OKAHU BAY LATE 1950’s?
Timespanner photo & details ex Russell Ward
Left to right, who can name the launches?
Russell feels the photo most likely dates from the late 1950’s as over at the Devonport Naval Base, the minesweeper Stawell is alongside, astern of the Loch Class (Rotoiti?) and she was put into mothballs July ’59 which means she would have been moved inside the wharf.
Chris McMullen’s Herreshoff Steam Launch
I visited a rather special boat shed the other day, shed is a bit of an understatement – I have a shed, Chris McMullen’s one is more like an aircraft hanger.
The reason for the invite was to have a look at the 1933 Colin Wild built launch Wirihana out of the water, but what really made me accept the invite in a flash was the chance to view the 34′ Herreshoff steam launch that Chris has been creating for nearly 30 years.
I use the term creating because every piece of this boat (including the steam engine) has been crafted by Chris’s own hands. Its a little way off launch day but already its a piece of art.
Why would someone undertake a project of this magnitude ? Chris’s view is “the whole project is an engineering exercise and an interesting challenge to recreate what was done 100 plus years ago. Further, traveling on a fast steam launch is a great experience and there is something about generating your own power from fire and water”.
Click any of the above photos to enlarge 😉
I’ll let Chris tell the story – read on
“I have been building this (lets say) machinery and boat on and off for would you believe 27 years! I started the project in 1987 –88 the year I sold McMullen & Wing Ltd. Unlike some of my steam friends in the USA and the UK who are single minded,this has not been my only interest, during the time I have owned or had the use of other boats and done many other things.
The long winded project, is an embarrassment for me being a professional boat builder. It must be explained that I am not a trained Engineers Pattern Maker, Foundry Moulder, Fitter and Turner, Coppersmith or a Boilermaker. I have had to learn these skills. Believe me, the Herreshoff’s draftsmen certainly did not compromised his design to make it easy for manufacture. The castings for the engine are complex and thin walled. Several foundry’s kindly allowed me to do my own sand moulding on their premises. It would never have been possible without their cooperation. I have had four attempts at casting the crankshaft. The only good casting (currently installed in the Engine) is of material not up to spec. This has been a major blow and I guess my knowing this has set back the job.
The 3 throw crank has been drawn in “Solid Works” with the idea of machining it from a solid 9 inch diameter bar of steel on a NC lathe and Mill. A huge job and still can not be completely finished on these remarkable machines. At this stage there is no way to change the design. Crazy, the original was cast and machined in steel over one hundred years ago!
I went on and built the 34’ x 6’ 3” x’ 1’10”hull exactly the Herreshoff way (with a mould for every White Oak steamed frame) The hull double planked carvel style and glued with epoxy rather than set in shellac (as was the original) The planking was two skins of 5/16 NZ Kauri. So thin it could not be edge set. On the bilge the planks were made from thicker stock as they had to be backed out (hollowed and rounded) Very easy to loose control of thickness doing this and I believe Herreshoff Manufacturing (some how) steamed the round into the planks. I have a steam box, experimented but could not make it form the planks. I could have built the same boat double diagonal in a fraction of the time but the design scantlings would have had to be changed. At the time I wanted an exact replica! To what end? Now, I am not sure. (See below Vapor)
Anyway, the hull is basically finished with the boiler engine and water tank installed ready for the plumbing.
For those interested the design is HMCO design # 263 it was built 1908 as the Starboard launch for the Beautiful Twin Screw Steam Yacht “Cassandra” Cassandra was built for an American owner by Scott’s at Greenock. Scotland in 1908 .She was 238 f.t O.A.L and could travel at just over 15 knots. Her tender was designed and built in the USA would have been “State of the Art” at the time and most likely the fastest launch available. It would seem to me there were excellent Steam Launch builders in the UK. Simpson Strickland and Liquid Fuel Engineering (Lifu) and others but the owner chose the Herreshoff design / build. I have a copy of a letter written by Francis Herreshoff (the designers son) stating these launches could do 14 knots. To many, that seems unlikely but I have been on two Steam launches on Lake Windermere that can do 13 knots, so lets say we do not know. These launches are proportioned closer to a rowing eight than a normal hull. On design #263 The boiler pressure is 250 PSI The propeller is four bladed 22 x 30 inch pitch. the Hull and machinery is light. The shaft is low angle and the weights well forward. The speed and shape of “Vapor” a similar steam launch has been discussed at length on Wooden Boat Forum I have never got involved in the discussion but I am very familiar with “Vapor” and know the owner. Ed Louchard a boat builder from Port Townsend has done a wonderful job of building a replacement hull. Vapor is the only surviving Herreshoff Steam Launch. The hull had been re planked at some time but the machinery is all original. Regarding “Vapor”, when I started my project I thought there were no Herreshoff Steam Launches in existence. I tracked down” Vapor” and her friendly owner in California about 12 years ago. Now she has been rebuilt it sort of makes my replica surplus. In some ways procrastination has helped as more information about these remarkable launches comes to light from all over the world. I have enjoyed the research but now I am looking forward to finishing my project but it does get harder as one gets older”
Part 2 – The building of a replica 1898 Nathanael Herreshoff triple expansion steam engine – https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/07/11/chris-mcmullen-herreshoff-steam-launch-part-2-the-engine/
Update on Vapor on the WoodenBoat Forum 24/07/2014
Vapor photos & kind words about Chris McMullen
And more Vapor – 25/07/2014
RORQUAL 4-Sale
Rorqual was built c.1960 in Picton by Jack Morgan for the Perano family as a 39’3″ (12m) Tory Channel whaler chaser. Completely rebuilt / converted in 1988 by then owner Tom Birsdall and boat builder Geoff Bagnall. She was also fitted with a completely rebuilt aluminum 380 HP 671 Detroit engine, that is fitted with a German turbocharger + the standard GM supercharger, all this pushes Rorqual along at a comfortable cruising speed of 14-16 knts. Top speed ? lets just say few CYA launches would beat her in a straight line.
