Category Archives: For Sale

CLASSIC SPEEDBOAT BLACK TULIP – LOST HER SHINE, KEPT HER ATTITUDE

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CLASSIC SPEEDBOAT BLACK TULIP – LOST HER SHINE, KEPT HER ATTITUDE

Earlier in the week one of my Picton spies (Steve) spotted a ’new’ arrival at Waikawa Marina, in Picton. Boats name is BLACK TULIP, which rang a few bells with Steve, so a quick WW search popped up a July 2022 story – link below. At the time Dean Wright had spotted the boat sign and dry in Paihia. 

Whilst needing some TLC she was a looker and we learnt that she was a Mason Clipper 23 and came with an impressive power boat racing history. https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/07/22/black-tulip-where-is-she-today/

Now a few days later she popps up on tme – post an extensive make over, and powered by a 280hp Yanmar, that sees her topping out at 23 knots.

An oid salt told me once that once you lose the varnish on a classic ,it just becomes another white boat – well I think if you check out the photos below, you would have to agree, she has lost the WoW factor – but its only paint and maybe the next owner will see the light 🙂

NO EXCUSES – GET OUT ON THE WATER THIS SUMMER + Whangarei Maritime Festival Details 

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NO EXCUSES – GET OUT ON THE WATER THIS SUMMER + Whangarei Maritime Festival Details 

Todays story stretches the WW statute around what’s a classic wooden boat but in our book beauty always wins. I know its plywood and probably has some f/glass but at sub $10k you get a very smart looking boat the will turn heads and get admiring thumbs up.

And you get to bring it home and avoid the marina robber barons. In the last 10 yrs been garaged and mostly used on the central north island lakes. If in late summer you decide boatings not for you – re-list it , I’d be surprised if you lost anything on the purchase price.

2025 WHANGAREI MARITIME FESTIVAL

In just over a week (Oct 11>12) the salty Whangarei folks are hosting the annual –  WHANGAREI MARITIME FESTIVAL at the Whangarei Town Basin. If you haven’t attended before, it is time you did – why?

1. There will be an impressive on & off -the-water display of classic and traditional water craft

2. Hands-on maritime displays +  interactive learning experiences

3. A Kids’ Zone + live music on the waterfront, and maritime talks

4, Entry is FREE

5. With the new expressways it is less than 2 hours drive from Auckland

6. Your car needs a good run 🙂

Now do not think this is a small-scale event – last year 20,000+ people attended the festival, including me – you choose whether you go Saturday or Sunday, but my recommendation would be Saturday, the Town Basin has more of a buzz on Saturdays + lots of markets in the area for those that are bored easily with things boating related.

Link to 2024 Festival WW storyhttps://waitematawoodys.com/2023/10/16/whangarei-maritime-festival-trip-report/

KEY INTEL October 11th and 12th 2025

Whangārei Town Basin – Free Entry

More info: www.whangareimaritimefestival.co.nz

A 1908 CLASSIC WOODEN LAKE BOAT – LOGAN LINEAGE ? + 2026 WOODEN BOATING EVENT CALENDAR

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A 1908 CLASSIC WOODEN LAKE BOAT – LOGAN LINEAGE ? + 2026 WOODEN BOATING EVENT CALENDAR

Todays classic wooden launch is named – RICHMOND ROSE, and has recently made an appearance on tme (thanks Ian McDonald).

The story goes that she was built in 1908 by Logan, is 26’ in length and powered by a ‘well’ mounted Yamaha 9.9hp 4stroke outboard.

Sadly her kauri planks have been glassed over. Home is Lake Rotoiti

I suspect a name change at some stage as in/around the 1908 period most Logan launches were ‘canoe stern / double enders’.

A search of Harold Kidd and Robin Elliott’s book The Logans’ drew a blank.

So woodys can we learn more about this classic wooden launch and confirm her design / builder and year.

PUT THESE WOODYS DATES IN YOUR 2026 DIARY

ONE OF THEM IS DREAMING – 17’ V 40’ WOODY

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ONE OF THEM IS DREAMING – 17’ V 40’ WOODY

An unnamed woody recently sent me a link to a craft on tme with a one line note “wow check this out, you should buy it”.

Well woodys turns out the craft was a 1955 17’ speedboat . Bui;t by someone named ‘Lewis’ and repowered with a 350hp Mercury inboard V8, capable of 90 kph (50 knots). 

Short answer – not for me.

