Category Archives: Launches

Mystery Launch 21-01-2020

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MYSTERY LAUNCH 21-01-2020

The photo of todays launch popped up Mitchell Hutchings fb page. Mitchell commented that he had been given the photo but there was no reference to its origin or the name of the launch.
Nathan Herbert has proposed that it might be Wainunu (photo below ex Nathan Herbert) or Phyllis M, anyone able to help us out ID’ing the launch?
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Harold Kidd Update – Definitely WAINUNU (ex PHYLLIS M) built by Fred Mann at John St., Ponsonby in December 1919 for himself. She was sold to Clive Power in 1953 who renamed her WAINUNU and used her for yacht club work and a Coastguard auxiliary.
Photo below of Phyllis M ex Nathan Herbert
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I was floating around on Saturday / Sunday so tomorrow I have a good collection of classic woodys out enjoying one of the best weekends of the summer.
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Maharatia (Anita Bay / Te Repo Repo Relaunched

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MAHARATIA RELAUNCHED
 
Last week in the WW inbox up popped a note from Troy and Dave Searle the owners of the 1947 Roy Lidgard built – Maharatia, the subject line said “Maharatia (Anita Bay) Update”. Well woodys that was an understatement, I can report that Maharatia has been relaunched 🙂
Firstly excuse me while I rewind – back in August 2015 Paul Drake sent me a single b/w photo (c.1960’s) of a rather large woody on the back of a truck in Taupo. Paul commented that the launch was Te Repo Repo as she was named while operating commercially on the lake.
That single photo (below) ignited one of the biggest chat sessions on WW, there have been over 64 comments posted around the boats provenance.
I attempted to summarize it into one read, which you will find along with a great photo gallery of her past at the WW link below. Make sure you read the comments, start at the bottom 😉 
 
 
Now back to the the Searle’s email – I have reproduced it below – rather a big project – well done guys, amazing effort – email me your T-shirt sizes and I will gift you a couple of WW t-shirts. Hopefully in person at this weekends Mahurangi Regatta.
 
“Well finally after a 4 1/2 years restoration we have relaunched Maharatia.
Last Wednesday (8th Jan 2020) Boat Haulage safely transported her up to Dockland 5 in Whangarei from the boat shed at Omaha. 
She is now berthed in Marsden Cove Marina
Colin Brown, Josh Hawke and owner Dave Searle have worked hard to help bring her back to a very solid representation of her former glory.
Just a brief overview of the restoration work
– Replaced 23 frames in hull
– Replaced garboard plank
– Replaced all keel bolts
– Replaced all through hull skin fittings
– Re-corked hull
– Replaced worm shoe
– Rebuilt shaft logs
– Rebuilt rudder logs
– New diesel tanks 
– Motors (2 x 6LX Gardner) rebuilt by Shaw diesels Ltd
– Replaced all fuel systems, lines and filters.
– Complete rehire and re-plumbed.
– All new toughened glass windows
– New dash panel, gauges and instruments
– New Interior, saloon and galley
– Raised and built new roof to increase headroom by 80mm
– New shower/head room built in.
– New capping on rail
– New exhaust system
– All porthole windows removed, new glass and seals fitted.
– 2 new hatches made. Fwd cabin and roof top.
– New anchor winch
– Aft deck, seating and storage compartments made and hatch to lazarette installed.
 …and Lastly a full repaint.
 
Looking forward to spending our summer on the water this year! 
We hope to be at the Mahurangi regatta In a few weeks time and catching up with other woody enthusiasts.”
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Bay of Islands Woodys

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Bay of Island Woodys

Dean Wright has just sent in a few more photos from the BOI, as always stunning photography.
We have Alma G and Winsome fishing off Onewhero and Tapui coming through Kent Passage.
Enjoy.
Hopefully I’ll be afloat this weekend and in case it slipped you by – next weekend is the BIGGIE – Mahurangi Regatta, the biggest woody event in NZ.
If you believe the MCC website – there is a classic launch parade, I understand the CYA are behind it, but details are a ‘little’ light’ 😦
I have cut and pasted below what appears on the MCC website and marked the parade assembly area / time i.e. 10.15am at Scotts Landing.
As per previous years, entry is a formality that a lot turn a blind eye to, you can just rock up on the day – as long as you are a classic and made of wood 🙂
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Remember to slip $20 cash into your pocket to pick up a copy of the Mahurangi Cruising Club year book – its a cracker
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Marlin 17 Rescued

