Category Archives: Boat Sheds

KOTARE  Re-launched

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KOTARE  Re-launched
Todays woody is the 28’ launch – Kotare, built and launched in 1961 by Frank Wilkins to a 1960 design of A N (Bill) Couldrey. Kotare first appeared on WW back in 2014. Over time we uncovered an amazing amount of history on the vessel. The 2022 WW story when wooden boat builder Alan Craig gave us a shed tour on restoration / rebuilding of Kotare has all the references, photos and links to her past – link to the 2022 story below https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/10/10/kotare-restoration-boat-shed-tour/

Last week Alan Craig advised they had just relaunched Kotare at Lake Rotoiti. Her owner had just finished the interior refit in his shed inTe Puke since Alan and the team at Craig Marine finished painting Kotare last year.  Alan commented that she looked pretty sharp. The work had been done in a pretty confined space and they hadn’t really been able to stand back and look at it till now. A new 35hp Beta diesel has been put in to replace the BMC.

As we have come to expect of anything that slides out of the Craig Marine shed Kotare is a stunner.

LOVING YOUR BOAT TO DEATH – Electro-chemical Destruction / Underwater Rot

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LOVING YOUR BOAT TO DEATH – Electro-chemical Destruction / Underwater Rot

The subject of electrochemical destruction and wooden boats has been covered extensively on WW – in fact the Chris McMullen articles are the most referenced stories on the site. At the end of todays story I have listed links to these stories.

Today thanks to Chris McMullen and Baden Pascoe we get to share an article they penned for the 2023 Mahurangi Cruising Club Year Book*, this article succinctly backgrounds the topic and suggests what as a wooden boat owner you should be looking out for and what to do to protect your wooden boat. READ IT. But if you are lazy – let me spell stout for you – DO NOT FIT ANODES or BOND YOUR WOODEN BOAT.

Note: PDF version below for easier viewing for the visually challenged – i.e. most of us 🙂

MCC YB 2023-Loving Your Boat to DeathDownload

(*Article reproduction with the permission of the Mahurangi Cruising Club©️)

LINKS TO PREVIOUS WW STORIES

https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/11/20/what-does-electrochemical-deterioration-in-a-wooden-boat-look-like/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/12/30/electro-chemical-damage-in-wooden-boats-update-revisited/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/03/28/the-most-referenced-viewed-story-on-waitematawoodys/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/11/08/want-to-see-what-in-a-wooden-boat-looks-like/

Waratah Needs A New Home

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WARATAH NEEDS A NEW HOME

Back in Oct 2014 the launch – Waratah popped up on WW, at the time she was 4sale on trademe and the WW story generate a lot of chat in the comments section – link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/06/waratah/

We learnt that she was 28’9” in length, built in c.1924 by Alf Bell and was named All Bell when launched. Amusing story around the name in the 2014 story.

Back in 2014 Waratah was needing some serious interior fit out and TLC but afloat, photos below.

Fast forward to 2023 and she has become a restoration that started but came to an abrupt halt. Waratah is currently stored near Kerikeri, Northland and her owner Kevin O’Donnell would like to move her on, at no cost, to someone that will take on the project. The time frame is ‘quick smart’ as Waratah is resting in the exact spot as to where a house is going.

Interested parties can contact Kevin at kevinodonnell496@gmail.com

RSVP FOR RIVERHEAD PUB LAUNCH CRUISE – SUNDAY 26TH MARCH

Boat name and approx crew numbers – waitematawoodys@gmail.com

THE LOG OF TAMATEA – A20 

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THE LOG OF TAMATEA – A20 

Earlier in the week a nugget of gold dropped into my inbox – Mark Newcomb sent in a copy of his families yacht – TAMATEA A20 log book (refer PDF file link below to read)

The log book covers the background to the building of the yacht and her first race + some wonderful insights into life in the WWII period.

