Category Archives: Events

TARANAKI (Theologus) / Wakatoa

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TARANAKI (Theologus) / Wakatoa

Recently WW was contacted by Alistair McRae in regard to the vessel – Taranaki, Alistair commented that he spent a big part of his early holiday life on her. At this stage the boat was named Taranaki but Alistair believes it had been renamed (possibly named Theologus).Taranaki was owned by his uncle, Les Henry and was used by Les to tow barges at his sand company on the Waikato River. In the mid 1950’s Les steamed Taranaki out of the Waikato River (West Coast), up and around the top of the North Island and down to Whangarei.

Alistair recalls that she was approx. 37’> 38’ in length and had a four cylinder Fordson engine and had a canoe stern and built like the proverbial brick outhouse. Sadly Alistair has no details on who designed / built Taranaki or when she was launched. Alistair recollects possibly sighting Taranaki moored at Orakei probably 20 or more years ago. Where she may have resided for some years.

What Alistair does have is the actual log of the above mentioned trip from the Waikato River to Whangarei. The crew left the ‘Elbow’ on the Waikato River (where Les’s sand business was and now Winstone) at 0500hrs Friday 5th March 1955. They got to the Waikato Heads 1-1/2hrs later and waited for a day to get through the bar , quite a trip – the full story below – the reproduction is a tad scrappy and I has issues with converting / uploading but in my eyes that just adds to the story 🙂 It appears as a downloadable PDF file and as a booklet – click on the book to view and you can enlarge the pages.

So woodys can anyone enlighten us on Tarananki’s early days.

taranaki-trip-logDownload
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TARANAKI (Theologus) / Wakatoa

UPDATE -Thanks to input from Murray Debble we learn that she is now named – Wakatoa and featured on WW back in Dec 2021 https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/12/03/wakatoa-2/

UPDATE  – from Hylton Edmonds -Photos below taken about 4 weeks ago – just upstream of Ashbys Boatyard Opua.

Mapu Gets A Refresh + New Woody Event Dates Released

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MAPU GETS A REFRESH 

The 30’ 1914 Lane Motor Boat Co.designed and built launch Mapu has just emerged from the Blair Boats yard in Oromahoe, Harare (Far North) after a some TLC.

Mapu is one of the lucky woodys, still in the family of the great grandfather that built her. Like most woodys from her era she has undergone several additions / configuration to her tramtop / doghouse but the hull is still the original solid carvel planked kauri.

While it appears from the photos that she has lost her varnished coamings – I can report they were never varnished – the finish was a very smart brown paint and made of ply.

Mapu has appeared numerous times on WW – lots of history and photos in the links below.

MAY 2023 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/28/the-launch-mapu-far-north/

JUNE 22 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/22/mapu-2/

JUNE 1 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/01/mapu/

Photo (L) below ex Nathan Herbert 2016

Photo (R) below ex Mark Lane 2013

2023 CLASSIC WOODY ON-THE-WATER GATHERINGS – DATES

Has it stopped raining………. I’m too embarrassed to tell you how many nights I’ve spent on the boat this year, makes the return on investment look very sad. But thankfully most of us don’t measure life on that template.

So on the assumption that the current meteorological conditions will end , we have pulled together a calendar of woody gatherings for the 2023 spring > summer period. Later in the year we will publish the 2024 calendar.

So woodys circle these dates on the calendar, and we will talk to you closer to each event.

In the meantime, light the fire and open that bottle you have been saving for a special occasion. 

TELL ME THIS IS A JOKE

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TELL ME THIS IS A JOKE

When I was sent the link below re a proposed maritime anchor watch rule I had to check the calendar to make sure it wasn’t April Fools Day.

Seriously – What is Maritime NZ on? Read below ex a Yachting NZ post on the story – 

“Maritime New Zealand recently stated that all vessels (recreational and commercial) must maintain a continuous anchor watch (lookout by sight and hearing) under Maritime Rule Part 22.5. Maritime NZ has recently shared the interpretation as: “At all times – during the day, during the night, when travelling to and from fishing grounds, fishing, while at anchor, or drifting.” With this interpretation, you may be breaking the law by leaving your vessel at anchor to have a walk ashore or going to sleep while anchored in a typical pristine protected anchorage.“

There was a poll / survey by YNZ calling for feedback, sadly that has closed off. Hopefully enough people responded telling them to stop interviewing their typewriters and actually talk to the boaters out there.

