katherine, her lower hull is glass and from the green section up she is wood – the best of both worlds in terms of water ingress and maintenance. Katherine was purchased in Jan 2018 by accomplished professional boat builder Allan Hooper who immediately started reviewing and enhancing the launch, this included designing and adding the rig and a lot more mods. I challenge anyone to show me a sub 40’ launch with more internal volume, with the same standard of fit out, there is even sound proofing built in 🙂

Some specs – 38’ in length, 9’6” beam and draws just 3’. Forward motion is via a Lombardini 60hp diesel engine, new in 2013, this gives Katherine a comfortable cruising speed of 8 knots. A consideration in these days of raising fuel prices, Katherine only sips 3.5L an hour. Fuel capacity is 330L and water 750L. An added bonus is the 6’6” headroom.
WW has good readership amongst the serious woodys on the USA WoodenBoat Forum, one of the WBF guru’s once commented on Katherine –  ‘Like that, vertical stem, raised deck, spoon stern. What else would you want’.

The Wooden Boat Bureau is looking for a new owner for Katherine, interested parties seeking more information – contact waitematawoodys@waitematawoodys

26-01-2023 SOLD

Olive Rose – Way Back

Posted on by
3

OLIVE ROSE – WAY BACK

The ex Auckland ‘Blue Boat’ Auckland Harbour ferry – Olive Rose as made several appearances on the WW site, but only in her ‘modern’ configuration, photo below. Today thanks to the above b/w photo ex Jackson Brown via Lew Redwood we get to the work-boat version. 

Obviously out as a spectator platform for an on the water event (yacht race?) , it would be a pretty safe bet that there wasn’t a personal flotation device for everyone aboard, nor life raft that could handle them. How times have changed.

The gent on the stern of the launch off her bow looks like he is a little perturbed 🙂

Link below to have a peek down below – was recently 4sale, might still be. https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/11/18/olive-rose/

11-06-2022 Input From Dave Stanaway – Also involved in harbour bridge construction, named Olivine back then. 

Lady Margaret (Dick Lang) SOLD

Posted on by
2

LADY MARGARET (DICK LANG) SOLD

Now that headline will have a few woodys wondering how they missed out on one of the finest classic launches in New Zealand – well boys you can relax, it was only a model, photos below. Sold at Tuesday nights Cordys on-line auction.Sold for approx $500, 1.1m in length, so a seriously big model.

The condition was a little average in places but if you handed it to a ‘modeller’ and spent +/- $1000 you would have a piece of art worth $4>5,000. So someone got a bargain – I had forwarded the auction link to her owner so maybe they bought her.

Included in the sale was a lot of background Intel and photos – the two older ones above are interesting in terms of who the gents were.

To view just how special LM is – take a peek at this 2013 WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/16/lady-margaret-3/

1953 Jorgensen Mystery Launch

Posted on by
2

1953 JORGENSEN LAUNCH

Earlier in the year todays classic 30’ woody launch made an appearance on tme. We do not know much about her but she built by Jorgensen in 1953 using carvel kahikatea.

Powered by an 80hp Ford, she has a beam of 7’11” and draws 3’11” – and that is all we know. Given the level of presentation she looks to be a recent recipient of some serious TLC.

If anyone (or her new owner) can update us more on the launch that would be great.

Input ex Geoff Bagnall – Most likely named Sea Princess and used call Milford Creek home.

ATHENA – Next Caretaker Wanted 

Posted on by
5

ATHENA – Next Caretaker Wanted 

Whangaroa Harbour is a spot I spend a bit of time in/around – when waiting for pickup I mooch around the marina and there is one launch – Athena, that always catches my eye – its hard not too its just so perfect. Most designers were challenged when it came to getting the lines right on a sub 30’ boat, Athena is spot on.

Her measurements are 25’ x 8’ x 1’6” and her hull is 3/4” kauri carvel planked and the decks, coamings, cabin top and bridge have all been f/glassed for weather proofing and low maintenance. Both fuel and water tanks are s/s. Sleeps 4 in a double and 2 single berths.

Powered by a Perkins 40hp 4107 engine (new in 1972, rebuilt 1991) she cruises comfortably at 7 knots. Some history – originally designed and built by Cauldrey in c.1950’s, she was rebuilt (hull up, photos below) in 1991 by her owner as a family launch with game fishing characteristics. Based in the Bay of Islands the owners lost count of the game fish landed over the last 30 years. Athena is still fully game rigged.Owned by a seriously devoted boaty, Athena is fully equipped with all the safety gear for coastal cruising.

