Category Archives: Designers & Builders

CLASSIC QUEENSTOWN HYDROFOIL TOURIST BOAT

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CLASSIC QUEENSTOWN HYDROFOIL TOURIST BOAT

Over the last week I have been following the update on the ‘Famous Meteor 3 Queenstown NZ’ fb page that has been documenting the start of a refit on the iconic Queenstown classic tourist boat – METEOR III.

METEOR III was once one of the star attractions on Lake Wakatipu. Fingers crossed that post the refit she will take her place as one of Queenstown’s leading water based tourist attractions along side the TS Earnslaw . Yes – its not wood and not made in NZ but its a kiwi classic.

I’ll hand over to the crew overseeing the work for an overview of the vessel

SOME BACKGROUND

In 2021 the Society purchased the Meteor III, a 10m fast hydrofoil assisted tourist viewing vessel constructed of aluminum (rivetted) on steel frames.

Vessel History

The Meteor III was constructed by Porthleven Shipyard in Porthleven, Cornwall, UK in approximately 1964. The vessels design was by Supramar AG of Lucerne, Switzerland. Once completed, it was shipped to New Zealand for its original owner Frank Howarth of Lake Wakatipu. The vessel was put into passenger survey. It is well known that Meteor III attracted plenty of business both because of its space age looks and its high speeds.

The vessel was then held by various people, retired and fell to dereliction. It was then purchased by an owner who undertook and completed a full restoration of the vessel so once again she appears intact, bright and sparkling with a quality paint job, fresh carpeting and refurbished seating.

Design & Layout

The Meteor III is designed as a fast hydrofoil monohull constructed of aluminium. The engine compartment is at the bow and the drive shaft extends almost the full length of the vessel. There are hydrofoils both forward, below the engine, and aft. The passenger cabin is somewhat reminiscent of an aircraft with 15 seats that take up most of the interior with just a small area aft for storage of safety equipment and providing an emergency exit. There are plenty of viewing windows for the passengers with extra windows built into the cabin ceiling to allow passengers a full view of the scenery.  Cabin head height varies from 5ft 10′ to 6ft 2’.

The Engine

The Meteor III is powered by a Chrysler 440 petrol engine rated at 300HP V8 coupled to Chrysler gearbox.  This engine is not original to the boat. Fuel tank capacity is 200L. Cruising speed is around 31mph and top speed is 45mph. To get vessel up on the plane it needs to achieve approximately 4,000RPM following which it can drop back to 3,100 RPM. There are two hydrofoils on the vessel, one forward and one aft. The forward foil is adjustable using a hydraulic pump and the aft foil follows suit automatically. The drive shaft is stainless steel and the prop measures 420 x 560.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH MENAI RELAUNCHED

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH MENAI RELAUNCHED

Over the last 2months WW has been following  the 38’ 1937 Sam Ford built classic wooden launch – MENAI as she has been continuing her rolling restoration.

Very likely one of the longest projects since she changed hands in 2021. Her latest owner has continued righting the deferred maintenance and when she slid down the railway slipway at The Slipway Milford yesterday, MENAI was looking very smart. Probably her best in the last ten years.

Lots of discussion re whether the bow and side rails are reinstalled – owner and myself say yes, Milford crew say no.Time will tell. Photos below of her with and without rails fitted.

Lets put it to the vote below 👍 = no rails – 👎 = refit rails

HAD A WEE OOPS YESTERDAY – NEED MORE COFFEE

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HAD A WEE OOPS YESTERDAY

I HIT THE WRONG KEY RE WHEN TODAYS STORY WAS SCHDULED TO APPEAR – SO YESTERDAY YOU GOT 2 IN ONE DAY.

SO FOR THOSE THAT MISSED THE SECOND STORY – 2 OPTIONS 

1. CLICK HERE https://waitematawoodys.com/2026/10/13/classic-wooden-launch-kalamere-uncovering-her-story/

2. JUST SCROLL DOWN 🙂

And for those that can’t be bothereddoing either – sit back and have a coffee

THERE ALWAYS HAS TO BE A WOODY PHOTO – From memory I think Nathan Herbert took this one of RAINDANCE on route to the Riverhead Tavern. But Jason Prew commented I must be wrong as NH would never be out in those conditions 🙂

RAINDANCE

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH KALAMERE – UNCOVERING HER STORY

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C.1958

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH KALAMERE – UNCOVERING HER STORY

