Category Archives: Boat Sheds

Mystery Marlborough Sounds Launch

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Mystery Marlborough Sounds Launch
All we know about the above launch is that she is 27’, made of kauri and has a Ford 60hp does; engine that pushes her along at 5>6 knots.
From her cabin top layout she looks like she has been used as a bach ’taxi’, most likely private use.
Can any of the Southern Woodys put a name to her and any info on her past?

 

Paikea

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PAIKEA
 
Two weeks ago my Westhaven spy sent my the 2 photos above of the 1921 Collings & Bell built launch Paikea hauled out at Westhaven for some TLC and then I spotted her back on her mooring in Bayswater looking very smart.
 
Thanks to Harold Kidd we know she was launched on 26th January 1921. She was fitted with a 120-150hp Model M Van Blerck 6 cylinder petrol engine (not a straight-eight Packard as is often said). Paikea had Chas. Collings’ “concave-convex” type of hard chine design which he made famous with his various Fleetwings and whale-chasers. Indeed she was a refinement of the Fleetwing whose image appears in the Collings & Bell section of WW. She was good for 20 knots and can still do it with her present big Iveco/Fiat, as Harold experienced at Sandspit. He commented the she goes like hell and stable with it.Alf Court sold her to Hec Marler in 1925 and he sold her to R B & S S Wilson  just pre-WW2. She was in NAPS during WW2 as Z17.
 
You can view more photos of her here

Wooden Boat Festival – 30 Wooden Boat Photos 

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Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival – 30 Wooden Boat Photos 
 
Todays photo essay of over 30 photos was captured by NZ Traditional Boatbuilding School trustee, Kere Kemp. Kere has just returned from the 2019 Festival and in Kere’s words “the festival was 3 great days of wooden boat jewellery everywhere you looked”.
 
I’ll let the pictures tell the story – remember you can enlarge a photo by click on it 😉
Enjoy
ps – nice to see the WW cap made an appearance 🙂
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RSVP– you and your boats name + approx. numbers to sueedwards@xtra.co.nz

Marnine

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MARNINE

Must be the week for the big girls, yesterday we had a feature on the 56’ Turongo coming onto the market and today we see the 1961 Lane built – Marnine.
Marnine measures 50’ and has a 15’ beam and weighs 25 tonnes so very similar in size to Turongo.
Marnine has made numerous appearances on WW – links below. The first one contain a great insight into her past from Terry Porter, son of her original owner Fred Porter.
Today we see her hauled out in Auckland for some TLC.

 

MULLET BOAT MAST SOS
The boys at The Slipway Milford have a 22’ mullety hauled out which given her existing masts is in 3 pieces and looks like a shark has had a chew, there is an urgent need for a suitable replacement.
Not fussy if its wood or alloy – anyone got one up in the rafters? Contact Jason Prew jason@slipway.co.nz

Happy Hours V13

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Photo below taken when Happy Hours was collected ready to transport to Alan Craig’s shed.

 

HAPPY HOURS V13
 
I have been contacted by Alan Craig from Craig Marine looking for he next owner of the18’ mullet boat – Happy Hours V13. 
Built by Billy Rogers in 1949 to an earlier Logan design, she was a copy of Secret  (V3) but is a much fuller boat so must have been modified during building. She was first owned by Billy Rogers’ brother in-law and then by Lieutenant Commander J. Lennox-King.
 
Happy Hours is currently sitting in one of Alan’s sheds waiting to be finished. But Alan commented that he has not been near it in a couple of years, he is a very in demand wooden boat builder and the current work schedule is very motor-boat focussed.
The yacht was acquired from the NZ Traditional Boatbuilding School before being passed on to Alan. 
I understand that Alan’s exceptions in terms of a price are not great, he is more interested in Happy Hours going to a good home.
Alan has the mast and rudder plus fittings etc for it too.
 
So woodys – anyone looking for a classic wooden boat project?
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23-09-2019 Input from Robin Elliott

Owners:
N.C. Wensor 1949?/52+?; F. Simkins 1955?/56+?; Peter & Frederick Boyle 1958+?; R.D. Wood 1959?/60+?; Lt.Cdr J. Lennox-King 1961?/68+? ; Dean Herbison 2007/16+?; Alan Craig ?/2019+?

