Every so often we get approach to find new custodians for woody craft, mostly it is a pile of firewood but sometimes its gold.
Woody Alistair McRae) owner of Lady Margaret (ex Lady Mary, ex Happy Wanderer) contacted me regarding a 23’ classic open day boat that has been stored under a cover in one of his sheds for a number of years.
Not a lot is known about her past but the exterior of the hull planking has been scraped and pretty much all paint has been removed. The interior and deck has been rebuilt to what appears to be a high standard. There is no motor, steering or wiring. Her beam is 6’9”. With a nice small Yanmar fitted she would be a perfect lake boat or Bay of Islands picnic boat.
All of the hard (and expensive) work has been done – I understand the owner is looking for a buy price of $5,500 – that woodys is a bargain. Buy her, pop in storage until winter, and relaunch in Spring.
I would be amazed if Cam from {the} Slipway Milford doesn’t snap her up, perfect wet day inside work for the team 🙂
Circle Saturday 24th Feb in the diary – the Te Atatu Boating Club are hosting a yard sale – full details in the poster below. Come along and grab a bargain to book a spot to sell your stuff.
Back in June 2016 Steve Horsley was on the verge of selling his 1904 Charles Bailey Jnr built 49’ B-Class gaffer – Ngatira, link below to that story. Thankfully he didn’t and not long after he hauled her home onto the front lawn for a few wee jobs. June 2016 https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/06/14/20032/
As so often happens the To Do list kept growing and next thing Steve’s into a total refit. Long term WW readers will remember Steve previously rebuilt Ngatira almost single handed. He is a seriously talent man and puts a lot of ’tradesman’ to shame.
I caught up with Steve over the weekend at the Mahurangi Regatta, Steve is a past commodore of the Mahurangi Cruising Club and produces their stunning year book.
I asked Steve how the few wee jobs were coming along and he shared the above photos. Ngatira is now closed in and the varnish (Uroxsys) is getting applied.
Steves gifted with a very considerate wife – Jo, not many would up up with a 1904 collection of kauri planks to remain at the front door for several years 🙂
I was brave and asked for an ETA back in the water – all I could get was soon Houghty, soon 🙂
23-09-2024 UDATE – Its been a long winter but owner Steve reports that its all down hill now and he will be splashing this summer – fingers crossed.
During the week to woodys Jeff Norris and Dave Stanaway sent in photos of the very salty looking woody launch – Seagull, that was hauled out at Dargarville on the West Coast of the North Island for some TLC.
Both gents commented that Seagull had an ex lifeboat, maybe even surf-boat look to her, but thats all they could add, so super keen to learn more about her.
07-2-2024 INPUT EX OWNER - Hi I am the owner of Seagull, pictures of her on the Doraville slipway in a post a couple of weeks back.
She was built in England 1900 -1904 as an admiralty barge, She was bought to NZ as a ships lifeboat. Spent the first 70 years of her life on the Kaipra , I bought her from Waiheke Island and bought her “Home”. She has had 4 names during her life. Seagull, Her launch and present name, Lady Irene, Spicer, and Rakapi.
Mahurangi Regatta Classic Woody Launch Parade
Will be sliding up the coast later today for the 2024 Mahurangi Regatta and the classic woody launch parade on Saturday morning – need to knows below
10.15am ASSEMBLE OFF SCOTTS LANDING
10.30AM HEAD OFF IN INDIAN FILE TOWARDS SULLIVANS BEACH
Note: there will be a clearly marked lead vessel and at Sullivans a MCC craft (probably a landing craft named- J Barry Ferguson) will pilot the woody fleet for two circuits of the bay.
COMMS: VHF CHANNEL 17
PHOTOS – SMILE AND WAVE IF YOU ARE NEAR RAINDANCE 🙂
Back in late December 2023 we reported on the 28’, Lanes (Picton) built woody – Waione that had been in storage in a shed in Mapu, Nelson for 50+ years – link here to that story https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/12/21/waione-2/
At the time John Burland had promised to track her down, which he did with his friend Patrick. The above photos come to us from that days outing.