Todays woody story started from 2025 note from Denis O’Callahan via the November 1958 edition of Sea Spray magazine. One of the craft featured was the 34’ motor launch KALAMERA, built c.1958 by Alan (Snow) Water in Takapuna, Auckland. She was built for a gent named Jack Bennent of Paeroa. Her intended home port/s was listed as Coromandel /Whangamata, where she was to be used primarily for sport fishing. The woody question that day was did she ever make it to Coromandel and what became of her. Link to that story  https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/09/14/in-search-of-the-classic-wooden-launch-kalamera/

Well woodys fast forward to earlier this week and jackpot – WW received an email from John Clynes who describes himself as the first mate on KALAMERE, John  thought WW may like an update on her history and some latest photos. John is a retired boatbuilder who also I worked for Jack Stone in Takapuna and built real wooden boats. John lost contact when Jack moved up the Wade river no build a 50’+ Fijian Kauri commercial fishing boat that John lofted out the frames for.

John wondered if we have any info on Jacks boats. 

I’ll hand over to John to tell the story – 

“ Jack Bennet, a war veteran, saw wartime service in the Mediterranean as a truck driver in World War II. On return, he married Doreen and they were both keen fishos on the Thames coast. In the early fifties they bought a boat named Noni in Whangarei as advertised in the NZ Herald for 1450 Pounds. With the help of Allan (Snow) Waters, a Takapuna boatbuilder who surveyed her, they all took delivery and sailed her down to moor in Tapu on the Thames coast. Sadly, they lost Noni in heavy seas eight months later and she washed ashore on the rocks by the roadside in the next bay. Noni was trucked to Auckland for assessment and was deemed a write off. Jack managed to retrieve the four-cylinder diesel, prop and shaft for his next boat, determined to make another boat bigger and better.

Jack engaged the services of Snow again as he was renowned for building seaworthy hulls that would sail and motor comfortably in any weather to handle coastal New Zealand conditions and so KALAMERA was born inspired by Jack’s wartime service in Greece. Kalamera means good morning.

Mr. Lou Wenzlick had a permit to take standing dead Kauri out of the bush on top of the Wias track above Hikutaia. Jack bought a log 37-foot-long log and took it on his own transporter up to Helensville Sawmill which was the only mill capable of milling that length. He then loaded the milled timber on his transporter and delivered it to Snow Water’s boat shed in Takapuna. Kalamera’s ribs needed Tanekaha or Mangeao timber, so Jack harvested a tree of each from his own back bush property in Komata and got Harvey Evans in Paeroa to mill them.

Otie Miller an older gentleman, and a qualified ship’s furnisher, employed by Snow, fitted out the interior. Fred Pole was a mate of Jacks who lost an arm in the desert and came home on an hospital ship with Jack and was rehabilitated to become a French polisher. Fred very kindly polished all the interior mahogany joinery. Snow made all the templates for the bronze stem, bollards and cleats and got them cast at the Thames Foundry. 12 months later a thing of beauty was born, 34 foot in length, 10’6” beam, draught 3’9” initially powered by the motor from Noni and replaced five years later with a 100hp 6-cylinder diesel capable of nine knots

The 8th of September 1958 on a crane at Devonport wharf, she was christened Kalamera and cruised the upper North Island for many years from her home port in Whangamata staying in the family with Jack’s three children Ron, John and Eileen until June of 2004 when Neville Foster, Eileen’s son and grandson to Jack took ownership of Kalamera, privileged to keep the boat in the family and brought her over to her new mooring in Puhi Rare Bay Coromandel.

3 years later in 2007 Kalamera chafed through her 40mm polyester braided mooring rope and decided to take herself on a journey in a storm and vanished out the harbour entrance. The following morning, Neville got a call from the harbour master Dick Williams who saw her come back into Woolshed Bay Coromandel with minor damage. She came back into the harbour by herself just to say “Kalamera! Good Morning!” 

Neville and family made a work move to Australia and sold Kalamera to Norm and Pam Gray of Waiomu (Thames Coast) in 2009. They enjoyed her for eight years when Neville bought her back in 2017 while still living in Australia. Covid made travel difficult, so it was time to give her up again for the last time. 

