Category Archives: Boat Sheds

Mystery Lake Taupo Launches

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Mystery Lake Taupo Launches

Todays woody photo has a launch leaving the Waikato River at Taupo for an excursion on the lake. The photo appeared in The NZ Herald on the 9th January 1937.

And woodys that is all we know, so keen to ID the launch and also the sedan cruiser in the background.

I suspect my inbox will ping me an alert from one of the Drake brothers with the answers 🙂

INPUT ex Nigel Drake – In my view the boat leaving the harbour is Waihora and the sedan launch on the beach is probably Destiny. Will leave someone else to hopefully confirm and provide more detail.

INPUT ex Paul Drake – Yes the above is a great photo of WAIHORA, run commercially by a Mr Tabernacle (Tabby) who was an A grade mechanic and the only person in New Zealand qualified to work on Rolls Royce engines. WAIHORA had a Chrysler Ace or possibly a Chrysler Crown. Last seen at Lake Rotoiti in the early 1980’s with the usual ugly plywood cabin but not seen for many years. 

I don’t think the other boat is DESTINY.

Photo below of WAIHORA at Lake Rotoiti dated Feb 8th 1983.

03-09-2023 INPUT ex Michael Drake – I agree that the launch in the foreground is Waihora, going far too fast in the river and with two fenders still down. But I doubt if the sedan launch in the background is Destiny, as the launch in the photo is too highly wooded at the stern, and the Destiny’ s cabin sides were visually lower than shown in the photo.

WOODYS BOAT BOOT SALE – SPACE FILLING UP – RSVP TODAY to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Work Boat Wednesday – Seastar + Fathers Day Sorted

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Work Boat Wednesday – Seastar + Fathers Day Sorted

Todays woody photo comes to us from the Tauranga Museum collection via Dean Wright. The vessel on the slipway is Seastar, and her home port is shown as Gisborne. The photo is tagged May 1965 and that woodys is all we known. Fingers crossed that one of the Work-Boat group can help out with some details.

Sick Of Getting Socks For Fathers Day

This year grab the reins and tell the family what you really want. Today is the un-offical launch of the new waitematawoodys burgee – a long time in the making but I picked the first batch up yesterday. I’ll do a longer story on them later but the quick over view is – 100% canvas, printed 2 sides with the Waitemata Woodys logo using old-school screen printing methods = long lasting. Size is 40cm x 30cm. Sorry about the bad mast photo, no wind yesterday -:) See flyer below – Burgees are $40, caps $38. P&P is $7 – Buy both and WW will pay the P&P. Email orders to waitematawoodys@gmail.com with your address and we will send them off and let you know payment details etc.

BONITA  – Only In The South + Boat Boot Sale

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BONITA  – Only In The South

Cameron Pollard sent in the top photo of – Bonita, seen here in the Marlborough Sounds c.1985. Bonita was built in 1923 by ER Lane in Picton, her specs are 36’ in length with a beam of 8’6”.

The second photo is from the 1960> period and the last from 2022 when she had just had a major birthday prior to selling.

There is a wonderful history of the vessel in the WW links below.

The History of Bonita
Bonita

UPDATE 30-08-2023 – Input ex Cameron Pollard. Photos of Bonita as launched and later pics from the 1960’s.

BOAT BOOT SALE – THE SLIPWAY MILFORD – SEPT 16 – 11am

Ronaki – Collings & Bell

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RONAKI – Collings & Bell

In my communications with Sue Rivington re Sundays story on the launch – Leone, we uncovered that her grandfather also owned the launch – Ronaki. There are several vessels with that name on WW, but this one last appeared on WW back in August 2015, the two photos below ex the team at Whangateau Traditional Boat Yard are from then when Ronaki was jn storage in Ruakaka, Northland.  At the time we learnt that she was built as a fast harbour launch by Collings & Bell for the Auckland Harbour Board in January 1913, a 38 footer powered by a big 55-75 hp H.C. Doman marine engine with a max of 14 knots.

