Mystery Launch 18-03-2017

Te papa Coastal community landscape scene, 1950s, New Zealand, by Eric Lee-Johnson

te Papa Man at work on boat, 1950s, New Zealand, by Eric Lee-Johnson.

Mystery Launch 18-03-2013

Today’s launch in the above photos (by Eric Lee-Johnson) are 2 more ex Te Papa & show a boat hauled out for maintenance. Nathan Herbert sent them in to ww & again all we know are that the photos are dated c.1950’s. I’m assuming that the building in the background is the  hotel  at Whangaroa – but i could be very wrong ??

So woodys – any one recognize the boat ? There is a mix of styles & decades on display so hopefully we can ID her & the location 🙂

PS Do not miss Mondays story, its a cracker, featuring one of the Far Norths legends + 30 odd stunning photos 😉

Comet Speedboat

image001

IMG_3937

COMET Speedboat

I was recently contacted by Tim Dudek who had brought an old speedboat from the back of Makarau to the north of Auckland. Tim was told by the previous owner it was built in 1927 and goes by either the name or make of ‘Comet’ – unfortunately the previous owner knew little about her history.
She is made of kauri and Tim is currently restoring her & has his fingers crossed his father is gathering an interest 😉

Hopefully Tom will keep us in the loop on the rebuild, in the mean time, can any of the woodys help out with her history ?

18-03-2017 – Input from John Bullivant  –  I have the drawing below from the D.N.Goodchild  (Penn USA, website (no longer running it seems) of a boat which looks like it, the plan being named ‘Comet’. If it is a boat built from this 40s? plan it would be a pity as a plan could have been obtained for around $20 to work from. Not sure if the site is ever coming back as the chap who ran the company which reproduces these old plans has apparently been ill, sold his house and may have given it up. I bought a set of plans for my Schock 15ft day-sailer and a number of others from him a while back and they were very professionally done.

5090 COMET

 

Mystery Launch 16-03-2017

te Papa Boat coming into dry dock, July 1958, New Zealand, by Eric Lee-Johnson

Mystery Launch 16-03-2013

Today’s launch in the above photo (by Eric Lee-Johnson) is ex Te Papa & shows a boat coming into a dry dock. Nathan Herbert sent it in to ww & all we know is the photo is dated July 1958.

So woodys – any one recognize the boat or any of the people? There some distinctive features on shown so hopefully we can put a name to the ‘face’ 🙂

Alwyn – A peek down below

Screen Shot 2017-03-14 at 4.19.38 PM

ALWYN – A Peek Down Below
I’m told Alwyn was built by Arch Logan in c.1911/12. These days she is moored in Picton & owned by Derek Stocks, who bought her about 6 months ago at Taupo, & took her to Wellington by road, & sailed her to Picton. She may have spent less than 2 years on the lake. (photos were sourced by ken ricketts)

You can see more of her exterior / read more about her provenance at the link below  – unlike a lot of classics that claim Logan DNA , this one is the real deal 🙂   https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/11/23/severn/

Maureen Anne

DSC05073

DSC04806

MAUREEN ANNE
Paul Drake sent in the two brilliant Taupo photos above, the photo above of Maureen Anne were recently given to Paul’s brother Michael, by one Maureen West nee Somerville who would love to know where this boat Maureen Anne is now.

She was built in Taihape by F.W. Somerville, Joiners. Maureen’s father was Ben Somerville, part of the firm. She was launched at Taupo in about 1948 & appears to be about 23′.

The second photo also came into view only recently. It is of the Boat Harbour at Taupo, in the late 1940’s/early 1950’s. The photo shows Maureen Anne in the distance on her mooring, just ahead of Romance.

On her mooring mid river is Col Wild’s 1936 Lamorna. Tied up to the river bank is El Alamein (now Ranui) – McGeady, ( third from left) in one of her earlier configurations. Also Arcadia (Slattery – second from right) and various other unknown woodys. Oh, and first on left is Wyona, a large clinker who biodegraded many years ago.

Update from Alan Craig – below are 2 photos related to todays (above) Taupo story.
Tony Mitchell had the print of Wyona, and Alan also found the post card on trademe of the ferry, at the time named ‘Rotoiti’, that use to go through the channel to Rotorua. Not quite the same boat but some one might recognise it.

Screen Shot 2017-03-13 at 8.13.26 AM

20170313_073455_resized

Galatea

Screen Shot 2017-03-10 at 7.51.00 AM

Screen Shot 2017-03-10 at 7.54.18 AM

GALATEA

Galatea is a 1926, 36′ kauri tram topper that for the last 10 years has cruised & fished from Sulphur Point to Mayor island, Whangamata and further. Home has been a mooring is just in front of the Omokoroa club house. The zoom zoom comes from a 120hp Ford diesel. Her trademe listing is very light on details so hopefully we can expand on her – designer/builder & what she has been up to for the last 90 years. She looks a very solid old girl so maybe strated life as a work boat?
Thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads-up.

