Thames Mystery Launch
photo ex Gwenyth Herbert
Gwenyth took the above photo back in April 2015 of this launch ‘resting’ in the Thames mud.
She looks to be biggish old girl & has a serious case of the live-aboard look 🙂
So woodys anyone out there able to shine some light on this vessel?
IRENE
photo ex Pam Cundy
Irene was photographed by Pam Cundy (Whangateau Traditional Boat Yard) on a recent trip to Gt. Barrier Island.
There is a pretty hull hiding beneath that penthouse. 🙂
Looks like they enjoy some serious fishing on-board her.
Can any of the woodys shed some light on her ?
MYRTLE
photo & details ex Angus Rogers
The above photo shows Myrtle being dragged down the main street of Thames for its launching. Rumour has it Myrtle was owned by the grandfather of the lady who owns the Success Cafe at Coromandel. Sorry no names.
Such a beautiful lady & I know so little – so woodys what do you know about Myrtle?
DIETRICH
photos & details ex John Burland
Todays post features the vessel Dietrich, moored at Marahau. To save you google earthing it – Marahau is a small settlement approx 19km north of Motueka in the South Island. In fact its the gateway to the Able Tasman National Park.
Dietrich is owned by Mike Perry & is supposed to be around 100 years old. There’s a story that she was owned by a woman of Maori royal heritage on Durville Island, who on the morning after her wedding night and after being pushed out of bed by her new husband and told to make breakfast, swam 2km across the channel to home. Reconciliation and 13 children supposedly followed
.
Almost definitely a name change at some stage, if you zoom in you’ll see an illustration of Marlene D on the exhaust stack.
There is a lovely canoe stern hull under that cabin & while a later addition its not too OTT.
Anyone able to shed more light on Dietrich?
AURORA II
photo & details ex John Burland
A little bit of a mystery boat to me but I’m sure someone will be able to shed some light on her.
Aurora II is a recent arrival in Mapua, Nelson, South Island. Moored in what officially is called Western Entrance to the Waimea Inlet. The last photo above gives you some reference to the location, the launch Katoa is in the foreground.
There appears to be a pretty savage tide running, you would want to be confident of your mooring set-up.
WILD DUCK
photos ex Dean Wright, details ex Tino Rawa Trust
ww has spies everywhere 🙂
Last week Dean Wright sent me the above photos of Wild Duck anchored in Hahangarua (Norwegian) Bay, Moturua Island in the Bay of Islands. I suspect she was catching up on some R&R after the BOI Race Week.
The Wild Duck is the ‘mother ship’ to the Tino Rawa Trust fleet of classic yachts. She was built by JB Jukes in 1937 as a fishing boat (Reg # WN290) by “Joe” Jukes at his yard in Balaena Bay. Built of kauri using the carvel method she is 42′ x 12′ x 4’6″ and powered by a GM Detroit 371 85hp.
Wild Duck was named after an early immigrant ship to Wellington run by the Shaw Savill company.
Joe Jukes (1889-1956) started in business in 1919 after serving his time with Ted Bailey at Aotea Quay and returning from the First World War. He rapidly established a reputation for sound craftsmanship and built some outstanding yachts, including Raukawa (1936) and several successful 14ft One Designs. His launches included Nereides (1925) and Vagabond (1926).
In her earlier years Wild Duck was owned by the South Seas Fishing Co and used as a tender to the Lyttelton-based ex-Hull trawler South Sea off the Chatham Islands.
By the late 1930s she was back in Wellington as a general purpose vessel. For example she was the vessel which refueled the Empire-class Short flying boat Centaurus in Wellington in January 1938.
For several years Wild Duck was renamed Parera, the Maori name for the grey duck, but has now reverted to her original name.
Wild Duck has several restorations since being owned by TRT, to bring her into line with all the recommendations from her survey and maintain her in good order. The stem post and rotten keelson has been replaced along with new floors and the replacement of broken ribs. The two coreten metal tanks have been replaced with lighter weight plastic tanks. A new engine room bulkhead has been installed and the entire vessels interior and exterior has been stripped, repaired, fared and painted. A new shaft-log, s/s shaft and bronze mounts have been fabricated and installed. A new wet exhaust has been installed. She may look slightly ‘commercial’ in these photos but the interior is very cool.
For details & viewing: contact Wooden Boat Bureau c/o waitematawoodys@gmail.com
UPDATE: Wild Duck Hauled Out @ Milford (August 2017)
July 2020 – Video
TAINUI ON THE MOVE
photos ex Pam Cundy
One of the ww woodys, John Sloane, recently purchased the 1967, 38′ kauri plank carvel launch Tainui from the Great Barrier Island. We do not know a lot about her but she did start life as an Auckland Harbour Board work boat.
