In the above photos we see the launch Micheline – while both photos appear to be on the same day, they are tagged March 1967 and 1965 – obviously a typo. The photos come to us from the Tauranga City Library collection via Dean Wright.
Given that on Micheline’s stern she has her port as Tauranga, there is something strange going on – in the top photo she has either just come out of the shed or been hauled out. In the second photo she is being positioned onto a transporter. Maybe its as simple as going somewhere land based to have engine/s installed.
Can we ID the location and learn what became of Micheline.
UPDATE – Location is Hutcheson Boat Builders yard/slip by the Tauranga Harbour Bridge – opposite the Bridge Marina.
05-10-2023INPUT ex Dean Wright – Waimarie II, renamed Kiwi Cruiser, hit Tapeka one night in 2000 and was a total loss. This article says built by O&G in 1967 https://issuu.com/sunmedia/docs/wl1102/23
While most Kiwis heading to the northern hemisphere had France on the radar, Murray Deeble was swanning around Britain feeding his other addiction in life – classic automobiles eg the Silverston Classic Festival and the Goodwood Revival.
Luckily Murray took a few wrong turns and ended up in Windermere in Cumbria. Lake Windermere is found in the Lake District National Park and is Englands largest lake, more importantly it is home to ‘Windermere Jetty – an on-the-water museum of boats and steam launches built at a cost of 20 million pound.
Murrays photos above are just a snap shot – checkout the displays here
Today I wanted give you a heads up about an upcoming woody event – the 2023 Whangarei Maritime Festival , October 14>15th, at the Town Basin.
The venue is already a very cool destination for anything maritime based, but over the weekend it will buzz with non stop activities – 30+ boats on display, free boat rides, food and entertainment, trade displays, talks and movies, arts and crafts market. Check out the Festival Sound programme below + the link to the festival website.
Saturday is a big day for NZ – hopefully the nation awakes up and heads off to a polling booth. Depending on the result I’ll be at the festival on Sunday, if the worst happens on Saturday night, probably best I’m not behind the wheel of a vehicle – I’ll be investigating setting up bryonbaywoodys 🙂
The photo below has appeared many times on various social media sites, but this is the best reproduction I have seen – comes to us ex Dean Wright via the Tauranga Library collection.
Back in Sept 2021 John Newsham sent in the top photo above of the ex tug – Hercules that John photographed in the xmas 1987 period.
The second photo was sent in by John Dawson last week.
All we know about Hercules is that she is 50’ in length and was built by Howard Greenwood at his Whangateau boat shed.
Can anyone tell us more and whether Hercules is still afloat and where.
INPUT ex Mitchell Hutchings – Hercules was never a tug. She was designed by Denis Ganley for the late Joe MacArthur to be a cruising version of the Hudson River N.Y. tugs he loved. Hull built in steel by Howard Greenwood and finished with a beautiful wooden interior (some from the old Bean Rock lighthouse legs) by three boatbuilder mates at Joe’s property up the Paremoremo Creek. After many years of family cruising she was sold to a new owner who I believe took her to New Guinea. Engine is a lovely Gardner.
11am TODAY – BOAT BOOT SALE @ THE MILFORD SLIPWAY YARD – 5 OMANA RD, MILFORD – CASH ONLY
There will be limited stock of WW merchandise offered for purchaseto pre approved woodys 😉
Woody John Dawson sent in the top photo above of the 1922 Dick Lang built 36’ launch – Lady Adelaide. Seems her newish owner has been consulting the paint charts and decided a refresh was called for. Colour is a very personal thing and what colour your chose to paint your boat is your call, and at the end of the day its only paint so easily changed 🙂
Bottom photo was as purchased – lets do something different today and run a poll on what we think is the preferred look 🙂
CLICK ON THUMBS UP IF YOU LIKE THE NEW BLUE – THUMBS DOWN IF YOU PREFERRED THE MUSTARD COLOUR
Todays photo is dated Feb 1965 and comes to us from Dean Wright ex the Tauranga Library collection. No mention of the location or builder.
Back in Sept 2022 Dean commented on WW that Norseman was run as a charter boat out of Tutukaka by Phil Bendle for an extend period, these days home is a mooring at Rangitane, up the Kerikeri River.
Photo below taken by Dean in Sept 2022 in the Bay of Islands.
