Classic Yacht Association – Canada Woody Rendezvous
After two days of woodys that are lacking somewhat in wow eg paint and varnish, todays story on the CYA Canada’s Fathers Day – Bell Street Rendezvous certainly delivers on both those fronts.
The YouTube link popped up on one of my feeds and it wasn’t until I saved the link for reposting on WW that I noticed that the video was 10 years old 🙂 . But given we are looking at classic wooden boats, thats all good.
Enjoy – suggestion – mute the sound, a little OTT.
And isn’t it nice to see a classic yacht association that celebrates its classic motor boat / launch fleet and doesn’t treat them as second class citizens.
The ex Auckland ‘Blue Boat’ Auckland Harbour ferry – Olive Rose as made several appearances on the WW site, but only in her ‘modern’ configuration, photo below. Today thanks to the above b/w photo ex Jackson Brown via Lew Redwood we get to the work-boat version.
Obviously out as a spectator platform for an on the water event (yacht race?) , it would be a pretty safe bet that there wasn’t a personal flotation device for everyone aboard, nor life raft that could handle them. How times have changed.
The gent on the stern of the launch off her bow looks like he is a little perturbed 🙂
We have been contacted by Tony Evans from the Richmond YC in Auckland concerning the 1937 photograph above that the club have been gifted.There was no family connection from the ‘gifter’, so the club are unsure of its history. Tony commented that the picture is likely taken at the original RYC Herne Bay club house, with Chelsea Bay hills in the background.
So woodys are we able to help the club and share some intel on the significance of the photo eg the name of the boat, was it (probably) performing the rule of racing committee boat and any info on the regatta / event. Or given the crowd onboard just she a spectator boat?
Input From Barry John Davis – This is the A. & G. Frankham coaster Coronation, built 1902 as a ketch in NSW, you can just make out the vestiges of a clipper type bow, dimensions 83.7′ x 22.7′ First registered at Auckland the same year. Still trading out of Auckland up to the early 1960’s when sold and went to Gisborne as a motorised lighter
The last we heard of the Roger Carey 1959 built woody – Quest was back in August 2020 in a report from John Gander who being prompt by a WW story on Quest II, sent in photos dated 2008 of Quest berthed at Waikawa Marina, Picton. In these 2000 photos she looked very smart. Sadly John also included a photo taken in 2013 of her hauled out in Picton looking very un-loved and her planks crying out for a life afloat again.
Then yesterday Bay of Islands woody Dean Wright sent in the above photos taken on Monday. Dean had been at Waipapa Landing, Northland to see Quest being put back in the water after a huge amount of work by owners Eric and Win Sanderson to get her back in the water again after spending so long on the hard in Picton. In my eyes there is a lot to like about this boat – while she started life as Roger Carey’s private boat, she was later sold and converted to a work-boat. She measures 33’ x 9’9” x 4’6”, has a canoe stern and best of all down below is a Gardner 5LW 🙂 Mondays splash was brief to check a few systems and caulking, we look forward to getting a peek-down-below when she is finally ship-shape.
You have to love the EBH (Exclusive Boat Haulage – JJ & Shelley ) rig, that is the way to transport your pride and joy 🙂
Todays woody is the 18m ex workboat – San Rosa seen in the above photos (dated 15 April 2022) ashore on the beach at Tikitiki, near East Cape, North Island. The story goes that she had been recently sold and the new owners were sailing her from Tauranga to the Marlborough Sounds. Her engine failed when she was 10 nautical miles off Tokomaru Bay and the crew made a mayday call. The Lowe Rescue helicopter winched 3 people and a dog (nice) off San Rosa and the vessel was abandoned.
Being a solid old girl she drifted for 6 days including being caught in the gale force winds and huge seas brought on by ex-Cyclone Fili, which had hammered the region for days. Then surprise surprise she washed ashore in what appears to be good condition.
Can any of the Workboat Group tell us more about San Rosa’s past?
Interested to hear what became of her – hopefully somehow saved. Thanks Ian McDonal for the heads up on the story 🙂
07-05-2022 UPDATE – ex ‘The Gisborne Herald’ via John Newsham and Geoff Bagnall
19-05-2022 Update Below ex John Newsham
21-05-2022 – Update Below ex John Newsham
25-05-2022I nput from Dave Stanaway – Dave uncovered this photo of a commemorative Sanford plate from the Dec 1955 launching. Dave’s father had a matching ashtray. Dave commented that San Rosa was top of the line when built for Sanfords.
John Newsham sent in the press clippings below from the Gisborne Herald
05-11-2022 UPDATE ex Geoff Bagnall
In The Mean Time
I have been contacted by Rob Bark the new owner of the 16’ clinker run-about below. The first photo, dated c.2015, shows the boat as purchased by the previous owner (who was based in Rotoiti, Lake Rotorua) – who very quickly removed the cabin and hot-house. Second & third photos show her as a work-in-progress.
