Category Archives: Events

Camp Cruising the Maine Coast

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Camp Cruising the Maine Coast

Some of you will be aware of the name Steve Stone – Steve is one of the founders of the uber cool weblog – Off Center Harbor that I regularly plug on WW, OCH is a subscription driven weblog that just about answers every question you would ever want an answer to concerning wooden boats and enjoying life afloat. 

The team at OCH have been suffering bad from cabin fever as the USA has been savaged by Covid, so as things have eased up in terms of getting out and about – there is some serious on-the-water catch-up happening.

Steve has just started a cruise of the entire Maine Coast (refer chart below) in a 19’ open Caledonia Yawl named Howdy.  Each day Steve is posting images and short video clips of the cruise on Instagram that you can follow on the bottom of the members’ home page (signed in) on Off Center Harbor. You don’t need an Instagram account to follow all that on the members home page of Off Center Harbor. And for those that aren’t OCH subscribers – you can also follow on OCH’s Instagram page directly as well, link below – 

OCH’s Instagram.      https://www.instagram.com/offcenterharbor/

I spotted Steve wearing a waitematawoodys t-shirt, so thought I had better give his trip a plug, so far there is some very cool scenery and boat footage – so woodys check in each day and see how the 260+ mile journey is unfolding 🙂

Check out the OCH weblog here offcenterharbor.com

RAINDANCE UPDATE: Following on from the TLC that RD received at the Slipway Milford, I have had Moon Engines upgrading and servicing all the bits that are bolted on – then a quick polish with WD40 – I know, no one sees it, but I know 🙂

Canadian Classic Yacht Association Fleet Cruise

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Canadian Classic Yacht Association Fleet 2021Cruise
Today’s wooden boat eye candy comes to us from the recent Canadian CYA Launch Fleet cruise to Desolation Sound.

 I have a connection to the fleet as several years ago I hosted Mike O’Brien (MV Euphemia) and his family for a day, while their cruise ship was berthed in Auckland – it was a trip around the marinas to view some of our own classic wooden boats. From memory 10 skippers made the time to open their boats up for the tourists. 

Enjoy the gallery of stunning wooden classics. As always click on photos to enlarge 😉

To see more of the cruise ,check out the drone video below from Pedell Sound, taken by Maurizio Hublitz

Ngarunui – 1967 Whangarei > Noumea Yacht Race Start

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Ngarunui – 1967 Whangarei > Noumea Yacht Race Start
The above launch appeared in a series of photos the Lew Redwood had on his fb, all taken in the days leading up to and including the 1967 Whangarei to Noumea yacht race.The boat looks very familiar to me, but before I make a fool of myself (again) I’ll call for input from the WW readers as to its identity.

As correctly ID’ed by several eagle eyed woodys – the boat is Ngarunui – WW links below for lots of photos and details 🙂
https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/08/22/the-building-of-ngarunui/
https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/06/03/mystery-boat-03-06-2015/

The other day, Bay of Islands woody – Hylton Edmonds draw my attention to the May 2021 issue of the UK magazine Classic Boating and the editors (Stefan Meyric-Hughes) page 5 editorial column. Which I have reproduced below. I’m sure you will all agree with Hylton’s comment to me – “It’s  succinct, brilliant, and a poignant reminder for all wooden boat “nutters“ around the world not least us in NZ who persevere under, at times seemingly,  never ending odds,  to final success and that long dream of re-launch day…“

Eastern Star Double Oops

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EASTERN STAR DOUBLE OOPS
The photos above, dated 1961, from the Nelson Photo News (via Lew Redwood) show the Nelson based launch Eastern Star after she was re-floated following a double collision with a rock off Harding Point. The vessel, owned by V. McAuley at the time, hit the rock and was holed. The crew managed to beach the boat but during the salvage operations, she hit again and sank – remember folks this was in the days before GPS, but still – twice!

Sitting in 30’ of water a team of divers assisted in bringing her to the surface where a temporary patch was done to the bow. Eastern Star was then towed back to Nelson where she was slipped for what was described a ‘extensive repairs. The photos were taken by Mrs. McAuley.


Do we know what became of the vessel and any details on her?

