The photo above comes to us from Papers Past > NZ Herald 5 March, 1928 and show the 35’ launch – Ika after she had been salvaged and towed into Whangarei Harbour.
The launch had set out from Auckland on a fishing trip but her (near new) 15hp engine broke down near Tiritiri Island and she started to drift off shore. The weather on Tuesday 27 February 1928 saw her drift approx 50 miles and in addition she was taking on water. The crew of 3 put a mayday call out and the R.M.S. Niagara located Ika near the Hen & Chicken Islands. Her owner/crew made the difficult decision to abandon ship and Ika was left to drift with the expectation she would sink.
While the crew were steaming to Sydney aboard Niagara, the vessel Eva put out to salvage Ika and towed her to Whangarei.
Question of the day is – who designed / built Ika and what became of her
(Photo sent in by K Ricketts)
BAYSWATER 12M MARINA BERTH – SHORT TERM RENTAL / PURCHASE – very attractive pricing. Email waitematawoodys@gmail.com
SOORY FOR LATE POSTING OF YESTERDAYS STORY – I SET THE CLOCK TO PM INSTEAD OF AM
Last week B.O.I. woody Dean Wright popped into the CMC Design boat shed in Opua and snapped a few photos of the restoration of the 1927 Collings & Bell built launch – Alma G II. The last update was in May, link here to that story https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/01/restoration-of-alma-g-ii-begins/
The old girl is getting a serious refit, some diagonal planking being added to hold the old girl together 🙂 anything that gives her another 100 years of life is better than slowly decomposing on a swing mooring up some estuary .
Her Lees Ford has been reconditioned – check out this video of the test bed run.
My part time resident (1/2 year in Tasman area and the other 1/2 in Germany) has just returned to NZ and wasted no time checking out the Riwaka Inlet waterfront – todays photos shows a recent addition – the very funky Kahurangi Boat Shed Coffee House. Tied up alongside is the launch Aurora II. Rumour has it that you can get a good fix of caffeine there, when its open 🙂 (closed when John Burland was there).
The 38’ launch Aurora II was possibly built in 1927 by Collings & Bell, that is if we believe her 2016 tme listing. Thanks to Harold Kidd for the input on a WW story from Feb 2016 – link below
Auroroa II’s semi permeant spot at the end of the Riwaka Wharf has been taken by a launch that was once named ‘Hatterleys’ (last photo above) that at first glance has Lidgard written all over her. But a call to the 4sale phone number on the front screen told me it was built c.1960 in Whangarei, Northland by a M. Ryan. Anyone able to better ID her / confirm the build details. The seller is contactable on 021 026 23890 – if not sold by xmas she is off to the landfill 😦
08-12-2023 UPDATE ex John Burland
The owner of Aurora II is named Oli and he the back story to the boat is – Aurora II is 1923 built, kauri, worked as a whaler out of Akaroa, has a massive V8 up forward and that when the owner retired from whaling, he took off and replaced the superstructure and used her as a pleasure boat.
Oli was selling coffee from a the boat shed but the Tasman District Council (TDC) had issue with that so he moved the set-to the boat – But guess what ‘you can’t have commercial activities in a coastal environment (plus some other bylaw) and there is a $700 daily fine – so sadly the poplar cafe has now closed.
John commented Oli has a cart at the Motueka Sunday Market, so if you’re local, make sure you support Oli. (photos below ex JB)
The woody market currently seems to be very crowded with project boats that need finishing / saving, most have a price tag best describe by the somewhat famous line from the 1997 Australian movie The Castle – “Tell Him He’s Dreaming’. Well todays woody isn’t a dream, its good value at $500 ono.
Now there’s no motor but the tme story (thanks Ian McDonald) says there is one available for $3k but given its a Volvo 130hp to match the stern drive unit in the boat, you would probably be best to ditch both and start again 🙂
The launch is approx. 30’ and currently in the Taupo area and the trailer isn’t included in the price.
It stated that previously it was an icon of Lake Taupo so fingers crossed the Drake brothers can jump in with some more details.:-)
INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – This is REGARDETTE, formerly VENTURE, understood to be ex-Airforce. She has been at Taupo since the early 50’s I would say, or even earlier – possibly arriving soon after the finish of WW2. She had a Chrysler Crown which now lives in brother Michael’s shed. The Crown gearbox is now firmly bolted to the back of ROMANCE’s Chrysler Ace, where it is doing excellent service. Little else is known.
SPRAT – Spirit Of Tradition + Orakei Hardstand Good News
During one of my recent visits to The Slipway Milford I was intrigued to see a recent addition to the work schedule – the sprit of tradition 28′ launch – Sprat, designed by David Badham and built in 2008 bt Peter McLea in Kerikeri, Northland. Sprit’shull is double diagonal kaikatia with a thick coat of ‘paint’ (aka f/glass). The cabin structure is foam core composite with glass.
Sprat is in for a re-power and and tart up (my words for a varnish job) – I understand that in her next life she will be a fast commuter / day boat for a Hauraki Gulf island residence.
