The 43’ 1920’s built launch – Estrela has made a few appearances on tme over the areas and has sadly slipped into the ‘Live-Aboard’ category these days. Its being promoted as the cheapest home you can buy in Auckland.
She was built by Joe Fell, is a double-ender built from triple skin kauri and powered by a Hino H07C 158hp diesel.
Her Panmure River berth is available for rent – so woodys – a waterfront home or rescue her and set her free on the Waitemata again 🙂
(Thanks Ian McDonald for the listing heads up)
She appeared on WW back in 2018 and there was some discussion re her provenance – possibly not a 1920 Joe Fell boat, read this link for more info. Remember to also read the comments section 😉 https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/10/03/estrela/
Back in May 2018 when I was loitering around the waterfront at Sandspit I was taken by the 40′ canoe stern 1904 launch – Tamahere. She must have changed hands around the same time and at some stage relocated to Kerikeri, Northland.
Sadly she has suffered a mishap due to deferred maintenance and has taken of a lot of water, but didn’t sink. There is a long list of required work to get her sea worthy again but her current tme price / bid is sub $600. Auction closes this Sunday at 9.52am. (thanks Ian McDonald for the listing heads up)
As the owner states ‘definitely a project not for the faint-hearted’ – but a bargain entry into the wooden boating movement.
The 34’ Shipbuilders launch Grenadier popped up recently on tme. Built in 1976 with triple diagonal kauri planking below the water and double diagonal above (+ f/glass)
Forward motion is via a Volvo 200hp that has her cruising at 7>8 knots.
Now post the ‘modified to include a top helm’ (sellers words) Grenadier would have been a real looker, in fact one of the better Shipbuilders designs, some can be a tad boxy.
Still it only wood and nothing a sharp chainsaw couldn’t right.
COMMUNICATIONS– Staying In The Loop
Waitematawoodys have a lot of contact details for classic woody owners, but I’m sure there are gaps – We regularly send details on upcoming gatherings, but due to factors like people changing their email address or service provider, over time gaps occur. In the interests of ensuring you are kept up to date and do not miss out on upcoming classic gatherings – drop WW an email with your name/email/mob #
The 40’ carvel planked – Heather was built in 1965 by Doug Robb and spent her first 35 years as a commercial fishing boat. In 2000 Miller & Tunnage converted Heather to pleasure boat and installed the 1996 Gardner 6LXB, which was brand new at the time. Like all good Gardners she is very efficient e.g. at 5.5 knots, running at 800rpm, she sips 1L pnm. Normal cruise speed is 7.5 knots, but can be taken up to 9.5 knots max.
To use the old car dealer term – Heather comes with all the fruit, incredibly spec’ed and all set for some serious cruising.
Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up
04-10-2022 INPUT FROM Philip Trow
“Hi, Philip here….the present owner of Heather (2022). It is great to see a correct and largely accurate report on Heather. A couple of things to add: MV Heather was originally built by the Heberley family of the Marlborough sounds. She is named Heather after Heather Heberley (NZ author of some note).
Heather has been a particularly reliable and forgiving vessel for myself and previous owners. I have taken her around most of the South Is and I know previous owners have also used her for some great trips around the North is. She is very economical to run (1l/nm @ 800rpm/5.8kts exactly and circa 9l/hour at 1050rpm/ 7kts average.) Large 1200l+ tanks give her a very usable range. She also has a 6kw gen set and 800watt+ solar panels to handle long periods at mooring or unattended. As of writing she has less than 3600 hours from new on the Gardner 6lxb. That is very few hours on a Gardner.
Heather was rebuilt around 2000 and a great deal of heavy duty good quality equipment was installed. All of the fittings and equipment are much more robust than you would typically find on a pleasure vessel.
MV Heather has benefited from myself and previous owners who have maintained her to a good standard and also spent significant amounts keeping her up to date with features like AIS, drip free shaft seal and Blackwater.
I have retired from aviation, and now have a larger “Bluewater boat”, hence Heather is somewhat regrettably on the market.”
We all know the correct answer when some asks “does my behind look big in these jeans” well in the same vein someone needs to tell the owner of the above launch not to use a wide angle lens for the hero shot 🙂
Putting that aside today’s woody according to her tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) has a great back story – built in 1912 by the daughter of John Geard, the Geard family were early pioneers in the South Island. In fact the mother was the first English woman settler in the South Island. The family were whalers in the Marlborough area.