Happy Hours was built for Noel Wensor (billy’s Bro’ in law) in 1949. Lennox-King did not own her until the early 1960’s. Dean Herbison bought her in 2007 when she was hauled out at Okahu Bay.

Des Townson  – A Sailing Legacy – Perfect Fathers Day Present – Ordering Details Below

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Des Townson  – A Sailing Legacy

Back in July Brian Peet contacted me about his latest book publishing project, Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy. Brian asked if I would like to attend the launch night, a smallish gathering in the dinghy locker at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron – of course I said yes and a few days later an advance copy of the book arrived via courier. Well that buggered my plans for that day 🙂
I later asked Brian if I could sneak a couple more onto the invite list, which happened. Then Brian lets me know that things have snow balled and the launch was now in the main ballroom at the RNZYS, things had stepped up a few notches.
Fast forward to last night and the who’s who of yachting is crammed into the Squadron. My guess would be 400+ people. Speakers were the Squadron Commodore Ian Cook, Des’s younger brother – Bill Townson and Brian Peet. Ian built six Zephyrs under Des Townson’s supervision, won the National Champs in 1980. Bill Townson is a skilled boatbuilder, yacht designer and amphibian aircraft designer/builder.
I sneaked in early any took a few photos and videos of some of the exhibits, which included a Starling, Zephyr, Mistral and a 1956 replica of Des Townson’s first commercial design Nimble. What most caught my eye, was the Townson 2.4m dinghy on display that had just been built by Allan Hooper at the NZ Traditional Boatbuilding School. Its for his own use, but if you ask me it should be should be on display somewhere. Talking to Allan I understand the school will have ‘build your own’ kits and how to classes – perfect opportunity to own a Townson.
I later filmed Brian’s talk / presentation, see below – it is a wonderful insight into how the book came about and challenges Brian had over the 10 years it took to complete it.
 
As I have said before – its a great read, buy it, you won’t be sorry – as Brian said last night – it is a “sailing book, about a sailor, written by a sailor”.
 
Enjoy the video, then buy the book – either via the website https://destownson.co.nz  or if you prefer to do a bank transfer, email Brian with your name and postal address and he will reply with bank account details – its that easy info@destownson.co.nz
 
Oops nearly forgot –  Details on how to win a copy of the book on WW, later in the week.

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Emerald

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EMERALD – 1970’s
 
Recently I was contacted by Peter Grant in regard to the launch Emerald which he owned in the late 1970’s. Emerald was owned by a Kawau Island resident and Peter swapped an MGB roadster for her. I’ll let Peter tell us the story.
 
“Emerald was twin engined with small Yanmars of either 8 or 12 HP, I can’t remember exactly, but do recall they were both hand start and noisy with in built diesel tanks on top, much enjoyment was had with her and even ventured right up to the Matakana wharf, quite a feat those days as it was almost all choked up though the old concrete wharf was fine.
Some time after that I has the misfortune to tie her up at Milford Creek and was unable to retrieve her as I was away on board and could not get back on time due to the tide.
When I did get her back to Auckland I had her out on the hard outside the old Westend rowing club where we proceeded to give her new decks and cabin top, but this work was discontinued half way through, as I went back to working away and she was stored on my parents section in Henderson courtesy of Bob Wylie.
After two or three years my parents, now sick and tired of the launch in their backyard back yard wanted to sell the section and up came a deal with Mr Davern, who provided them with a solution, he bought the section for one of his houses, and in turn would transport the boat away, (my father later told me he was sick and tired of people wanting to buy her) that was the last time I heard of her until an advertisement popped up on Trade Me recently.
She is much altered and now powered by a single cylinder engine and is reputed to now be built in the fifties or so.
Can anyone shed some light on her provenance, I have sent in some very old scans of negatives of the time and how she looked at the time in the old Westhaven Marina and alongside the old cleaning piles, now long gone af course, mores the pity.”
 
I have to say I’m impressed with Peters taste in cars – the Mercedes pillar-less coupe would have been a great investment if he had kept her for 44 years 🙂
Keen to learn more about Emerald’s days before and after Peters ownership.
 
