Category Archives: Boat Sheds

Shame On You – Auckland Council and Auckland Maritime Museum

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Shame On You – Auckland Council and Auckland Maritime Museum

 
 The management vandals at the Maritime Museum and Auckland Council  are scrapping the 1926 Steam Crane Ship Rapaki.  Chris McMullen advises that she will be towed to Titan Slipway today. This is very sad as John Street and Chris arranged to procure her from the Lyttleton Port Company.
She has been neglected for years. Rodney Wilson had great plans for her then sadly left. 
It’s been commented to me in the past that most museums are run by academics often as a career not an interest. They don’t encourage volunteers fearing their ignorance and lack of experience will be exposed.  
 
You have to ask the question – has this been brought ahead by the Americas cup fever? 
 
Whats next? boat registration before the next Cup? Boating is the last Bastion of freedom. We have lived through the best times. 
 
Rapaki’s  demise has been kept from the press. But this was posted on the Net in November. 
There has been no public consultation, No Public Notices or call for expressions of interest.

1931 Onerahi Annual Regatta

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Onerahi Annual Regatta

The photo above (T.G. Palmer) ex Lew Redwood’s fb is tagged “A picturesque North Auckland Aquatic Carnival – The Annual Reggata at Onerahi, Whangarei & is date January 1931. Not the best resolution, but still an interesting photo.

The photos below ex John Bullivant shows the little Tinopai marina on the Kaipara Harbour. The photos are dated 2012 & JB came across them while doing a google search.  There are a number of nice launches living there, I wonder how many are still there.

Sorry for the random post today – yesterday was a nightmare – everything I touched was a disaster – I’ll give you a motoring tip – do not breakdown on the 5th floor of a parking building – there is only one tow truck in Auckland low enough to extract you…………………… took nearly 4 hours……… 

Ended up leaving work bag & computer in the car, so posting tonight from a borrowed one.

TINOPAI ON KAIPARA

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Milford Mooching + Rudder Cup Launch Race – Come & See The Start – This Friday @ 7pm – In Front of the RNZYS.

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Milford Mooching

I dropped in yesterday to catch-up with Geoff Bagnall at his Milford boat yard. I have talked on WW recently about the sale of the site & how Geoff is locking the door & heading North. The actual date is weeks, rather than months away & the woody owners are queuing up at the door to get work done b4 Geoff leaves the creek for the last time.
In the shed, on the hard & next door are a collection of woodys in various stages of repair. The one that interests me the most is the Roy Parris launch that Geoff is re-building for himself, the boat was originally his fathers (still alive, in-fact turns 90 soon). As you would expect the attention to detail is stunning. I will feature her on WW closer to the relaunch date.
Who can tell us more about Mata Hari , I have only ever seen her moored in front of a Milford Creek house, never seems to venture out – I understand (could be wrong) that her owner was the seller of Geoff’s yard.
Photo below ex Ken Ricketts
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The Rudder Cup Launch Race – This Friday – Start @ 7pm in front of the RNZYS – Be There – YOU COULD WIN A WW T-SHIRT – The best photo of the start, emailed to me at waitematawoodys@gmail.com will receive a free waitematawoodys t-shirt.
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Happy Days

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HAPPY DAYS 

Back in July 2017 I ran a story on a ‘barn find’ 1928 woody that Lake Rotoiti boat builder Alan Craig at Craig Marine, was about to start work on.

Now Alan & his team do not muck around, last week he sent me the above photos, with a note saying that he had collected the rebuilt 1938 Osco marine flathead V8  engine. The term rebuilt is somewhat of an understatement 🙂
I told Alan that HDK would have kittens when he saw the photo of the engine. The engine work was done by Rob Cowley in Hamilton at Robs Rods and Restos.
The plan is to have her in the water this Christmas. And I’m pleased to advise that Lake Rotoiti will be her home 🙂
Photos below to remind you what she looked like. You can see & read more here.      https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/07/31/lake-rotoiti-barn-find-restoration/
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Arima

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ARIMA

 
I was contacted by Kelly Ellis back in May 2018 – looking for some intel on her launch Arima. Kelly bought Arima in Oct 2017 and is aware that Arima had a remake around 1970 when a Ford D-series was installed along with a lot of brown Formica. When purchased both are showing their age. In Kelly’s words – the Ford was a filthy glutton and the downstairs helm station was virtually unchanged from 1970 and was a bit crowded.
Since taking over the custodianship Arima has had a new head, new electronics, new autopilot, been re-upholstered and had a back-to-bare bum job.
Kelly has also commissioned an internal revamp with the old Ford D series being replaced with a Cummins 6B. The plan is to relocate Arima from Whangarei to her new home in Havelock. 
Kelly commented that Whangarei boat builder Jon Jones is responsible for the lovely work.
 
In a previous story on WW there has been some confusion as to when & who built her – 1953 or 1955 and possibly by Salthouse. As always I revert to Harold Kidd – HDK’s view is below:
 

“As I understand it, ARIMA was designed and built by Colin Wild in 1953, one of his last designs. Bob Salthouse was an apprentice at the time working on the boat. The first owner was Joe Dent and subsequent owners included Noel Kitchen, Ken Archer (1974 ish), T Whillans (1977) and David Campbell-Morrison (1989). Her original engine was a 4 cylinder Ford, replaced by a 6 cylinder Trader.
So her pedigree is superb.
John Salthouse built several near-clones of course.”