Double diagonal kauri hull and sapele mahogany topsides with glass over ply decks and cabin tops, all recently painted. Hull and decks painted in 2013, cabin tops 2012.
Sleeps 7 but better with 4 🙂
Extensive upgrades & enhancements – check trademe listing for full details. http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/motorboats/auction-706043302.htm
The seller has had another mid-life crisis 🙂 e.g. the toy chain looks like this – Jetski>Launch>Caravan > Campervan, so now the launch has to go – thence the owner is VERY open to discussions around how you could own a piece of NZ’s maritime history.
email chrism@pix.co.nz
ph 021 961 936
ROMANCE II
Romance II was built in 1919 by Bailey & Lowe. She is a rather quick old girl, always has been, as the older photos show. The colour photos were taken by Jason Prew at the 2006 Mahurangi Regatta, prior to her current owner Pauline Kidd purchasing her. Romance II had been on the Kidd’s bucket list for a very long time & has just been transported to Marco Scuderi’s yard (MSN Shipwrights) in Helensville for some extensive work that will see her returned to a style closely matching her ‘as launched’ configuration. It would be hard to find a project manager with a better eye & classic knowledge than Pauline’s husband Harold, so ww will be watching this project with great interest – rest assured there will be no fly bridge, solar panels etc 🙂
Rudder Cup photos (by Chris Miller) added
As always – you can enlarge any photo by clicking on it
28 Nov. 1929 photo added (ex Paperspast) below of Romance II being lowered into the water near Queens Wharf after being reconditioned (their words) at Mt Eden. Now you can see why she is so quick.
Zoom Zoom
Walter Bailey designed her for 17 knots which she exceeded with her original 15/21hp (rated) Sterling. That was replaced with the biggest Stearns available, a 35hp (rated), in June 1923. Other, more pedestrian, engines followed including a 4 cylinder Ford diesel post-WW2 and, most recently, a 6 cylinder 150hp Hino marine diesel by Moon Engines, which is a truly superb installation. We can see just under 20 knots on the GPS at 3100 but she’s tricky to handle at that speed because she’s really riding on the prop and “sensitive”, shall I say. We’ve removed most modern junk including the gas bottle and stove and the sink bench but are jibbing at removing the toilet and the deep freeze. Simplicate and add lightness!
Dimensions:
Basically she’s Bailey & Lowe’s standard 35 footer but tweaked in the sections. Beam is 8ft , draught 2ft 6in, displacement 4.2 tons wet.
Update from HDK (24/08/2014) see comments section for previous posts
Progress is good. There have been interesting questions to resolve regarding the new dodger in our efforts to re-create her as she was launched in 1919. When you are dealing with three dimensional and aesthetic issues based on a handful of contemporary images it takes a lot of careful thinking and analysis (not to say compromise). Marco is highly sensitive to these issues, thank goodness, so our weekly brainstorming is fun and productive. We are now down to millimeter issues.
One correction however, the camber of the dodger top IS the same as the camber of the main cabin top. Anything else does look wrong and is not borne out by a careful examination of the early images nor by the fossil evidence in the boat. The shapes of the four forward facing windows gave an illusion of a higher camber, but it is an illusion.
Marco keeps his website up to date with images:
http://www.mcnshipwrights.com/romance-ii.html
An Impressive Line Up
the sender of the photo will be disclosed later, might give the game away.
Left to right – who can ID the 4 launches, #4 will be a challenge but if you get the other 3 then the 4th should ‘follow’.
Location is Katherine Bay.
Harold – for you to win you will have to name the dinghy as well 🙂
SEAGULL – a classic 4 Sale
A lot of people say your mad owning a classic boat, if thats true, owning two must make you certifiable.
CYA member Paul Burton is bucking the market trend that normally goes like this – Yacht > Launch > Camper Van > Die. Paul is going from a classic launch back to a classic yacht, well to be 100% correct a motorsailer.
The upside of Paul’s flip/flop is his rather nice 1953 ex Navy Launch ‘Seagull’ is for sale.
As you would expect from a vessel that has been in service, she was very well presented & an ideal classic for someone looking for an affordable (<$50k), easily handed, low maintenance, economical classic for exploring the Hauraki Gulf.
