Category Archives: A Peek Down Below

Happy Days Launched

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WAY BACK PHOTOS

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HAPPY DAYS – LAUNCHED 

In early December 2018 Alan Craig, the Lake Rotoiti boat builder (Craig Marine) sent in a gallery of photos of Happy Days in the final stages of her restoration, I have been bugging Alan for some photos post launching and late last week he delivered. 
 
First some background – Happy Days had been in a barn on a farm in for the last ten odd years. Her build started in 1930 and she was launched in 1933, 24′ in length, to a USA Hacker Craft design.
She has been owned by Peter Davies and was his Fathers boat from near new. Her history looks like this – built in Picton by Vic & Clarrie Olson? (Scandinavian or Swiss?). Built for a Mr Stocker then brought by Tom Davies in 1937, it was sold a while later and brought back again by Mr Davies once the wool price lifted and in 1950 an old, but still new, 1938 Osco marine flathead V8 went in it and is still there now – but wow wait till you hear that motor today – check out the video below. 
 
The likes below share some of her recent history :
 
The restoration    https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/12/10/happy-days/
 
Enjoy  – turn up the volume when you play the video 🙂
Photo below – as ‘found’
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What Are You Doing This Winter

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BOAT CRAFTS

Today I’d like to intro boatcrafts.nz  the new initiative from the NZ Traditional Boatbuilding School – in my words its a very hands-on series of workshops where we can learn / brush-up on the basic fundamentals of maintaining, restoring or building a wooden boat. The trustees, sounds a bit posh 🙂 are just a bunch of passionate kiwi boaties that care about the future of the wooden boating movement and unlike most of us are actually doing something to help us all out.
I’ll let the NZTBBS guys tell the story, see below. Note: Links to the individual courses are at the bottom of the page. Or check out the website.
Have a read and decide what interests you the most – I’m sure the 1st – “ Marine Propulsion Systems” would appeal to all boat owners – but note – numbers are limited to 20, so get in quick. Shortly we will be running a survey asking for your help on what subjects appeal the most – more details soon.
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LINKS
MARINE PROPULSION SYSTEMS 
BUILD A 1/2 MODEL                             
ESSENTIAL SKILLS COURSE
LOFTING
WORKING WITH COMPOSITES
STEAM BEDING AND FITTING RIBS

Ladybird Splashes

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LADYBIRD SPLASHES

There were a lot of smilie faces in Devonport on Wednesday, as Mike Strong got ready to re-launch the 1949 Bert Woollacott designed ketch LadyBird. 

Mike had hauled LB out and into Kevin Johnson’s Devonport shed with the intention of a 6 months re-fit, well as they do, the list of things to do grew a little – fast forward 2+years and LB is looking magnificent.
The team at Boat Haulage, as always, did a slick job of collecting LB and transporting her to Hobsonville Marina. In anticipation of LB being a little thirsty after 2 years in a shed, there was an impressive collection of pumps on stand by, I suspect Mike will be camping on LB for a few nights 🙂
We will show you LB’s interior once Mike has finished putting all the bits back on board, in the meantime you can get a glimpse below at this link.
Question of the day – who’s next in Kevin’s shed? Be quick if you are considering hauling out, it never empty for long :-
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CAN ANYONE HELP SEABIRD OUT
Steve Thomas  the owner of Seabird has a gearbox problem (Paragon RB20 model Serial No: 5D 3527) and is looking for a replacement. Details and photos below.
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Kairanga – A Peek Down Below

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KAIRANGA –  A Peek Down Below
 
I have admired Kairanga each year at the Mahurangi Regatta and recently she popped up on trademe, so now we get a peek down below. It’s an interesting tme listing, no mention of design / builder, nor year. But she is a looker.
She is 32’, triple diagonal kauri, with a 90hp Ford diesel provide the forward motion. Appears well kitted out.
Chatting with Nathan Herbert, he recalls a mention of being a Bailey. This is backed up by Harold Kidd’s comments back in 2011 on the CYA Forum – HDK said “She is a pretty boat. I have no record of her before 1961 when she was owned by D E Jonas, a member of RNZYS. I’m certain she has been renamed. The cabin top, if original, is reminiscent of those that Charles Bailey Jr used around early 1914. 
Anyone able to tell us more about Kairanga?

