Category Archives: Events

The Launching of Eileen Patricia – 1933 classic motor boat – 50+ photos

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THE LAUNCHING OF THE CLASSIC WOODEN MOTOR BOAT – EILEEN PATRICIA

It was an early (8.30am) start yesterday morning for the classic woodys that gathered to witness Jenni & Peter Mence re-launching Eileen Patricia at The Milford Slipway (ex Geoff Bagnall yard).
The 1933 Arnold Couldrey designed and built motor launch has just undergone a 4+ year restoration at Marco Scuderi’s – MCN Shipwrights yard.
WW has followed the restoration and the links below will take you back to her early days (as launched) and as ‘rescued / saved’ by Peter, thru to leaving Marco’s yard.
The weather forecast didn’t look good, but as always for classic woody events, the sun shone at the right moments and Eileen Patricia was launched in a style befitting a 86 year old lady – Jazz band + Champagne and scones.
Several guests arrived in period costume and the ‘Best In Show’ ribbon would have to go to Paul Powney who sported an original Auckland Motor Yacht Club blazer (photos below).
A special touch was the attendance of several descendants of Eileen Patricai’s builder A. Couldrey.
Links to older WW Stories on Eileen Patricia
The Big Event Launching Video (turn up the volume, nice music)

 

Two of our finest woodies My Girl and Pacific were on hand to escort Eileen Patricia out of the marina and home to her new marina.
Best In Show Ribbon Winner 

 

Update – video footage of Eileen Patricia underway just after launching. Ex Nathan Herbert.

Update2 – Link below to the restoration – amazing collection / essay of the total restoration – a must view

https://www.mcnshipwrights.com/eileen-patricia.html

Update3  – Video of Pacific, Eileen Patricia and My Girl leaving the Milford Marina / creek. Sent in by Paul Powney.

Restoration of Te Uira begins

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RESTORATION OF TE UIRA BEGINS 
 
Pleased to announce that the restoration of 45’ C & W Bailey built (1896) Te Uira has finally begun in Australia.
During the week I was contacted by Colin Grazules with the news – I’ll let Colin tell you the story.
 
“We have constructed a new wee shed to house the old girl and the steel and iron keel has been removed.
At this stage we are envisioning that the restoration back to her original condition should take 2 to 3 years all going well.
The owners wish is to return her to as close to her launch configuration as possible.

We will begin by removing the ribs that were added to stop her leaking in 1898.

But we need your help.

We need if possible a detailed plan of where the original stringers were installed and the triangular beam that sat on top of the floors?
A plan or photos of what the original keel would have looked like would be greatly appreciated.
I have a copy of Robert Brooke’s book ‘Beautiful Boats’ but unfortunately the plans in the book have little detail on this. 

A deck plan would also be of great assistance including including where the original mast step would have been installed etc.

Well this is just the start and I’m hoping this will become an ongoing conversation to ensure that we can do justice to Te Uira and her heritage!!

I intend to post the restoration on the NZ Classic Yacht Forum and on the Cygnet Wooden Boats FB page and will keep you appraised of the progress.”

 

Below are two videos of the keel removal.

Previous Input From Harold Kidd

TE UIRA (usually shortened in Oz to UIRA) was built by C.& W. Bailey and launched on 17th October 1896 for Gidgeon Palmer of Melbourne as a 5 rater.
She was taken across by the steamer TARAWERA with Chas. Bailey Jr going with her to settle her in.
She was quite successful in Melbourne but came up against SAYONARA, the bigger Fife-designed cutter.
She raced in Melbourne with the St. Kilda club for many years, converted to a Marconi rig in 1925.
 
