Category Archives: Launches

Enoho

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Enoho

ENOHO 

Excuse the quality of todays photo but it dates from a February 1905 newspaper article .
All I know is that the photo was taken by C.F. Bell and the caption says “The Enoho, winner of the Motor Yacht Race”.
With that canoe stern she is a looker. No doubt she gained a tram top and even later a dog house.
Can we expand on her more?
Input fron Harold Kidd – ENOHO was built by Bailey & Lowe (who else?) in December 1903 for W.A. Ryan & Co of Auckland with a 10hp Union engine for which they were the agents. She was 36’x 6’6″x2’6″ and diagonal built. Ryan & Co demonstrated her at the 1904 Picton Regatta, at Wellington and brought her back to Auckland for overhaul. She won the Auckland Anniversary Regatta launch race in 1905. She appears to have finished up in Picton at the end of 1905.
HEADS UP – tomorrow on WW there will be the chance to win a copy of the new 334 page book ‘Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy’ by Brian Peet. Its the best read I’ve picked up all year, over 400 photos. Check out Wednesdays WW story for details on how to enter 😉
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RSVP– you and your boats name + approx. numbers to sueedwards@xtra.co.nz

Lady Gay On Sydney Harbour

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New Australian Home For Lady Gay

It appears the dockside rumours are true, the photos below confirms that the 1935 Colin Wild built launch Lady Gay is now residing on Sydney Harbour, Australia. I hope someone has paid the bond………………

Update 08-10-2019 – I have been told Lady Gay posted a substantial bond for her return to NZL. She is on a 3-year leave from NZL to cruise the Australian East Coast.

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Photo below of Lady Gay at Palm Beach, Waiheke Island (Jan, 2019), ex John Simpson

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WENNA (Rangitira)

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WENNA (Rangitira)
 
The 32’ c.1920’s launch Wenna has appeared several times on WW, links to those stories below – lots of details and photos.
Back in 2014 Harold Kidd shared with us that Jack Taylor had given him the good oil on Wenna. Jack used to work alongside Alf Bell of Collings & Bell and Alf told him some facts about Wenna. Also an amusing tale as to how she got her name 🙂
She was launched as Wenna and at some stage renamed Rangitira and then changed back by Pam Cundy at the Whangateau boat yard when they restored her back in 2014. Subsequently ownership changed to Brent (sorry do not know the surname) who undertook an extensive refurbishment – as we view her above. 
 
1. She was built by Collings & Bell.
2. They took their time over construction so Eric O’Neill, who lived in Ring Terrace a few yards away, kept nagging them, ” When are you going to get my boat finished”, and the name ‘Wenna’ stuck.
3. Eric was known around the waterfront as ‘Peggy’ O’Neill after the song. He was a cheerful bloke and everyone liked him.
4. He knew nothing about boating at the start. He brought Wenna back from Barrier through the bad February 1936 hurricane and complained to Alex Collings that she leaked. 40 boats were lost in Auckland in that blow. 
5. However, he got to be good enough to skipper PAIKEA on occasion during her NAPS service.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/09/17/8768/

 

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RSVP– you and your boats name + approx. numbers to sueedwards@xtra.co.nz

Lady Naomi

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Lady Naomi

Hello woodys, did you see Halley’s Comet last night? It appears in the sky once every 75 years i.e. once in a lifetime. Now maybe I’m stretching the truth about the comet but todays story has to be as rare event  🙂 
I think the reason Lady Naomi makes an appearance today is  because Amy Bateman caught me in a post Boat Show blues moment e.g. I have been looking at too much white fibreglass.
 
Anyway onto the Lady Naomi – Amy contacted me trying to trace the launch that her father built in Thames. Lady Naomi is a Hartley 30 Tide Song design. She was sold over 30 years ago and all Amy knows is that she went to Auckland.  Amy is not sure where she went after that but would love to know what became of her.

