DISAPPOINTING CLASSIC BOATING NEWS On the topic of the Classic Yacht Association’s new 40 berth Heritage Basin marina,12 days have passed and all we see is a CYA email > website link to a presentation that we are told was presented at the AGM, from my recall a lot of what is in this ‘just released’ written presentation was not mentioned on the night, in what could best have been described as verbal chat. The Chair of the CYA states ‘Just to reiterate – nothing is confirmed, it is still being negotiated’. We get that, thank you – but there is still no clarification or confirmation of what the CYA general committee > sub-committee is negotiating on behalf of CYA members and their classic vessels. So could someone answer this simple question below –
WILL ACCESS TO THE NEW 40 BERTH MARINA BE OPEN TO ALL CYA REGISTERED BOATS -OR WILL IT BE YACHTS THAT MEET A PRESET DEGREE ?
As you read this, 18 classic woody launch owners will be waking up berthed alongside the dock at the Clevedon Cruising Club after a BBQ ashore at the clubhouse on Saturday night. Hopefully on departure the skippers will be better behaved than the yachts in the above photo. Check out WW tomorrow for a full trip report and photos 🙂
Final prep to Eileen Patricia for a relaunch this weekend (photo below)
The very regal Brooke family launch – Linda, was eased out of the shed after nearly 2 months of serious TLC, most at the hands of grand daughter Grace and partner Calvin. Fantastic to see 3 generations helping with the relaunch. Robert Brooke commented to me the other day that Linda has never looked so good – thats high praise from Robert. Also nice to see Robert back on the tools, my lips are sealed as to why his services were called upon :-)I caught up with son Russell and he was full of praise for both the standard of workmanship and facilities at the Slipway Milford, the project was split between the family and the Slipways Cam and Jason delivering another showroom the paint job + a few engineering odd jobs. Russell was also like Robert, over the moon with the kids (his word) diligence on the project. The future of the classic wooden boating movement is looking very rosy when you see two early twenty year old piloting Linda down the Milford Creek on their own.
As soon as Linda had slashed, the Slipway boys were hauling Nathan Herbert’s launch – Pacific, out for her turn in the shed – photo/video below.
WHY YOU SHOULD HOLD OFF PAYING YOUR CLASSIC YACHT ASSOCIATION SUBSCRIPTION
I apologise to the non CYA member readers – but read on, this effects all classic wooden boat enthusiasts.
Last night was the NZ Classic Yacht Association AGM, I tabled in advance the following agenda item – “a request for a report on the status of the expanded CYA classic vessel ‘marina / dock’ that is planned for the Auckland Viaduct basin area”
What I hoped to hear was the CYA were developing a new permanent marina for upwards of 40 classic wooden boats that will be the permanent home of classic boating, showcasing to the Auckland public and tourists the CYA’s diverse classic wooden boat fleet.
I was disappointed with the reply and walked away seriously concerned that this new marina was only targeting “large, gaff rigged yachts, built pre WW II, NZ designed and built, and presented in display condition”. I asked how this ‘selection criteria’ met the CYA’s constitutional description of eligible CYA vessels e.g. ‘New Zealand or foreign designed yachts, launches, dinghies, boats, vessels of all sizes, description, ages, whether powered by wind, steam, combustion or otherwise’. The answer was there could be exceptions, when asked if launches would be allocated equal space alongside yachts, there was no lucid answer.
Well woodys it is just all too loose and I raise this topic because over the last 10+ years a lot of good people have worked very hard to make the CYA a more inclusive, welcoming place for all people with a passion and interest in the classic boating movement, regardless of whether you own a classic yacht, launch or even a dinghy. This development convenes our constitution and introduces segregation into our association, and most importantly denies the public the opportunity to experience the true breadth of the New Zealand classic boating movement. This new marina should be the front window for everything that the CYA has worked towards these last 25 years, not just a classic racing yacht marina.
So my question today is – are you comfortable with this policy of segregation? Personally, I think it has a bad smell to it and have a suggestion – how about holding back renewing your 2021/22 membership subscription until this policy is reviewed by the new / incoming 2021/22 committee – I will be
Now if I sound a little loose on details and hazier than normal, that is because ‘commercial’ sensitivities limit what can be said in a public arena.
Enter the name – Kotare (Kingfisher the bird) into the WW search box and a lot of boats will come up, seems back in the day it was a very popular name for boats.
