A Wee Woody Double Ender
Today’s boat is a double ender made with cold molded double diagonal Kauri planks. Built in 1960 by Hal Atkinson at York Bay Wellington. It is 4.5m long and 1.8m wide. She was treated to a new 3.5hp Petter diesel engine in 1980.
For sale on trademe – do we know any more about her?. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the Tme heads up J
Sanson was built in 1951 by Shipbuilders & is a carvel planked semi-displacement classic launch, approx. 25′ in length. Zoom zoom comes from a 2 cylinder 25hp Shibaru Ford diesel engine.
That is about all I know about her, can any woodys (Northland based – she lives near Dove Cove) help out with more details?
SEACRAFT WOODYS
I was recently contacted by Chris Laird & his first words were “are you guys interested in small woodys?”. My answer was ‘if its wood, its good’ 🙂
The above photographs show two dinghies that Chris restored a couple of years ago. The 12ft 6in Seacraft Tuna has been stripped back and had new rib sections, one or two splines to cracked planks, seats, foredeck trim and beltings before being painted up to original Seacraft colours with original badging.
The varnished 12’6″ Brin Wilson has been stripped back, seats etc removed, some rib sections scarfed in, several splines to cracked planks and varnished / painted up to original colours.
Chris commented that it is a lovely boat to row.
Also included are photos of a 6hp Norman and original cone clutch that is in a 16′ Seacraft cabin boat that Chris is currently rebuilding. I have asked Chris to send in photos of that project.
OOPS THAT IS EMBARRASSING
Over the Anzac weekend a lot of the classic fleet headed north to Kawau Island. Anchoring room near the Kawau Boating Club is always at a premium on long weekends & no one likes a long row in the dark……….. but even the old salts can get it wrong – the crew on the 1905, Logan Bros, ex pilot boat ‘Ferro’ must have been in a hurry to make the KBC as they anchored rather close in. As it turned out, too close in – the below photo was 1/2hr before low tide & mid Sunday morning – would have been a long / embarrassing day waiting for the tide 😉
AMAKURA II – A Great Story
I was recently contacted by Michael Shields who relied the story below about the 1936, Colin Wild launch – Amakura II to me – its a get read – enjoy 🙂
“I spent several years on Amakura II, my step father Jim Somner, of Waipu and Somners Transport owned Amakura II for many years in Whangarei and did extensive work on her over that time, , Originally she had an open rear cabin and a single W12 engine, that is a V8 with an extra bank of 4 cylinders in the middle of the V, these same engines were used in landing craft in the second world war, this was removed and changed to twin engines very early on but if you dive down and have a look you can see where the single large prop was and where the very large prop shaft came out of the keel.
When lengthened the rear area was closed in forming a rear cabin.
She sunk during WW2 when after a few too many medicinal rums were consumed and the bow got caught under the wharf as the tide came up, water came up though the head in the bow and she sunk. Being a popular boat and crew everyone pitched in and a huge crane, called “Tiny”, was brought in and Amakura II was lifted up and cleaned up in time, before the Navy, who had heard that one of their boats had sunk came to investigate. The Navy found no evidence of any damage or sinking and everything was in order, although it was noted the rum rations were missing, having been used to pay for the help to clean her up.
She had a large machine gun mounted on her bow during the war and a photo of her in her drab paint hung in the main cabin.
During Jim Somners ownership he modernized and much altered her. He replaced the engines with twin Ford diesels which he then removed the turbos from for improved economy and also installed the custom made large fridge and freezer unit, removed the head from the bow, rejigged the shower and made the the large flying bridge which has now had the roof shortened as it used to extend almost to the rear end of the back cabin. Being a trucker, Jim was very good at getting things ship shape and working well.
I spent many years on her as crew for Jim and have many story’s of that time like when she ran around, caused the delay of the firing of guns at Waitangi Day and parties a board.”
You can read more about her history & past owners here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/03/amakura-ii-2/
Michael – please send in more tales & any photos you might have. Thanks Alan.
(colour photos ex Heather Rose – b/w photo ex Ken Rickets)
Joy Belle – 16 ft Clinker Open Launch
Joy Belle was built in 1954 by G C Hayter at Picton & was first used in Queen Charlotte Sounds as a commuter vessel, at some point it was sold as a fishing boat out of Akaroa, then returned to Nelson and held in storage until 2014 when the restoration project commenced & completed in 2017.
Her planking is American cedar, the rebuild timbers include macrocarpa and elm. The restoration included being re-ribbed, stem post rebuilt, new transom installed, new framing and deck laid.
Zoom zoom comes from a 20hp Farymann twin cylinder diesel, that gives her a cruising speed of 6 knots.
