When my phone rings and the ID says John Wright I always answer – why? Aside from the fact he is a great guy. John has a great eye for our classic craft and if he tells me to get my A into gear and do a yard / dockside visit, I know it will be a goody.
This time the woody was the semi-ex 24’ workboat MARISSA, a 100+ years old and owned by the Monaghan family for a very large chunk of that time.
Home port is Great Barrier Island and after her re-launch at Te Atatu Boating Club she will be heading back to the barrier.
Some of her history – at one change when she was a cray boat she went ashore at GB and was abandoned on the beach. I may get this wrong, someone correct me if I do – either Don Armitage or the Monaghan family saved the wreck and concerted here to something along the lines of what we see today.
Photos below of her post the wreck / rebuild. These days she is powered by a 4 cyl. Isuzu diesel engine.
INPUT ex KERIN QWEN – Don Milne rebuilt her and crayfished from Wairahi. Then to Whangapara as support vessel for the lodge, then to Monahan’s I believe. That’s from about 1980 on. I would like to know more of her earlier history. I believe she was converted from a launch configuration.
Saturday was a great day for the classic wooden boating community – 13 classic craft (twelve launches and one yacht) made the journey up the river to the waterfront Riverhead Tavern for lunch.
In addition to the 13 woodys we were joined by 5 skippers and partners who made the trip by car.
As seems to always be the case – the weather and sea conditions was perfect for the trip and everyone had a great time.
Nice to welcome several newbies to the flock – these gathering are ideal for meeting fellow classic boating enthusiasts – the anchoring, coming ashore to the wharf and dining make it a shared experience and helps break the ice with ’strangers’. These days people seem loath to row up to another woody in a bay and say hi, some anything that grows the classic woody community is to be encouraged.
Saturdays cruise was the last event on the Classic Woody Calendar for the year, we will be back to you in the new year with details on more events. As always click on photos to enlarge – photos thanks to Margo Hudson & yours truely.
NEWSFLASH – as I have told anyone and everyone, the Mahurangi Regatta in late January is not to be missed. PLUS – details soon on an exciting new activity for the Sunday – the heads up – old school yachting and launch race/cruise to Kawau Island and a party at Kawau Boating Club on Sunday night. Perfect for those wanting to enjoy Mahurangi / Kawau longer eg not heading back to Auckland on Sunday morning.
A sad reminder that we were missing one of our family awaited us on the tables at the tavern – RIP David Cooke 😦
SO MANY CLASSIC WOODEN CRAFT TO BE VIEWED HERE– 1971 One Ton Cup
During the week John Bullivant sent in a link to a very cool film of the One Ton Cup series held in Auckland in 1971. So many classic craft out and about watching the racing. Personally my eye is drawn to the classic launches but there are 100’s of craft afloat. The 34 minute video is narrated by Chris Bouzaid. If you have the time watch the entire film but if time isn’t your friend – most of the spectator footage is around the 7:00 minute and again between 14:00 > 18:12 minutes. I think Lady Crossley makes a cameo appearance around 24:20 minutes.
Enjoy the film and thanks to NZ National Film Unit and NZ ONSCREEN for the original footage.
CLASSIC GAME BOAT – ALMA G II – RE-LAUNCHING CEREMONY
Yesterday we covered the relaunching of the 1927, Collings & Bell built game boat – ALMA G II.
Co owners (brother & sister) Shelly and Brett Arlidge, grand children of the original owner – E C Arlidge, hosted a very proper ceremony, with a welcome, a history of the boat, a Waiata and formal blessing. With the restarts of a working boat yard in the background and large crowd I have attempted to record the ‘formal’ parts of the ceremony – TURN YOUR VOLUME UP.
One of the missions of waitematawoodys is to archive this content for future review and reference. I encourage you to spend a few minutes and take in the wisdom being shared.
CLASSIC 1927 WOODEN GAME BOAT – ALMA G II RE-LAUNCHED
For the last 18+ months WW has been following closely the refit / restoration of the 1927, Collings & Bell built game boat – ALMA G II.
On Wednesday I pointed the car north and attended the re-launching celebration at Opua, in the Bay of Islands.
