Category Archives: Designers & Builders

Knoxie III > Miss Ida

Posted on by
14

Miss Ida 1 - Copy

Miss Ida 3

KNOXIE III > MISS IDA 
I was contacted yesterday by Greg Philpott, up until recently the owner of the Opua General Store in the Bay of Islands. Greg is on a missions – I’ll let him tell the story.
“By way of introduction, my partner Margaret and I have recently sold the Opua General Store business after owning it for just short of 6 years. During that time I became immersed in the history of the General Store and Opua itself  (along with it forerunner Te Wharau, which was the town that grew up in the 1870’s/80’s to service the Loading Ground – the site where Kawakawa coal was trans-loaded to ships at anchor. In 1884 the rail line was extended to Newport (now Opua), many buildings were shifted from Te Wharau to Opua and as such the township of Te Wharau has now totally disappeared.) The reason for relating that little snapshot is that all manner of launches, workboats, ferries and tourist craft have been a part of Opua (and by locational connection, the Bay of Islands) for its entire existence.
And so on to my current project – The Boats of the Bay. This is looking at the history of the commercial tourist Boats of the Bay of Islands. Their origins, their working life and their final situation
 
Here’s where I need help – Knoxie III was built for A E Fullers and Sons by Warne Bros at Matauwhi Bay in 1939. She was renamed Miss Ida in 1949. Whilst built originally to enhance the Fullers fleet for the Cream Trip it appears that much of her latter days were spent as a work boat and as the back-up launch for the Opua Okiato vehicular ferry, photos above. I am looking for pictures of her carrying the name Knoxie III And when did she depart the Fullers fleet and what was her history post Fullers?”
Anyone able to help out?

Merryweather

Posted on by
3

IMG_2544

IMG_2545

MERRYWEATHER
 

I was recently contacted by Lionel Sands of ‘Sea Craft’ fame – as most of you will know, Lionel’s late father, Sandy Sands, started Sea Craft Ltd in 1946 building clinker boats. Today they build the Haines Hunter range of fibreglass boats and are still based in Ellerslie. 

Lionel was contacted by one of his dealers in Gore in regard to an old Sea Craft boat that they had come across. Lionel commented that looking at the photos supplied the boat appears to be in very good original condition including the Ford 10 motor that is also original. Lionel contacted WW to see if there was any interest in the boat.
 
The story goes like this – the Gore dealer, Brad Inder from Inder Marine, was asked to price a re-power on a larger glass boat and the customer is wanting to sell some of his old cars and boats. The vessel that the dealer thought might spark some interest almost the classic wooden boat movement was a 1955 Seacraft powered by a Ford Prefect motor, pictured above.
 
So Woodys my question today is – any interest in this iconic woody? and what do we think she is worth? A nice winter project for one of the lake boys 😉
 
BOB SALTHOUSE RIP
Sadly today I have to advise that boat designer / builder Bob Salthouse passed away peacefully yesterday morning. While he had not been in good health for a long time and his passing was not unexpected, the event marks another milestone in the Salthouse boatbuilding dynasty. I read several years ago that Bob had designed over 750 boats – I would doubt if anyone in NZ has come even close to that, ever, and even more impressive – most are still afloat.
A sad day for the expended families given the recent death of brother John.
 

Nana

Posted on by
2

Screen Shot 2019-06-02 at 6.36.02 PM

Screen Shot 2019-06-02 at 6.36.11 PM

NANA

Nana was designed by C. Bailey Jun. &  built by C. Bailey & Sons for Mr F Alison of Matiatia, Waiheke Island in1934 & launched in late November / December.
She is 35′ with a 8′ beam and a 3’ draft and built in kauri > carvel. When launched she had a 100hp Redwing engine and she was good for 17 knots. Currently fitted with a 135hp Otosan Ford, 6 cylinder diesel, she cruises at 12 knots with 15 knots max.
Back in 2014 Nana came very close to a one way trip to the land fill after being hit on her mooring, but she was saved & re-built / restored by ship wright John Wright. You can view her post the collision at the WW link below
    
 
I am an admirer of Nana, having spotted her out and about over the last few years. She is a great looking woody.
 
Nana recently popped up on trademe and the listing states that her owner has moved onto other things and is selling Nana as is.  She is still a work in progress but to finish her properly you would only need to throw $10>20,000 at a boat builder like Geoff Bagnall and you would have a very cool woody. 
Photo below as launched.