Sixty Six Wooden Launches Assemble Off Westhaven

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Sixty Six Wooden Launches Assemble Off Westhaven

In early 1961 Auckland hosted the British Medical Association conference, with attendees from all over the Commonwealth attending. Included in the conference was a ‘break’ day where the delegates and wives were taken on a picnic to Motuihe Island.

In the photo above we see the launches that were transporting everyone to the island, assembling off Westhaven. At the time it was one of the biggest organised gatherings of pleasure craft seen in New Zealand with over 66  laid on.The weather gods smiled on the day and Arnold Baldwin’s launch – Valsan was the convoy flagship.

There are a lot of woodys in the photo that still grace the Waitemata today. The photo and details come to us from the April 1961 Sea Spray magazine via Angus Rogers.


BMA CONFERENCE EX SEA SPRAY 1961 via K Ricketts

Onerahi Wharf Regatta

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ONERAHI WHARF REGATTA

odays photo is dated 1921 and shows the Onerahi Wharf (Whangarei) Regatta. Quite a few launches at anchor and alongside the wharf. Anyone game to name them of some of them? (Photo ex Maurice Sharp fb)


NEED A COMMERCIAL DIVER

If you don’t, chances are at some stage you will – so put the name Simeon Hall – 020 401 35655 – in your address book. Simeon comes highly recommended by Mike Mahoney. 

Royal Falcon Re-launched

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ROYAL FALCON RE-LAUNCHED 
We have followed the restoration / refit of Collette & Steve Pople’s 1934 Cox & Fimer built woody – Royal Falcon on WW and been blown away with the quality of the workmanship happening in the Leader Boatbuilders shed.

Today thanks to Mark McLaughlin taking his launch Mapuna for a run on Sunday we get to she Royal Falcon afloat again. Boat shed photos here https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/05/31/royal-falcon-restoration-2021-update/
We understand all that is required is the final interior finishing, which we will update you on shortly.

LADY JANET / POCO LENTO NEEDS A NEW HOME – All Offers Considered

A quick heads up, Poco Lento (Lady Janet) has appeared on WW several times and is currently for sale, the vendors are retiring from boating and moving into a retirement village, so woodys as they say in the real estate game – make an offer, you may be surprised at the prize…………. See more here    https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/08/07/poco-lento-lady-janet/
Contact via waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Woodys On Show

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WOODYS ON SHOW

Todays video comes to us from Cecilia Viktoria Rosell and showcases a selection of woodys from the Canadian Classic Yacht Association Fleet berthed in Ladysmith, British Columbia.

As they appear, we have  Loueda > Sannox > Euphemia > Falcon > Bianca.

Cecilia commented that the youngest member wasn’t the 7 month old kitten on Bianca as one might think, but rather the 8 week old baby onboard Loueda.

HAVE YOU RSVP’ed FOR THE WOODYS CLEVEDON OVERNIGHT BBQ CRUISE

CHECK OUT LAST YEARS EVENT https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/08/10/classic-wooden-boat-cruise-72-photos/

RSVP with boat name to waitematawoodys@gmail.com – Numbers will be limited

ORANUI – What Became Of Her (part one)

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ORANUI – What Became Of Her

The above photo ex Sea Spray magazine, via K Ricketts, shows the yacht Oranui ashore at Eastbourne, Wellington. She was washed ashore during a big storm. We know that Oranui was built in 1960 and owned by a Mr. Tomkies when she had the mishap It was reported that Oranui was not seriously damaged.

Do know what became of Oranui and where she is these days?


FYI – the 35’ motor sailer – Hinemoana III also came ashore in the same storm – WW story on her here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/05/30/hinemoana-iii/

Baby Thunder

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BABY THUNDER

Back in 2016 Greg Lees and David Glen sent in a selection of photos from the Lake Rotoiti (Nelson Lakes, Sth Island) classic boat show, among them was the stunning 30’ replica bootlegger, named Baby Thunder.

All I know about her is her own lives in Wellington – can anyone tell us more about the boat? She is a piece of art – should be in someones living room 🙂

In 2019 I attended the show and took a couple of photos of her on her trailer.

07-11-2022 Flask Back To 2007 (ex Peter Grant)