UPDATE – It would seem that Yachting NZ have got themselves a tad mixed up and made news out of something that wasn’t news.I received the note below from Jim Lott – I’ll let Jim take us thru the situation – 


“This is not a joke and it has always been the case. All vessels are technically required to keep a watch at anchor.I’ll wear my ex-hat as a nautical school tutor and examiner for a moment.You suggest there is a new interpretation about recreational vessels and keeping anchor watch.For the past several decades (last Coll Regs rewrite was in 1964) there has never been an exemption for recreational vessels from keeping watch at all times (which includes at anchor) in the rules. All MNZ has done is confirm existing legal requirements, even if many yachties are unaware of it.Indeed, all the sections in the Maritime Transport Act and Rules made under the Act, including “Coll Regs”, Navigation Safety rule, and also regional Bylaws apply to all vessels all the time.There is an additional requirement for any ‘hire and reward’ i.e. commercial vessels to be surveyed to meet a set standard, and the skipper/crew to have a formal qualification (ticket).All other requirements including any penalties or fines apply equally to recreational and commercial alike.So where does that leave us?Nothing has changed so I suggest carrying on as usual, but be aware of the legal requirements.If we all sleep at night, or all leave the vessel, the skipper is still responsible for what happens on board. If a watchkeeper on board could have prevented an incident such as dragging, sinking or fire, then the skipper may have committed an offence under the MTA for “endangering property”, but I have never heard of a fine or prosecution for failure to keep a lookout while at anchor.Should, or could, NZ exempt recreational vessels from the international law we signed up to? It would require the change to be put through cabinet and being an international agreement, it is highly unlikely.(Insurance companies state that boats at anchor must not be left unattended for over 24 hours.)Other information Re: anchoring, you may be interested to note that there is nothing in the Coll Regs to say that a vessel underway has to give way to an anchored vessel. However the ‘ordinary practice of seamen’ to do so has been confirmed in court cases, and the obvious practicalities apply.There is an anchoring section in the Navigation Safety Rule to say that when anchoring, a vessel must not put at risk another anchored vessel. It means that if you drag into another you are at fault, or anchor too close and bump someone you are responsible.”

WW Caps – low profile, 6 panel, canvas caps in the new camel colour topped with dark brown WW embroidered logo has a dash of understated style.

Just click the email link here and tell me your name, postal address and number of caps required. I’ll come back to you with payment details – $38 + $6 p&p. waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Gaylene – Where Is She Now

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GAYLENE – Where Is She Now

Woody John Dawson sent in the above photos of the vessel – Gaylene, and commented that they were dated Jan 1955 and the event was her official launching. 

Based on her configuration, its safe to assume she was a work-boat, hard to read but her reg # may be AK96.

Location – the old viaduct, possibly near the P. Vos Shed. A quick scan of the P. Vos book – ‘Launching Dreams’ didn’t uncover her build name, so its not a Vos built woody.

The question today is what became of her and is she still around.

INPUT ex Chris Rabey via Russell Ward – GAYLENE has been Gisborne based for many years, I think she is still there. I took the picture below a long time ago in Gisborne.

INPUT and photos below ex Cameron Pollard – sadly Gaylene is no longer afloat, sunk. Unsure of reason, location, date.

2023 Moreton Bay Classic

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MORTEON BAY CLASSIC 

The classic boating community in Brisbane / Queensland Australia have just celebrated the second running if the Moreton Bay Classic – a 10.9 nautical mile drag race for all shapes and sizes of classic craft. Last year was the inaugural event – link here to details on the event and how ir came about https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/07/04/the-race-social-event-that-stops-the-bay-the-moreton-bay-classic-part-one/

First video – the start from onboard the vessel – Adagio 

https://www.facebook.com/adagioalaskan/videos/1900175600355472

A woody friend, Andrew Christie also sent me a link to a 3 minute birds-eye video of the fleet filmed by Saxton Thomas – what an impressive gig. I can see Jason Prew salivating over this 🙂

Enjoy.

https://www.facebook.com/100023439100358/videos/204917255845751/

Mystery Lake Rotorua Launch #2

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Input from Janice Rogers – “The house in this photo belonged to my grandparents and I lived in it as a child at Otaramarae. I remember 1 of those boats is called the Kay and I recognised the other smaller one as well. The Kay was tied up down at our jetty in the enclave below my grandmothers house I know because I went for rides on it the rear of the bigger boat now has a ramp and has pretty much progressed from when I was a 12yr old 

I got a fright when I saw those photos online golly bought back many memories 

Judge Simon Moore’s parents had a house right on the lake but it often flooded many years later that land was leased to his parents by my grandfather so there you go a piece of history for you”

MYSTERY LAKE ROTORUA LAUNCH #2

Todays woody again comes to us from Greg Philpott, hopefully we will get a better response than last weeks WW story concerning another of Greg’s mystery boats. I suspect that Greg has exhausted most avenues and people ’switch off’ re his pursuit for answers.

