One of my Gulf Harbour spies sent in todays photo of the launch – ECHO, he spotted her late last year hauled out at the Gulf Harbour Marina in Auckland.
Now hopefully I’m right in saying its a woody, could be ply/f-glass or even worse pure white plastic…….
Her size lets her get away with the flying bridge and sun shade. Smart looking craft.
Can we learn more about ECHO.
INPUT ex ANGUS ROGERS – photos below taken during her pervious owners period.
28-02-2026 INPUT ex ALAN SEXTON – ARTICLE BELOW EX SEA SPRAY MAGAZINE MAY 19991
UPCOMING AUCKLAND ON-THE-WATER BOAT SHOW – 5>8 MARCH If your looking for classic wooden boats you will looking for a long time but if you need a new – tender, outboard, safety gear, bbq, electronics, VHF etc – this is the boat show for you. Personally I always seem to find something I didn’t know I needed for the boat 🙂 Its a very professional run show and a great opportunity to see the latest and greatest marine related goods – just do not buy a white plastic boat 🙂
During the second half of 2025 Sven Wiig was undertaking in Wellington a major refit on the ex work boat ARIANA , previously named GLENROWAN and TE KAWAU. WW covered the project in three parts – links below. Last week Sven updated WW on the final push to getting her back in the water.. As we learnt previously Sven has reverted back to the original name – TE KAWAU, we like that 🙂
As previously I will hand over to Sven to tell the story. Enjoy – its a great read.
“Time for an update on the Te Kawau project. Winter had me up in Auckland with work. Returning to Wellington in the early spring I got back into the project with fresh energy. First up was the wheelhouse sole. I built a new structure and cut out hardwood ply to line it. Pretty basic but a vast improvement on what had been there. The small cabin I had created out of the old fish hold got the same treatment.
Time to move outside. First up I fitted a hardwood seat to the stern. This was a request from Jessica. She has visions of lunches out on the rear deck.
With these projects out of the way and summer rapidly approaching it was time to get started on the hull.
I started scraping the old antifoul off. Two or three days passed and I had less than a third of the starboard side stripped. Was definitely going to need to find a more efficient process. I experimented with a heat gun and various sanders no luck the old paint was rock solid. Eventually I settled on burning the paint off with a LPG torch. Much more efficient but slightly terrifying. In the space of a couple of weeks I had the whole hull back to bare timber. I raked all the seams out discovering that the whole garboard had previously been filled with mortar. Apparently, this was quite common on old work boats. It had however really damaged the edges of the seam. I decided that it needed some repair and most of it was tidied up and I glued Kauri splines onto the plank edge. There were several other areas that needed a similar treatment. I also removed all the old skin fittings and through-hulls. All seams were given a coat of red lead paint.
I then got a lesson in caulking from one of the old boat builders who is often around the yard. With this new knowledge I set about re-caulking the boat. This is a task that I had been dreading as it had seemed like a dark art, with people warning me it was hard. As it turns out I quickly got a feel for it and fortunately my brother arrived for his summer visit just in time to finish the caulking and get the seams puttied. The putty proved to be much harder work than the caulking. As my boat builder friend advised me “If your hands aren’t aching at the end of the day you are doing it wrong.” A couple of weeks later I had the first coats of primer on and Te Kawau was looking better than she had in a long time.
The race was now on to get her in the water before my next work project started. The systems all needed sorting out. I spent a couple of weeks plumbing the new tanks sorting out wiring, installing a new hydraulic steering system, etc, etc. Antifouling and propspeed were applied and finally she was ready for launch. Couldn’t quite believe that I had got to this point. There were plenty of times along the journey that I thought she was never going back it the water. One fine Sunday in early February with little drama she was put back in the water. I was expecting that she would have water gushing in but as it turns out the water ingress was not too dramatic and slowly she is taking up.
There is still plenty to do. The interior has to go back in and both sleeping cabins will need fitting out but in the mean time we can get out and enjoy her.
