Category Archives: CYA Boat

Lady Ellen Restoration – July Update

Posted on by
8
LADY ELLEN RESTORATION JULY UPDATE
 
Today is a first, no photos just videos, shot and narrated by Lady Ellen’s owner Bruce Mitchinson, I have to say its a great format for getting a status report on the progress of the restoration – very impressed Bruce 🙂
I’ll let Bruce tell us what’s been happening
 
“Visit to the boatyard, in Russell, end of july, to check on progress, and start the motor – new valves, rings, injectors, sump, bell housing, number 2 piston and con rod, so we thought it would be no trouble.
after cranking the thing over in the space of a couple of hours, bleeding lines, and trying all sorts, we gave up. It fired up for 4 seconds and we shut it down as the oil pressure was not up, after that we had oil pressure cranking on the starter, but it wouldn’t kick.
Fuel pressure at the injector pump looked pretty weak on all cylinders but number 3, and we thought that we would have to send the pump off to the doctors to get it looked at.
One last go yesterday [7th august] and armed with a new battery, some optimism, and a threatening looking sledge hammer, we had success!”
Woodys – I’m interested in your feed back he being able to view the videos – if you are unable, can you drop me an email (link below) I’m keen to ensure everyone can view them 🙂
waitematawoodys@gmail.com
UPDATE – OPEN THE COMMENTS SECTION IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS VIEWING –  for some reason they will load there but not in the main body of the story.
THE ENGINE
WCW Riverhead2019
Another clinker joined the fleet yesterday…………… thats 4, but who’s counting (other than the wife)

 

Meola – A Peek Down Below

Posted on by
3

67732819_477001966192939_7712849725526900736_o

67585468_477000882859714_4990131169019297792_o

Meloa – A Peek Down Below

I was sent a link to the amazing collection of photos above of the 1961 Miller & Tunnage  ex work boat Meola by woody Peter Mence. Owner Iain Forsythe  has had Meola for 4+ years and in this time he has used his eye & hand skills to turn her into one of the saltiest boats in our woody fleet. Check out the link below for more photos and detail

Meola

Input for Harold Kidd – Her first skipper was Charlie Miillett who served his time as a boatbuider with Chas Bailey & Sons, went to Tauranga boatbuilding and became a top skipper in the game-fishing fleet there.

P1200444

IMPORTANT MESSAGE

And if you were off the radar yesterday – scroll down to view yesterdays story on how classic launch owners can enjoy their pride and joy more or be lazy & just click this link below 🙂

How Often Do You Use Your Classic Boat

Kumi

Posted on by
4

p20062coll1_60170_extralarge

p20062coll1_60099_extralarge

p20062coll1_60076_extralarge

KUMI
The 1905 Bailey & Lowe 40′ launch Kumi has appeared numerous times on WW but Nathan Herbert was recently poking around in the Auckland Library Heritage Collection section and came across the above photos attributed to Mr. and Mrs. MF Russ. National Publicity Studios; Riethmaier. Nathan asked me if I supported his belief that the boat featured was Kumi. A quick search in my WW files popped up an email (repeated at the bottom of this story) that Kumi’s owner Haydon Afford sent me back in August 2014, that made a reference to Kumi being used as a cray fish boat between 1955 and 1975 in Whangaroa, Northland, by a Mr Russ – so jack pot – its Kumi. Catch out the size of those cray fish.
Now if you know Haydon you would have to be surprised that he had communicated with me via email – in fact he told me I was the first person he had sent an email to 🙂 Haydon is a wonderful man, they broke the mould after he entered this world. Back in the summer of 2012 > 2013 Haydon undertook a 3 month circumnavigation of New Zealand in Kumi. This achievement was acknowledged in late 2013 by the NZ Classic Yacht Association awarding Haydon the ‘Outstanding Achievement Award In Seamanship’. Below is a photo of Haydon accepting the award along with his father. A group of woodys motored out to welcome Haydon back into Auckland Harbour after the circumnavigation – he celebrated with a pint of ice cold beer.
Screen Shot 2019-07-31 at 6.17.03 PM
Screen Shot 2019-07-31 at 6.17.21 PM
Screen Shot 2019-07-31 at 6.21.25 PM
Haydon shared his story of the trip with CYA members at a special evening at the RNZYS and it was pure gold, good old school story telling at its best. Unfortunately no-one recorded it but prior to the evening I twisted Haydon’s (writing) arm to tell me about the trip, I typed this up and you can read it at the WW link below
HISTORY OF KUMI / ELIZA
Screen Shot 2019-07-31 at 5.28.03 PM