Reading the listing it was all a little OTT eg “Rare vintage boats like this almost never come up for sale”, well thats not correct tme has mutable listings and then this line – “Trade-ins and finance welcome, and transport can be arranged nationwide.”

The nostrils started to twitch , smells like a car dealer…… well reading on turns out it was being sold by a car yard. And with a $40>45k price tag someones been sniffing the fuel tank.

So what’s the real story today – well this listing just illustrates the current divide between classic wooden motorboats and zoom zoom recreational trailer craft. 

For the same $$ you could own the 40’ Miller & Tunnage classic woody below and do laps of NZ.

A WOODEN BOATING TIME CAPSULE – 1913 NZ YACHTSMAN 

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A WOODEN BOATING TIME CAPSULE – 1913 NZ YACHTSMAN 

Yesterday in the post I received a package from Denis O’Callahan, past owner of MV TASMAN. Denis had recently been going thru his ’to good to throw out’ files and found a collection of old boating magazine from 1911, 1913,1938 and 1958 – after a quick glance I had to put them away before I wrote the whole day off 🙂

A couple of things did catch my eye – 

1. The above advertisement for the Central Boating Company, promoting the Hyde Propeller and Regal engine – which CBC were agents for. I assume the motor boat in the advertisement is named REGAL as a result of its engine and that it ran a Hyde Propeller – caption reads 15.38 knots, very impressive for the size of boat. But, back then there were very little home comforts aboard, so significantly lighter. Further on in the issue we learn that REGAL did have a 32hp Regal engine and her specs were 32′ in length with a 6’10” beam, She was also for sale, no price mentioned.

Do we know what became of REGAL

2. A boats for sale listing from 1913, see below. One of my pet frustrations with boat dealers is they never show / list a boats name, in fact even go as far as removing the name from the photos if the name is visible . The vessels name is an integral part of its DNA, equal to designer / builder / specs etc.

One can only assume the boat dealer is too insecure to publish the name. 

Well after reading the 1913 December issue of New Zealand Yachtsman seems the insecurity has been around 100+ years, after reading the listing I wasn’t able to put a name to any of the launch for sale descriptions. The reference to a race winner on the 3rd from top listing might make that one identifiable. 

CLASSIC LOGAN WOODEN LAUNCH – MAXIE – NEEDS SAVING

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CLASSIC LOGAN WOODEN LAUNCH – MAXIE – NEEDS SAVING

If we believe her tme story, the classic wooden launch – MAXIE, was built in 1903 by Logan Bros in Auckland. That makes her royalty in the NZ classic boating world – with a starting bid of $10k, someone needs to snap her up quick. Home is Lake Taupo.

What we know from tme is she is 32’ in length, and powered by a 75hp Ford 2701E diesel engine.

Back in 1985 she had some serious work done which included a new engine, new deck and new cabin. The hull is double skin kauri and in sound condition as is the cabin structure. The deck as seen in the photos has rot and is leaking and in need of replacement.

So woodys who is going to step up and take over ownership of this blue blood classic Logan launch.

UPDATE – I asked Harold Kidd if MAXIE was the real deal – answer below “Yes it is. She was built as LIGAR for H H  Harris of Pelorus but was sold to the Kennys at Picton then on to Wellington in the early 1920s renamed MAXIE. She was there for many years but has been on Taupo recently.She’s in the Logan book as unknown built for Harris in late 1903.”

INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – Photo below of MAXIE at Paremata Wellington not long after her rebuild and before coming to Taupo – in the 1980’s?

MYSTERY WOODEN LAUNCH – ENTRY LEVEL CLASSIC 

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MYSTERY WOODEN LAUNCH – ENTRY LEVEL CLASSIC 

Todays woody bridge-decker is only a classic because the seller choices to not record her name, nor builder (made not known). What we know is she is 32’ in length, has a beam of 8’3”, and draws just over 3’ and is built from kauri.

Forward motion is via a 4 cyl., 3.6L Fordson Major diesel engine.

Currently inWellington, previously Christchurch and Auckland before that. Given current tme bid of $1500 (reserve meet), could be a good buy given what appears to be a lot of worked / $$ done to her. (thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up)

Can we put a name to the vessel and maybe learn who built her and when.

