Category Archives: CYA Boat

Wellington Whale Spotting on A Woody

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Wellington Whale Spotting on A Woody
I’m sure most of you will have seen the TV coverage of the Southern Right whale – nick named Matariki thats decided to adopt the Wellington Harbour as its new home.
The Uivel family, owners of the stunning 1928, Joe Slattery built, now Wellington based woody – Mataroa, ventured out last week for a peek, never expecting the close encounter they got, seems the whale likes woodys.
Also included above are some nice shots of Mataroa in Clyde Quay boat harbour.
Photos ex the camera of Sue Dorrington & thanks to Rob Uivel for the on-board video and Bryan Saul for the Drone footage (link below)
You can view more photos of the re launch of Mataroa at the link below. Or just WW search the name, there is a lot of photos / info on her. Named Kenya, when launched.
Big tides yesterday – I suspect this old woody in the Milford Creek has had a few tides thru her 😉 See WW comments section for info on the yacht (named Ra Kesha) ex Geoff Brebner (heyday photo added below)
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Mystery Woodys at Kawau Island

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Mystery Woodys at Kawau Island

The caption on the above Tudor Collins photo, ex Auckland Museum (via Lew Redwood fb) states that the photo is dated 1936 & possibly / probably Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island.
Interested in ID’ing the closest launch to the shore. At first glance I thought Tasman, then Rehia but the shape & number of portholes is all wrong – what say the Woodys?
The dark hulled vessel behind, could be one of the early pilot boats – Ferro?
And any clever yachties able to ID the small yachts – mullet boats?
Input from Robin Elliott

NOT Mullet boats but 18-foot V-class. See endless posts and publications over the last 20 years (puts hobby horse back in stable)

From what I can make of the name on her transom, the light coloured hull looks to be Vaalele, V-78, built by Charlie Hardman to a Ralph Goodwin design in 1936.She was one of the four Auckland 18-footers that travelled to Sydney for the first World’s 18-footer championship in 1938. Charlie Hardman kept Vaalele until 1939 when he sold her to S.H. Bailey.

The darker boat is a bit later and looks to be quite new. She’s marconi rigged and could possibly be another Charlie Hardman / Ralph Goodwin boat, Vindex, V-35 built in 1939. Marconi rigs were not common in the V-class but by 1939 the more competitive yachtsmen were moving away from gaff.

From other photos I have seen, she was painted a dark colour, either black or royal blue and was marconi rigged. Vindex was laid up in 1940 and In 1944 he sold Vindex to Keith Atkinson who was working at Lidgards with Hardman.

If this is the case then that would date the photo to the summer of 1939/40, with the two Hardman boats cruising in company, and also explain the patriotic display of the Union Jack from the wharf,

15-07-2018 Update from Steve Pople (current owner)

Steve sent me the 2 b/w photos below (ex NZ Herald) of RF as launched – what a stunner, just about perfect from any angle. Steve confirmed Ken Rickets comments re being lengthened (by 6′). RF is currently in the very capable hands of Dave Patterson of Leader Boats in Pakuranga undergoing a total refit. I will updated the restoration story with new photos.

Royal Falcon 1934 Martin boat 1

Royal Falcon 1934 martin boat 2

The Re-Launch of Susan Jane

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The Re-Launch of Susan Jane

The restoration of the 1950 Chris Robertson built – Susan Jane, at Colin Brown’s Omaha yard was been well documented on ww – link below. Last week (21-06-2018) Susan Jane emerged from the shed & made the road trip to Gulf Harbour marina for splashing. Ken Ricketts was on hand to record the event.

I have seen SJ in the flesh & I can tell you that in real life she looks even better – that man Colin Brown does stunning work – so the big question is – who is next in the shed?

 

https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/10/30/susan-jane-sailing-sunday/

Update 13-05-2019 out at Gulf Harbour (photos ex Ken Ricketts)

Marion D > Joan

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MARION D > JOAN

I was contacted by Ray Russell the owner of Joan (previously named Marion D) the 1919 Bailey & Lowe launch to let me know he was in possession of a small 10 page booklet (diary/log book) on a trip made in 1932 by Marion D to the Bay of Islands for a spot of ‘sword fishing’. I have scanned the booklet & reproduced it below for your enjoyment.

Ray kindly posted the booklet to me & also emailed a selection of photos, seen above. Ray wasn’t able to date the photos to match the log book entries, but feels the 1st one above is the Whangeraei Town Basin, the gent with the pipe is most likely Jim Donald.

Ray commented that he was unsure when the tram top was removed, but was able to advise that the round cabin windows were replaced by Lanes at Panmure in 1938.

The colour photo shows her as Joan, a later name change. You can read / see more of Joan here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/11/20/joan-2/

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Working Waterfront Boatbuilders Shed – 50 photos

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Working Waterfront Boatbuilders Shed – 50 photos

As I’ve send many times before, if your want a stunning day weather wise, schedule a Classic Yacht Association event – the hit rate must be 9/10.

Over 100 CYA members & friends made the trip north to Lees Boatbuilders at Sandspit – our host for the day, Greg Lees, turned on a brilliant woody event – we had everything – woody projects underway, the best collection of 1/2 models I seen outside of the RNZYS walls, a photo montage recording the history of the yard & the vessels built over the years.

