Category Archives: Boat Sheds

AN UPDATE ON THE SINKING OF CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – SILENS 

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AN UPDATE ON THE SINKING OF CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – SILENS 

Firstly apologise for the short story today – I was boating yesterday and the day just slipped by.
On the 29 March we reported on the sinking earlier in the week of the 1912 Harvey & Lang built, 38′ classic wooden launch SILENS while moored in Algies Bay, Mahurangi Peninsula.

We received the below note (edited) from her owners –“I’m the owner of Silens and we read the WW article about her very unfortunate sinking last Thursday during the cyclone at Algies Bay. 

Good news is that she was salvaged on Saturday and on a dry dock, we have been working tirelessly since to strip her interior and clean her up, an her engine has been preserved thanks to the amazing team at Marine Services Auckland Ltd for salvaging her, Greg at Lees Marine Sandspit, Wayne at Mahurangi Marine and Dan at Northern Marine Electrical for assisting so far.  We had arranged for her bilges to be serviced on Monday, 3 days prior to her sinking, everything was in working order and can confirm water ingress was the cause of her going down. 

Talking to many locals in Algies Bay since, including boat owners, they advised the have not seen so much rain fall in such a short period of time that hit the area.

We are absolutely devastated and heartbroken, and will do and are doing our best to restore Silens back to her former glory. “
Yesterday I had reason to be at Sandspit Marina and called into Greg Lees yard to view SILENS. I can report that she is structurally in great shape and that the motor has been flushed and running, underway is a complete interior deep clean and thoughts on how to address the electrical areas. I briefly meet her owner and things are still very raw but SILENS couldn’t be in a better place at present. 

I’m sure there are things that were damaged or lost in the process so if we can help supplying any items – I will let you know.

CLASSIC SOUTHERN WOODEN WORKBOATS 

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CLASSIC SOUTHERN WOODEN WORKBOATS 

Earlier in the month Glenn Martin was mooching around the South Island on a bike  (I assume motorbike) and sent in todays gallery of woody workboat photos from Bluff. 

Not all capable of heading out to sea but wonderful to see them still intact, if that was Auckland they would have made a oneway trip to the landfill years ago.

CLASSIC WOODEN 1930’s SPEEDBOAT – WINTER PROJECT

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CLASSIC WOODEN 1930’s SPEEDBOAT – WINTER PROJECT

Todays vintage woody recently popped up on tme with a $1 reserve (thanks Ian McDonald).

 Now hush my mouth but the chrome fittings would be worth buying her for. But there’s the bones of a nice lake boat there – 20’ in length, made from mahogany , stored under cover its whole life.  Designer / builder unknown.

OFF CENTER HARBOR WEBSITE

Regular WW readers will be familiar with the USA based website – Off Center Harbour, but if you aren’t already a member I would encourage you to subscribe.

A day wouldn’t go by when I do not log in to view one off the 600+ video’s from the back library – for advice, inspiration of just entertainment.

At the link below you will find a short video on what the site is all about . https://www.offcenterharbor.com/what-is-off-center-harbor-regular-join/

Below is a random collection of screen grabs showing some of the content.

CLASSIC SOUTHERN WOODEN CLINKER – BEATTIEFUL

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CLASSIC SOUTHERN WOODEN CLINKER – BEATTIEFUL

When I first sighted todays 16’, 1961 built clinker run-about I was a little startled and my first thoughts were had she started life as a project boat at a boatbuilding school were every skill / feature was explored. But as they say – beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and if you pay the bills you can do what ever you want 😉  

And she was awarded the top prize at the 2018 NZ Antique and Classic boat show at Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes. So she appeals to them southern folks 🙂

What we know about BEATTIEFUL is she was designed and built in 1961 by Jim Beattie, a kiwi boat builder based in Blenheim, and then in the mid 2000’s she was restored in Blenheim by Wayne Foley of Blenheim. Power is via a 60hp Yamaha outboard.I understand the boat changed hands at the 2026 Nelson Lakes boat show, so nice that she remain ‘local’ and presumably lake based.

