Category Archives: For Sale

Shipwright Boat Builder Yachtsman – Woody Summer Reading Suggestions

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Waianiwa

#1 Summer Woody Read

I was contacted by Chris McMullen during the week with a suggestion that I make contact with noted kiwi yachtie and boat builder – Gilbert (Gil) Littler. Now when Mr McMuMullen ’suggests’ something I normally respond pretty quickly, second only to suggestions from Robert Brooke 🙂 24hrs later I’m having coffee with Gil and his wife Susan – why am I telling you this? Because Gil has just penned an amazing book titled – SHIPWRIGHT BOAT BUILDER YACHTSMAN 1962-1992. The 100+ page book is split into 3 sections:

Part One – A brief history of the Bailey Family 

Part Two – My Apprenticeship Years

Part Three – My Yacht Racing Years

I have squirreled away a copy for summer boat reading but I did do a quick dive into some of the pages and its a wonderfully refreshing read, more like sitting in a comfortable spot afloat and listening to Gil entertain you with his life story. Lots of photos and illustrations also to view. In CMcM’s words – This book is a gold mine of history and information. Written by a guy on the floor in the boatshop and a foredeck hand on a very famous Kiwi Yacht. By winning the One Ton Cup put New Zealand on the yachting map.

The $40 – + P&P – 100+ page book is self published so obtaining a copy is not as easy as walking down to your nearest book store but it is worth the effort. So to order a copy:

Email Gil at gil@littlerfamilyresearch.com or go to www.littlerfamilyresearch.com (the website is being set up, so if you are in a hurry – use email) 

Gil & Susan are currently traveling so do not expect an instant reply 🙂

My 2nd Pick Is The Mahurangi Cruising Club Year Book

Now the title may sound a little boring but the contents certainly are not. Always a fantastic publication pulled together by design guru Steve Horsley. This year the theme is restorations and of interest to all woody boaties is an article on electrolysis. Plus a 16 page photo gallery of the 2022 regatta – all that for $20. As we speak its at the printers – so to secure / order a copy either email BOAT BOOKS   crew@boatbooks.co.nz or call 09 358 5691 (Boot Books 22 Westhaven Drive)

Copies will be available at the normal random outlets but BB is the safest bet.

Corinthia – A Peek Down Below

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CORINTHIA – A Peek Down Below

The launch Corinthia was built / launched in 1967 at the Shipbuilders yard in Auckland. She has made several cameo appearances on WW, link below to a 2013 story that showed her alongside the jetty at Arran Bay, Waiheke Island. It appears that the exterior has not changed much but now today thanks to a heads up from Ian McDonald re a tme listing we get to have a peek down below.

Corinthia is 45’ in length , has a beam of 14’ and draws approx. 5’. Forward motion is via a 180hp Detroit 671 that gives her a top speed of 12 knots. FEB 2015 WW LINK  https://waitematawoodys.com/corinthia-new-arran-bay-wharf/

WILL YOU BE BOATING THIS SUMMER  – 5 FAMILY SIZED CLASSICS 4SALE – STEP ABOARD AND YOU’RE OFF

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PARTICIPATE 🔻1982 – 42’ Lidgard – 19 knots- Sleeps >9 DETAILS BELOW  https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/07/13/participate-a-peek-down-below/

MAHANUI 🔻1977 – 42’ Atkinson – 16 knots – Sleeps > 6+ DETAILS BELOW https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/10/28/mahanui-gets-a-refit-and-is-ofs/

RANUI 🔻1948 – 48’ Lidgard – 8.5+ knots – Sleeps 5+ DETAILS BELOW https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/07/08/ranui-a-peek-down-below/

KATHERINE 🔻2013 – 39’ Robertson – 8.5 knots – Sleeps 4 DETAILS BELOW https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/06/13/katherine-a-peek-down-below/

ALLERGY 🔻1985 – 58’ Culler/Ganley – 10 knots – Sleeps 5+ DETAILS BELOW https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/10/21/allergy-aucklands-most-livable-woody/

Sorry for the overtly commercial message today, but have you seen the price of diesel lately , if I don’t sell a boat, I’ll be staying on the marina this summer ;- and we have marina berths for them (rent or buy)

For more details or to arrange a viewing – initially email – waitematawoodys@gmail.com

LINK BELOW TO VIEW MORE WOODYS 4SALE https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/10/17/buying-or-selling-a-classic-boat/

Puffin

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PUFFIN

Todays woody has just popped up on tme, thanks Ian McDonald, and no design / builder is mentioned – what we do know is that Puffin is 28’ in length, built in 1960 from kauri and powered by a Ford (Lees) 72hp diesel that gives her a 5>6 knot cruising speed.

