Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH KAREMOANA – LOST or FORGOTTEN

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH KAREMOANA – LOST or FORGOTTEN

Todays woody is the classic wooden launch – KAREMOANA, designed and built by Chris Robertson and launched in 1968. She was one several craft referred to as the ‘ Chris Robertson Fast Cruisers’. And fast she was in her day, a 135hp Commer 3D215 diesel engine saw her topping out at 17 knots.

Construction was twin skin diagonal heart kauri planks. Her specs were 32’ x 11’ beam x 3’10” draft.

As seen in the above scans, she featured in the June 1968 issue of Sea Spray magazine. 

Yesterday (scroll down) we featured one of her sister ships – WAIREKA, her co-owner Desiree Stuart sent in the Sea Spray article.

KAREMOANA does not pop up on WW, maybe a name change. Keen to learn more of her past and what became of her.

INPUT EX DENNIS MCNAUGHTON – Hi,I  am Noel McNaughton’s son, Dennis, pleased to see the article about Dads boat. He sold it in 1976 to Bill Subritsky- he only wanted it for the marina- it was on sold to a captain of a deep-sea fishing trawler and it was relocated from Auckland to Picton. The name was then changed to St Tropez( I think it was  ).

Noel had re-powered it in 1970 with a 180 Ford, giving a top speed of around 20kts and added a flying bridge from a corsair design. Noel visited the boat in Picton around the mid 1990’s, so it was still there then.

ONE WEEK TILL CLEVEDON WOODYS CRUISE – HAVE YOU RSVP’ED

RSVP – boat name to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – MARNINE – A PEEK DOWN BELOW

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c.1963
2013
2023
2025
2016

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – MARNINE – A PEEK DOWN BELOW

Todays woody is the 50’ classic launch – MARNINE, built in 1961 by the Lane Motor Boat Co. She is probably one of the most admired classic craft in Auckland, aside from her stunning looks and presentation, the location of her berth at the OBC Marina in Auckland ensures that anyone driving along Tamaki Drive, and there are a lot (32,000 + cars a day) can’t help but notice MARNINE.

But woodys until today thats where it ends, a glance from 50m away, today thanks to the generosity of her owner and Angus Rogers camera we get a peek below. Now this was no poised photo shoot, best described as an ‘unfiltered’ look 🙂

With a 15’ beam and weighing approx. 25 tonnes she very much is one of the Waitemata’s majestic classic wooden craft. 

MARNINE has made several appearance on WW, the June 2013 story has a lot of chat about her – link > https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/08/marnine/ . A quick search in the WW Search Box will bring up most of her history 🙂

Photo below just prior to launch day.

c.1961

CLASSIC LAUNCH TAINUI – RELAUNCH DAY DRAWS NEAR

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CLASSIC LAUNCH TAINUI – RELAUNCH DAY DRAWS NEAR

WW has been following the restoration of the 38’ 1967 built classic launch – TAINUI for several years and as we can see from todays photos from Blair Boats, the big day is not too far off. Wonderful work being done and owner John Sloane must be over the moon.

Lots of previous WW stories covering her past, but looking at todays photos its hard to believe she was once a Harbour Board workboat. 

Check out the previous updates at this linkhttps://waitematawoodys.com/2025/02/17/restoration-of-classic-launch-tainui-update/

Photo below from ‘way back’ 🙂

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE LIDGARD MOTORSAILER – SEA ROVER

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WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE LIDGARD MOTORSAILER – SEA ROVER

Recently WW was connected by Herbert Crumb-Gartner in regards to his 32’ Lidgard built motorsailer – SEA ROVER.

Herbert and his wife have recently purchased the vessel do not know much about her past aside from the she was built in 1967.

Herbert has tracked down a previous owner who bought her in 2012 from a chap in Whangaparaoa, Auckland. But that woodys is as far back that she can be traced. 

Today we see a mix of current photos and some more original ones, hopefully these will jog a few memories. Sad to see she lost that classic woody look – still nothing a little time with a scraper and a pot of varnish cant fix 😉

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH MARISTELLA  – A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH MARISTELLA  – A Peek Down Below

At the recent Classic Woodys Boat Show at the OBC Marina one of the stand out craft was the 40’ classic wooden launch MARISTELLA, built in 1936 by Sam Ford. The WW camera got to have a gander down below and today we get a peek at the rolling restoration that is underway.

We have commented many times on WW about lucky boats and lucky owners – well MARISTELLA is a double winner. She has in past lives – sunk, caught fire and been on the rocks, and not all at the same time. A succession of good people have put their hand up to bail the vessel out and what we see today is a reflection of everyones vision and commitment.

In particular her current owner gets the big ups from WW having undertaken significant work to the cabin to get her closer to what Sam Ford sent down the slipway in 1936.

Most recently we had a wonderful visual flashback of MARISTELLA from the 1960’s – link below to that story https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/07/30/a-snapshot-of-the-classic-wooden-launch-maristella/

SKIPJACK – A Peek Down Below (SEA DEVIL)

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SKIPJACK – A Peek Down Below (SEA DEVIL)

Earlier this year the 33’ launch – SKIPJACK made an appearance on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) at the time we were told that SKIPJACK was built in 1918 by Chas Bailey. During her life she has twice been ‘modified’ to create more headroom in the wheelhouse and cabin.

