Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

Pirimanu – A Peek Down Below

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PIRIMANU – A Peek Down Below

Back in Jan 2016 I snapped a photo of the launch – Pirimanu moored in Maitiatia, Waiheke Island while aboard the ferry. At the time Harold Kidd commented that she was 28’ in length and a Arnold Couldrey design built by Salthouse Bros in 1968 for W.M. (Bill) Macindoe. Her design harks back to 1948 but good things don’t date, do they? Both Couldrey and Macindoe put some time into the build at Greenhithe. HDK added that Macindoe still owned her in 1972 according to Couldrey’s notes and in 1973 according to AYA records. Dennis and Suzie Craig owned her 1997. 2016 photos at this WW link + lots of details in the comments section – https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/01/04/pirimanu/

Early this year, Pirimanu popped up 4sale and must have set a record for a tme listing / sale – she was gone in a few days. Expect to see her around the gulf, her new owners reside on Waiheke Island.

Pirimanu is powered by a 36hp Buku turbo engine that gives her a comfortable 7 knot cruising speed. Thanks to the tme listing we get to have a good gander at her.

18-05-2022 UPDATE – ex Dennis Craig –

“Great to see my old boat looking so good again. a few comments just to tidy up a few loose ends from other peoples comments.

The original design was drawn in 1948 as a 26ft launch with central steering for Wilson and Macindoe. about 1958 the design was modified to a 28ft launch with starboard steering and the Kauri timber earmarked at Totora north. Pirimanu was finally built and launched in 1968 from the Salthouse yard at Greenhithe.

I replaced the Perkins 4.108 after approximately two years of ownership with a Bukh 3 cylinder diesel. The engine with the authorisation from Bukh diesel in Denmark was up-rated to 60hp. To do this the engine was fresh water cooled with a genuine Bukh heat exchanger and a Turbocharger and inter-cooler and was fitted with an up-rated fuel pump.

Just as a trial I fitted some trim tabs and had a lot of fun running her at 10 genuine knots with almost flat wake! however the noise and vibrations weren’t worth it so I removed the trim tabs and de-rated the fuel pump to approximately 55hp.

I only hope that the plans and my ships log are still with the boat and most of all the new owners enjoy her as much as I did for 20 years.”

Caberfeidh – Where Is She

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CABERFEIDH – Where Is She?

Several years ago the classic powerboat – Caberfeidh was bought to my attention by Shawn Vennell, who was attempting to put a price / value on her. 

Caberfeidh at the time was owned by Lindsay Barron whose father, Tom, kept Caberfeidh  in a berth at the Kinloch marina. He used the boat for fishing on Lake Taupo, where the family had a crib (bach). She was also used for big game fishing at Russell in the Bay of Island every year, leaving from Tauranga. So the Caberfeidh had many trips out to sea  in the early days.  

At the time I was talking with Shawn the boat hadn’t been on the water for approximately 8 years. It has always been kept in a large boat shed. Designed and built in 1967 by Dick Smith in Tauranga- a master builder and of a style that is recognised as a Dick Smith boat.Wooden/ply hull with fibreglass matt skin, inlaid mahogany transom – 5 meters in length.Inboard/outboard Volvo Penta motor.

So woodys – todays question is – what became of Caberfeidh? Hopefully still on the lake.

Puruatanga

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PURUATANGA

Todays woody – Puruatanga is a bit of a mystery, most likely built c.1960, but probably earlier (god I’m starting to sound like K Ricketts) her design / builder is unknown.

She measures 30’ in length and is powered by a 120hp Ford Lees diesel that gets her along at a comfortable cruising speed of 7>8 knots.

For the last 25 years the Waikawa, Picton based woody has been used as bach access transport, 1.5 hours each way so very reliable.

And that woodys is all we know about her. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up.

Classic Woody Runabout

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CLASSIC WOODY RUN-ABOUT

Todays woody is a John Spencer Rocket and was built in the 1950’s and has only ever had fresh water use (Lake Taupo), and shed stored.

She is 14’ in length and powered by a Johnson 25hp outboard (1985) and if you believe tme it has only done 30 hours.

Anyone looking for an entry level woody fir the lakes or at the bach?

WOODYS CLASSICS CLEVEDON BBQ CRUISE – I will be sending out details on NEXT weekends (21-22/05) overnight cruise via email tomorrow to the skippers that have RSVP’ed – keep an eye on you email inbox 😉

Centauri

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CENTAURI

The 36’ Centauri was designed and built by Owen Woolley in 1964. Hull built from kauri with mahogany and kauri interior.

Forward motion is via a Perkins 6 cyl. diesel engine. Home port is Mt Maunganui.

That is all her tme listing tells us, so can we expand on where she has been for the last 50 odd year?