 

Galatea

Posted on by
8

IMG_8496

IMG_8498

IMG_8497

Mystery Yacht – 28-07-2019 – solved – it is Galatea

I have been contacted by Denis Woodward who has a collection of signed Winkleman sailing photographs asking for help to ID the yacht above. If we are really good we might even be able to put a name to the crew 🙂
Mystery Spirit of Tradition 
I know with that engine well and leg I’m stretching things a little but folks we are going to see a lot more of this style of craft as the price of marina’s continues to climb. David Vaassen spotted – Sprat, at Orams dry dock and was wondering if we could find out more about her – design, builder, engine etc. At first I thought it was one of the new Greg Salthouse launches but no, Sprat is not quite as beautiful to the eye 🙂 More work boat styling.
chzEx4y9RD2ESfvoIbVmgw
UPDATE from Tim Jackson

Sprat is a Badnam launch designed by the late David Thomas . Built in the Bay of Islands and recently sold out of Wanaka. She has a builders plate in her.Here is some blurb about her genesis, ex the Wooden Boat Association of NSW, Sydney – 2012 newsletter.

 

 

 

IMG_4593

IMG_6232

IMG_4595

Another woody from my club reporter 🙂  location = Santorini. Might be glass 😦
65028241_2391800927546746_1866603683173629952_n

CLASSIC YACHT ASSOCIATION NEEDS A NEW LAUNCH CAPTAIN

Posted on by
Reply

Screen Shot 2019-07-26 at 3.09.01 PM

Screen Shot 2019-07-26 at 2.57.51 PM

ATTENTION CYA LAUNCH OWNERS  – THE CLASSIC YACHT ASSOCIATION NEEDS A NEW LAUNCH CAPTAIN

THIS IS AN URGENT CALL TO ALL CYA LAUNCH OWNERS TO CONSIDER STANDING FOR THE POSITION OF LAUNCH CAPTAIN FOR THE 2019 / 2020 SEASON
For all sorts of reasons over the last few years the Launch owners interests have been a tad in the shadows, so someone needs to step up and carry the torch for the Launch group on the CYA General Committee.
I did it for 4+ years and enjoyed the camaraderie and friendship the role generates.
The pay is terrible but I’ll give you a waitematawoodys shirt and cap 🙂
Nominations close next Tuesday (30th) at 5pm – see link below to download the nomination form. If I know you and your a good bugger 🙂 , I’ll even nominate you 😉
NOTE: this is a private message to waitematawoodys readers and has no link or endorsement by the NZ Classic Yacht Association Inc.
Screen Shot 2019-07-26 at 3.10.51 PM

Skipjack (Sea Devil)

Posted on by
3

Motuhuie May 19(2)

Re-glassed and waiting for mast

Re-glassed and back into the water

SKIPJACK (SEA DEVIL)

Woody Greg Bilington contacted me recently re his launch – Skipjack, formerly named Sea Devil, when owned by Brent Gribble.

In Greg’s words, Shipjack is a 100-year-old, unpretentious 33′ Bailey. Greg has sent in an update on the recent maintenance / restoration that he has undertaken on the woody. I’ll let Greg tell the story (with a wee bit of editing)

“I knew that Skipjack took on some water, but since the hull was sound, I wasn’t overly concerned and focused initially on mechanicals, which included replacing the prop, shaft, cutlass bearing, universal etc. In time, I decided we needed to stifle the ingress of water – and as anyone who has ever had a leaky anything will know, this can be a challenging task. Skin fittings, which were the first suspects had all been replaced and properly backed, but whilst necessary, did not made a beakerful of a difference. The stuffing box seemed a likely candidate, and though it was due for re-packing, this too, could not account for the increasing amount of work being done by the bilge pump. 

So, we hauled out at the Landing to pressure test the shaft log, and again drew a blank. It was at that point that Grant Hendry – then working at Orakei Marina, seized hold of the keel behind the rudder and discovered to my great alarm that he could move it centimetres either way! This gave rise to a nightmare or two about soft timber the length of the boat – but in any event, was almost certainly the source of the problem. 

