Category Archives: Designers & Builders

Steam Launch Estral

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STEAM LAUNCH – ESTRAL
Marine engineer (retired) Bill Voisey sent in the above photo of his 21’ kauri steam launch – Estral. Estral has a a beam of 8’6” and draws 3’, and was originally built in Port Chalmers, for a Riverton Rocks farmer c.1940s. Bill understands this family (Jaimison) owned and used her until the 1990s.
Bill restored Estral and converted her to steam in the 1990 > 2000 period with the installation of a Stewart Turner 6A steam engine, and a Stirling  water tube boiler.
Video below of engine prior to clean up and painting
Video below showing back of engine showing boiler feed pump, and condensate pump.

The vessel is currently being re painted and tidied up to put it back in the water. Below is a summary of her set up:

Engine. Stewert Turner No 6a, 2 cyl compound,
Pumps engine driven condenser pump and boiler feed pump.
Keel condenser with return to hot well.
Prop 16″x 18 pitch. Hull speed 6 knots .
Stern tube oil filled with mechanical seals?
Thrust block fitted with forward and reverse thrust bearings.
12 volt alternator v belt driven from prop shaft.
Water tube boiler,pressure tested to 600lbs static pressure,stamped by inspector at 400lbs (not marine certified.)
oil fired automatic pressure controlled with Beckett oil burner fitted.
Water level kept by manual control via needle valve bypass.
Engine can be run to atmosphere
Tanning type boiler water treatment used.
Boiler always left with the total boiler system full of treated water filled from hot we’ll by hand boiler feed pump.

 
Hopefully I’ll See Some Of You Tomorrow At The Mahurangi Regatta – If You Don’t Make It, We Will Have Coverage In Tuesdays WW Story 🙂

 
WAITANGI DAY WOODY BEACH PICNIC – FEB 6 – Put A Circle In Your Diary, All Woodys Welcome. RSVP Below
Woody Waitangi Picnic

Maharatia (Anita Bay / Te Repo Repo Relaunched

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MAHARATIA RELAUNCHED
 
Last week in the WW inbox up popped a note from Troy and Dave Searle the owners of the 1947 Roy Lidgard built – Maharatia, the subject line said “Maharatia (Anita Bay) Update”. Well woodys that was an understatement, I can report that Maharatia has been relaunched 🙂
Firstly excuse me while I rewind – back in August 2015 Paul Drake sent me a single b/w photo (c.1960’s) of a rather large woody on the back of a truck in Taupo. Paul commented that the launch was Te Repo Repo as she was named while operating commercially on the lake.
That single photo (below) ignited one of the biggest chat sessions on WW, there have been over 64 comments posted around the boats provenance.
I attempted to summarize it into one read, which you will find along with a great photo gallery of her past at the WW link below. Make sure you read the comments, start at the bottom 😉 
 
 
Now back to the the Searle’s email – I have reproduced it below – rather a big project – well done guys, amazing effort – email me your T-shirt sizes and I will gift you a couple of WW t-shirts. Hopefully in person at this weekends Mahurangi Regatta.
 
“Well finally after a 4 1/2 years restoration we have relaunched Maharatia.
Last Wednesday (8th Jan 2020) Boat Haulage safely transported her up to Dockland 5 in Whangarei from the boat shed at Omaha. 
She is now berthed in Marsden Cove Marina
Colin Brown, Josh Hawke and owner Dave Searle have worked hard to help bring her back to a very solid representation of her former glory.
Just a brief overview of the restoration work
– Replaced 23 frames in hull
– Replaced garboard plank
– Replaced all keel bolts
– Replaced all through hull skin fittings
– Re-corked hull
– Replaced worm shoe
– Rebuilt shaft logs
– Rebuilt rudder logs
– New diesel tanks 
– Motors (2 x 6LX Gardner) rebuilt by Shaw diesels Ltd
– Replaced all fuel systems, lines and filters.
– Complete rehire and re-plumbed.
– All new toughened glass windows
– New dash panel, gauges and instruments
– New Interior, saloon and galley
– Raised and built new roof to increase headroom by 80mm
– New shower/head room built in.
– New capping on rail
– New exhaust system
– All porthole windows removed, new glass and seals fitted.
– 2 new hatches made. Fwd cabin and roof top.
– New anchor winch
– Aft deck, seating and storage compartments made and hatch to lazarette installed.
 …and Lastly a full repaint.
 
Looking forward to spending our summer on the water this year! 
We hope to be at the Mahurangi regatta In a few weeks time and catching up with other woody enthusiasts.”
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Zircon

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ZIRCON
 
Zircon made her debut on WW back in November 2015, when she had been purchased by Kevin Peet. At the time Kevin knew very little about Zircon’s provenance, over the next 4 years with the help of several WW readers, mostly past owners, we have ‘unpeeled’ her past. You can read / view this at the WW link below, make sure you read the comments sections – lots of chat there. https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/11/04/zircon/
In a nut seal – she is 34’ in length, built by Phil Lange in 1964, carvel hull and is still powered by her original 130hp, Perkins 645 diesel engine.
 
