Category Archives: Launches

FAITH – Flash Back Friday

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FAITH – Flash Back Friday

Last week I posted some ‘recent-ish’ photos of the Philip Lange built launch – Faith, now owned by Neal & Nicki Harding in the Marlborough Sounds. Yesterday I was contacted by Sharon Lange with the above photos from the launching & older days up north.

Sharon confirmed that Faith was built by Philip Lange in 1967 and launched in 1968 at Whangaparoa at Matakatia Bay. Philip installed a Kelvin motor in the Faith.

Philip worked the Faith as a commercial fishing boat out of Whangaparoa for a little while then left Whangaparoa, driving the Faith up with one of his young sons – Graham Lange , north to Mangonui , Doubtless Bay. From there he continued to fish for cray fish and longline on the Faith. Philip and his wife Bev and six sons moved to Mangonui where he continued to build other boats.

The Faith was sold to Philips brother Douglas then to Murray Hamilton (both deceased). Then sold to Vick Spaights, after that Sharon does not know any further history apart from the Hardings owning her now .

There are 4 of Philips boats moored permanently in Mill Bay Mangonui, they are: – 1. The Michele, 2. Kaipara, 3. Tui, 4. Petrel. The Petrel was the last boat built in 1991.

# The top photo was taken at the launching of the Faith with 4 of Philips young sons and one neighbor’s boy at Matakatia Bay on the Whangaparoa Peninsula.

# The middle photo was taken in Mangonui Harbour by the wharf heading toward Mill Bay mooring.

# The bottom photo shows Faith heading towards the Mangonui wharf.

SLAINTE Relaunched

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Slainte

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SLAINTE Relaunched

Back in early August I posted photos / details on the restoration / rebuild of the 1947 27’ Chris Craft Super Delux – Slainte at Craig Maine at Lake Rotoiti (link below).

Yesterday Alan Craig sent me photos from last Friday’s relaunch on the lake. Alan’s a man of few words e.g. “ It floats, all went well” J

Slainte is a stunning addition to the Lake Rotoiti woody fleet – well done Alan & the brave owner that commissioned the project.

Slainte

 

Christopher Grey

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CHRISTOPHER GREY

CHRISTOPHER GREY

Today’s photo should please the Work Boat woodys out there. It was taken by Nathan Herbert on a recent trip south to Dunedin & shows the Christopher Grey.

Keen to learn more about her past & when she came out of the closet & became a pleasure craft 😉

Update – photo below ex Russell Ward

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Need To Tidy / Clean Out The Shed?

I have been contacted by Warner Bros NZ with an interseting request – read below J

DESIGN JUNKIES – OPPORTUNITY FOR UPCYCLING

Design Junkies is an exciting, upcoming, prime time television show that takes 6 Industrial Designers and challenges them to create usable household objects and breath-taking art installations from discarded materials. We are on the hunt for old marine salvage whether it’s wood, metal, rudders, masts or even an old clinker!  If you or someone you know, has a shed full of marine rubble that’s going to waste, we could be very interested in taking it off your hands. For any queries or expressions of interest, please contact Beth Eldercable on 027 8287 555.

 

 

 

Matira

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Matira reflections

Matira Kaiarara Bay 3

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MATIRA

Chatting recently on-line with Bryce Strong he mentioned his ownership of the 1956 Collings & Bell launch Matira, the lead photo was taken at Great Barrier Island & also shows Altair nearby, Bryce commented that the water was so still you have difficulty deciding which way the photo should be up.

Bryce kept her on the Clevedon River & at one stage there was a flood & Matira pulled out the front mooring pole, and swung around and collided with Altair, moored behind on the pontoon. Only held by a single stern rope which held her until Bryce could sort it.

Bryce sold Matira in 2009 to Steve Martin, a boat builder who carried out an extensive and immaculate refit in 2011, setting up Matira for another 30 years. Photos below of Steve’s work. There is an extensive documented history of the vessel here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/03/03/matira/

Link below (blue) to a spec sheet of Matira from during Bryce’s ownership period.

Short spec updated version

Note – this shows her powered by twin 4 cyl.Ford 75hp engines, in late November 2015 she was re-powered with twin 110hp Yanmar’s that while lifting her performance, significantly reduced the running noise. Her owner Guy Warman commented to me post her re-launch sea trial, that that alone was worth the cost 🙂 Matira is a lucky lady to have been so well loved & cared for over the years.

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Faith

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Faith June 2013

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FAITH

I was contacted recently by Neal & Nicki Harding who had just came across an article in waitamatawoodies about the Phil Lange built boat ’Tui’.
The couple own one of his 30′ boats ‘Faith’ built in 1968, they bought Faith in 2006 and trucked up from Careys Bay, Dunedin. These days she swings off a mooring at the bottom of their garden in the Marlborough Sounds where they live. They met Phil Lange briefly a few years ago. Faith has very similar lines to Phil’s other launch, Tui, but without the flybridge.
The 2nd photo above shows Faith coming through one of the Kaikoura road tunnels in 2006, its a very changed landscape today.

The Harding’s have spent many happy hours restoring, scraping, sanding, painting and cruising with Faith.

