Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

The Launching of Josephine

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Mike Mahoney brings her alongside

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Steve Cranch

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THE LAUNCHING OF JOSEPHINE

If you were out and about in the vicinity of Westhaven Marina on Sunday you would have heard an unusual sound coming from the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron – the sound of two Chev Corvette engines pumping out 800+hp warming up. Not an everyday sound for the RNZYS 🙂
The source of the noise was Mike & Tracy Mahoney’s latest additional to their fleet – Josephine, a NZ custom built 28’ Riva speedboat. Two of NZ’s most talented woody craftsman – Mark Robinson and Steve Cranch collaborated over 2 years to build Josephine for Mike. There is so much smart thinking gone into this build – check out the anchor, and Steve tells me it actually works as an anchor – it’s been well ‘road tested’ on Rainbird, Steve’s classic woody yacht. Most items have been designed and manufactured in NZ.
Even thou they have been fitted with mufflers – the very dignified sound of the Corvette V8’s at idle gives you a hint to the 50mph power lurking below. Open up the throttles a little and your ears experience a very retro cool sound – check out the video below to hear them (turn the sound up).

1920’s Woody Restoration Project

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1920’s Woody Restoration Project
This 28’ kauri woody resides in Napier and in the sellers words is “partly restored”. At the moment she is minus a motor, transmission and running gear but they are available to purchase, being a Cummins 95hp B4 and Newage RPM Coventry transmission.
I do not normal mention the price on trademe (thanks Ian McDonald) but this one is $2,000 – subject to an inspection, she has the bones of a cool lake boat.
In her present state it would be easily to inspect the condition of her, note: the exterior has been glassed.
Can anyone help ID the launch?
Make Sure You Check WW Tomorrow – stunning photos from the launching of Mike Mahoney’s new addition to the fleet. Tease photo below
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20th Lake Rotoiti – Antique & Classic Boat Show – 200+ Classic Wooden Boat Photos

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20th Lake Rotoiti – Antique & Classic Boat Show – 200+ Classic Wooden Boat Photos

On the 1st weekend of March we travelled south to Nelson for a wee escape. Just by chance (yeah right says the wife) there was a classic woody event on. I have seen and heard a lot about the Antique & Classic Boat Show that is held every year on Lake Rotoiti, one hour south of Nelson but I had never attended. We were staying with good friends in Mapua so early on the Sunday the men folk packed up the car  and headed off. We arrived at the lake as everyone was dusting off  / polishing their pride and joy – I understand there was a social event on the Saturday night and a few looked a little ‘dusty’ themselves.
The venue is just mind blowingly spectacular – and I have not seen so much varnished wood in one place in NZ before. Combine this with a very laid back southern friendliness and we had a great morning.
The woodys on show ranged from vintage radio controlled speedboats, sailing dinghies and speedboats to 100 mile-an-hour hydro-planes. Check out the movie of the hydro-plane Elray III below.
The photos above are intended to give you an insight into the show, warts and all – it’s not a gallery of perfectly presented craft.
Enjoy, we did.

Unidentified Launch Aground in Wellington 

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Unidentified Launch Aground in Wellington 

The above photo appeared recently on Lew Redwood’s fb page. Its dated 26th January 1960 and the location is the Pukerua Rocks.
Can anyone ID the launch and how she came to be there and she was saved, and if so where she is today?
A Peek Into The Future
I wonder one day if this ‘Jet Capsule Royal Version 001 Motorboat’ below will one day be considerably classic.
Targeting the super-yacht tender market, they are 26’ long, can carry up to 9 passengers, and while the exterior is carbon fibre, the interior is teak trimmed.
Lots of propulsion options starting with twin Torpedo electric engines (good for 12 knots) and topping out at 62 knots via a Roll Royce jet drive.
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SS Mary Rose

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SS Mary Rose

I know two steam boats in one week, Russell Ward will be beside himself 🙂
The photos above of Mary Rose were sent in by Alan Sexton, he spotted her at the Sandspit Yacht Club ramp during the week.

Mary Rose resides in Wanganui these days. The owner told Alan that she is/was one of 2 built for a campground at Ngongotaha circa 1946.

Any ‘steamheads’ able to enlighten us more on Mary Rose?

SS Alice

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Steamboat Alice

If we believe her trade listing (thanks Ian McDonald) the 26’ steamboat Alice was built in 1879.  Between 1991 and 2000 she underwent a total rebuild in Taupo, where she still resides.

In private use now, she once was in survey, doing tours of Lake Taupo.

