Whangateau Traditional Boats Regatta – Part Two
photos Shane Anderson, Mark Lever, Alan Wallace & Phillip Jones
Remember clicking on the photos will enlarge then for your viewing
See previous post (below) for more photos
Whangateau Traditional Boats Regatta – Part One
This is the coolest thing happening, down under, in the traditional wooden boating world – if you have not been to Tramcar Bay, you need to ask yourself how serious you are about wooden boats.
photos Shane Anderson, Mark Lever, Alan Wallace & Phillip Jones
Clicking on the photos above will enlarge them 😉
Saturday March 8th was the 12th year that Whangateau Traditional Boats has hosted a regatta at Tramcar Bay Whangateau. The regatta was initiated by Russell Ward who in the early days focused on steamboat maintenance. Russell held 2-3 regattas before Pam Cundy and George Emtage started repairing their first boats at the historic boat building sheds 9 years ago.
Whangateau Traditional Boats are involved with the preservation and restoration of classic and traditionally built wooden boats, both big & small. George and Pam (both boat builders) have amassed a fleet of traditional planked small craft. Some purchased, many donated, some saved from the tip but all needing their restoration skills. The regatta is a perfect venue for Pam & George to showcase these boats & provides the local community with the opportunity to participate. The craft are offered for the publics use, as they want to create opportunities and acceptance of our traditional wooden boat heritage. These craft are complementary to the ongoing survival of the historic boatbuilding shed and yard.
On regatta day some arrive with their own small boats, others help and crew on the WTB fleet, many just enjoy the spectacle and a day on the beach. Among the small boats held by WTB are 7 x Z class, 3 x Idle Alongs, 1 x Frostbite, 3 x Cadet training boats, 2 x Dory’s, 1 x S class open 16ft, 1 x T class open 14ft & then some.
Bridging the gap between these small boats and some of the larger boats WTB are restoring is Desdimona, an 18ft Mullet boat seen in some of the photos.
The conditions on the Saturday were near perfect – full sun, high tide at 1.00 pm & a light 5 knot breeze.
The historic red sheds sit amongst the mangroves on Tramcar Bay. The beach is very tidal with enough water for small boats approx 1.5 hours either side of high tide. So the regatta is a brief 2-3 hours of sailing time & the format is casual – sail it, row it, talk it. All levels & ages of sailors & rowers are welcome. But keep an eye on your watch, get the timing wrong & there’s a long walk over the mud flats. The regatta is a great get together for the local boating community. Pam and George generously host the event with the historic boat building sheds open on the beach. The March regatta was so popular another will be held very soon – date tbc.
Enjoy the photos, more tomorrow 🙂
NAUTILUS
Built by Lanes in 1948 Nautilus, 8.5m, is currently a lake boat on Lake Rotoiti, pictured above at the 2014 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade. She came to the lake in 1996 having been previously based at Tauranga.
Anyone able to expand on her life ?
A Woody Weekend
photos from alan houghton & brian fulton.
Just back from the CYA Waiheke Cruise, 9 woodys did the trip to the bottom end & despite the weather forecast – enjoyed stunning weather. It was great to see some of our new members joining in – Seagull (Lyndsay & Paul Burton), Manapouri (Suzie & Mark Sorrenson) & Ngaio (Lancia & Ian Kohler). The hardy souls (yes I was one) that did the Stoney Batter walk on Saturday morning certainly earned the ice cold beer that greeted them back at the beach front Man O’ War Winery. It was extra nice not having the normal long weekend / xmas period crowds.
On the subject of MOW, I have to say that the Spencer family have done Auckland proud with their total Island experience, the farm is beautiful (if you can say that about a working farm) & the winery has added another gem to boaties things to do at the bottom end list. There were a few teething problems in the early days but now it very very slick.
Late Saturday afternoon saw the flotilla move over to Rotoroa Island for a BBQ, again another of Auckland’s old families – the Plowmans – need to be thanked for their generosity, the Island & it facilities are amazing. The sunset was the icing on the cake.
On route to Rotoroa we had one of those wow on the water moments – the 300′ super yacht Nahlin cruised by. Most saw her berthed at the Viaduct but out & up close in our gulf – a breathtaking sight. I used to say Rawhiti had the best bum in the fleet (technically she still does) but the stern on Nahlin is a work of art. As Barbara Cooke (Trinidad) commented “I think she’s the most beautiful thing that ever floated on water. Hauntingly and nostalgicly romantic”.
Enjoy the photos, we enjoyed the weekend.
Keeping Fine Company
photos ex Brian Fulton
Anchored this morning at Rotoroa Island along with a fine collection of classic woodys. Yesterday after lunch at Man ‘O War vineyard (Waiheke Island) several of us where motoring across the Waiheke Channel when we were ‘joined’ by the rather grand 300′ super yacht Nahlin, owned by British industrial entrepreneur Sir James Dyson. Truely a magniciciant 1930 ship.
The CYA gang all went a shore for a BBQ dinner at Rotoroa & later a very shinny black chopper landed to collect Sir & Lady James who had spent the day on Rotoroa.
We were treated to a stunning sunset.
CYA Classic Yacht Regatta
The Southern Trust sponsored 2014 CYA Classic Yacht Regatta was cancelled for safety reasons due to Cyclone Luis.
The (blue) link below is to the official event programme, check out some great photos & the very loyal event sponsors.
Sailing Sunday – K Class Rally
This weekend just gone, Peter Mence herded a collection of the CYA K-Class fleet together for a wee gathering. The weekend started off with drinks aboard the yachts that came into the Viaduct for the dinner later in the evening. Saturday saw a race to Kawau Island, with a BBQ ashore at John Pryor’s
The photos above are from Friday at the Viaduct.
SUZIE
NZ built (kauri) in approx. 1935-40, Suzie is 16′ & based on a Chris Craft design. She has been in the same family since 1955 & underwent an extensive restoration in 2011.
Pictured here at the 2014 Lake Rotoiti Classic Wooden Boat Parade.
2014 Lake Rotoiti (Nth Island) Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – Snapshot
This collection of photos is my attempt to record the entrants & the venue of this spectacular event. The team behind the whole weekend also deserve a big shout out as it was all pretty slick & the hospitality showed to the out-of-towners was first-rate.
Enjoy the show, sorry its a bit long, but there are just so many wonderful craft on the lake. I have included a few bits of ‘eye candy’ (close ups) 🙂
More photos here, including from the launch picnic at Wairau Bay
The Two Extremes Of Classic Boating
While at the 2014 Classic & Wooden Boat Parade on Lake Rotoiti at the weekend I had the opportunity to experience the two extremes of classic wooden boating.
Firstly on Saturday morning I was a invited for a tour of the bays by Russell Ward, the skipper of the steam boat ‘Romany’. I have a bit of a thing for steam so this was very special.
The days activities had been postponed due to crap weather- it drizzled all day, so getting out on the lake was a bonus.
Late in the day the opportunity arose to take a ride in Shawn & Cathy Vennell’s ‘Judy H’, a replica 19’6″ Chris Craft runabout powered by a 5.7 V8. Doing 75kph across the lake at dusk with a V8 roaring in your ear is stunning – the acceleration was like a drag car & the ride was so smooth. Now this may not appeal to the yachtie ww readers but myself & Chris Miller were ‘moved’ 🙂
When I get time tonight I will do a full post on the weekend (event ran on Sunday)
Launching video ex Chris Miller
Idling & Underway ex Alan H
