Category Archives: Engines

Otoroa

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OTOROA
Otoroa is a Miller & Tunnage double-ender built in 1967 as a MSA Pilot boat, later converted to pleasure use. She measures 55’9″ L, with a beam of 15’5″ & has a draft of 6’6″. Powered via a Cummins diesel. Detail via Ian McDonald via trademe.

Any of the work boat woodys able to enlighten us more about Otoroa?

Update & Photos ex Russell Ward – edited by AH
Otoroa’s wheelhouse enabled the skipper to look and see the sky or the ship towering above. They had to be real seaworthy ships in those days. You will notice that except for the Arahina and Tautane who was a recycled Miler and Tunnage fishing boat named Centaurus, all the NZ pilot boats of the day were double enders.
That says a lot for the hull form: The following sea tends to part round the boat rather than heaving t skyward and broaching it. You still can broach in a double ender, but they are good in a following sea.
Hopefully an potential buyer will retain her appearance. She has survived thus far though, so here’s hoping. I am refreshing your memory by also attaching a pic of Wairangi when she was in her prime and working and you can judge.
Also below is a photo looking down on the modest wharf that the Port’s workboats nestled each night to share stories. The RNZN shed was alongside and their HDML were kept there.

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05-03-2018 Update ex Stuart Jameson – The Otoroa has been berthed at the Chaffers Marina for the past four years.  The blue non-slip surface was applied last year.  Current owner appears to be very attentive to its maintenance.  Further detail on its current owner etc should be available from the Marina Manager.

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BEAUFORT -50′ Woody Motor Cruiser

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Floating Apartment –  Beaufort a Grand Banks 50

With the average house price in Auckland knocking around $1million, this 50′ wooden Grand Banks currently on the market for $429k sure beats a wee box apartment.
Launched in approx. 1972, she is built like a brick outhouse, constructed in mahogany and Burmese teak. She is hull number 37, of 65 produced & the current owner of 6 years, bought her in Virginia, cruised her down to Florida then shipped her to New Zealand.
This woody offers amazing cruising comfort and luxury with a large covered cockpit leading to a massive main saloon. To starboard in the saloon is an L shaped settee with dining table and chairs. Opposite is a settee and buffet and, forward to starboard is the bar and fully-equipped galley. To port is a walkway to the huge pilothouse with guest seating and access to the wide covered side decks through port and starboard doors. Before entering the pilothouse, there is a stairway down to the sleeping accommodation. The two forward staterooms each have 2 x single berths and share 2 x toilets and 1 x shower. The passage to the master aft provides access to the port and starboard engine rooms and the master features 1 x double and 1 x single bed with own ensuite with head, shower and, tub.
Powered by twin 210hp Caterpillar 3160’s & a fuel capacity of 3,800L she falls into the long range cruiser class if you were considering extended trips.

24-12-2016 photos below ex Ken Rickets

 

The Restoration of My Girl

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.THE RESTORATION OF MY GIRL

While there are few of us with the courage to even consider a project of this scope, there are even fewer with the skill set to do it. That makes Jason Prew a tad special in the classic woody boating community. A lot of us would be worried that a restoration (re-build) project like this would grind to a halt 1/2 way thru – well folks I can tell you this one won’t & as proof check out at the bottom of this story, Jason’s last project – Wairiki, his 34′ 1904 Arch Logan designed gaff rigged classic yacht.

Mr Prew is a member of the fastest growing group in the CYA – woody’s that own a classic yacht & classic motor-boat.  There are a lot of photos today but I really wanted to get across the magnitude of the job Jason has bitten off:-)
Whilst I did not pickup a hammer or a piece of sandpaper during my visit to Jason’s workshop, I have contributed – a while ago I was gifted a pair of very cool bronze nav lights & as I’m a big believer in the ‘pay-it-forward’ concept, these will be gracing My Girl on launch day 🙂
My Girl was built in 1925 by Dick Lang for C.B. “Tui” Waldron of the Wade River who commuted with her. Her square bilge design was based on one by W.H.Hand. Waldron later took her to Whangarei & she was in NAPS as Z32 out of Whangarei in WW2.

