The Wooden Boat Centre – A Peek Behind The Door Today we have a short video, narrated by Paul D’Olier from The Wooden Boat Centre in Franklin, Tasmania. The video #2 in a series is titled ‘The Boat Builders’ and show cases the courses being run at the centre. I have listed below a link to the another in the series – wonderful images and words, do check them out.
The videos are bought to us by the good folks at The Australian Wooden Boat Festival, if you haven’t already , put a line in the diary for 10>13 Feb 2023, this event is a serious bucket list item for all woodys.
Melodeon was built in 1934 by Chas Bailey & Sons in Auckland. She has spent most of her life fishing all around NZ, except when she saw service in the Pacific during WWII with the US Navy.
When Dick bought Melodeon she was powered by a T8 Kelvin that is only her 2nd engine, which has seen 100,000 hours. The engine was in remarkable condition and is also getting a ‘holiday’.The ship measures – 57’ length x 15’6” beam x 7’ draft. The scale of the project is immense but that is what spins Dick’s wheels. The photos above are from June 2021, so no doubt things have moved along even further – Enjoy 🙂
Input Below From Robert Nola
"I have often wondered what became of the Melodeon on which I spent much of my boyhood. It was owned by my father Bob (Boze) Nola and his partner was Jack Raos (who did not fish) from 1950s to early 1970s…In those years they fished for Pearl Fisheries in Auckland. Now I see that it has been fully renovated. But then It used to be very different when we owned it. The wheelhouse was much narrower and the bunk area was in the bow. It was very stylish then. It anyone would like to get in touch with me I would be glad to hear. The Melodeon was very much part of my youth. Glad it still survives. And is being looked after. It cannot be the same Kelvin engine my father installed?"
Today’s woody is – Juliette , seen above on the slip at the W.G Lowe & Son yard, just prior to launch day. Another photo from the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection.
Anyone able to tell us more about Juliette and what became of her post launching?
I spotted the illustration below of a concept house / day boat, based on the iconic VW Kombi. Each to their own but I think its very cool – perfect for our lakes.
MSUIRE The launch Msuire was built by W.G. Lowe in Auckland and that folks is all we know about her.Given that very cool canoe stern, someone must know what became of her post launch day. (photos ex Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection)
UPDATE: Nathan Nerbert reminded me Msuire resides these days at the Thames marina.
Input from Martin Howson – (from June 2018 ww )This boat is the M’sieur and was owned by Horrie Mau who lived on the sea front at Bucklands. She was built by Bailey and Lowe and prior to moving North was based in Wellington. After her time at Bucklands she went to Thames and as far as I know she is still there in the mud berths. She was a fine sea boat and had a set of sails as useful alternative in the event of engine failure which happened on at least one ocasion. Mr Mau was not familiar with the Gulf and asked my father in law how to get to Kawau Island ,the instructions were not fully understood because he ended up at Little Barrier instead and could not find Bon Accord Harbour dispite circumnavigating Little Barrier a number of times, he was however a very fine fisherman.
A Face To The Name
We have featured a lot of W. G Lowe woodys of late so its probably appropriate to run a photo of the man himself – very dapper. William George Lowe – died 14 June 1935, aged 68.
INPUT BELOW FROM OWNER – MIKE MILBURN
My wife Sue and I have owned her since 1988. She was built in 1952 by W B Lowe and Son Ltd in Beaumont Street Auckland for a sheep farmer in Marton – William Dudley Willis. He had a property in Marlborough and she made trips across Cook Strait to this property. I think she had a mooring at Paremata. She is a registered ship No. 191808 and Msuire is Swahili for “This is very good” according to a note in the original registry document. Msuire originally had a 4 cylinder Thornycroft R, T, R, 4 engine and now has a 4 cylinder Ford of about 70HP. She is 9.75m length, 3.14m breadth and draws 1.26m. She originally had a mast and had a heavy canvas steadying sail but no mast at present. We have enjoyed holidays with our three children to Great Barrier, Waiheke, Kawau, and the Mercury islands and she has been a safe and reliable ship. She usually sits on a mud berth in Thames but at present is on a mooring near Hannafords wharf Coromandel harbour. About 5 years a German film crew doing a documentary on the Hauraki Gulf were intrigued with the mud berths in Thames and in their film of about 45minutes there is a 5minute section on Msuire trying to venture off the mud – the link to this documentary is:
In the top photo we see the B Class yacht – Rangi on the slipway at the W.G Lowe shipyard in Auckland, just prior to the start of the first Trans-Tasman Yacht Race in 1931, I believe there was only 3 yachts entered – Oimara (Australia), Teddy (Norway) and Rangi (NZ) – Teddy won.