Today is about sharing the day with all the WW readers – In previous WW stories (links below) we have extensively covered her past and how she progressed to what we are viewing today.
Tomorrow on WW we will run the videos I recored of the speeches, Waiata and blessing.
Co owners (brother & sister) Shelly and Brett Arlidge, grand children of the original owner – E C Arlidge, are to be commended for ensuring ALMA G II will still be cruising the Bay of Island waters in 100 years time.
I really like the interior fit out, its a take on the old school look and she even sports a reconditioned Ford Lees 130hp diesel engine, no ‘black box’ electronics connected to this engine.
Boatbuilder Craig McInnes and the team at CMC Design have excelled themselves with this project.
The game chair and salon table are original 1927 items.
The gallery of photos comes to us from the cameras of yours truely and professional B.O.I. photographer Dean Wright. As always click on photos to enlarge 😉
THE PEOPLE – A fantastic number of people turned out to celebrate the re-launch, seems anyone and everyone with a link to the boat or game fishing in the Bay of Islands was there.
2024 CENTREBOARD CUP – Traditional Centreboard Classic Yachts
A cancelled happening had an upside – I pointed the car to Marine Parade in Herne Bay Auckland to see the start of the 2024 Centreboard Cup.
The race started back in 2013 and is based at what the locals call ’Sloane Beach’ – one of Aucklands hidden gems.
The traditional centreboard yachts do two laps of a course that takes in Watchman Island and the Chelsea Buoy (off the Chelsea sugar works).
Numbers were done this year but that seems to be the norm of late – but on the plus side, the fleet was 300% up on Fridays CYA Classic Weekend Rally turnout 😦
I’ll hand over to Andrew Mason who supplied the results.
“The winner Scullet L56 finished in 52:20. Rangi Manu L52 was 2nd just 48s later. Melita L28 withdraw on leg one. All boats had a most enjoyable day on the water.”
Beach / Clubrooms below
CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CLASSIC YACHT – MANURUA Recently WW was contacted by a gent considering purchasing a Bob Stewart designed 1965 yacht (Camelot design) named MANURUA. The craft is currently in Opua, Northland but the story goes that she was apparently built by Oliver and Gillpin in Tauranga, and possibly operated as a dive charter vessel in Bay of Plenty. The current owner doesn’t have much history, so woodys can we confirm / expend on the above.
Recently Jason Prew from the Slipway Milford has been wandering around the upper South Island on a 4×4 rally – being the good lad he is the camera was at hand to record any woodys he spotted.
Todays craft was seen moored in Waikawa, Picton, Marlborough and is named JOAN.
Lots of styles on display, but it kind of works for me.
Keen to learn more on JOAN
INPUT ex NATHAN HERBERT – Joan needs explaining, perhaps by Harold? Collings and Bell is obvious in her transom being typical of Ruamano, Paikea, Fleetwing etc. That eould seem to drag her build date 20 or so years back from what I’ve seen noted before(1940s 50s?). I would assume that her hull has been raised to a flare and the superstructure/coamings rebuilt at that stage? She doesn’t appear in old photos, perhaps she was reclusive or just not a ‘club boat’?
21-01-2025 –INPUT ex PHIL VINING – Around 20 years ago we had this vessel listed at Vining Shipbrokers Ltd and the information supplied by the owner at the time is below.
CYA 3 Day Classic Spring Rally – Report
Not really sure if it warrants a report. Excuse the photos – my roving cub photographer needs some lessons 🙂
Sad to report only one vessel on the start line (late) – the organisers yacht. Well he had to turn up I suppose. At the published time a launch arrived from the direction of Waiheke but with not another vessel in sight – didn’t hang around.
Maybe after two years of ’thanks but no thanks’ interest – this event needs to be retired from the calendar.
I’m told there was an impressive gathering of jet ski’s out.
The Australian Wooden Boat Festival (AWBF) is excited to launch its 2025 Festival Program, proudly presenting “The Pacific” as its central theme. The festival will showcase this vast ocean region’s cultural and historical significance, featuring content from New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Japan, the US West Coast and other Pacific locales.