Jason purchased My Girl from the Davies  family of Te Atatu, West Auckland in December 2014, Derek & his Father Trevor were long term caretakers of My Girl, keeping her in the Whau River for many years.  After a spell on the hard where she fell into dis-repair, Jason finally persuaded Derek to part with her.

When launched she was powered by a 6 cylinder 90hp Scripps engine & was capable of over 18 knots. When purchased by Jason she had a BMC Commander engine of dubious health.  When re-launched she will be powered by a 100hp Volvo Penta, so she should be a bit of a zoom zoomer 😉

The work to date has seen 76 ribs in, 3600 copper rivets riveted, 5 new floors and 2 engine beds. As you will see in the photos there is still lots of hole filling, sanding & painting in the near future.

You can read & view much more on the restoration project at the links below – the ww one has some historical photos & the mygirl link has the whole story so far. Make sure you click on the Archives link to see everything. https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/12/12/my-girl/           http://www.my-girl.co.nz/mygirl/Welcome.html

Below is a peak at Jason’s yacht Wairiki, his last restoration project. Click this link to view more http://www.wairiki.co.nz/Wairiki1904/Welcome.html

Input from Jason Prew

Thanks for the injection of smoke up the posterior Alan but I can’t claim too much credit for Wairiki, Marco Scuderi did the bulk of the work. I was mostly the destruction/wrecking department.  My Girl is also a collaboration, especially the ribs stage.  Nathan, Steve, Andrew, Tom, mostly my brother Daniel, either holding dolly or doing the peening. Robert Brook and Paul Tingey for always being encouraging on the end of the phone when i was having an OMG I can’t work this out day, (which is quite often)  I don’t have a moaning chair perse, but i have a squab that gets utilized a lot to do the same job.

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Trinidad > Raindance > Wairiki

Dec 2016 Staring to look like a launch again versus a canoe 🙂 Bit worried about the headroom.

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Ella B

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ELLA B

Resident woodys spotter in the Hawkes Bay, Mike O’Dwyer sent me a note last weekend saying that he had been down at the Napier Sailing Club & heard the rumble of a V8 starting up. Upon closer inspection Mike spotted a rare appearance of Ella B.

As an aside Mike is the owner of the delightful 1902 classic ‘Janet’,  built by Angus Sutherland to a design by Chas. Bailey Jr

Ella B (named after the owners granddaughter) was built by 77 year old Bill Brassington, an  upholsterer by trade with a love of woodworking.

The build took six years & is still being tweaked. On the day they were fitting a new alternator & giving the motor a run. The boat was built from plans supplied by Glen L boat designs. It is the 24’6″ Monte Carlo, a long sleek barrel back inboard based on the styling of the typical finer Chris Craft of yesteryear. The steering wheel is out of a 1936 Ford.
Bill built the boat in it’s entirety including the trailer. Deck & windscreen fittings were made from mdf then cast and chromed. The hull is solid mahogany with a two pot finish.
Ellia B is powered by a 350 fuel injected Chev V8 which produces 400 hp. The Italian dash gauges are set into an ex Napier Sailing Club engraved silver salver trophy.
Given Bill’s trade, the upholstery is a work of art, total perfection.

Now here’s the thing..the boat has never been launched. When Mike asked Bill when that would happen he replied “it’s got water running through it now…it’s getting wet” 🙂

Strathallan

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STRATHALLAN
Strathallan was the name given to this Miller & Tunnage, kauri carvel built, double ender, ex pilot boat by the Timaru Harbour Board. She measures 46’6”” LOA & draws 6’5”. The traditional Scottish boat builder, Doug Robb built Strathallan in 1955 at his Timaru yard.

