Category Archives: CYA Boat

Strathallan

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STRATHALLAN
Strathallan was the name given to this Miller & Tunnage, kauri carvel built, double ender, ex pilot boat by the Timaru Harbour Board. She measures 46’6”” LOA & draws 6’5”. The traditional Scottish boat builder, Doug Robb built Strathallan in 1955 at his Timaru yard.

As you would expect from an ex work-boat the engine room is impressive & dominated by the 190hp, 8L3B Gardner. With a displacement of approx. 20 tons and being driven by the classic Gardner with a 3.1 transmission gives her a cruising speed of 8.5 knots at 810 rpm and max speed of approx. 10 knots at 990 rpm. Her size, design & power unit make her a powerful strong seaworthy vessel.

After being decommissioned as a work-boat in the 1990s she was converted to a cruising vessel. The main saloon, galley & engine room have full headroom & her walk-around decks are perfect for fishing. One of the hangovers from her commercial days is the exterior head with the door facing the stern; I can personally vouch for the view J

Strathallan is currently for sale & would be an ideal vessel for the boat owner who wants a classic, traditional boat that is a part of New Zealand’s maritime history. The asking price I understand is <$80k & at that price would be a good buy & still have the potential for a new owner to add their own touch to the boat in terms of decor.

Photo below was taken at Mahurangi Regatta (2012?) by Chris Miller – slightly different paint ‘job’ back then.

Strathallan

 

Around The Yards – Neptune

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NEPTUNE WINTER HAUL-OUT

Over winter, Neptune the 1956, 30′ motor sailer built by Fred Lidgard on Kawau Island, has been hauled out at the Whangateau boat yard for some TLC & some major work to realign her drive shaft. After buying Neptune, owner Greg was my marina neighbour at Bayswater last summer & on numerous occasions relayed that over a certain rpm Neptune was not the the most relaxing classic to be aboard 😉 Now it would be an understatement to say Greg is a perfectionist so at the earliest opportunity he slipped her & set to correcting the problem.  I’m sure Greg will added to this post the exact details of the work – hint hint Greg 🙂
Neptune slid down the ramp 2 weeks ago & is looking magnificent, see photo below on her mooring. Neptune has always been gifted with wonderful, caring owners & its awesome to see that Greg has taken her to a new high. Check out the ww link (blue) below to see more of this woody.

Neptune

(todays post photos ex owner)

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Harold Kidd Awarded Life Membership of the CYA

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Harold Kidd Awarded Life Membership of the CYA

I’m pleased to be able to report that at last nights Classic Yacht Association of NZ AGM – Harold Kidd was made a life member of the CYA. Below is the presentation speech given by CYA Patron – Hamish Ross.
photo (sorry out of focus) L>R Harold Kidd, Rod Marler & Hamish Ross.

Harold Kidd – Life Membership

 We will not see in our lifetime anyone who will make greater an impact on Classic Yachting in New Zealand, than Harold Desmond Kidd.

 It is through his meticulous research and extensive writings that New Zealand’s pleasure boating history will live on, not to be forgotten or become a twisted mixture of fact and fable. With Robin Elliot, his frequent co-author, Harold has been responsible for many books and articles detailing the history of our craft, their builders, their owners and crew. I have been a witness to a little of their hard work, the detail of their research, as well as their generosity in sharing that information with so many others. The timing of their work has been critical as we lose knowledge and their memories as people pass away. For example, to speak to someone who worked with or knew the Logans or the Baileys is becoming rarer and rarer as each year passes, if not now extinct and soon the knowledge be rather like an old 1920’s song “ I’ve danced with a man, who’s danced with a girl, who’s danced with the Prince of Wales”

 The influence of Harold’s work has lead many of us, and many more, not only to appreciate the rich history of our vessels, but also, perhaps most importantly, to regularly part with our hard earned money, to restore them and keep them afloat.

 Harold has been involved in many classic craft, but for me the by far the most important has been the Jessie Logan, the crack craft and the genesis of the House of Logan. His doggedness in tracking down of the vessel, rescuing it as a children playhouse, transporting it by road from Nelson to Auckland with a woefully under powered vehicle, storing it for many years until he found the right people to help him to restore her, and afterwards securing her future is just one example of his dedication.

 Mention must be made of his Rescue Trust, which has help rescue derelict vessels threatened with destruction.

 Harold regularly assists the Dept. of Internal Affairs in protecting NZ’s historic vessels from being lost to this country through export.

 There are many more achievements and contributions that could be mentioned, but Harold, on behalf of all members of the Classic Yacht Association, please accept this very small token of our esteem and gratitude from your fellow classic yachtsmen and yachtswomen.

I cannot think of anyone who has done more for or is more deserving of Life Membership of the Classic Yacht Association of New Zealand.

 Hamish Ross –  CYA AGM 12th July 2016

Why Is Classic Sailing Stuck In The Doldrums?

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Why Is Classic Sailing Stuck In The Doldrums?

