Category Archives: For Sale

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?

03-02-2026 – INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – Good news from Taupo. MAXIE (Logan Bros 1903) SOLD and was taken away for some extensive TLC. The intention is that, in time, she will return to Taupo in pristine condition. 

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/

MYSTERY SHIPBUILDERS WOODEN LAUNCH + SPRING SLASH REGATTA DETAILS

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MYSTERY AC DCS – SHIPBUILDERS WOODEN LAUNCH + SPRING SLASH REGATTA DETAILS

Well todays woody is only a mystery because (1) the owner didn’t put the vessels name on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) and (2) the phots are out of focus, stopping reading the name board.

All that aside we learnt that the launch was built in 1959 by Shipbuilders, is 36’ in length and powered by a 90hp Ford Dorset engine.

Hull is 3 planks of diagonal kauri so built like the brick out-house.

As for the Sea Nymph transplant canopy on top…………………….. I suppose it would be simple to remove ✓

UPDATE – as advised by John Bullivant the boats named AC DECS and resided on the Tamaki estuary, near the Panmure yacht club. It is shown in the ‘a woody tour of the Tamaki river’ WW story and also featured in a Feb 18 2023 WW story – linked below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/02/18/ac-dcs/ Ken Ricketts advised it was named WHIRONUI and has previously commented that she was most likely a Shipbuilders ‘kitset’ boat.

CIRCLE THE CALENDAR – LABOUR WEEKEND SPRING SLASH REGATTA @ KAWAU ISLAND

The place to be on the long holiday weekend of October 24>27th is Kawau Island and the crew at the Kawau Boating Club and Ponsonby Cruising Club are again hosting the world famous (in NZ…) Labour Weekend Spring Splash Regatta. waitematawoodys are chuffed to by involved with organising the classic woody parade on Sunday, details in the flyer below + downloadable PDF file, which includes the entry (free) form for the sailing events. Link below to 2024 eventhttps://waitematawoodys.com/2024/10/29/kawau-island-spring-splash-regatta-review-70-classic-wooden-boating-photos/

ATTENTION YACHT SKIPPERS – If the coastal classic isn’t your scene, put the Kawau Spring Splash Regatta on your radar ✔️

LABOUR WEEKEND SPRING SPLASH (2)Download

EX WORK BOAT ARGO – A Peek Down Below

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EX WORK BOAT ARGO – A Peek Down Below

Back in May 2022 we ran a story on the 55’ ex commercial fishing boat – ARGO, that at the time she was berthed at the Kaipara Boating Club (west coast of Nth Is) during an extended (3yr) cruise around New Zealand. Link here WW May 2022 https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/22/argo/

Fast forward and she is currently calling Milford (Sth Is) home and has recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald).

A very tasteful conversation to pleasure use and being built in 1944 by Miller & Tunnage ARGO is more than capable of handling any conditions that Mother Nature might throw at her.

ARGO is powered by a 240hp Caterpillar D334 diesel engine that gives her a comfortable cruising speed around 8.5 knots.

So woodys today we get to have a gander below decks.

CLASSIC BOATERS GATHER FOR A SUNNY DAY OF SWAPS AND STORIES

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CLASSIC BOATERS GATHER FOR A SUNNY DAY OF SWAPS AND STORIES

Saturday delivered a cracker of a day in Auckland – crisp early on, but soon warming into blue skies and sunshine. Ideal conditions for a classic wooden boat gathering, even if this time we stayed firmly on dry land.

The occasion was the (almost annual) Woody Boat Boot Sale held at The Slipway, Milford – and frankly, you’d struggle to find a better venue. A special thanks to Cam Malcolm and Jason Prew for hosting us and for hauling out a few beautiful craft for close-up inspection. It added a real bonus for those who came for more than just shopping.

We had over 18 vendors on site, offering up a treasure trove of marine goods – everything from tiny cleats and chain plates to sails, bronze winches, stoves, and more. From what we saw, plenty of deals were done and everyone left with something – if not in hand, at least with a smile on their face.

It was also great to see so many familiar faces from the classic boating community. Events like this are about more than gear swapping – they’re about connection, community, and strengthening the bonds that keep the wooden boat movement alive and thriving. (photos yours truely & Geoff Fiebig)

Next Up: Mark Your Calendar – September 20th > 21st

Our next gathering is set for September 20th, and this time we’re heading back on the water – cruising up the Wairoa River to the Clevedon Cruising Club for an overnight dockside shindig. Expect a BBQ, live music, and the usual top-notch company. It’s always a highlight – more details to come soon, but lock the date in now.

LEGENDARY EX BIG GAME WOODEN LAUNCH SEEKS PASSIONATE NEW CUSTODIAN

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c.2005 tbc
2025
2025

LEGENDARY EX BIG GAME WOODEN LAUNCH SEEKS PASSIONATE NEW CUSTODIAN

The 42’ ex game boat KITTY VANE has a wonderful back story, starting life in 1956 big game fishing and owned by the Going family in Tutukaka, Northland. She has appeared numerous times on WW, starting back in March 2015 when we reached out to learn more about the craft. Link below to that story and others – lots of chat in the comments section.

Fast forward to July 2021 and we learnt that KITTY VANE had been purchased in Auckland and returned to Northland with the intention of a full restoration. As can be seen in the above photos the worked has started and most of the hard yards have been ticked off. Unfortunately circumstances have changed and the decision has been made to find a new owner that can complete the restoration.   As she sits now, under cover in Kerikeri, KITTY VANE is a blank canvas that her next owner can refit to match their style and budget.

As the architects say when working on heritage buildings – KITTY VANE has good bones and has not been ‘altered’ too much from as built.
KITTY ZANE has always been a good looking woody and with a new passionate owner, we look forward to seeing her back on the briny.

Her owners are very realistic in terms of an asking price, so interested parties to initially make contact via michelle@zewnealanddesign.co.nz

LINKS TO PREVIOUS WW STORIES: WW March 2015 https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/03/21/kitty-vane/
WW April 2020 https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/04/20/kitty-vane-where-are-you/
WW July 2021 https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/07/03/kitty-vane-update/