Joy Belle is for sale on trademe with an asking price of $9500 ono – making her in my eyes a steal 😉
Grace Isn’t Grace – She is Maka2
Back on March 10th we talked on ww about a small launch that had sunk off Devonport, initially it was thought she may have been named Grace but subsequent intel from Paul Beachman & Nathan Nathan has confirmed that the launch is actually Maka2. Nathan sent in a photo of Maka2 taken several years ago looking very neglected & down in the bow. In the recent weekend storm it all got too much for her & she sank on her mooring.
Fast forward two weeks & I can report that walking the dog last night I came across a recovery job underway off the Windsor Reserve Beach in Devonport. Seems a Genesis was beached last night & re-floated tonight at high water. The good news factor was that already on the barge was Maka2 looking in pretty good shape given she spent two weeks sitting on the bottom. Lets hope someone breaths some life/love/$$ on her 🙂
Photo below ex Jason Prew of the Genesis showing the bite mark………..
04-05-2017 An update on AKA2 ex Adrian Pawson
This fine craft was delivered to the Henderson dump shop over the weekend. According to the dump shop manager, she had sunk on her mooring during the weather bomb the other week. She was subsequently raised by the harbour master and deposited at the dump. Someone had bought her and she looks to be on her way to a new home. (That is good news 🙂 Alan H)
ps if the new owner is looking for the other cabin door & a few of the floorboards, try the Devonport Yacht Club, I saw it alongside the slipway, obviously washed ashore 😉 AH
M.V. MAVIS
Mavis started life back 1918 as a Lanes 40′ trawler. Fast forward to 2004 when she had a major refit that included – hull refastened and splined, new decks and cabin, new John Deere 150HP engine and re-wired. Given that she was recently in MNZ survey, she is very highly spec’ed and looks like she could handle just about anything that mother nature could throw at her. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads up re the trademe listing.
Do we know anything more about her past?
09-04-2023 Update ex Alistair Rowe – I spotted Mavis on a mooring in Whatamango Bay – roughly 8km East from Waikawa.- looks to have found a good home.
Yesterdays story on the Classic Launch Parade just got better – more photos ex Jason Prew added, scroll down to view.
SILVER HAWK
Even though Silver Hawk is built of wood, her 1986 build date & style would normally exclude her from appearing on ww, but she makes a guest appearance today solely based on her drop dead, stunning 127hp Gardner LX6. Have you seen another better? I can hear Dick Fisher’s (MV Akarana) jaw dropping when he opens ww today, its also a wee bit of a challenge to John Sloane who is currently having his Gardner restored by Peter & the team at Shaw Diesels, workshop photo below. The Silver Hawk photos are ex CYA Launch Captain Angus Rogers.
Can anyone tell us more about Silver Hawk & also who did the restoration on the engine?
Sandpiper – A Floating Motorhome
While not an oldie, built 1986 by Hodemaker in Wellington, she is a woodie – & has been in the same family since new. This is a go anywhere boat & has circumnavigated New Zealand about ten times and is extremely seaworthy. So if you were looking for the equivalent of a motorhome to tour NZ by sea, this would be it. Sleeps eight people in two cabins, has a toilet and two showers (one inside and one outside), a diesel heater for those cosy winter nights, oven, cooker, microwave, a three way fridge and a large fridge/freezer on the foredeck. The deck is massive as you can see in the photos.
For the specs – she is 43.62′ long, planked in kahikatea, powered by a very economical 127hp 6LX Gardner, has a 12kva generator, weighs 20 ton net, holds 2,000 litres of fuel and 1,000 litres of water.
4sale on trade me. Thanks to Ian McDonald for digging out the name & builder.
Classic Mason Clipper 24′
This 1971 24′ Clipper is another ‘almost a woody’ – having a f/glass hull & wooden cabin top / interior. A friend of Rod Marler’s was contemplating buying her late last year, if her had any sense he would have 🙂 She featured on the cover of Sea Spray Magazine in 1971.
She was completely rebuilt in 2006, with a new 270hp fuel injected Volvo V8 engine & stern-leg fitted in 2010. She sits on a 2012 custom built Prescott trailer with 4 wheel disc and sensor brakes., Tows The engine had a full rebuild in 2015 and has only done 8 hours since.
With the trailer setup she is a fine example of a very user friendly classic, with I imagine a good turn of speed 😉
VALHALLA A PEEK DOWN BELOW
Valhalla featured on ww back in April of this year but we had no interior photos, Ken Ricketts has just emailed me the above. You can read more about her & her past, including photos at this link. Enjoy 😉
23-12-2016 Update – photo below (ex Ken Ricketts) suggests that she was named Valhalla 1 when launched but the plate looks newer than the 1960’s so the jury is still out.
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