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Marlin 17 Rescued

Have been contacted recently by Keith Bradley concerning a Marlin 17 that he rescued from the chainsaw. The previous owner was about to cut the hull in half and mount it on the wall of the fish and chip shop in Nelson……… 😦

In steps Keith and the woody run-a-about is now 1/2 way thru a re-fit.
When Keith acquired her she had a large crack in the bow, that with help (verbal) from a local boat builder Kieth has addressed.
The project is actually more of a custom re-build than a restoration to as built, but rest easy – she will look a picture when completed.
Keith has set himself a target to have her back in the water for the Lake Rotoiti (Nelson Lakes) classic boat show at St. Arnaud this year, so he better get a move on 🙂
Keith would love to hear from any other Marlin 17 owners to swap notes re his and their boats.
The photo below of Keith’s shed shows an impressive collection of deer antlers  – must be a very good shot 🙂
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Ani (Brief Affair)

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ANI (BRIEF AFFAIR)

I have been contacted by Matthew Hambrook looking for more details on the 1975,  41’ Keith Atkinson built launch – Ani. In a previous like she was called ‘Brief Affair’ and spent a number of years in the Golden Bay area.
Matthew commented that there had been talk of the boat being one of the ’Shango’ named launches that Keith Atkinson built.
Can anyone shed some light on the boat?
LADY SHIRLEY
Two nights ago BOI woody Dean Wright sent me the photo below of Lady Shirley swinging on a mooring in Opito Bay. Obviously in summer cruising mode with all the ‘fruit’ on top of her 🙂
Not too sure about those cabin hatches, looks like they would be more at home on a Y88 😉
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Lady Gillian

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Lady Gillian new bow rail

LADY GILLIAN

Last year I was in dialog with Andrew Beatson, the owner of the Nelson based launch – Lady Gillian, in regard to a a replacement bow rail. Andrew had made the decision to replace the existing rail (as seen the the top photo) with a something similar.
The middle photo shows the mocked up replacement, which AB had little say in the ‘design’. Andrew contacted me asking for advice, I won’t bore you with the details, unless you are contemplating something similar, in which case PM me.
Yesterday Andrew sent me the bottom photo, with lots of smiley faces – the new rail looks ace and will only get better after the timber has aged a little.
Small things can make a big difference to how a woody looks, sadly more often than not, people get it wrong. If you ever want advice / 2nd opinion, just drop WW an email – there are some very talent woodys who we can tap into 😉
There has been discussion on WW before regarding the provenance of Lady Gillian – back in 2014 Harold Kidd commented that she had most likely had a name change and could be from any builder in the 1910 >1930 period. Probably started life as a flush decker and with her row of even sized ports is characteristic of a southern build and could pass for an early Jukes of Balaena Bay.
Six years have passed since then and WW has a lot more readers – can anyone help ID the vessel?

10-03-2022 Photo below ‘uncovered’ in the WW archives

A Woody Trip Up The Coast

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Lady Crossley @ home in the BOI

A Woody Trip Up The Coast

Just before Christmas I buddied up with Jamie Hudson to take Jamie’s classic launch – Lady Crossley to her summer home in the Bay of Islands.
Jamie and I have a great track record when it comes to long hauls and the weather, so once again we enjoyed perfect conditions. We were in no hurry so the trip was broken into – Kawau Island > Urquhart Bay (Whangarei Head) > BOI.
Above is a gallery of photos from the trip – as always food was a major component of the trip 🙂
Enjoy the photos – didn’t see a lot of other woodys, but there appears to be a good representation on the replica f/glass Logan 33 launches in the Bay.
Photo below of Russell’s waterfront – have not been there for a long time – I’ll be back, soon, its a great spot.
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Zircon

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ZIRCON
 
Zircon made her debut on WW back in November 2015, when she had been purchased by Kevin Peet. At the time Kevin knew very little about Zircon’s provenance, over the next 4 years with the help of several WW readers, mostly past owners, we have ‘unpeeled’ her past. You can read / view this at the WW link below, make sure you read the comments sections – lots of chat there. https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/11/04/zircon/
In a nut seal – she is 34’ in length, built by Phil Lange in 1964, carvel hull and is still powered by her original 130hp, Perkins 645 diesel engine.
 