The 25’ woody above has a genuine claim to the name as she was built by Kingfisher Boats in 1951. Fast forward to 2015 and she underwent a full refit – work included new wiring, new galley, new fuel tanks motor, new head and her engine a Nissan AL20 – 60hp diesel was rebuilt and has only done 620 hours since. Also undertaken was fully glassing her kauri hull, that included 5 coats of resin on the inside, this may get a few frowns from some quarters but you can see from the photos it saved Kotare from a beehive restoration.
At 25’ LOA, the 60hp engine gives Kotare a top speed of 13 knots (cruising at 8). I can vouch for her being a very good sea boat because her owner does the miles in her – frequently over at Great Barrier Island. With a beam of just under 6’, putting her on a trailer is an option.
I spotted Kotare recently hauled out at the Slipway Milford getting some TLC and discovered that her owner was looking for a new owner – so woodys, if you are after a very cute, easily managed and maintained boat – Kotare could be yours for +/- $25k. I know I sound like a broken record, but……….. lake boat? For more details – email waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Not 100% sure of the boat name / spelling, but this very salty speed boat just popped up on Rob Thomson’s fb. Rob commented that she was built c.1958 by his father and was named after his mother and middle sister.
Powered by a Mercury Ford V8, she must have had a good turn of speed. Does anyone know what became of the boat?
MY GIRL – Scale Model
Seems Jason Prew’s very quick launch – My Girl, is a popular woody with the model makers. We have already seen one radio controlled My Girl on WW (link below) and last week a very kind gent dropped a very accurate model in at the Slipway Milford for Jason. Jason slapped some undercoat on her and popped in a RC unit and next thing sea trials are under way 🙂
Bay of Islands resident Greg Philpott has a passion and its tracking down and recording the fate of what he has tagged ‘Boats of the Bay’ (of Islands). Greg contacted me recently re the vessel named Comet III (later changed to Xharisma), he had hit a brick wall and was trying to contact the last known owner – one Morton Brown. Now via the WW site I was able to make contact with Morton’s son Jeremy Brown and the flood gates opened. So today we share with you Greg and Jeremy’s stories / photos. It’s a cracker read, I’ll let Greg tell it 🙂
So woodys the challenge is can anyone enlighten us on what became of Xharisma (Comet III) post 1986.
Comet lll was designed by A J Collings of the famed boat-building business, Collings & Bell and may have been one of Collings last designs as he died on 8th November 1967.
The boat was built for Lionel Bulcraig’s Bay of Islands operation, Hi Speed Comet Cruises. That business was already operating Comet ll (ex Queenstown’s Meteor ll) also an A J Collings design. Construction of Comet lll was undertaken by John Guzzwell at Deeming’s Boatyard at Opua. Guzzwell was a world renowned sailor and boat builder. His reputation was established when he built his own boat, Trekka, and during the late 1950’s completed a circumnavigation of the world in her, then the smallest boat to ever do so.
The original design and intention was to engine the boat with lightweight twin V8 Chrysler marine petrol engines; heavier diesel engines would have added to the displacement thus severely limiting the “fast” aspect of the boat. The Marine Department’s regulations specifically excluded petrol engines in commercial launches which could carry more than 12 passengers. This resulted in a stand-off for a number of years. As a result of the inactivity it is understood that Comet lll sat at Bulcraig’s car yard in Kawakawa.
A valuation undertaken by Ted Leeds in March 1971 stated; ”Comet lll is 44ft. overall and was constructed in 1967, but has never been used. It has not been fitted with engines or seating accommodation. There is some equipment on hand for it including rudders and hydraulic steering gear etc. It is very strongly built to Marine Department survey standards with a hull of two-skin glued kauri planking on multiple stringers and closely spaced frames further reinforced with strongbacks. The entire hull, deck and cabin have been sheathed with Dynel.”
Comet lll was 44ft long, 14ft wide with a full flare, 10 degree deep V and planning chine; a hull similar to a torpedo boat.
Purchased by Stephen A. Bell around 1973 /1974, she was moved to the premises of A & G Price at Beaumont Street in Auckland for the purpose of refit and installation of engines. The concept was “to fit the boat out for passenger service in extended river limits”. It was intended to “fit twin 8V71 GM Diesels driving through Walter Vee boxes; such a set up anticipating a speed approaching 25 knots in favourable conditions normally loaded”.
