Category Archives: Events

Amuri + Mahurangi Regatta

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AMURI

One of the woody spotters sent in the above photos of the launch – Amuri, hauled out at Gulf Harbour for some TLC. She falls into to the ‘great unknown’ category to me, and I’m told isn’t a local GH boat. Can anyone tell us more about Amuri?

MAHURANGI REGATTA 

Each year the amazing club behind the biggest one day wooden boating event in New Zealand – the Mahurangi Cruising Club, publish a year book, which is eagerly awaited by anyone with sawdust in their veins. Chatting with the editor and design guru – Steve Horsley, the 2022 edition was a challenge to pull together, little things like CV-19 got the way. But if you know Steve, you will know he is not one to let a wee flu bug stop the MCC producing the booklet. Always a great read and good value for money at $20.  If you are Auckland based, grab a copy at Boat Books in Westhaven – or for the out-of-towners contact Victor at ngairehopwood@gmail.com

Reading the programme for the 2022 event I see that CV-19 has been the death of the shore / beach based activity at Sullivans Bay – with no audience there, the Classic Woody Launch Parade would be a fizzer – might have to create something else for us woodys to do. Unfortunately the tide is all wrong for a trip up the river to Warkworth. Will put the thinking cap on. But do put a pencil around Sunday (30th) night in the diary – a gathering at the Kawau Boating Club is always popular.

Schooner Dance Party

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SCHOONER DANCE PARTY

Our friends at Off Center Harbor captured some of the magic of Maine’s incredible schooner fleet as they finish their season with a final gathering to enjoy food, music, and a chance to sail in company. 
Make yourself a cup of something hot, head to your favourite chair and enjoy 5 minutes of Brooklin’s finest eye candy (turn your sound on).

Next week we will be telling you about a cool offer from the OCH team, the perfect Xmas treat to yourself or if you’re brave your partner 🙂

WAITEMATAWOODY CREW GEAR – sent a large chunk of yesterday packing up waitematawoodys crew gear orders – so keep an eye on the letterbox this week. Still have some stock, but low on the popular sizes. Order at this link  https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/11/11/58095/

Very Cool Row Boat – I get asked to help re-home a lot of woody items – the 20’ kauri row boat, possibly built in the 1890’s in Nelson (photos below) was one recent item – very pleased to say that the owner has confirmed she is now in safe hands. If I had had the space, it would have been in my hands 🙂 

Chris-Craft Runabout – Almost

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Chris-Craft Runabout – Almost

The above ‘woody’ is the latest from the workshop of John Bullivant and is based on a USA Chris-Craft small runabout design. John scaled the model up from 18” to 33” using an old late 1950’s plan. It’s made of balsa with a ply deck, and the hull is f/glassed. It has twin motors and the same smoke and water system he  installed in his models of the W1, Jaguar and Hartley.

Like the Hartley it is built-in bluetooth stereo, lights and engine sound. Runs very nicely and looks quite scale like on the water. Motors are hidden under the rear seat with the air pump and smoke system, and the water pump and batteries are under the hatches in the stern. Below are two YouTube  videos – sound quality average, but you get the idea 🙂 Photos sent in by K Ricketts

Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade

Nice to see the north island event getting a good plug in the latest issue of Boating NZ magazine. I provided the photos below to help the lake team get some exposure for the 2022 event – the 25th Anniversary – well worth a trip – details here https://www.woodenboatparade.co.nz

2022 Lake Rotoiti (Nth. Island) Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – Buy This Boat & Be There ……. Maybe

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2022 Lake Rotoiti (Nth. Is.) Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – Buy This Boat & Be There (Maybe)

The above New Zealand built kauri 18’ ex race boat is a project at Murton Timbercraft in Nelson and Peter Murton is looking for someone to takeover funding > ownership of this woody. To quote Peter – ‘finished to any stage’. Originally powered by a 6 cyl. Ford flat-head engine. So woodys buy the boat & get Peter to go into overdrive and maybe…….. you will be winning Best Restoration at the 2022 Lake Rotoiti (North Island) Classic & Wooden Boat Parade. See below for details.

Come And Join One Of New Zealand’s Coolest Boating Events – 4 FEB – WAITANGI WEEKEND 2022

Next year, is the 25th annual boat parade and fun weekend and the Lake Rotoiti crew would love to see as many classic or wooden boats of any type join our parade, and make it the biggest ever. The parade starts in the Okere arm of the lake on Saturday morning. It’s expected that around 100 boats will be on the lake.

