Category Archives: Launches

Phoebe (Imp)

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PHOEBE (IMP)
photos & details ex Michael O’Dwyer

Todays launch is named Phoebe & is currently hauled out in Napier getting some TLC. She has been in Napier for approx. 12 years. Prior to this its believed she was based in Auckland.
According to a name plate on board she was originally called Imp & built by Collings and Bell in 1952. Her length is 24′.

Her current owner is Stan Escourt  (Napier) & he told Mike that the cabin top was added by Lanes and built over the original canvas covering the fore cabin. It’s still in place inside but hidden by synthetic carpet.

Phoebe is powered by a Ford 2711 E 4.15L motor.

So woodys do we know anymore about Phoebe/Imp?

Harold Kidd input

Collings & Bell built an earlier IMP for Frank Pidgeon of the Ace Tyre Company in September 1937. She was a 17ft runabout with a 40hp 4 cyl Lycoming which gave her 28 mph, pretty fast for the time. That IMP replaced (or complemented) an earlier IMP, a 14ft single-step hydroplane “built on anti-trip principles” which Sam Ford built for Frank in November 1936, also with a Lycoming. He raced both boats enthusiastically.
In 1952 Frank Pidgeon would have been only 50 so it’s reasonable to think that he may have commissioned this one too.

23-12-2015 Photos ex Michael O’Dwyer

 

Romance

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ROMANCE
photo & details ex Paul Drake

Paul believes today’s photo of his launch Romance (#1) on the left, was taken in Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island.
Romance was built by Bailey and Lowe in 1914 and was sold 4 or 5 years later. After that she was in Napier, until 1932 when she went to Lake Taupo. The exact date she went to Napier is not known but it could have been in 1919. Romance has been in the Drake family for over 43 years.

Lots more details on Romance here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/09/22/8829/  and here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/05/10/romance/

Can we ID the other launches? the little dinghy is very salty, love the fenders 🙂

22-12-2015 Photo below ex Harold Kidd of the launch Pirate that can be seen on the right of Romance & the dinghy.

 

 

North Star

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NORTH STAR
photo & details ex Ray Morey

Ray sent me the above photo of North Star which was built in the 1950’s for an uncle of Ray’s wife, Joe Harris of Pahia. She was kept on a pile mooring at the Waitangi River for many years.
Ray recalls that North Star was the subject of discussion on the CYA website a year or more back (I have been unable to find the discussion, but the sites search mode is a tad lacking), I thought also that she had appeared on www but again can not find any reference.

Ray is keen to learn more about the vessel, he says that he always believed that she was built by Brian Lane at Totara North – can any of the woodys shed some light on her past & where she is today?

Quay St. Launch Landings

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Quay St Launch Landings
photo ex Lindsay McMorran

According to the caption on the above photo – the photos shows the recently completed ‘Fine Launch Landings’ in Quay St. on Auckland’s waterfront.

How many of the launches (L>R) can we name?

Slipped away yesterday for a trip up the upper harbour to the Riverhead Hotel for lunch with some good mates. Zero boats, we like that, just lots of people in silly costumes 🙂

Arohanui

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AROHANUI
photo & details ex Ross Farrant

Arohanui was built by Roy Parris in 1974 & is 30′ long. Owner Ross purchased her a couple of years ago from a gent by the name of Doug Wood. Ross understands Doug runs (perhaps ‘ran’ now) a diesel servicing business out of Westhaven.

Milford boatbuilder Geoff Bagnall was an apprentice under Roy Parris at the time Arohanui was built, Ross spoke to Geoff recently and he told Ross that he remembers there were 4 of these 30′ launches built, he also recalls that Arohanui was built for a Dick Milburn who is now deceased. Geoff knows nothing of her history after that.

You will notice in the above photo a small cabin top on the foredeck. Geoff Bagnall did that job for previous owner Doug wood at his Milford shed a few years ago, it appears that most of Roy’s boats had a flush foredeck but Doug wanted headroom, and it does work, brings more light into the boat and doesn’t detract from the overall look of the boat.

Arohanui is powered by a Lees Marine conversion, six cylinder Ford truck engine, Ross was amazed at how much oil the sump took when he did my first oil change.

Anything anybody can tell ww about her history would be great as Ross & Sue Farrant are a bit light on details relating to her past.

(sorry about the photo quality, as supplied)

Kohema

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KOHEMA
photo & details ex Michael O’Dwyer

Today’s photo is from the Napier Sailing Club & shows the launch Kohema on the clubs opening day in 1950. Of all the photos in the ww library this one would take 1st prize for the most people aboard 🙂

Can any woody tell us a bit more about Kohema?

