Category Archives: Boat Sheds

Sir Francis Relaunched + John Street Video Series – Part One

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July 2019

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July 2019

28 MAY 2018 (2)

In need of attention – May 2018

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Prep for new caulking
Re building the stern deck
Fore deck ready for painting
New toe rail and refurbished bollard
Stern deck finished
SIR FRANCIS
Back in June 2016 one of the woodys spotted Sir Francis berthed on Lake Taupo and commented on WW  that she was looking a little tired. Well folks I can report that after thirteen months of hard labour, Sir Francis went back into the water on July 6. Co-owner Paul Drake commented that she was last out of the water for 9 days, 10 years ago and she was becoming an embarrassment. 
As part of their re-fit the deck canvas has been replaced with the usual ply and glass cloth, and much other deferred maintenance was attended to. (scroll over photos for captions)
 
Sir Francis is 22’ and built by Collings and Bell in 1916, powered by a Universal Utility Four. This engine was added in 1937. 
When launched she was named – Fairy, then renamed – Aloha and when Grandfather Drake purchased her in 1938, he changed the name again to Sir Francis. She has been owned by the Drake family for the last 81 years. 
The Drake brothers (Paul, Nigel, Roger and Michael) individually and collectively are a great bunch and between them own numerous woodys. I have meet them at the Lake Rotoiti Wooden Boat Parade. Photo below.
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Brothers Nigel and Roger on SF late 1950’s.

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Paul

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L to R – Michael, Paul, Nigel, Roger. Oldest to youngest

 

 

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JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES 

Every day this week WW will feature a video filmed at John’s recent speaking engagement at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. The language is a tad ‘blue’ in places, but thats how John rolls 🙂 NOTE VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT DO NOT DOWNLOAD WITHOUT PERMISSION. Videos edited & enhanced with the help of Andrew Christie.
PART ONE – Fosters The Beginning (turn your sound up)

 

UPCOMING VIDEOS
MONDAY–         Fosters The Beginning
TUESDAY–        History of The Breeze
WEDNESDAY– The schooner Daring
THURSDAY–     Amercias Cup
FRIDAY –            The steam crane ship Rapaki
SATURDAY–      Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata

Kaipara Barn Find

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Kaipara Barn Find

Another woody spotted by Jason Prew last weekend.

We know nothing – can a WCW (West Coast Woody) tell us more about her?
RIP Tom Nesbitt
Noticed in the NZ Herald that Tom Nesbitt – WW’s first and only banned person has passed over the bar – we had some interesting banter…..
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Looking For Winter Woody Project

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Looking For Winter Woody Project

The 27’ Roy Paris carvel planked launch above has just popped up on trademe, all the hard work has been done by a passionate owner those circumstances have changed and the boat has to go, saying that it’s not a fire sale. A lot of quality work has gone into her.
The hull and cabin has been completely stripped back inside and out, caulking removed, glued and splined and fibre glassed over. Painted in marine primer and recently sanded for top coats. New duck board with built in live bait tank.
She comes with a reconditioned 100hp turbo charged Yanmar factory marinised engine and gear box, with all the wiring, gushes, controls, pipes etc from Moon Engines + brand new prop shaft and the prop has been balanced and coated in PropSpeed

As her owner commented – it’s an easy winter project for the right person to finish off for use this summer.

Anyone know her name?

The Restoration Of Ida

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THE RESTORATION OF IDA

New Zealand’s A class fleet grows steadily larger as yet another important Kiwi yacht is restored to her former glory. Chairman of the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust John Street and boat builder Wayne Olsen visited Sydney in August 2018 to inspect Ida, the 45’ Charles Bailey Jnr. designed and built in 1895 by C&W Bailey gaff rigged cutter. In racing mode with hers spars she has a LOA of 58’, a beam of 8’ draws 6’6”.

