SEA SPRAY During the week I was chatting to Lake Rotoiti boat builder Alan Craig and he mentioned that he was scoping out a 1956 built, 17’ kauri clinker run-about on tme for a client. The boat had a J. Logan builders plate and we both wondered if it was ’the-real-deal’. On these matters there is only one go to guru – so a quick email to Harold Kidd confirmed that Sea Spray was indeed built by Jack Logan, and HDK had had a lot to do with Jack Logan and the Chappies, who had a twin to his boat on Lake Okareka. That intel was enough for Alan to buy the boat.
Alan understands that for a lot of the boats life, it was north of Tutakaka. The new owner has x2 Arona 10hp engines and gearboxes, which fingers crossed, one will go into the boat.Having witnessed the work of Alan’s yard – Sea Spray will emerge as an awesome addition to the woody lake fleet. Alan has promised to keep us updated with work-in-progres photos 🙂
HAUNUI – RESTORATION In between the CV-19 lock-downs one of Auckland’s most beautiful classic wooden motor launches changed ownership – the Colin Wild designed and built 1948 launch – Haunui was sold by Owen Cashmore. In a previous life Haunui was owned by Harry Julian. Haunui was almost immediately hauled out at a private yard and master wooden boat builder Paul Tingey was engaged to return Haunui to her glory days. I showed her new owners over her ‘cousin’- Trinidad and they accepted the challenge to equal her presentation.
As can happen when dealing with 72 year old wooden artifacts, on close (pulling boards off) inspection the old girl had a few issues, so the decision was made to undertake a total refit, including engine. Haunui is single screw, but has a smaller auxiliary engine > shaft > prop on the starboard side. I believe an electric unit will replace the small diesel. The Gardner sadly is coming out, fyi – prior to going into Haunui, rumour is it came out of a Sydney Harbour > Manly ferry, so was very run in ;-). Her owner has told me they will restore the engine over time but the process involves utilizing a foundry that will have to custom cast the parts that are needed. In the meantime Haunui will receive a new heart transplant.
As you can see from my photos above, the refit is on a rather grand scale, but Mr Tingey is the man for the job. We will follow this project and keep you updated. As always, click on photos to enlarge 😉
The photos below are dated 2014, ex Rod Marler, and show Haunui hauled out at Orams yard in Westhaven.
Mooching around The Slipway Milford yesterday I spotted a familiar looking shape, closer inspection revealed Wanda II was hauled out as part of her ‘rolling’ restoration. Previous WW stories tell us she was built in 1948 by the Lane Motor Boat Co. for Fred Porter. She measures 38’6’ and is powered by twin BMC Commodore 55hp diesel engines.
Her current custodian / owner has virtually gutted the interior and is refurbishing her to better match the demands of classic woody family cruising. Whilst the latest fittings and systems are being utilized, her owner has a very sympathetic eye to detail so I’m confident she will look fantastic.Milford wooden boat builder Geoff Bagnall was onboard while I was there replacing / sistering some ribs. I think that is what he was doing 😉
Great to see her at Milford, hopefully providing motivation to Cam Malcolm, head honcho at the Slipway, to accelerate the work on his – Connie V, one of 3 sister ships – Wanda II, Connie V and Doreen. Connie V is currently directly in front of Wanda II inside the shed.
In the top photo, the woody alongside Wanda II is – Uhuru Jack, getting some TLC. She would have to be one of the oldest residents of Milford Creek Marina.
photo ex Ken Rickets c.1940’sphoto ex Chris Horsley c.2014
Over the lock-down / winter period the owners of Waikaro have given her a facelift. She was built in 1978 by Roy Parris as a 30’+ work boat for a Great Barrier family. She was ’saved’ from a slow death out there by master craftsman boat builder Geoff Bagnall, who re-modeled her cabin and cockpit and created one of the most practical, live-able 30’ launches I have seen.Power is via a 120hp Ford diesel and Waikaro has all the accessories to make cruising a breeze – remote capstan, hot shower (stern), stand-alone toilet/head, permanent double berth, solar charging, duckboard bait tank and more. Her owners have had her for 15 years and during this period Geoff Bagnall has overseen her maintenance programme.She returned to the water last week after a repaint, anti-fouling and varnish refresh.
And if you haven’t already guessed it – yes Waikaro is for sale and would be the best value for money woody on the market. Marina / mooring access available by negotiation. So woodys if you and the family want to be on the water this Christmas – contact waitematawoodys@gmail.com More photos below from last months relaunch.
25-05-2022 UPDATE – Post selling ,her new owners have been undertaking some differed maintenance and giving her a birthday, which has included a bow-thruster and trip to the Milford Slipway beauty parlour for a Jason Prew paint job (JPPJ) and a splash of varnish – well done JP and Cam for convincing the owners to add the bling 🙂
26-05-2022 UPDATE – first coat is on, looking very swanky 😉
28-05-2022 More paint & the first few coats of Uroxsys
14-06-2022 Getting close to relaunch day
John Spencer Book Winner The winner was Kerry Alexander – with the 68’ New World
Lots of answers submitted for Buccaneer at 73’, but John didn’t build her, and Infidel was 61’8”
John Spencer – Champion of the Amateur Boatbuilder For the last 3 days the annual classic yacht and launch exhibition, hosted by the Tino Rawa Trust, has been on at Kairanga Plaza, Halsey St, Wynyard Quarter. This year the star of the show is the late designer John Spencer. You can read more about John below.