Have to shout out to all the new WW followers, over the last month individual daily viewing numbers have grown to the current level where they have more than doubled. Biggest day in a long time was the story on the ex fishing vessel – Joan, so its not all about varnish and polished bronze 🙂 These new followers are also impacting the cumulative viewing numbers as they are ’surfing’ the WW back library.

Matanui

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MATANUI

Matanui was built by Lanes, Picton in 1923 and for a launch that will celebrate its 100th birthday next year she has travelled to life with very few alterations / additions. In the interests of comfort at some stage a dog-house has been added to the rear cockpit, which was enlarged at the same time.

Stepping aboard there are numerous original fittings, including the antique Simpson toilet. 

Lanes built Matanui using 1 1/4” full length kauri planks, ribs 6” apart and pohutukawa stem. Her cabin top is American redwood t&g and the wheelhouse mahogany.

Matanui is one of those boats that attracts admirers anywhere, at anchor and even when she’s hauled out.

Matanui measures 42’x11’6” x4’8” and is powered by a 130hp Ford Dover 6cyl Diesel engine fitted reconditioned in 1990. At the same time she underwent a significant refit.

Matanui is a British Registered Ship and during WWII was purchased by the NZ Navy and taken to the Soloman Islands for patrol work, she sports a Lewis gun on her foredeck and depth-charges from the stern.

For the last 40 years Matanui has remained in or contacted to the same family. Check out the ER Lane hand written specification sheets below.

Click photos below to enlarge

Majeika

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MAJEIKA 

The 26’ triple skin kauri launch – Majeika is thought to have been built c.1965 by Shipbuilders. A Nissan 88hp LD28 diesel gives Majeika a topped of 12 knots, but cruise speed is 7>8 knots.

After 17 years of ownership her ownership its time for a new custodian and thanks to tme we get to have a peek down below 🙂

PESCADOR – A Peek Down Below

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PESCADOR – A Peek Down Below

The 33’ John Lidgard designed and 1968 built woody – Pescador, has appeared twice before on WW, links below to the stories – lots of details / history on her in the first link.

A Ford 120hp 6cyl. diesel gets her along at a comfortable 9 knots.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/12/13/pescador-in-the-late-1980s/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/12/01/pescador-a-southern-woody/

Now thanks to tme we get to have a peak down below.

Serene

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SERENE

The 36’ Roy Parris designed and built launch – Serene last appeared on WW back in Oct 2014, link below for lots of photos and details. https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/03/serene/

Over the CV-19 lockdowns Serene’s owner Tom Lindesay gave the launch a birthday, work included new flooring, whilst ‘new’ to the boat, the wood is actually ‘young’ totara aged between 80 and 100 years. Tom commented that the trees were cut on a sustainable basis and that you are allowed to harvest 10% of a stand mainly on farming land. There has been a lot of totata planted over the last 20 years. The wooden boat business is going to need it, because there will be nothing else left. It would best used for inside work.

Tom made the two back hatches from sheep grating recycled from under a woodshed, the wood is heart matai and totara. The steering device is made from bits of the old flooring and turned on the lathe.

Great to see that Serene is going well and the old 6-354 Perkins is still doing the job 🙂

The top photo was taken by Dean Wright in the Bay of Islands in Jan 2021

Strolling The Warkworth River Dock

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Strolling The Warkworth River Dock

A couple of weeks ago Leane Barry was strolling the river front at Warkworth town when she came upon the collection of woodys above. The Jane Gifford looking as smart as ever and I assume on her home berth. The interesting addition to the docks was the two steam launches – possibly an upcoming event? Not that you would know, those boys keep things very tight 🙂

04-05-2022 Input from John Olsen – Kotare was built by Paul Eaton while he was living near Whenuapai, to a set of plans by Selway Fisher, now available from them as “Golden Bay”. Paul has semi-retired to the Wanaka area, and felt that Kotare was too much boat for one person to handle so has passed her on to the Auckland Steam Boat Association, where Daniel Hicks is taking care of her. . She is I think 26 feet overall, although the plans are available for 23 or 26 feet. Strip planked and glassed. She was built over much the same time period as Dancer with much discussion between myself and Paul over progress and ideas for details. The extra length in Dancer makes it just possible to sleep on board, which is nice. (Neither Dancer nor Kotare is necessarily actually completely finished even now.) Paul is probably right about one person not being able to handle her. Dancer takes two and at times like docking an extra would be nice. Especially when I fell in up the Waihou a couple of weeks back, leaving my wife aboard ready to drift off down river…. Kapanui is an older boat, I am not sure what the origins of the hull were but Alan Brimblecome had her for a long time and may have been the one to put the steam plant in her.

CYA BOAT OWNERS MEETING TONIGHT @ 7pm @ RNZYS – post all the Covid cancellations it will be interesting to hear what the stick and rag brigade are planning for next season. As for the launches – ‘same > same’ – bet it is just change the dates for the next year……….. 🙂