 Center stage was Jenny & Angus Rogers – Mahanui, in the shed for a new deck, alongside her was a very original Chris Craft that was getting a restoration. 

The varnish guru Dale has already applied 23 coats, with 6 more to come. Compared to our old girls, these American woodys are very lightly built, amazing that so many have survived.

Outside we had Anna & Nic Davidson’s – Juanita, on one slip & Barbara & David Cooke’s woody flagship – Trinidad, alongside the wharf. In midstream was Yvonne, waiting her turn in the shed.

On the hard was a selection of small craft built by either Greg, his father Tim or other local craftsman. Not woodys but certainly classic were Greg’s two English built, aluminium Albatross runabouts – the very rare 4 seater is next on Greg’s to-do list. Included are a few photos of other woodys in or out of the water.

Greg gave an articulate talk on his families boatbuilding history & how they came to be situated on the Sandspit foreshore. At the end he announced the official launch of the 2018 Rudder Cup launch race to be run on Friday 14th December to Sail Rock & back. See flyer below, I encourage all woody owners to consider participating. At this stage we (I’m on the race committee, along with Jason Prew, Nathan Herbert, Baden Pascoe & Barbara & David Cooke) are calling for expressions of interest in racing – entry to the race is by invitation, as per the original race format in 1908.

 Big ups to Greg & family + staff for turning on the day, including BBQ. Special thanks also to the CYA committee members that pulled it all together. 

Lastly a little something below for the petrol heads – Greg had on display his Jesser BSA 500cc twin, hill climb racer. Built in 1962 by Les Jesser, she is a 2 time Australian  class champion. 

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CYA Rudder Cup 2018 flyer

Build Me Straight – A Wooden Boat Building Film

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Build Me Straight Film

I was sent this video clip (film) by Cameron Pollard of the planning, building & launching of a traditional wooden boat. It is great viewing, but be warned the music is bad 🙂

It is reproduced with the permission of the Scottish Screen Archive & the National Library of Scotland.

Enjoy- it is very good.

And on the same subject, boatbuilding, a wee reminder to CYA members of today’s visit to Lees Boat Builders on-the-water yard at Sandspit. Kicks off at 11.00am, free sausage sizzle. It’s a working boat yard, so wear sensible shoes. See you there.

 

 

Doreen > Haku > Coquette

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DOREEN > HAKU > COQUETTE

The top photo above (ex Lew Redwood fb > Winkeman – Akl Museum) shows the 1912 Arch Logan built launch Doreen, named after Arch’s sister, later to became Haku & then Coquette (as she is today).

Coquette was the ‘base’ for the Logan 33 f/glass production boats.  In the second photo (ex Alan Good), we see her c.1945, sporting her WWII reporting number – 201. Also of interest in this photo is the addition of the dodger fitted in the summer of 1926/27 during Fred Cooper’s ownership period. Fred also installed a 25/40 sleeve-valve Loew-Knight engine at the same time. (details ex Harold Kidd)

You can see & read more at the links below

Coquette

Coquette 4 Sale

Wild Duck

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WILD DUCK

The top photo shows the 1932 JB Jukes built motor boat Wild Duck back in c.1937/38 in Wellington in one of her previous lives as a flying boat tender, during what looks like a refueling exercise. ) photo ex Richard Easton’s FB page) You can read & see more on her at the link below.

These days the Wild Duck is the mother ship to the Tino Rawa Trust classic yacht fleet.

The photos below were taken by Dean Wright & show her at anchor in the Bay of Islands.

The duck is a rather wide bottomed girl – I have included a photo of her alongside Raindance for comparison.

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McKenzie Bay – Rangitoto Island

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McKenzie Bay

McKenzie Bay – Rangitoto Island

The above photo show a collection of woodys anchored in McKenzie Bay, the photo is ex an old photo album that Steve Horsley uncovered. The owner of which is unknown.

Can we ID any of the vessels? Steve has sent me a high-res copy of the image & have taken close-ups of the boats (see below).

I’m pretty sure the ‘big’ launch closest to the camera in the 1st photo is Romance II , as to the others, what do you think?

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Classic Woodys at Sandspit Marina

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Classic Woodys at Sandspit Marina

A couple of weeks ago I was up Sandspit way & spent an hour or so mooching around the new (ish) marina. Very impressive set up & with the yacht club’s haul-out facilities its a prefect spot to keep a woody. The real win win factor is the proximity of the ‘Greg Lees Boatbuilder’ yard, in recent years Greg & his talented team have rubbed the magic wand over some of our finest classic woodys. Just type Greg Lees in the WW search box to see the level of workmanship & perfection.

I have included a few photos of the motor camp where I stayed with my ex woodys boater – Chris Miller in this stunning motor home. 

A real bonus was the amazing meal & service we had at the Sandspit Yacht Club on Saturday night – I was expecting burgers & fries but no – everything – décor, service & the food was superb – check it out if you are up that way. The scallop entree was as good as anything you would get in Auckland City. Photos below.

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Update: I have been sent by Dean Wright the photo below of the dinghy ‘Tiki’ in happier times 🙂

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