It would be nice to see more craft like Sprat being built, modern with a slant to the past. The Salthouse yard were there with their Nick Peal designed 33′ weekenders – link below
VERY GOOD NEWS – refer below – ex summary > the hardstand was thrown a lifeline. Here’s what was passed at the Orakei Local Board meeting
a) approve The Landing concept plan refresh as presented in Attachment A subject to two amendments to the plan that would reduce the planned passive green space area as described in d)i. and d)ii. below and outlined in Attachment E:
i) subject to commercial viability, retain approximately 50 per cent of the 2022 managed hardstand area (about 2,750 square metres, including the washdown pad and associated existing filtration system) to establish a smaller, flexible-use site for a short-stay haul-out facility (based on the presentation in Attachment E from the Young 88 Owners’ Association) to be used from May to December each year and the site being cleared and available for activations and major events from January to April, contingent on the approved operator providing the necessary infrastructure and a commensurate commercial return to the Ōrākei Local Board and operating to the highest industry standards in respect of water and air quality management
ii) if feasible, retain and utilise the existing filtration infrastructure and associated washdown pad to enable a cost-recovery wash-down facility for small recreational boat/water-craft users as they exit the boat ramp and sea-access ramp areas
iii) further to d)i request staff to undertake an expression of interest and other enabling processes to facilitate the establishment of a smaller flexible-use site for a short-stay haul-out facility as soon as possible with a view to commercial arrangements being in place from 1 July 2024, and to keep the local board informed of progress
b) request staff to report back before 30 June 2024 outlining an updated amended final plan incorporating d)ii., and, if commercially feasible, with a return to the Ōrākei Local Board incorporating d)i. to enable the local board’s decision making on the final plan configuration
Earlier in the week I was out east and called into Leader Boats on the Panmure River. Dave Patterson and his team are currently breathing newline into a launch named – Fantasia, previously she was ‘berthed’ near-by.
Fantasia started life as a Crestacraft design and was built by Harry Biddle in a shed in Saleyard Rd, Otahuhu c.1968.
She has had several face lifts over the years and at time been a little un-loved. Now is getting what I’d describe as a sport fisher look, check out the new sheer line – close your eyes and think Oliver & Gilpin. The boat was re-engined in 1978, with what I’m not sure – much to K Ricketts disgust, I’m never that interested in the engines.
Her owner commented to me that he only came in for a new duckboard and paint job 🙂 I said to Dave that he could always get a job at McDonalds i.e. he’s the champion of companion selling – “do you want fries with that” 🙂
Still very much a work in process but you can see from the photos what she will look like.
HAROLD KIDD INPUT – According to the contemporary APYMBA records FANTASIA was built in 1963 By B. Everett of 51 Kiwi Esplanade Mangere. No mention of a designer. Make of that what you will. Did Everett simply pay for her to be built? That’s not the normal way APYMBA recorded information. Did he finish off a hull perhaps?
WW cub reporter Jason Prew is mooching around the South Island on a 4×4 adventure (not really roughing it- refer photo below), in his travels he pointed the ute in the direction of Post Motueka. WW have done numerous stories on the area but normally in summer i.e. the boats are in the water. Thanks to Jason’s spring visit we get to see some of the woodys hauled out.
Would be nice if one of the southern woodys can put some names to the craft.
Visitors to {the} Slipway Milford yard last month would have seen the launch – Summer Wine hauled out getting a serious refresh in & out.
Summer Wine was designed and built be Noel May, Buckland Beach, launched in 1993 so slips into the spirit of tradition category .
The weather last Friday when she slipped back into the Milford creek as not very pleasant but she still looked very smart. Launch day photos via cadet WW photographer Jason Prew 😉
In the on the hard photos we also see the 1953 A Couldrey designed, Brin Wilson built launch – Endeavour , hauled out for some cardiac surgery – the engine is being reconditioned.
60′ Tooronga – owner by A/Cup skipper – Ian Murray
57′ Sinana
THE HALVORSEN STORY
Todays WW story comes to us via the crew at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival and features a video presentation by Tony MacKay on the legendary
Australian boat building dynasty – the Halvorsen family. Tony gave the presentation at the 2023 festival.
Some background on Tony – he has been on board Halvorsen boats all his life, having owned nine substantial cruisers, all of which were significantly and lovingly restored. Through his involvement with the Halvorsen Club, he has passed some of this passion and energy to like-minded owners of these beautiful craft, also assisting with the improvement of skills and historical information. He has also represented the family for significant events at the Australian National Maritime Museum, exhibitions, on water parades, birthdays and even eulogies. It has been a lasting passion.
Tony is a real character and has a very salty Australian vocabulary e.g when referring to a narrow beamed craft he said “it would roll on a wet lawn’.The photos above are just a taste of the many in the presentation – linked below – ENJOY.
Back in July Dean Wright sent in some photos of the launch – Nga Kiwa being relaunched at Opua in the Bay of Islands, link below to that story. At the time we learnt from Russell Ward that she was designed and built by Percy Vos and the original spelling was Ngakiwa. The launch had previously appeared on WW back in June 2013, link below) – lots of details and photos at both links + read the comments section.
Fast forward to September and I was contacted by John Oates a previous owner of the launch, John was ordering a WW burgee and made comment that he was a previous owner of Nga Kiwa. John offered up some photos of her during his ownership. Then yesterday an envelope arrived in the post with todays photos. I had a chuckle, not often these days you get sent prints and negatives 🙂
In an accompanying letter John mentioned that he is not sure of when he bought and sold her but the photos show her at the Slipway at the bottom of Roy and Irene Parris’ property Rawene Ave in Westmere. Roy did the boarding platform, the 2 poles on the transom, the rails forward and rebuilt the mast.
The photo on the grid is most likely taken during a pre-purchase inspection.
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