Over the last week I received several emails concerning the 40’ launch – Roamer that was on tme listed as ‘as is where is, any offers considered’. When had I had a look for her it was showing as withdrawn, so fingers crossed that a new owner was found. Roamer last appeared on WW back in July 2016 – link to the story below https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/07/01/roamer/
Roamer was built in 1911 in Ferrymead and has been modified multiple times over the years. Recently including a new cabin top to increase the height inside the main cabin. Repairs were done by Davie Norris Boatbuilders/Norris family over many years. The top photos show how it was in the water before she unfortunately sunk at the moorings 12/11/20. Since then she has been stored at Davie Norris Boatbuilders awaiting final repairs to make her watertight again. The engine, a Ford diesel had been serviced and ran. Unfortunately Davie passed away recently and the Norris syndicate who were looking after the Roamer were unable to keep her and get her back on the water. The tme listing was a shout out to locate a caretaker for her.
AUCKLAND’S WATERFRONT PINK ELEPHANT – THE PERCY VOS SHED
Nearly 8 months ago I asked WTF was happening with the Vos Shed, while strolling the waterfront yesterday I detoured to have a look – and, looking worse than ever – note the old newspapers on the windows 😦 Come on Auckland Council / Panuku – open the bloody doors.
Back in May 2020 on a road trip to Kerikeri I spotted the 30’ 1964 McGeady built launch – Tempest moored at the Dove Bay Marina, link below to that story. At the time she was looking a little un-loved. https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/09/13/korawai-an-update/
Prior to the 2020 story she made an appearance in October 2014, back then she was a well maintained woody. Link below, lots of detail there . https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/26/9340/
Fast forward to earlier this year she popped up on tme, so today we get a peek down below.
Forward motion is via a 95 hp 6 cylinder Ford diesel.
The 1922 Lady Bess was built by Leon Warne, St Marys Beach in Auckland. Originally built for passenger service around Waiheke Island and later in Tauranga. Then purpose modified for fishing charter work out of Helenville on the west coast of the North Island.
She is built of kauri, carvel hull, 48’6” in length and powered by a 471 GM Detroit engine, this gives her a cruising speed of 7>9 knots.
Interior is particularly stripped out ready for a new interior to suit her next life – domestic or back in charter.
Her tme me listing (thanks Ian McDonald) closes on 23-05-2023 and current bidding is sub $2500. Located at Gulf Harbour.
21-05-23 Input ex Alan Johnson (the nice one) – subject to final bidding but it looks like Lady Bess is off to Mangawhai
And from Bill Faulkner — She ran as a workboat for Harbour Transport on Tauranga harbour for many years. At least 1955 -1975 towing barges / logs from Bunns Mill on Matakana Island and ferrying workers / residents at the mill. I recall her coming into Coronation Pier circa 1962ish and the reverse gear failed at the optimum moment and she went under the pier and wiped the wheelhouse off. No injuries thankfully. A nice hull shape and one of the quickest displacement launches on the harbour. Great to see she’s still going strong.
Sometimes the odd email in the WW inbox sips between the cracks – today woodys is one of those, back in June 2022 Mike Ogier pointed me to a fb marketplace post on the yacht Puruwai – a kauri planked 40′ restoration project. Her story stated that she had been ’sailed internationally.At the time she was in s yard in Te Puna, Bay of Plenty.
Question of the day, did she sell and what became of her.
Todays woody – Ocean Star, is probably the cheapest apartment / home that you could buy in NZ at the moment. The fact Ocean Star has a bath backs up the owners ‘live aboard’ claim 🙂
Ocean Star is 55’ in length, with a 15’ beam. Built in kauri to a Jack Guard design in c.1950.
If you wanted to leave the mooring a 160hp Detroit 471 diesel engine is below decks. As per the photos she is very well fitted out and at $135k ono seems a bargain. The price includes her Tauranga waterfront mooring.
Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme listing heads up.
I see in the comments section that she in a previous life was a Govt. vessel servicing the Hauraki Gulf islands – can we learn more about her work-boat days.
15-05-2023 UPDATE: Photo below ex Chris Rabey, sent in by Russell Ward
Todays woody while based in NZ started life on the other side of the world – at the Merritt boat yard in Fort Lauderdale, USA. Built in the early 1960’s she was originally named – Tuna Teaser. Fast forward to the mid 2000’s and she is now named Dream Girl and pops up in Pago Pago (American Samoa) and then in Rarotonga. Sadly while in Rarotonga she sunk on her mooring in Feb 2006, fast forward again and she was freighted to New Zealand. Not sure of the timing between sinking and transport to NZ but before the sinking Dream Girl was powered by 2x 320hp Cummins giving her a reputed cruise speed of around 15knots and a top speed of 25knots.
