Category Archives: Events

Jean Marie + Build A 1/2 Model Boat

Posted on by
1

Screen Shot 2020-06-25 at 8.00.02 PM

JEAN MARIE

Today’s woody popped up on Mitchell Hutchings’s fb, the photo was taken some years ago and Mitchell was unaware of the woodys name. The photo came from the Williamson Family collection.
Avon Cruel has commented that she appears to be Jean Marie and was owned by George Irvine during the 1980’s, on the Kaipara Harbour (West Coast of NZ)
Can any woodys confirm, enlighten us on the vessel?
Looking For Something Really Cool To Do – Build a 1/2 Model
Screen Shot 2020-06-26 at 8.35.17 PM
Master craftsman Allan Hooper is running another of his weekend (2 day) courses at the NZ Traditional Boat Building School in Auckland – next weekend (July 4/5th).
You will learn the basics of lofting and develop a great understanding of how lines are used to design a boat hull. At the end of the 2 days you will walk away with your own half model.
Course bookings at the link below
https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2020/build-half-model-course2/auckland/te-atatu-peninsula/tickets
Check out the last workshop review below ex attendee Christine Beech.
Screen Shot 2020-06-26 at 8.36.01 PM

Classic Wooden Boat Dockside Tour

Posted on by
8

CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT DOCKSIDE TOUR
Today’s woody story takes us on a woody tour of the Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre, in Southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Our host is Mike O’Brian, a few years ago I entertained Mike and wife Peggy in Auckland, they were on a cruise liner and just in port for the day. I picked them up and took them on a dock tour of a selection of our finest wooden classics, made even better by each skipper turning up and opening their boats up.
NEW WOODY OWNERS
Pleased to be able to report that the classic wooden launches Centaurus, Mahanui, Kailua and Haunui have all recently changed hands. All will remain in Auckland 🙂 and are in the care of passionate wooden boat enthusiasts.
SUNDAYS WOODY CLASSICS RIVERHEAD CRUISE – IMPORTANT DETAILS
(If you RSVP’ed I have sent you further details via email)
WCW Riverhead June2020

Pal O Mine

Posted on by
1

Pal O Mine

PAL O MINE
 
One of WW’s more loyal followers is Barrie Abel, owner of the c.1912 classic woody – Matira. Barrie lives in Kawakawa Bay and approx. 7 years ago on a visit to his neighbours property he spotted a cool photo of a wooden boat on the neighbours wall. Barrie recalled launch was named Pal O Mine. Being a shy, reserved type (yeah right) Barrie didn’t ask more about the boat. Fast forward 7 years and Barrie recalled the photo and asked his neighbour, Tosy Joyce  about it. Turns out that Pal O Mine was owned by Tosy’s fathers.
Barrie learned that Pal O Mine had spent some time down in Kawakawa Bay,  but Tosy’s not sure when. He is confident that in the photo above its the father at the helm.
 
Pal O Mine has appeared on WW before, primarily for two reasons
1. She was* a looker
2. In her day she was a seriously quick boat – you just have to look at the above photo is see that
 
* in point (1) above I say ‘was’, this is because sadly Pal O Mine was washed a shore in a storm and wrecked on the rocks near OBC, Tamaki Drive, Auckland.
Built in 1924 by the Tercel brother, famous for the builders of the stunningly fast yacht – Ranger. Pal O Mine has a 125hp engine – rather large for those days – thence the zoom zoom.
Link below to view more photo 
 
 
 
GREAT RESPONSE TO THE UPCOMING RIVERHEAD LAUNCH CRUISE – FLYER BELOW. Could I ask if you haven’t RSVP’ed that you do, makes planning re anchoring and catering easier 😉 FYI – this isn’t  CYA organised gig so any woody owner / lover is welcome to come along. Its always a great day and lots of catching up / chat.
RSVP (boat name and approx. numbers)      waitematawoodys@gmail.com
 
Woody Classics Weekend #5 Riverhead

Lotus + Next Woody Event Details

Posted on by
2

IMG_5898

LOTUS

The photo above of the launch – Lotus comes to us from ‘Whangaroa County Old Photos’ (Gaylene Harrison) via Lew Redwood.
And that woodys is all we know – but I’m confident we will be able to shed some more light on the launch and her skipper – Alan Sanderson.
Input and photos below from Cameron Pollard – Cameron used to work on Lotus when she was owned by Grahme Kenyon. She was a longliner down in the viaduct. Fished for years by Vern Mcaw.
Input from Harold Kidd
This LOTUS was possibly the one owned by D Astwood in Auckland in 1935 and sold to V J Judd of Maungaturoto for use on the Kaipara in 1935. It certainly is the launch owned by Alan Sanderson, of the well-known Sanderson family of Totara North who used her for big game fishing out of Whangaroa from early 1946 on.
ITS BEEN TOO LONG BETWEEN DRINKS
Get the diary out woodys and circle Sunday 28th June for the next Woody Classics Weekend (#5) – we are off up the creek to The Riverhead, for a long overdue catch up and pub lunch. Flyer below.
Be a polite woody and RSVP with boat name and est. crew numbers so we can warn the tavern. Always a great trip, so rug up and give the boat a long over-due run.
Woody Classics Weekend #5 Riverhead