Fast forward to last week (Jan. 2020) and I was contacted by Matt Fearnley whose 84 year old father, Don Fearnley, bought Zircon in the mid/late 1960’s and owner her until 1979. Matt lives in Perth and mentioned that he was catching up with his father and  would send in some details and photos from the Zircon’s past – I have reproduced Matt’s note to me below, enjoy the read 🙂
 
“Well I spent the afternoon reminiscing with Dad about the old boat – it almost brought a tear to his eye. Great stories that I’ve heard a million times before but never get tired of.
Anyway here’s what dad told me that may be of interest :
 
Dad bought the boat in 1965 from a bloke called Chamberlain from Chamberlains Island? (Probably Ponui from what I’ve read on your site). The boat was called ‘Bette’ after Chamberlain’s wife and had been used to pull the barge mentioned on your site, and also cart sheep to the island. According to Dad the boat had little use and was like new. He paid 4000 pound – and Mum didn’t know until a stranger knocked on her door to say Dad could have the boat! Those were the days. I’d be gelded if I tried that….
 
Dad renamed the boat Zircon for a simple reason – He was in the coast guard at the time and had a jet-boat he had built at night-school called ‘Zip’ (because it was fast! – photo below of Zip on the trailer behind the EH wagon). Dad had the only boat that started with ‘Z’ in the coast guard, and he liked that hence the new boat had to start with a ‘Z’ too. Hence the birth of Zircon. 
 
One of the photos shows ‘Bette’ at anchor on the Wade River just prior to purchase.
 
The boat was used for many search and rescues including one near Gt Barrier Island during a bad storm and some damage was sustained to the hull. The story goes that Dad and his mates secured Zircon to some trees at high tide and when the tide went out they were able to effect some running repairs – not bad considering it’s a 12 1/2 ton boat.
 
Dad had some mods done in Auckland (Milford) before we moved to the BOI where the boat became part of the family, used every weekend for family and the local dive club. More mods done around ’74- ’75 on Arthur Smith’s slip opposite Opua. Dad added the fore-deck and the faux flybridge (no steering or controls) plus some other general maintenance.
 
Mum and Dad bought a bach at Whangaruru in 1977 and after that the boat sat at the mooring in Opua to be used by seagulls only. It was a very sad day when it sold but we were glad to know it was being re-modeled at Ashby’s boatyard to be loved by a new family. 
 
Thanks for the site Alan. You’ve put a smile on Dads face and he loved looking at the new photos, and to know the new owners have kept the only ‘Z’ in the coast guard.
 
Hope the above answers some questions the new owners may have.”
 
The photo below of Te Kouma, is a cracker – lots of woodys there, have asked Matt to check to see if a higher res version of the photo exists. 
If Kevin Peet still owns Zircon – sends us some photos 😉 
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Traveler

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TRAVELER TAUFALE

The 1931 L. C. Coultard built 31’ launch – Traveler has recently popped up on tme, another example of the number of wooden boats out there that are under the radar. She is a newbie to me.
Her hull is kauri planked and she is powered by a  1965, 70 hp, Ford (Lees) 2701E diesel engine (rebuilt). A nice entry level woody for someone looking at getting into classic wooden boating.
Can we expand on where she has been for the last 89 years?
OOPS SLIGHT BALLS UP. TRAVELER IS ACTUALLY TAUFALE. I DID THIS STORY FROM MY MOB PHONE SO  DID NOT SEE THE PHOTOS IN LARGE FORMAT. THE NAME TAUFALE IS ON THE NAME BOARDS. OWNER IS A DICKHEAD FOR USING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE VERSION ON THE AD. I JUST ASSUMED IT WAS ANOTHER COULTARD LAUNCH. 
Taufale has appeared on ww before.

Ariana

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ARIANA

The build / launch date of Ariana is unknown but she was formerly a Nelson fishing boat named ‘Glenrowan’. Her current owner purchased Ariana in Picton in 2005, after extensive re-building by McManaways of Picton. She was relocated to Napier, where she still is to this day.
Her zoom zoom is from a near new Perkins Sabre model M225Ti installed 2015, current engine hours are only 25hrs, the Perkins gives her a cruising speed of 9 knots. She is 37’9” in length, with a 10’ beam.
Her trademe listing (thanks Ian McDonald) lists a very extensive inventory.
Can anyone help us got with details on builder > year of launch etc?