In the second photo we see her being towed to the start line, and in the bottom photo, on the left is Alan Leonard, owner of Rangi, alongside Alan, steering the yacht is Master Lowe, the grandson of the builder of Rangi. The occasion is welcoming Rangi back into Auckland after the return voyage from Sydney.
The race was held again in 1934 with only two boats entered – Te Rapunga (Germany) and the legendary Ngataki, with Johnny Wray at the helm – won by Te Rapunga.
The photos comes to us from the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection.
UPDATE: John Newsham has advised that Rangi was originally named ‘Schopolo’ and was built as a ‘schnapper’ boat for the inshore fishing trade – see photos below (ex Little Ships) . She was driven ashore at Cascade Bay, Norfolk Island when the crew was ashore after a wind change (1951)
UPDATE: Photo below, ex John Newsham, of Ngataki and te Raupunga at the state of the 1934 race. Ngataki (photo ex Century of sail) was sailed to Tahiti in the 1930s – John’s father’s cousin – Nip Colebrook was in the crew. John often used to see Wray cruising around Waiheke in his pre-war launch. He would always gave him a big wave – mid 1960s.
More photos from the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection, this time it is the launch – Te Rata built by W.G Lowe & Son’s, Auckland.
In the launch day photo we see Bob Adams, Tom Blackie and Jean Dickenson. An axe is being used to break a bottle across the bow. A very smart looking launch, so as always – what became of her?
Today thanks to the UK site ‘My Classic Boat and Bob Aylott we get to have a peek at one of the best classic yachts ever – Peggy Dawn, her owner Hal Sisk shows us around his beautiful 1894 G.L. Watson 36ft Cutter. Filmed in Cowes and The Solent on a day with not a lot of wind.
Hal Sisk also gives us a great insight into the genius of designer G.L.Watson.
If the above video has wet your whistle for more on the water time – check out below these links form the WoodenBoat Forum
I was sent the above photo by Gary Stanborough whose family owned the 32’ Des Townson designed and built yacht Starlight from 1978 to 2016, so any other namesake boats would always catch our attention.
Gary took the photo in 1984 in Woody Bay, Rakino Island but knows nothing of the history of this salty looking old timer. She’s tied alongside another fishing boat. Does anyone know of her past or what’s become of her? Reg # is AK14333.
A great example of the amazing work the Rakino Island residents have been doing on the planting front.
LOCK-DOWN GARAGE SALE
One of our followers is using the enforced lock-down to clean out a home workshop.There are a few bits and pieces up for grabs and a project boat that never got finished, but it’s very close to being done though. It looks to be around 14ft, and a sailing and rowing skiff. Design is called a Phoenix 3. Comes with a rig and centre board but not the trailer. Offers around $500 will see the boat oft a new owner.Plus a woodworkers tool cabinet & a few misc. tools Drop me an email if you are interested waitematawoodys@waitematawoodys
Scrolling thru the USA WoodenBoat Forum yesterday my woody antenna popped up when I saw a new thread on the New Zealand yacht Rogue – the 1892 gaff rigged 32’ cutter built by Chas Bailey Jnr. , it was in fact his first design.
The restoration of Rogue has been a happening thing since late 2007 and a lot of the time under the radar, not helped by her residing in Wellington.In the 2015 > 2018 period there were some unexpected ’speed bumps’ that derailed the project, and her owner relocated north to Auckland. So in early 2021 after a 120 year absence Rogue followed her owner and returned to Auckland and slipped into Wayne Olsen’s shed at the Horizon Boatyard. There the restoration has moved along at a good clip, and CV-19 aside, we can expect a splash date in early November.
I would be surprised if there was a better documented history on a classic vessel in New Zealand, and the restoration project is jaw dropping – an amazing commitment to one of New Zealand’s magnificent maritime artefacts. Below are links to the most recent project monthly updates , but given that most of us are in lock-down, I would encourage you to click on this link https://rogue1892.com/rogues-restoration/ and scroll (its a long way) to the bottom and follow the project from day one.
We have had examples of ’small’ boat builder John Bullivant’s work on WW before, I use the term small because to tag John a model maker would be very inappropriate – the man is very talented.
Today’s boat – Flareline was built by John over a 12 month period, based on his memories and photos of a full size sister ship that he owned a number of years ago. She measures 31’ LOA and is powered by a jet propulsion unit, check out the electronics.
Part of her set up sees her emitting engine smoke and water from the stern drive + she is wired for sound – engine starting & running noise. There is full interior lighting, working nav lights and even illuminated instrument dials on the dash.
Check out the link below to view a pre launching video of her being towed by an SUV https://youtu.be/hs6-DmBKRHM (photos, video and details ex John Bullivant and Ken Ricketts)
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