Would be nice if we could ID the builder, the hull shape is quite ‘unique’.

Classic Wooden Launch UHURU – Free (almost) To The Right Person

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Classic Wooden Launch UHURU – Free (almost) To The Right Person

Now despite what CYA luminary Chad Thomson tells his toadies when they meet once a month in the telephone box in Myers Park – I’m actually a nice person and todays WW story is proof 🙂 Several weeks ago I as contacted by John (Jacky) McElwee who owns the launch Uhuru, John has reached a stage in life where owning a classic wooden boat is just too much of a challenge and he has asked me to help find the next custodian for his bridge decker – Uhuru.

The back story goes like this – built c.1900’s, using kauri planks and measuring 32’ x 9’ beam and a draft of 3’. She was built to do the cream run on Lake Rotorua, which she did for approx. 40 years, her next owners, 30 years, were the Nicol family and John has had her for 20 years – some impressive times there, must indicate she is a sea friendly boat. Nathan Herbert might be able to chip in and explain her special hull shape for shallow water running.  Current powered by a 1992 Nanni 43hp diesel. Obviously needs some TLC and possibly a few dollars spent here and there, but its afloat and the motor runs. 

Now woodys here is the deal – if your are a genuine straight up person and have a real passion for classic wooden boats – John will probably give you the boat, but I’d like to think that a ‘gift will ease the process of letting go of a 20 year relationship 🙂

Seriously interested parties in the first instance to contact John via email –   jackymcelwee0@gmail.com

REMEMBER – WOODY BOOT SALE – TODAY – 10AM – 5 OMANA RD MILFORD – CASH ONLY

Mystery Miller & Tunnage – Tuatea

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TUATEA – Miller & Tunnage

If we believe her tme listing todays woody ws built in 1936 by Miller and Tunnage.

36’ in length she has a 60hp BMC diesel that gets her along at a top speed of 11.5 knots.

Home is Whangarei in the north and that woodys is all me know about her – can we put a name to her and expand on her past.

Heads up on Saturdays Woody Boat Boot Sale at The Slipway Milford yard – we have some serious collectors of marine ‘stuff’ dusting off their lockers so should be some treasure up for sale – remember CASH ONLY.

INPUT ex Paul Drake – The boat is TUATEA. Photos below of her on the Paremata Harbour in the 1980’s. I was told that she was Miller and Tunnage, about 1925. She was a Lyttelton boat, and went to Picton after I photographed her. Subsequently, while on her Ivy Bay (Paremata) mooring, she was struck by lightning and required extensive rebuilding. Whoever rebuilt her did a magnificent job. She re appeared at Seaview Marina, Wellington. Interesting that she is now in Whangarei.  She appeals to me because she is a straight stemmer (nearly), has a full length sweeping belting, is low wooded, has port holes, and has a mast! What more could you want. Note that she is clearly not a double ender.

25-11-2022 INPUT ex Harold Kidd – TUATEA was designed and built by Jas. McPhersoin of Dunedin for Jack Hudson of Cadbury, Fry, Hudson chocolate manufacturers in late 1930.Hudson moved to Christchurch and took TUATEA with him, basing TUATEA at Lyttelton. There were various statements that she was built by Miller & Tunnage and even by J. Miller Ltd of Lyttelton, but not so. Original engine a 30hp Thornycroft. In NAPS as Z124 1942-4 skipper Magnus Smith.

Lourena – A Peek Down Below

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LOURENA – A Peek Down Below

The 35’ launch Lourena was built c.1963 by Watson Brothers in Wellington to an Athol Burns design, using 1 1/8” kauri carvel planks. With a 11’6” beam she has a healthy interior for a 35’ boat, the draft is 3’6”. Forward motion is via a 70hp D series 4 cylinder Ford that gives her a 7 knot cruising speed.

Lourena is a well traveled woody having spent time in Wellington > Marlborough Sounds (15 yrs) > Opua (20 yrs),

Thanks to Ian McDonald’s heads up re the tme listing, today we get to have a peek down below.