The launch is 46’ in length and built from kauri. Her engine is a 1950, 60hp Cummings diesel.
An interesting mix of design styles on display – it states that she s a ‘dreadnought’ design, not sure what that means – dreadnought is mostly connected to early 1900 battleships and more modern day submarines.
The challenge would be to keep as is or get the tungsten tipped chainsaw out and start again.
Can we put a name to the boat and learn more about her?
INPUT EX CAMERON POLLARD – Named Dreadnaught. Owned by the Gaurd family for most of the century. 43 ft long, 4cyl Ford engine. Largely original – photos below
The 42’ John Lidgard designed and built launch – Participate very comfortably fits into the ’spirit of tradition’ classic category. Launched in 1982 she is quite beamy (approx 12’) and draws 3’2”. Built from kauri double diagonal planking and glassed.
Get up and go is via a Volvo TAMD 70, derated from 380hp to 300hp. This gives the her a very respectable cruising speed of 14 knots, and tops out at 19 knots.
As you’ll see from above photos, lots of living space and at a pinch can sleep 10.
Participate is kept in immaculate condition and yes she is for sale and at a very favourable price. Price indication included to stop the fender kickers filling up my email inbox and allow serious buyers to consider the vessel – Participation will sell in the low to mid $200’s. That woodys is a very fair price for a boat of her size, condition (turn key) and looks.
Todays double ender 36’ woody launch just popped up on tme (thank you Ian McDonald) and is just such a looker. Home is Waikawa Bay in the Marlborough Sounds. Currently only set up with two berths, she is crying out for a full conversion to pleasure use.
Power is via a 80hp Ford diesel, that according the the tme story has a wee oil leak.
Who ever choose the colour scheme and name font as a good eye. I hope I have the spelling right?
Can we learn more about the boat?
INPUT ex Dick Hall – Correct name ‘Bonita’. Built 1923 by Ernie Lane in Picton as a typical sounds passenger boat with two cockpits both forward and aft of the wheelhouse. Originally powered by a 12hp Kelvin benzine engine. Modified for fishing in 1959 for the Guard Brothers of Port Underwood. Lately used as a pleasure boat by various owners.
INPUT ex Richard Neighbour – Bonito (launched Bonita) 1926, sister ship to Mariner (Shakespeare Bay- Queen Charlotte Sounds) I have emailed the history up to 2016 as given to me by Beth Gordon (original owners daughter). Bonito is a lovely old girl. My wife and I hope to find a suitable owner that will maintain her for many years to come as we have moved from Marlborough and don’t get back as often as we hoped to. Bonito has many years left in her yet, with much credit to the Ruffles family (previous owners of 40 years). Richard & Helen – current owners.
The 1946 38’ Lidgard built launch – Hirawanu has appeared several times on WW and generated chat around the hot-house ‘up top’. I have included below a photo of her as launched to show her on a good day 🙂
Forward motion is via a Ford 120hp diesel, giving her a stated cruising speed of 8>10 knots.
Now thanks to tme & Ian McDonald we get to have a look down below.
Must be the week for ‘be-kind-to-woodys’ – todays story features a 30’ launch named – Omaha, built in the mid 1950’s.
Her tme (thanks Ian McDonald) listing states she is an ex work-boat (fishing) from Tauranga.
Current owner has had her in a covered shed for the last 10 years, as they have undertaken the re-fit. The hull has had that ‘F’ word applied to it and it appears most of the structural work has been done. Next step – fitting out and she needs an engine etc. She does come with a drive shaft, prop and a few other bits.
Has a buy-now price of $4.5k so could be project in the making – currently stored in Auckland area.
I was out west Auckland on Sunday and dropped into the Te Atatu Boating Club yard for a nosy. Sad to see that the rather pretty x1934, Cox & Filmer built launch Robyn Gas is still hauled out and looking for a new owner. Given the 4sale sign points people to the yard office, I would suspect its being sold to re-coup yard fees.
There appears to be some ‘average’ hull work done to her, but at $6k, its a very low entry to a worthwhile project. Surely someone will step up and take her own. Make the TBC an offer, you might be surprised.
For no fault of her own other than bad timings, the boat has been crying out for a passionate woody owner for a number of years – see previous WW stories below.
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