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?
MEDWAY Taupo woody Paul Drake came across the launch Medway the other day, on the hard at Mana Marina (Wellington).Paul recalls that she was at Taupo in the 1960’s and is clearly a sister ship to Lidgard’s Monterey.
Previously on WW there has been discussion relating to three launches built at the same time, they were Monterey, Almaray & possibly Tangaroa. Paul wondered which of the last two Medway is, as there almost differently has been a name change. WW link below to Monterey, where you can see the Lidgard factory / shed at the time of building. https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/14/monterey-2/ Paul commented that although in great need of a thorough paint, her good bones show through and one would think that she will tidy up very well.
Input from Harold Kidd – According to the APYMBA records, MEDWAY was built by “Woods” of Auckland in 1952. In 1962 she was owned by Larry Bruce Johnston and then had a 100hp Ford diesel.
WAIONE RESTORATION UPDATE I was contacted recently by Daniel Taylor, the son of Steve Taylor who took over the restoration of Waione from Daniel’s late grandparents Jack and Missy McCabe . Daniel advised that his grandmother unfortunately passed away in September last year.
Daniel has decided to help his father who took over the project as of the start of this year. Waione is being finished by Daniel as he works in the marine electrical trade, also helping is the skilled team at Quayside Marine, Mahurangi . As we can see from the above photos, the interior fit out is well underway.She measures 32’ in length and could have been (thanks HDK) built by Joe Wheeler.
MARORO + SPECIAL INVITE TO VISIT BOAT BUILDER – PETER BROOKES SHED Thames woody – Brian Thomas, sent me the above photo of his launch Maroro, that he and his son have spent the last 8 years rebuilding at Kopu. Since her recent relaunch she now resides at Thames Marina. The above photo was taken of her from the Thames Wharf Cafe. In his note Brian mentioned a blog that featured the rebuild but I have been unable to trace it or get more intel from Brian, so today’s story is a bit of a ’name & shame’ i.e. hopefully Brian will see this and be in touch 🙂
From the photo it appears to have been a very smart restoration.
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: 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.
Can We Name These Classic Wooden Boats I have been contacted by Evelyn Whitell regarding the above photos from the South Island, probably the Abel Tasman area. Evelyn’s father Sid Giberston is pictured in the first photo on the left of in the dark suit, the large (Evelyn’s words) lady on right is his mother and his father Alex (Alexander Gilbertson – also known as Deacon) is beside her. Alex was a boat builder among other things and was the youngest son of Captain David Gilbertson, a pioneer in Nelson. Capt. David was a shipwright and builder of several trading schooners and ketches, including one of the first steam boats in Nelson. They ran from Nelson down the West Coast, up North and around the South to Lyttelton. Sadly most were shipwrecked eventually.
Evelyn’s dad, Sid, used to take groups of people down the bay for picnics in the Abel Tasman area. Evelyn commented that the steamship mentioned above was discovered around 1997 under a ton of sand near Wanganui and was going to be taken to a museum somewhere. Any Southern woodys able to ID any of these boats ?
ONE MAN’S TRASH – ANOTHER MAN’S TREASURE Yesterdays boat boot sale at The Slipway Milford was a cracker. Of course I took nothing along to sell, I’m a collector, but I do give stuff away 🙂
Above is a snap shot of some of the goods on offer. Big thanks to the team at the Slipway Milford – Cam and Jason for hosting the event and providing the BBQ.
Bargain of the day – the very impressive search light, already converted to LED
Best shopper – telephone ‘bidder’ – Peter Mence for a piece of art – a 28Ib bronze anchor to grace the bow of Eileen Patrica.
Best Seller (the most stuff) – Jason Prew, I thought I had it bad, he is worse, for every item he sold, he bought something else 🙂 I can see this becoming a regular event 😉