Tamatea was designed by A.C. Robb and built by A. Couldrey, launched in Jan 1937.

Amazingly the yacht was built from one kauri log, grown on the owners property in Waitakere (note: log was from a ‘dead’ tree)

Click on the blue text below to open the PDF file, the original of the log book is in the hands of the Maritime Museum, so probably this file is the only record, given the Museum’s track record with ‘losing’ things 😦

Click to access logbook-of-tamatea.pdf

Clyde Quay Boat Harbour 

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Clyde Quay Boat Harbour 

Wellington woody admirer Geoff Fiebig sent in the collection of photos that he snapped off while wandering around the Clyde Quay Boat Harbour , Wellington on Sunday.

Can we put some names to them – • I’m sure the top photo is well know, but the bigger question has to be – how come its so unloved?

• The blue open double-ender looks very salty, and cared for.

• The tender is probably best overlooked, several sheets of ply on display. But no doubt a very useful work horse to get to & from a bigger moored craft (love the boat sheds paint scheme).

• The smallish woody yacht at a guess would be Lizzie the 1909 Edwin Bailey built 19>22’ gaffer. Read more about her below:  http://www.wcyt.org.nz/abode/getAdminCategoryProducts.do?_siteId=708&method=getCategoryProducts&_categoryId=4436 

Alibi – A Peek Below

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ALIBI – A Peek Below

In early Jan 2023 we featured the 42’ Mason Clipper – Alibi, entering the Sandspit shed of Greg Lees Boat builder. That story generated a great inside into her past, link below to that story.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/01/02/mason-clipper-alibi/

Today thanks to the ‘Mason Clippers’ group and Lew Redwood’s fb we get to see her interior. The photos show her almost unchanged in 42 years with the original upholstery still in great condition. 

Looking forward to seeing what Alibi well look like after the Greg Lees team have rubbed their magic over her. (Nudge nudge Greg)

Woodys Stillwater Picnic + Next Event Announcement 

Sadly Saturdays waterfront picnic was postponed based on weather forecasts and sea state. The right decision on Friday night and probably the wrong one at mid-day Saturday. There will be announcement later in the week re a new date. But moving on – the next Woodys event is a long overdue lunch cruise to the historical Riverhead Tavern.

See below flyer – but quick overview – Sunday 26th March – meeting at 10.am off Lucas Creek / Herald Island.

RSVP with vessel name and approx. number aboard to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Caernarvon

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Caernarvon underway
Caernarvon all planked up
Caernarvon undersail
Caernarvon on the wind

CAERNARVON

WW was contacted recently by Rhys Hanna who back in 1972 had built and launched a 33’ Woollcott yacht named Caernarvon. She was based on the original plan of the Bert Woollacott designed Vectis , and redrawn by John Woollacott as a ketch with a more raked bow and a raised fore-deck.  Caernarvon was built of kauri with much of it being demolition timber from the bank building on the corner of Queen Street and Wyndham Streets, in Auckland.

Rhys had built her to go cruising but the children grew up too quickly and she was sold in 1975. Rhys replaced her with 36 ft John Lidgard yacht named Mon Desir, which he renamed Caernarvon II. In 1976 they sailed out for a 3 year trip and returned to New Zealand in 1996. That is impressive. 

Rhys last saw Caernarvon again in c.2014. He had been to the Burt Munro motorcycle rally in Invercargill and on the way back had a day in Picton waiting for the ferry booking and wandered out to Waikawa Marina and saw her there on a berth. She had been re rigged with a new main mast and a bowsprit. Res commented that he was really chuffed to see that there was only one plank seam showing (port side and close to the waterline) he had really worked hard to get the planking right. 

Rhys did have a couple of phone calls from various people when she came on the market about 4 years ago. Is anyone able to update us on the whereabouts of Caernarvon?

INPUT EX CHRIS LEECH – photo below, date and location unknown.

