Category Archives: Engines

Idalia

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IDALIA 

On Thursday one of the Lake Waikaremoana launches we featured was – Idalia, we enquired about her whereabouts and sadly Toni Metz informed us that she was abandoned and subsequently broken up and removed from the lake front. Toni spent some time yesterday trolling thru his photo album and uncovered the above collection of Idalia when she was well cared for.

The b/w photo above was from her early days on the lake.

Toni has also search the launch on the Papers Past site and uncovered two interesting mentions – the first is from the Poverty Bay Herald, 23 Feb 1925 and covers a wee (actually not so wee) oops while Idalia was in Gisborne. You have to love the terms they used back then – no steering = “she did not answer to the helm” and taking on water = “she commenced to fill up”. Press clipping below

The second mention is also in the Poverty Bay Herald, this time dated 13th October 1933 and covers Idalia’s overland journey from Gisborne to Lake Waikaremoana. Lots of background on the boat ownership in the press clippings below. She was 36’ x 10’ x 3’6” and powered by a 40hp Thorneycroft engine, recently installed in 1933.

Sea Spray > Helena

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SEA SPRAY > HELENA

Back in Nov 2020 boat builder Alan Craig (Craig Marine) and I were chatting re a 1956, 17’ clinker run-about named Sea Spray that was on tme and claimed to be built by J Logan. A quick call to Harold Kidd confirmed the provenance and Alan acquired Sea Spray on behalf of a client.

More photos here of the boat as purchased https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/11/14/sea-spray/

By Feb 2021 Alan was well into the restoration / refit – photos here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/02/27/jack-logan-would-be-happy/

The yard re-planked the bottom up to water line and rebuilt the whole cabin top and interior. While to some it may appear a lot of effort for a 17′ boat, remember woodys it’s the real deal – a Jack Logan boat.

The project was finished at the end of 2021 and relaunched at Xmas 2021.. Now called Helena, she has been converted to electric, through a steerable pod in place of the rudder. Helena will do a good 10hrs without charging, Alan commented that’s a lot of trips to the Lake Rotoiti hot pools 🙂 I’m told Helena is a quite comfortable boat, even with 4 people aboard.

Her old engine, a 10hp Arona diesel is hopefully going to replace another in a yacht in the far north. 

Phyllis

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PHYLLIS

After a long career earning her keep across multiple owners in and around the Waitemata Harbour, the ex work-boat Phyllis has been up north in the Bay of Islands in recent years. Sadly her owner pasted away and his 3 daughters inherited the boat. 

I’m sure that the likes of Russell Ward and Baden Pascoe will be able to enlighten us further on the vessel. What we do know is that she was built by Harvey and Lang c.1913 and was up until recently (2013) the oldest working tug boat still in survey.

Woody John Wright and cohorts have taken over Phyllis and last week steamed her down from the B.O.I. to Auckland on one engine – took 23 hours, and with only on board.

Already she has been hauled out at the Te Atatu Boating Club and been given a freshen up.

Call For Help – Phyllis has one dud engine, so the guys are looking out for a Ford 120hp – so if you have one in the basement / under the bench etc – Phyllis would be a very good home for it 🙂

UPDATE – READ THE COMMENTS SECTION – LOTS OF CHAT

INPUT EX CAMERON POLLARD – photos below from her Auckland working days for Blue Boats etc

12-04-2023 Update – new photos added.

Sad video below of the 162’ schooner Eleonora E being hit by a commercial ship – she later sank. Happened in the Port of Tarragona, the offshore supply vessel – ‘Punta Mayor’ had an issue with being locked in reverse and t-boned the Eleonora E.

ATHENA – Next Caretaker Wanted 

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ATHENA – Next Caretaker Wanted 

Whangaroa Harbour is a spot I spend a bit of time in/around – when waiting for pickup I mooch around the marina and there is one launch – Athena, that always catches my eye – its hard not too its just so perfect. Most designers were challenged when it came to getting the lines right on a sub 30’ boat, Athena is spot on.