As you would expect from an ex work-boat the engine room is impressive & dominated by the 190hp, 8L3B Gardner. With a displacement of approx. 20 tons and being driven by the classic Gardner with a 3.1 transmission gives her a cruising speed of 8.5 knots at 810 rpm and max speed of approx. 10 knots at 990 rpm. Her size, design & power unit make her a powerful strong seaworthy vessel.

After being decommissioned as a work-boat in the 1990s she was converted to a cruising vessel. The main saloon, galley & engine room have full headroom & her walk-around decks are perfect for fishing. One of the hangovers from her commercial days is the exterior head with the door facing the stern; I can personally vouch for the view J

Strathallan is currently for sale & would be an ideal vessel for the boat owner who wants a classic, traditional boat that is a part of New Zealand’s maritime history. The asking price I understand is <$80k & at that price would be a good buy & still have the potential for a new owner to add their own touch to the boat in terms of decor.

Photo below was taken at Mahurangi Regatta (2012?) by Chris Miller – slightly different paint ‘job’ back then.

Strathallan

 

Ex Naval Motor Launch

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Ex Naval Motor Launch

Today’s post features an ex Navy survey launch, its name is hard to read but appears to be Penguin. She was built in 1944, is approx. 34’6″ long & powered by a 6 cyl. 100hp Ford D-series diesel. As they say in the modelling game – she was rather nice bones, quite a looker & I expect with a bigger engine there would be rather more zoom zoom than the current max of 10knts 😉
As you would expect from a Navy build, its built like the proverbial brick s_ithouse i.e. Australian hardwood.

Any woodys served on her & or can enlighten us on her past?. Home these days is the Marborough Sounds, photos ex trademe.

03-09-2016 Input from Russell ward

Below is the provenance of Penguin, scanned from Bob McDougall’s fine reference NZ Naval Vessels.

The pic of her on Lachlan with the flurry of activity (and look at the size of those davits! In contrast with the wiry matelots) dates from 1950 and is a well known RNZN picture.

The radial davits were replaced by Whelan type that swing out at the turn of an Admiralty Patt over engineered bronze caused switch. Luxury!

In passing, look at that cut out in the skeg. She’d turn on a dime in confined waters with a kick ahead as did Sam Ford’s bridge deckers that were similarly done. Many boats of the time were like that.
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Ka-iwa

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KA- IWA

photos ex trademe

Not all classic woody owners are content with sub 10 knot cruising, well if that’s you & your looking for hassle free woody boating at the speed of light today’s post on Ka-iwa the 28′ Mason Clipper will appeal. Built in 1968 she is a true kiwi classic, with a great maritime history being originally owned by the Stevenson Family & possibly the first twin engine Mason. She has some serious off shore racing history, therefore was built very strong & in bad weather, leaves most boats in her wake. Post racing is was then returned to the Mason yard in Auckland & a custom hard top made. Then retired to Stevenson’s bach up north as their holiday launch.

Powered by twin 350hp, Chev’s Ka-iwa will do over 45 knots, but is happy to cruise at 25 knots at low revs. She underwent an extensive bare wood restoration approx 5 yrs ago & as you will see from the photos also received a total refit inside. The Mason Clippers are very family friendly kiwi classics & this one can sleep upwards of 8. At her length she is a perfect dry-stack boat, which helps solve the where do I keep her dilemma.

So woodys if you own an oil (petrol) well & are into retro classics that go like a cut cat – Ka-iwa could be for you

 

 

Miss Ponsonby

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MISS PONSONBY
photos ex Charlie North. details ex Harold Kidd

In early May, Charlie North commented on ww that he was currently rebuilding a replica of Miss Ponsonby after acquiring the original boat some years back. Harold chipped in with details on her (below) & I invited Charlie to share the project with us. If you have a good look at some of Charlie’s photos you will see he is a serious collector – I can spot a vintage car, classic motorbike & what a appears to be an E-Type Jag. Remember to click on the photos to enlarge.