04-06-2016 photos added ex Ronald Walker

Corona

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Approximately mid 60’s at Torrent Bay

 

CORONA
photos & details ex Peter Campbell

Corona was built by G.Curnow & M.V. Wilton in Nelson & launched at the beginning of 1938.
She was built for H.I. Dimock who sold Corona typewriters in Nelson, hence the name of the vessel.
Peter’s grandfather purchased the boat approximately mid 1940’s & she has stayed in the family since. 70 years of ownership is very impressive. Her specs are – 38′ LOA, Beam 10′, Draft 3′ 9″ & with 6′ Headroom.
The hull is kauri carvel construction & her original engine was a petrol Chrysler Ace. These days powered by a Ford diesel 2725E, which sees her cruising at 8 – 9 knots, max 11knots.

Peter reports that Corona is a very comfortable, economical boat & perfect for the use it gets now, Abel Tasman, D’urville Island & the Marlborough Sounds.

Legend has it Corona was featured in a NZ boating magazine in February 1938 page 9. Does anyone know what magazine?. Peter love a copy of the article or better still would anyone a copy of the magazine they would part with. So woodys – can anyone help ID the magazine &/or supply a scan of the article / or the magazine?

Navy (Admirals) Barge

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Navy (Admirals) Barge
photo & details ex Ken Ricketts. edited by Alan H

The above launch was photographed by Ken while recently hauled out at Gulf Harbour for some maintenance. We understand that she is still in use by the Navy & used for cadet training. Built at the Devonport Dockyard, she is 3 skins of timber.
Her specs are – Length 14 metres, beam 4.45 metres, draught 1.2 metres.
She originally had 2 x Perkins Turbo 6 cyl diesels which have been replaced with 2 x D4 Volvos giving her a top speed of 10 knots, which seems rather slow ?

Like most service craft she has had highs & lows e.g. she was used by Princess Di on one of her Royal visits & also discovered some ‘unchartered’ (yeah right) rocks off Tutukaka 2 or 3 years ago on returning from the Bay of Islands.

I’m sure some of the woodys that have spent time in & around the dockyards will be able to expand on what we know about her.

OOPS Photos from Chris Leech

18-12-2015 Photo below ex Chris Leech of the twin Perkins HT6.354M diesels with Borg Warner gearboxes as installed when new.

Ready for re-launch – Feb 2016 – photos ex Ken Ricketts

30-11-2016 Photo of Admirals Barge below ex Jon Trimble via Ken Ricketts.

admirals-barge

Hazel May

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Hazel May

Hazel May
photo & details from John Burland

Today’s launch, Hazel May resides in Nelson Marina & is owned by Stephen Donar (?), that folks is the extent of what we know. John took the photo while cruising the dock looking for woodys.

So folks can we shed some light on this old girls past?

Update from Geoff Brebner

Not to sure of when she was built but think it was before 1920. She was built (another “I think”) by T. le Huquet for Henry Bronlund (my mothers uncle) who farmed at Stony Bay on the far side of Cape Colville. Named for their eldest daughter Hazel. Stony Bay was very remote at that time and she was their only means of direct communication with Auckland. Kept in a boat shed, she would  be loaded with bales of wool then return with enough provisions to keep them going. She was latterly taken over by son-in law Jack Strongman  of Coromandel and kept there for many years. I think she was originally powered with a Twigg petrol engine. Strongman’s had the agency for Perkins engines so it wasn’t long before she was re-powered. She was very fast with it seeming no limit to her hull speed. Jack and his sons Cyril and Nigel were great tinkerers and innovators and Hazel May could to the trip to Auckland in under two hours. Jack Strongman set up the Strongman Electric Supply Co in 1946 and supplied Coromandel town with electricity until the late 1950’s when Coro was connected to the national grid. Jack’s brother Sam set up the Strongman Shipping Co in 1936 (Wee Pat, Maretana and Coromel). Hazel May was sold to relations in Nelson a number of years  back. Good to see she’s still alive!    🙂

Photo below ex Andrew Pollard ex Classicboatsnz

 

Kawhiti

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KAWHITI
photos ex Tim Jackson, Russell Ward & Harold Kidd, details ex Russell Ward & Harold Kidd

Tim sent in the above photo of Kawhiti hauled out at The Landing (Okahu Bay) getting some TCL. I’m very happy to see the ‘spoiler’ has vanished 🙂
Kawhiti was built by Collings & Bell in 1952 for D A Wilkie, later owners J M Simpson of Beach Road, Howick (1958). Terry McAvinue owned her from 1968 to 1997 when Harold Kidd took the image below of her in Matiatia.

Kawhiti is powered by a Ford diesel & if the memory is correct was for sale in 2013. I assume she has a new owner, can any of the woodys update us on where she calls home these days & any other info?