Swanson Sedan Launch
This rather cute 26.24’ sedan launch was designed / built? by Swanson in 1969. She has a 9’10” beam & draws 3’3”, so a rather fat bottomed old girl. Her trademe listing says she has an inboard diesel engine but that’s about all in terms of specs. It does tell us that she comes with a fenders, boat hook & clock 🙂
Picton is her home, any Southern woodys able to shed some light on her?
White Star Part 2
(photos from Glenn Martin, words ex Glenn & Ken Ricketts – edited by Alan Houghton)
White Star was originally built by Ken Turner, who built quite a number of boats in Coromandel. Her first owner was Neville Evans of Amodeo Bay & has been moored there on & off for quite a bit of her life & is presently moored there, alongside her sister ship the Dagma, which was built by Ken Turner’s father, Charlie Turner.
Present owner is Paul Baker, who has had her for about 8 years & bought her off Paul Desmond of Tauranga, & had kept her there, as did the precious owner Nigel Pippey. Paul D only had her for a few months, as he bought her, in order to acquire her marina berth.
She was frequently used as a mark boat for many yacht races at Tauranga, as Paul P was a very active member of the local yacht club.
Paul B was living at Waiheke when he bought her & she was initially moored there, but he has now moved to Coromandel..
Her engine was fitted by Strongmans of Coromandel. She is powered by the Gray Marine marinised version, of the GM Detroit 6-71 & at 190 hp., this is the spec of these engines back in the 50s 60s, when they were fitted to many HDMLs, & other pleasure boats in that era, like Linda, Wirihnana & Ruamano etc.
Her name was the result of her log being sawn & milled from the “White Star” mine property, in Coromandel, of that time. Glen, also commented that as a kid he saw White Star moored in Torehina Bay next to their bach at Waitete Bay – 20mins north of Coromandel town. Glenn is pretty sure White Star was built using a single kauri log milled from the farm of the owner in Colville.
(the launching day & early day photos of White Star are from the original owners & the more recent of her at anchor at Coromandel Harbour, in 2016, are ex Glenn)
Click link to read Part 1 of this story https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/11/10/1968-bridge-decker/#comment-37747
18-03-2024 UPDATE ex Mark Sorrenson – white Star has just relocated to Hobsonville Marina
Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Association 2018 Calendars
Readers of WW will know that Chris Miller & myself each year make the trip to Lake Rotoiti (North Island) to attend the Classic & Wooden Boat Parade, every Waitangi weekend. It is one of those events that you just have to attend at some stage. The link below will give you a peep at what the weekend is like.
While we are there Chris & I bang off a lot of photos, some of which the LRC&WB Association use to produce their annual calendar. The 2018 edition is hot off the press (printed by the great team at Quality Print in Taupo).
The calendar (A3 size, sample below) makes a great Xmas present for any woody – hell buy it for yourself, that way, you get something you want 😉
The price is the same as last year: $15 for 1 or $40 for 3. Courier is $6.50 (rural delivery is extra).
To order:
And in case any of you were wondering – neither Chris, myself or WW make a cent from these calendars – it is all about the boats & the people that do all the work to maintain them & host the very cool event. So woodys, even if you only order one calendar, it makes a big difference to the Lake Rotoiti woodys 🙂
Link below to the 2017 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – enjoy https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/02/06/lake-rotoiti-classic-wooden-boat-parade-2017-160-photos/
IONA
Iona is another classic that sits in the ‘Spirit of Tradition’ category, with a build date of 1984. Her designer Bruce Askew had a very good eye for turning out retro classics.
Iona measures 32.81’ & is constructed of kauri, & built in Wellington c.1984. She was sailed by the boat builder (not sure if it was Bruce Askew?) throughout Wellington and Queen Charlotte Sounds for a few years before being purchased by her current owner in 1987. Since then, being based in Picton, she was often seen cruising Queen Charlotte Sound.
Her zoom zoom comes from a 36hp Bukh diesel.
Her current owner has just, after 31 years of ownership offered Iona up for sale – when I look at her, a see Lake Rotoiti (Nth Island) all over her…………….
Given the length of ownership, her history is well known but there must be some cruising photos out there from her time in The Sounds 🙂
ONE MANS JUNK…………
……….ANOTHER MANS TREASURE 🙂
I was tipped off about the remains of a clinker dinghy heading to the dumpster – I thought maybe if I chainsawed the bow off, it would make a cool firewood shed but a Sunday morning inspection showed that unfortunately it was too far gone – but a bit of bin diving turned up a few nice bronze fittings that will be added to the big box off bits that someone will need one day 😉 + a couple of oar blades for the collection.
Old & & Even Older
Great photo above of the 1929, Riley 9 twin cam that Baden Pascoe recently finished restoring. The Riley is parked in front of Aumoe, the 1913 Tom Le Huguet built classic launch owned by Andrew Pollard.
Streaming Planks
The above link to the very cool youtube clip on steaming Huon Pine planks onto Ian Smith’s (new build) 24’ Ranger class gaff rigged sloop, was sent to me by Robin Elliott
Looking for Scorpio – Sail # 1025
I was recently contacted by John McIntosh who is endeavoring to locate the current owner of ‘Scorpio’, a Californian Bear design about 23’ loa. Built in Milford about the 1950s by a professional boat builder (Gladden?) I’ll let John tell the story – read below.
