Category Archives: Boat Sheds

CLASSIC 1914 WOODEN LAUNCH – MAKORA 

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CLASSIC 1914 WOODEN LAUNCH – MAKORA 

The classic launch MAKORA made an a appearance on WW back in Dec 2024, thanks to a 4sale listing. There was a lot of intel at the time but thanks to Harold Kidd we learnt that MAKORA was built by in 1914 Chas Bailey Jr in 1914 for Fred Alison of the Devonport Steam Ferry Co.

Her original power was twin 9hp Andersons (Christchurch built) for which Bailey was the Auckland agent. These days she is powered by a 40hp, 3 cyl. Fordson Dexter engine that gets her along nicely at 7 knots at 1600rpm.Her specs are 35’x9’6″x4′.

Link to 2024 WW story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/12/17/classic-1916-wooden-craft-makora/

Todays photos of MAKORA where sent in one of my woody spotters and we see her hauled out at DOCK5 for some TLC.
Keen to learn if she changed hands in 2024 and where she has been since.

CLASSIC WOODEN EX WORK BOAT – ALBATROOS V – BROKEN UP

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CLASSIC WOODEN EX WORK BOAT – ALBATROOS V – BROKEN UP

The 64’ Millar& Tunnage ex tugboat – ALBATROSS V last made an appearance on WW back in May 2022 when we reported that after a lengthy time on the market she sold for $7,100.

Over the next few years she would regularly pop up on tme for sale again. I do not know the history behind her but at one stage the starting bid was $1, and no reserve………. Link to the May 2022 story here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/18/albatross-v-sold-for-7100/

Recently WW was contacted by Dick Fisher (MV AKARANA), Dick is currently undertaking a major rebuild / refit of the 1934 Chas Bailey & Sons built ex work boat – MELODEON . Link here to WW story. https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/09/25/update-on-melodeon-restoration/
Dick advised that ALBATROSS had been pulled onto the slipway in Port Road, Whangarei for dismantling. A sad ending to what Dick described as a very well built grand old lady.The only upside to her demise was that Dick was able to ‘harvest’ some of her bronze fittings, which will be up-cycled on MELODEON.

THE MIGHTY KAURI — A WOODEN BOATBUILDER’S BEST FRIEND

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THE MIGHTY KAURI — A WOODEN BOATBUILDER’S BEST FRIEND

Todays woody photos were sent in by Andrew Molloy and give us peek back in time when there was more of the magnificent kauri than the boatbuilders of the day needed. Hell we were exported it to Australia and I’m told 1/2 of San Franciso, USA, was rebuilt with NZ Kauri after the 1906 earthquakes there.

In the top photo, dated 1963, we see a halved Kauri log at the Helensville rail siding, it was used for building a fishing boat and a keeler and then some left over. Of note – we have 2nd from left Percy Vos and Sam Mason 3rd from left left. The log was 43 ‘and had a girth of 21’. From the log they milled 14,800 superficial feet of lumber.

Second photo is of the Goldie’s Timber Mill, St Mary’s Bay, Auckland. There is an impressive block – stack weathering there. Keen to learn the indignity of the launch seen in the bottom right hand corner – refer close up below.

In the 3rd photo we see a clinker dinghy taking shape at one of Auckland’s boat yards c.1910 . Has the look of the Percy Vos yard about it.

WHEN AUCKLAND’S WATERFRONT WAS HOME TO WOODEN BOATBUILDERS

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WHEN AUCKLAND’S WATERFRONT WAS HOME TO WOODEN BOATBUILDERS

During the week the above photograph popped up on the Timespanner fb and originated from the Auckland Libraries Heritage collection.The photo was tagged – “St Marys Bay boatyards, 1940s, looking east from the end of jetty on St Mary’s Bay showing boats on slips and shipyards.” Photographer most likely – Reginald Clifton Firth.

David Wilson commented that the location was the Shipbuilders Yard and Charles Bailey’s yard was on the left.

Nathan Herbert commented that the launch LADY UNA was  probably shown having her coamings replaced to the style we know her today as MARGUERITE. WW 2019 story link below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/09/18/the-story-of-marguerite/

INPUT 04-09-2026 ex Russell Ward – the vessel on the right is MAHARA (1946) 

CLASSIC WOODYS GETTING READY FOR A SPRING SPLASH

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CLASSIC WOODYS GETTING READY FOR A SPRING SPLASH

Dropped into the working end of the Milford Creek / Marina yesterday and caught up on the woodys getting some late winter TLC

MY GIRL – the 1925 Dick Lang built (to a W H Hand design) was out at the Slipway Milford for an application of a new go fast bottom paint. All hush hush trial but I can tell you it wasn’t around in the 1920’s. Note to handicappers – alter MY GIRLS handicap 😉

See more of MG here – https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/11/12/my-girl-and-pacific-relaunched-60-wooden-boat-photos/

MENAI – keeping MY Girl company was the 38’ 1937 Sam Ford built MENAI – continuing her rolling restoration. See more of her here –  https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/09/11/menai-a-peek-down-below-2/

THETIS – cross the fence in the Milford Cruising Club yard was THETIS the 45’ 1955 launch built by the Lane Motor Boat Co. Out for a refresh. More here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/09/02/thetis-a-peek-down-below/

CLASSIC WOODEN MOTORSAILER – NAMELESS

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CLASSIC WOODEN MOTORSAILER – NAMELESS

Todays woody is a recent addition on tme, thanks Ian McDonald. The 47’ Sang designed motorsailer NAMELESS was built in 1953 in Miramar, Wellington. Powered by a 65hp Albion Albatross diesel engine (1947).