Bruce Pemberton the current owner bought her in 2023 and has her up in Fureys Creek, Coromandel on a mud berth for restoring as finance allows. Bruce had a trucking career and is a diesel mechanic by trade, so it is rather fitting as Jack Bennet was also a truck driver and mechanic which puts Kalamera in good hands. In 2026, Bruce did a complete 2026 overhaul pistons and liners on her 1963 diesel engine and now burns a clean stack and she purrs like a kitten is easily giving her hull speed of 9 knots. Painting, painting and painting over 2026/27 will bring Kalamera back to her former glory which is testament to real wooden carvel plank, kauri boats, a pedigree of nearly seventy years always lovingly maintained.“

CLASSIC WOODEN YACHT ASTRID – ANOTHER PIECE OF HER STORY SURFACES

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CLASSIC WOODEN YACHT ASTRID – ANOTHER PIECE OF HER STORY SURFACES

Sundays WW story on the classic wooden yacht – ASTRID,  https://waitematawoodys.com/2026/10/04/where-is-astrid-the-search-for-a-classic-wooden-yacht/  , prompted Mark McLaughlin to send in todays update / input. Over to Mark 

Further to Sundays storyon Astrid, there was an Athol Burns thread on Boatdesign.net about 14 years ago where the topic of Astrid came up. An ex-owner (now residing in the USA) came forward and provided some colour photos from his ownership and he made the following comments:

I was partnered with a friend we owned ASTRID in Auckland for a few years. I too was wondering what became of her and stumbled onto this forum. I have included some photos.

She had a single banger gas engine with a huge flywheel crank start. The name eludes me. It was kind of cool in it’s annoying way. Cranking made for some funny times.

She sailed quite well with a bit of a struggle pointing as you can imagine. We decked her out with some Lidgard sails including a full radial reaching chute. From memory she was built in Kawhia. I had a copy of the Seaspray article but it has since disappeared.

She was in Westhaven when we bought her. 

https://www.boatdesign.net/threads/who-is-athol-burns.38688/page-2

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – AVALON – RESTORATION UPDATE #6

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – AVALON – RESTORATION UPDATE #6

Today we have an an update from Tobias Forsyth on his rebuild of the 24’ Sam Ford built (1954) classic wooden launch – AVALON. Getting very close to hitting the water. Have to admire the workmanship , very talented man is Tobias.

I’ll hand over to Tobias to walk us thru the work – Update 6, great progress and we have a launch date for late November.

“Photos are fairly self explanatory, new cabin top has been clashed with kauri and then corners glassed, an internal laminex epoxied and vacuum bagged down to have a nice easy maintainance deck head. Cabin top then fully painted and installed. Final coats of varnish done plus non skid on decks before glass install. Made some good progress of wiring and systems with a quick test run of the engine to make sure all is working as it should. 

Test fit the new squabs and carpets along with a few other cosmetic touches. All going to plan the launch date should be ok. Just the final coat on the hull and then driveline install and finish off the engine bay and systems left to go now.” 

A CLASSIC POND YACHT LOOKING FOR HER IDENTITY

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A CLASSIC POND YACHT LOOKING FOR HER IDENTITY

Todays woody story is a shout out for someone who might be able to answer a few question.

WW was contacted recently by David McWilliams, from Melbourne, Australia asking for help concerning a pond yacht his father built.

The model carries the name WAIRAKEI. It is an impressive craft, standing approx. 6’ tall.

On old photo has the name WAIRAKEI , built 1899 Logan Bros, Auckland written on her stern. However he photo is most likely the 1904 34’ Logan built gaffer rigged yacht – WAIRIKI. So there is a degree of crossed wires / confusion in play.

So woodys –

1. Did Logans build a yacht named WAIRAKEI and if so what year

2. Does David’s pond yacht look like a Logan build

If the answer is yes to the above – do we know what became of her.

Hopefully Mr Kidd or Mr Elliott will be able to help solve the mystery.

And On The Subject of Classic Pond Yachts – I said good buy to one of my favourites yesterday , pictured below. Bought on trademe for $120. An architectural design firm saw the model in a WW story and ‘just had to have it’ for a client reception project – I said no 3 times, then the offer was enough that I couldn’t say no. There’s money in these models if they look the part and are near to original .

WOODYS GETTING SOME TLC + Marine Yard Sale This Saturday

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MENAI
LADY MARGARET (Colin Wild)

WOODYS GETTING SOME TLC + Marine Yard Sale This Saturday

As we get closer to the summer boating season, several woodys are nearing completion of significant winter work.

The first woody above is the Sam Ford built MENAI that came in for a deck replacement but the scope has slipped out to some TLC, MENAI is one of my favourite classic wooden launches so very happy to see her new owners commitment to her.

The last photo is of the 42’ LADY MARGARET  (Colin Wild) in the shed for a big birthday (100 in 1927) treat – photo was sent as a tease, with the promise of a full story soon. 

HEADS UP – the Te Atatu Boating Club are having a Marine Yard sale this Saturday  (3rd Oct),.Nice and early start –  7am  A great opportunity to find those goodies or to sell those preloved unused items. 
Seller spots also available for non TABC members if any of your readers wish to buy a spot.
Details are on the poster below.