Another One Destined For The Land Fill – Potiki II Saved

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Another One Destined For The Land Fill – Saved

A slightly worrying trend that is occurring on trademe is the number of wooden craft that are being offered up in ‘as-is-where-is’ condition with a short time window before they are disposed of. Probably a sign of the times in terms of storage costs and rebuild costs.

Todays wooody was saved, sold for less than $1,000 – lets hope the new owner has plans to restore her and not harvesting for parts / fittings.

Potiki II is 28’ in length, built by JH Young – thats all her tme listing told us. Thanks to Lan McDonald for the heads up.

Just a reminder we have the 38’ Robertson built classic – Katherine at Westhaven this weekend for viewing – 100% turn-key purchase – you’ll be boating this Christmas / NY. + W/haven marina also for sale. Email below for a viewing time.

waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Woodys Classic Beach Picnic Review + Open Boat

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Woodys Classic Beach Picnic Review

On Sunday we held a woodys gathering ashore on Motuihe Island – trip down was commonly described as ‘lumpy’, except for the large woodys skippers who just smiled.

The bonus of a lumpy passage was almost zero trailer craft or pwc’s, so had the beach to ourselves. Very sheltered and sunny afternoon – always good to catch up with other woody owners and swap tales. Trip home was perfect with wind and tide assisting.

Nice to see both Lady Crossley and Pirate after there winter hibernation / haul outs.

My boat of the day was John Wright’s latest project the uber cool double-ender – Kiwa. That man has a wonderful eye for bringing the best out of any classic craft. Photo below when she was at Te Atatu Boating Club + links to previous WW stories on her 

2014  https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/09/30/boat-on-the-move-kiwa/

2021 https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/09/10/what-happened-to-kiwa/

KATHERINE  ON DISPLAY @ WESTHAVEN – THIS WEEKEND – INVITATION ONLY

Considering an upgrade or a boat for summer – the 38’ Conrad Robertson designed classic – KATHERINE, has been relocated to Westhaven Marina for one weekend only – inspection by invitation.

More details on this immaculately presented, ready for immediate delivery craft – click here https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/06/13/katherine-a-peek-down-below/

To book a viewing time email waitematawoodys@waitematawoodys

Saga – A Peek Down Below

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SAGA – A Peek Down Below

There is some debate around the provenance of the 35’ bridge deck launch – Saga, featured above, her tme listing told us she was built by Bailey in 1946 and Harold Kidd is going for built and also probably designed by a Val Maxwell. What we do know is Saga is single board, kauri, carvel construction and powered by a Perkins 145 hp turbo diesel engine. These days she calls Kerikeri, Northland home.

Any woodys able to tell us more about her past life.

08-11-2022 INPUT ex Harold Kidd

Val Maxwell was a very experienced launch man. He was a teacher at King’s College (not my school; I went to Takapuna Grammar) and retired as Deputy Principal.

In 1936 he bought the Joe Slattery launch WAINUI which had been wrecked on Rangitoto and fitted a 1918 Studebaker car engine. Just before WW2 he started building SAGA and finished her in 1950. She was bigger than Ken R remembers (refer WW comments section) at 33’x32’x10’x2’9″ and had a Leyland Cub engine as Ken R remembers.

In 1963 Val sold SAGA to A.J. (Jimmy) Osborne of Panmure. In 1969 Osborne moved north to Mangonui and took SAGA with him.

I knew Val’s son Peter for many years. He died just recently. We were both Sunbeam car owners. He had a most magnificent 1925 25hp Sunbeam tourer which I later owned. Peter of course owned for many years the 1937 Dick Lang 34 footer RESOLUTE at Devonport.

My feeling is that because Val’s SAGA is the right size and went North, she is the SAGA above; but I wouldn’t dream of being dogmatic about it.

UPDATE Feb 2024 – Hauled out photos added.

24-05-2025 UPDATE ex Bruce Pascoe – I believe SAGA started out as a sedan . The aft section of the roof has been cut off and raised up to become a bridge-decker. The raised cockpit floor has been built over the old floor. When they fitted the turbo 6 cylinder Perkins they had to raise the wheel house floor 100mm. Unfortunately instead of raising the wheel house roof to maintain headroom they cut a section of the roof out only and built a plywood box on top. 

I have stripped many layers of paint off the roof beams and uncovered the Kauri one piece beams, not laminated. All the deck and roofs are planked with Kauri. The cabin sides are plywood. She is a very sound boat, dry bilges.

WOODYS CLASSIC PICNIC AT MOTUIHE ISLAND TODAY – 1PM