Category Archives: Launches

1951 Launch Race + Win a WW T’shirt

Posted on by
Reply

Screen Shot 2019-03-21 at 4.08.27 PM

1951 Launch Race

Todays photo comes to us via Lew Redwood’s fb and is tagged ‘1951 Open launch race regatta – Waiheke Island.
First woody to correctly name the 4 launches, wins a WW t-shirt. If no one gets all 4, then it steps down to 3, then 2 , then 1 – so even if you can only ID one, enter – you could win.
Enties via email only – to –    waitematawoodys@gmail.com
WW T modelled below by Simon, owner of the c.1965 Ben Hipkin designed and built 36’ launch – Sceptre. Photo sent to me last weekend by one of my floating spies 😉
IMG_0950

Hobsonville Marina Hardstand Report

Posted on by
3
lAPWING

LAPWING

LAPWING SCROLLWORK

PARMA
PARMA
ROSEMARY M

ROSEMARY M

ROSEMARY M -Damage

Hobsonville Marina Hardstand Report

Woody John Wicks sent in the above photos of woody activity at the marina.

Lapwing, built by Bailey & Lowe in 1915, lives along from me at Bayswater and would have to be a contender for the most unused woody in Auckland, but her owner maintains her very well so she is a lucky woody. Nice to see her lies and a close up of the classic B&L scrollwork on the bow. In the water front below

https://waitematawoodys.com/?s=Lapwing&submit=Search

We couldn’t find Parma on WW but I’m sure its appeared before, she was for sale for a very long time, so hopefully her present condition reflects a change of ownership. As John commented, she is a pretty thing – can anyone update us on her?. 

The shots of – Rosemary M, show the results of a large plastic boat out-of-control whacking her with its stern platform after its skipper mistook his throttles for gearshifts while trying to back in / out of his berth. John understands the owner of Rosemary M was aboard her at the time and was able to stuff something into the hole and stem the inflow until she could be lifted out. John understands the owner of the assailant has at least had the decency to admit liability – good man. A peek below decks here –    https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/01/30/rosemary-m-a-peek-down-below/

Lady Fair

Posted on by
3

LADY FAIR - GULF HARBOUR - 1

LADY FAIR IN EUROPE -- EX GOOGLE - 1

LADY  FAIR

Lady Fair was designed by William Garden and built in America in 1960 using cedar. Originally a 67’ ketch, Ken Ricketts was told she was sailed to NZ approx. 7>8 years ago, under her original ketch rig by a previous owner. Then her rigging was removed & she was converted to a motor boat (by the present owner). Her coamings are original & she still has a substantial amount of lead ballast in the bilges.

Her power comes from a 170hp Caterpillar diesel that pushes her along at 7-9.5Kts.  Home has been the Viaduct Basin for much of her time in NZ, her owners live aboard permanently.

In a previous life she spent time in Turkey, c.2013 where she was for sale, it appears her name then was – Haz.

(Note: details ex Ken Ricketts via trade people working on the boat – edited alot by Alan H – NZ photos ex KR, oversea ex google via KR))

30-10-2019 Update from Owner Dave Miller

“Just to put the record straight. No criticism intended.
Lady Fair was designed by William Garden(hull #407), built by Fellowes and Stewart on Terminal Island in LA California and launched in 1960. She was built for Donald Douglas of the Douglas Corporation aircraft company.
She is constructed with bent oak frames and single planked with 2 ½” Douglas Fir. Transom is double planked Mahogany. Stem is Gum and the keel shoe is Ironwood. Designed as a motor-sailer with Ketch rig. Displacement 65 tons.
Engine is a single Caterpillar D342C of 220 max flywheel Horsepower @1300 rpm. In-line 6, displacement 20.4 litres. Weighing 3 tons with transmission. 10.5kts. @1,000rpm. Cruising at ~800rpm, 7.5kts. we burn ~20ltrs per hour Including 2 hrs generator use per day.
Fuel capacity = 12 tons in three tanks. F.W. capacity = 2.4 tons in two tanks. 1 ton holding tank.
A later owner sailed her to Wellington NZ. arriving in 1993. We bought her in 2012 and brought her up to Hobson West in the Viaduct where we remained until a year ago when we sadly had to vacate because – America’s Cup! We are now in Bayswater Marina. To my knowledge she has never been to Europe and has never had a name change. She has been to the pacific Islands a few times.
We hauled out at Gulf Harbour in March and some of the pictures are from that time. Below the waterline was scraped back to bare wood. Small area of worm in the keel and bottom of rudder. Had iron fastener problems so quite a lot of plank work, some rot in lower transom and a LOT of fasteners. The repairs were carried out by ‘Nautical Experience’ (Cory Rademaekers and team) and was to his usual absolutely first-class standard.
Kind regards, Dave and Mary Miller.”

Anyone Looking For A One Off Art Installation

The ‘boat’ below is on trademe – would look great at a pub, cafe or in a serious Woodys front paddock. 
If the seller gets no interest, it will be cut up for firewood – its too cool for that 🙂
Wood appears to be oak, measures approx. 8mx3m. Currently located at Grahams Beach, Awhitu. Its very close to the road so moving her shouldn’t be a major.
Thanks to T Foh for the listing heads up.

