Category Archives: Boat Sheds

A Sneak Peek at Eileen Patricia’s Restoration

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An Update on the Restoration of Eileen Patricia (Linden)

Back in late 2014 I posted on ww that the 26’6″ – ‘Eileen Patricia’ was for sale on trademe for a very modest sum & being designed & built by Bill Couldrey (1932/33) she had wonderful bones & I suggested to anyone that would listen that she should be restored to her former glory – well Peter Mence (CYA Chairman) took the bait – bought her & moved her to Marco Scuderi’s yard.
Fast forward approx. 2 years & we get to see a glimpse of what she will look like when finished. Macro was doing a shed swap on Monday & Peter captured the above photo. It was the first time that he has been able to step back & get a good view of Marco’s work – needless to say, she is looking very smart. Peter has promised to send me a selection of work-in-progress photos, so when they arrive, I’ll share with everyone.
You are see/read more here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/11/11/9603/

Below are a couple of photos that show her during her sea trials & one of her when purchased by Peter.

 

2017 Whangaroa Sport Fishing Club – Classic Boat Fishing Competition

The above event is I’m told is on the bucket list of a lot of woody owners. Brian Worthington sent me the details below for the 2017 event. ( click to view Classic Boats Rules)

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MV Mavis

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M.V. MAVIS

Mavis started life back 1918 as a Lanes 40′ trawler. Fast forward to 2004 when she had a  major refit that included –  hull refastened and splined, new decks and cabin, new  John Deere 150HP engine and re-wired. Given that she was recently in MNZ survey, she is very highly spec’ed and looks like she could handle just about anything that mother nature could throw at her. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads up re the trademe listing.

Do we know anything more about her past?

09-04-2023 Update ex Alistair Rowe – I spotted Mavis on a mooring in Whatamango Bay – roughly 8km East from Waikawa.- looks to have found a good home.

Yesterdays story on the Classic Launch Parade just got better – more photos ex Jason Prew added, scroll down to view.

Aussie 18′ Racing Woodys – Sailing Sunday

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Aussie 18′ Racing Woodys – Sailing Sunday

Robin Elliott sent me the above link to a very cool video that Australian Ian Smith has just put up on-line of how he built a replica of the 1919 traditional seam-batten Sydney 18 footer – Britannia in 2001-2002. Its approx 15min long & covers from lofting to launch > sailing. Great footage & a good commentary.

Robin also shared the link below to the ‘The Open Boat’ website which is a treasure trove of videos on the Australian small wooden sailing world. Do not blame me if your still watching it hours later 🙂

http://www.openboat.com.au/videos.html

CYA 2017 Classic Regatta
I snapped a few quick photos, below, yesterday while I was heading over to Westhaven to fuel up & then decided to pop in at Regatta HQ for a cleansing ale. More photos tomorrow from the Regatta’s classic woody launch parade &  lunch cruise to Riverhead Hotel. If you are out & about this morning & want to see the fine collection of classic woody launches, we will be passing in front of the RNZYS at approx. 10.30am.

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My Girl Restoration Update

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My Girl Restoration Update
Work on Jason Prew’s launch ‘My Girl’ is processing along well – but not at the speed indicated by the above photos. Jason remembers to take photos, but he is a bit slack with telling / showing people 🙂 In fairness, he does keep his weblog up to date, you can see & read more on the project at the link below.
http://www.my-girl.co.nz/mygirl/Restoration/Restoration.html

Tarati Mei

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TARATI MEI

I was recently contacted by Andy Winter who is on the lookout for information on an Allen Williams boat, built around 1964/5 for Dick Read grandfather of Andy’s wive – who unfortunately passed away in 1980. Andy has come across a picture of Allen Williams actually building the boat, which he believes to be a similar design as ‘Banshee’ except this boat is 34’6” long and 9’ft beam. The boat was called ‘Tarati Mei’ when she was launched, named after his wife Dorothy May.

Andy is trying to find out what happened to her, whether she has been renamed or is around no more? Andy asked Milford boat builder, Geoff Bagnell about the boat but he doesn’t remember her. Andy thinks she would have been kept at Milford until the early 1970’s. Any help or direction from the woodys would be most appreciated.
In the photos above the first two show Tarati Mei  just before launching from Allen’s yard. Dick Read is the guy on the transom. In the second photo we see Dick’s wife (Dorothy May) launching her.
The third photo is of Allen Williams building ‘Tarati Mei’.  The last photo is what appears to be an ‘enhanced’ photo of her at Kawau – probably late 1960’s. Andy feels this may actually be a painted copy of a photo, either way it does show what she looked like in this era.
Andy commented that he saw a similar looking launch in Gulf Harbour being lifted out recently called ‘Murphy’, but didn’t get chance to talk to the owner. Any one else seen this vessel?

Harold Kidd Input

The name is actually TARATI MEI, not TARITI MEI (oops fixed. AH). She was built in 1965 and had dimensions of 29’6″ x 25′ x 9′ x 2’6″ and was powered by a 100hp Fordson diesel. Her APYMBA number was 311.
Bill Jobey bought her from Dick Read and renamed her PATTY J.
Bill Jobey was a core member of the Milford Cruising Club and always had a snapper or two if you pulled up alongside him off the Barrier. Lovely man who died a few years ago. However any old-time MCC member should know what has happened to her.

Mystery Launch – Boat Sheds

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MYSTERY LAUNCH – BOAT YARDS

Morning woodys, after the gigantic post (160+ photos) yesterday from the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade, I thought it was time to serve up some mono-tone imagery. Today’s photo is from the album that one of Peter Renall’s clients saved from the dump bin.
The S. Ford & R. Lang branded sheds must help with ID’ing the launch in the forefront.

