Category Archives: Events

Otago Yachting & Motor Boat Club – 100 years ago

Posted on by
1

Screen Shot 2020-03-24 at 5.14.59 PM

Otago Yachting & Motor Boat Club – 100 years ago

I was recently sent a link to an article in the Otago Daily Times by Lindsay Grenfell. The original article ran in the ODT 100 years ago (24/03/1920. The photo above was captioned – ‘A launch load of children from orphanages leaving Dunedin wharf for the annual picnic given by the Otago Yachting and Motor Launch Club.. The launch has no markings / name board. Can anyone ID the vessel?

Auckland boaties used to run a similar gig  – link here to a WW story from back in August 2015 https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/08/12/orphans-day/

Input from Harold Kidd – INNISFREE which A C Hanlon sold to the Otago Harbour about this time when she was renamed PILOT.

WBB0003_Banner-980x160

 

WW Needs Help Navigating The Next 4 Weeks

Posted on by
9
Screen Shot 2020-03-23 at 8.53.44 PM

Duchess – 1920 Bailey & Lowe – parked off Cowes Bay, Waiheke Island

WW Needs Help Navigating The Next 4 Weeks
 
Hello Woodys
We all knew ‘Lock-Down’ was going to happen but Level 4 status so soon was a surprise, I thought we had a few more days before that. But it is the right call for the country. 
The last few days have been surreal, driving around Auckland the traffic / parking has been brilliant and almost every thing is on-sale. But no people in cafes and high street shops, so the buzz of a big city is missing – its a bit like walking down the main street in Whangarei at 2.30pm on a Saturday afternoon.
So woodys whats the next 4 weeks looking like?
• There will continue to be a daily WW story
• I’d encourage you to visit some of the WW stories from upwards of 6 years ago – there are approx. 3000 stories and over 20,000 photos on the site. Use the Search Box to find a particular boat, or a builder, year of launching etc.
• Always read the comments section on a story, there have been over 500,000 visitors to the site and 5,300,000 views, so the feedback sometimes is better reading than the story 🙂
 
I Would Love Some Help
If you have some spare time over the next few weeks during the enforced stay at home, have a look in the bottom draw for any old photos, log books and memories of you and your families boating life. Do not play god and try to decide if its of interest to WW readers, let myself and my helper – Flora McKenzie  do that 🙂
 

WOODY WATCH

I have had a cool idea – a lot of us live close to marinas. As part of your ‘allowed to do’ exercise, we could walk to the marina and check WW friends boats. Only applies to those marinas with open gates.
I’ll be strolling (its a good walk) to Bayswater once a week, so let me know if you want a txt confirming the love of your life is still afloat etc
These May Save My Marriage 🙂
Recently I purchased a pair of Bose bluetooth sunglasses that allow you to listen to music and take phone calls – there is nothing in or over your ears, so you can hear and interact with things around you. In the enforced close quarters we will find ourselves in being able to listen to your own music, shows and take mobile phone calls will be cool – I suspect there would be a murder if we were all listening to something different at the same time. Plus – perfect on the boat, last trip I listened to a whole day of cricket and could still hear the engine purring.
One of the coolest features is the gesture control for volume – to turn the volume up/down, you press and hold a button and look left or right to adjust the volume 🙂
Screen Shot 2020-03-23 at 8.30.33 PM
 
WBB0003_Banner-980x160

Annalisa

Posted on by
3

Screen Shot 2020-03-19 at 8.53.09 PM

Screen Shot 2020-03-19 at 8.54.15 PM

Screen Shot 2020-03-19 at 8.54.57 PM

Screen Shot 2020-03-19 at 8.54.40 PM

ANNALISA
Annalisa was launched in 1960 and is a 36’ Roy Parris built launch.
Powered by a Ford 120hp Lees diesel engine. Current home is Mangonui, Northland and that woodys is all we know about this woody.
Can anyone tell us more about Annalisa’s past?
(thanks to Ian MacDonald for the tme heads up)
WBB0003_Banner-980x160