1930’s Mystery Launch and Location

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1930’s Mystery Launch and Location

When this photo appeared on fb, no one was able to ID the vessel or confirm the location. Location suggestions were Judges Bay Parnell and Takapuna Beach.
Can we do any better?
Reminder – if you like plastic boats the Boat Show is on till Sunday down at Auckland’s Viaduct – new venue as Team NZ are squatting at the Events Centre. Lots of ’stuff’ for your woody on display / sale.
Harold Kidd Input – It’s certainly a puzzle Although the hull is very similar to Seagars’ REHUTAI (but I think a tad smaller) she still retained her funnel after she was dieselised and her wheelhouse was taller. Also, why would the Seagars pull her out at Judges Bay when they had a secure spot in the Devonport Yacht Club’s yard just along the road from their nice house in Jubilee Avenue?
Who Owns Safari ? photo below. Contact me on  waitematawoodys@gmail.com I may have something from the boats past that might interest you 😉
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Mystery Marlborough Sounds Launch

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Mystery Marlborough Sounds Launch
All we know about the above launch is that she is 27’, made of kauri and has a Ford 60hp does; engine that pushes her along at 5>6 knots.
From her cabin top layout she looks like she has been used as a bach ’taxi’, most likely private use.
Can any of the Southern Woodys put a name to her and any info on her past?

 

Paikea

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PAIKEA
 
Two weeks ago my Westhaven spy sent my the 2 photos above of the 1921 Collings & Bell built launch Paikea hauled out at Westhaven for some TLC and then I spotted her back on her mooring in Bayswater looking very smart.
 
Thanks to Harold Kidd we know she was launched on 26th January 1921. She was fitted with a 120-150hp Model M Van Blerck 6 cylinder petrol engine (not a straight-eight Packard as is often said). Paikea had Chas. Collings’ “concave-convex” type of hard chine design which he made famous with his various Fleetwings and whale-chasers. Indeed she was a refinement of the Fleetwing whose image appears in the Collings & Bell section of WW. She was good for 20 knots and can still do it with her present big Iveco/Fiat, as Harold experienced at Sandspit. He commented the she goes like hell and stable with it.Alf Court sold her to Hec Marler in 1925 and he sold her to R B & S S Wilson  just pre-WW2. She was in NAPS during WW2 as Z17.
 
You can view more photos of her here

Karakia

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KARAKIA

Karakia was designed by Roy Parris in 1968 but I suspect somewhere along the line she has been ‘altered’ a tad 😉

She measures 24’ and is pushed along by a 34hp Sole diesel engine that gives a 6.5>7 knot cruise speed.
Currently home is Lake Taupo, note the trailer pictured is not for sale, thanks Ian McDonald for the tm listing heads up. BOAT SOLD
Harold Kidd Input – KARAKIA was registered with APYMBA for the 1966-7 season to J.S.C. McLanachan of Meadowbank.

Wooden Boat Festival – 30 Wooden Boat Photos 

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Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival – 30 Wooden Boat Photos 
 
Todays photo essay of over 30 photos was captured by NZ Traditional Boatbuilding School trustee, Kere Kemp. Kere has just returned from the 2019 Festival and in Kere’s words “the festival was 3 great days of wooden boat jewellery everywhere you looked”.
 
I’ll let the pictures tell the story – remember you can enlarge a photo by click on it 😉
Enjoy
ps – nice to see the WW cap made an appearance 🙂
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RSVP– you and your boats name + approx. numbers to sueedwards@xtra.co.nz

A-Class Racing on the Waitemata

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A-Class Racing on the Waitemata

Today’s feature photo is from a photo essay that Mike McGehan sent in. If my eyes and memory are correct Left > Right

A15 Prize, A17 Ngatoa, A14 Ngataringa, A18 Tawera, A27 Arohia

Anyone able to put an approx. date on the photo?

Mondays WW story will be a goody – 30+ photos from the camera of Kere Kemp who has just returned from the 2019 Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. Great photos from a gent with a good key for woody talent 🙂 A tease below

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RSVP – you and your boats name + approx. numbers to sueedwards@xtra.co.nz