THE RESTORATION OF 46’ WOODEN LAUNCH – LIBERTY

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THE RESTORATION OF 46’ WOODEN LAUNCH – LIBERTY

Back in 2014 WW ran a story on the classic wooden 46′ launch LIBERTY, at the time a recent import from the USA and for sale.

Unsure to whom and when she sold but she has popped up over the years in yards and bays.

Fast forward to mid 2026 and Trudy and Paul Thorowgood acquired LIBERY after several years of admiring her from afar.Trudy contacted WW advising they had just commenced an extensive restoration on LIBERTY – I’ll let Trudy tell the story (edited)WW will follow this project with regular updates.

“We love Waitemata Woodys and the wonderful collection of wooden boats and stories you’ve documented over the years, so we thought you might be interested in what we’ve just taken on – the restoration of a 1969 Stephens Bros boat named Liberty.

You’ve actually featured Liberty on Waitemata Woodys before, back in 2014, so you may remember her: https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/03/10/liberty/

We first fell in love with Liberty when we saw her down at the Viaduct back in 2018. There was just something about her – the lines, the character and that unmistakable Stephens look. So when the opportunity eventually came up to buy her, we knew we probably couldn’t let it pass.

The only problem was that, by the time we bought her in May this year, Liberty was in pretty poor shape. In fact, we were advised to walk away from the purchase unless we had very deep pockets. We definitely don’t have deep pockets, but we decided to take the risk anyway!

My husband is a carpenter and builder by trade and has built smaller boats from scratch before, so we knew we had some of the skills and experience needed to take on a project of this size. We’re also very fortunate to have some great local contacts through Milford Marina – people with years of experience working on and around wooden boats – who have been generous with their advice, knowledge and help along the way. It’s quickly becoming a bit of a team effort, which is exactly what we hoped for with a project like this.

More than anything, though, we couldn’t bear the thought of such a beautiful old Stephens being allowed to deteriorate beyond saving.

Our plan is to restore her properly and make Liberty our forever boat. We see ourselves less as her owners and more as custodians of this classic beauty – with the responsibility of bringing her back to life and preserving her for the next generation.

She is a 1969 Stephens Bros Sports Cruiser/Fisher, built in Stockton, California, and is hull number M-156. Stephens Bros were building some of America’s most beautiful wooden boats from the early 1900s through to the late 20th century, and Liberty is a wonderful example of that heritage.

We’ve also discovered that the original Stephens plans and correspondence relating to Liberty are now held by the Haggin Museum in Stockton, which makes the boat’s history even more special to us. We’re hoping to dig further into her story as the restoration progresses.

For now, however, we have a rather large job on our hands.

We had Liberty transported from Gulf Harbour to our property, where she is now sitting on the driveway under a purpose-built shrink-wrap shelter. We built a timber frame around her and have started stripping her back to see exactly what we have.

She is carvel-built, and we have now taken the hull back to the bare planks so that the timber can dry out properly. We’ve also removed several hundred kilos of old equipment from inside her – water tanks, fuel tanks, generator and other machinery – much of which was in very poor and corroded condition. The plan is to spline and glass the hull once the timber has dried sufficiently.

The existing Detroit diesels – the famous “Screaming Jimmys” – will also be coming out, and we’re planning to re-power her with a new pair of FPT 280hp engines (these motors also meet the new IMO Tier 2 Regs).

There will be plenty of other work along the way. We’re planning some changes to the interior layout while retaining as much of Liberty’s original character and heritage as possible. We’ll share more of that as we get further into the project.

For now, she is staying under wraps while she dries out, which we expect will take the next few months. Hopefully, in the new year, we’ll be able to start the major hull work.

It is definitely a labour of love – and probably a little bit crazy. But there is something pretty special about taking an old wooden boat that has reached this point and giving her another chance.“

HENRY GEROS WOODEN BOATBUILDERS – TAURANGA 

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HENRY GEROS WOODEN BOATBUILDERS – TAURANGA 

Todays woody photo popped up recently on a fb link that features historical events from the Tauranga area.

The photo originated from the Bay of Plenty Times, 22 March 1973 issue.

The poster was Rebecca Muir, who commented that in the photo we see Henry Geros and his two sons – Phillip and Michael(r), putting the finishing touches to a 22’ cabin cruiser built in their Tauranga based boat building yard.

Can we learn more about the yard and possibly the design of the cabin cruiser, which to my eyes is very appealing. Being 1973 the AWB’s (average white boats) can not of been too far away……..