Ida was for sale as the current owners (20 years) had reached a point where, due to ill health, they were unable to complete the planned deck restoration nor maintain her to the standard they previously took pride in. Her owners had raced her regularly in the classic yacht races on Sydney Harbour with the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club at Mosman Bay and the Balmain Sailing Club, where she won hands down.

Wayne’s assessment was that, while the hull appears sound, being triple skinned kauri, it i was unclear what will be found once the inner layer is pealed back. She was in poor condition with much of the rest of the boat needing replacement. John recognised that Ida is an important part of New Zealand’s boat building history and a deal was done to acquire her, her owners  generously donated 20 kauri deck beams (220 x 13 X 5cm) and a spinnaker pole. John then arranged shipment back to New Zealand where she was moved to Horizon Boats shed in Stillwater.

Yesterday (06-07-2019) The CYA members were invited to view IDA before the deck is fully replaced. I understand the target is to have her sailing this summer.

You will see from the photos above she is a whippet, look at her keel and with just 3 ton of lead hanging of it, you can imagine a slightly damp crew 😉

Photos below of Ida as launched, ‘recent’ Aust.photos, and as she arrived at Horizon Boats + the early days of the restoration.

You can read more about Ida’s history on the CYCT website here

Details & some photos ex CYA and the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust websites.

22-09-2019 Update : photos below of Ida hauled out, when still in Australia ex David Campbell-Morrison

Miami > Queen Victoria

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Miami > Queen Victoria

I have a few questions re the above photos. To be honest, I’m a little confused so I have drafted the details below from info supplied ex her current owner and ask that those of you with more / better knowledge than me, give me feedback.

In 1915 Dr. Rayner of Moose Lodge, Lake Rotoiti, commissioned the Bailey Boatyard in Auckland to build a launch named ‘Miami’, when Rayner sold Moose Lodge to Sir Noel Coles Miami was replaced with the 28’ launch – ’The Moose’. The Moose was built in Feb 1939 by Collings & Bell. The Moose is shown in the top photo being transported to the Lake. The next two colour photos I believe to be the same launch at a later date.
The next three photos show the launch Miami, now named Queen Victoria, that Lake Rotoiti boatbuilder Alan Craig is about to start a re-furbishment on, during this work her Yanmar engine will be rebuilt. Her current owners in 1985 replaced her Redwing engine with the Yanmar, this being her 3rd engine – previous owners, the Armstrong family of Gisborne Point, fitted the Redwing during their ownership period. Bob Armstrong is on record as saying the launch was hard to moor and had a history breaking away which resulted in the Armstrong selling her to an unknown person, who kept her on Lake Rotorua for approx. a year.
Miami was then purchased by the Lewis family of Te Puke and kept at Otaramarae near the Harris boasted. Many years later it was sold to Bert Goulding a Tauranga surveyor, who kept her in a boatshed in Te What Bay next to his lake house (house now owned by ex MP Mr McLean)
Miami’s present owners had always admired her and regularly enquired if Bert Goulding wanted to sell the launch – his wife always replied “not ready yet”. Then in 1979 at the grand old age of 93, Bert Goulding decided it was time to sell. Her present owners jumped at the chance and purchased her. In 1985 she was sent to a Tauranga boatbuilder (Bill Visser) and altered to what we see today.
So woodys – is the above story factual and can anyone supply photos and more details on the past life of Miami > Queen Victoria ?
Input from Harold Kidd – The top left pic is OKATAINA built by Sam Ford in August 1938 for Beamish-White of Okataina. (oops – since moved to the bottom of this story. AH) The top right pic is MOOSE; same Ford truck though!
As for MIAMI, I just can’t find her being built by Chas Bailey for Dr. Rayner although 1915 had a lot more news going on than pleasure boating! Gallipoli, for example.
The first mention I have of a launch MIAMI is in 1924 when she was owned by G W & E L Best of Tennyson St., Northcote. She appears to have been sold to Whakatane in 1927, owners H West, F Prideaux and D McKenzie. In 1937 -1940 she was owned by H Dunton of Bowentown. Maybe she gravitated to Rotoiti from there or maybe there was another MIAMI at the same time?
The Bests had another MIAMI themselves in the 1950s.
I suppose Dr Rayner would have used the name MIAMI for a launch as, apart from being an enterprising dentist with his “American Dental Parlors” in Auckland, he was a developer of resorts like Turangi, Rotoiti etc obviously inspired by the contemporary conversion of Florida sandhills into the resort of Miami.
Just the same I’m eager to establish his connection with the launch MIAMI.
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Edith