Tasmania’s largest free event and the largest celebration of wooden boats and maritime culture in the Southern Hemisphere will be held 7–10 February 2025. Over four days, Hobart’s waterfront will reach its fullest potential and become a place of pilgrimage for 400+ boats and tens of thousands of visitors from across Australia and the world.
Highlights of the 2025 Pacific-themed program include the Pacific Seafarers Precinct presenting navigators, artists, curators, and maritime artisans who embody the ancient and ongoing traditions of the region, feature vessels such as the recently restored 1896 New Zealand built yacht Te Uira—one of the first racing yachts to make it to Australia—and the Australian debut of the Kumundar Gujo Project, a giant Japanese-inspired jungle gym that kids build themselves.
AWBF General Manager and Festival Director Paul Stephanus said, “The AWBF is a celebration of our collective heritage. The 2025 theme allows us to explore our connection with the Pacific like never before, bringing visitors face-to-face with historic vessels and remarkable people from across the ocean. We hope to create a festival experience that feels both grand in its spectacle and intimate in its sense of community.”
KAWAU ISLAND SPRING SPLASH REGATTA REVIEW – 70+ CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING PHOTOS
WoW what a long weekend – our first long weekend as we slide out of winter into summer. The on-the-water boating season kicked off this year with a new event on the calendar – the ‘Labour Weekend Spring Splash Regatta’ at Kawau Island, in the Hauraki Gulf. Going forward the hosts – Kawau Boating Club and race organisers – Ponsonby Cruising Club intend to ran the regatta every year. The weather gods were against us at times – but the weekend was a winner with everyone that attended.
Firstly I’d like to thank all the skippers, family and crew that took the leap of faith and pointed their craft north in conditions on both Friday and Saturday morning that can best described as character building for the skippers and testing for the craft.
I went north at mid day on Friday and all I saw in terms of other craft afloat was a procession of yachts returning to Auckland after pulling out of the Coastal Classic race to Russell. Big ups to the yachts that pushed on and completed the race, I’m sure most skippers will have trouble rounding up crew for next years race 🙂
Fridays race to Kawau was light on numbers due to the weather but the fleet pushed on and most made it to KBC to swap stories. Mike Mahoney commented that his majestic 1935 Logan built classic – TAWERA spent more time going thru the waves than on top of them.
Saturday’s around the island race was cancelled due to high winds, but the KBC turnover was the winner. A great night ,with a DJ on hand.
Sunday we had the Waitematawoodys classic parade and 15 woodys (one yacht) did a lap of BON ACCORD Harbour – a brilliant turnout for the opening year. Those participating were recorded with stunning weather.
Post the parade, the yacht race got away, check out the video below of TAWERA coming in hot to the finish line – perfect timing by skipper Mike and crew, Only problem it was to decide 3 and 4 place 🙂
Sunday nights prize giving was a hoot and most people left with a prize and a smile.
Other activities over the weekend were a children’s lolly scramble and the KBC AGM on Sunday morning. Brilliant turnout at the AGM and very positive vibes.
The weekend report wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the recently refurbished KBC clubroom / bar / bistro – the presentation of the interior is a perfect fit for a boating club of the KBC’s standing.
And the food and staff…………… 10/10 – the food photos tell their own story.
The winner of the major prize for parade participants – SPONSORED BY THE SLIPWAY MILFORD – was Jill Hetherington and her 1939 C. Bailey built launch – TUNA. Jill’s prize is a haulout and 3 days hardstand at the classic friendly railway slip.
I have to sign off now, I’m falling asleep at the keyboard.
Enjoy the photo gallery & videos, several people clicking the camera (phone) over the weekend, so thanks for everyones contribution.
A wee bit of a lame story today – a looooong weekend at Kawau Island. I’m waking up to this view Lidgard House. Erasing the trip up on Friday afternoon , it’s been a cracker weekend. Lots of photos tomorrow from the Kawau Boating Club Spring Splash Regatta
And as there always has to be a classic boating photo – the top photo is such a flash back to wooden boating in the gulf last century.
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