Patrick also included his observations from the visit:
“Well I went to inspect the Waione a few days ago and she’s securely parked in a shed and you know it’s been well covered, out of the water for a long period I think 30 years and the paint basically has all been stripped off so it’s a bare hull. Construction is kauri and seems to be double skinned, the inner skin is diagonal and the outer planking is end to end or a longitude carvel arrangement, she has a long keel and a counter stern, quite a small volume boat. I think built by Lanes in Picton, so she would’ve been designed for the Marlborough Sounds before there was much access via road so would’ve been designed to to operate pretty economically with a small 5 to 10 hp engine, some sail arrangement plus large oars or sweeps as they called them in those days to propel the boat and manoeuvre it should the engine fail or docking or whatever. Some of the first engines didn’t even have a reverse gear so you were up against it a bit for manoeuvrability, but it would’ve been a very easily driven boat being quite narrow and very fuel economic and quite fast for the time. That sort of a classic early 20th century design with tram cab arrangement in the higher part of the cabin and then a curved front to the the cabin not a lot of room inside it but a very sweet little boat and seems to be in reasonably sound condition. And I would say a relatively easy restoration as far as restorations go, a little bit of dry rot on the cabin top and things around some of the work around the hatch at the companion way probably a little bit not keeping with the times made of not solid timber, but overall it’s amazingly original and so I think it would be a very worthwhile and enjoyable project for anyone who who was keen to take something of that nature on. The caulking that would all need to be redone, it’ll all need to be re-caulked and primed and painted and possibly refastened, no doubt and just a good going over really, but there didn’t appear to be any worm in the keel or or anything. The propeller shaft, propeller and rudder are all in place. The oval portholes and the fore cabin were still serviceable and able to be to be restored to their former glory I would say and it’ll be a lovely little craft once it was operating again and quite practical and useful for you in sheltered waters so I would recommend anyone that was interested in that sort of boat and had the desire to keep a little bit of our maritime history going would be well worth a look at.”
With 2023 being the worst boating year that I can recall, whilst I held high hopes I also was semi expecting another fizzer – well as most of you will know the Christmas – NY period turned out to be a winner for those that slipped the lines and headed away. Other than New Years eve being very wet (but warm) we enjoyed great launch cruising conditions. Not always perfect but if you picked a spot that suited the wind and travelled at times when conditions were settled it was never unpleasant. I put my faith in PredictWind and they delivered.
We left the marina on the 27th Dec. and chose Woody Bay, RAKINO ISLAND for Night One. Sundown drinks aboard Jenny and Angus Rogers stunning classic launch – Centaurus. Stunning sunset (as above)
Day Two was also spent in Woody Day as the wind had picked up, but very sheltered in the bay + the call had gone out for pizza from the islands Woody Bay Pizzeria, truely the best pizza’s I have eaten.
Day Three we moved around the corner to West Bay as the forecast had a W in it which isn’t normally a good thing at Rakino – very quiet in the bay so again secured a good spot and sent Day Three and Four there.
Morning of the 30th, Day Four was decision time – head north to KAWAU ISLAND or south to WAIHEKE ISLAND – forecast was turning south so WAIHEKE was probably the better call but me stuck with the original plan and head to KAWAU, Raindance is at her best when everything on the nose so it was an ok passage. We choose to anchor for the day / night in Bostaquet Bay , a first for me, and can report a very nice anchorage and again very few boats.
Day Five (31st) we headed over to Bon Accord Harbour and took up residence on one of the RNZYS club moorings just off Lidgard House in Smelter House Bay. Plan was NYE at the recently refurbished and re-opened Kawau Boating Club. Slight problem, the power had been off on the island for 24+ hours so club closed 😦
As we relaxed onboard several helicopters were flying overhead with all manner of kit dangling below – ladders, tool boxes etc – Around 3pm power returned and thank god the back up generator had kept the beer frig working 🙂 . But the rain arrived and continued non-stop most of the night. KBC appeared to get well supported but people tended to come ashore for a meal and retreat to the boat.
Day Six was a lazy day mooching around the island and back to the mooring + KBC
Day Seven we head south to WAIHEKE ISLAND and spent the day in Oneroa re provisioning and hosting some friends from Devonport for drinks, then catching up with Waiheke friends ashore.
Day Eight a lazy day exploring WAIHEKE and moved to Hekerua Bay for the evening. I crossed the dark side and had drinks onboard another friends new non wood boat – putting aside the construction it was very grand (ice maker + water maker – 200L a day) our pup was very taken with the ability to do 360° laps of the boat.
The plan was to head down to the ‘bottom end’ the next day but the forecast included a H & a E so the decision was made to head home after another lazy day, on Day Nine.
The trip restored my faith in owner a boat and helped make 2023 a distant memory.
There is so many photos that I have divided the trip report into two sections, Part One = the trip and Part Two (tomorrow) = the classic boats that were out and about. Todays story is broken up by location – ENJOY
(And sorry for the lengthy, slightly over-the-top title but there are key words that do wonders for the overseas search engines)
The 28’ David Bedham designed spirit of tradition launch that we featured on WW back in November 2023, link below it nearing completion at the Slipway yard in Milford.
Will be a very smart and fast addition to the Waitemata Harbour, were her intended use is as a fast island commuter.
If the weather gods have been nice to me I’ll be in residence at KBC tonight- checked out the photos above of the recent (winter of 2023) refurbishment – the club / bar is looking its best ever. Big shout out to everyone involved.
BUT – these things come at a cost – so if you are cruising about Kawau _
1. Call in for a fizzy drink and /or meal – all welcome
2. Consider joining the club while you are there – we need your support.
Happy New Year Woodys 🙂
UPDATE – Dinner was very good. Scallops & Salad and the kiwi classic- fish & chips
Any boatbuilder that had a tool chest like the above you would have to feel confident having them working on your boat 🙂 I spotted the crest recently at Leader Boat Builders in Panmure. I’m sure a reader will comment on who the owner is.
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