The story is that she was built for Rush Clark snr who was the Auckland Pan Am representative, and as a young boy I went out for a picnic sail on her. I was calibrating new Raymarine instruments on Monday 30th Oct. on my boat, when I noticed a small keeler doing leads off Princess wharf. Later we past close by her transom and I noticed the word Scorpio carved on her stern. I immediately looked up at the mainsail and noticed a black bear on all four paws was near the peak, together with the registration number 1025. Because we were out “on business” I couldn’t go back and check on anything. Needless to say she was much smaller than I recalled.
When I got home I checked my old 1977 NZYF register, and the name and number were in there, but no owner. I got in touch with a friend who remained in touch with Rush Clark jnr in Atlanta Georgia. What must have amounted to reply the same day, I got an enthusiastic reply from Rush jnr, telling me “Scorpio” was only 23’ long and had been built in Milford. He went on to say that it was a testament to NZ Kauri and the skill of Kiwi boat builders that “Scorpio” was still sailing.
Rush is intending to come out to NZ early in the New Year and says he would love to see her again and would I please do my best to track “Scorpio” down.
I have rung all the marinas, most recognised yacht clubs, & Yachting New Zealand, but none could help me. The Harbour Master’s office promised to ring back, but haven’t done so. I have been to Gladden’s workshop, but John has been gone for decades, and workmen having a beer after work suggested that I contact your site.
There is a nice story about the name “Scorpio”. Rush snr and his wife Anne were captured by the Japs in the Philippines and in the prison camp they would look at the stars and think that somewhere in the world people were still free and one day, if they survived, they would also be free.
My father occasionally raced on “Scorpio” with the Squadron and said it was the slowest boat in the fleet. Sometimes when they crossed the finish line at Orakei wharf, they could see that the tower was all closed up and the race management had gone home.
So woodys hopefully we can locate the where abouts of Scorpio for John.
Once again WW delivers
Just received an email from Neil Chalmers, with the below photo of Scorpio. Neil was sent the photo by Dan Ranall back in June 2016. Dan had been mooching around Okahu Bay & snapped the photo, then sent it to Neil to see if Neil could ID the yacht. Boom connection made 🙂
Neil commented that he thought there was another Bear Class in Auckland (sail #577), called Little Bear. Anyone able to confirm?
IRWYN
Looks can be deceiving, Irwyn falls into the ‘Spirit of Tradition’ category with her build date of 1997.
At 21.32’ & a beam of 7’6” she is wouldn’t be the biggest boat in the bay but she certainly has the salty look.
Planked construction & pushed along by a 24hp 3cyl Yanmar diesel, she has a leisurely cruising speed of 5 knots. Irwyn is currently for sale & with some TCL & a lick of paint she would make a very nice wee ship.
Thanks to Ian McDonald for the trademe listing heads up.
In Case You Missed The Advice – TODAYS CYA OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO FAIRWAY BAY, GULF HARBOUR HAS BEEN CANCELLED – it was an early call to cancel but a peek at the below will tell you why 😉 But do not despair, I have a woodys event for you very soon, details in the next few days.
White Star – Part 1
The above bridgedecker was launched in 1968 & built / designed by Ken Turner. Her measurements are 45.9’ x 12’11” beam & a draft of 4.92′.
In a previous life she was in survey & is built accordingly i.e. 1 1/4” kauri. Power comes from a 190hp GM671 diesel that pushes her along at 8>10 knots. She has massive fuel capacity – 2,400L, so is up for some serious cruising.
Her 4sale listing is very light on details so can we put a name to her & hopefully some insight into her history.
Another Ian McDonald trademe nudge
PROTEUS
Proteus was built by Owen Woolley in 1968, she is 38’ in length & powered by twin Commer diesels. Current home is Chaffers Marina, Wellington. That folks is all her trademe listing tells us, can’t see her leaping of the listing sheets with that level of info…………….. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads up.
Do we know any more about her?
Mystery Launch 08-11-2017
Long overdue for a good b/w photo & a mystery launch story. The above photo is ex Lew Redwood’s fb page, where Len commented that it was taken in 1916 & that the launch has BJB on the bow.
Using my enlarging capabilities on my computer, I think it actually says BJ6 – if that helps anyone ID the vessel?
Input from Harold Kidd –
JEANETTE
Jeanette was built in 1914 by Lane & Brown, she measures 30’ LOA , with a beam of 7’9” & draft 2’6”. Power comes from a 73hp Nissan SD23 diesel engine, that allows her to cruise at 7-8 knots.
Presently moored at Sandspit / Kawau, her trademe listing states that she is a part of Northland History. What that means we do not know, hopefully some of the woodys & supply more intel on her past.
Harold Kidd Input – Well she was at Tutukaka for years then at Taipa. She may have been built by T.M. Lane & Sons at Mechanics Bay but not by Lane & Brown at Whangaroa who dissolved their partnership around 1902. T.M. Lane & Sons transferred their launch-building to Mechanics Bay in 1905 after they built SLIM JIM.
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