Details on next Saturdays Woody picnic at Stillwater will be sent out later today – life catch up got in the way yesterday. 8 days away from home in the midst of a cyclone equaled a long ’TO DO’ list from the first mate 🙂

LAKE ROTOITI 2023 PARADE OF CLASSIC & WOODEN BOATS – 150+ PHOTOS

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LAKE ROTOITI 2023 PARADE OF CLASSIC & WOODEN BOATS – 150+ PHOTOS

As has become my norm for Waitangi holiday weekend early on Saturday morning I pointed the car south and made my way to Lake Rotoiti in the middle of NZ’s North Island. 

2023 marked the 26th anniversary of the event and after a horror week of ‘once in a 100 years’ rain storms I had concerns that the parade might be postponed or cancelled. Well woodys as you’ll see from the above photo gallery, my fears were redundant.

The day started overcast with some light drizzle but this passed thru before the parade kicked off at 11am. Numbers were down a little from last year but conditions were perfect on the lake. 

Enjoy the gallery above – if you’re craft is featured above and you want a high res copy of the photo, drop me an email at the address below. Apologise if I missed your boat or if the odd photo is a little out of focus – just me in a run-about jiggling the throttle, looking out for other boats and holding the camera 🙂

waitematawoodys@gmail.com

My pick of the boat I’d most like tied up at my imaginary lake jetty is – ELLEN (#14), 26’ in length, built in 2004 in strip planked cedar from a plug taken off an old abandoned hull found in Kopu. Thought to be a ‘Milkmaid’ design by Bailey & Lowe. Powered by a 29hp diesel.  In my eyes just perfect. Photo below

Special thanks again to Dave and Glenys Wilson for the loan of a boat to get me out on the lake.

As always – click on photos to enlarge.

Lastly I never tire of the sound of big V8 (5.7L)  water exhausts. Shawn Vennell, the owner of Judy H, was lining me up for a prop shower – a few words of warning as to what my reaction would be, made him change his mind 😉

TURN THE SOUND UP

Endeavour Gets A Birthday

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ENDEAVOUR GETS A BIRTHDAY

Todays woody – the 1953 A. Couldrey designed, Brin Wilson built launch – Endeavour is currently out at the Slipway Milford for some serious TLC. The launch as been owned by the Beachman family for many years, originally by Borrie Beachman, then sold to Jack Matich and converted to a motorsailer (photo below) for commercial fishing on the Kaipara Harbour. Borries nephew, Paul Beachman bought the vessel back and returned her to a sedan launch. These days Paul and son Brin look after Endeavour. I’m very happy to see the mast is down, I have been nudging Paul about revarnishing it for years 🙂

Endeavour has made several appearances at woody events and its always cool to see the whole family enjoying the boat.

Link to a previous WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/05/31/a-friday-quiz/

03-02-2023 UPDATE ex Harold Kidd – ENDEAVOUR was designed by Bill Couldrey but NOT built by him. Brin Wilson built her for Borrie Beachman.

Ngaro Gets A Trip To The Beauty Parlour

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Ngaro Gets A Trip To The Beauty Parlour

Woody Olaf Wiig resides off shore these days but as the owner of the rather imposing 1953,Lidgard built 48′ woody – Ngaro as often as he can he hops on the big silver bird and returns home. Then slips the lines and heads out to enjoy the Hauraki Gulf and beyond.

Over winter Ngaro spent a couple of months in the shed at Robertsons yard having her cabin tops and varnish redone. It wasn’t all lipstick – a new water tank was installed + a major engine service and a full new suit of canvas.As I have commented before Bgaio is one of th few woodys that no matter what angel you approach her from, she looks perfect. Well done Olaf and Emma for the custodianship of Ngaro.

See / read more on Ngaro here https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/06/25/ngaro-a-sneak-peek-before-she-sells/

Waitematawoodys Burgee Poll Results

Short, clear message here – 92% Say Yes I need to get production underway. More details soon 😉