A Ministry Of Transport ship survey preliminary inspection in 1974 “revealed hull in good order and well constructed. Some considerable deterioration of super structure (coamings and canopy) evident although extent not apparent due to linings”. By March 1975, A & G Price stated that “the owner no longer wished to proceed with the project”.
On 5th March 1980, Comet lll was purchased by Morton Brown, a roading supplies and contractor of Green Lane. At the time the boat was sitting in a yard at Glenfield; it was in a fairly sorry state, cabin top wise, but the hull was in exceptional condition.
Brown had Comet lll transported across the Auckland harbour bridge to a yard in Onehunga, where he employed a Dutch boat builder (John) to bring the boat up to pleasure boat standard. The boat was moved twice from Onehunga, firstly to Penrose and then to Mt Wellington, where it was finished before going into the water at McMullen and Wing’s yard, on the Tamaki River. The cabin top was completely rebuilt and a flying bridge added. The design of the remodelling was not considered great but never the less it had plenty of room and was very comfortable.
The engine was a UD/Nissan 2 Stroke V8 9.5L (this engine being a direct copy of the Detroit 8v71). The engine was positioned mid ships, which was not ideal as it took up a huge amount of room. The stern was quite broad in design which would have been better suited for the engine position, with a vee drive.
The boat, now renamed Xharisma was finally re-launched in February 1986. Unfortunately Brown suffered a major heart attack and consequently sold the boat about a year or so later.
The new owner modified the cabin extensively and installed a smaller engine. The new owner and current location Comet lll / Xharisma are unknown.
MANUKURA In recent years I have been spending time in Thames, catching up with family – when I need to ‘escape’, I drive down to the Thames marina and have a mooch around. Depending on the tide it either looks like a normal marina or as if someone has pulled the plug out and most of the boats are sitting high and dry in their mud berths (see below photo). The launch Manukura had always been hauled out and looking like a Beehive restoration was around the corner – the top photo is from a February 2020. Ken Ricketts has pulled together the below insight into Manukura’s past and current situation (edited a lot by AH)
Manukura is approx. 50′ long and was built in late 1950 > early 1960’s by Shipbuilders and is one of 3 more or less sister ships, which include Corinthia and Romany II. which were a development on the 1946 built Mahara. Manukura is presently owned by Allen Watson. He bought her fairly recently, in a very sorry state, on the hard at Thames off a lady owner, who had only had her for a short time. She bought her off a gentleman called Paul, who had taken her to the Thames area 3 & ½ years earlier, & who had bought her off the elderly gentleman as referred to below.
Allen is a well experienced boat builder / painter, and has commented he is intending to restore her to her original former glory. As visible in some photos above, Allen has commenced work on her on the outside – focusing on re-calking, painting and repairing hull timber work at Thames marina. The interior is in a completely stripped out and the intention is totally rebuild it, with some changes to the interior layout, without alteration to the exterior. The stainless steel work at the flying bridge will shortly be removed 🙂
Allen commented that interior was ruined as a result of her almost sinking on a return trip to Auckland from Great Barrier Island about 14>15 years ago when the then elderly owner of the day, was encountering big seas and did not notice that a forward hatch had opened and she was taking in large quantities of water, through this hatch, which reached a point, where one engine sucked in water and stopped. She was also getting very low in the water. They towed her back to Gt. Barrier, pumped out and brought her back to Auckland but everything inside including all wiring, furniture, etc., along with the engines, had to go. Sadly she was not insured and was eventually sold by the elderly gentleman (as-is-where-is), who had kept her for 10 years in a shed In West Auckland. The new owner (Paul) took her to the Thames marina where he kept her for 3 & ½ years. Then the ownership chain, mentioned above took place.
Current owner Allen moved the boat on 26-2-21, to Whangamata for a week or 2 on the hardstand for a little exterior finishing and then be put in the water. Allen intends to live aboard, on a swing mooring while rebuilding the interior.
Manukura had a pair of 120hp 6 cyl. Ford diesels fitted during her 13 & ½ years on the hard, which replaced 2 previous Fords.