PAIHIA – BAY of ISLAND – PLEASANTLY SURPRISED I haven’t been to Paihia in a very long time, like 35+ years, tend to dodge it when driving north + I do not have good memories having nearly bleed out in an encounter between a plate glass door and an artery. We traveled north to perform babysitting duties while daughter was doing bridesmaid duties at a wedding. While still a tab OTT touristy / Rotovegas, I was impressed. Won’t bore you with too much but Sunday breakfast at Zane Grey’s, over the water was very good on all fronts – location, setting, service, food and price. Only spotted one woody at anchor.
WHAT DO ALL THESE CLASSIC WOODEN CRAFT HAVE IN COMMON
As I have noted recently on WW the classic wooden boating scene in the Bay of Islands is experiencing a re-birth. Seems one in three woodys the Wooden Boat Bureau has sold in the last 2 years has headed north. And recently the woody skippers have been organising events to show case the woody movement in the B.O.I. – we like that.
At the recent Russell Tall Ships Regatta on the Friday prior to the sailing regatta there was a Classic Launch Parade that had 13 woodys participating. Post the parade one of the skippers pointed out the % of woody craft that owed their good looks to time spent at the CMC Design – Boatbuilders Opua yard. So I did a count and in recent times and in no particular order the following woodys have been under the care of the talented crew at CMC Design – LADY CROSSLEY, KORAWAI, OTEHEI, MARLINE and ALMA G II.
Now they aren’t the only boatbuilders up north but they seem to get the cream of the work. When you factor in haul-out yard costs in the greater Auckland area, a wee road trip on one of the specialist boat haulage trucks isn’t the budget stumbling block it once was.
If todays WW story reads like an ad, I suppose it is, I’m passionate about seeing our classic fleet get the TLC they deserve. Check out the CMC website – some great work-in-process photos on their work + its not all boats, some stunning architectural and commercial wood work. https://www.cmcdesign.co.nz/marine
28-02-2026 UPDATE – video below of the LADY CROSSLEY project
Dropped into the Slipway Milford earlier in the week and the timing was perfect – the Dick Lang built launch NGAHI was being hauled out for some TLC and system improvements.
In previous WW stories there has been a lot of debate re the boats provenance, would be nice to confirm the builder and put a year to launching.
The Slipway Milford had a full quota of woodys on the yard – the JB Brooke designed and built yacht – GLEAM, now back in the Brooke family armada.
Along side NGAHI is the 35’6” Lane Motor Boat Co. 1945 launch – HANI (Wanda II) getting some serious TLC.
Both GLEAM and HANI are on display at next months Auckland Wooden Boat Festival, no doubt the marine chandlers are doing a good trade in varnish at the moment 🙂
SERIOUSLY……………… During a peek down below on NGAHI I spotted some VERY dodgy fittings – refer below. No seacocks and single jubilee clips the only thing between floating and joining the submariners club……………. you’d like to think this wasn’t a ‘professional’ installation.
UPDATE – That was quick, looking more fitting of an ocean going craft 😉
Recently Glen Martin was riding through Helensville on his bike and stopped at the cruising club for a beer and pulled the camera out. Given that some are daytime and some night it must have been a few beers – hopefully not riding the bike post.
Recently on WW Grant MacKinnon posted the comment below (edited), Grant has just supplied photos of the items – so big ask but maybe someone can help confirm or end Grant’s speculation.
“We are doing a long walk around the South Island by beach and coastline and come across all sorts of things washed up. Recently we found an old ships spar or something, washed up on the beach between Fortrose and Tiwai Point, Southland. It has old style wooden pegs and lashed-lugs(?).
We need some help with its identification, if anyone knows who and how to find out please? It is very old. I went back and got it as my family were Meiklejohns and the first boat they built on arrival at Omaha was the “Pioneer” which wrecked at Fortrose in 1883. It would be exciting if it was off that. Thank you, any pointers would be very much appreciated.”