You can also eat / see more here  https://wordpress.com/post/waitematawoodys.com/13298

Mason B – Bay of Islands Woody Launching

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Mason B – Bay of Islands Woody Launching

 The caption on the photo / press clipping (ex Lew Redwood) reads “A new fishing launch takes the water from the builder’s shed. Mr W. Mason Bayly is the owner”

It was also tagged “Early preparations for the forthcoming dee-sea fishing season at Russell, North Auckland”
The date is August 1926.
Can we put a name to the boat, designer/builder, location?
Harold Kidd Input – She is MASON B, designed and built for W. Mason Bayly by Leon Warne and launched in August 1926 from Warne’s shed at Russell. She was30′ x 8’6″ and had a 30/40 hp Kermath. She replaced Bayly’s GISPA (ex-GLADYS).
Help Wanted
Any one have a base like the one circled below, tucked away anywhere? Or something similar. A woody friend has a spotlight but no matching base.  Any condition ok.
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Jeunesse Awaits A Letter From the Queen

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Jeunesse Awaits A Letter From the Queen

John Wright’s woody – Jeunesse, built in 1919 (most likely) by Dick Lang has hit the ton, she turns 100 this year and John is in the process of giving her a wee tart up, which any old girl of this age deserves.

John is a master craftsman’s who has the eye and skills to turn a woody from a good looking woody launch into a stunning classic launch.

Jeunesse measures 39’, with a beam of 11’ and draws 3’. Tucked away down below is a 180hp Hino so when asked she can lift her skirt and dance 😊

You can view a gallery of b/w photos from her early days here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/11/30/jeunesse-2/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/09/17/14170/

UPDATE 02-03-2020 Photos below of John Wright’s – Jeunesse in the 2020 Auckland Anniversary Day regatta. Sent in by Brett Evans.

Jeunesse 1

Jeunesse 2

 

Dargaville Woody Launch Race

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Dargaville Woody Launch Race
 
 Over Easter the Northern Wairoa Boating Club held their annual race day, with entries from Helensville, Pahi and Te Kopuru.
In the above above ex Dave Stanaway – we see Florence, Irene + various boats, including a ketch rigged scow type named Marlin.
Dave reports every had a great day out on the water and would like to thank Steve on his launch Rodney for the hospitality.
As always with these events the race was followed in the evening by a very friendly prize giving / get together.

CYA Double Banger – Riverhead Launch Cruise + Vintage & Veterans Yacht Race

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My Girl

Little JimA16 + Raindance
Oke Bay
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Monterey
Manapouri + Altair
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(F) Volantis (R) Altair + Tasman Star + Nana

 

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Monterey, Te Arahi, Altair, Manapouri

CYA Double Banger – Riverhead Launch Cruise + Vintage & Veterans Yacht Race

While mooching around under the Harbour Bridge waiting for the launch stragglers , I snapped a few photos of the yacht fleet tuning up for the start of the annual Vintage & Veterans yacht race – Photos below
The weather for the launch cruise was almost ideal, after we had arrived at the Riverhead Tavern and had planted ourselves in the bar, the rain started, so while we by dinning and chatting – the old girls got a fresh water wash down – perfect.
A good turn out for late in the season – 16 woodys – made up of 12 CYA members and 4 woodys that joined us for the day. I convinced one to join, but Jason Prew tells me I need to improve on my 25% conversion rate 🙂
Nice to catch up with those that made the trip by motorcar.
As always the food was excellent, just a wee hick-up with a power oops slowed the service down a tad but all good.
Sorry if I missed your woody with my camera – the fleet were very spaced out, so arrive times didn’t suit the need to sustenance 😉
As always, click photos to enlarge.
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Rawhiti A2 + Rainbow A7 + Waitangi A6

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Rainbow A7 + Rawhiti A2 + Ariki A3 + Little Jim A16
Rainbow A7 + Waitangi A6
Spray II. 725
Katrina II. K100
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Little Jim A16

Photos below of Thelma sent in by Simon Smith

Russell Boating Regatta – 1952

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Russell Boating Regatta – 1952

