Category Archives: Launches

Mystery Launch 16-08-2019

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Mystery Launch 16-08-2019

Another mystery launch photo from Andy Donovan’s boat broking days – that distinctive stern hopeful will ring a bell with one of the woodys.
Kiwi’s On The World Stage
Marco Scuderi and his yard – MCN Shipwrights – are making noises in the world of classic boating with a double page feature in the August 2019 edition of UK Classic Boating magazine.
Well done Marco. And just by coincidence I’m at the yard later today to check out the 1969 Riva Superaquarama restoration, before it heads back to its owner across the Tasman. Twin 454 V8’s so cool zoom zoom  photos soon 😉
UK Classic Boat August2019

Maitai – A Peek Down Below

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MAITAI –  A Peek Down Below

A year ago the 1928 Collings and Bell kauri launch Maitai appeared on WW (link below) now thanks to Ian McDonald and her trade listing we get a look down below. Maitai measures 29’ 6” and is of single carvel plank construction, powered by a 36hp Bukh diesel engine.
Her owner commented that after 11 years of ownership the reason for the sale is that he is buying a yacht…………. It doesn’t happen that way often, normally its selling yacht to buy a launch. He will be back 🙂

Lolita > Wondabyne

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LOLITA > WONDABYNE

I uncovered the stunning photo above of Lolita in amongst Andy Donovan’s collection of photos from back in his boat broking days.
Back in June 2015 we uncovered that Lolita was probably Wondabyne. The original WW photos came to us from Colin Pawson, whose grandfather – Charles Pawson owned her in c.1924.
Thanks to numerous WW followers, lead by HDK we peeled back the years to confirm that we were looking at the same boat.
The link below will take you to the 2015 story, lots of photos + make sure you read the Comments section(bottom > top)
On the back of the Donavan photo it states that Lolita was built by R Lang 24 yrs ago, from full length kauri. Her specs were 31’9” x 8’9” beam, with a 3’ draft.
Power was via a Continental F.W.C. 6 cylinder 30hp engine that gave her 7-8 knots. Twin cabins, full headroom. Hard to read but it also said it would do Auckland > Whakatane in 23.5 hours – would that be right?
The asking price was £1,000
Sad photo below from 2008, ex Andrew Pollard of Lotita in Opua in the Bay of Island. Can anyone give as an update on her status?
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WCW Riverhead2019

Lady Ellen Restoration – July Update

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LADY ELLEN RESTORATION JULY UPDATE
 
Today is a first, no photos just videos, shot and narrated by Lady Ellen’s owner Bruce Mitchinson, I have to say its a great format for getting a status report on the progress of the restoration – very impressed Bruce 🙂
I’ll let Bruce tell us what’s been happening
 
“Visit to the boatyard, in Russell, end of july, to check on progress, and start the motor – new valves, rings, injectors, sump, bell housing, number 2 piston and con rod, so we thought it would be no trouble.
after cranking the thing over in the space of a couple of hours, bleeding lines, and trying all sorts, we gave up. It fired up for 4 seconds and we shut it down as the oil pressure was not up, after that we had oil pressure cranking on the starter, but it wouldn’t kick.
Fuel pressure at the injector pump looked pretty weak on all cylinders but number 3, and we thought that we would have to send the pump off to the doctors to get it looked at.
One last go yesterday [7th august] and armed with a new battery, some optimism, and a threatening looking sledge hammer, we had success!”
Woodys – I’m interested in your feed back he being able to view the videos – if you are unable, can you drop me an email (link below) I’m keen to ensure everyone can view them 🙂
waitematawoodys@gmail.com
UPDATE – OPEN THE COMMENTS SECTION IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS VIEWING –  for some reason they will load there but not in the main body of the story.
THE ENGINE
WCW Riverhead2019
Another clinker joined the fleet yesterday…………… thats 4, but who’s counting (other than the wife)

 

Arita > Edna White

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AUTA   Arita > Edna White

Today’s photo of Auta is dated 1916 but I’m not sure if that’s the build date or when the photos taken.
Photo comes to us via Lew Redwood’s fb.
Anyone know the provenance of Auta and where she is today?
Harold Kidd Input – That’s a nice pic of ARITA (not AUTA) built by Logan Bros in April 1909 for R.O. Clark of the brickworks at Hobsonville. She was later rebuilt and renamed EDNA WHITE and used as a ferry on the run to Kohimarama. She was totally burnt out in 1927. I’m sure she has appeared in WW before as either ARITA or EDNA WHITE.
She did Harold – link below 🙂


https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/10/09/arita/

Something Completely Left Field
Adrian Pawson is a very talented, clever lad – works with Southern Spars on high end tech projects but his pleasure interests go from restoring VW Combis, Seagull (outboard) racing to ‘turbo charging’ (carbon fibre everything) Townson sailing dinghies.
Arian recently acquired a light weather foil off one of the Oracle AC50 boats – cost new $250,000+ . So too good to bin it, so its been re-born as a swing in his garden. I understand there is 2 ton of concrete under the purpose built carbon mounting bracket.Check out the 316ss bolts – those alone would blow my budget 🙂
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How Often Do You Use Your Classic Boat