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EDITH

I was recently contacted by Vanessa Bailey in regard to her grandad parents displacement picnic boat Edith. Edith has been restored in a shed at Diary Flat by Arthur Nealy and Dominic Happe over the last 2+ years. Edith is a kauri clinker build and launched in 1925, 16’ in length.

During the restoration Edith her was paint stripped back to bare wood both internally and externally then coated with 5 coats of marine paint, a new Nanni diesel engine was fitted (est. speed 8 knots). In addition new fuel tank, new electrical, new propeller shaft and new propeller was fitted.

I have asked for some photos of the project, so hopefully we can see the work involved in bringing this beauty back to as launched (or better) condition. Congratulations to all involved.

Check out the very impressive trailer (below)

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Miss Sandra (Kokiri)

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MISS SANDRA (Kokiri)

Today’s woody comes to us via Greg Philipott’s fb page. Greg commented that Miss Sandra was built c.1962, probably in Auckland (tbc).
She was named after Lola and Snooks Fuller’s daughter. Then renamed Kokiri after NZ Shipping / P&O purchased Fullers from George Wooller.
Chris Brittain commented on the fb post that Fullers repowered her with a GM 671.
Nathan Herbert also commented that her hull looked like an early Jim Young design.
Greg is keen to learn more about Miss Sandra. So woodys any details, stories, photos?
Input from Graham Clifford
“I was a full time skipper of Miss Sandra from 1967 – 71 when she was engaged in big game fishing, light tackle winter fishing and occasional runabout duties.  I continued my association with her on a piecemeal basis in the years after she retired from fishing in 1971 and took her new name “Kokiri.”  Under this name she was used variously as a scenic cruise boat,  a pilot boat to and from ships visiting Port Opua and a general roustabout.
Miss Sandra was a 36 foot Vindex hull built of kauri in Fullers new slipway shed at Russell in 1966.  I was present during her construction.  In late ‘66 I took over as her gamefishing skipper.  Together we captured a 547 pound blue marlin.  The following season, in March 1968,  we landed and weighed the biggest marlin caught in New Zealand waters, a blue marlin of over one thousand pounds (1017 lbs)
Miss Sandra was originally powered by a 6-cylinder Fordson diesel but was soon repowered with a Caterpillar turbo charged engine which gave her a top speed of 20 knots light. I used this engine for more than two years.  In 1967 I used Miss Sandra and her speed to assist Police in the transfer of a stabbing victim from a ship which arrived in Doubtless Bay. The victim (Wylie Hanby Roberts) needed hospital treatment and would have certainly died had the ship not diverted to Doubtless Bay.  Miss Sandra had the speed to get from the Bay of Islands to Doubtless Bay in time to meet the ship offshore.   The Caterpillar engine was replaced in 1969 with 6 cylinder Fordson and again with another Fordson.  Her final re-powering was with a noisy GM which coincided with her name change to “Kokiri.”  Her gamefishing days were over.  She became a part time scenic cruise boat fitted with airline-style seats and a small public address system.  This role did not suit Kokiri well and I personally shunned her other than to favour her for pilot duties.  The two principle maritime pilots liked her for her speed.”