The last photo above is of her, ex Ron Watton, during her sea trial. After many years of service with AHB she was sold to G Hyauiason  (Sue Rivington’s grandfather) who had her bridgedeckerised.

The RNZN took her over in 1942 for control service (at the boom, HDK thinks) but sold her in 1944 to J.A. Collins. Harold’s uncle – Lou Wilson, MD of Morris Black & Matheson bought her soon after that. The AHB bought her back subsequently and fitted a Leyland.

The photos above come to us ex Sue’s family album/s, Sue commented that the background in several of the photos is at Sandspit. They used to own the farm there above the Motor Camp and out down the point to Brick Bay and around to Kanuka Road. Sue’s father sold the farm to developers in 2015 – now a subdivision. There maybe more than one launch in todays photo gallery – I would appreciate your views on the below and anything else that you see-
1. Are the launches #746 and #1661 the same launch

2. Is #748 the ‘bridgedeckerised’ launch Harold refers to above

3. Is the dark hulled launch another launch or part of the evolution of Ronaki

Back in 2017 WW got two comments added to the 2015 story. A Graham Watt advised that he owned Ronaki from 1969 > 1971, when he purchased her she was moored off Little Bucklands Beach. Graham immediatly undertook repairs to the boat at Westhaven as she was very ‘run-down’. Back then a Perkins P6 powered hr. The second comment was from a gent named Grant advising that Ronaki was on the hard at Mangapai, Whangarei, Northland and work was underway to refit her. We haven’t heard anything since then so very keen to learn the status of Ronaki.

INPUT ex Nathan Herbert – Three boats shown: First one possibly Miss Aussie then progress photos of the single-sheer Ronaki being rebuilt into raised foredeck bridge-decker. Third and dark painted boat is the Iorana in original guise.

Leone – Where Is She

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LEONE – Where Is She

WW was contacted yesterday by Sue Rivington who advised that she has been going through the family photos and albums and she came across the gems above. 

The boat is – Leone that belonged to Sue’s Grandfather George Hyauiason many years ago – unfortunately Sue is not sure when. But she would love 

any information on her or details on what became of Leone.

Sue also commented that her Grandfather also owned the ‘Ronaki’ – I have asked for some more intel so we can ID which particular Ronaki it was – there is a promise of photos so fingers crossed.  

The Ponsonby Cruising Club + Collings & Bell yard / wharf / railway photo is a doozy – so many boats, so few names.

So woodys can we help Sue out in her quest for intel on Leone.

LOOKING FOR

One of the woody gang is on the hunt for 2 switches as per the photo below – (L) photo is a good one (R) photo has the knob broken off – anyone got two/one laying around?

Woody On Tour – Rhode Island, USA

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Thania
Thania

Woody On Tour – Rhode Island, USA

Woody Angus Rogers has just return from a whri-wind trip to the USA, at the top of his to do list was a visit to the Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, Rhode Island.

Link her to see and read more about the place  https://herreshoff.org

I exhibit that caught / captured Angus’s eye the most was the 1905 launch – Thania, designed / built by Nathanael G Herreshoff. Over view 59’8” in length, beam of 10’7” and draws 2’8’.

More details in the photos above, as always click on a photo to enlarge. ENJOY 🙂

Half Moon Bay Marina Mooching

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JOCELYN
RAINBOW

Half Moon Bay Marina Mooching

Earlier in the week I found myself at HMB marina with some time to kill so went for a wander.

Three woodys in different stages of getting some winter TLC.

JOCELYN – The 49’ Brin Wilson built launch, possibly to a Hacker Craft design, appears to be getting a varnish refresh. She is one of those craft that are just so much bigger out of the water. Read more about her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/01/28/the-history-of-mv-jocelyn/

UNKNOWN – has a Lanes / Picton look to her – I’m sure someone sharper than me can tell us her name. Impressive back to bare wood restoration underway.