Screen Shot 2019-06-02 at 8.53.47 PM

Input from Murray Willis – Nana spent many years on a mooring in front of the Great Barrier Lodge here in Whangaparapara .She belonged to Bert Jordan a Whangaparapara local. There is a famous local story about her when she was used to tow a brand new donated tractor around to Mungiti Bay for John Da Silva for the bad boys camp there…..The tractor was loaded onto a floating pontoon constructed by Tony Litherland from the old Whaling station, constructed from four WW2 submarine net Buoys..
Against everybody’s warnings but with much verbal encouragement from George Mason they set off with the bright red tractor perched on this floating whalf.it lasted about 100 metres untill the whole jing bang lot capsized with a roar from the locals.
Not to be put off ,Nana and Bert just cruised on around to Mungit and beached the whole lot by the camp where the tractor remains to this day.

The Launching of Eileen Patricia – 1933 classic motor boat – 50+ photos

Posted on by
15

P1060140

 

P1060128

P1060195

P1060159

P1060163

 

P1060198

 

IMG_1255

IMG_1258

 

 

 

 

IMG_1262

THE LAUNCHING OF THE CLASSIC WOODEN MOTOR BOAT – EILEEN PATRICIA

It was an early (8.30am) start yesterday morning for the classic woodys that gathered to witness Jenni & Peter Mence re-launching Eileen Patricia at The Milford Slipway (ex Geoff Bagnall yard).
The 1933 Arnold Couldrey designed and built motor launch has just undergone a 4+ year restoration at Marco Scuderi’s – MCN Shipwrights yard.
WW has followed the restoration and the links below will take you back to her early days (as launched) and as ‘rescued / saved’ by Peter, thru to leaving Marco’s yard.
The weather forecast didn’t look good, but as always for classic woody events, the sun shone at the right moments and Eileen Patricia was launched in a style befitting a 86 year old lady – Jazz band + Champagne and scones.
Several guests arrived in period costume and the ‘Best In Show’ ribbon would have to go to Paul Powney who sported an original Auckland Motor Yacht Club blazer (photos below).
A special touch was the attendance of several descendants of Eileen Patricai’s builder A. Couldrey.
Links to older WW Stories on Eileen Patricia
The Big Event Launching Video (turn up the volume, nice music)

 

Two of our finest woodies My Girl and Pacific were on hand to escort Eileen Patricia out of the marina and home to her new marina.
Best In Show Ribbon Winner 

 

Update – video footage of Eileen Patricia underway just after launching. Ex Nathan Herbert.

Update2 – Link below to the restoration – amazing collection / essay of the total restoration – a must view

https://www.mcnshipwrights.com/eileen-patricia.html

Update3  – Video of Pacific, Eileen Patricia and My Girl leaving the Milford Marina / creek. Sent in by Paul Powney.

Restoration of Te Uira begins

Posted on by
6

FB_IMG_1539727408050

20181016_081930

 

FB_IMG_1539641729372

RESTORATION OF TE UIRA BEGINS 
 
Pleased to announce that the restoration of 45’ C & W Bailey built (1896) Te Uira has finally begun in Australia.
During the week I was contacted by Colin Grazules with the news – I’ll let Colin tell you the story.
 
“We have constructed a new wee shed to house the old girl and the steel and iron keel has been removed.
At this stage we are envisioning that the restoration back to her original condition should take 2 to 3 years all going well.
The owners wish is to return her to as close to her launch configuration as possible.

We will begin by removing the ribs that were added to stop her leaking in 1898.

But we need your help.

We need if possible a detailed plan of where the original stringers were installed and the triangular beam that sat on top of the floors?
A plan or photos of what the original keel would have looked like would be greatly appreciated.
I have a copy of Robert Brooke’s book ‘Beautiful Boats’ but unfortunately the plans in the book have little detail on this. 

A deck plan would also be of great assistance including including where the original mast step would have been installed etc.

Well this is just the start and I’m hoping this will become an ongoing conversation to ensure that we can do justice to Te Uira and her heritage!!

I intend to post the restoration on the NZ Classic Yacht Forum and on the Cygnet Wooden Boats FB page and will keep you appraised of the progress.”

 

Below are two videos of the keel removal.

Previous Input From Harold Kidd

TE UIRA (usually shortened in Oz to UIRA) was built by C.& W. Bailey and launched on 17th October 1896 for Gidgeon Palmer of Melbourne as a 5 rater.
She was taken across by the steamer TARAWERA with Chas. Bailey Jr going with her to settle her in.
She was quite successful in Melbourne but came up against SAYONARA, the bigger Fife-designed cutter.
She raced in Melbourne with the St. Kilda club for many years, converted to a Marconi rig in 1925.
 