The Harding’s have photos of Faith going back to her fishing days in Northland and voyage South to Port Chambers, Dunedin, but are particularly keen to obtain any photos of her for the build / launch period if they exist. I have asked the Harding’s to send in the photos they have so we can all see them.

Classic Launch & Yacht Exhibition Next Weekend – Put A Circle In The Diary – 7>8 Oct
This year  the exhibition is celebrating Classic Clinker Boats

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Clinker Event Ad

 

Sou’ East

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sou-east

SOU’ EAST
The 39′ 1947 Lanes built Sou’East is seen above weighing in a thresher shark at Paihia in 1984. Photos ex Dean Wrights collection.
Sou’East has appeared on WW before, but not as above – to view as launched photos & current day, click the link below.

Sou’East

I have include below another of Dean’s photos, this one of the very ‘salty looking’ commercial fishing boat – Lady Karen – photo dated 1984, when owned by Frank Goodhue.

lady-karen

 

Poaka

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POAKA

Back in Feb 2015 I did a story on the 1960 Snow Waters built launch ‘Poaka’ & questioned where she was today. Nathan Herbert gave us a heads up in Feb 2017 that she had popped up on trademe & she is still there today.
Looks like she has had some TLC & being a Waters craft she should be a solid ship. Interesting the difference between the painted cabin, versus the ‘as launched’ varnished finish (photo below), certainly looks sharper with the varnish (in my eye)
Powered by a 72hp, 4 cyl. Ford Diesel.
A nice entry level woody that with a little more work, could be a pretty classic.
See / read more about her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/02/14/poaka/
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Yesterdays winner of the Auckland On The Water Boat Show tickets was – Tim Christensen – owner of the classic launch ‘Yvonne’

YVA II (Yelda) + Win Boat Show Tickets

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YVA II (Yelda)

Woody Angus Rogers sent in the above photos of Ivy II (originally named Yelda) on Lake Whakatipu, for the overseas readers – Lake Whakatipu is the 3rd largest lake in New Zealand, situated on the southwest corner of Otago in the South Island.

Angus commented that she was not what he expected to see on the lake. Interested to learn more about her & when & how she arrived at the lake.

Photo below ex Russell Ward , taken 2003.

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Input from Richard – owner

I purchased Yvalda via Ted Church (Picton) in 2002. Sailed her down to Port Chalmers then got Fulton Hogan to truck her down to Lake Wakatipu where I used her commercially for tourist trips on the lake. Had lots of fun doing it but did not make a fortune!! Christmas parties, hen parties (the worst), weddings, stag parties, N.Y.E. parties etc etc.
The O.D.T. had a great photo of her going thru Dunedin on the back of the F.H. truck.
Yvalda, ( Yes, her original name) was built by Mc Gruers at Clynder Scotland in 1936. ( I think a G.L. Watson design) for a couple of wealthy brothers who were manufactures of biscuits. Not sure how or when she came to N.Z. but she must have been shipped here.
She was beautifully built, ( as were all boats built by Mc Gruers). Teak on oak frames, all as good as the day she was built.
Still had her original 4L2 Gardner engines coupled to massive Gleniffer gearboxes controlled by a couple of wheels mounted either side of the helm station. You had to have your wits about you as to which way to turn them to go fwd. or aft. but after a while it became automatic.
Quite a lot of untruths about her relationship with Winston Churchill and I suspect he never had anything to do with her. I thought she may have been one of the Dunkirk little ships but there is no record of that. I believe she was use for the degaussing of much larger metal ships during W.W.11
What vintagesteamer commented was more the truth and I too was told of her so called association with Churchill when I bought her but as they say, ” Why let the truth get in the way if a good story” ( I was advised) I’m sure those deck stepped masts were perfectly aligned when I had her. Vintagesteamer, you must have had too many Speights to drink when you saw her!!
WIN TWO TICKETS TO THE AUCKLAND ON THEW WATER BOAT SHOW

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Today & tomorrow I’m giving away tickets to the boat show – 2 each day. Just answer the simple question below & email your answer to waitematawoodys@gmail.com . All correct answers received before 6.00pm today (27-09-2017) will go into the draw. Winner will be notified by email.

Q: Name the location at the Show where the America’s Cup will be displayed. You’ll find the answer on the Show website  http://www.auckland-boatshow.com

 

 

Woody Trip Down South

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Woody Trip Down South

Nathan Herbert has just returned from a trip to Dunedin & snapped a collection of woodys that he saw – the first one to be shared on WW is the lovely wee clinker day boat above.

Can anyone enlighten us on her provenance ?

And I’ll use the post to segway into my next topic – The 2017 Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition, on Oct 7>8th, refer below for full details. This year the focus is on the classic New Zealand clinker boat.

So woodys get the pen out & put a big circle around the weekend in the diary. The team at Tino Rawa Trust do an amazing job hosting these events & 2018 will be a cracker, I understand there will be over 30 clinkers on show. I’ll be reminding you closer to the date;-)

Clinker Event Ad

Also I have some tickets for this weeks On-the-Water Boat Show, so to be in to win – check out Wednesday’s WW post 😉

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