Today’s photo comes to us from Lew Redwood’s fb and shows an impressive crowd gathered on the foreshore in front of the Duke of Marlborough Hotel at Russell in the Bay of Islands to viewed the December 1952 regatta. What an eclectic mix of craft – centre boarders, speed boats & even a hydro plane.
Hopefully tomorrows CYA woody launch cruise to the Riverhead Hotel will see similar numbers turning out 😉
Remember 11am @ the Harbour Bride – 12pm off Lucus Creek – eta hotel at 12.30pm 
And woodys lets all follow the leader, then you won’t embarrass the rest of us woody boaters – lets leave it to the plastic boys to take the short cuts 🙂
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Royal Saxon 1939 Game Fishing Cruise 

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Royal Saxon 1939 Game Fishing Cruise 

 I was recently contacted by Martin Howson in regard to the existence of a journal documenting a 1939 fishing cruise aboard the 36’, Colin Wild built 1930 bridge decker – Royal Saxon to Mayor Island, Bay of Plenty. The journal was penned in 1997 by a friend of Martin’s late uncle – Harold C. Clark. Harold crossed the bar not long after writing the story.
At the time of the game fishing cruise Royal Saxon was owned and skippered by Claude Kendall of Hamilton – the crew on the trip consisted of Claude Kendall, Jack Kendall (Claude’s father), Bert Craike, Harold Clark and a friend of Claude’s named Sam.
You can see / read on Royal Saxon here
Enjoy the read it is a cracker.

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Input from Mark Jarvis – photos below of Royal Saxon in her winter berth in Riwaka.

 

Woody Weekend Coming Up

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WOODY WEEKEND – THIS SUNDAY
This Sunday (14th) sees the CYA’s last launch hurrah for the summer – a cruise to the Riverhead Tavern. Conditions and timing are perfect and very civilised for a Sunday – 3m High Water @ 2.30pm, so we will be sliding up the ‘creek’ at 12>12.30pm. Leaving the hotel around 3.30.
For those leaving from the city and further east – there will be a gathering in the vicinity of the harbour bridge around 11am , with a re-group off Lucus Creek at approx. 12pm.
The occasional person comments to me “what Riverhead again” – but these trips are a great boating day and we get to mix & mingle at a cool venue, it’s also perfect for inviting friends and family that normally wouldn’t attend events ‘at sea’. If you are boat-less, its only a 1/2 hr drive from the CBD, so no excuse for not making an appearance.
The food is very good – from a simple burger & fries to sometime a little more up market 🙂 all tastes and budgets are catered for, and you don’t even have to dine – just enjoy a fizzy beverage and chat on the deck.
Remember to bring your dinghy, and if your unsure as to the best spot to anchor, just follow someone who looks like they know what they are doing.
See you there.
If you’re reading this and you’re not a current Classic Yacht Association member, tag along and find out what you have been missing.
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What Are You Doing This Winter

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BOAT CRAFTS

Today I’d like to intro boatcrafts.nz  the new initiative from the NZ Traditional Boatbuilding School – in my words its a very hands-on series of workshops where we can learn / brush-up on the basic fundamentals of maintaining, restoring or building a wooden boat. The trustees, sounds a bit posh 🙂 are just a bunch of passionate kiwi boaties that care about the future of the wooden boating movement and unlike most of us are actually doing something to help us all out.
I’ll let the NZTBBS guys tell the story, see below. Note: Links to the individual courses are at the bottom of the page. Or check out the website.
Have a read and decide what interests you the most – I’m sure the 1st – “ Marine Propulsion Systems” would appeal to all boat owners – but note – numbers are limited to 20, so get in quick. Shortly we will be running a survey asking for your help on what subjects appeal the most – more details soon.
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LINKS
MARINE PROPULSION SYSTEMS 
BUILD A 1/2 MODEL                             
ESSENTIAL SKILLS COURSE
LOFTING
WORKING WITH COMPOSITES
STEAM BEDING AND FITTING RIBS