Her owners of 25 years say she needs a tidy and some maintenance, but at sub 100k NAMELESS is a lot of boat and she has the X factor ie a looker.
A great selection of photos from her build / launching.

113 YEAR-OLD CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH GETS SOME WELL DESERVED TLC

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113 YEAR-OLD CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH GETS SOME WELL DESERVED TLC – LEITNER

Back in September 2013, classic wooden launch – LEITNER made an appearance on WW and the story over the next couple of years generated a raft of intel on her past and photos.  We learnt that she was built in 1913 by Harvey & Lang.

Forward motion these days is via a Perkins 6-354 diesel engine.

When launched she was very smart flat top launch and over the years there have been several additions , all visible in 2913 WW story  https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/09/21/leitner/

Robin Elliott commented re her restyling in a very kindly way saying – ‘at some time she was converted to a sort of bridge-decker type’. As seen in the above photos I took this week at DOCK5 in Whangarei.

Nice to see she is getting the TLC she deserves.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH VALMARIE – HOW DID IT COME TO THIS

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2013

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH VALMARIE – HOW DID IT COME TO THIS

I was mooching around the Whangarei waterfront during the week and spotted the launch VALMARIE hauled out at Dock5.                                                                 I did not recognise her until up close and spotted her name board. Even then I had to do a count / location of port holes and cabin widows to confirm she was the same vessel that last featured on WW back in April 2014  https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/04/10/valmarie/

Back in 2014 VALMARIE was for sale on tme and looking very smart. Another example of how quickly these woodys can go downhill if they do not get any TLC The last photo above was from 2013.

And on the subject of classics going down hill – I am very happy to report that the classic wooden launch – TRINIDAD has a new owner and been moved closer to Auckland. Her days of neglect in the far north are over. I hear her new owner is already planning to restore the bright work ✔️

WHERE ARE THEY NOW -THE FATE OF THESE CLASSIC CRAFT

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW -THE FATE OF THESE CLASSIC CRAFT

Todays classic wooden launch photos once more come to us from Robyn Kellian via Tobias Forsyth so we can safely assume the location is the Leigh region.  The question today is what’s the background to this series of photos – we have a work (fishing) boat donating her wheelhouse to another classic woody that appears to be a recent pleasure boat refit.

So can any of the Leigh based readers enlighten us on what became of both vessels and put an approx. date to the photos. 

INPUT ex GRAHAM ROWE – The first boat featured (fishing boat 3621) is La Vega. She was built by Millar and Tunnage using Totora planks on Pohutukawa ribs, launched 1965, and fished from Leigh until 25 November 2009 – the last entry in her Log. I know little about her ownership but on her last commercial fishing trip she was crewed by Nick and Jarrod, and hearsay suggests that her owners were two brothers nicknamed ‘Swampy’ and ‘The Animal’ Walker?

Sometime later she was bought to Helensville by Dave Cook and I purchased her from Dave after she had been sitting from 2016 with a non-functioning Mitsubishi 6D-14 engine in 2020. Since then, I have been restoring her. La Vega is 11m LOA, 3.9m beam and draws about 1.2m. She displaces about 11 Tonnes.

The doghouse being removed is possibly to enable an engine replacement. The doghouse shown is the one that was on her when I purchased her, but alas is no more, due to extensive rot. The sliding door however was salvageable and will go back on her in due course.

ATHOL BURNS CLASSIC MOTOR-SAILER – TEIGENES + Sea Scout Hall Needs Your Help

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ATHOL BURNS CLASSIC MOTOR-SAILER – TEIGENES

Back in Oct 2019 we featured the 1956, Athol Burns designed 32’ motor-sailer – TEIGENES on WW. https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/10/14/teigenes/

At the time she was looking for a new owner on tme. She sat on a marina berth at Westhaven for a longtime with a forsake sign on her. I past her whenever I was on-route to a couple of woody launches that the Wooden Boat Bureau were selling on the same dock.

She then disappeared so I assumed she sold. Fast forward to the weekend and we are doing the Sunday morning waterfront dog walk and I spotted TEIGENES hauled out at the Devonport Yacht Club.

At a glance she is overdue some TLC -fingers crossed thatswhy she is hauled out :-).

(2019 photos below)

MORE DEVONPORT NEWS

One of Aucklands coolest waterfront abodes is the Calliope Sea Scouts hall, the building is perched over the sea front and just like our craft is always in need of constant maintenance – the crew that look after the hall are seeking help via a fund raising campaign – see below for details.