RSVP TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – BALSONA – TO GOOD TO BE TRUE STORY

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – BALSONA – To Good To Be True Story

The 50’ Oliver & Gilpin 1967 built wooden launch – BALSONA recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) – the asking price was $25k ono, including her Hobsonville marina berth. Now it seems a bit whiffy – big boat, twin Ford 130 hp engines , over $300k spent etc BUT only one photo shown(as above).

BALSONA made a brief appearance on WW in Jan 2021 link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/01/26/balsona-classic-launch-parade/

I’d like to be proved wrong but I suspect this offering is an attempt to exit the Hobsonville marina berth lease. These days a lot of marina ownership is really a liability eg est. only 6 years term left x 12 months = 72 payments x maybe $1,200 mth for a 15m marina berth = $86,000. Thence a lot of the berths are for sale at $1,000 or even free.

As mentioned in the listing owner open to partnership, sweat equity / payment.

So if you’re looking for a cheapish waterfront home, BALSONA might be an option. 

SURPRISE – EX WOODY WHALE CHASER NEEDS RESCUING 

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SURPRISE – EX WOODY WHALE CHASER NEEDS RESCUING 

WW has recently been contacted by Jeff Giddens concerning the Picton built 36′ ex whale chaser – SURPRISE. 

Jeff owns a boat shed at Mana, Paremata, in Wellington and a fellow resident owns the whale chaser. Jeff commented that the craft has been out of the water for some years and is now for sale. These craft hold a special place in NZ’s Maritime history and any example needs to be saved. See old Sea Spray magazine artice on the history of these craft.
Jeff mentioned that she probably needs some work in the hull, and the project is best suited a retired boatbuilder or the like. There is an engine sitting in place, could possibly be a TS3 Commer, condition unknown.

Any woodys interested in taking on the project can contact Jeff at j.giddens@xtra.co.nz

SUNDAYS CLASSIC WOODY BOAT QUIZ- WINNER/S

This got a little complicated – the plaque on the front – see below, incorrectly ID’ed one of the boats. But this was my base and one woody – Noel Baker, entered with the answer that matched the plaque. Then Ken Ricketts entered with a massive (as he does) entry where he supplied intel that differed from the plaque. Consulted Nathan Herbert re the boat names and the boat names matched KR entry.

So decided that in fairness to both – I’d split the prize – NB gets the OCH cap and KR the WW T-shirt. In regard the split it was based on the physical size of these two gents 🙂

I have added an edited version of KR’s entry to the WW story for those interested. Link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/08/10/a-classic-wooden-boat-quiz-win-an-off-center-harbor-cap/

WAIKARO – Exceptional Classic Wooden Boat – 4sale

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WAIKARO – Exceptional Classic Wooden Boat – 4sale

Todays woody story features the 33’ Roy Parris designed and built (1978) classic launch – WAIKARO. Some history, I brokered the sale of WAIKARO to her current owners back in 2021. At the time she was a very practical classic sedan cruiser , that had been lucky to have good past owners and Geoff Bagnall as their boatbuilder. 

Her new owners were newish to classic craft and over the next 4 years undertook a rolling restoration / refit – lots of system upgrades and corrected some deferred maintenance. Work included removal and full service of anchor windlass, replacement of 7 windows, with 8mm toughened, new engine mounts, exhaust, hull repaint, replacement of nav lights and wiring, fitting of bow thruster, new anchor chain & anchor and new Lawrence plotter/sounder.

But it didn’t stop there – with a lot of lobbying from myself and Jason Prew (Slipway Milford) WAIKARO’s coamings were taken back to bare wood and she got the Awlwood (Uroxsys) treatment + the additional of some shiny bronze bits. And that transformed WAIKARO into the striking craft we see today. See below photo of WAIKARO as purchased with painted coamings.

As per most of Roy Paris’s builds forward motion is via a 120hp Ford 2715, non-turbo. With her semi displacement hull, the 120hp sees her comfortably cruising at 9 knots, with a top speed of approx. 14 knots. Construction is carvel planked kauri. Her beam is just short of 10’ and she draws 3’3”. (Fits a 10.5m marina berth).

And woodys it is pretty obvious this is a 4sale story – WAIKARO is a family partnership boat and the crew are saying – ‘bigger, faster boat please’.

It Is easy for me to say this, but its true – rarely do boats of this standard and looks, come on the market. It is currently a buyers market, her owners have invested more than their purchase price on her, so someone will get a good buy. In summary WAIKARO is a timeless blend of elegance, craftsmanship and performance.

Interested parties to initial connect waitematawoodys@gmail to arrange an inspection.