John has retained the service of the Whangateau Traditional Boat Yard to under take a two year restoration of Tainui. Pam & George had previously travelled to the island to inspect her & yesterday (10-02-2016) the real work began with Pam & George towing Tainui back to Whangateau with the help of Dave Jackson & his wee ship Karros. Pam reports it was a very pleasant trip & Tanui’s now tucked up at T Point and will go up the creek to the boat yard later today.
Tainui is a great looking launch & I’m sure John picked her up for a good price. She is also a very lucky boat because she is now in the care of one of the best classic friendly yards in NZ.
We will follow the work at WTBY with great interest.
Still keen to learn more about Tainui’s past – anyone able to help?
More details on Tainui here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/12/28/tainui-3/
15-06-2018 Update – photo below ex Whangateau boat year fb showing Tainui’s rebuilt Gardner being delivered ex Dave Shaw’s workshop. Looking stunning 🙂 well done John.
Visit the yard fb page to see / follow the restoration
Update 10-09-2019 – Tainui seen here off Cape Brett, in the 1958>1966 period. Her owner John Sloane commented to me that she was probably ‘working’ in her role as an Oyster Inspector boat.
Haul-out
BALLERINA REFURBISHMENT
photos & details ex James Groenhart
I spied Ballerina at Mahurangi during the 2016 Regatta weekend & she was looking superb. James told me she had recently spent 5 weeks in the care of Colin Brown & Dave Walker at Jones Road, Omaha (same site as Anita Bay & Little Tasman). While she was structurally in great condition there were some areas that needed attention.
Colin & Dave completed the following work to a superb standard, & interpreted what James wanted perfectly, as well as being completely sympathetic to the character of the boat.
Great to see work like this recorded so thoroughly.
Click photos to enlarge.
Another Record Viewing Day Yesterday !!!!!!
Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Parade Weekend – 2016 – 150+ photos
Get comfortable this ones a biggie, 150+ photos from the 2016 Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Parade weekend.
The inclement conditions (lots of H2O) on Saturday resulted in the parade being moved to Sunday, to most this was a positive as it gave everyone more time to socialize. We took the opportunity to mooch around the lake & visit a few lake-side properties. The transport for the day was rather special – 2 of the regular parade attendees, Cathy & Shawn Vennell and Pam & Tim Aurisch had bought their classic cars – a 1960 Dodge & 1956 Chev Bel Air, very impressive tow cars & a cool mode of transport.
So today’s post is a mix of classics – motorboats, day boats, speedboats, steamboats, yachts & cars – Its a visual attempt to give to you a taste of the weekend & showcase the vessels that make up the parade.
Special thanks to the LRC&WBP committee, especially Commodore Grant Cossey, past Commodore Fraser Wilson and the lass that makes it all happen Rachel Jamieson.
Due to another engagement we could not attend the post parade picnic.
Each boat carries a number, to find out more details on any vessel e.g. name, year, owner – refer to this link to a master listing. 2016ParadeEntrantDetails
Enjoy 🙂
Click photos to enlarge 😉
KARERE III
details ex Bob Salthouse via Ken Ricketts. photos ex KR
Karere III was designed & built by Bob Salthouse in 1974 of 3 skins of Kauri (one full length & 2 on opposite diagonals) for Logan Colemore-Williams of the very well known marine products manufacturer of that era, Sonata Laboratories.
Karere III was 53′ long originally & powered by 2 x model 3208 Caterpillar V8 naturally aspirated 210 hp diesels. The same engine was used in single engine installations in many of the Mark One 36′ Corsairs designed by Bob S. & built by Bobs company. Her hull was used as a ‘plug’ for several more boats of the same spec.
She was later lengthened by approximately 6′ to extend her at the stern to around 60′ long. This was done in Picton by Jim Cary, to design work done by & under the direct supervision of Bob Salthouse, whom they flew down to Picton to supervise the project. This is evidenced by the position of the propellers & rudders in photos above of her on the hardstand at Gulf Harbour on 4.2.16.
Bob reports that her speed was increased quite markedly by several knots with the addition of the extra length. Bob also commented that she spent quite a period of time in the Wellington region, but is now back in Auckland. Kept at Bayswater marina I pass her every time I come & go, in the water she looks even more impressive.
Link to down load the Sea Spray article on her launch Karere III
2016 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – just back, hundreds of photos to sort thru – be sure to check in Tuesday – a very cool big post coming up.
I particularly like the photo below – two woodys having a chat in the rain. On the left Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Association Commodore Grant Cossey in his 1908 Collings & Bell launch ‘Elva’ & Russell Ward in the 1994 steam boat ‘Romany’.
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