Back in Feb 2023 John Burland was marina mooching in Havelock and spotted the classic wooden launch – CORINNA , link below to that story.
Back then we learnt that she was probably a Jack Morgan design / build. Her first and long time owner was the Teece family.https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/02/28/corinna/Recently WW was contacted by Greg McDonald from Tots Marine Coatings in Havelock, Marlborough who advised that CORINNA was due in their shed for a full repaint and interior tidy up. I have chased Greg up for some photos and if anyone can tell us more about CORINNA we are keen to hear from you.
Leaving the Whangārei Maritime Festival on Saturday, I made the rookie mistake of thinking, “I know a shortcut.” I didn’t. Instead, I found myself deep in the industrial maze of Port Whangārei.
The upside? I stumbled across a couple of woodys hauled out at Oceania Marine — home to the biggest travel-lift I’ve ever laid eyes on.
Tucked away among a line-up of serious commercial tonnage was today’s mystery classic wooden launch. She’d clearly had some recent TLC and looked about ready to be splashed again.
I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the generous helping of zinc hanging off her stern gear… seems the message about no / over-zincing hasn’t quite made it this far north yet! 😅
So, woodys — what do we know about this mystery craft? Any sharp-eyed locals able to share her name and history?
15-10-2025 UPDATE ex owner – Launches name is VALIENT, once called PLAY-BOY, Possibly built by Bailey & Lowe. 32′ in length. Has spent several extend stints as a long-line fishing boat. Once owned by the RSA Fishing Club in Whangarei, they did the name change. In a previous life was moored in the Waitangi river. Currently powered by a Nissan diesel.Has undergone a rolling restoration with lots of structural work, which included over 800 new copper rivets.
WELL, THAT’S SORTED – TWO CLASSIC LAUNCHES NAMED MA CHERIE NOW IN AUCKLAND
Yesterdays WW story (scroll down to view) certainly delivered the goods in terms of clarifying the questions around two launches named MA CHERIE.
Firstly Murray Deeble advised that yesterdays launch is berth in the Milford marina, Auckland.
Then Dave Forrest contact WW re the other Ma CHERIE , as seen above, mentioned in yesterdays story – I’ll hand over to Dave – “My name is DaveForrest and I am the new owner of the vessel called MA-CHERIE and I have owned her since May this year. She is currently moored at Te Atatu , West Auckland. My MA CHERIE was built by Garth Lane in 1960/61 in Panmure , Aukland . Her name when first built was ma- Cherie then in 1999 her name was changed to ADI KUILA and went to Fiji as a charter boat. Then came back to NZ in 2001. Murray Sole from Whangamatā had her then. In 2002 a new owner was recored as S.C.R. Holdings Ltd in Te Atatu”
Dave also commented that he has an extensive documented history on the vessel. The WW link below from July 2014 has a great collection of older day photos , including her Fiji days. https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/08/22/adi-kuila/
Earlier in the week John Dawson sent in the above launch day photo of the classic wooden launch – MA CHERIE, a WW search threw up numerous stories linked to that name but none that match the above launch size and design.
There was a brief mention of a MaCherie being built in the early 1960’s at the Visa Ship Yard in Tauranga for a Don Shattock. The Visa name may be a typo as I recall a Tauranga boatbuilder named Bill Visser, who possibly worked at Kingfisher Boats – sorry for any confusion – hopefully we can clarify todays launch heritage.
I have very few regrets in life and only one when it comes to classic wooden boats. What is it ? – not buying the 36’ Arch Logan launch NGAIO when I had the opportunity.BUT – hand on heart, NGAIO went to a better owner, Jan Barraclough.
Over recent years Jan has undertaken what we call a rolling restoration – and the centenarian has never looked better. BUT – there’s my better and Jans better, so currently NGAIO is undergoing a major refit to return her helm / cockpit area closer to as-built allowing for some creature (height) comforts.
Artisan classic boatbuilder Paul Tingey started on the project this week and no time was wasted in removing her existing ’structure’. Given the presentation of the existing structure, photos below, most of us would have been very happy as is, but not Jan and we admire her for commissioning the work and look forward to the re-launch.