We have been tasked with finding a new owner for this very salty looking classic woody – for more details on Athena – contact the Wooden Boat Bureau c/o waitematawoodys@gmail.com

1992 – 1st Marlin caught

43’ Classic Yacht With Exemplary Provenance 

Posted on by
Reply

43’ Classic Yacht With Exemplary Provenance 

Very very rarely do I put a price on a classic vessel that is for sale on WW, but today is an exception. After over 50 years of ownership Tuahine is for sale and her owner is keen to sell, but only to the right person/s -so woodys if you pass the test -Tuahine could be yours for $100k. That is a bargain for a 43’ yacht designed and built in 1957 by the Dickson family, lead by Roy Dickson’s father (grandfather to Chris Dickson). Modern engine, her needs are mostly cosmetic, so give her some TLC and you will have a very fetching classic that should blow the b_lls off most of Auckland’s classic fleet 🙂

More photos and details at this WW link.https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/04/classic-yacht-tuahine-for-sale/

Classic Tender or Art

You decide – she is sub 10’, built of kauri ply (est. 65kg) and after 6 years of storage, has just had a birthday. Overseas owner says sell – not cheap but a very fair price at $4,300

Amelia

Posted on by
1

AMELIA

Todays woody has a very good pedigree in that she was built by Nelson master craftsman Peter Murton as his own boat. Peter’s business Murtons Timbercraft turn out stunning woodwork – from new boat builds and repairs, furniture and nautical art, a piece of which I have at home (photo below).

The launch is a 2018 Weston Farmer sea skiff, 28’ x 8’ x 2’ and is powered by a 60hp Yamaha outboard that cruises nicely at 7>8knots and tops out at 12 knots.

Her shallow draft and bilge keels allow her to navigate some interesting anchorages. An added bonus is the ability to haul out on a trailer for home storage.

The vessel recently popped up on tme so if you are looking for a salty looking, impeccably built spirit of tradition woody – Amelia could be the one.

Dawn – A Peek Down Below

Posted on by
1

DAWN – A Peek Down Below

We last saw the Coulthard built launch – Dawn on WW back in June 2019, link below. In summary she was built in 1936 and is approx. 28’ in length, with a very shallow draft of just over 2’, probably to suit the shallow harbours on Aucklands West Coast, where she was built.

A Ford 80hp Lees 4.2L diesel provides the forward motion. Thanks to a tme listing (c/o Ian MacDonald) we get to have a look down below.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/07/30/dawn-4/

Mahere

Posted on by
2

MAHERE

WW has been contacted by the owner of the launch – Mahere, seen above. They are very light on information and history, so today we are asking for help in regard to design / builder / when built / past owners etc.

Mahere is powered by a 120hp Ford Trader diesel, see photo – very impressive exhaust ‘plumbing’.

Current home is Whakatakataka Bay, Auckland  – otherwise known as the OBC basin 🙂

Yesterdays Quiz Winner  – The lucky winner of a WW cap was Dave Stanaway – lots of entries in the draw but few got three tickets in the draw i.e. three correct answers – being Frangipani / Zane Grey / Off to Tahiti via Rarotonga

The skippers that had RSVP’ed have been contacted but FYI – the weekends Woody Cruise to Clevedon has been postponed – slightly evil forecast – new date tba

Albatross V – sold for $7,100

Posted on by
12

ALBATROSS V – sold for $7,100

Early this week the 64’ Miller & Tunnage built ex tug / workboat – Albatross V was sold on tme – sure it was ‘as-is-where-is’ and had suffered some water ingress, but seriously $7000 !

Built with 2.5” kauri – the timber alone would give you a return on your spend – check out the specs:

•Length: 19.64m • Beam: 5.7m •Hull: Timber (Kauri) 2.5” • Decks: Timber •Main Engine: Lister blackstone 600hp @ 800 rpm • Gearbox: MWD, 5:1 reduction • Auxiliary engine: Perkins 4 cylinder, 25 KVA Genset • Speed: Cruise 8-9 Knots, Max 10 knots • Accommodation: 12 berths

Can someone let us know if she went to a good home and what the intentions are?