Dionysus (Paulmarkson)

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Dionysus (Paulmarkson)

 
Todays WW story is sobering viewing, it records the fate of Dionysus, the Percy Vos built motor sailer, that went ashore at Oakura in July 2014.
I understand she was left unattended on anchor and the weather turned nasty overnight and the owners could not get out to her. Details & photos from Cameron Pollard.
 
She was extensively damaged with her decks and bulkheads popped. The decision was made instantly by insurance and council to remove the wreck asap.
Cameron reports that her Gardner engine was taken away after its salt water washing and has since been saved and is destined for a new home in a very nice fishing boat conversion.
Her rigs and tailshaft etc were dragged into a paddock and anything still intact was left with it .
 
Lots of vehicles on the beach in the photos – in fact the beach is actually a designated road.

Hobsonville Marina Hardstand Report

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Hobsonville Marina Hardstand Report

Woody John Wicks sent in the above photos of woody activity at the marina.

Lapwing, built by Bailey & Lowe in 1915, lives along from me at Bayswater and would have to be a contender for the most unused woody in Auckland, but her owner maintains her very well so she is a lucky woody. Nice to see her lies and a close up of the classic B&L scrollwork on the bow. In the water front below

https://waitematawoodys.com/?s=Lapwing&submit=Search

We couldn’t find Parma on WW but I’m sure its appeared before, she was for sale for a very long time, so hopefully her present condition reflects a change of ownership. As John commented, she is a pretty thing – can anyone update us on her?. 

The shots of – Rosemary M, show the results of a large plastic boat out-of-control whacking her with its stern platform after its skipper mistook his throttles for gearshifts while trying to back in / out of his berth. John understands the owner of Rosemary M was aboard her at the time and was able to stuff something into the hole and stem the inflow until she could be lifted out. John understands the owner of the assailant has at least had the decency to admit liability – good man. A peek below decks here –    https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/01/30/rosemary-m-a-peek-down-below/

Lady Fair

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LADY  FAIR

Lady Fair was designed by William Garden and built in America in 1960 using cedar. Originally a 67’ ketch, Ken Ricketts was told she was sailed to NZ approx. 7>8 years ago, under her original ketch rig by a previous owner. Then her rigging was removed & she was converted to a motor boat (by the present owner). Her coamings are original & she still has a substantial amount of lead ballast in the bilges.

Her power comes from a 170hp Caterpillar diesel that pushes her along at 7-9.5Kts.  Home has been the Viaduct Basin for much of her time in NZ, her owners live aboard permanently.

In a previous life she spent time in Turkey, c.2013 where she was for sale, it appears her name then was – Haz.

(Note: details ex Ken Ricketts via trade people working on the boat – edited alot by Alan H – NZ photos ex KR, oversea ex google via KR))

30-10-2019 Update from Owner Dave Miller

“Just to put the record straight. No criticism intended.
Lady Fair was designed by William Garden(hull #407), built by Fellowes and Stewart on Terminal Island in LA California and launched in 1960. She was built for Donald Douglas of the Douglas Corporation aircraft company.
She is constructed with bent oak frames and single planked with 2 ½” Douglas Fir. Transom is double planked Mahogany. Stem is Gum and the keel shoe is Ironwood. Designed as a motor-sailer with Ketch rig. Displacement 65 tons.
Engine is a single Caterpillar D342C of 220 max flywheel Horsepower @1300 rpm. In-line 6, displacement 20.4 litres. Weighing 3 tons with transmission. 10.5kts. @1,000rpm. Cruising at ~800rpm, 7.5kts. we burn ~20ltrs per hour Including 2 hrs generator use per day.
Fuel capacity = 12 tons in three tanks. F.W. capacity = 2.4 tons in two tanks. 1 ton holding tank.
A later owner sailed her to Wellington NZ. arriving in 1993. We bought her in 2012 and brought her up to Hobson West in the Viaduct where we remained until a year ago when we sadly had to vacate because – America’s Cup! We are now in Bayswater Marina. To my knowledge she has never been to Europe and has never had a name change. She has been to the pacific Islands a few times.
We hauled out at Gulf Harbour in March and some of the pictures are from that time. Below the waterline was scraped back to bare wood. Small area of worm in the keel and bottom of rudder. Had iron fastener problems so quite a lot of plank work, some rot in lower transom and a LOT of fasteners. The repairs were carried out by ‘Nautical Experience’ (Cory Rademaekers and team) and was to his usual absolutely first-class standard.
Kind regards, Dave and Mary Miller.”