Soul Survivor (Fairley)

Posted on by
3

Screen Shot 2019-03-23 at 6.19.38 PM

 

SOUL SURVIVOR (FAIRLEY)
Soul Survivor sold recently on trademe for $100 to someone from Thames. The listing stated she is 23’6”, double ended kauri carvel planked ex commercial fishing boat (named Fairley) and was built in 1927, by Miller & Tunnage (Port Chalmers, Sth Island) and She is pushed along by a ‘vintage’ Yanmar MX 8hp diesel.
She has spent the last 12 years on Lake Rotoiti, Rotorua, but the last 5 years on the hard. She made the journey from Dunedin by truck in 2006.
Anyone know who bought her and / or more on her past?

Corsair – Bridge Decker

Janet & Bruce Pullan, owners of the woody – Ann Michelle, came across an old bridge decker launch ‘resting’ in a paddock in the Waikato.
The boats name is Corsair, she is 34’ and the only information supplied by the owner was that she was built by a boatbuilder on the North Shore, started before WW2 and finished after the War. He believed the name was original.
I know its a big ask – but does anyone recall a launch that matches these specs?

John Salthouse Crosses The Bar

Posted on by
2

John Salthouse

John Salthouse Crosses The Bar
Sad to hear that John Salthouse, the founder of Salthouse Boatbuilders passed away on Sunday night. If you have any doubts as to the extent of the mans input to our classic woody fleet just type SALTHOUSE in the WW search box & you’ll be amazed by the craft that John either built or enhanced in his lifetime. Below is a gallery of just some of the craft that Salthouse Boatbuilders have built.
Our thoughts go out to the extended Salthouse family. While he has left us, his legacy will grace our waters for many many years to come.
TRINIDAD

SEA ROGUE – Why Is the Price So Low

Posted on by
7

 

Screen Shot 2019-03-20 at 7.40.56 AM

Screen Shot 2019-03-20 at 7.46.25 AM

Screen Shot 2019-03-20 at 7.46.06 AM

Screen Shot 2019-03-20 at 7.45.04 AM

Screen Shot 2019-03-20 at 7.46.15 AM

SEA ROGUE – Why Is the Price So Low
Question of the day – why are woodys so cheap in the USA compared to here? Is it a numbers game? Or is the cost of ownership (haulage, marina berth, insurance etc) make them unaffordable?
David Glen sent me a link to Sea Rogue a 54’ 1972 pilothouse, trawler style woody that was designed by naval architect Arthur Defever and built in 1972 by the Oriental Boat Company in Japan.
If you believe her 4sale listing she has been continuously upgraded by a meticulous owner. The zoom zoom is via twin Caterpillar diesels.
3 staterooms, each with head + captains berth in the pilothouse.
Currently located in San Diego – and the price? An unbelievable NZD$174,000.
Even if the motors didn’t go, that’s a very cheap waterfront apartment.

Lady Ellen Restoration Update – March 2019

Posted on by
4

Lady Ellen Restoration Update – March 2019

Owner Bruce Mitchinson sent in the photos above & report below:

“About half way through the interior fit out so far.
Galley joinery is complete and has been shifted back to the workshop ready for paint.
Built in electrical and navigators consoles, and the new helm station in the queue for paint too.
Down below the new cabin soles and cabin partitions are all in, apart from the partition for the head, which is made, but out of the way while the space is being made into a wet room.
Hull lining and bunk slats all prefinished, ready for fitting.
Plumbing, thru-hull fittings and holding tank all set out, in the next week or two we will have a session with the hole saws to fit all these.
New exhaust pipe fitting will go in at the same time.
We have the engine in bits and all the parts have been stripped back and primed. 
Final coat of paint goes on this week so it can be reassembled and tested before it goes back in.
Electrical and fresh water plumbing coming up soon”
To see/ read more on this restoration project – enter Lady Ellen in the WW search box.
Photos below to show you how far Bruce has come with the LE project – very impressive.

Edna

Posted on by
12

Screen Shot 2019-03-06 at 9.17.34 PM

EDNA

Today’s launch is Edna and comes to us via Lew Redwoods fb – the caption says ‘Edna aground on the rocks Wellington’.
Given the 44gallon drums strapped aft she must have joined the submariners club. We also see the classic bilge pump (man with a bucket) in action.
Anyone able to tell us more about Edna?
Input from Harold Kidd – EDNA (this one of many) was owned from 1933 in Wellington by A.C. Kellett and named after his daughter. This image is probably from 1950 when she went on rocks in the harbour. No details of builder; probably a rename; Gavin Pascoe may know more.
S0NAR MIA
I have been contacted by Matt Davidson who is trying to locate the whereabouts or information about his grandparents launch MV Sonar Mia. From what Matt understands she was a Carl Augustin Design built in New Plymouth around the mid 1960’s. His grandparents were Logan and Jean Laloli. Logan was one of the Laloli Brothers who founded and owned Laloli Brothers Furniture in Penrose Auckland for some 50 yrs. They sold Sonar Mia in Auckland in the late 1970’s and she may have located to the Bay of Islands. They owned her for some 10yrs and had her moored at Halfmoon Bay Mairina. Any information would be appreciated.