PIKO – A peek down below

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PIKO – A peek down below
Piko was built in 1924 by Collings & Bell and is 28’ in length, with a 6’ beam and she draws 2’.
Power is from a 2002, 18hp Volvo diesel.
Her current home is on Lake Rotoiti (Nth Is.) She has made numerous appearances on WW before as part of the annual Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Parade.
She has just popped up on trademe with a very realistic price of $15k, needs some TLC to the interior but nothing most of us couldn’t do.
Interested in hearing more about her past life i.e. has she always been on the lake and if not where has she been over the years.
Harold Kidd Input – PIKO was built in Parnell in September 1927, designed by and built under the supervision of H.N. Burgess, formerly boatbuilding in Judges Bay. Her first owner was J Bates. She had a Briscoe heavy duty engine. Bates kept her at Judges Bay. Not Collings & Bell.

Murray Deeble Input – She was on a mooring off Akarana prior to being transported to Tauranga/Rotoiti in the early 90’s

Lady Ellen Restoration June ’19 Update

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LADY ELLEN RESTORATION UPDATE – JUNE 2019

Just received the above photos and story below from Bruce Mitchinson, as before, I’ll let Bruce talk you thru the report.
“Over the weekend we cleared out the boatbuilders shed ready to lay out the plywood cores for the cabin coamings, which are to be clad in Iroko inside and out.

This is the last of the major woodworking, apart from the engine box and associated trim and accessories, and fitting the coamings back on the boat.
Galley is complete ready to go in after the interior paint job.
Below deck the cabin woodwork is done and ready for paint, which is all white, with varnish door frames and jambs.

Unfortunately our painter has a hand injury so we are on the lookout for a new painter at the moment. 

We also lost our engineer, Ken Jaspers, who looked after our engine through its recondition, sourced all the new parts and running gear, and had things primed ready for assembly and paint.
Ken battled bone marrow cancer for the last year and was still working on our job up to a week before he checked out.
There will be a plaque for Ken, ‘Engineer to Lady Ellen’ that will go on the bulkhead in the engine bay. 
The trailer and engine which became a feature in Ken and Eileen’s driveway for over a year, is now up in the boatyard, ready for Brian to finish the assembly.
All the finished parts are stacked in the shower cubicle in the shed, ready to bolt on.
 
Still a lot of work to do, but it looks like a boat now.”

Rangi Rua (Rangi II)

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Rangi the one that hit rocks in Norfolk.
Rangi11 sailing past the oil rigg having a rest on its way to New Plymouth

 

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RANGI RUA (Rangi II)
 
I was recently contacted by Terry Hall in regard to his ex yacht Ranginui Rua, Terry commented that when he bought her she was named Rangi II (as seen in the sailing photo above) but when he tried to register her with Lloyds – London the name was refused as there was a passenger  ship with that name,  Terry had a Maori friend, a chief in Northland who suggested trying Rangi Rua –  Rua being #2 in Maori, he sent this off and it was accepted. Thence the ‘different’ name on the hauled out photos.
 
Rangi Rua was built by Mark Anthony in Freeman’s Bay and is a Woollacott 42′, Terry believes it was extended with extra frames. Her and a gaff rigged boat called Marpu were probably the last kauri boats to be built in Freemans Bay. Bad luck followed both yachts – Rangi Rua was lost in the Trans Tasman race in 1948 and Marpu was lost in the Pacific on its way home from Japan.
 
Terry owned Rangi Rua for many years and had her moored in the Town Basin in Whangarei in front of the wharf shed. He still has the log book which he kept when he sold her. In the photos of her on the slip, Terry is in the white overalls with his boatbuilder son, Frank and crew.
SUNDAY QUIZ
Yesterday Angus Rogers was doing what most of us were doing i.e. nothing 🙂 so he took an old photo out of its frame to clean the glass. Do we think Angus has ID’ed the yachts correctly ?  Sail numbers starting with A17 Ngatoa on right working left are A11 Ida, A5 Rawene, A3? Ariki and A16? Little Jim. Some of the anoraks may be able to identify the last two from their sails and shape and the yacht on the right with no numbers showing.
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