You can also eat / see more here  https://wordpress.com/post/waitematawoodys.com/13298

Korara at the Milford Slipway

Posted on by
2

Screen Shot 2019-05-07 at 3.44.28 PM

Screen Shot 2019-05-05 at 5.51.28 PM

Screen Shot 2019-05-05 at 5.50.54 PM

Worms at work
Korara at the Milford Slipway
The 1962, 37’ Snow Waters built motorsailer Korara is currently hauled out at Auckland’s only true railway hail out facility – the Milford Slipway (previously owned by Geoff Bagnall)
Owner Anatole Perry in his words hauled her out for a ’tickle up’, well already thats grown into stripping the decks and resealing them – I’m sure the TO DO LIST will get even bigger 🙂
Korara has been fortunate to have had some very salty owners in her past, who will be very happy to see that she is in good hands with Anatole (with Jason Prew looking over his shoulder)
A couple of WW links below to see / read more on this woody.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/06/18/korara/

Photos below ex Nathan Herbert of Korara in the Milford Marina on-route to the The Slipway.

Mason B – Bay of Islands Woody Launching

Posted on by
6

Screen Shot 2019-02-11 at 11.10.25 PM

Mason B – Bay of Islands Woody Launching

 The caption on the photo / press clipping (ex Lew Redwood) reads “A new fishing launch takes the water from the builder’s shed. Mr W. Mason Bayly is the owner”

It was also tagged “Early preparations for the forthcoming dee-sea fishing season at Russell, North Auckland”
The date is August 1926.
Can we put a name to the boat, designer/builder, location?
Harold Kidd Input – She is MASON B, designed and built for W. Mason Bayly by Leon Warne and launched in August 1926 from Warne’s shed at Russell. She was30′ x 8’6″ and had a 30/40 hp Kermath. She replaced Bayly’s GISPA (ex-GLADYS).
Help Wanted
Any one have a base like the one circled below, tucked away anywhere? Or something similar. A woody friend has a spotlight but no matching base.  Any condition ok.
Screen Shot 2019-05-03 at 3.33.40 PM

Mystery Location & Woody

Posted on by
24

Woody Clinker motorboat

Mystery Location & Woody

The very pretty wooden clinker motorboat above comes to us via Lew Redwood’s fb page.
Baden Pascoe has commented that she is obviously professionally built and has a ‘lovely lay of planks’.
So folks – todays question can anyone tell us the location of the photo?, which hopefully will help ID the builder.
First to correctly tell us the location wins a WW t-shirt ,  entry via email or in the comments section. Only one issue , the shirt will have to be a biggie , or you can wait till the next print run, I’m sold out to anything below 2XL 🙂

Waitoa F10

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_5976

WAITOA F10

 I have been sent the above photos of Waitoa F10, by Mike McGehan. Mike’s father, Mervyn is seen in the 1st photo on launch day 1947.
Previously on WW there has been debate as to a photo and details supplied by Ken Ricketts around his experience of the yacht (WW link below) as a result of Mike sending me the above photo and details, we can now safely assume that Ken has his wires crossed. https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/03/26/waitoa-sailing-sunday/
Previously on WW the McGahan family and Harold Kidd have commented on Waitoa’s provenance (link below)
Comparing the photos (below), I’m now happy to put this debate to bed 🙂

Ken Rickets photo
Waitoa
Make sure you log in to WW on tomorrow – great story / photos on the evolution of the 1912 Harvey & Lang launch – Silens

The Restoration of Rehutai

Posted on by
7

REHUTAI WELLINGTON - EX TONY WHYMAN - 2

REHUTAI WELLINGTON - EX TONY WHYMAN - 38

 

REHUTAI WELLINGTON - EX TONY WHYMAN - 41

REHUTAI WELLINGTON - EX TONY WHYMAN - 44

The Restoration of Rehutai
 
The 43’ launch Rehutai was built by Sam Ford in 1926 and has been owned by Tony Whyman, of Wellington, for the last 25 years, having bought her in November 1994 in Picton, off Lex Parkes, who Tony believes, had her for many years. Tony sailed her to Evans Bay, Wellington, where she still lives.
 
Post purchase Tony took her ashore and commenced a major refit & refurbish, from 1994  to 1997, the work we see above was undertaken by Tony and a boatbuilder working full time, with the help of others working part time.
When purchased she was powered by a ‘tired’ 6 LW Gardner diesel, which Tony replaced during the re-fit with a new John Deere diesel, derated to 186hp.
 Post the work, Tony and family ended up with a very smart woody that they use frequently and should be around for many more years to come.
(Photos and details ex Tony Whyman, via Ken Ricketts – edited by AH)
REHUTAI WELLINGTON - EX TONY WHYMAN - 37

 

Last Chance to Check Out the Logan A Class Guff Fleet

If you haven’t yet seen the A Class Gaff Classic Yacht Exhibition – make the effort to visit the Viaduct this Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Details below & a sneak peek via one of Roger Mills stunning drone videos.

Screen Shot 2019-04-01 at 3.50.49 PM