Category Archives: Engines

Rakira

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RAKIRA

Rakira is a carvel kauri launch / motorsailer, built in 1955 at Kawau Island. She measures 29.52’ & is powered with a 54hp Mazda Bongo diesel motor.

That’s about all her trademe listing tells us, if the Kawau build is correct, we must be able to uncover more about her provenance.

Thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads up.

The New Zealand Clinker Boat booklet winner – Is Mike O’Dwyer. Well done 🙂 A lot of you need to read the entry conditions i.e. via email. I’ll give way another copy on Friday,so look out for the quiz.

 

 

Poaka

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POAKA

Back in Feb 2015 I did a story on the 1960 Snow Waters built launch ‘Poaka’ & questioned where she was today. Nathan Herbert gave us a heads up in Feb 2017 that she had popped up on trademe & she is still there today.
Looks like she has had some TLC & being a Waters craft she should be a solid ship. Interesting the difference between the painted cabin, versus the ‘as launched’ varnished finish (photo below), certainly looks sharper with the varnish (in my eye)
Powered by a 72hp, 4 cyl. Ford Diesel.
A nice entry level woody that with a little more work, could be a pretty classic.
See / read more about her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/02/14/poaka/
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Yesterdays winner of the Auckland On The Water Boat Show tickets was – Tim Christensen – owner of the classic launch ‘Yvonne’

Nukutere – Part 1

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NUKUTERE – Part 1

The owners of Nukutere have asked if the WW readers can supply anymore details / history on their launch. We know that she was built by A. Sang & Sons, of Wellington in 1942 & she is 46’ in length & kauri planked.

Currently powered by twin 80hp Ford (Lees) diesels – installed in 1979 that push her along at between 9>10.5 knots. Home these days is Onahau Bay, Queen Charlotte Sound in the South Island.

She may have been used as a patrol boat in Wellington during the war.

WW understands she is 4sale – would be nice to see her head north & join the CYA cruising fleet 😉

Kiri Moana – A Zoom Zoomer

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KIRI MOANA – A Zoom Zoomer

Woody, Rod Prosser has the bug, he owns several classic woodys, mostly for use on Lake Rotoiti (Nth Is).

Whilst chatting recently he mentioned his go-fast woody. Rod bought Kiri Moana a couple of years back and has been slowly doing her up. Rod was told it was originally a North Island Ski Club boat but he hasn’t found out any more on that front. Rod originally had a 350 Vortec Mercruiser in the garage for the project but he got a little carried away when he went to an open day at the Toy Shed in Rotorua. The Toy Shed guys specialize in building hot rods and long story short is he swapped the Vortec for an early 1960’s small block Chev 327 V8, next things he’s on eBay sourcing all the shiny bits from the US. Rod commented that she has a ‘mother thumpa cam & is kinda loud 🙂

The interior’s come up well after scraping the orange paint off and the boats now with Sam Dorotich at Superior Boats in Manurewa getting glassed and painted (bright yellow!!). Rod will bring her home and widen the cockpit then back to Sam for the deck.

I have asked Rod to send us photos as the project proceeds & will update this story when he does.

10-11-2019 UPDATE – Boat dropped off at the upholsterer’s in Rotorua last week. Definitely in water this summer. Hopefully before Christmas 🙂

I like the new mudguards & wheels on the trailer – very retro. Alan H

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Tandarra

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TANDARRA

Tandarra was built by John Lidgard in 1976 in 3 skin kauri (glassed). She measures 42’ in length, with a beam of 12’5”.  The zoom zoom (>20 knots) comes from twin 300hp Ford diesels. Her trademe listing highlights an impressive amount of recent work – both mechcanical & cosmetic.

If you like classics & game fishing, then Tandarra looks to be a lot of boat for the money.

Do we know anything about her past i.e. owners?

 

San- Al- Pa 45′ Gladden Displacement Sedan Launch

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45′ Gladden Displacement Sedan Launch

I have had several woodys alert me to the trademe listing for the above vessel – to date we know that she was designed and built in 1968 to survey by John Gladden. 45′ in length, with a beam of 13’1″ & draft of 5’6″, she is kauri strip plank construction and powered with a 110 h.p. Gardner 6LXA diesel.

Looking at the photos she would a great launch for long distance all weather, economical cruising.
Anyone know more about her ? a name would be good, but we know how insecure the brokers are 🙂
And Something For The Woody Petrol Heads
The Red Wing engine below is on trademe – Built by the Thorobred Motor Company, USA. Thanks Peter Thorpy for the listing heads-up.
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And Speaking Of Motors – Gardner Wanted
Woody Russell Ward, has asked if I could spread the word around that he needs a Gardner 5LW that is in reasonable running order.
Russel has a new project & it does not involve steam or sails, more on this later.
The engine  that came with the boat is beyond saving so he is looking for a replacement.
I suggested that a sensible person would treat the boat to a six cylinder Ford but Russell likes old engines especially the way they sound 😉

WW Isn’t Just About Photos of Old Woodys

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New Zealand Traditional Boat Building School -Winter Maintenance Seminar
A few weeks ago I featured the re-opening of the school, this coming Saturday (19th), their first Seminar kicks off – the topic is a full day (9>3.00pm) Winter Maintenance Workshop with specialist speakers presenting on topics ranging from Diesel engine maintenance, batteries & electrical, sails & covers, marine sealants & common splicing – of interest to all larger boat owners. I know most of the presenters & can vouch that it will be a great day. Space is limited so check out the courses here http://nztbs.org.nz/files/d53cda0efa9205c5780be1e44b431880-53.html & if you are interested contact the school on this link http://nztbs.org.nz/contact/contact.php
I’ll be there – entry is via a donation – but let’s be clear, it’s not gold coin – given the speakers & that there is a BBQ lunch provided, I would like to think its $50+

Just received details on Saturdays Seminar – see below.