Her new owner would love to learn more about the clinker – even a possible build date.
Bottom end of Waiheke Island Chamberlains BaySummer WineSea Fever
Tuna
Isle of ArranAwarikiLucille
Summer Wine & Takahoa
Chamberlains Bay Classic Launches – Golden Hour
The truely talented boating photographers talk about the ‘golden hour’, the period just before sunset and just after dawn. Rarely in a bay is it an hour, sometimes it is 10>15 minutes before the sun disappears behind the hills or clouds.
On the Thursday before Easter, this average photographer (me) arrived in Chamberlains Bay, Ponui Island at just the right time and captured some special photos of the woody launches gathering for the Woody Classics Weekend cruise the next day up the Waihou River to Paeroa.
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.
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
Woodys Classic Launch Easter River Cruise To Paeroa
The Easter weekend cruise was always going to be a biggie – with most launches having to travel upwards of 10 hours to reach the final destination – the ‘waterfront’ Historical Maritime Museum & Park in Paeroa. Most of the woody fleet gathered Thursday evening in Chamberlain Bay, Ponui Island in anticipation of an early start across the Firth of Thames, to rendezvous with the launches arriving from Thames and to collect our guide / navigator for the trip up the Waihou River. I’d have to say that the straight line trip across the Firth of Thames was 4 hours of my life I’ll never get back 🙂
We meet just off the old Kopu Swing Bridge which was opened specially for us to pass thru – and the welcome / turn out on the old bridge was outstanding. Must have been a quiet day in Thames, maybe it was that it was Good Friday and most things (pubs etc) were closed 😉
We shot thru the gap and 10 minutes later our lead boat, with navigator on board, found a mud bank and were ‘stationary’ for over an hour. Once moving again the remainder of the 4+ hour journey was fun to travel together in close proximity, but the scenery got very repetitive and at 5 knots max – the going was slow. The skippers were kept awake by lots of locals who had gathered at wharfs and in paddocks to wave as we went past. The dodging of the occasional ‘grassberg’ (floating mid-stream) also kept skippers on their toes.
The final short leg from the main river to the Museum dock again saw the lead boat aground and a wait for more tide.
We sneaked in just before dusk, a very long 10 hour day.
Jason Prew and Peter Vandersloot oversaw the shoehorning of the 10 woodys into the docking area. Then it was ashore to stretch the legs and a BBQ dinner/ catch up. The Museum had set up an impressive and most appreciated dining / BBQ area for the crews to enjoy. Post dinner most returned to the boats for an early night.
Observation- it’s bloody cold up a creek in the middle of the Waikato, thank god for hot water bottles.
Saturday was another cracker autumn day. The crews enjoyed a trip on the classic launch – Ariana (skippered by Peter Vandersloot) to the Paeroa township for morning tea at the local RSA – hot scones and pastries – always a winner. To balance out the catering, the river trip was split in two – with 1/2 the crew travelling by bus and boating back and same same in reverse for the other 1/2.
The day saw a great turn-out of locals visiting the Museum and walking the docks. I would encourage you to search the following words Kopu Bridge / Waihou River / Maritime Museum & Park on Facebook – the weekend was covered by so many people – lots more photos and videos to see.
Special mention must be made to Peter Vandersloot who masterminded the weekend and was on hand to provide so many insights into the heritage of the area, vessels and personalities. The Museum’s Chairperson Colin James and partner Gloria (a trustee) who were everywhere when needed and helped the weekend run smoothly.
Lastly none of this would have happened without woodys Jason Prew from The Slipway Milford, and Kerry Lilley for pulling everything together – well done guys.
The return trip back down the river had its challenges, very complicated tide table – but to the best of my knowledge no one is still there 🙂
The Museum and their boat trips are a must do if you are passing thru or around Paeroa. And big ups to the local council and business association – Paeroa is a healthy, well presented town, and a credit to everyone living there.
Over the next week I’ll do additional WW stories on the Museum, the river trip to Paeroa on board Ariana and a few of the launches that made the trip.
(Woodys who attended – My Girl, Raindance, Awariki, Lucille, Summer Wine, Ngarimu, Lucinda, Maroro, Cindy Jane, Kaikoura, and guest appearance by Ariana – refer photos below)
(Photo credits to – Jason Prew, Linus Fleming, Andre Thomas, Andrew & Mechaela Dobbs and yours truly)
THE FLEET
AWARIKI – 1967 – Owen WoolleyMARORO – c.1905 – tbaNGARIMU – 1945 – Fred GoldboroKAIKOURA – 1951 – Percy VosSUMMER WINE- Noel May – 1992CINDY JANE – 1975 – Pelin EmpressMY GIRL – 1925- W H Hand JrRAINDANCE – 1928 – Lane Motor Boat CompanyLUCILLE – Logan 33LUCINDA – 1930 – L Coulthard
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