Last week WW was contacted by Tim Munro enquiring about a 16’ run-about that his father-in-law, Bryan McLeod, built early 1960’s. The vessel was to a design by Carl Augustin and built in his farm wool shed. Bryan used the run-about regularly into the 2000’s, particularly on the Kaipara Harbour which his farm backed onto but he also took it into a few events on the Waitemata Harbour, as seen in the photo above.
Bryan passed away last year in his mid 90s and the family are getting the boat refurbished.
The reason for Tim’s email to WW and todays question is – does anyone have a copy the Carl Augustin plans that Bryan will have used for the build. And /or is there anyone that has an interest in the designer that Tim could chat to.
UPDATE 10-08-2023 – WW Rocks – Cam Malcolm at The Slipway Milford has a set off full plans and build instructions- photos below just to show the detail included.
2023 Thames Traditional Boat Festival + Woody Kawau Long Weekend
Following on from Sundays story on Olaf Wiig’s slipper launch – Vega, todays photos comes to us from Olaf who attended the Thames traditional boat festival in his slipper launch.
There is an awful lot of varnish on display and the attention to detail is spot on. The festival is on my bucket list. Olaf commented that this years festival didn’t have the usual sparkling weather but there was still plenty of varnish on display. He focused the camera on some of the interesting smaller boats.
There are a few woody events coming up as we enter spring > summer, but I wanted to highlight the plan for Labour weekend (October 21>23). If your anything like me this year has been a non event in terms of over nighting on the boat, so lets all try and make Labour weekend special.
As a bonus the Kawau Boating Club will be re-opening that weekend after a refurbishment, if your not a member I encourage you to join, the club needs help to continue to operate as a haven in the gulf.
Ps you don’t have to be a KBC to enjoy the weekend.
More details closer and pre-xmas event dates below.
Back in March we sadly reported that the Jim Young designed launch – Lady Gazelle (formerly Gazelle) had been struck by another vessel and came free from her Coromandel Harbour mooring. Lady Gazelle ended up on the rocks and sustained enough damage for the insurance company to write the vessel off. Link below to that story.
We were heartened to learn that a new owner had stepped up and bought the boat and had started to repair her.
Today we can report that she was relaunched this week at Clevedon and looks as new. Well done to all those involved in her rebuild.
Over the last 12 months there has been chat (off-line) about the Centaurus’s launch date. As always with events 50+ years ago, things get a little hazy. Last week we were contacted by Graeme and Flo Varcoe and Graeme wanted to clear up any confusion regarding the launch date.
The original owners of Centaurus were the Sibun family and Graeme’s mother was married to Sonny Sibun. Speaking with his sister Graeme was reminded that she was pregnant during the final stages of the build and her daughter, Graeme’s niece was born on March 19th. 1969 and was 3 weeks old at the time of the launching of Centaurus.
So woodys the dates are: Built – 1967/68 – Launched – April 1969
In the last photo above, a close up of her wheel – there is a plaque that states “Built By Baileys 1967” – this is correct, the build did start in 1967, a little unusual to record that rather than the actual splash date – but not for me to question.
During the brother ./ sister discussions a newspaper clipping came to light that Graeme believes was published by the Half Moon Bay Marina. That article appears above, it is a great read, I have also attached it as a downloadable PDF to make it easier to read.
We learn how Centaurus acquired her name – the boat was built in the 100th year of the Chas Bailey yard, so the ‘Cen’ reflects the century and ’taurus’ comes from owner Sonny Sibun’s zodiac sign – Taurus.
As an added bonus the article backgrounds how that lump of an engine – the Cummings V6 215hp diesel (photo below) ended up in the boat. As designed the intention was for a pair of Ford 100hp diesels. Regular WW readers will be aware that Centaurus’s current owner, Angus Rogers has just installed a 175 hp John Deere (photo below)
Centaurus is nearing the end of an extensive refit, and as with most things Angus Rogers rubs up against – Centaurus will be glorious.
UPDATE – Angus Rogers advised the gearbox (Borg Warner) mentioned in the article is incorrect – it was a Capitol.
Todays very impressive photo comes from the Tauranga Museum archives via Dean Wright and show the launching of the launch – Sapphire, also centre stage is Lady Lynn. Photo dated Dec 1969
Lady Lynn – 48’ built by Oliver & Gilpin – later named changed to Lady Sophia and currently Tide Song. Read and view more about her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/09/06/lady-lynn-lady-sophia-tide-song/
Sapphire – Don’t know anything about Sapphire but In May 2016 Dean Wright snapped the 1st photo below of Sapphire in a berth at Whangaroa Marina. And again in Jan 2017 she popped up again in a gallery of photos that Dean sent in from the Far North, 2nd photo below.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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 🙂