Fast forward to last week (Jan. 2020) and I was contacted by Matt Fearnley whose 84 year old father, Don Fearnley, bought Zircon in the mid/late 1960’s and owner her until 1979. Matt lives in Perth and mentioned that he was catching up with his father and  would send in some details and photos from the Zircon’s past – I have reproduced Matt’s note to me below, enjoy the read 🙂
 
“Well I spent the afternoon reminiscing with Dad about the old boat – it almost brought a tear to his eye. Great stories that I’ve heard a million times before but never get tired of.
Anyway here’s what dad told me that may be of interest :
 
Dad bought the boat in 1965 from a bloke called Chamberlain from Chamberlains Island? (Probably Ponui from what I’ve read on your site). The boat was called ‘Bette’ after Chamberlain’s wife and had been used to pull the barge mentioned on your site, and also cart sheep to the island. According to Dad the boat had little use and was like new. He paid 4000 pound – and Mum didn’t know until a stranger knocked on her door to say Dad could have the boat! Those were the days. I’d be gelded if I tried that….
 
Dad renamed the boat Zircon for a simple reason – He was in the coast guard at the time and had a jet-boat he had built at night-school called ‘Zip’ (because it was fast! – photo below of Zip on the trailer behind the EH wagon). Dad had the only boat that started with ‘Z’ in the coast guard, and he liked that hence the new boat had to start with a ‘Z’ too. Hence the birth of Zircon. 
 
One of the photos shows ‘Bette’ at anchor on the Wade River just prior to purchase.
 
The boat was used for many search and rescues including one near Gt Barrier Island during a bad storm and some damage was sustained to the hull. The story goes that Dad and his mates secured Zircon to some trees at high tide and when the tide went out they were able to effect some running repairs – not bad considering it’s a 12 1/2 ton boat.
 
Dad had some mods done in Auckland (Milford) before we moved to the BOI where the boat became part of the family, used every weekend for family and the local dive club. More mods done around ’74- ’75 on Arthur Smith’s slip opposite Opua. Dad added the fore-deck and the faux flybridge (no steering or controls) plus some other general maintenance.
 
Mum and Dad bought a bach at Whangaruru in 1977 and after that the boat sat at the mooring in Opua to be used by seagulls only. It was a very sad day when it sold but we were glad to know it was being re-modeled at Ashby’s boatyard to be loved by a new family. 
 
Thanks for the site Alan. You’ve put a smile on Dads face and he loved looking at the new photos, and to know the new owners have kept the only ‘Z’ in the coast guard.
 
Hope the above answers some questions the new owners may have.”
 
The photo below of Te Kouma, is a cracker – lots of woodys there, have asked Matt to check to see if a higher res version of the photo exists. 
If Kevin Peet still owns Zircon – sends us some photos 😉 
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The Folly of Buying A Fixer-Upper With Mates

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The Folly of Buying A Fixer-Upper With Mates

Click the link below to read / view this great tales from ABC News – Australia, about 6 mates that took on the restoration of  – Southwinds (previously named Valhalla), a 70 year old, 18m, Hueon pine built classic ketch.
Thanks to Andrew Christie for the heads up on the story.

All I Want For Christmas

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ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

Is another clinker, but not much chance of that – Mrs H doesn’t read WW 🙂

Woody Alan Sexton spotted this very smart dinghy being built in Lees Boatbuilders boat shed. Alan commented that it is not common to see any new dinghy being built from timber these days, let alone clinker construction.
Chatting with Greg Lees he told me it is being built by his foreman, Dale Collins. The 8’ dinghy is based on Roy Parris patterns. When complete she will be for sale – so woodys who is looking of the perfect tender for their woody?
 
To view examples of the stunning work undertaken by Greg and his team – click the link below
 

ASTROLABE – A Peek Down Below

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ASTROLABE – A Peek Down Below

I had the pleasure recently to inspect Astrolabe, the 51’ 7” Bruce Clark designed, John Salthouse built 1974 sloop. As you would expect from any craft from John Salthouse’s hands, she is a work of art – 1 3/8” kauri, splned and glassed. She has had a serious amount of blue water under her keel and has enjoyed 27 years of continuous ownership.
Sadly her owner has reached a stage in life where he would like the yacht to have a new caretaker – not just anyone, you would have to be a passionate woody to be in the running for stewardship of Astrolabe.
I post todays story to give you something to think about over the Christmas break. The boat was not ‘dressed’ for photos, these are  just ‘snaps’ from my iPhone.
If you are a serious woody looking for a classic cruising yacht that ticks all the boxes – looks, designer and builder creds, blue water capable and maintained for the last 27 years to an extraordinary standard – in the first instance,  contact us at the email below. waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Labour Weekend 1945 at Westhaven – Mystery Launch + Prizes To Be Won

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Labour Weekend 1945 – Westhaven – Mystery Launch + Prizes To Be Won
Check out the bottom right photo – anyone able to name the launch? I can’t but it should be easier for the WW train-spotters.

BOOK PRIZE DRAW – WIN A COPY OF ‘DES TOWNSON – A SAILING LEGACY’

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Correctly name the boat designer who’s name has appeared on the waitematawoodys site the most often and you go in the draw to win a copy of the Brian Peet book – DES TOWNSON – A SAILING LEGACY. If you don’t want to risk not winning a copy – order here today   https://destownson.co.nz
+ a bobby prize – a waitematawoodys t-shirt drawn from all email entries received – correct or not.
ENTRY VIA EMAIL TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com If you enter via the WW comments section, you will be disqualified (take note Ken Ricketts). Entries close 8pm 17-12-2019.
Todays woody model is Graeme Finch (MV Te Arahi) in front of the Cologne Cathedral. Us woodys get around 😉