Leitner the 1913 Harvey & Lang built launch has just popped up on trademe, thanks Andrew Pollard (via Jason Prew) for the heads up. She last appeared on WW back in Sept. 2013 and that story has subsequently been updated numerous time with details and photos. Link belowhttps://waitematawoodys.com/2013/09/21/leitner/
Back in the 1940’s she was a real looker (b/w photo above) and in recent times while her appearance has been altered a lot, she was still a very smart woody (3rd photo above) from the listing it appears she has fallen back a little but at an asking price of $7,000> that is a lot of classic launch. Who’s looking for a project?
Clean Out At Thames Marina
See below – seems they are moving on some of the squatters 🙂 The notices appeared in the Set 10th. issue of ‘Thames – Neighbourly’.
Today’s photo comes to us from Heather England’s fb and shows a very smart looking steamer. The photo was originally sent to Heather’s grandmother in 1912 when she was 12., and has a Dunedin post mark stamped on the rear, so the possible location surprise surprise is Dunedin. The photo is tagged Komuri on the back, which is the maori word for ‘fine weather’ which kind of sounds like a good name for a boat.
Would love to learn more about the vessel and what became of her – she is a real looker.
Input from Harold Kidd – KOMURI was built in Dunedin in 1913 by Austen Jenkinson to a design by McRae for James Johnston. She had a 2 cylinder Bolinder semi-diesel crude oil engine. She was sold in 1916 to the lessees of Campbell Island for whaling. On the trip down she had an engine breakdown and was abandoned at sea, the crew took to the surfboat. Long story. (thanks Nathan Hebert for the advising the correct spelling)
And On A Lighter Note I was sent the image below by a WW follower, whose daughter has too much spare time during lock-down. I have enlarged a section to help you see the blatant breach of copyright 🙂
The Thames Traditional Boat Festival is one of the woody events on my bucket list and today thanks to Olaf Wiig we get to vicariously check out last weekends event.
Olaf commented that as long as it is made of wood or riveted steel it is welcome at the festival. No 1950 cut off here 🙂
Olaf’s highlight was – Islanda, see spec sheet on her below. Enjoy the varnish 🙂
Mooching Around Devonport Yacht Club + 30Yr Flash Back
The photos above were taken by Glenn Martin at the DYC yard early in the week while out and about on a lockdown bike ride.When I was a member I used to refer to the DYC as the best little yacht club in New Zealand, still is, but they were a tad averse to stepping into the real world when it came to membership criteria. But its a private club, so they can do whatever they want 🙂 From top to bottom:
Things are getting a wee bit crazy in the household, spent way too long today looking for some long lost (I put it away for safe keeping) unframed art work. During the hunt I unearthed a tube of Americas Cup posters, all in good condition and ether A1 or A2 size and most on good quality stock. 30>35 years ago in another life, I was doing marketing for the NZ Challenge, so ‘acquired’ a few items. One day I’ll find a home for them.
Leeway > Melanie Today’s launch photo comes to us from the Andrew Donovan Collection. No name on the flip side so we will hopefully get an ID from some of the Bay of Island woodys. That is assuming its a BOI boat and photo.
Harold Kidd Input – LEEWAY/MELANIE was built by 20th Century Boats (Brian Donovan) in 1959. Last word was in 2015 when she was for sale by a Havelock owner. Brian of course was Andy Donovan’s brother.
TREAT YOUR BOAT OR YOU THIS CHRISTMAS
BOI woody – Dean Wright filmed a short video to show you and I some cool drinking mugs that a Bay Of Islands potter, Lynda Harris, makes and personalise for your boat.
Each one is hand painted from a supplied photo. They are fired in batches of x60, so subject to orders, the lead time can be a little while (that was an Irish answer).
Cost is $45, which is very reasonable for a functional art object. If you are interested in the artists contact details – email me waitematawoodys@waitematawoodys
In the photos above we see the launch – Kotanui being launched at the Salthouse yard in Greenhithe c.1963. In the 2nd photo we also see the yacht Rawhiti getting her new ‘doghouse’, probably owned by Don Brooke at the time.
Kotanui also featured on the Dec/Jan (1963-64) cover of Sea Spray magazine
MYSTERY LAUNCH – WHAU RIVER Today’s photo ex Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection and comes to us via Nathan Herbert. The location is the Whau River and probably dated 1966.
Any one able to ID the launch in the foreground.
Well Auckland woodys – another 2 weeks in lock down – not too sure how I’ll handle that, just about ticked off everything on the To Do list 🙂 So happy I hauled Raindance out in July for the big birthday, otherwise it wouldn’t have happened.
If you have any photos that you’d like to share on WW – email them in – as we say “if it’s wood, it’s good”
Back in Nov 2020 Jason Prew took a wrong turn heading north and end up in Dargaville, so being almost as noisy as me when it comes to wooden boats, he popped down to the river and snapped off photos of the above woodys.
Woodys Labour Weekend Cruise
Details below. Save the dates – 23 > 25 Oct.
The plan is on Saturday morning is to drop the pick at Sandspit and take the dinghies up the Matakana River to the Matakana Township > Market. Sunday will be a gathering at the Kawau Boating Club. All to be confirmed with more details soon 🙂 Mooching Around Dargaville + Woodys Labour Weekend Kawau Cruise
MYSTERY LAUNCH 28-08-2021 Todays woody is still drifting around the Waitemata but we do not see enough of her these days. The photo comes to us from the Andrew Donovan collection.
Should not be too hard to ID, hopefully Nathan Herbert will sleep in today……… The big story today is below 🙂
In response to Thursdays call out on this site – to the CYA chairperson, Rachel Orr, the CYA have now made public the classic vessel selection criteria for Auckland’s new 40 berth Heritage Basin marina. The short answer – it will be the same as what applies to the CYA’s existing Silo Park (Heritage Landing) 14 berth marina. Summarized below: (copies of correspondence below) • A balanced display from all categories of vessels
• All of the vessels (yachts, launches and workboats)…..
• Launched before 1950
The Back Story
In response to dock talk and admissions suggesting that launches and workboats would be excluded from the new marina, I asked for clarification at the AGM that all CYA vessels were eligible for inclusion (this wasn’t supplied) and then we requested via subsequent requests -online, email and in person (again wasn’t supplied).
The response from the CYA chairperson was a posting on the CYA website that directed people to a copy of the (many times edited) report (only spoken to on the night by Chad Thompson) that again made no mention of what vessels would be eligible for inclusion at Heritage Basin.
It now appears that a decision has been made to publish what the selection criteria will be. BUT the only people advised of this (refer A below) are those woodys that followed my lead and wrote to the CYA Chairperson on Thursday asking for clarification. Given the significance of this turn around – it seemed only appropriate to share this information with the wider classic boating community.
NOW – DO YOU PAY YOUR SUBS? – IF I WERE YOU I’D HOLD OFF A WHILE – THE FIRST CYA EX COMMITTEE FOR THE NEW COMMITTEE COULD BE INTERESTING
