The top photo of the haul-out area at Okahu Bay, Auckland is dated 1977 and was sent in by Nathan Herbert. Nathan’s eye was draw to the large launch in the centre and he suspects the vessel is the launch – 50’ Dauntless, now residing in Milford Marina, now all white and sporting a different cabin (refer 2nd photo above).
Boat Less These Holidays Consider a cruise on board a very classic looking wee ship on Lake Taupo. The Ernest Kemp isn’t a true woody (steel hull, wooden super structure, she was designed by Bruce Askew and built in Whangarei in 1980. Named after Alfred Ernest Kemp, the last member of the Kemp family to live at Kemp House Kerikeri. She briefly earned a living transporting passengers down the Kerikeri inlet. She was then sold in 1981 to business interests in Taupo, where she remains to this day.
Ernest Kemp is 47’ in length and has a 3’ draft, perfect for the sometimes swallow lake waters she operates in. Powered by twin 4 cyl. Ford 73hp diesel engines that give her a cruising speed of 9 knots. Ernest Kemp offers scenic cruises on Lake Taupo during the day and an early evening cocktail cruise. Details here https://ernestkemp.co.nz photo below ex Angus Rogers
RUSSELL , BAY OF ISLANDS – c. Late 1930 > Early 1940
During a spot of spring cleaning Gary Stanborough came across the photos above taken by his late father, Gordon Stanborough in the late 1930’s or early 1940’s when visiting Russell. The top photo shows the game boat Alma G II in her early days.
Of particular interest to Gary was the car ferry on the Russell foreshore and presumably the original Knoxie. A great look back at the area 80>90 years ago.
The photo below was sent in yesterday of a Flemming 55 on fire at Opua, be careful these holidays accidents happen so easily on a boat. In the 2nd photo (NZH) there is a woody on the left, all that smoke would not have been pleasant i.e. melting plastic 😦
CARA MIA In the photo above we see the game fishing launch – Cara Mia coming alongside the wharf at Tutukaka. The photo is dated Feb 1963. She was built by Ray Dinsdale on the shores of Whananaki. In the photo is is flag to peanuts, indicating that she had landed two game fish that day. Cara Mia possibly makes a cameo appearance in this 2015 WW story on Aquila – link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/05/06/aquila/
Do we know any more about the launch and what became of the boat?
27-12-2020 Input from Ian Creevey – I started my game fishing career on the Cara Mia in Paihia in 1976. Photo below. At the time she was owned by Peter Rosoman who I recently ran into in Marsden Cove after 42 years!! Also met another guy who remembers her being built.
A MerryWoodyChristmas Well woodys its been a crazy year, but looking around the world, at the moment there isn’t anyway else I would want to be. I’d encourage you this holiday period to get out there and enjoy the slice of paradise we all live in. I know a lot of businesses and individuals have and still are suffering due to CV-19, so get out there and support your local businesses.
On a personal front it’s been a huge year for waitematawoodys, the enforced lock-downs saw viewing numbers more than double and 1,000’s of new readers world wide logging in – most enjoyed what they saw and have decided to hang around. We like that 🙂
Best line of the year“If you aren’t compelled to look back at your boat when you row ashore, then perhaps you should find another, unless you value practicality over aesthetics, and that would be a hard decision.”
Happiest moment – “Dad can I borrow the boat this weekend” (photo below)
I wish you all a merry Christmas and Happy New Year + safe boating. Cheers alan houghton
Ps I will attempt to keep the posts up – but do not get too upset if life gets in the way and I miss a day, there is always tomorrow. Pps If you see anything woody related over the holiday period, take a photo and send it to waitematawoodys@gmail.com I’m always looking for content.
WW has been contacted by Nic Innes seeking help on-covering details on this launch Islay. All he knows is that it was previously owned, for 33 years by a Peter Weeks, and built in the early 1930’s by Millers of Lyttelton. Islay is 36’ in length.
The photo above is reflective of the launch when Nic bought her approx. 2 years ago. The photo below is as current. Nic has been restoring/changing her for a while now. Nic commented that she was pretty much completely rotten on the top side and he has gone for a more usable cabin space. However the immediate goal for now is to just keep it dry so it can be used and enjoyed in the mean time with all the modern luxuries. Nic understands that she has been in Havelock for a long time.