Her current zoom zoom is via ‘hybrid’ set-up i.e. a combination of steam (25hp) and electric. The boiler is wood fired and I can just imagine the wonderful smell of ti tree burning as you cruised the lake – in my eyes a low cost floating bach at the lake 🙂

 

 

 

 

Waikaro + CYA Riverhead Cruise

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WAIKARO
 
Waikaro was built in 1978 by Roy Parris as a 30′ work boat for a Great Barrier family. She has received extensive alterations for comfort and practicality by craftsman boat builder Geoff Bagnall, as an aside Geoff learnt his trade alongside Roy Parris.
Current power is via a 120hp Ford diesel.
As you can see from the photos (thanks Ian McDonald) the standard of fit out and maintenance is very good. Her current owners have had her for 15 years.
For more details contact waitematawoodys@gmail.com
 
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CYA Riverhead Tavern Cruise
Unfortunately it appeared that most people took one look out the window on Sunday morning and decided that to stay in bed. If they had checked PredictWind they would have seen that things were on the improve.
End result a rather poor turn out – the upside was 2 new members navigated their way up the river & we had a great catch-up.
So Woodys put a very large circle around Sunday 14th April – the date of the next Riverhead cruise. If you haven’t dined at the tavern in the last year, I can tell you the food is very good – check out my calamari lunch below  🙂
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Chalyn

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CHALYN
 
Being built in 1978 Chalyn certainly slides into the Spirit of Tradition category, and there are not a lot of those on WW – what twisted my arm was the 1 1/4” kauri planked hull, with ribs every 6” – she is built like the proverbial brick out house. 
She is listed for sale on trademe and being sold as her two aging brother owners have reached a stage where maintaining a 52’ wooden boat with a 14’ beam is too much for them. 
Power is via a 318hp Detroit diesel that sees her cruising at 10 knots with a 12 knot top speed.
 
I know everyone has their own view on beauty and practicability but Jason Prew with a battery powered tungsten tipped mini skill-saw could do wonders for her looks 😉

Lady Jane

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LADY JANE
Lady Jane has appeared on WW before  links below. Now thanks to trademe (via Ian McDonald) we get an another view & a peek down below. Her listing states she was built by Lanes in 1915 and is powered by a 23c Massey Fergusson diesel. Her hull is single skin kauri . Read & see more at the WW links
Enjoy.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/01/07/mystery-launch-070114/

Harold Kidd Input – I think we’ve been through all this before, complete with the false Colin Wild connection. I think she is pure Deacon. The APYMBA registration in 1958 when first owned by John Senior said she was built by L. Deacon in 1955 with no attribution of designer. She’s more Sam Ford than Colin Wild for a start. I knew John Senior very well. If Wild had been the designer John would have ensured that was in her APYMBA spec.
The German song “Happy Wanderer” was a hit in 1954. It was a jolly hiking song but pretty cringeworthy for musicians like me who had to play it at dances over and over again. I later bought a DH94 Moth Minor called “Happy Wanderer” and had considerable pleasure in painting the name out and reverting to plain ZK-AKM.

A Woody House

My mate John Burland sent me the photos below of this house in Island Bay, Wellington. Check out that view 🙂

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Eileen Patricia Restoration Update

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EILEEN PATRICIA RESTORATION UPDATE

Last Sunday we went for a drive out west, well more nor-west, to Helensville. The destination being Marco Scuderi’s classic boat yard to view the almost complete 1933 Arnold Couldrey designed and built motor launch Eileen Patricia.
EP first appeared on WW back in November 2014 as Linden  https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/11/11/9603/  and then she was desperately crying out for a new owner. With the help of Nathan Herbert we identified that she was previously named Eileen Patricia and in her as launched style was a very pretty woody. I encouraged any Woodys looking for a project to step-up.
Peter Mence did just that and quickly purchased her and trucked her off to Marco’s shed. Fast forward 4+years and a launch date is looking imminent. As you would expect from Marco, Peter and Jenny the standard of work is just faultless – some would say OTT but not me – EP is perfect in every way.
So today we have a sneak peek at her as she nears completion. I didn’t take a lot of photos as we will save that for the launching.
Also got to catch up with the other projects Marco has underway – an almost total rebuild of a Riva Super Aquarama (the varnish work on her is amazing) + a new build of a Rozinate day sailer (photos below) and the next cab off the rank – the 1906 Logan 38′ A-Class Keeler – Victory A8.

HELP WANTED – Does anyone have one of the below in their shed?

Woody Baden Pascoe is looking for one to fit a 16′ dinghy.

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