The b/w photo below ex Harold Kidd show the launch c.2012
c.2012
Update – current photo by Allen Watson via Ken Ricketts
Over the last 48 hours I have had a lot of calls from woodys that spotted the 30’ Lidgard built yacht – Taioma on trademe as an abandoned vessel. Current bid is $10.50 and the reserve has been meet. The auction closes on July 19th. You are bidding on the hull only, and the motor is unknown condition. But the wooden mast and boom + a mainsail have been located and will go with the boat, if wanted (stored in a different location).
Woodys, someone will ’steal’ this boat and as a last resort that hatch has to be worth what ever the purchase price the boat ends up at. I do not do this often – but here is the tme link
Bill Brown commented to me that Taioma was restored in the 1990’s by Gary Underwood and pointed me in the direction of Gary’s blog, details and photos below:
“Taioma is a 1936 Fred Lidgard kauri sloop of 28 ft. We bought her for $5000 in 1995 and did a 60 day full refit at the ‘Bolthole’ in Auckland. She was a great live-aboard for a year alongside our boat shed in Whangarei while we were building ‘BOOTSTRAP’. Note the full bulkhead at the mast which gives an end to the saloon and provides support for the table, which lowers to give us a full double bunk athwartships. Its like a kind of ‘dresser’. The f’csle has a portapotti and bosubs store, access thru the fore hatch. Also stiffens the boat up as she had a big rig.”
ROYAL FALCON RE-LAUNCHED We have followed the restoration / refit of Collette & Steve Pople’s 1934 Cox & Fimer built woody – Royal Falcon on WW and been blown away with the quality of the workmanship happening in the Leader Boatbuilders shed.
Today thanks to Mark McLaughlin taking his launch Mapuna for a run on Sunday we get to she Royal Falcon afloat again. Boat shed photos here https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/05/31/royal-falcon-restoration-2021-update/ We understand all that is required is the final interior finishing, which we will update you on shortly.
LADY JANET / POCO LENTO NEEDS A NEW HOME – All Offers Considered
A quick heads up, Poco Lento (Lady Janet) has appeared on WW several times and is currently for sale, the vendors are retiring from boating and moving into a retirement village, so woodys as they say in the real estate game – make an offer, you may be surprised at the prize…………. See more here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/08/07/poco-lento-lady-janet/ Contact via waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Back in 2015 we posted a photo of the 1956 Kitty Vane on the hard at Te Atatu Boating Club, West Auckland – she was looking very down in the dumps, then in Jan 2020 we were told she had been sold and returned to the North in late 2018. Designed and built by Ces Watson, Kitty Vane spent many years big game fishing out of Tutukaka, under the ownership of the Going family.
Then in April 2020 we did a story asking if anyone knew where KV was and hit the jackpot, lots of information and photos came in – see here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/04/20/kitty-vane-where-are-you/ We even have copies of her line drawings, sent in by Peter Watson, son of Ces Watson.
Fast forward to June 2020 and WW is contacted by her new owners – Michelle and Blair Kennard – I have reproduced Michelle’s email below
“In 2018 my partner and I found Kitty Vain on Trademe, my partner an avid fisherman and has had the life-long dream to own and restore a boat. When we saw Kitty Vane for sale we started reading about the history and fell in love, we couldn’t believe the state she was in and knew she needed rescuing.
We had her bought up on a truck and she now lives on our section under a purpose built shed in Kerikeri. We are slowly chipping away at restoring her to her former and original glory, it will be a father and son project who are both carpenters with a love for beautiful craftsmanship.
We are hoping in the next couple of years she will have two new engines and will become our family boat along with the dream of being a ‘historical experience’ fishing charter.
If you know of any boat history books with Kitty in could you please let me know”
Fast forward again to Jan 2021 and we are contacted by ‘Nelliefish’ (sorry that’s all I have from their email address), who sent in the rather grand photo above of Kitty Vane – do not know when or where, so only really inspiration for the Kennard’s unless me can date the photo and location.
Update: Location may be Hobsonville and 2005 – but not confirmed.
1965 SEACRAFT SPEEDOMETER Woody Barrie Abel needs to replace the speedometer on his 1965 Seacraft – its is a 4″ diameter chrome pitot type gauge. Barrie commented that the modern ones look out of place and what started off as a delicate procedure to assess and repair, has gone from bad to worse, and its time to abandon the current one….. If anyone knows of someone who would consider selling one, or something similar. Email WW at waitematawoodys@gmail.com In the mine time I’ll chase Barrie for a photo of the gauge. Photo below of boat.
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