Tall Ships Regatta – Bay of Islands 2013/14

Posted on by
1
DW-140104_DSC5828

Ranui

DW-130105_DHW7886

Undine

ts-2013-2

Colonist

DW-140104_DSC5970

TALL SHIPS REGATTA – Bay of Islands 2013/14

 
Today’s photos come to us from professional photographer Dean Wright’s sailing archives and show a selection of woodys partaking in the annual BOI event.
Nice to see Ranui with all the washing on the line 🙂 , these days she tends to motor sail around the Hauraki Gulf.
 
There are not a lot of yachts these days that look even better out of the water – one such beauty is hauled out at Pier 21 in Auckland at the moment – Waitangi , designed and built in 1894 by Robert Logan Snr. Like most of these old girls, a killer for marina fees i.e. 36’ waterline but 58’ on deck – with a 74’ sailing carrying length. Photos below ex Larry Paul
Screen Shot 2020-06-05 at 8.16.28 PM

Screen Shot 2020-06-05 at 8.16.01 PM

Screen Shot 2020-06-05 at 8.16.15 PM

Lake Rotoiti – Okawa Bay Holiday Camp 

Posted on by
4

Screen Shot 2020-04-15 at 7.49.21 PM

Lake Rotoiti – Okawa Bay Holiday Camp 

Today’s photo showcases a classic kiwi boating scene, this time on Lake Rotoiti. Given the appearance of several jet boats and the cars in the background, I would guess the date as the late 1960’s.
Anyone able to pin the date down and also ID the woodys seen middle right side of the photo.
During the CV-19 lock-down I spotted the photo below of KZ-7, New Zealand’s first tilt at uplifting the Americas Cup in Perth. The boat on the trailer was actually a life-size model that toured the country as a part of a fund raising roadshow. I was involved in the marketing of the challenge back then, hell 30+ years ago. The photo prompted me to find a model I had of KZ-7. No kneels on show as it was all very hush hush back then.
As part of the campaign there was an extensive range of branded merchandise the public could buy to support the team, everything from t-shirts to replica solid silver cups. Now you would have thought apparel would have been the #1 seller but no woodys, biggest selling item was branded tea-spoons. Seems there was (might still be?) this worldwide group of people that collected tea-spoons, didn’t matter what was on it – just had to have the newest one to add to their collection.
K7
IMG_5673

Herald – Sailing Sunday

Posted on by
Reply

Herald h

Herald n

HERALD – Sailing Sunday
Recently I was sent the  above gallery of photos of the small yacht – Herald, from kiwi Fred Lomas, who lives/works in Australia. The photos are from an album given to him by his ex (deceased) Omapere (near Opononi, Northland) neighbour – Aubrey Bracey.  Aubrey was a farmer / carpenter who built a couple of small boats, Herald being one of them.
How lucky were these kids to have a boat of their own at their age, these days we are just too PC.
I love the combination of paint colours – a perfect example of the old principle of only using 3 colours max on a boat. Also looks like as the kids got taller, they raised the cabin top 🙂
Devonport Yacht Club – Duder Cup – On The World Stage
Check out the link below to read / view a great story by Rob Peake, editor of the ‘Classic Boat’ magazine in the UK, on this years running of the Duder Cup race.

Ida Dips Her Toes

Posted on by
4

IMG_5573

IMG_5570

IMG_5574

IDA DIPS HER TOES

After a full restoration and a Covid19 lock down delay, the 1895 Chas Bailey designed and built by C&W Bailey, Ida finally left Horizon Boats shed on the 1st May 2020 and headed to the water (Stillwater) to be rigged. Yesterday she was lowered into the water with all sails and equipment on board so that the team could determine her water line ready for anti-fouling. At 7050kg and with her slender lines she is going to be a slippery challenge for the rest of Auckland’s A class fleet. Check out the gaff collar – talk about bling 🙂

Next steps: anti-foul coating > final rigging detail > a tidy up ready for a formal launch celebration. Bring It On!!
Well done to the whole team behind getting Ida back from Australia and restoring her – an amazing feat given Ida arrived back in New Zealand in December 2018. It goes without saying that none of this would have happened without John Street, the classic wooden boating movement owes so much to this man.
WW will have more on Ida post the official launch.
(details & photos ex The Classic Yacht Charitable Trust)
Read more on Ida at the links below
23-05-2020 – First sail
IDA 1st sail 2020

Maureen II + Off Center Harbor Wet Sunday Treat

Posted on by
7

Repaint_Completed Jan 2013

MAUREEN II
 

One of the many woodys that contacted WW for a copy of Chris McMullen’s docking tips was Mike Empson, owner of – Maureen II, a Matangi, built c1967-68 by Brin Wilson. Maureen II is 100% kauri, 36′ long and weighs approx. 9 tonnes.