RAINBOW – the 1898 Arch Logan built gaffer has just had a birthday – lots shinny paint and varnish on display + the masts was revarnished , that is a titanic undertaking – well done. I was on-hand as the team from Boat Haulage were dropping the stick back in. An impressive of collection of origami on display 🙂

What Became Of Sonar Mia

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What Became Of Sonar Mia

Earlier this week we featured a 16’ Carl Augustin designed run-about named Mare-Ee-An, today we have another craft by the same designer. A little bigger this time at 40’ and built in 1968. 

Sonar Mia popped up back in February in Gisborne on a Turners Auction site after a grounding (their words) and was for sale as-is-where-is. The opening bid was $100. From the photos there was a lot of work needed, but someone may have got a bargain. The engine is a Ford Lees Marine 180hp diesel.

Do we know if she was saved or went to the land fill.

FYI – back in March 2019 a descendent of a previous owner was trying to track the boat down. I forwarded the 2023 Turners link but never heard back from them – that story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/03/23/edna/

Old photos below, possibly c.1970’s

The Boats of Major Bailey

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FLORAE > FLORAY > LEILANI
FLOLAINE > AWATEA – @ Te Atatu BC 2014
FLOLAINE > AWATEA – @ Thames 2016
CHRISTINE – 1970’S

The Boats of Major Bailey

Major (christian name, not a rank) Bailey built four launches that we are aware of – thanks to Ken Ricketts and Graeme Varcoe today we get to see them together, excluding the last built, those name is not recorded. 
The First built was – Florae / Floray (seems to have had an identity crisis over time) , later named Leilani and currently high and draw in a Thanes paddock.

Second was  – Flolaine, now named Awatea

Third was – Christine

Fourth – unknown – anyone able to help with details. Amusing (in hindsight) launch day story below ex KR.
The Launching And Near Sinking Of #4 Boat

KR commented that Major Bailey had some radical views on boat systems and fit out. With the fourth boat he developed a steering system which was or looked like half a petrol or oil drum encircling each propeller and turning right left which was supposed to direct the prop wash and steer the boat but when you turned the wheel absolutely nothing happened, as much of the prop thrust water just went out the back and the prop thrust was simply lost completely.

#4 had two 6 cyl. second hand Fords, very poorly home converted, and badly installed in the stern with detached vee drives, along other bits & pieces. All the underwater gear seemed to leak through the hull and added to almost sinking post launching, refer below.

KR commented that on launch day she almost sunk immediately on launching and would not steer. The yard would not lift her out again due to a dispute, so they steered her as best they could with the engines as quickly as they could downstream to Eastern Marina Services (Terry Burling). There they beached her on the ramp, to effect urgent matters to make her seaworthy and steerable. 

The boat had all sorts of unique bits about her all of which mostly designed by Major Bailey and mostly just did not work.

KR also commented that #3, Christine was very ugly, with the hull, all rough and showing all the planks & seams, and the flare was horrible with a slanting forward deck line at the bow. He was putting more & more radical & impractical ideas in the succession of his boats as they went on.

So woodys it appears and KR agrees that Leilani was the pick of the bunch 🙂 I wonder what became of the fourth build ………….

Woodys Abroad

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WOODYs ABROAD

One of our most passionate and talented woodys – Olaf Wiig is currently based in the UK but still owns back in NZ the stunning 48’ 1953 Lidgard built launch – Ngaro (photo below) which the family cruises on in the NZ summer (when we have one).

After returning this time to the UK Olaf quickly found a woody project to keep his hand in.

The photos above are of Olaf’s 1930’s Andrews slipper launch named – Vega. This is a style of launch which is unique to the upper Thames.  The first of its type was a boat called “merc” it is part of the national Maritime museum’s collection https://nmmc.co.uk/object/boats/slipper-launch-merk-from-1912/

Olaf commented that the boat had been out of the water for some time so the main job was to address the dried out bottom planks and re caulk her seams. The more enjoyable bit was to re-varnish her. Some 14 odd coats of traditional yacht varnish and some 24ct gold leaf she was ready for the water. Just in time for the Thames traditional boat festival, and that will be tomorrows story 😉

Ngaro