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Want To Use Your Boat More?
There is a recurring comment I hear constantly and thats “I just don’t use my boat enough”. Over the last few years the opportunities for classic launch owners to get out and about on the water and share the fun, friendship and fraternity that comes with owning a classic wooden boat have declined.
A group of passionate woodys have decided to address this situation and today I can advise that we have put together 4 classic launch events prior to the end the year – these events will be under the handle of – Woody Classics Weekend.
One of my eye openers when setting up the waitematawoodys website was the high % of woody owners that are not Classic Yacht Association members e.g. only 16% of the vessels featured on WW are on the CYA boat register. So in the interests of being all-inclusive, participation in the Woody Classics Weekend events is open to anyone and everyone, you don’t even have to own a boat – only one condition – you must have a passion for wooden boats.
The events will include a Riverhead Pub cruise, a waterfront (with private jetty access) picnic and a beachside BBQ on Waiheke Island. Details to be confirmed but put the first two dates below into your diary. I can confirm today that the first Woody Classics Weekend is a Spring Cruise to the Riverhead Hotel on Sunday 8th September. More details closer to the event.
Woody Classics Weekend 2019 Events
• September – 8th
• October – 20th
• November – date tba
• December – date tba
So people, this is a call out for your support and attendance at these events – if we are going to continue to attract people to the wooden boating movement, owning a woody has to be appealing to both individual owners and their families. In the long run – successful, fun events helps all of us i.e. more people equals more demand for classic wooden boats > equals better resale values 🙂
Next step – RSVP for the September Riverhead Pub Woody Classics Weekend to Barbara Cooke – link below
All we need is your name, boat name and if you know it, approximate numbers attending.
Yours truely – Alan Houghton (Raindance), Barbara & David Cooke (Trinidad), Jason Prew (My Girl), Nathan Herbert (Pacific) and Sue & Mark Edmonds (Monterey)
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 dbcooke@outlook.co.nz

Saint Antonio – Work Boat Wednesday

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SAINT ANTONIO
 
I understand the launch Wild Duck (photo below) is for sale, I have included a photo below to give you some inspiration as to what Saint Antonio could look like if you threw some money at a good woody boatbuilder. 
Saint Antonio is from the design board and builder – Joe Jukes of Wellington and was built in 1935. LOA is 40’ and she has the same stern profile as Wild Duck. Strongly built in single skin kauri, she is a typical straight stem, counter stern, Island Bay Cook Straight vessel. 
The best term to describe her current status would be ‘work-in-progress’, her motor has been removed (seized), she is a float and awaits a woody with version and a few spare $$. The the last photo above shows her when she was commercial fishing.
Thanks to Ian McDonald for th listing heads-up.
‘Sister’ ship Wild Duck below
The duck has had an interesting life – started out as a service boat to the Wellington flying boats. She is also a lucky boat, surviving an altercation with a piece of the coast up north. One of boatbuilders based out of Half Moon Bay marina sent in the photos below of Wild Duck after she was hauled out, after an altercation – appears to have been quite a knock.
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Cellina AK2248

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CELLINA AK2248

Normally if I have a work-boat photo I use it on Wednesday e.g. ‘Work Boat Wednesday’ but when I came across the above photos of Cellina on Lew Redwood’s fb she was such a stunner I had to post the photos asap.
Other than her name all I know is her rego # – being AK2248. Who can tell use more about Cellina?
There has to be some serious designer input in there.
Input from Cameron Pollard
Cellina ex CP2
Cellina ex CP
Input from Harold Kidd – The Zane Grey story mentioned above, is just that, a story. CELLINA was built by Chas Bailey & Sons for W C Mills & Sons of Devonport in April 1931 with a 55hp Deutz diesel. The Mills had Bailey build them MELODEON in February 1935 with a 110hp Deutz.
Update 08-08-2019 – Photo below of Cellina off Mangahawea, Motura Island, September 2016 ex the camera of Dean Wright
Cellina ex DW
08-08-2019 Update & photo below from Kerry Wickman who has owned Cellina since 2005 and reports she s’alive and well in the Bay of Islands’
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BUD NALDER RIP
The family of Bud Nalder who passed away on the 31st July 19, would like to advise they will be holding a farewell service at the Tasman Bay Cruising Club in Nelson on Saturday 10th of August at 1pm. All welcome.
(message ex Jane High)

Ocean Queen – A Peek Down Below

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OCEAN QUEEN – A Peek Down Below

Mid last month I ran a story on the Taupo based woody – Ocean Queen, most likely built by Joe Slattery in 1920. Nathan Herbert had spotted her at Lake Taupo with a 4-sale sign on her and commented on how stunning she looked.
I have since been contacted by her owner Paul Stewart and given a collection of photos of her interior. In Paul’s words – “she’s had a real spruce up, new Autex paint inside and out, anti-fouled, new varnish to the mast and boom, new duckboard, new raw water impeller, filters and oil. Polished up all the stainless fittings, removed and resealed some of the windows, new carpet, water tank clean and new hoses. new clears and covers. Last job is to make a new sail cover and then the boom can go back on”.
Paul commented that they use the sail often, it does a beautiful job of holding her steady on the wind and gives you another knot.
Paul still has the spare engine that came with the boat when he bought her.
As I mentioned previously at around $36k, if you are looking for an early 1900’s classic wooden launch – this woody has to be the buy of the year. So woodys, someone needs to buy Ocean Queen > then call Boat Haulage and arrange a pick up > then plonk her back in the Waitemata where she belongs 🙂
Read and see more of Ocean Queen at the links below.
 

Spartacus – 4sale

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Spartacus – 4sale
 
Woody Baden Pascoe spotted Spartacus parked up at Waipapa in the far north. Baden commented that his thoughts were she was ex NZ or UK Navy. Can anyone enlighten us on her origins and what she is up to at Waipapa?
 
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11-09-2023 UPDATE – Vessel now for sale, contact Lyall Quaife 021 273 9225 for details