Mike has been in touch with people connected to the Brin Wilson yard and been told she may have been built for someone connected to Ross Reid Contractors – that woodys is all Mike and wife Ann know about her, so would love to uncover more information on the vessel.

 
Mike has commented that he believes these boats were originally built with timber masts and timber lifeline stanchions, but Maureen II has had retro-fitted aluminium mast & boom, plus stainless lifeline stanchions. It has roller-boom reefing and a roller furling headsail.
 
Power is via a Ford 4-cyl E592 industrial stationary engine, marinised when new, by Lees Marine, fresh-water cooled. These engines were also used on the UK 4-cyl Ford Trader trucks, in the mid to late 1950’s and also on Fordson Major tractors.
Transmission is through a Parsons Marine-o-matic HG4 Mk 2 hydraulic transmission and she has a 1.75” bronze prop-shaft which is 11’6″ long. She is set up with dual station steering, which comprises a truck steering box with a long under-floor shaft, connected by chains to the two steering stations; one inside and the other in the cockpit.
WOODY WET SUNDAY TREAT 
 

As you know I’m a big fan of the website – Off Center Harbor, the site is probably best known for jaw dropping boat tours and in-depth how-to series, but the OCH lads also know how to slow down and soak up the scenery. Given the craziness of the last 5 weeks I have found myself trolling the OCH online library more than ever, looking to a cure to my boat less blues. I have some favourites that I would be embarrassed to say how many times I have viewed 🙂

Last week one that popped up again was the OCH lads doing an early morning mooch around the fleet at anchor at last summers Eggemoggin Reach Regatta in Maine. The stunning classic woodys are basking in a golden glow at dawn after the previous days racing and partying. It reminds me very much of Saturday morning at our own Mahurangi Reggata.
Chatting with Steve Stone from OCH, I mentioned the comparison as Steve was at the Mahurangi Regatta in 2019 and Steve kindly offered to supply a link to the ERR video – view it here  CLICK HERE 
 
Screen Shot 2020-05-03 at 6.42.50 AM
Early in the lock-down the OCH guys put together a special deal for waitemata woodys to help us out while we are boat less. Well the good news it is still on offer – so if you haven’t already joined up, do it today – link here 8-week membership with full access to the entire website for just $5 NZD. They’re also including an optional upgrade to an annual membership at the end of the 8 weeks at 50% off.
Woodys, signing up to OCH will be the 2nd best woody thing you have done – after discovering WW 🙂

Apache + Superb WoodenBoat Video

Posted on by
5

1587617242288-5239c35d-fcf4-43b8-b51d-0d87563f3aed

1587617289701-374aa373-e5c0-4d20-aaee-6929f063bf1e

APACHE
 
I was sent the above photos of the launch Apache by Bryce Strong. Apache has made numerous cameo appearances on WW but very little is known about her other than – being built in Te Papapa in 1939.
Bryce found the photos yesterday while sorting old photos, as you do when locked down. Bryce commented that the colour photo shows Apache with the dodger on and a steering wheel in the cockpit. The b/w photo shows her without the dodger, probably early in her life. 
We believe that Apache these days resides in Thames – any woody able to expand on what we know about Apache?
02-09-2020 Input from Bryce Strong – Bryce uncovered the photos below of Apache during a CV-19 clean up
Screen Shot 2020-09-02 at 4.28.54 PM
 
WOODENBOAT MAGAZINE VIDEO SERIES
 
Below is a very cool video where Matt Murphy the editor of WoodenBoat magazine has a conversation with Evelyn Ansel, Matt’s words :-). I won’t spoil the story but Evelyn is wooden boating blue blood, with both her father and late grandfather being at the forefront of the wooden boat movement in the USA. I first discovered Evelyn when she fronted a fb video on a project herself and a small team were working, the digitization of the Haffenreffer- Herreshoff collection at the MIT Museum of Cambridge, MA in 2016. Evelyn is currently on the curatorial team at the Herreshoff Marine Museum of Bristol, RI.
Make a cup of tea / coffee, then sit back and enjoy this insightful and entertaining video. It was recorded yesterday so is very current. Now I know its not being PC but I have to say that Evelyn is rather cute 🙂