Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

Arethusa – New Wheelhouse Project

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Arethusa – New Wheelhouse Project
 
Back in October as part of another story I mentioned that Arethusa was inline for a treat – her Bay of Islands owner, Dean Wright has decided to a build / install a new wheelhouse. Arethusa is almost 100 year old (99) so a perfect centennial present for the 33’ Bob Brown built ex gaff rigged cutter. Arethusa these days is configured in work-boat / launch style.
 
The new wheelhouse is being made from Iroko by John Gander – John is a shipwright extraordinaire, served his apprenticeship and worked for Careys for many years. 
Included above are the design drawings for the wheelhouse and an existing photo for comparison. 
We will be following this project on WW with much interest – love a good project.
 
To see / read more on Arethusa, including restoring & installing a Gardner 4LW – more links there  https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/12/31/restoring-installing-a-gardner-in-arethusa-revisited/

Lady Margaret Back Home (briefly)

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Lady Margaret Back Home (briefly)
There has been some robust debate on WW in regard to the 38’ Lady Margaret’s pedigree, for WW records it goes like this. Built in Mt Albert in 1955 by L. Deacon. As launched she was named Lady Mary, sadly her builder / owner passed away in 1956 and Lady Mary was sold to Mr John Senior, who changed her name to Happy Wanderer. At some stage she was renamed again to Lady Margaret (what must be the most popular name in classic motor boating).
When launched she was powered by a 6 cylinder Perkins later changed to a Ford 6cyl. 90hp diesel engine. This was upgraded to a 120hp version in the late 1990’s >early2000’s by her then owner at the time Steve Varley. Steve has commented on WW that he sold her to the South Island (Blenheim) around this time. LM remained in the South Island until recently purchased by Alistair McRae, who over the last week has relocated LM to Auckland, but sadly for Auckland woodys, her time here will be short, home port will be Whangarei.
I caught up with Alistair last Monday at the Orams yard in Westhaven as she was unloaded from the transporter and re-launched. I briefly went aboard for a chat, sorry didn’t take many photos as she was in ’transit’ mode. Alistair has promised more when he sorts her out. I can report that she is a very fine woody and with some TLC will be a stunner.

16-07-2020 Photo below hauled out in Whangarei for some TLC

Lady Margaret Jul2020

Twilight

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TWILIGHT
The 32’ carvel planked launch Twilight was built in 1954 by Strongman in Coromandel.
Power comes from a Perkins 4. 108 diesel engine.
Over the last 8 years Twilight has undergone an extensive ‘rolling restoration’ that included reconditioning the engine and gearbox, photos below.
Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up.

Martha

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MARTHA

We haven’t had a small clinker on WW for a while so Andy Hammond’s 14’ Sea Craft gets to shine today. Martha is kept in Cambridge but is a regular attendee at the Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Parade.
She was built c.1950 and is powered by a 6hp Petter diesel from the 1970’s, and sports a forward and reverse gearbox.
Andy is moving onto another woody project and needs the room so Martha is on the market for what I consider is a fair price – $4k, this includes a very smart tilt boom trailer. Break all my rules today – anyone looking for a very cute day boat contact Andy at. atepushrods@gmail.com.

Proteus

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Proteus

Mark Erskine was prompted when reading the recent WW article on the 1957 Owen Woolley launch to dig out the above photos of the 1967/68 Owen Woolley, twin 140hp TS3 powered launch – Proteus.
Todays photos were sent to Mark  by the then new owner, Terry Poole in November 2018. Terry had just purchased the launch – that had been moored in Wellington for years and had the launch transported by road to Auckland. The launch had been neglected and remained unused for many years before selling to Terry, and both TS3 engines – that would have been fitted from new – had done low hours. In the 3,500hrs range each from memory.

Both engines have rare, locally made, cast alloy marine conversions, including water cooled exhaust manifolds, coolant water reservoir that bolts to the engine thermostat housing, incorporating a mounting for Lees type heat exchanger, separate oil coolers, etc. Mark commented that he had seen this marine conversion on a previous single TS3 engine launch and although that conversion was badly corroded by decades of mindless neglect, the conversions appeared well designed and made. Mark doesn’t know who designed them or where in NZ they were cast, but possibly a long gone foundry in Otahuhu.

Mark has not seen Proteus in person and like us would be keen for an update on the status of the vessel. She does looks very similar to the Wellington based 1968 Owen Woolley launch – Acheron (also twin 140HP TS3 powered), but without Acheron’s  6 foot extension to the stern.

So Woodys – does anyone know where Proteus is (Gulf Harbour?) and intel on her?

Mahanui

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Mahanui

It’s not often that boats the size and condition of Mahanui come on the market – normally they get offered for sale at a stage in their life cycle when both them and their owner are at the end of a long relationship and the vessel is showing its age. The status of Mahanui is what I would call ’surplus to needs’ – out of the blue, her owners made the decision to buy a bigger boat, suited to extended family cruising, so woodys – Mahanui is on the market.