Nevertheless, if the timber was sound and further inspection indicated that it was, then that left the keel bolts. For me this was an unexpected discovery, but I daresay it shouldn’t have been. Manganese bronze bolts subject to galvanic action for a century, and with ball-peened fastenings on the bottom of the keel, might be expected to be well past their use-by date. The problem about this of course, was that there was a Ford Dover sitting over several of them.

With an elderly woody, as we know, once started, one must persevere. So, in due course, Moon Engines removed the motor – at which time I should add, James and his team did a sterling job replacing all seals (which had begun to leak) and generally gave it a proper birthday. 

Meanwhile, boat builder Glenn Burnnand knocked out the old bolts, and confirmed that they were very much the sorrier for wear. Thinned and with numerous hair-line fractures, they were hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Don Burnnand made new bolts, each with a damned big washer and nut, and when Glenn cranked these up, the mission was accomplished. The keel locked up as tight as the day she was built – and possibly tighter. I’ve included a pic to show the difference between the two…

Burnnand Marine also removed the old glass from the deck-planking, over-laid these with marine ply, re-glassed and painted. A superb job. In my view it’s worthwhile giving a plug to those tradesmen you can rely on completely – and he is one of them. Providing you can drop your mast – since you must pass under the Tamaki Bridge (entry to the Outdoor Boating Club) – access to Shed 10 on Ngapipi Road is very easy.

Long story short, the bilge pump is having a well-earned rest, bolts are good for another century, and I sleep even more soundly on the water.”

You can read / see more on Skipjack at the WW links below

https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/08/27/skipjack/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/02/24/sea-devil/

 

JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES

Posted on by
2

IMG_1663

JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES

Over the last week each day we have been featuring video footage of John Street’s recent speaking engagement that supported the exhibition – ‘One Man’s Treasures’ at the New Zealand Maritime Museum, MC’ed by Larry Paul. For the overseas readers, John Street was at the helm for over half a century of Auckland’s historic ship chandlery – Fosters. Such was John’s influence on the New Zealand boating and marine scene, that the late Sir Peter Blake tagged John the ‘Waterfront Mafia’. These days John has a mighty passion for preserving New Zealand’s maritime heritage. Videos’ enhanced & edited by Andrew Christie.

There are 6 videos in the series:

  1. Fosters The Beginning
  2. History of The Breeze
  3. The schooner Daring + TV1 documentary
  4. 2012 Americas Cup
  5. The steam crane ship Rapaki
  6. Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata Harbour

Today I have pulled them all together in one place for ease of finding them in the future and to highlight the series for anyone that missed a day. Enjoy 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silver Spray + John Street on the America’s Cup

Posted on by
3

66629991_2394436630579346_941748047245737984_o

Screen Shot 2019-07-16 at 9.11.17 PM

SILVER SPRAY + JOHN STREET ON THE AMERICA’S CUP

The above photos of Silver Spray popped up on a fb post last night via Ngapipip Road boat builder GlenBurnnand. In the past Silver Spray has appeared on WW many times, she was owned by passionate woody Mark Stapleton. Mark restored her and kept her in his Ngapipip Road boat shed. Unfortunately after many years of ownership, poor health forced Mark to sell Silver Spray. I’m guessing but I suspect  Glenn Burnnand bought her.
There is a vast amount of details and photos at the WW link below – but a quick overview – built in 1926 by Joe Slattery for Charles Ravenhall of Remuera. Silver Spray is 26′ LOA, 7′ beam with a 2’6″ draft, powered by a 4108 Perkins. A selection of photos from her past below.
I have held my breath on the addition of the two cabin top hatches, a tad out of place…………… on a 1926 woody 😦
 
 
 

Screen Shot 2019-07-17 at 2.33.49 PM

JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES – Part 4

IMG_1663
Every day this week WW are featuring a video filmed at John’s recent speaking engagement at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. NOTE VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT DO NOT DOWNLOAD WITHOUT PERMISSION. Videos edited & enhanced with the help of Andrew Christie 
PART FOUR – America’s Cup (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