And woodys if you were out & about yesterday enjoying Waitangi Day, just scroll down for a serious woody experience 😉
Enjoy.

Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade 2017 – 160+ photos

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Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade 2017 – 160+ photos

Another stunning long weekend weather wise & also on the woody front – this weekend I was down at Lake Rotoiti (Nth Island) for the annual classic & wooden boat parade. Holding hands again on the trip with Chris Miller. For the last few years we have positioned our selves in one shore based spot & snapped the boats as they have passed, this year we were very kindly offered the use of a RHIB to get out on the water & get amongst the fleet. The RHIB was provided by LRC&WB Association Rear Commodore Fraser Wilson, Fraser deserves a lot of credit for the above photos 🙂 . Given that CM is a professional photographer we decided that I would be the boat boy & helm the boat & CM would snap the photos, that was a good call because he is rather good 🙂
Being afloat meant that we could get a lot closer to the boats & the crews. So woodys the photos above are CM’s & below are a few of mine + a collection that I took while ashore for the post parade picnic.
I was asked to judge the awards for 7 categories, these awards are highly contested as they are only handed out every 5 years. The winners are featured at the end of todays story.
I would also like to like thank LRC&WB Commodore Grant Cossey for his help & support & as always the LRC&WB Secretary & event registrar – Rachel Jamieson, who is the real hero of this event & the association.
You can also view more on the event at CM’s blog – http://www.buggeritweareoff.com
Remember to click on photos to enlarge. Enjoy – we did 😉
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20th Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade 2017 Winners
BEST ORIGINAL WOODEN BOOT – CARVEL
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BEST ORIGINAL CLASSIC BOAT – WILD HORSES
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BEST CONVERSION – PIKO
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BEST DECORATED BOAT – HAUMOANA
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BEST DRESS CREW – ALBERTO
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BEST REPRODUCTION – SUZY Q
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MOST QUIRKY – MAGGIE
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Tibbs’ Beach – Sailing Sunday

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Tibbs’ Beach – Sailing Sunday

The above photo, from the A. Turnbull Library, was taken by William A Price in the early 1900’s & shows a collection of yachts & a small motor boat hauled out on cradles for maintenance at Tibbs’ Beach, Ponsonby.

Got to love the father & son + old boy with the walking stick, bowler hat & pipe in the center of the photo – that is what its all about-the 3 F’s – fun, friendship & fraternity 😉

So woodys todays questions – what is Tibbs’ Beach known as today ? And can we ID the boats?

Harold Kidd Input

From the left is ROMP alias CHARIE but built as EHOA by Tom Le Huquet in 1892, winter-quartered at Tibbs Beach when owned by Fred Rule. I can’t positively id the little double-ended launch. Next is, I reckon, QUEENIE, hauled out at the beach when owned by Tom Hill. Next is, I think, SCOUT when owned by the Ewen brothers who lived in Shelley Beach Road. Possibly, however, it’s MAYO which also pulled out there until she was damaged and broken up in late 1913 but I think MAYO was smaller although of the same general form. The bow of the boat on the right doesn’t tell us much except that she’s a small straight-stemmer. My pick is NEOLA which was owned by Treanor and hauled out here at this time.
I reckon the date is winter 1912 plus or minus a year.

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“Aquatics” correspondents of the newspapers and magazines of the time were fond of producing copy from a wander along the haul out areas around the harbour to fill their columns in the winter, so you can pretty well flesh out the boats hauled in each spot, season by season. The key to this image is the presence of EHOA aka RHONA/RONA/CHARIE (not CHARLIE), but ROMP at this time and that puts the dates to 1910-14 at the outside either way.
The other yachts which used Tibbs’ Beach for winter haulout within that period were (alphabetically) ARIKI, HEARTSEASE, LITTLE JIM (the first), MABEL, MAYO, NEOLA aka ALOFA/AWATEA, QUEENIE, ROSE aka MOUTERE, SCOUT, the 16 footer SURPRISE and VALDORA, then a big centreboarder.
The only candidate for the #2 yacht from this dramatis personae to my mind is VALDORA, then owned by W.T. Matthews but she was only 26ft loa. MABEL, now WAIATA in Wellington, has a raked stem and is 33ft, but no “spoon”.
Any other ideas?

Laughing Lady Getting Dressed

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Laughing Lady Getting Dressed Photos

Todays ww post is a wee peek into the final stages of Laughing Lady’s restoration at the Whangateau boat yard. Photos ex James Dreyer’s ‘Seven Oceans Boatworks’ facebook page – click here to see more on the project https://www.facebook.com/sevenoceansboatworks/?pnref=lhc

In the last few days James has used the services of a good old fashioned master craftsman with experience in the hot rod movement to apply some of the finishing touches to LL.
Given the level of presentation that LL will have when launched one would have to wonder where her home will be – certainly not a swing mooring in the Tamaki River, probably a boat shed or maybe even one of the dry docks?

ww awaits details on the splash date, must be fast approaching 😉

30-12-2016 The original plans have just surfaced. Read more in comments section.

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04-05-2017 – Owner James Dreyer hard at work at the Whangateau Boat shed.

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Lady Noelene

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LADY NOELENE

Lady Noelene has been a ‘rolling restoration’ for the last 4+ years & while still not complete her owner is on the down hill slopes. We do not know much about her past but she is powered by a 6 cyl Ford diesel. The photos are a mix of several people over the years, with the most recent ones, at Greg Less’s Sandspit boat yard, from Ken Ricketts.

Can any woodys expand on the little we know about Lady Noelene ?