You can see photos for Arima here, before Kelly bought her

Hidden Agenda

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HIDDEN AGENDA

I have been contacted by Alan Craig from Craig Marine about the the Lake Rotoiti launch Hidden Agenda, which is currently at Alan’s yard for a serious re-fit.
The Hidden Agenda was the boat that’s been at the Lake Rotoiti hot pools for some years, Alan thinks the Cameron’s brought it to the lake from Whakatane, where it was a bit of a patrol boat or similar. She crossed the Whakatane bar regularly. Power was from an old Volvo diesel – 2cylinder 20hp.
While it has different cabin additions over the years, Alan believes the hull is quite old and guesses it was a flush decker with small dodger originally. Where the cabin companion way is now, the deck beams are short which is where a louvered hatch would have been. And on the house sides there are opening port holes that have been filled and covered. She’s not very long, 22′ 7″ x 6’6″. Was possibly used up rivers, lakes for carting goods?
She has been living a good retired life on Rotoiti, and now getting a birthday so it can continue in good health. The tired Volvo is being replaced with an outboard hidden in the back (sorry but traditional has been beaten by practical this time)  and new cabin and seating etc.
Alan would love to know the age of the hull? Any suggestion or does anyone know the boat?

Sunbeam – Sailing Sunday

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SUNBEAM –  Sailing Sunday

The photo above (ex Auckland Museum Winkleman collection via Lew Redwoods fb) is captioned ‘1900s “Sunbeam” on the slip’. I know nothing about her but she looks very slippery.
Hopefully one of the woody rag & stick boys can tell us more about her.
Trademe Finds
I spend a lot of time trolling the archives of trademe for anything wooden boat related & buy a lot of ’stuff’. Yesterdays courier van visit, dropped off a copy of book titled ’Selected MotorBoat Designs – Volume 16’. It was first published in 1934 & contains complete designs & building instructions for 35 motor boats of many styles. While the cover is very faded, the interior is mint, particularly the sets of line drawings.
Will give me something to read today, given the the CYA Patio Bay weekend was cancelled.
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ALMIRA – A Classic Jack Cropp Designed Motor Launch 

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ALMIRA – A Classic Jack Cropp Designed Motor Launch 

The 20’ motor boat, Almira was built in McCormicks Bay Christchurch in 1965 with African Meranti marine laminated ply riveted & glued clinker plank. 
For sale on trademe, she is in totally original condition, with according to her listing, absolutely no rot. 
Powered by a Palmer & Doak marinised 1500cc Ford GT engine rated at 78 BHP driving through a stern drive. 

Included is a folder with a log from day one plus a letter from Jack Cropp about its construction etc. he comments on the fact that the engine has plenty of power to get on the plane. 
Jack was an Olympic yachtsman and won a gold medal at the 1956 games in Melbourne and well known for building quality well designed wooden boats. 
The boat is light and easy to tow, has been in dry storage all its life. Currently residing near Ashburton, Canterbury, South Island.

Sorry about the standard of some of the photos.

CYA PATIO BAY WEEKEND CANCELLED – SEE BELOW.

I have to question deciding to cancel an event, based on a weather forecast, in Auckland, 4 days before the event…………….. 😦

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Mystery Launch On Slip at St Mary’s Bay

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Mystery Launch On Slip at St Mary’s Bay
Today’s photo comes to us via Lew Redwood’s fb (probably taken by Radcliff) & shows an unidentified launch on a slip in the St Mary’s Bay area. The photo is captioned ‘Auckland Harbour From Ponsonby’.
Lew commented that the orientation of the photo is looking from St Mary’s Bay near Point Erin showing a boat slip, with the premises of JT Julian & Son Boat Builders on Wynyard Wharf in the mid ground (1910>1919)
Can anyone ID the launch?
Harold Kidd Input – Reverting to the postcard, I think Chas Collings’ house is the one to the right whose verandah is visible. As for the launch, her configuration was a common one at the time. Built c1910 + or – 2 or 3 years, flush decked, “schooner rigged” with auxiliary sails, tuck stern, nice lines, a typical Auckland-built launch of the time. I think the pic and the postcard are too early for TEINA (sp) which was launched in June 1922. I can’t see why TEINA would be pulled out in St. Mary’s Bay. She was a Bayswater boat.
If the image was clearer you could count the ports etc. I do have a copy of the postcard at home but have never attempted to identify the launch.
My guess is that she’s a Ponsonby-owned launch. My mind says the first Drayton a 27 footer built in 1912 by H.N. Burgess and owned by the Walker Brothers, members of the Ponsonby Cruising Club just to the right of frame. But it could be 30 others.
Also CYA Woody’s – Remember this weekend is the Annual CYA Patio Bay Yacht Race + Launch Cruise + Christmas Party
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Fleetwing Re-Launches

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FLEETWING RE-LAUNCHES

Late last week the Pollard brothers – Andrew & Cameron dropped Fleetwing back in the water after giving her a serious makeover. Other than shinny paint job, we are sure what has has been done to her, the brothers are a tad tight lipped on details.
What I can say is that looking at her stern there is a very serious new prop, a bigger exhaust & the addition of a set of trim-tabs, so me thinks that she has had ‘heart transplant’.
The big question is will they be entering the upcoming Rudder Cup launch race? Will be an interesting clash between Jason Prew’s My Girl & Fleetwing. I suspect that if we see an entry from the Pollards, Mr Prew will off to Westhaven marine chandlery outlets for a set to trim-tabs 😉
Speaking of the Rudder Cup, to date we have over 15 confirmed / paid-up entries, with a few more having to pay the late entry fee (>Nov 30th) – it will be a cracker event.
And CYA woodys – remember next weekend (Dec 1>2) is Patio Bay weekend – more on that in a few day.
Check out this WW link to read & view some of the history on Fleetwing. https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/11/09/fleetwing/
Video below of Fleetwing idling post launching.

UPDATE 08-12-2018  My spies snapped a photo of Fleetwing at speed, heading down the harbour toward the Harbour Bridge – looked fast was the comment.

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