Following parading by the bigger boats around Okawa Bay, all boats park up for inspection along the beach at Wairau Bay, where everyone enjoys their picnic while on the beach side reserve the fun and games start. View last years parade at the link below -175+photos.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/02/09/2021-lake-rotoiti-classic-and-wooden-boat-parade-175-photos-videos/
So woodys circle Waitangi Weekend 2022 in the diary – it is one of the top 3 classic woody gigs on the boating calendar.

For more information contact secretary, Rachel Jamieson at info@woodenboatperade.co.nz  (or phone 0272812101)

Christchurch Model Yacht Club

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Christchurch Model Yacht Club

We tend to think that classic pond yacht racing was an Auckland gig, but the gallery of photos above, ex Helen Harris fb, gives us a flash back to in Hagley Park, Christchurch when Lake Victoria was formed in 1897. A swampy depression – the rim of which was used for penny-farthing cycle racing – was graded, lined with clay and pugged by draught horses, then filled with water from artesian bores. The club was then formed and opened the next year.Such was the enthusiasm of the gentlemen who formed the CMYC at their special meeting held in Warners Hotel, Christchurch, on 17 June 1898, that they went on to have fifteen more meetings in the remainder of that year. Not only did racing get started on Victoria Water but priority was given to building a Pavilion for club rooms and the storing of model yachts.

The top photo of the start line for the 1899 Opening Day race, has a very impressive fleet, and if you were wondering how they got them all lined up – there was a long rope stretched across the lake, restraining the fleet.
CYA COMMITTEE MEETING TONIGHT (zoom) – HOPEFULLY THE ELECTED COMMITTEE MEMBERS (listed below) WILL BE SEEKING CONFIRMATION OF THE INTENT OF THE NEW 40 BERTH HERITAGE BASIN SUB-COMMITTE (listed below) IN REGARD TO THE MIX OF CLASSIC VESSELS ON DISPLAY:
CYA 2021-22 (elected) committee – Rachel Orr, Jonathan Curtis, Richard Cave, Jason Prew, Jason Davies, Kathryn Hobcraft, Lisa Lewis, Peter Jones, Steve Pople
Heritage Basin (non elected) sub- committee – Chad Thompson, Andy Ball, Jason Davies

Mystery Launch B.O.I. 1965 Taiparu > Isa Lei

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Mystery Launch B.O.I. 1965 – Taiparu > Isa Lei

Today’s photo comes to us from Lew Redwood’s fb and shows a collection of support vessels assisting in the 1965 (April) National Spearfishing Contest, underway in Deep Water Cove, Bay of Islands.

Of most interest is the launch on the right  – not sure how you would describe her – pilot house launch? , 1/2 a bridge-decker 🙂 Its not Tasman but very similar. Some of the big Colin Wild > Salthouse launches (Lady Crossley, Turongo, Trinidad ) followed this design.

UPDATE – Launch Identified by Ken Rickets as Isa Lei (Taiparu). Photos below ex Ann Hood via Ken Ricketts

Harold Kidd Input – ISA LEI was built as TAIPARU by Lidgard Bros at the Western Reclamation, Auckland for J. Carlton of Sunny Bay, Kawau and launched on 7th December 1939 with a 6 cylinder 90hp Graymarine petrol engine. In 1946 she was owned by C. Pryce Jones. I H McRae owned her in 1953 and it was he who changed her name to ISA LEI. Roughly 1954 to 1975 she was owned by Lloyd and Jim Somner. I think her sistership was WAKATERE which spent a lot of her life in Tauranga.

More photos and details here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/07/30/isa-lei-original-name-was-tauparu/

Koputai – Workboat Wednesday

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KOPUTAI – Workboat Wednesday

I was recently contacted by Campbell MacLean after he ‘discovered’ the WW stories (links below) on the boat – Koputai. She was built in 1939 by Miller & Tunnage in Port Chalmers for use as a pilot vessel. Her specs are 56’ x 14’6” and she draws 6’5”.