Powered by a 52hp Volvo Seagull runs on the smell of an oily rag e.g. $3-5 an hour.
Now unless you are Tony Stevenson, no one wants to own 2 classic boats so it would be an understatement to say that Paul is a motivated vendor. If you are interested, contact Paul to discuss the many options as to how you could own Seagull.
Viewing is available at Bayswater Marina until July 5th, then on the hard at Devonport Yacht Club.
Paul Burton 021 876 496 E: paulburton@hotmail.co.nz
A twist – the CYA member selling the classic yacht Paul is buying, is buying a classic launch, so its all a merry-go-round. Maybe I should be a broker? in fact I am……. now who do I send the invoice to 🙂
Click link below to read the latest edition (August 2014) of the Classic Yacht Association – ‘Classic Journal’
Enjoy 🙂
ANN MICHELLE
CYA members Janet and Bruce Pulman purchased Ann Michelle in July 2013 from Ken McDonald who had owned her for approx. 18 months, before he moved to Kerikeri. All the Pulmans know about owners prior to this is that she was owned by someone at Tanners Point for about 30 years, it has been suggested that she was built about 1952. The photo alongside the wharf, sporting blue paint is a ‘as purchased’ shot.
Any help would be appreciated in uncovering more about Ann Michelle. Hopefully with such a distinctive name someone will have rubbed up against her.
waitematawoodys network again provides the answers – very impressed 🙂
The two posts below will make the Pulmans happy.
Shamus Fairhall
I believe from Ken McDonald she is a Owen Wooly designed and built boat. Now berthed back at Owens old boat shed by the Panmure bridge ( Now Leader boat builders ). Great lines and a good example of Owen’s ” eye ” for proportion. Well done on the tidy up, looks great.
Des Workman
She was built by Owen Woolley for the Flecther family in Tauranga. Woolley built 3 x 26 fts. Anne was the last & best.My wife & I owned her for about 6 years & really loved her. I sold her about 1966 to someone from Tauranga. So I guess that would be the folk from Tanners Point.
KORARA
photos & details ex Nathan Herbert
CYA member Nathan Herbert who is currently restoring the Coultard launch Lucinda is seeking more info on his other classic, Korara, the 37′ motor sailer built c.1960 by Alan (Snow) Waters for Ron Gurr.
Korara’s design came from a UK designer John E. Powell, Nathan has supplied reference material on Mary Islay (magazine pages) ex the Jack Brooke collection. See below.
Specs: LOA = 37′, Beam = 10’6″, Draught = 3’9″, Disp = 10.5 ton, Sail Area = Mizzen 107sqft – Genoa 277sqft, Engine = 120hp Ford, Speed = 9.5knts
There are big gaps in her history that Nathan would like to fill in.
click any image to enlarge
Some proof below of the wide readership of waitematawoodys.
A message from Paul Mimmack in the Channel Islands
“I was checking out ‘John E Powell’ on Google when I came across the page on KORARA.
I was very interested in her details and pictures as I am the present owner of MARY ISLAY! I purchased her in 1992, but over time, work (Asst Harbourmaster & Coastguard SMC in Jersey CI) has got in the way of using and looking after her as I would like. But I retired 3 weeks ago so will give her some TLC over the next few years, starting when the weather improves in spring.
It is interesting to compare her with KORARA, having less cabin space as she was built as a Motor Fishing Yacht for Sir Giles Guthrie – a banker & chairman of BOAC – in 1957 at Aeromarine Ltd, Emsworth, Hampshire. Originally moored at Hamble, near Southampton until he sold it in 1962/3. There is no accommodation astern of the wheelhouse – just the walk-in (via short ladder each side) engine room. The afterdeck was left open for fishing and has RNLI lifeboat type bronze wash ports.
As the specification says – built mainly of teak on an oak keel, there is some electrolysis in the oak around the rudder tube, which I need to sort out.
In 2004 I changed the original 2 stroke Foden 70hp diesel for a rebuilt Gardner 4LW of 62hp. It fitted, is quieter, more economical and more importantly I can still get spare parts.
She is rather a ‘wet’ hull, thus the Kent clearview screens get used in over f3 head winds, but comfortable. Her 10ft beam seems very ‘narrow’ for a boat today (but typical of the time), the steadying sail helps stop rolling in beam seas.
[I do have NZ contacts as my wife is from Auckland, she still has a brother, sister, aunt & uncle in town, with other relations spread around the country – we hope to be out next December]
Kind Regards
Paul Mimmack
St Lawrence
JERSEY
JE3 1JR
Channel Islands”
CYA Pub Cruise Photos
A big day yesterday for the CYA launch fleet – we had one of our cruises to the Riverhead Hotel. 18 classic motor launches & approx. 120 people arrived as the pub doors opened at 10.00a.m. What followed was over 2 hours of classic wooden boat camaraderie. Good times were had & friendships made with new members.
Enjoy the mix of photos. Most from my camera but a few from others on the day.
As always with ww, click any photo to enlarge 😉
New photos ex Chris Miller
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