2020 New Zealand Classic Yacht Regatta Photo Gallery – 100+ photos and videos

Posted on by
7

IMG_4452

IMG_4416

IMG_1732

IMG_4447

IMG_4508

IMG_4327

IMG_4333

IMG_7971

IMG_4321

A7 – Thelma / A2 – Rawhiti

IMG_4344

IMG_4454

IMG_4392

IMG_4513

2020 New Zealand Classic Yacht Regatta Photo Gallery – 100+ photos and videos

As I have mentioned in the last two WW stories, the Classic Yacht Association of New Zealand have over the last 3 days been running its annual classic yachting event on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour.
The near perfect conditions on all three days made for happy skippers and a relieved race organisers. I was on the water for two of the three days and had a blast. The gallery above is a mix of Races 1/2/3. If your boat doesn’t make an appearance, I apologize, I was only a passenger, so captured those that were within range.
On the second day, James Dreyer and myself hosted the world acclaimed marine photographer Benjamin Mendlowitz onboard Jame’s motorboat – Laughing Lady, the perfect platform for recording the on the water activities.
For me it was a master class in boat positioning and photography angles, I tried to keep out of Ben’s way and took the above photos / videos when I could without being in Ben’s line of sight.
These days the CYA run the regatta using the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron as Race HQ and entertainment hub, it is the perfect venue and as always the service and staff were 10/10.
 Scroll down for the official regatta results below
As always – click on photos to enlarge.
Race Course Videos Below (Races 2/3)
RANGER

PRIZE

A DIVISION

ARIKI

RAWHITI

CORONA

IMG_4612
Screen Shot 2020-03-09 at 11.39.20 AM
WBB0003_Banner-980x160

Ngarurua + CYA Regatta Sailing Photos

Posted on by
1

Screen Shot 2020-03-07 at 10.53.59 PM

Screen Shot 2020-03-07 at 10.53.18 PM

NGARURUA

The 37’ Ngaruroa was built by Nobby Clark, a commercial boat builder and launched in 1965. Built from carvel plank, heart kauri. Powered by a 120hp 6 cylinder Perkins diesel engine. 
Over the last 8 years she has been under gone an extensive re-fit and her owner now finds themselves just too busy to complete the project – so if there is a woody out there handy with their hands – Ngarurua just needs her interior finished and a lick of paint. She is fully operational in its present state. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up.

CYA CLASSIC YACHT REGATTA UPDATE – DAY TWO (Races 2&3)
Yesterday morning I was dock side at Race HQ co-ordinating a meet up between renowned wooden boat photographer Benjamin Mendlowitz and James Dreyer (MV Laughing Lady) and I got ‘press ganged’ into accompanying them on LL for the day. Was not what I had planned but sometimes you just go with the flow.
Had an amazing day and got some great sailing photos. A taste below – full story on Monday.
IMG_4469

A10 – Thelma / A7 – Rainbow

IMG_4471

A7 – Thelma / A2 – Rawhiti

IMG_4447

A16 – Little Jim

 Classic Wooden Launches + Classic Sailing Regatta Photos

Posted on by
2

IMG_4283

Help Needed Identifying Classic Wooden Launches

The above photo shows three launches (+ a peek on a 4th on the far left) moored in Hobson Bay, Auckland. The photo is from the Edward Double Collection (1930-1940), and comes to us via Maurice Sharp’s fb.
Can we ID the boats?
2020 CYA Classic Yacht Regatta
The annual 3 day sailing regatta is in progress and yesterday I crewed on Jason Prew’s 1904, Logan built gaffer – Wairiki in Race 1.
Now I have always heard dock chat that Wairiki was a wet boat, well folks I can confirm thats an understatement,
I think you would be dryer on a sail board 🙂 Water aside (it was warm) it was a great afternoon with nice people – Jason Prew, Steve Horsley, Micheal O’Dwyer and Joyce Talbot.
In-between waves and spray I managed to snap a few photos – a taste below – more tomorrow. Enjoy.
IMG_4330

Ariki – 1904 Logan

IMG_4344

Windhaven II – Colin Wild

IMG_4302
IMG_4323

Wairiki – Onboard foot spa

IMG_4350

Jason Prew & Steve Horsley (L>R)