She presents in pristine condition – her owner is one of your most fanatical owners. Only the best wooden boat trades people have worked on her and everything is the best of the best. Built in 1977 by Keith Atkinson, designed by Raymond C Hunt, Mahanui is 42’ long, has a beam of 12’4” and draws approx.. 3’. As originally launched she was named Jacinta II and was several feet shorter in length. Mahanui is hard chine kauri plywood, glassed over hull and top sides. Her first owner was Trevor Lindsay and he owner her for 25 years. Several owners later she had undergone a name change to Mahanui and received some ‘cosmetic’ work to her length, stern and flybridge.

Fast forward to 2012 and the current owners purchased Mahanui and set about correcting the defects the pre-purchase survey had revealed. This work was undertaken by one of the best woody boatbuilding yards in NZ – Greg Lees Boatbuilders – Sandspit.  On the way to Sandspit one of the original motors (BMC 98’s) blew its fuel pump and closer examination of the motors indicated the owner either had to spend a lot of money on reconditioning very old motors or bite the bullet and replace them. They replaced them with twin Perkins Sabre M135’s with Newage PRM gear boxes.  She was in the shed at Sandspit for almost 9 months and during that time the hull was dried out, treated inside and then white gel coated, new exhausts fitted, new fuel and water hoses and filters, completely rewired, new BEP switchboard, LED lights throughout, faulty instruments replaced, complete overhaul of refrigeration, new batteries, re-splining and strengthening coamings, all chromed brass removed and redone, bowsprit and anchoring system upgraded, all deck rails removed and refastened, new controls and cables, new skin fittings, other wood work, most of the internal panelling replaced, flybridge interior completely re-furbished, coamings back to bare wood and Uroxsys varnished, topsides and flybridge repainted, hull taken back to glass re-epoxied and new anti-foul, new electronics and autopilot. View more here

Mahanui (Jacinta II)

Fast forward again to 2016 and her owners had booked Mahanui into Greg Lees yard again, this time for a wee facelift.  The canopy over Mahanui’s cockpit was replaced with a permanent structure and in my WW eyes the finished article is a perfect look and fit.

Read details & view photos of the work undertaken at this link https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/10/25/23212/

In 2018 her decks were redone and glassed + re Uroxsys coamings. As an added bonus her owners fitted a silicon anti-foul wrap which has a 5 year (from fit date) warranty.

Full details on specs are available to interested parties but in a nutshell – cruising speed is 13 knots with a max of 16 knots.

Mahanui is offered as a hop board and go boating vessel – a snapshot of her package includes – dinghy, outboard, cockpit table and chairs, fenders, cutlery, pots, pans, glassware, tools (particular to the vessel), almost a spare of everything, cushions etc etc.

In the first instance – enquires to waitematawoodys@gmail.com (SOLD)

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Aries

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Launch With No Name .  Aries
 
Todays 45’ launch was built in 1957 by Owen Woolley. She is built from twin planked kauri and powered by 120hp Ford diesel engines that push her along at 8>10 knots.
She is big old girl – with a 14’ beam.
The photos probably do not do the boat justice, on face value – she appears to be very well appointed.
Thanks to Ian MacDonald for the tme heads up.
 
Can anyone put a name to the boat – she calls Gulf Harbour name.

MORE DETAILS AT THIS WW LINK https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/10/22/aries-4/

Woody Project – Wai Lani

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WOODY PROJECT

I can not tell you much about the above launch other than she is 29’6”, her TME listing states she is a Lane, but to quote HDK – Lane = the default name for most wooden boats. The motor and box are out, but ‘complete’ (what ever that means).
At a guess her name appears to be Wai Lani, but the photos are too low res to blow up to read.
Bids are sitting at around $650 for even if you don’t want the boat, there are some good fittings to be had 🙂
Harold Kidd Input – WAI LANI was built in the winter of 1916 by Dick Lang for H T D Lloyd of 19 Ring Terrace, St Mary’s Bay.
WW T-SHIRTS & CAPS
If you are thinking about ordering some WW branded gear – might be best to get a wriggle on, getting tight on some sizes 🙂
AND REMEMBER WOODYS – ITS PATIO BAY THIS WEEKEND
Its a Mark-Foy start for the CYA yachts so we should be seeing another tight finish. Launches are encouraged to get there early to secure a good viewing anchorage – and less rowing when returning from the legendary party / BBQ ashore.
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Is This The Best Restoration Of A Sub 36’ Wooden Classic Launch

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Is This The Best Restoration Of A Sub 36’ Wooden Classic Launch

Todays woody has made a few guest appearances on WW. I first bumped into the 34’ Kailua when she was owned by Waiheke woody – Graham Guthrie. Graham looked after her like one of the family, retaining master tradesman – Mark Stapleton, as the ‘hired-hand’. Mark looked after the annual maintenance and undertook any structural repairs when and if required.