IT’S NOT WOOD BUT IT TICKS ALL MY CLASSIC BOXES While at Rakino Island on Saturday, the magnificent craft seen above was at anchor. Woody boat chat told me that she was a tender to a SUPER Superyacht visiting NZ from some TLC and maintenance. I missed seeing the superycht but a quick ChatGPT search answered my questions on STARGAZER (home port Georgetown). Check out the size of the props – zoom zoom 😉
“The classic yacht tender Stargazer — the 23 m (approximately 75 ft) chase boat/tender built to support a large sailing superyacht — was built by theDutch shipyard Claasen Shipyards in collaboration with Vitters Shipyard.
The vessel was constructed at Claasen Shipyards in the Netherlands, with Vitters Shipyard working together on the project.
It was designed by Hoek Design Naval Architects, who handled the naval architecture, structural engineering, and exterior and interior design.
This collaboration marked the first new-build project between Claasen and Vitters, resulting in a classic-lined, aluminium-hulled motor yacht used as a tender for transporting guests, serving as a diving platform and providing extra accommodation.”
INPUT ex GRAEME FINCH – photo beow of the ‘mothership’. Given the 75′ length of the tender, I assume somewhere there as a ‘supply ship’ that transported the toys.
REMEMBER – LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC AND WOODEN BOAT PARADE THIS SATURDAY
Just before xmas WAIREKA was popped back in the water (Bay of Islands) looking stunning. Looking forward to getting some interior photos ………… hint hint 🙂
16-02-2026 UPDATE – A sneal peek at the interior – floor coverings to come.
Back in mid 2024 the owners of the 32’ Chas Bailey Jnr, 1926 built bridge-decker launch – HOPAI were looking for someone to step up and take over the rebuild of the vessel.
The rebuild had been an ongoing project for an extended period and her owner was unable to complete the project. I believe her hull has been f/glassed…..
Does anyone know what happened to HOPAI, hopefully now in the care of someone finishing the work, or is she still in a shed in Kaukapakapa.
REMEMBER SAT 7TH FEB – LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE
On Friday I point the car north for a quick trip to Sandspit Marina for the relaunch of the 36′ classic wooden launch ALMEDIA. Some background – built by Alan (Snow) Waters in approx. 1972, designer unconfirmed but most likely by Walters himself with design leanings to John (Jack) Brooke.
Single skin strip plank hull and decks appear to be 2 layers of tongue & groove. She is powered by a 6 cylinder Ford. Home has been the Matakana River for 25+ years. Owner Kim needs a medal for his work ethic, the dock chat was that it was the speediest haul out and work schedule seen at the yard. Started on Dec 22nd 2025 = 4 weeks turnaround. Possibly helped by the self imposed rule ‘ No Beers Till Launch Day’ 🙂 Pre launching I caught up with Gregs Lees and his team at Lees Boatbuilders, Greg reports a healthy calendar of work to start the year, so thats good news for the wooden boating movement.
UPDATE FEB2026 – nice to she her out and about, at anchor in Bon Accord, Kawau Island. Photos ex Angus Rogers
REMEMBER TO PICK UP A COPY OF THE 2026 MAHURANGI CRUISING CLUB YEAR BOOK – 4SALE AT THE PRIZE GIVING – ONLY $20
Todays woody story features the 35’ ketch rigged motorsailer- SOUTHERN BELLA, launched in 1960. She featured in the August 1961 edition of Sea Spray magazine.
In the top photo we see her preparing for launching at the Devonport Yacht Club. In the Sea Spray article , below, they described her as amateur designed and built by Barney and Peter Soljak (father & Son), alongside they Devonport home.
When launched she was powered by a 50hp BMC Commodore Diesel engine + a 4.5hp Lister auxiliary engine.
(Story and photos ex Sea Spray magazine via Ken Ricketts)
Southern Belle and Raiona B.O.I. – date unknown
Back in 2019 in another story, DYC related, Chris Leech commented at SOUTHERN BELLE had suffered fire damage and been restored. Chris supplied to photos , the first hauled out at DYC and afloat post repairs. Can we learn more about what happened and what became of SOUTHERN BELLE after this.
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