1964 Bay of Islands Mystery Event

Posted on by
13

Screen Shot 2019-07-12 at 9.56.23 PM

1964 Bay of Islands Mystery Event

The above photo is captioned – 1964, Ohio Bay, Rangihoua, Bay of Islands and comes to us via Lew Redwood’s fb.
There is an impressive collection of classic wooden motor-boats in the bay and quite a crowd assembled on the beach / sand dunes watching something to the right (out of screen). Interesting that in the middle of the bay is a commercial boat with passenger looking ashore.
So woodys two tasks today – what’s happening and can we name some of the Woodys?
Oracle Nathan Herbert reckons he can ID most of the launches so lets see how good the rest of us (combined) are 🙂
Input from Simon Smith – In 1814 S Marsden held the first Christian service in NZ here. Thus 1964 would be the 150th celebration of that event. I suggest the photo represents the celebration of that first christmas sermon.
Nathan Herberts List Below
Screen Shot 2019-07-13 at 1.54.51 PM

17-07-2019 Update / Input from Graham Clifford: 

“The day before the 1964 commemoration event which recalled Reverend Samual Marsden’s Christmas Day service in 1814, I assisted Norman Fuller in running a wooden barge ashore on the beach towards the eastern end, just out of picture to the left. This barge was to facilitate getting passengers ashore who had made the trip on various Fullers launches from Paihia. A wooden ramp was lowered to the beach and used as an accessway. I made three return trips from Paihia as skipper of Miss Ida, carrying about 40 people per trip in perfect weather.

In identifying the boats in the photo I can name only three : ‘Bay Belle’ – a Fullers boat – and ‘Penguin’ whose home was at Purerua, an inlet within Mangonui Inlet which runs north as far as Te Tii. The people in the dinghy are rowing out to Penguin and we could surmise that two of them would be owner George Hansen and his wife whom he always called “Mum” when radioing her when he was out gamefishing.

The boat which another correspondent suggested is Fuller’s Miss Brett, I would put down as Miss Russell. The two boats were very similar but Miss Brett just had the edge in looks. I skippered both in the 60s, more so Miss Brett including for gamefishing and many line fishing trips with the Italians who were building the oil refinery at Marsden Point.
1964 was the second year of my 42 years as a Fuller’s skipper.”

 

11-08-2019 Input for Hylton Edmonds
“As promised – photo and story scanned and attached taken from the December 30 1964 issue of the Weekly News of Christmas Day commemoration activities at Oihi Bay.
Fuller’s Kewpie and Knoxie IV (?) in attendance complete with one of their barges acting as a landing platform, and maybe Bay Belle in your photo was awaiting its turn?
Graham (Clifford) might be able to elaborate and confirm, seeing he was there with the Ida as well.
Being too young, my Mother “dragged” my older brother and sister over there, whilst the Old Man and I stayed at home and played with all their presents, hah,  – all things considered,  a great day.”
Screen Shot 2019-08-11 at 5.24.55 PM
Screen Shot 2019-08-11 at 5.25.28 PM
JOHN STREET ON FILM – a waitematawoodys exclusive
IMG_1662
Starting on Monday in addition to the daily woody story I will run each day a video from John Street’s recent speaking engagement that supported the exhibition – ‘One Man’s Treasures’ at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. For the overseas readers, John Street was at the helm for over half a century of Auckland’s historic ship chandlery – Fosters. Such was John’s influence on the New Zealand boating and marine scene, that the late Sir Peter Blake tagged John the ‘Waterfront Mafia’. These days John has a mighty passion for preserving New Zealand’s maritime heritage.  :
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
IMG_1663

Ranui – 4sale

Posted on by
8

Screen Shot 2019-07-07 at 11.18.36 AM

Screen Shot 2019-07-07 at 11.21.29 AM

RANUI – A Peek Down Below
The 48’ Ranui was built in 1948 by the Lidgard Brothers to mirror the USA Chris Craft vessels of the same era. Her power is via twin 120hp Ford diesels that see her cruising at a comfortable 8.5 knots/
Ranui under went a major refit in 2011 and again in 2017. Work included – complete hull restoration and full hull topsides, repainted, new glassed decking all round. Also vanish restoration, new electronics, new plumbing new toughened glass all round. In 2011 a total motor rebuild on both 120 Fords and engine bay upgrade.
For sales enquries contact waitematawoodys@gmail.com