(thanks Ian McDonald for the story heads up)

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – MALUA – NEEDS A NEW OWNER

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – MALUA – NEEDS A NEW OWNER

During the week WW was contacted by Jeff Giddens concerning the classic wooden launch – MALUA. Jeff tells her story below – 

“We have sort of acquired the above named vessel “Malua”. At this stage make and builder unknown.Story goes……there was a brand new 65 Volvo marine diesel engine fitted in the boat some 25 years ago, it did very few hours, then was put into a slipway cradle and has been on the slipway ever since (approx. 17 years).

Someone may know some history on this vessel. We would love to see this old girl be restored, hull is 98% sound, but unfortunately the decks and cabin sides need work. Be nice to know there is someone out there that wants her. Not free but her price will reflect the buyers commitment to restoring her.”  

What we know – approx. 26’-28′ in length and very beamy for her length. Constructed from single skin, most likely kauri planking. 25+ years ago, she was on a swing mooring in Ivy Bay, Paremata, Pāuatahanui Inlet, then she went to Tauranga, then came back to Ivy Bay, Paremata, and has been on the slipway cradle ever since.

From the photos we see that her cradle sits above the water at high tide so this should have helped reduce the ‘drying out’ effect over the years.

If you have room and the passion for a classic wooden launch like MALUA in your life – initially contact Jeff at j.giddens@xtra.co.nz

And it saddens me to add that if we can’t find a new owner, she will face an appointment with a back-hoe…… 😢

AUCKLAND’S 2026 WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL – Show Tour Part #1

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AUCKLAND’S 2026 WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL – Show Tour Part #1

Currently underway down on Auckland’s waterfront is the 2026 Auckland wooden boat festival. The event kicked off late Friday afternoon and runs through until 5pm Sunday.

I dropped down on Friday hoping to grab a few photos before the predicted weather turned sour. Thankfully we were treated to a few welcome bursts of sunshine, which made for some great viewing and photography. As it turns out, today (Sunday) is shaping up as the best day to get along and soak it all in.

Today’s woody story focuses on the undercover displays and surrounding shore-side areas. Tomorrow we’ll bring you Part #2 — a full dockside walk-through featuring the boats afloat.

The festival is a visually stunning showcase, with around 80+ classic wooden craft on display along the docks. In an era where most marinas are locked away from the public 24/7, events like this provide a rare opportunity to get up close to these beautiful wooden boats and chat with the passionate owners and crews who keep them alive.

Pulling together an event of this scale doesn’t happen by accident. It takes hundreds of volunteers, organisers, exhibitors and supporters working behind the scenes to make it all happen.

Hats off to everyone involved — it’s a fantastic celebration of our wooden boating heritage.

WOODYS GALORE AT AUCKLAND’S WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL

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Woodys Galore At Auckland’s Wooden Boat Festival

If you’ve got even a hint of salt in your veins, make your way down to Auckland’s Viaduct (Jellicoe Harbour) this weekend for the Auckland wooden boat festival.

The festival is a true celebration of everything that makes the classic wooden boat community special.

Expect a visual spectacle of beautifully crafted wooden boats both afloat and on display ashore, alongside undercover exhibitions and a series of engaging talks and seminars from people who live and breathe wooden boats.

From elegant launches and yachts to working classics, it’s a weekend that showcases the craftsmanship, heritage, and camaraderie that define the woody boat world.

Best of all — Entry Is Completely FREE.

Check out the full festival programme here:
https://www.aucklandwoodenboatfestival.co.nz/festival-programme

SHOW STARTS FRIDAY 13th > 15th 

FRIDAY 4PM>8PM – SATURDAY & SUNDAY 10AM > 5PM

▽A FESTIVAL MUST DO▽

Regular WW readers will be familiar with my frustration around the plight of the Vos Boat Yard on Aucklands waterfront, well I’m pleased to advice that its now once again a working boatyard and home to the NZ Traditional Boatbuilding School. To celebrate the yard will be open to the public during this weekends Auckland wooden boat festival and the team from NZTBS will give visitors the chance to see traditional clinker construction and repair skills up close, demonstrating a live build of a kauri clinker Frostbite dinghy in the shed.  
DETAILS: Saturday, 14 and Sunday, 15 March, 10am-5pm  Percy Vos Boat Yard, 34 Hamer Street Wynyard Quarter Auckland CBD Free entry.   Find out more at: https://www.maritimemuseum.co.nz/events/percy-vos-boat-shed-open-day

CLASSIC WOODEN CANOE STERN LAUNCH – NAOMI

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CLASSIC WOODEN CANOE STERN LAUNCH – NAOMI

Last week WW was contacted by Graeme Carr concerning a launch named – NAOMI, now back in the day that was a popular name and it pops up several times in the WW archives. In Graeme’s opening correspondence he referred to the launch as NAOMI II, but subsequently came to the view that this name came from his sighting the tender that was being used with the boat when afloat was labeled the NAOMI II. But the likelihood is that the main boat was just named NAOMI and the tender was named NAOMI II, as is the often the case.