Now here is an idea – may be the Classic Yacht Association should change its name to something like the Classic Boat Club – why? well given that over 50% of its boat owner members are launch owners & in physical numbers the classic launches out number classic yachts, maybe the ‘yacht’ name is not reflective of the movement.

If you want further proof, in the latest addition of the CYA newsletter, Sheerlines (see below), the new (to be elected tonight) CYA chairman + a ex yacht captain + the out-going launch captain – all have their latest classic boating projects featured & guess what? – they are all motor boats. Sure 2 out of the 3 people also own a yacht, but the trend for the last few years has been launch ownership. The out-going CYA chairman owns a motor boat & has his classic yacht on the market.
Even a blind-man could see there is a huge shift to classic launch ownership & the more relaxed, social activities associated around launches. Today the ‘sport’ of racing a classic yacht has less & less appeal, the yachts look magnificent but there is no queue of people to own / sail them. Just look at the asking / sold prices for classic yachts these days – that alone tells the story.

Aside from the name, the real issue facing the CYA is membership retention – has been for the last few years. No shortage of people joining up but an un-healthy number continue to drop off at the other end. Despite record numbers joining in the last 3 years (would be in excess of 100 individuals) the total membership number almost remains static.

There will be a change of guard at tonights CYA AGM – lets hope they are open to welcoming new thinking in terms of the classic boating movement & what it offerers up to retain members. The days of the CYA being a yacht club with its primary mission providing yacht racing for classic yacht owners, is over – that role needs to be handed over to the numerous classic yacht ‘trusts’ that these days directly or indirectly control 68%+ of the active classic yachting race fleets.

If your a CYA member, make the effort to come to the AGM tonight – 7.00pm @ the RNZYC, Westhaven.

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Valsan

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VALSAN

Today’s photos, from the Tudor Collins collection, are of the 1938, 45′ Lidgard built bridgedecker Valsan. Harold Kidd commented previously on ww that Valsan was built for Alex Harvey Jr as a 38 footer with twin 90hp Grays. She was lengthened (as were so many of these big bridgedeckers) to 45ft by the time she went into NAPS as Z10 in 1942-3, possibly during the time she was being repaired after going up on the Castor Bay reef in February 1940. Peter Annan bought her when she was de-mobbed in 1944 and renamed her Lady Edith. Annan had been the long-term owner of the big Logan cutter Thelma. In 1948 Annan sold her to Arnold Baldwin who changed her name back to Valsan.

Lots of photos of Valsan on ww, just enter Valsan in the ww Search box to view.

Lucinda Nearly Ready To Splash

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Lucinda Nearly Ready To Splash

ww has been following Nathan Herbert’s restoration of the 1930 L. Coulthard bridgedeck launch ‘Lucinda’ since early in 2014 when Nathan asked me who owned the what looked like abandoned 28′ launch moored off the Devonport Yacht Club (photo below). Post purchase, Nathan is on record as saying that he was hauling her out at Milford Cruising Club for a quick clean up & a lick of paint – well 2 years later, splash date is fast approaching & all the shiney bits are going on.
I dropped down to MCC over the weekend & the old girl is looking very smart.
When she slides back into the creek I’ll do a full post. Today’s one is more to keep the pressure on the boy to finish the job & start enjoying her.

Q: Whens the duck board going on Nathan ?, you will regret not putting one on 😉 and what is the car spot light doing on the cabin top ………….. 😦  I’m some one of the woodys must have a more suitable light gathering dust in their shed ?????

You can read / view more on Lucinda here

Lucinda Hauls Out

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31-07-2016 Update

Was driving home via Milford & took a wee detour to check on the progress – just in time to see the mast being stepped – looking very smart (excuse the photos the light was disappearing fast)

And the curtains are up 😉

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Weather Bomb Hits Whangateau Boat Yard

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Weather Bomb Hits Whangateau Boat Yard

Early Saturday morning, a weather bomb hit the Whangateau boat yard & the 1926 classic launch Nereides, moored there for some seasonal maintenance,  has been damaged. I’ll let the words & photos on the yards facebook page, link below, tell the story.

Update- seems the internet fairies are playing games & the ability to view the facebook link is missing, so sorry folks – no link.

Nereides owner, Mark, is a good bloke & doesn’t deserve this (again) but Nereides is probably in the best spot possible for the repairs, the work that Pam & George are doing at the yard on a collection of our classic’s is 2nd to none.

Mark – if you need a hand, just ask 🙂

Rotomahana 4-Sale

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ROTOMAHANA 4-SALE

While searching for details on a launch the other day I went to cross reference some Bailey & Lowe boats & discovered that the 1923 Bailey & Lowe launch Rotomahana had not appeared on ww.

Today’s post is a gallery of photos from my files & owner John Prior emailed in by Ken Ricketts. Enjoy 🙂

Harold Kidd Input

As identified by Chris Leech the b/w images with her flying the DYC commodores burgee were taken when she was owned by Humphrey Duder, then Commodore of Devonport Yacht Club. The 401 number was her WW2 reporting number. She was never impressed into service for patrol work. Bailey &amp; Lowe launched her in December 1923 for A. McDonald (NOT A.B. Donald) as EDWINA. Duder changed her name to ROTOMAHANA when he bought her in 1936. Very like a shortened ROMANCE II in styling.
06-07-2016 The photo below show Rotomahana after the recent (2016) repaint.