Firstly some history – Miss Ponsonby was built by Sam Granros in late 1932 or early 1933. She took part in the Masport Cup races on the Tamaki River in 1933 nominated by Ponsonby Cruising Club. Her racing number was S21. Her inboard engine was a 100hp Hall-Scott. She had a long handicap and was more a fast runabout than a racer.

Sam Granros was a Finn who came to NZ in 1904. He built a lot of speedboats and launches in St. Mary’s Bay and at 12 Hackett Street, Ponsonby, for example,Hilma, Nurmi, Alma, Ramona, Ramona Jr. (1930), Cygnet I – II – III, Esther, & Miss Ponsonby, all go fast outfits.
Sam later moved to Oneroa and died in 1946.

I’m sure Charlie will add some more details re the engine etc.

 

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Florence

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FLORENCE
Florence has appeared once before when I spied her tied up at Bayswater Marina, so when Tim Jackson tipped me off that she has just appeared on trademe, I took the opportunity to showcase her in more detail. I do not like losing classic’s to out of Auckland but boy this old girl has got lake boat written all over her + the ability to load her onto a flatbed Hiab truck must appeal to the lake based woodys.
She was originally built in Dunedin and has a history of being used as a workboat in and around Port Charmers. Her double-ender hull is heart kauri carvel planked & she measures 28’x7’8”x3’.
There was a major refit done in 2014/15. Now based in Auckland & used as a harbour cruiser.
The 2015 refit involved new cabin from the decks up, new interior, large double bunk up forward, single bunk port side and galley starboard side in saloon. New electrics, reconditioned 1992 45hp 3JH Yanmar from Moon Engines. Engine sits on a Vee drive and creates a cockpit table. There is a new 2205 s/steel shaft & the hull was fully stripped back and re-caulked.
Yellow cedar and Maranti marine ply construction of the cabin fully glassed over &12mm Mahogany veneer to cabin sides
For more older photos & details on Florence, click this link

Florence

Little Tasman

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LITTLE TASMAN
shed photos & info ex Ken Ricketts. Pt Wells photo ex Mark Edmonds. details ex Harold Kidd. edited a lot by Alan H

Back in early March Ken Ricketts dropped in to see artisan boat builder Colin Brown at his Omaha yard. Colin & side kick, Josh, have been restoring the rather pretty 26′ Colin Wild launch Little Tasman.  She was named Tasman when built in 1925 for Albert Spencer & changed her name to Little Tasman in 1927 when the bigger Tasman (photo included below) was launched by the same owner/builder. Its said she that LT was a prototype / test boat – Mr Spencer was not short of a few pennies 😉

It is such good news to see whats happening to Little Tasman as she sat on a front lawn at Pt. Wells for a number of years (photo below) & her future was at risk.

Little Tasman at Pt Wells

In Harold Kidd’s words Little Tasman is ‘pure class’ & whats happening in Colin’s shed is also pure class  – the man is one of the best classic friendly tradies out there.

You will see in the above photos that she now has a brand new 4 cyl Nanni 38 hp diesel in place, which should give her a top speed of around 10 knots, with a cruising speed, with her 2 to 1 reduction gear, of around 7 knots. Will be interesting to see her performance as the Nanni is a lot lighter than the old 6 cyl Ford diesel it is replacing.

Her restoration has seen most of her ribs replaced, a full recaulk (no splining), work on the forepeak & bow, a new dodger, very faithfully copied from the original & a full interior refit & partial redesign of the interior layout, for greater space use, & practicality.
Steering will be from the front of the tram top, as it was before, where there will be a large hatch fitted, to the newly replaced, as original, T & G cabin top. Check out the stern photo, classic Colin Wild on show there 🙂

Launch date is fast approaching so we will update on the event.

Read more on her past here      https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/04/20/little-tasman/

Below is a photo of Tasman that I took a few years ago in Sullivans Bay. She is stunner & on a lot of woodys bucket list.

Tasman @ Sullivans Bay

30-06-2016 – Another great photo update from Ken R of Little Tasman’s restoration at Colin Brown’s yard. Remember click on photos to enlarge 😉