Her measurements are 25’ x 8’ x 1’6” and her hull is 3/4” kauri carvel planked and the decks, coamings, cabin top and bridge have all been f/glassed for weather proofing and low maintenance. Both fuel and water tanks are s/s. Sleeps 4 in a double and 2 single berths.

Powered by a Perkins 40hp 4107 engine (new in 1972, rebuilt 1991) she cruises comfortably at 7 knots. Some history – originally designed and built by Cauldrey in c.1950’s, she was rebuilt (hull up, photos below) in 1991 by her owner as a family launch with game fishing characteristics. Based in the Bay of Islands the owners lost count of the game fish landed over the last 30 years. Athena is still fully game rigged.Owned by a seriously devoted boaty, Athena is fully equipped with all the safety gear for coastal cruising.

We have been tasked with finding a new owner for this very salty looking classic woody – for more details on Athena – contact the Wooden Boat Bureau c/o waitematawoodys@gmail.com

1992 – 1st Marlin caught

Beautiful Boats Attract Beautiful People

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Beautiful Boats Attract Beautiful People

Friday was one of those special woody days – I travelled out to Pine Harbour marina to see the re-launch of Pirate, the Leon Warne 1939 built, 46’ launch.

Why was it special? Well back in March the launch Kokoru was ravaged in a dockside fire, just weeks after a total refit / restoration, links below to Kokoru. One of the few salvageable items were the brand new twin Yanmar 75hp engines. 

The owners made the tough call and decided to purchase another classic and use Kokoru as a donor. The lucky woody purchased was – Pirate. And she became the recipient of Kokoua’s engines.

For the last 6 weeks the transplant and associated bits – new shafts, props etc and a lot of work to the tankage – size and location, has been happening.

Still a work in progress but back in the water and ready for the next stage of the project. Amazingly Pirate did not take on any water, probably the result of her owners hosing the hull down twice a day while hauled out.

WW will visit again when Pirate is ship-shape and knowing the owners – sparkling 🙂

A big shout out to the owners – it takes special people to (1) restore a woody (2) recover from seeing her destroyed (3) leaping back in and buy another – well done Tracy and Alan. I read somewhere the other day a quote that “beautiful boats attract beautiful people” – seems to fit this story 🙂

( fyi – Kokoru went to a good home and we understand, overtime will be rebuilt, so a happy ending)

KOKORU https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/02/11/kokoru-a-sneak-peek/

PIRATE https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/06/14/pirate-a-peek-down-below-4sale/

30-10-2022 – input below from owners

Mahere

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MAHERE

WW has been contacted by the owner of the launch – Mahere, seen above. They are very light on information and history, so today we are asking for help in regard to design / builder / when built / past owners etc.

Mahere is powered by a 120hp Ford Trader diesel, see photo – very impressive exhaust ‘plumbing’.

Current home is Whakatakataka Bay, Auckland  – otherwise known as the OBC basin 🙂

Yesterdays Quiz Winner  – The lucky winner of a WW cap was Dave Stanaway – lots of entries in the draw but few got three tickets in the draw i.e. three correct answers – being Frangipani / Zane Grey / Off to Tahiti via Rarotonga

The skippers that had RSVP’ed have been contacted but FYI – the weekends Woody Cruise to Clevedon has been postponed – slightly evil forecast – new date tba

Classic Woody Yard Mooching

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Update 05-07-2022 1st coat of the shinny stuff goes on 

Classic Woody Yard Mooching

Dropped into The Slipway Milford the other day, very pleased to see the 1937, 38’ Sam Ford built launch – Menai, getting some serious TLC after languishing at the CYA’s Heritage Landing for many years, dockside chat was it was a permanent fixture. 

As with most things in life, boat ownership goes in cycles and with new owners she is get the attention she deserves. Always nice to see painting prep well executed i.e. back to bare wood – that kauri looks as good as the day Sam Ford fastened it.

I understand a new engine has been installed so the TCL is serious – we like that 🙂

See more on Menai here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/09/11/menai-a-peek-down-below-2/

While there the 1945 K-Class – Jenanne was getting a Jason Prew Paint Job, the photo is coat one of two top coats, already very slick.