Can anyone help Nic in his quest?
Harold Kidd Input
(1) I’ll stick my neck out and say that this ISLAY was built by J.McPherson of Dunedin in September 1927 with a 25hp 4 cyl Kermath. R L Kennett of Christchurch bought her in 1936 and had her refitted by Millers. Kennett owned her right up to WW2. G. Davis owned her from 1946 to at least 1962. He replaced the Kermath with a 100hp Austin in 1953. R.B.McMillan of Lyttelton owned her in 1973.
(2) ECLIPSE was built in Dunedin by McPherson in November 1922. Maybe kejo’s two photos are from some McPherson provenance and maybe his ISLAY is a different boat from the McPherson-built Dunedin boat, although they were of the same length and both Kermath-powered. The Kermath was a popular engine at the time, however. Still, the Dunedin ISLAY vanishes at about the time an ISLAY pops up in Lyttelton. Just to add to the mystery, it’s just possible that Kennett’s ISLAY was his PASTIME, renamed after a rebuild at MIllers..Who says launches are simple?Happy days!
Classic Wooden Launches at Kawau Island Back in the good old days, Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island was the spot to be if you owned a launch in Auckland. I suspect it had something to do with the presence of a licensed watering-hole (pub) on the island 🙂
The two photos above come to us from – Heritage Images via Nathan Herbert. We talked about a competition to name the launches but it would be too hard to judge. So woodys enjoy the photos. A question – is it Christmas yet?
Help Needed If you have any photos you want to share – send them in, I’ll be looking for stories over the xmas / ny break. Send to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
KATOA The photos above of the 37’7” launch Katoa , were sent in by Bay of Islands woodys – Dean Wright. Dean snapped Katoa in the Te Puna and Kerikeri Inlet area last week.
Designed and built by Geoff Bagnall in 1988, she may by ‘youngish’ for a woody but she is an oldie at heart 🙂 Powered by a 130hp Lees Ford diesel.
DOES ANYONE KNOW A ROSS DIXON (or Michael Adams) previous owners of the launch Menai – if so could you ask that they contact me on waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Ngapuhi was built by Brian Lane in 1952-3 as a towing launch for Lane & Sons (Timber Millers) at their premises in Totara North, Whangaoa Harbour. Originally named Waihou. Purchased by Northland Port Corporation in 1963 her name was changed to Ngapuhi & she served as the pilot boat for the Whangarei Harbour Board for 35 years.
During 1983-4 an extensive refit was carried out when a larger aluminium wheelhouse was added. The original 2x GM471 engines were replaced with new 6LXB Gardners, propshaft angles modified, and larger rudders made to suit the new engine installations.
Has been in current ownership since 1998 during which time was chartered back to Northland Port until 2000 & kept in SSM survey for 16 passengers until late 2013 when the SSM regulations were changed.
While based in Whangaroa her owners have completed numerous trips to the Three Kings, Waitemata, Gt Barrier, & also used to view the racing the last time Team NZ hosted the America’s Cup in Auckland.
Hull construction. Carvel plank Kauri over laminated frames of 70x40mm @ 250mm centres.
Other features. Icom VHF, Furuno GPS plotter/sounder, walk in engine room with fan forced ventilation. F’ward and aft cabins, galley, separate toilet with holding tank, wash down pump, 2x sets of fixed manual & electric bilge pumps & other safety equipment to meet previous survey requirements. Currently 3-4 berths, easily expandable to 6-8.
Thanks to Ian McDonald for bring the tme listing to the attention of WW.
I have been contacted by Neville Watkin in regard to his classic launch – Fruin. Neville knows very little about her early history, but believes she was probably built just after WW II (late 1940’s) and is kauri planked.
The above photo was taken in Cissy Bay near French Pass in the Marlborough Sounds in 2016. More recently her hull has been re-caulked and repainted and she currently doesn’t have a name.
Neville is keen to uncover any information on the vessel and suspects she was renamesd at some stage in her life. Can anyone help Neville put the correct name on the launch.
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