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Woodys Stuff
Via WW I get offered a lot of woody ‘stuff’, stuff that due to a wide range of circumstances the owner can no longer keep / store anymore. In the interests of domestic bliss I try to find homes for it ASAP – If you have anything woody related, before you bin it, send me a photo, that could be a woody that needs it 🙂
3 recent finds:

1. A brokered a deal across 3 woodys that involved a set of copper cowl vents – everyone will end up happy.

2. I was given a collection of Shipbuilders / SupaCraft plans & are currently finding homes for them, Mike Ryan was over the moon to learn I had a set for his launch Mahora. (the ones below are not of Mahora)

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3. Woody, Keith Ottaway dropped off an almost mint copy of ‘Gardner Diesel Engine – Operating & Maintenance Manual’ – this will be a much appreciated additional to Jamie Hudson’s Lady Crossley library. Now speaking of LC & Jamie, my daughter was reading a fashion magazine called ‘Simply You’ (Spring/Summer 2017/18) & pointed out “one of those old boats you like” – turns out LC was the location for a 14 page fashion feature & the old sea-dog Jamie slipped in a cameo appearance 😉 See below.

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Using WW To Find Something Woody Related

There are over 2,000 stories on WW & 15,000+ photos in the library, so if you are looking for something classic woody related – you have 2 options – either enter the word in the WW Search Box or click on the Tags that appear on the righthand side of the WW page , the tags cover most known boat builders, date/year, vessel length etc etc

And Don’t Forget To Grab A Copy Of The CYA Classic Register – only $15, email here to order one admin@classicyacht.org.nz

Ariki Restoration Open Day

If the suns shining today & you fancy a wee outing – pop down to The Landing @ Okahu Bay between 10am & 2.00pm to catch up on Ariki’s restoration project.

Slainte

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SLAINTE – 1947 Chris Craft Restoration

I mentioned last Monday that while chatting to Alan Craig about the new restoration project for his yard – Craig Marine at Lake Rotoiti he just casually mentioned t “Speaking of projects, should probably show you the Chris Craft we just finished” – & then sends me a selection of photos of a simply stunning classic woody.

Slainte is a a 1947 27′ super delux enclosed Chris Craft. It was imported into NZ by the owner as a project that was walked away from in the states. The outside was 90% done but the inside was a shell. No motor, shaft or strut etc. A 5.7L v8 Crusader was imported too and Alan lifted the cockpit sole to suit.
Pretty much every single piece has been pulled apart fixed/painted/varnished and put back again. Some ‘ before’ photos below.
The idea has been to keep it looking original but turn key functionality!

WoW, what an additional to the Lake Rotoiti classic wooden boat fleet, can not wait to see her in person at next years Classic & Wooden Boat Parade weekend.

Knoxie

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KNOXIE
The above photo of Knoxie shows her when Fullers in the Bay of Islands owned her. Ray Morey who commented that she got her name from her engine at the time, a 4 cylinder ‘Knox’, sent the photo to me. I understand they also made trucks in the 1920’s.
Harold Kidd has given Ray her history but along the way he has lost it, so hopefully Harold will repeat it for us 🙂

Input from Harold Kidd

KNOXIE was built by Brown & Dalton in Mt Eden in late 1911 and sold to R.J. Acheson, Stipendiary Magistrate at Russell, in June 1912. She was shipped north on a scow. Fullers bought her from Acheson and converted her to a workboat. That work was probably done by Leon Warne who is sometimes credited as her builder, Her engine was a Knox twin cylinder two stroke of nominal 15hp., hence her name. Fullers had installed an Ailsa Craig by 1933.
Knox built cars and trucks at Springfield Massachusetts until about 1924.

Lake Rotoiti Barn Find Restoration

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Lake Rotoiti Barn Find Restoration

Alan Craig the Lake Rotoiti boat builder (Craig Marine) dropped me a note the other day to say that he was restoring the about boat. She would have to win the WW barn find prize 🙂 Her story goes like this – has be in a shed on a farm in Rotoma for the last ten odd years. Built in 1928, 24′ in length, appears to be to a USA Hacker Craft design or most likely copied, she is in fact not to dissimilar to Malolo.
It has been owned by Peter Davies and was his Fathers boat from near new. Details Alan has been told about her history: Built in Picton by Vic & Clarrie Olson? (Scandinavian or Swiss?). Built for a Mr Stocker then brought by Mr Davies in 1930, it was sold a while later and brought back again by Mr Davies once the wool price lifted and in 1950 an old, but still new, 1938 Osco marine flathead V8 went in it and is still there now. Alan thinks it was sold once again then found by Peter and brought back to Rotoma.

There is a Hacker Craft step pad fitted to her (the only reference to Hacker Craft) but this could easily have been a later addition. The plans are to rebuild the engine and try get a bit more than the supposed 90hp out of it. Apparently they didn’t get much speed out of it but looks like pretty small prop set up.

This will be a great project to follow – Alan is keen confirm / learn more about her past so if any woodys can help, please comment.

Now Alan’s not a man to run things up the flag pole, chatting on-line he says ” speaking of projects, should probably show you the Chris Craft we just finished” – totally blew we away – amazing project. I’ll run a story on her soon.

Update ex Alan Craig – Alan found the below under the fore-deck – D Jennings?

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