EMERALD – 2019
Below are a selection of photos from the current trademe listing for Emerald, as Peter stated above, its certainly a ‘different’ look / style.
The listing states she is 32’, with a kauri hull (now glassed). Power is via a marinised Ford Trader Diesel engine that gets her along at 7>8 knots.
 
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SUNDAYS MYSTERY LAUNCH QUIZ – NO WINNER SO THERE. A HINT – THE LAUNCH IS NO LONGER WITH US …………. SUNK.

2025

Aurora

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AURORA

Aurora was built in Johnsons Boat Shed Nelson in approx. 1935, measures 20’ in length and clinker built. For several years Aurora was used to tender explosives from the magazine on the Boulder Bank to the construction crew building Rocks Road. Subsequently she was then used a pleasure boat for fishing and family excursions.

The history from then on is unknown until her owner discovered Aurora in a barn in rural Nelson in February 2011. Aurora was purchased and transported to Redwood Valley where the restoration began. Aurora remained upside down for quite a few years whilst numerous planks were repaired using mainly recycled Kauri, a new keel was laminated out of Macrocarpa, the transom rebuilt and many of the copper fastenings replaced. The hull was then faired/sanded and repainted. Eventually Aurora was turned upright and the interior work began. Many hours were spent scrapping away years of old paint before several coats of primer and top coat paint were applied. The floor frames were shaped and fitted, a new Bronze shaft log and engine mounts fitted. A new rudder and duck board floors were constructed. Whilst the deck appeared to be in reasonable condition it was decided to remove the entire decking back to the frames. Three layers of 4mm Plywood were laminated together as the base and 6mm Kauri strips steamed [where needed]and glued onto the base. An overhauled c.1950, Stewart Turner P55M 8hp petrol motor was fitted.

When Aurora was purchased the trailer was simply a beach launching trailer, i.e. no suspension.The trailer was extensively modified and galv. coated to suit the refurbished Aurora, was the 2019 winner of the Jens Hansen Cup at the Antique and Classic Boat show, Lake Rotoiti, Nelson. I was there and can vouch for the standard of workmanship that has gone into her, simply stunning. Home is Nelson in the South Island and she is currently for sale on trademe (thanks Ian McDonald).

Aurora would be the perfect day boat for this Sundays Woody Classics Weekend cruise to the Riverhead Tavern 🙂
 
Sundays Woody Classics Weekend – Riverhead Tavern Cruise
Later today I’m emailing details to the people that have rsvp’ed for Sunday’s cruise, if you forgot to reply or are just one of those people that like to turn up on the day – no problem click on the email link below & I’ll send you the plan for the day. Remember if your boatless, come by car, its only 30mins from downtown Auckland.
waitematawoodys@gmail.com
WCW WW Poster

Caroma / W1

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Caroma / W1
 

Recently I was contacted by Peter Grant who had just discovered the story of W1 on waitematawoodys and remembered he was involved in a pre-purchase inspection of her in November 2000 for a client. The client did not purchase the vessel as it was deemed not suitable, but Peter dug out the old report which included the photos of her above, as she was then lying alongside the Panmure River.

 

Below is a photo of the 70′ vessel as she is today, post a wonderful restoration to return her to a style that while not matching her early day war time look, certainly turns a few heads on the Waitemata when she zips past at 22 knots. WW links to the restoration below:
 
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WOODY CLASSICS WEEKEND 

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WOODY CLASSICS WEEKEND
The response to the Woody Classics Weekend cruise to the Riverhead Tavern on Sunday 8th September, has been amazing and we predict a record turn out of classic wooden boats and crew.
If you have already RSVP’ed to Barbara Cooke – thank you for being so polite, to the rest of you that forgot – do it today. A simple email to the address below with your name, boat name and approx. number of passengers (if you know).
In the poster above I have highlighted for you the important times for the afternoon.
Later, next week I’ll come back to the confirmed attendees  via email with details on dining options, where to drop anchor etc.
Have a great weekend and I look forward to catching up with you all, in particular the Creek Virgins i.e. first time up the creek 🙂
Ps remember if you are boat less, come by car.
Will You Be There? The Brothers Did Dummy Run A Few Days Ago
Brothers