The transporter / truck door reads – E.G. Maurice, Cartage Contractor, Rotorua

But its worth a final try – so woodys anyone able to enlighten us on the above launch.

And while we are in the middle of the North Island – circle 8th July 2023 in the diary for what looks like a cool classic event – details on the website – see poster.

lhttp://lakehop.co.nz

Classic Canadian Wooden Boat Eye Candy

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Classic Canadian Wooden Boat Eye Candy

Today we get to have a dockside gander at the 20+ fleet of classic craft that came together for the 2023 Ladysmith Heritage Festival at the Ladysmith Community Marina in the town of Ladysmith, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. 

The photo gallery is via the camera of Maurizio Hublitz, one of Maurizio’s fellow woodys commented that he is fixated with sterns, but it’s all about showcasing / recording the vessel names.

Over the years I have enjoyed Maurizio’s event reports and been very envious of the set up at the Ladysmith Community Marina, reading this years report I was surprised that there is a dispute underway in regard to future access to the marina area – in fact they have been issued with an eviction notice to be out by Dec 31 2023 – I won’t bore you with the details but it appears that New Zealand isn’t the only country with indigenous (minority) land ownership issues. Fingers crossed sanity rules so this remarkable location can be enjoyed by everyone.

Politics aside – enjoy the photo gallery. Great to see the ex work boats sharing the limelight 🙂

As always – click on photos to enlarge 😉

Winter Woody Yard Report #1

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Marjorie Rosa

Winter Woody Yard Report #1

Over the weekend Lake Rotoiti’s favourite boatbuilder – Alan Craig (Craig Marine) held an open day at his workshop in Paengaroa (Te Puke) , the first three photos above are from the day. The blue hulled launch in the first photo is the 1930 Sam Ford built launch – Marjorie Rosa in for deferred maintenance, will be looking shipshape again very soon.

Read / view more on her in the below WW links:

https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/10/22/juliana-marjorie-rosa/ https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/02/09/juliana-the-2014-lake-rotoiti-classic-wooden-boat-weekend/

A new convert to the wooden boating world is Geoffrey Fiebig, who recently purchased off Jason Prew a Frostbite named Meteor, sail #13. Geoffrey as you will see has started the thank less job of stripping the interior planks. 10/10 for attire, the new WW cap completes the look 🙂

30-05-2023 UPDATE – a nameless woody drew to my attention that many (30+) years ago a Tauranga newspaper article appeared about a young man/teen named Jason Prew who dragged Meteor out of a derelict shed on a lake and restored her to go sailing. Note the miss spelling of the surname Brew -see below

Anyone else have a project underway – if so, share some photos – email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Feel Good Friday

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Feel Good Friday

Sometimes even an old woody like myself is moved by music – this video titled – ‘Dip and Sway’ appeared on the Off Center Harbor v-blog and I dived into a google search to find a ‘free-to-air’ copy of it.

Visually and sonically it ticks all my boxes – Turn your sound up and have a listen / watch – you will enjoy it. The BBQ grill seen towards the end is a doozy 🙂

WW Caps – the new low profile, canvas cloth caps have been a winner – the new understated colour topped with the dark brown WW embroidered logo has a dash of understated style. I have reorder 3 times and stocks are getting low – order today – just click the email link here and tell me your name, postal address and number of caps required ( best order was x5) I’ll come back to you with payment details – $38 + $6 p&p. waitematawoodys@gmail.com

A Recount Of Our Classic Wooden Craft DNA 

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Grace under sail
CLICK The Headline – Grace Under Sail to view

A Recount Of Our Classic Wooden Craft DNA 

Recently I was sent a link to an article that appeared in the New Zealand Geographic magazine back in 2000 – in fact issue 45 , Jan-March. The article was headlined – GRACE UNDER FIRE, written by Vaughan Yarwood with supporting photos from the late Henry Winkelmann and more recent photos ex Hamish Ross and Paul Gillbert.

The stars of the article is the 42’ 1908 Logan built gaff rigged cutter – Rawene, and her then skipper Russell Brooke.

This is a brilliant insight into the early days of boating in and around Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour, I’m sure there will be some mix ups re dates, skipper/craft names but overall we get to see and read the history of these magnificent craft, a lot of which are still sailing today.

Have a read, its only 10>15 minutes, longer if if you linger over the photos 🙂  – even a die-hard motorboat owner like myself found it a fascinating read.