Graeme commented that he first encountered NAOMI when it was on the hard located at Daimond Harbour, quite a ways from the sea and in a somewhat sad state, refer photos one and two above (dated c.1995/6).
His intention was to buy the boat and relaunch. There were many conversations with the young owner but no deal as he wished to keep it. Graeme lost touch with it after that only to find that he had planted the seed of its sale and that the owner had sold it to an older gentleman who had repaired and re-floated it. 

Graeme later (2015) came upon it again moored at Cass Bay close to Lyttelton. Refer bottom photo.

Can we learn more about NAOMI, Graeme is aware that there were sister ships built but unfortunately all records were lost in a fire at the boat builders (Bailey Bros.).

LAST WEEKEND AUCKLAND’s CLASSIC YACHTING ENTHUSIAST’S HELD THEIR ANNUAL REGATTA – woody John Dawson sent in a link to a brilliant you tube video filmed and edited by Roger Mills that showcases some of the cities best classic yachts. Enjoy

CLASSIC MASON CLIPPER – HOTSPUR – REFURBISHED

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BMW D190

CLASSIC MASON CLIPPER – HOTSPUR – REFURBISHED 

Recently, woody Angus Rogers sent in the top photos of HOTSPUR , a recently restored 24’ Mason Clipper that calls the Outdoor Boating Centre (OBC) in Auckland home.

Angus pointed her owner – Fraser Elder in the direction WW and Fraser sent in the gallery of photos of HOTSPUR.

This wasn’t a fast project, in fact Fraser commented that from start to finish it was 9 years, fitting it between work and family commitments.

Some background – HOTSPUR was built c.1968/1969 and during the restoration, several bits of the timber in the boat were numbered (as in the photo with H15 on  the inside of the instrument panel) and they are numbered H15, H16 and H17. Fraser reinstalled these parts to keep the numbers in the boat. Puzzled about the presence of three numbers, Fraser spoke to Anne Mason about this, and was told ‘Oh that’s to be expected, we built the boats in threes’, so there was always an amount of cross pollination between the boats.

HOTSPUR was built with a fibreglass hull, after the first tranche of builds with a timber hull, but there is a lot of mahogany in her. During the restoration Fraser needed to replace a high percentage of that timber, using sapele, as real mahogany is no longer allowed to be sold because of the CITES agreement.

Before the restoration, she had a BMW D150 (around 140HP) diesel engine. However, this had several parts that were too corroded or rusted too be used and very hard, or impossible to replace because of the age of the engine. So Fraser installed the BMW D190 (around 180HP) that he had purchased along with the boat. It was also newer and had, he was told had been rebuilt, although this is later questioned. It is this engine that you see running in the boat after he had figured out the few issues he had getting the engine started.

The restoration was mainly completed around August 2022 after nine years but as with any of these restorations, there are still (mainly small) tasks to do, and things that Fraser will eventually get around to, including replacing some of the work he did in the early days, as he says he is now more skilled 🙂 and more knowledgeable about some the techniques to use.

LOCATION IS DOCKSIDE AT THE VIADUCT EVENTS CENTRE – DETAILS HERE https://www.auckland-boatshow.com

MYSTERY NORTHLAND WOODEN KAURI LAUNCH

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MYSTERY NORTHLAND WOODEN KAURI LAUNCH

Todays woody popped up on tme late last year (thanks Ian McDonald), at the time the starting bid was $300, sadly it didn’t sell.

What we learnt was she was 18’ in length, built from kauri carvel planking, and there was a Lees Marine Ford engine in her. Her fittings must have been worth the asking price, but the location – Maungaturoto, Northland, would have put people off + no trailer in the sale.

Anyone know more about the launch and what became of her.