Now a tip on how to get marine engineers to come down to your boat – keep your engine room as ship-shape as the 1965 Owen Woolley built launch – Adonis – the man from the Moon didn’t even have to put his overalls on 🙂

Strolling The Warkworth River Dock

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Strolling The Warkworth River Dock

A couple of weeks ago Leane Barry was strolling the river front at Warkworth town when she came upon the collection of woodys above. The Jane Gifford looking as smart as ever and I assume on her home berth. The interesting addition to the docks was the two steam launches – possibly an upcoming event? Not that you would know, those boys keep things very tight 🙂

04-05-2022 Input from John Olsen – Kotare was built by Paul Eaton while he was living near Whenuapai, to a set of plans by Selway Fisher, now available from them as “Golden Bay”. Paul has semi-retired to the Wanaka area, and felt that Kotare was too much boat for one person to handle so has passed her on to the Auckland Steam Boat Association, where Daniel Hicks is taking care of her. . She is I think 26 feet overall, although the plans are available for 23 or 26 feet. Strip planked and glassed. She was built over much the same time period as Dancer with much discussion between myself and Paul over progress and ideas for details. The extra length in Dancer makes it just possible to sleep on board, which is nice. (Neither Dancer nor Kotare is necessarily actually completely finished even now.) Paul is probably right about one person not being able to handle her. Dancer takes two and at times like docking an extra would be nice. Especially when I fell in up the Waihou a couple of weeks back, leaving my wife aboard ready to drift off down river…. Kapanui is an older boat, I am not sure what the origins of the hull were but Alan Brimblecome had her for a long time and may have been the one to put the steam plant in her.

CYA BOAT OWNERS MEETING TONIGHT @ 7pm @ RNZYS – post all the Covid cancellations it will be interesting to hear what the stick and rag brigade are planning for next season. As for the launches – ‘same > same’ – bet it is just change the dates for the next year……….. 🙂

Paeroa Historical Maritime Park & Museum

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Paeroa Historical Maritime Park & Museum

Following on from Easters Woody Cruise up the Waihou River to Paeroa, today we get a sneak peak at the venue for the weekends activities – the Historical Maritime Park & Museum. The Museum is located just above the banks of the river on State Highway 2, just before the township of Paeroa, you can’t miss it. Map at the bottom of todays story.

The Museum building and the surrounding Park grounds hosts an amazing collection of memorabilia from both the area and New Zealand’s nautical past, do stop, you will not be disappointed.

Read / view more at the link below.

https://historicalmaritimepark.co.nz/

Things You Really Need

This Saturday, 23rd, at 10am there is a once in a ‘long time’ auction of marine stuff, serious stuff, stuff that deserves to be on display at the entrance to a marina, or as an outdoor sculpture. Check out the photos below of two of the items – lots more – view here.   https://auction.abauctions.co.nz/auctions/4-5OS4EN/engineering-woodworking-farm-auction

The address is 111 Riverland Road, Riverhead, West Auckland or bid on-line

Falcon – Gets A Birthday

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Falcon – Gets A Birthday

In the early days of WW the 1930, 38′ Lane Motorboat Co. launch – Falcon was all over the WW site. Her then owner James Mobberley (Moon Engines) hardly ever let the engine cool down.

Always a fast boat, James transplanted a 180hp Hino engine into her and she was probably the fastest in the classic fleet e.g. >18 knots. 

When you have small children a fast narrowish classic woody is not that practical, so sadly James and family moved on to a big white plastic boat – but he will be back, that I’m confident about.

Falcon passed thru several owners and was starting to show her age on a swing mooring in Whangarei Basin.

Then a good thing happened – one of Moon Engines talented engineers bought Falcon and relocated her back to Auckland. The next year was spent giving Falcon a makeover in terms of her running gear, systems and home comforts – the above photos give us a peek into how things should be done on a boat – still a little bit of tidying up, but a perfect opportunity to view the installation work.

Remember to click on the photos to enlarge 😉

WOODYS PAEROA RIVER RAID

One shows us how its done and another how it comes undone 😉