IMG_4372

Race HQ @ RNZYS

IMG_4376

Mike O’Dywer, Steve Horsley, Alan Houghton

Mystery Launch At Waiheke Island

Posted on by
6

IMG_4191

IMG_4193

Mystery Launch At Waiheke Island

Mooching around Sandy Bay I spotted the above woody – it looks familiar. Not anchored, on a mooring so maybe she is an Island boat.
I’m sure someone smarter than me can ID her.
Woodys Classics Waiheke BBQ & Pizza Lunch – Trip Report
IMG_4185
Another great turn out for Saturdays gathering at Little Oneroa – I counted 16 woodys in the bay, rowing past a couple I may have detected a whiff of PVC but they were lookers and all had a healthy mix of timber and bronze. Attending boats tagged in the story.
Most people decided to order lunch from the wood-fired pizza caravan and were not disappointed – very yum.
The timing seemed to work for everyone – several boat travelled long distances to participate and 1/2 the fleet were just there for the day. Also dog friendly venues are appreciated – again 1/2 the boats had pooches aboard. Perfect weather and very low numbers of what the islanders call ‘day trippers’.
As proof that all you need to be welcomed at a Woody Classics event, is a passion for wooden boats – my boat of the day was Allan and Pam Hooper’s – Katherine. Her dinghy (built by Allan) gets her a 10/10 tick in my book.   You can read more about Katherine here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/02/03/katherine/
IMG_4228

Katherine

IMG_4229
IMG_4168

Little Oneroa – Waiheke Island

Oneroa
Oneroa
I spotted Allan’s dinghy ashore on Sunday morning  at Oneroa – now Allan is a perfectionist, so his score drops to 9.9/10 – he left the stickers on the oars 🙂
IMG_4214

Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – WW Best Boat Award

Posted on by
1

P1080191

_1080420

_1080421

_1080397

Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – WW Best Boat Award

The launch Ellen is owned by Helen and Grant Wallace. She measures 26’ and is based on a ‘Milkmaid’ Bailey & Lowe design.
Ellen falls into the ’spirit of tradition’ category, being built of strip plank cedar by Malcolm Sowman in 2006 from a ‘plug’ taken of an old abandoned hull found in Kopu.
A 29hp diesel with standard straight drive pushes her along effortlessly.
I crawled all over her and in my eyes she is perfect, with some very cool touches e.g. her gauges are mounted in a fold away ‘draw’ and the bow ladder is a work of art.
Grant – I hope you found the WW gift I left on board 🙂
WBB0003_Banner-980x160

2020 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – 150+ photos

Posted on by
1

IMG_3900

P1080185

P1080204

THE PARADE

P1080337

P1080338

THE PICNIC

_1080415

_1080460

_1080471

_1080405

_1080448

2020 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE – 150+ Photos

From my eyes, this years parade was the best I have been to – brilliant on-the-water marshalling in terms of herding the ducklings into the right order and the skippers kept the boats moving thru at the right speed + an entertaining and informative commentary from ex commodore Grant Cossey. As always the event would grind to a halt without the services of Rachel Jamieson, to call her the club secretary would be a joke, everyone one involved with the parade that excels in their individual roles does so because of Rachel – well done again.
For most of the parade the sun and the clouds behaved, so only a few ‘average’ photos.
Several new boats and a lot had been given some TLC over winter.
Enjoy the gallery of photos from the day, it was a cracker and made the 7 hours of driving yesterday worth while.
As always, if you like on a photo, click on it and it will enlarge, if you are a boat owner and would like a high res copy of your boat photo, just drop me an email and I’ll send it to you.   waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Below are the links that allows you to view a summary of the boats participating in this years parade – check out the number card displayed on the boat and look it up for details 😉

 

WBB0003_Banner-980x160

A Woody Boating Day Of Two Halves 

Posted on by
Reply

P1080183

 

P1080328

_1080449

IMG_3916

A Woody Boating Day Of Two Halves 
When I woke up yesterday, the first major decision was – “may I driving to Lake Rotoiti for the annual Classic & Wooden Boat Parade?” Almost didn’t, and I’m so glad I did – its such a cool event – brilliant location – cool boats – and the nicest people. Tomorrows WW story will be mammoth , so many boats to show you.
But today I thought I would share with you the two extremes of woody boating I enjoyed today.
At the end of the Parade I hitched a ride across the lake to the picnic venue aboard Gillian & Grant Cossey’s 1911, Collings & Bell built, 22’ launch – Elva. Grant does the shore based commentary for the parade, greatly appreciated by those that gather lakeside to view the parade. Grant also did the same gig for this years Mahurangi Regatta launch parade.
On my return trip from the picnic I was offered a ‘ride’ on Florence & Rod Prosser’s just rebuilt and launched speed boat – powered by a very souped up 1960’s small block Chev 327ci V8. Earlier in the day I went for a blast that saw us doing 45mph with the engine only at 1/2 throttle – the acceleration is startling, one minute your idling allow, next thing you are pinned to the seat. Sorry taking photos was impossible.
A couple of videos below (turn your sound up), to give you an idea of the sound and speed – no windscreen !
Back Monday with a snapshot of the Parade and picnic.
WBB0003_Banner-980x160