Category Archives: Launches

A Couple Of Woodys Needing ID’ing

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A Couple Of Woodys Needing ID’ing

Now in the photo above we see on the right a launch that one would have to assume is the 1933 Arnold Couldrey designed and built launch – Eileen Patricia. I bounced the photo of Peter Mence, ER’s custodian and he is in agreement. The question of the day – what’s the yacht under tow? Peters guess was the yacht be by Teddy, that wa Slater wrecked off/on Kawau Island.

See WW story below, note there is a mismatch of dates, but we get that with old stories. Enlargements of the two vessels below + a link to Peter and Jennis stunning restoration of Eileen Patricia. (photos ex Andrew Donovan collection)
https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/04/26/the-wreck-of-teddy-sailing-sunday/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/05/20/the-launching-of-eileen-patrica-1933-classic-motor-boat-50-photos/

Woody On Tour

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Pittwater  N S W 1983

Trinidad for sale Sydney 1983 
Boating Aussie style. Moored for lunch. Cottage Point boat shed cafe. Hawksbury River  NSW. 
B.O.I.

Woody On Tour

The gallery of photos above are of Trinidad and show her when she was based in Sydney, Australia. The photos come to us from Eddie Higgins, Eddie purchased Trinidad there and bought her home to NZ in Jan 1985. The last photo above shows her in the Bay of Islands, just after her return.

Eddie undertook a refit that included new hydraulic steering. new auto pilot. new water tanks and refrigeration system. The addition of a Sea Wasp 230 volt gen set. Updated electronics including JRC radar and a Walker sat nav. A new tallow wood keelson was fitted by a shipwright at Newport Anchorage. The boarding platform was also replaced. The hull had the paint build up burnt off and was repainted in the shed at the Marina.
New stainless steel pulpit and pushpin was fitted. A Muir electric anchor winch was installed.

The WW link below will give you a good insight into this stunning woody. https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/07/19/trinidad-52-salthouse-motor-yacht/

Below I have included some recent photos to show the addition of her rear cabin/house

YESTERDAYS MYSTERY BOAT The mystery launch was the McGeady built Koala (Amaryllis) photo ex Eddie Higgins

Koala + Win A WW T-shirt

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KOALA MYSTERY LAUNCH 01-10-21

This one shouldn’t be too hard to ID so no prize today for the boat. In the photo above the launch is seen leaving Fitzroy. It is Koala (Amaryllis).

But woodys – 1st one to correctly ID the slim / trim lad on the left in the photo below,  wins a WW t-shirt, fresh from the screen printers – one advantage of CV-19 – 24hr turn around at the printers. 🙂 Email your answer to waitematawoodys@gmail.com AND the gent and anyone related to him isn’t eligible to enter 🙂

Coromandel 1955

03-10-2021 UPDATE / CORRECTION – Eddie has advised that Doug Reid is the 4th from the left. The young man on the extreme is Norris. Ed can not recall his surname. Paul Pettit is tallest 5th from the left. Paul played the Bag Pipes.Murray {Mudge} White extreme right.

The Wooden Boat Centre – A Peek Behind The Door

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The Wooden Boat Centre – A Peek Behind The Door
Today we have a short video, narrated by Paul D’Olier from The Wooden Boat Centre in Franklin, Tasmania. The video #2 in a series is titled ‘The Boat Builders’ and show cases the courses being run at the centre. I have listed below a link to the another in the series – wonderful images and words, do check them out.

The videos are bought to us by the good folks at The Australian Wooden Boat Festival, if you haven’t already , put a line in the diary for 10>13 Feb 2023, this event is a serious bucket list item for all woodys.


Wilson’s Boat Yard. 

Ave Gitana – Workboat Wednesday

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AVE GITANA – Workboat Wednesday

Bay of Islands woody – Dean Wright sent in the photo above of the ex workboat Ave Gitana, he snapped the photo on this phone as he was hauling out Artthusa for some TLC, as if it needs it 🙂 Any of the workboat gang able to enlighten us on her past?

Dean also sent in the photo below of the sport fisher – which he believes is possibly named – Erelyn. You would get fit climbing the stairs ………….. 😉

Two Black Holes

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Two Black Holes
Many moons ago when I was looking at buying a classic boat, my father-in-law commented “son you already own one black hole, why would you want another”. He was referring to the fact that I owned a 100+ year old wooden house that back then was hoovering up every cent I earned, and in his eyes an old boat would do the same, but quicker. He of course was right and I took his advise and didn’t buy the boat. 

Waited a few years and after he ‘left’ us, I was back in the market 🙂

When I was sent the above photo by Glenn Martin of a house in Beach Haven on Auckland’s North Shore, it reminded me of the vision my F-I-L had of what I was going to inflict on his daughter. 
Anyone know the story behind the boat?

Arohanui (mcgeady) A Peek Down Below

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AROHANUI (mcgeady) A Peek Down Below

Arohanui was built in 1952/3 at the McGeady’s Ponsonby yard. Specs are 42’ x 11’9” x 3’11” and powered by what appears to be a 6cyl Ford diesel engine.

She has made several appearance on WW, the link below to the Jan 2014 story has lots of details and photos from her past. https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/01/08/arohanui/

(thanks Ian McDonald for the tme heads up)

Cariad

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CARIAD

Todays woody come to us from Garry Ralls via Lew Redwood’s fb and shows the launch – Cariad berthed in Whangarei c.1950’s. At the time she was owned by L E Ralls (Maunu Rd, Whangarei).

Cariad is a newbie to me and even Nathan Herbert has commented that she is unknown to him – and that woodys is a rarity 😉

I Suspect a very early name change – can anyone help out with more details?

Thanks to the input of Robin Elliott and Patrick Xavier – we know know the launches name was spelt – Cariad (corrected above). Check out the comments section – links to more intel there 🙂

24-07-2023 UPDATE –

Thanks comments from Harold Kidd we learnt some of her history, refer below. It always amazes me how craft  that have had no/low profile come to the surface, a great sign that our classic community is in good shape.

HDK comments – “Cariad was owned by D. Glenys-Jones of Whangarei in 1949. When he joined the Army in that year he sold her to L.E. Ralls of Mauna Road who had owned Valencia since 1946 and Argo in 1957. In 1966/7 at least Cariad was owned in Auckland by H.F. Harkins of Court Crec., Tamaki.” “I have an idea that the saloon in Cariad was stripped out and a tank put in to convert it to a fishing boat. Caraid and Valencia were kitted out with deep sea fishing outriggers in the early days. You can see the base of the outrigger just behind the rear porthole.”

We also learnt from Garry Ralls that in their early days both Caraid and Valencia were powered by Scripps marinised V8 engines. 

Juliette

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JULIETTE

Today’s woody is – Juliette , seen above on the slip at the W.G Lowe & Son yard, just prior to launch day. Another photo from the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection.

Anyone able to tell us more about Juliette and what became of her post launching?

I spotted the illustration below of a concept house / day boat, based on the iconic VW Kombi. Each to their own but I think its very cool – perfect for our lakes.

Moanaroa

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MOANAROA

Today’s woody – Moanaroa was designed by Jack Taylor and built c.1949 by McLeon Brothers. Unusual hull construction being carvel Totara planked (and sadly glassed) She measures  approx. 34’4” and is powered by a 67hp Fordson Major diesel engine.

Based on the design and construction of the stern davits, someone has had access to a metal shop, you could left the QEII with those 🙂