Check in for updates.
20-10-2025 UPDATE – work continues, today we see the reinstatement of a tram-top window to match her earlier style. Also we see the ‘brains’ trust pondering and a photo from her early days.
REVIVING A CLASSIC – INSIDE LEADER BOATBUILDERS AS FANTASIA PREPARES TO LAUNCH
Back in November 2023 I was mooching around Leader Boatbuilders on the Panmure River and Dave Patterson showed me around the 36’ 1968 (possibly 1963), Harry Biddle built (to a Crestcraft design) launch FANTASIA . Link to the 2023 story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/11/16/fantasia/
Today thanks to Mark McLaughlin’s visit to the shed last week and his guided tour from Ken we get to see what’s been happening to FANTASIA in the last 3 years. If I recall she came into the shed for a paint job, and now look at her – close to relaunching after an extensive refit 🙂 We love companion selling e.g. “Would You Like Frys With That?”
Mark commented that the new hull colour gets his tick of approval and I agree. We need more colour afloat – the bias for white-on-white must make Coastguards work a challenge .
Photos below from the past and prior to entering the shed + 2023 work in progress.
INPUT ex NATHAN HERBERT – I understand that these were Customcraft. Crestacraft were fibreglass trailer boats
LOOKING FOR INTEL ON THE CLASSIC LAUNCH GRAHAM JOHN > WLLIAM STEER > HIPPOCAMPUS
Back in Nov 2022 we ran a story on the the launch – WILLIAM STEER, via the WW comments section and numerous fb pages we have learnt that she was built by Don Clarke in the late 1950’s in Motueka and launched in c.1961. As launched she was 36’ in lengthened powered by a Ford 6 cyl. diesel engine. Shortly afterwards she was acquired by the Drummond family in Golden Bay, who changed her name to GRAHAM JOHN. The Drummonds extended her (6’) and repowered her. She ‘worked’ as a scallop boat.
Unsure of the dates but ownership changed to the McFedries family, father Don and son Brett had we in the Tasman Bay / Marlbourgh Sounds region.
In 2022 we learnt that the boat was owned by Hagar Parvin (purchased off Don McFedries)who had renamed her HIPPOCAMPUS and was undertaking refit.
Colin Starines (nephew of Don C) once commented that he has no record of the boating being named WILLIAM STEER, would be nice to clarify that.
Can anyone update WW on where the launch is now – Napier?
INPUT ex MIKE O’DWYER – Hippocampus is now owned by Mark Parvin, who, with the help of his father Peter, resheathed the hull in ply/glass. The rest of the boat was brought up to a weather-tight condition as well. The boat is currently moored on the piles by the Napier Sailing Club.
And FYI the ex- Greymouth Pilot boat William Steer was moored here in Napier a while back. The owner at the time was converting to live aboard. Up North somewhere last I heard.
WATERFRONT HAPPENINGS
News this week that the Auckland wooden boat festival is returning in 2026 to the viaduct. Dates are March 13 >15th. More details at the event web site https://www.aucklandwoodenboatfestival.co.nz/
Organisers are looking for suitable classic wooden craft for inclusion, application process / form on the website.
RESTORATION OF THE SOUTHERN WOODEN LAUNCH – NANCY LEE
Another woody story from my new hunting ground, the ‘Memories of Abel Tasman National Park’ fb page.
Todays classic wooden launch is named NANCY LEE and the photos come to us from a Sept 2020 fb post by Darryl Wilson, via John Burland.
At the time of the post the NANCY LEE was under going a restoration at the hands of Marc Wilson and Craig Hyland,the location of the work was Port Motueka Marine Services. Looks like a big labour commitment taking her back to bare wood.
Then in 2021 Margaret posted an update, as seen in the 4th photo above, but commented that there was a wee way to go before she is back in the Riwaka Estuary.
Can we learn what happened after 2021, did she get finished and if so where is NANCY LEE now.
AND PROMISE – NO MORE Abel Tasman stories for a while 🙂
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