Home these days is in West Auckland where she has been stripped back, damage repaired and is currently a hull and deck + a few original fittings.
What we know about her is that she is 40’ in length and appears to be strip planked and glassed.
Top photo and below from her ‘off-shore’ days.
While lacking the kiwi classic woody looks, if a fast classic sport-fisher appeals, Dream Girl could be a good entry point. You’ll find her on tme, if not already sold.
Regular WW readers will know that I have a soft spot for converted workboats, Todays woody – Freedom started life as a cray boat, built from kauri in 1956 by Millers in Lyttelton and fished out of Dunedin. Later (date unknown) converted to a live-aboard.
Thanks to Ian McDonald giving us a heads up on a tme feature we get to have a look below. Freedom is 40’ in length and powered by a 1970’s 120hp Ford diesel engine. Being a southern lass, she sports a Dickensen heater – we like those 🙂
Well if you believe the NZ Classic Yacht Association constitution – steel construction gets the tick as being eligible to fly the CYA burgee.
So today we feature the 70’ steel schooner – Haparanda, designed and built by John Lundmark in 1960. She under went a refit in 2008. Haparanda is in charter, based in the Viaduct in Auckland so could be a nice retirement business for an old salt. The asking price ($1.3million) might narrow the list of buyers.
With a beam of nearly 15’ she is a fulsome lass and can sleep >12 people. When the sails are all stowed away a 95hp Gardner gets her along at 9+ knots.
Haparanda is a boat that I have walked past many times berthed in the city, now we get to see below decks. Buy a Lotto ticket 😉
The John Lidgard built launch – Kingfisher* was built c.1965, her owners Noel / Thora and son Gary Sparnon finished the boat off at the Lidgard shed in Glen Eden. With Noel being a cabinetmaker the fit out was to a very high standard. When launched she was 43’, with a beam of 13’6” and drew 3’6”. Her hull is 3 skins kauri with the 2 inner skins on opposite diagonals and the outer skin full length fore and aft + f/glass.
As launched she was named Avenger and kept at Te Atatu.The Sparnon family did not keep her long because by 1968, the family were living in Paihia, Bay of Islands.
Prior to Avenger there was Olympia II, also built to hull & decks stage by John Lidgard c.1962-63, with Noel S again fitting out the interior – link to previous WW story below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/15/olympia-ii-2/
Noel S also built the Avenger II after her, having bought a 42′ molded Cookson hull, onto which he added & completed all the varnished teak coamings & interior himself, at his daughter’s property in Avondale, Avenger II was later sold.
Noel S never actually kept any of his boats very long after they went in the water. Kingfisher was quite unique when launched having a fly-bridge styled in to her coamings making it visually part of the boat i.e. not appearing to be an add on or afterthought.
There are still some gaps in her ownership records, Ken Rickets has established that she was bought c.2015 off a policeman who had been living aboard her for an unknown length of time up to 2015, at Westpark Marina, by Richard & Bernadette Schofield. During their ownership they re-conditioned her Ford 120hp diesel engine and Borg Warner gearbox. She was sold c.2018 to her present owner, then Mangonui resident Brett Walford. Now retired Brett has moved to Great Barrier Island and has the boat for sale, still based at Mangonui.
Brett W also changed her name to Kingfisher*, he commented to KR he made the change because as she cruises around 8 knots and this is an ideal trolling speed to catch kingfish.
Both of the last 2 owners have spent collectively large sums on maintenance and upgrading of the interior and equipment, hence she is in very good condition and more or less just as KR remembers her when launched. Keen to fill in any ownership gaps, in particular Noel Sparnon’s son, Garry Sparnon, who may still be in NZ and hopefully he gets to view this story and might be able to embellish it more. (Update – have been in touch with Gary Sparnon , he is still in NZ, father Noel died 3 years ago aged 96. Gary was very happy to read todays story, but has nothing to add. He will however keep a look out for any old photos. AH)
(Thanks to Richard and Bernadette Schofield, and Brett Walford and wife for providing access to the data and images and Ken Ricketts for pulling this story together – edited a lot by Alan H)
The 39’ launch Wanderer II was built in 1965 by Owen Woolley in his boatyard on the Tamaki River.
Powered by a 100hp Ford diesel, she cruises at 8 knots. Current home is the Bay of Islands and thanks to Ian McDonald spotting her tme story we get to have a gander below.
At the risk of ruffling Cam Pollard’s feathers – I include the two photos below to show / support my personal view on varnished coamings and the addition of a fly bridge 🙂
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