Campbell sent in the above photos he has of Koputai, his grandfather, John Maclean was chief pilot and Harbour Master in Dunedin, and had a bit to do with commissioning of the Koputai in the late 1930’s.
The top photo is a painting by C R Carey in 1940. This was on the wall at the MacLean crib (Pilot House #1) at the Spit, Aramoana, and probably gifted to John before he died in 1940.

The 2nd photo is of Koputai in the harbour near Taiaroa Head, opposite the spit.
Do link on the above below links – so much material and photos from the past and her conversation to pleasure craft.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/03/08/53293/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/09/06/koputai


LABOUR WEEKEND – MATAKANA RIVER RAID – POSTPONED 

The folks at the Kawau Boating Club have advised that due to the uncertainty of the ability to gather due to CV-19 restrictions, the decision has been been made to postpone the event – fingers crossed for a new date this year 🙂

Clansman

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CLANSMAN

The photos above of Clansman we sent in by Ed Higgins of her launch day at Half Moon Bay marina. Ed commented that Clansman was designed and built by Morrie Walker at Bucklands Beach. Modeled on the wheelhouse and cabin design of – Highlander. Morrie a qualified boat builder, who served his time with Percy Vos.

Constructed of laminated marine ply on kauri frames. Powered by a rebuilt 6LXB Gardiner engine, with 2 to 1 reduction gearbox.

Poor health forced the sale to a buyer in Tauranga. 
Tragically Clansman some time later, caught fire and sank off Little Barrier Island, and was a total loss. A sad end for what was a beautifully designed and built vessel.Interesting to note the fuel prices on the Mobil sign. Can anyone tell us the launch date?

You Don’t Normally See Boat ‘Stuff’ 4sale On WW – But I Do Most Things James Mobberley Asks Me 🙂 Two Engines 4sale.

ENGINE ONE – Mazda S2 – 60hp + GearboxThe engine below is new but 30 years old, has been running. James commented that these Mazda diesels were fairly common in the 1980s > 1990s.The seller is asking ‘around’ $2k – a cheap set-up . Email james@moonengines.co.nz  if interested.


ENGINE TWO  – Volvo MD 1B – 8>10hpThe engine was rebuilt several years ago by a ships engineer. Ideal for a 16’>20’ open clinkerAsking $1500 cash. Call Peter Le Gross 0274925254

The Wooden Boat Centre – A Peek Behind The Door

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The Wooden Boat Centre – A Peek Behind The Door
Today we have a short video, narrated by Paul D’Olier from The Wooden Boat Centre in Franklin, Tasmania. The video #2 in a series is titled ‘The Boat Builders’ and show cases the courses being run at the centre. I have listed below a link to the another in the series – wonderful images and words, do check them out.

The videos are bought to us by the good folks at The Australian Wooden Boat Festival, if you haven’t already , put a line in the diary for 10>13 Feb 2023, this event is a serious bucket list item for all woodys.


Wilson’s Boat Yard. 

Rangi – Sailing Sunday

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RANGI -Sailing Sunday

In the top photo we see the B Class yacht – Rangi on the slipway at the W.G Lowe shipyard in Auckland, just prior to the start of the first Trans-Tasman Yacht Race in 1931, I believe there was only 3 yachts entered – Oimara (Australia), Teddy (Norway) and Rangi (NZ) – Teddy won.

In the second photo we see her being towed to the start line, and in the bottom photo, on the left is Alan Leonard, owner of Rangi, alongside Alan, steering the yacht is Master Lowe, the grandson of the builder of Rangi. The occasion is welcoming Rangi back into Auckland after the return voyage from Sydney. 

The race was held again in 1934 with only two boats entered – Te Rapunga (Germany) and the legendary Ngataki, with Johnny Wray at the helm – won by Te Rapunga. 

The photos comes to us from the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection.

UPDATE: John Newsham has advised that Rangi was originally named ‘Schopolo’ and was built as a ‘schnapper’ boat for the inshore fishing trade – see photos below (ex Little Ships) . She was driven ashore at Cascade Bay, Norfolk Island when the crew was ashore after a wind change (1951)

UPDATE: Photo below, ex John Newsham, of Ngataki and te Raupunga at the state of the 1934 race. Ngataki (photo ex Century of sail) was sailed to Tahiti in the 1930s – John’s father’s cousin – Nip Colebrook was in the crew. John often used to see Wray cruising around Waiheke in his pre-war launch. He would always gave him a big wave  – mid 1960s.