Florence Rose – Launch Day

Posted on by
1

My beautiful picture

My beautiful picture
My beautiful picture
My beautiful picture
FLORENCE ROSE – Launch Day
 
As part of a recent email exchange with Mark Powell, Mark sent me the above photos from the launching of Florence Rose launching at the Chas Bailey and Sons yard.
In a previous WW post Gil Littler confirmed that Florence Rose was designed by Billy Rogers and built at Bailey’s in the 1960’s while he was serving his apprenticeship there. Gil was given the job of lofting her out and making up the frames before Kenny Hitchens (and other tradesmen) became involved in her construction. The hull was built on the mezzanine floor before being brought down to the slipway level by a large forklift to be finished off. 
 
Gil believes she was built for Harry Rose, which we now know is correct, in the photo below we have Mark Powell’s mother, Joan Powell, with Mark in short pants and the gent on the helm is Harry Rose.
 
I took the 2nd photo below of Flo Ro in October 2013 in Station Bay, Motutapu Island. 
My beautiful picture
Screen Shot 2019-03-19 at 6.44.46 PM

Could This Be Zephyr

Posted on by
9

Screen Shot 2019-03-19 at 6.03.33 PM

Screen Shot 2019-03-19 at 5.46.40 PM

Screen Shot 2019-03-19 at 5.47.36 PM

Could This Be Zephyr

Woody Nathan Herbert spotted the launch above on trademe – the photo show her name as Belinda Lee and the list says she was built in 1940, is 36’ in length.
Current zoom zoom is via a 1952 Ford 120hp diesel. The photos look a little scary but there are the bones of a good woody here if you had the time and budget to attach the above the waterline issues.
Current home is Christchurch, so that may limit her appeal to woodys north of Cook Straight, but the price at <$5k is right, if the Ford is healthy 😉
(b/w photo c.1948 ex K Ricketts)
So Woodys – was Belinda Lee, Zephyr in an other life?
18-02-2020 Update ex Andrea Collings
Andrea has located a couple of photos, see below.  Reproduction is not the best but we roll with that.. The one on the skid, is from when Andrea’s grandfather first brought her.  Andrea commented it has her grandmother, uncle (and she thinks her aunt). Andrea  believes she was having her motor removed.  Her grandfather (Mac Kelly) thought she was to thirsty and put a smaller engine in. 
The 2nd photo is of her has Mac standing and one of his sons sunbathing on her roof.
Andrea is not sure of dates for these photos but believes it would have to be in the 1950’s.
Zephyr remained in their family until about 1985 when she was sold to a man from Auckland who Andrea was told was the gent who took her bridge off. After that Andrea didnt know what happened to Zephyr until she received an email WW and then read Logan’s post.
Andrea has promised to continue to track down any more information and photos, so it can be added to her story.
20191113_193507
20191113_193435
 

30-04-2020 The Continuing Story Of Zephyr

I have been recently contacted by Kevin Lyall who via his mother, Hope Lyall, has contributed more details and photos from the vessels past. Kevins grandfather was a previous owner names – Mac Kelly and mentioned also in Andrea Colling’s input above.
I’ll let Kevin & Hope tell their story.

“The completion of Zephyr was delayed until after WWII, as the government was going to commandeer her as a patrol boat. She was originally powered by a single 165Hp ChrisCraft marine petrol engine, taken from a twin engine WWII landing craft. Not sure if the HP is correct, had a look and could have been a K series or Hercules series engine?

Mum said the original engine was under the floor, but the new engine had an engine cover built which took up space in the cockpit. She was re-powered with a Lee’s marine diesel (Ford)

She sank at her mooring in Awaawaroa Bay late 1970’s or early 1980’s, due to an engine intake valve being left open. She may have sat floating at the mooring for several years after that  as I remember her being beached at Pipitewai Bay and sacks of mussels being removed from the hull,This may have been around the time she was sold on.

We used to visit the family farm at Awaawaroa Bay, board Zephyr at Maraetai Wharf and sit on the bow with our groceries for the trip over the Tamaki Strait, we did this a few times for school holidays and Christmas. Must have been pre 1981.

My mother and family did a lot of trips on Zephyr all around the Hauraki Gulf and out to Great Barrier Island in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Many stories of fishing and visiting islands and meeting up with other boaties.”

Zephyr DEC1965

Dec’ 1965

Zephyr 1970's

1970’s

31-08-2020 Update ex Logan Bergs

Logan sent in the locker panel below from the launch Zephyr, during the weekend he by chance flipped the lid over and found a list of her previous names on the back of a panel Whilst doing a bit of work on the weekend on Zephyr or Belinda lee as she was called when I acquired her I found a list of her previous names on the back of a panel. When Logan bought the boat it was called Belinda Lee but he has reverted to the original name (Zephyr). Barry was unaware that there had been 2 other names – ‘Lady J’ and ‘True Love’.So woodys – does the addition of these names jog and memories?