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Classic Yacht – Ngatira 4- Sale

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Classic Yacht – Ngatira 4- sale

Now I don’t do many blatant 4-sale posts on ww but the gaff cutter Ngatira is owned by a long time buddy & all round nice guy – Steve Horsley.
Ngatira was built in 1904, is the finest example of a Charles Bailey Jnr racing boat of this era and is of historic significance. She has recently undergone an extensive restoration / rebuild back to its original configuration e.g gaff, staysail, jib and topsail.

Ngatira is not only a stunner on the water, she is also rather quick and has had good success racing in CYA regattas.
She was a Logan beater when first launched to race against Kotiri and still beats a few Logan’s today. She can be raced easily with a small crew of 3 or 5, and cruised with only two.
Basic but comfortable inside as it was in the day, sleeps up to four.
She is in good condition and has a good pedigree with a well documented history.

LOA 49’
LOD 40’8”
LWL 28’6”
Beam 8’6”
Draft 5’10”

Ngatira is presently hauled out at Sandspit Yacht Club hardstand for viewing.

Sale price $180,000

Contact Stephen Horsley 09 423 8704 – 027 280 7497

Laughing Lady Updates

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Laughing Lady June 2016 Update
photos ex James Dreyer

Chatting with James on-line a while ago I nudged him for an update on LL. As ww followers will know the Lady has been tucked up in the shed at Whangateau Boat yard for over two years getting a serious over-haul from Pam & when in country James + hangers on. James & LL’s co-owners re to be commended on they desire to return LL to her former elegance – below is the note James sent me (slightly edited)

“I was hoping to get some varnish on the topsides before departing offshore and subsequently photographing her looking sharp and shiny but it didn’t happen.  We did, as you know get her in her new coat of Flag Blue.  Unfortunately the port side will need a re-shoot due to some sags – the weather was not in our favor the day we had to spray. We will definitely be in better shape to give a good update in August as we should be well on the way with putting her together.

Pam and I had a bit of a discussion recently and think it is probably worth me commenting on the dark two part LP finish that I have gone with, before the armchair generals and experienced boat builders / owners wade in.  There has been many well qualified comments about the potential for paint failure over the last two years and they have certainly been weighed up and taken onboard.
When LL had her hull rebuild in San Diego, she was taken back to bare wood, re-framed and re-fastened, then impregnated with two coats of epoxy and many seams were splined.  She is tight seamed double planking and the new bottom is double planked and epoxy glued.  The paint system that was applied to her extremely fair hull 10 years ago in San Diego is a two pack epoxy / LP system – Awlgrip above the waterline and International below.  After 10 years sitting in a semi finished state, in the rather extreme conditions of an inland San Diego yard, she had cracked and opened a number of seams, but to be honest, no more than the single pack finishes on the boats around her.  

My concerns were that she would move significantly once parked in the Whangateau shed as she adapted to the cool, moist environment.  Pam repaired various areas that were in need, primarily around the extreme flare and planking twist in the bow, then built a good base of primer.  We let her sit for a year in primer, and surprisingly there was no movement or cracking to speak of.  To strip her back to bare wood was to remove the hundreds of hours of fairing and painting that had been never seen the water even though it was done years before.

On this basis and after much deliberation and discussion, I chose to continue with the two pack system.  The aim from the start was to get her in the water and in use as soon as practicable (as far as restorations go).  

For the first 50 years of her life, she was painted jet black and spent hot summers in the water around Long Island and her winters in a snow covered shed.   After the work in San Diego she was painted Awlgrip royal blue.

We chose Awlcraft Flag blue as the topside color.  Awlcraft has some more give (urethane rather than polyurethane) and can be locally repaired and polished.  My goal was to have her looking as close to original as possible when she launched, and the dark hull is truly striking as I’m sure everyone agrees.

I am well aware that the system will probably show some failures around the seams as she moves.  Its also likely that we will be painting her white in a few years, but to me it makes sense to let her out the door in the current (gorgeous) state and see how she fares.  If need be, we will re-wood her and go single pot, but if not, then a white two part system will continue to be used”

REMEMBER – To enlarge a photo – just click on it 😉

16-07-2016 I received an email from James today with the 2 photos below attached – when LL was launched she was powered by Packard straight 8’s, nowadays is powered by twin Volvo turbo diesels. In his travels overseas James came across the engines below – my response to the email was short – “WALK AWAY & DO NOT LOOK BACK” 🙂

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August 2016 Update (ex James D fb)

It appears with the hull painted its now down to the shiny stuff 🙂

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01-09-2016 Update ex James fb

Applying 24k gold leaf to the carved details on Laughing Ladys hull. The first arrow head needs a little tidying up, but with some more practice the unique scroll work detail carved into her bow in 1949 to identify her builder is going to look sweeeet!

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