In the early days of WW the 1930, 38′ Lane Motorboat Co. launch – Falcon was all over the WW site. Her then owner James Mobberley (Moon Engines) hardly ever let the engine cool down.
Always a fast boat, James transplanted a 180hp Hino engine into her and she was probably the fastest in the classic fleet e.g. >18 knots.
When you have small children a fast narrowish classic woody is not that practical, so sadly James and family moved on to a big white plastic boat – but he will be back, that I’m confident about.
Falcon passed thru several owners and was starting to show her age on a swing mooring in Whangarei Basin.
Then a good thing happened – one of Moon Engines talented engineers bought Falcon and relocated her back to Auckland. The next year was spent giving Falcon a makeover in terms of her running gear, systems and home comforts – the above photos give us a peek into how things should be done on a boat – still a little bit of tidying up, but a perfect opportunity to view the installation work.
Remember to click on the photos to enlarge 😉
WOODYS PAEROA RIVER RAID
One shows us how its done and another how it comes undone 😉
I recently spotted the launch Wailani hauled out at the Te Atatu Boating Club yard. Slightly embarrassed to say I know very little about her other than back in the 1930s she was one of active launches that took part in the NZ Power Boat Association launch races on the Waitemata Harbour.
Can anyone tell us more about Wailani?
Update ex Donna Lewis – photo below of her at Great Barrier Island 1991 when owned by our dear friends Herb & Joy Lever. We were with them In Lady Pat (Woollacott Ketch)
I will call Joy (Tuakau) Wednesday & ask more about Wailani. For a time they kept her moored in the Clevedon River & also at Waiheke Island. Most likely Putuki Bay, Ostend.
While mooching around up north last week I spotted 45’ Collings & Bell built – Tamaroa, the berthed in Doves Bays at the Kerikeri Cruising Club marina.
Back in April 2018 I was contacted by (the late) Michael Goldfinch who had just purchased the classic launch – Tautai. Michael advised that Tautai designed and built in 1962 by Max Carter and prior to about 2004 went by the name of Lady Jan. Back then she was presented in the “traditional” white and baby blue typical of the era. A friend of Michael’s bought her in 2003 and did an extensive makeover.
First forward to Feb 2022 and Tautai is for sale and we now get to have a peak down below and learn more about her. She’s powered by a Lees Ford 120hp engine that gets her along nicely at 7 > 8 knots. Spec’s – 39’ in length, 11’9” beam and draws 4’7”
Tautai is one of those lucky boats where her numerous owners have all cared for her and invested in upgrades thru out the years – a walk through transom, larger boarding platform, new toughened glass throughout, bow thruster, new electronics, radar, auto-helm and auto winch – and a whole lot more. Just prior to coming on the market Tautai had a trip to the beauty parlour for a full repaint and varnish in Burnnand Marine’s shed.
She has also circumnavigated the North Island. I’m very happy to be able to advise that she has a new owner, who while ’new’ to the classic wooden boat scene is a very talented gent in the automotive restoration field. And chatting with him, her name will revert back to Lady Jan – we like that 🙂
New owner is very keen to learn more above the vessels past. Photos below from back in 2019 when receiving some TLC hauled out at the Te Atatu Boating Club yard.
13-04-2022 Input From Darryll Hart – Top photo below is off a painting of Lady Jan in Schoolhouse Bay on June 04 1985. Painting was done by Denis Davies (family friend) in October 1994.
For a bit of history on the boat – we bought her from Gary Barnett who was a car dealer in Otahuhu and he used to cruise with Sequoia, Monterey and Ngarunui, all the boats featured in for sale advertisements around this Lady Jan article.The dimensions in the article are incorrect.
She is 36 ft long by 12ft wide and was built in 1961 in Onehunga. Originally had a 590 series Ford Trader in her with a manual gearbox.
Fuel was stored in 44gal like tanks either side of the underfloor engine and Gary Barnett added a further 50gals foward when fuel was in short supply in the early 80s up north.At 8 kts she had a range of 70 plus hours.
In the above photo we see the charter launch Sea Prince docked at Circle Cove, Lake Manapouri. Sea Princess has appeared on WW back in January , link to that story below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/01/12/sea-prince/
At the time Harold Kidd commented that she was built at Fairlie in 1947 by Jones Motors’ boat building division under S J Guard. She was built for the Wanaka tourist trade as Malibu. She was a 30 foot hard chine vessel with a Kermath Sea Prince 100hp engine. She was sold in 1956 and renamed (then or perhaps earlier) as Sea Prince after her engine.
Scott Barnsdale advised that she ended up as a fishing boat at Stewart Island, looking very different to the photos and unfortunately, she disappeared from her mooring during a severe gale in 1987, sadly never to be seen again.
YESTERDAY QUIZ WINNER
Very few read that email was the channel to answer, and of those that did, none had more than one boat. So after discussing with Flora McKenzie – it was decided Dick Hall’s reply in the comments section was the most deserving winner – well done Bill, a WW t-shirt is on the way – check your emails 😉
The above Picton photo popped up on Lew Redwood’s fb earlier in the week, at the time Nathan Herbert commented that two of the launches are theses days moored alongside each other in Orakei Basin. I’m guessing the one on the left side of the dock (with people on cabin top) is Silver Spray, but I’m more often wrong than right 🙂
I’m sure at some stage during the day Nathan will correct me.
First woody (excluding J Prew esq) that emails the correct boat names to waitematawoodys.com wins a WW T-shirt. Mr Herbert will be the judge.
Earlier in the week I was mooching around the Kerikeri Cruising Club marina in Dove Bay and spotted the woody – Triesta. A total unknown to me, but some distinctive style features to her so I’m sure someone/s will chip in with details.
The marina is a gem and a credit to the KCC, there is a lot to be said for ‘club’ owned marinas versus big business owned e.g. West Harbour, Bayswater, Pine Harbour 😉
I was recently sent the above photos of the launch – Gwenelda, by Mike Shaw, along with a note saying that a friend of his had bought the boat in Whanganui and knew nothing about the woodys history.
Can anyone help out and shine some light on this old girl? There appears to be a nice hull below that timber shed 🙂
The above photo dated 1939 and tagged – Russell, comes to us from Lew Redwoods fb.
Can we ID any of the vessels ?
Short story today, as the message below needs some air time – the dullards driving this project appear to have tunnel vision and be deaf. Maybe the mainstream media need to know what is happening down at OUR waterfront.