Kailua was designed and built in 1961 by Bob Salthouse using double skin kauri, with teak/mahogany combings. As launched (b/w photo below) she was named Lady Beryl. She was built for L M Lincoln of Glen Eden, and to quote Harold Kidd ‘there were further clones because it was such a damn nice boat’.

Back in 2016, Graham sold Kailua – it was a slightly unusual sale i.e. the buyer wanted a Waiheke Island mooring, which are almost impossible to buy – but there was an easy solution –  buy a residents boat and acquire the mooring 🙂 Only one problem , the buyer fell in love with Kailua. So next thing she is being hauled out at the Nautique yard for the biggest birthday of her life, we are talking a no budget, no expense spared re-build (refer photos below of the process).

If you walk the docks as much as I do you learn that most marinas have a lot of boats whose owners became addicted to the restoration process, then when finished realised that there were other things happening in their life that rate higher on the family ‘to-do-list’. Now fast forward a couple of years and her owner has purchased again and their instructions are very short and sweet – sell Kailua please.
 
So woodys, if you are looking for a turn-key classic launch that without a doubt is the finest in the sub 36 feet category – Kailua is your boat. Initial expressions of interest to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
 
SOME INFO:
 
Kailua is a very deceptive classic, she is fast – several years ago James Mobberley from Moon Engines, shoe-horned in a 160hp turbo Hino engine & this provides Kailua with the means to lift her skirt & dance i.e. 10>12 knots cruising speed. She won the CYA Rudder Cup launch race in the 2009/10 season. 
Moon’s have done the same transplant to several other classics (Falcon and Romance II) placing them all in the serious zoom zoom category (for old classic wooden craft). The one difference with Kailua is that her owner in 2016 commissioned a super yacht standard engine insulation fit-out, so unlike her sister re-powers, she now has a subdued hot-rod purr 🙂
 
Included in the 2016 re-build was new paint job and Uroxsys varnish treatment inside and out. Professionally re upholstered, carpeted and new teak flooring + new galley and head set up. Viewing her, what is so cool is that her owner has retained the fittings that make her what she is – a very special classic woody.
 
For seriously interested parties – I have a copy of the 2016 Beale Boats structural survey, prior to the re-fit and the vessel will be hauled out from December 3rd for her annual maintenance, thereby providing interested parties the opportunity to view the vessel out of the water. 
 
I’ll be bold and make a predication – if Kailua does not sell soon, her owner will re-list her in late 2020 and most likely achieve a sale price $50k above what she can be acquired for today. 
Some one wanting a state-of-the-art, fully restored, fast and good looking woody – to view / entertain friends and business associates on for the America’s Cup and associated events will snap her up.

Lady Beth : Kailua

Lady Beryl

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Matira – A Peek Down Below

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MATIRA – A Peek Down Below
 
At last weekends Woody Classics Weekend cruise to Clevedon I had a peek aboard Matira. I first spoke to owner Barrie Abel back in 2017 when he was looking for a classic sympathetic insurer to insure his recent purchase. I pointed him in the direction of David Cooke, who helped Barrie out. At the time the vessel was ’sitting’ on Barries front lawn while he addressed some mechanical issues.
I mentioned to Barrie that Matira was a bit of a mystery boat to me, my only exposure to her was seeing moored in the creek off the Te Atatu Boating Club. She was to my eye an unusual mix of styles.
Her builder and launch date are a little unclear – there is talk that she is a Lanes c.1912, but Harold Kidd has previously commented on WW that this is possible except that “Lanes” is usually just a default for ‘old boat’. HDK also commented that he thought she could be a bit earlier than 1912 by when there tended to be a built-up foredeck and a break in the sheer aft of that. She was certainly not built as MATIRA. Probably a well-known early launch whose provenance has been lost / blurred by one or more name-changes.
 
Fast forward to September (this year) and Barrie made the long haul from Clevedon to attend the inaugural Woody Classics Weekend event at the Riverhead Hotel, an impressive undertaking considering the weather on the day. During the lunch ashore, a group of us chatted about wanting to do the Wairoa River trip to Clevedon, as a member of the Clevedon Cruising Club, Barrie volunteered to be our liaison person – the rest is history, scroll down to Mondays WW story for the full trip report.
 
While tied up together at the CCC wharf, with Barries permission I popped aboard Matira with the camera, photos above. I have to say I was very impressed with the fit out done by Matira’s previous owner (ex Lidgards boatbuilder) Dan Kamphuis. Dan purchased the boat in c.1997 and as you can see in the photos below, totally rebuilt the boat. She was relaunched in 2004. 
 
Everyone walking the dock over the weekend loved her, including my wife and she has high standards – well she married me after all 🙂
 
You can see / read more here
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Riverhead – Sept 2019