Anyone Looking For A One Off Art Installation

The ‘boat’ below is on trademe – would look great at a pub, cafe or in a serious Woodys front paddock. 
If the seller gets no interest, it will be cut up for firewood – its too cool for that 🙂
Wood appears to be oak, measures approx. 8mx3m. Currently located at Grahams Beach, Awhitu. Its very close to the road so moving her shouldn’t be a major.
Thanks to T Foh for the listing heads up.

SEA ROGUE – Why Is the Price So Low

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SEA ROGUE – Why Is the Price So Low
Question of the day – why are woodys so cheap in the USA compared to here? Is it a numbers game? Or is the cost of ownership (haulage, marina berth, insurance etc) make them unaffordable?
David Glen sent me a link to Sea Rogue a 54’ 1972 pilothouse, trawler style woody that was designed by naval architect Arthur Defever and built in 1972 by the Oriental Boat Company in Japan.
If you believe her 4sale listing she has been continuously upgraded by a meticulous owner. The zoom zoom is via twin Caterpillar diesels.
3 staterooms, each with head + captains berth in the pilothouse.
Currently located in San Diego – and the price? An unbelievable NZD$174,000.
Even if the motors didn’t go, that’s a very cheap waterfront apartment.

Lady Ellen Restoration Update – March 2019

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Lady Ellen Restoration Update – March 2019

Owner Bruce Mitchinson sent in the photos above & report below:

“About half way through the interior fit out so far.
Galley joinery is complete and has been shifted back to the workshop ready for paint.
Built in electrical and navigators consoles, and the new helm station in the queue for paint too.
Down below the new cabin soles and cabin partitions are all in, apart from the partition for the head, which is made, but out of the way while the space is being made into a wet room.
Hull lining and bunk slats all prefinished, ready for fitting.
Plumbing, thru-hull fittings and holding tank all set out, in the next week or two we will have a session with the hole saws to fit all these.
New exhaust pipe fitting will go in at the same time.
We have the engine in bits and all the parts have been stripped back and primed. 
Final coat of paint goes on this week so it can be reassembled and tested before it goes back in.
Electrical and fresh water plumbing coming up soon”
To see/ read more on this restoration project – enter Lady Ellen in the WW search box.
Photos below to show you how far Bruce has come with the LE project – very impressive.

Florence Rose – Launch Day

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FLORENCE ROSE – Launch Day
 
As part of a recent email exchange with Mark Powell, Mark sent me the above photos from the launching of Florence Rose launching at the Chas Bailey and Sons yard.
In a previous WW post Gil Littler confirmed that Florence Rose was designed by Billy Rogers and built at Bailey’s in the 1960’s while he was serving his apprenticeship there. Gil was given the job of lofting her out and making up the frames before Kenny Hitchens (and other tradesmen) became involved in her construction. The hull was built on the mezzanine floor before being brought down to the slipway level by a large forklift to be finished off. 
 
Gil believes she was built for Harry Rose, which we now know is correct, in the photo below we have Mark Powell’s mother, Joan Powell, with Mark in short pants and the gent on the helm is Harry Rose.
 
I took the 2nd photo below of Flo Ro in October 2013 in Station Bay, Motutapu Island. 
My beautiful picture
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