In Wellington there is a wonderful group of classic wooden boat enthusiasts that ‘reside’ under the umbrella of the ‘Wellington Classic Yacht Trust’ – they excel at everything and outshine the Auckland based Classic Yacht Association on so many fronts, particularly the 3 F’s – fun, friendship and fraternity. Recently the WCYT publicised on their website http://www.wcyt.org.nz/ a photo essay of classic craft from the Dow Collection. The photo above is one of the featured photos and is of Ngakuta Bay, Queen Charlotte Sound. The collection viewable in the link below is a selection from two albums owned by Doug Gow. It appears the person who took the photos was a crewman (name unknown) on the D Class cruisers HMS Diomede and HMS Dunedin and when off duty a crewed on various boats. The photos date to between 1928 and 1931.
THE REBIRTH OF CENTAURUS I often remark on WW that some boats get lucky in terms of owners and some sadly do not – Centaurus the 1969, 42’ Bailey & Sons bridge-decker is one of the lucky ones. A succession of owners have cared for her over the years, but even the best practices and intentions aren’t enough to ensure a 50+ year old wooden craft is 100% fit for purpose.
When Angus Rogers purchased Centaurus in late 2019, he had already compiled a ’To-Do’ list. Work started immediately on the projects that would make her more live able and comfortable for extended cruising. Fast forward to September 2020 and she was hauled out for an upgrade on systems and the installation of a bow and stern water thruster unit.
Fast forward to June 2021 and Centaurus was out again for a below the water-line back to bare wood refurbish.If you know Angus you will know that in-between all this there were dozens of other enhancements going on.
Fast forward to 2023 and the decision was made to undertake a refit that would see Centaurus live on for another 50 years. Initially most of the work was based around the decision to re-power with a new John Deere 175hp engine, this replaced the original Cummins V6 215hp that was the size and weight a small elephant. As anyone that has done a transplant knows, the to-do list just keeps growing…….
Below is a list of some of the work undertaken, I’m sure a few things got forgotten along the way, but its a tad scary. Well done Angus. WW has recorded a lot of the work over the last3 years, use the WW Search Box to view. Centaurus re-launched last week and looks stunning, ever the perfectionist Angus has another to-do list to finish her off, but he is under the pump to have her at the upcoming Woodys cruise to Clevedon on Sept 30th > .
Overview of recent work One new water tank, two new fuel tanks, all new plumbing and valves and fuel filter, fuel and water sight tubes and valves, new fuel breathers, new28x23 inch propellor, new and re-positioned motor water intake and toilet water intake and valves all Truedesign nylon and piping, new toilet outflow valve, new 175hp John Deere with ccv and a second alternator (Balmar 175 amp) engineered onto continuous belt, new 2.5:1 ZF gearbox, new fibreglass exhaust system, replaced exhaust on Webasto diesel heater with genuine Webasto parts, installed SaltAttack injection system for flushing motor, built dorade tubes for the 4 half funnels on the sides of the wheelhouse, created a soft closure hatch in the cabin top for the future when needed, new insulation for engine room hatches and around fuel tanks. Cleaned up all bilges under motor and painted white. Able to use existing shaft, dry seal and jack shaft which were all replaced two years ago. Anti-fouled hull and Propspeed to new prop.
HELP SAVE ORAKEI HARDSTAND + Happy Fathers Day Orakei Hardstand – We Need Your Support
The Auckland Council are seeking feedback on the changes at what was the Orakei Hardstand area. You will recall that the elected members on the Orakei Local Board controversially voted to scrap the hardstand and in their speak – adopt a transformation concept that would see the traditional hauling out of vessels for repairs and maintenance banned and the area converted to other use eg multi sport paddling centre , a park and other uses – BUT no haul out area.
So if you are worried about the demise of areas in Auckland to affordably haul out pleasure craft – please to do the following: 1. Click this link to open the on-line survey – note: there are only a few fields / questions (marked with an asterisk *) that require an answer. Also at the end they ask for a name – just make one up 🙂 and you do not have to enter our email address. SURVEY LINK https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/thelanding2023?tool=survey_tool&tool_id=feedback-form#tool_tab 2. On the form – first question – tick ‘Do Not Support’ 3. On the second page of the form, under the question – ‘Do you support retention of a short stay haul out and hardstand facility for boat cleaning and/or anti-foul application?’ – please tick – ‘Strongly Support’
Many thanks for taking the time to help complete the form – hopefully we will get enough support for the Auckland Council to review / revise the situation. And what ever the outcome – come the next local election – vote out the dullards who voted to scrap the bailout facility, particularly the chairperson who ‘drove thru’ the outcome for no hardstand.
Here are – those that voted to close the haul out – Remember at election time
Scott Milne • Sarah Powrie • Margaret Joyce • Angus McPhee • Penny Tucker
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