Todays woody – LANAI was built in 1949 by Lanes. Carvel kauri construction.
She has made several appearances on WW, links below. Its nice to see that her current owner has given her a hair cut and the fly bridge has gone.
There is lots of chat and intel in the past posts but a quick overview below.
32’ x 10’6” x 2’9”, powered by twin Thornycroft 54hp engines, that sees her cruise at a comfortable 7.5 knots, max 10 knots. WW July 2014https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/07/04/lanai/
Todays woody would normally struggle to make the cut for a WW story – but there is one huge item that gets her over the line – her helm wheel – OMG – I want it……
Now putting aside my Model T Ford wheel fixation – what we know about PIT-a-PAT is she was built in 1928 by J.N. Robinson and is described as a ’single step vintage racing hull’. Built from spruce with kaikawaka gunnels. She won numerous races in the 1929 > 1934 period including the Teichelmann Cup in 1932, 33, and 34. The cup remains with the boat today and will be passed onto her next owner. (thanks Ian McDonald for the tme heads up)
Todays woody the 23’ MANDALAY just ticks so many boxes – Its built of full length kauri carvel planks in 1932 – Kauri backbone – copper fastened on steam bent ribs – it has a modern engine >Yammer 3GMD 23 hp – 4 berths – standing headroom in the wheelhouse – easily driven by an auxiliary outboard. AND – the real bonus – it comes with a purpose built legal road trailer that allows her to be easily taken ashore for routine upkeep and changing cruising location.
With todays spiralling marina costs these smaller, transportable woodys will be the future, or at least what keeps a lot of people in the classic wooden boating game.
Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up. She has appeared on WW before where we learnt from Harold Kidd that she was built by Ralph Shepherd in Auckland. – link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/11/13/mandalay-2/
The 32’ classic wooden launch – CYGNET recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald). A Sam Ford design built in 1931, but not sure is also built be Sam Ford. As per most Marlborough Sounds craft she is very well spec’ed and was re-powered in 2006 with a new 53hp Yammer 4JH5E engine that gives her an 8 knot cruising speed.
Can we learn more about CYGNET (if thats her correct name) and where she has been most of her life.
CLASSIC IAN OUGHTRED WOODEN CLINKER DINGHY NEEDS A NEW HOME
WW doesn’t normally do stories like this but the owner of this stunning clinker dinghy is a good friend and a long time passionate classic wooden boat owner. So here goes, in the owner words.
“It’s an Auklet designed by Iain Oughtred (was one of the worlds leading small boat designers, now deceased). 7ft2in long. It was built in the South Island I think in Nelson. There is a builders plate, that says Walker boatbuilder.There is a boatbuilder Richard Walker at Brightwater just out of Nelson who has done some beautiful restoration work on Elray (see https://boatingnz.co.nz/2018/05/restoring-elray-iii/). I don’t know when it was built. I bought it from a bloke in Blenheim who had too many boats and had to make room at home. It had hardly been used. I revarnished it with Altex Timbercoat. I’ve had it under cover for 3 or 4 years and used it for a sail when the urge took me and also for grandchildren.
Comes complete with all sailing gear, oars and US alloy beach tailer that comes apart for stowing. Also the custom cradles for onboard deck mounting.
Selling as I’m getting older so with some regret I’m selling this bit of furniture”.
So woodys what ever the reason – embellishing your existing classic wooden vessel / rewarding the grand children or just treating yourself – this is the best opportunity to own what is probably NZ’s finest spirit of tradition clinker dinghy – and the price is a steal at $5,500
I dont like publishing personal contact details so if interested drop WW an email at waitematawoodys@gmail.com and I’ll join the dots.
Todays woody – ZACA was built by the legendary Cal Crooks as his own boat. Launched in 1986 she is cold moulded 3 skin kauri.
It has been commented that her lines take cues from Herreshoff but below the water she is fin keel with a spade rudder. So woodys you have the classic look with agility and pace. Her approx. specs are 42’6″ LOL and 39’44″ on deck. ZACA has been graced with good owners who undertaken both annual maintenance and system upgrades – A new Yammer 40hp was installed in 2020 + new exhaust system, new shaft, new 3 blade feathering prop. You will see from photos that numerous other enhancements have been commissioned. Her interior fit out is very special and matches her classic looks.
The 20’ c.100 yrs old ex workboat – MYSTERY GIRL last popped up on WW back in 2015, link below, since then she has had a wheelhouse added and is now back on the market. Thanks Ian McDonald for the tme heads up. Lots of intel and chat here – check out the comments section https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/06/06/mystery-girl/
You have to love the sellers comments, so upfront and honest, “ window framing in topside has rot and falling apart, needs attention. Old 4 cylinder Ford diesel is not running. Unknown hours and details” 🙂
With some TLC she has the makings of a cool little woody.
Todays woody made a brief appearance on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) and disappeared before I could record the details. So either sold in a flash or seller got cold feet.
So other than being located somewhere in the South Island and having a canoe-stern WW knows little about her, so keen to learn more.
KELVIN R4 75hp Engine – Needs A Home – Message below from Russell Ward “It is time to place the R4 Kelvin with you to find a new owner. It is 75 hp at 1500 rpm. I bought it from Sanfords -had been briefly the generator on Sea Harvester. Low hours.
So I’ve had it in the mancave for most of my life awaiting a boat. I got Athol Burns to design me a 40′ MS for it – his last design ever. It was great fun but I knew I could never afford to build new. But I wanted Athol’s last design and it was well worth the effort just to have the exchange of letters. I will always treasure his sage advice. “No hysterics with old time practices” was his best.
Conrad Bergius who was related to the Kelvin makers Bergius had a similar dream and I gave it to him when we left Bayswater. He took it apart and got many new parts for it from the company.
When I took over St Antonio, I bought it from him – it had been on display in Moon Engines foyer. I got a Niigata gearbox with a 3:1 reduction. I had it professionally fitted by Watts Engineering.
It went briefly in the river at Warkworth and has been rebuilt since. When I sold St Antonio, the new owner had an Isuzu in preference to the Kelvin so I kept it.
Very easy engine to live with and will see any of us out. I have a vid of the last time it ran. Interested buyer contact Russell” mrward@steam.co.nz
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