Update – Photos below ex classicboats nz via Ian McDonald

 

Hoani

IMG_4715

IMG_4707

HOANI

I was contacted recently by John Managh whose father (Keith Managh*) bought the 36′ Hoani from Charley Turner in October 1979, Charley designed & built her over a 15 year period in Coromandel. Charley was ‘just’ going to build a little fishing boat for himself and his mate but she grew in size & build time 🙂 He wanted to call the boat Joanne after his granddaughter. However he thought Joanne was much to common a boat name. So he asked a local what the Maori translation for Joanne was and he told her Hoani. So that is how she got her name. Quite some time later it was discovered that Hoani is actually John in Maori.
John recently found Hoani’s original log book, below are the first three pages that give us an insight into her specs, launch day & first cruise.

From the photos above you can see she is a straight sedan top launch. A year after the family bought her, Keith took her to Salthouses. They did an extensive reno to make her suitable for a family of seven. Keith told the story that he gave Salthouses the list of all the stuff that he wanted in the boat. They said ‘you need a 45″ boat’. Dad said ‘you will do it…’ And they did.

John would love to know where she is now & hopefully get the chance to view her.

*A little about Keith Managh. He was a sawmiller in Thames. Owned what was called then Thames Sawmilling Company that is now called Thames Timber. He unfortunately passed away in 2006. He was a natural boatie. Albeit he did not grow up boating. His nick name from the Thames crew was Captain Rock Hopper. He would take her places most boaties would never go. It did come with its misfortunes. The family spent more than a few nights on the hard after Keith run aground going where he should not have. Especially in Mania Harbour.

image-1

image

image-3

11-03-2017 Input from Mark McLaughlin
Below are a couple of more recent (10yrs ago!) photos of Hoani as she currently appears. She has been based in Havelock for over 10 years. She is beautifully maintained and is in regular use around the Marlborough Sounds and Nelson region.

Hoani at Havelock Jan 2006

Hoani Tennyson Inlet Jan 2006

 
HELP WANTED – GRACE
Woody, Paul Beachman was down at the Devonport Yacht Club yesterday morning post the big SE blow & spotted a lot of flotsam washed up, including timber & some boat gear. Late morning low tide indicated awash alongside a yellow mooring buoy a foundered launch that Paul fears maybe the launch Grace, that belonged to the late DYC member Ken Smith. A certain amount of material such as squabs, plastic objects was also seen ashore.

Paul understands that Grace was about 7m and had that pre 1914 look. Does anyone know more about Grace & whether she was anchored anywhere near DYC?

Hopefully not another centurion lost.

Mystery Launches at Thames

Mystery Thames Boats

Mystery Launches at Thames

The above photo shows a group of ‘settler’ style launches berthed  at the Shortland Wharf in Thames.
Are we able to ID any of them & put a date on the photo? Are the bow numbers fishing registration numbers ? photo ex trademe via Peter Thorpy

Laughing Lady Update

James Dreyer has the foot to the floor on the final stages of the restoration of Laughing Lady & has master craftsman Paul Tingy roped in to help with the final details – the photos below show Paul’s reproduction of the original swim ladder & ‘new’ helm.

A Sneak Peek at Eileen Patricia’s Restoration

IMG_0633

An Update on the Restoration of Eileen Patricia (Linden)

Back in late 2014 I posted on ww that the 26’6″ – ‘Eileen Patricia’ was for sale on trademe for a very modest sum & being designed & built by Bill Couldrey (1932/33) she had wonderful bones & I suggested to anyone that would listen that she should be restored to her former glory – well Peter Mence (CYA Chairman) took the bait – bought her & moved her to Marco Scuderi’s yard.
Fast forward approx. 2 years & we get to see a glimpse of what she will look like when finished. Macro was doing a shed swap on Monday & Peter captured the above photo. It was the first time that he has been able to step back & get a good view of Marco’s work – needless to say, she is looking very smart. Peter has promised to send me a selection of work-in-progress photos, so when they arrive, I’ll share with everyone.
You are see/read more here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/11/11/9603/

Below are a couple of photos that show her during her sea trials & one of her when purchased by Peter.

 

2017 Whangaroa Sport Fishing Club – Classic Boat Fishing Competition

The above event is I’m told is on the bucket list of a lot of woody owners. Brian Worthington sent me the details below for the 2017 event. ( click to view Classic Boats Rules)

Screen Shot 2017-03-07 at 9.07.04 PM

MV Mavis

screen-shot-2017-03-06-at-10-44-03-pm

 

M.V. MAVIS

Mavis started life back 1918 as a Lanes 40′ trawler. Fast forward to 2004 when she had a  major refit that included –  hull refastened and splined, new decks and cabin, new  John Deere 150HP engine and re-wired. Given that she was recently in MNZ survey, she is very highly spec’ed and looks like she could handle just about anything that mother nature could throw at her. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads up re the trademe listing.

Do we know anything more about her past?

09-04-2023 Update ex Alistair Rowe – I spotted Mavis on a mooring in Whatamango Bay – roughly 8km East from Waikawa.- looks to have found a good home.

Yesterdays story on the Classic Launch Parade just got better – more photos ex Jason Prew added, scroll down to view.