Forward motion is via a 80hp Ford Dover diesel engine that gets her along at a comfortable 7.5 knots.

SKIPJACK has had several home ports having spent time in Auckland and now calls Waikawa marina in Picton home.

The launch has made several appearances on WW, the most recent back in July 2019, link below, when she was relocating south (by road). In a previous life was was named SEA DEVIL. https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/07/26/skipjack-sea-devil/

RSVP – boat name to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

CLASSIC LOGAN WOODEN LAUNCH – MAXIE – NEEDS SAVING

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CLASSIC LOGAN WOODEN LAUNCH – MAXIE – NEEDS SAVING

If we believe her tme story, the classic wooden launch – MAXIE, was built in 1903 by Logan Bros in Auckland. That makes her royalty in the NZ classic boating world – with a starting bid of $10k, someone needs to snap her up quick. Home is Lake Taupo.

What we know from tme is she is 32’ in length, and powered by a 75hp Ford 2701E diesel engine.

Back in 1985 she had some serious work done which included a new engine, new deck and new cabin. The hull is double skin kauri and in sound condition as is the cabin structure. The deck as seen in the photos has rot and is leaking and in need of replacement.

So woodys who is going to step up and take over ownership of this blue blood classic Logan launch.

UPDATE – I asked Harold Kidd if MAXIE was the real deal – answer below “Yes it is. She was built as LIGAR for H H  Harris of Pelorus but was sold to the Kennys at Picton then on to Wellington in the early 1920s renamed MAXIE. She was there for many years but has been on Taupo recently.She’s in the Logan book as unknown built for Harris in late 1903.”

INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – Photo below of MAXIE at Paremata Wellington not long after her rebuild and before coming to Taupo – in the 1980’s?

03-02-2026 – INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – Good news from Taupo. MAXIE (Logan Bros 1903) SOLD and was taken away for some extensive TLC. The intention is that, in time, she will return to Taupo in pristine condition. 

MYSTERY WOODEN LAUNCH – ENTRY LEVEL CLASSIC 

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MYSTERY WOODEN LAUNCH – ENTRY LEVEL CLASSIC 

Todays woody bridge-decker is only a classic because the seller choices to not record her name, nor builder (made not known). What we know is she is 32’ in length, has a beam of 8’3”, and draws just over 3’ and is built from kauri.

Forward motion is via a 4 cyl., 3.6L Fordson Major diesel engine.

Currently inWellington, previously Christchurch and Auckland before that. Given current tme bid of $1500 (reserve meet), could be a good buy given what appears to be a lot of worked / $$ done to her. (thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up)

Can we put a name to the vessel and maybe learn who built her and when.

RSVP TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – MOOSE – RESTORATION UPDATE #2

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – MOOSE – RESTORATION UPDATE #2

Last Wednesday we did an story on the TCL work boatbuilder Alan Craig had done on the classic wooden launch – ALPHEUS. During the chat with Alan I nudged him for an update on the 28’, 1938, Collings & Bell built – MOOSE restoration, and today woodys we get to share what’s been happening in the Craig Marine shed.

Links below to the previous stories, including the extraction of MOOSE from her lake front boat shed.

WW May 8th https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/05/08/classic-launch-moose-a-sneak-peek/

WW May 26th https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/05/26/classic-launch-moose-on-the-move/ As seen in the gallery of photos Moose is well under way. Plenty of rib and rot repairs done and as Alan commented ‘undoing the sins from years of repairs’. 

With the likelihood of a new Yanmar engine, the old unit has come out. The plan is to try and use the existing V drive. 

As MOOSE will end up out on a Jetty most of the time, the cabin roof will be getting a protective layer of f/glass. Alan remarked that while it seems a shame to cover the nice tongue & groove roof, they want MOOSE to live on many more years yet.

Now that she is in a cradle the boatyard team can attack the underside and are starting work on an interior layout. 

DAVEY JONES NEW BOOK QUIZ WINNER – JAMES HUTCHINSON. Congratulations to James, for all those that missed out – copies available at daveyjonesofwakatahuri@gmail.com

CAN ANYONE TELL US ABOUT THE WOODEN BOAT – LADY JOYCE

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CAN ANYONE TELL US ABOUT THE WOODEN BOAT – LADY JOYCE

Somedays life just gets in the way of writing a WW story, so today’s story is a lazy one eg I was sent the photos above by Dion Lane. Dion had recently purchased the 44’ LADY JOYCE and was seeking more intel on her, makes for an quick story.

Dion commented that he believes LADY JOYCE was built from kauri c.1970 by the ’Carey family’. Home currently is Wellington but she may have spent time in Waikawa, Marlborough, South Island.

The addition of the block of flats doesn’t please my classic eye but as one of my favourite boatbuilders is fond of saying “its only wood and I do own a tungsten tipped chainsaw” 🙂

DAVEY JONES BOOK QUIZ – CLOSES TONIGHT AT 6 pm

Scroll down to yesterdays story for details on the prize and how to enter – FYI – So far the most entries ever to a WW competition and they all have the correct answer ✓ So it seems Davey and vessel are well known around NZ’s coastal ports.