On Friday I got a sneak review of the event at the opening legendary morning tea, that always sees the who’s who of the wooden boating movement making an appearance. The show is on today from 10am >4pm, so not too late to pop down.
One of the invited speakers was John Street, now when ever John steps up to a mike – I push record. His words are always outstanding, push play on the video below and you’ll have a chuckle as John relays a few memories of times with John Spencer, Turn the volume up 🙂
The Best of Colin Wild + Herreshoff Steam Launch The top two photos of the Brooke families 1927 Colin Wild launch – Linda comes to us via Mitchell Hutchings fb ex the Williamson Family Collection. Linda at the time was moored at Herald Island.
The bottom photo I took today of Wirihana tucked up in Chris McMullen’s shed for her winter TLC. Wirihana is another of Wild’s big motorboats, built in 1933.
It was great to see that CMcM’s Herreshoff steam launch (below) is coming along – engine installed 🙂
Yesterday afternoon, Auckland based woodys got to rub shoulders with an impressive collection of classic wooden boats at one of New Zealand’s leading wooden boat yards – the Peter Brookes ‘Brookes Boatbuilders’ complex in rural Waimauku, West Auckland. I have been privileged to visit numerous times but every visit is a treat, where else would you see over eight classic yachts and launches in varying stages of restorations.
I’ll let the photos tell the story, if I have a photo mixed up, let me know 🙂 – enjoy – remember as always if you click on the photos they will enlarge 😉
Its A Woody But It Won’t Float They say life goes something like this – Boat > Motorhome > Die
Will if you are in or approaching the middle category the Holzmobil woody motor home would have to be the pick of the bunch. They are built from sustainable wood from floor to ceiling and are one of the warmest motor homes you can find. It has all the home comforts – refrigerator, cooker, bathroom etc + the oiled timber finish as well as smelling nice, allows moisture out and prevents warping.
Still Looking For A Boat Story – 2pm today at Peter Brookes Boat Yard – details below
SPECIAL INVITATION – A Peek Inside One of Your Best Wooden Boatbuilders Shed
You are invited to an open afternoon at Brookes Boatbuilders, to view the restoration of:
Fife Yacht, Impala
Refit of K class yacht, Katrina II
Restoration of Launch, Amakura II
The many other wooden boats at the yard – Matia, Ladye Wilma, Kotiri, Pilot Cutter, Kenya II (Peter’s own classic launch)
DATE: TODAY
TIME: 2pm-7pm
ADDRESS: 108 Woodhill Park Road, Waimauku, Auckland These invites only happen every 3>4 years so woodys do not miss out, it will be an amazing afternoon.
Twice in 2019 we reported that Lady Margaret was for sale in Picton and then sold and heading north to Whangarei. Links to those stories below. Her new owner – Alistair McRae has her hauled out at present for some deferred maintenance and TLC. Alistair commented that he has been in touch with the one of the previous owners – Mike Allan who undertook an extensive ($$$) make over, carried out in the 2007 > 2008 period. When Mike purchased her she was called Happy Wanderer and he renamed her Lady Margaret, however he was misinformed, this was not her as launched name. She was built in1955 by L. Beacon in Mt Albert and named Lady Mary, sadly Beacon died in 1956 and her new owner changed the name to Happy Wanderer. Lots more details in the two links below.
Mike has had the boat in a shed for about three months and has had windows out and re-sealed. Some rot in the cabin top removed and a major tidy up of the cabin coamings – much sanding and many coats of paint. Also upgrading the blackwater holding tank, and removing the old bronze thru hulls and valves.The mast, handrails and toe rails were stripped back and have had many many coats of Awlwood and look magnificent. And will be replacing the existing cabin top grab rails with Iroko dowel which will get the Awlwood treatment and add another shiny wood touch.
REMEMBER THE OPEN DAY, TOMORROW AFTERNOON) AT THE PETER BROOKES BOAT SHED – NOT TO BE MISSED
SPECIAL INVITATION – A Peek Inside One of Your Best Wooden Boatbuilders ShedYou are invited to an open afternoon at Brookes Boatbuilders, to view the restoration of:Fife Yacht, Impala, Refit of K class yacht, Katrina II, Restoration of Launch – Amakura II, and the many other wooden boats at the yard – Matia, Ladye Wilma, Kotiri, Pilot Cutter, Kenya II (Peter’s own classic launch)
DATE: Sunday 1st November – Time: 2pm-7pm – ADDRESS: 108 Woodhill Park Road, Waimauku, Auckland These invites only happen every 3>4 years so woodys do not miss out, it will be an amazing afternoon.
RAUMATI Raumati was built by John Ewen to a Colin Wild design for Alf Walker of Whangarei. The bridge-decker was launched in early December 1938 and measured 42’ in length, with a beam of 11’6”.The only mention I can find of her is a HDK comment about a NZPBA race on 24/11/1934 in which a launch named Raumati was an entrant. The dates do not match so the first question today is – same boat?
The second question – was she a forerunner to Raumati II (re-named Moeraki in c.1957) built by Low Bros. in Whangarei in 1948 for Alf Walker (again) . Thanks HDK for this intel back in a WW story in March 2014.
So if I haven’t confused everyone – what became of the original 1938 Raumati?
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