Category Archives: Launches

An Evill Boat

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An Evill Boat

I posted a few weeks ago about a 14′ clinker motorboat, built in 1914 by Miller & Tunnage that was heading north, in fact to Waiheke Island, Auckland.
You can read all about the history behind the boat here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/06/23/classic-clinker-motorboat/

Today post documents its journey to Waiheke Island.

It all started when Tim Evill called me & told me he had bought the clinker off trademe & he was having the boat & her trailer trucked up to Auckland. A few days later Tim & I have borrowed my wife’s ute, she’s a landscape gardener 😉  & Tim & I are driving around Penrose looking for a freight depot. We hook her up & head off to Bayswater to launch her, the plan being to put her on a berth at the marina for a week to take up (been out of the water for 2>3 yrs). You know what they say about plans – ‘if it can go wrong, it will’ – we backed her down the ramp & straight away the water starts p_ssing in – big time, a bucket & a big manual bilge pump could not keep up. So before she sank we started the single banger motor & did a few circles in her & popped back on the trailer.

Time for a team talk, I suggest to Tim if she was mine I would be taking her up to Pam & George at the Whangateau Traditional Boat yard & letting her sit in the back tidal estuary for a few weeks. So Tim heads back to Waiheke & the boats parked on my front lawn.

Next we borrow the ute again & head off on a road trip to Whangateau. We safely deposited her into Pam & George’s experienced hands, then I had a mission dragging Tim away from the shed & Laughing Lady (the boat not Pam). Over the next few weeks Pam sent us photos & trip reports (laps of the bay).
Tim collected her this week on a totally foul day & caught the car ferry to Waiheke Island. Home is now Sandy Bay so keep an eye out her.

Now I’m sick of calling her ‘the boat’, ‘she’ etc – so how about we suggest a few names for her – with Tim’s surname (Evill) it could be amusing – the best one wins a ww t-shirt.
And b4 you say anything Jason P, I have yours on board Raindance & will give it to you at Patio Bay. Just finalizing the logo & will be printing more – details soon.

Bayswater Launching

Love the CYA bucket
Still smiling

Back In Devonport

Dropping Off At Whangateau

Got to love those front towballs
Old Salts

On Holiday at WTB

Collection Day

At Home At Last

Post an application of the magic Houghton bronze polish

 

Sarina

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SARINA (MYSTERY LAUNCH)
photo ex Pam Cundy

Realized today that we have not had a ‘mystery launch’ quiz in a while so here we go – she was berthed in the estuary behind the Whangateau Traditional Boat yard.

When looking for a suitable photo to post this one just jumped out as it also features a rather special boat, the steam ship Romany II. I was gifted the tiller one day by her Captain, Russell Ward, on a misty morning on Lake Rotoiti & I was hooked on steam.

So woodys – who can ID the launch?

L>R – Russell Ward, Murray Deeble , Alan Houghton

Update ex Pam Cundy
Strange coincidence Alan, Sarina is going back in the water at the top of the tide today, see photos below. She’s been out for 8 months having a refit – out with the BMC Commodor and a reconditioned Perkins in as the replacement.
The builder does remain a mystery.  Current owner, Kevin Lawton, took over his fathers boat after his passing. Sarina has been in the family for about 25 years.
Kevin seems to recall mention of Jack Telford building her at Milford around 1961-2. Can any one verify this ?

 

Matira

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Sea-trial

MATIRA – re-powered

The 1956, 46′ Collings & Bell launch Matira has featured on ww previously & extensive details on her can be viewed here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/03/03/matira/

Matira is a very pretty boat, again one of those designs that look good from any angle & look fast even when anchored. She was for sale on trademe for a long time & I was aware of several people who ‘looked’ at her but were put off by a few things that just were not right. Primary concern was the engines which if I recall correctly were mismatched in hp.
I’m very pleased to advise that she has a new owner, Guy Warman, & work has began on bringing Matira back to the condition that a vessel of her size & provenance desires.
In the last month she has been hauled out at Okahu Bay & the team from Moon Engines have removed the old Ford D series engines & installed twin 110hp Yanmar’s.
On her recent sea-trial Matira comfortably cruised at 9.5 knots with a top speed of 13 knots. I’m told that the reduction in noise & space was worth the expense alone 🙂

Guy is interested in any more history that can be uncovered on Matira’s past so if any woodys can help out , please do.

Matira has joined the CYA launch fleet so we look forward to seeing her attending a few events. She will be in good company with Rod Marler’s Arohanui, due to slide out of Greg Lees Sandspit boat shed this weekend after an extensive renovation.

Services Convalescent Hospital & Its Boats

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The Services Convalescent Hospital & Its Boats
photos ex Queen Elizabeth Hospital Community Trust – Kay Taylor Collection

Karen McGeady-Moren sent in a few photos of the hospital motor launch El Alamein (now renamed Ranui) & when I checked the web I discovered an amazing collection of boating images related to the hospital & surrounding area, most dated from the mid 1940’s.

The Services Convalescent Hospital, Rotorua was opened in 1942 under the command of Wilfred Stanley (Stan) Wallis, providing rehabilitation to soldiers returning from World War II. It was renamed the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in 1948 and began to specialize in the treatment of rheumatic disease.
Boating was obviously an enjoyable pastime for the patients.

Remember you can elarge the photos by clicking on them 😉

More recent photo on Ranui can be viewed at the link below

El Alamein / Ranui

FYI – Yesterdays ‘Woodys Weekend’ post was a record day for the number of individual people visiting the ww site & the views were the highest in over 3 months.

A Woodys Weekend

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Manapouri,Lady Crossley,Silens,Trinidad,Raindance,Wairiki
Raindance & Wairiki
Wariki & Raindance
Silens
Silens cabin
Wairiki. Raindance & Trinidad
Raindance
Peter Mence
Peter Mence
Otira
Otira
Not really classic 🙂
Mokoia
Moana
Maristella
Manapouri
Manapouri
Lady Crossley
Lady Crossley
Yum
Lady Crossley

A Woodys Weekend
photos ex Alan H

Just back from a really great woody weekend. The CYA hosted a gathering at Fairway Bay Marina, Gulf Harbour that saw the boats all rafted up in the ‘gated’ upper lagoon. We were greeted by Grant the marina manager in his tender that made berthing easy for those without bow-thruster ;-). In fact Grant was the perfect host & made the weekend extra special.
I have to say that rafting up & boat hopping is such a cool thing, perfect way to catch up & tell fibs about your boat while enjoying a refreshing .
When I slid Raindance alongside Trinidad the smell was amazing, bread baking – the latest additional to Trinny is a ‘fitted’ bread maker. It doesn’t get much better than waking up to the smell of bread baking 🙂
Nice to see CYA vice chairman Peter Mence mooching around in his rather cute gaff rigged clinker.
After an afternoon of socializing we all went ashore for a BBQ at the marina bar. Nathan Herbert & Jason Prew were the the chefs on the BBQ & did a superb job, its not often I trust someone to cook my thick-cut aged sirloin steak.
Special mention to the CYA members that turned up by road, Sue & Mark Edmonds (Monterey), Ian Miller (Alpheus) & the new owners of Young Nick.

Included are some random photos of woodys I spotted along the way. Enjoy.

ww is not the place to air ones dirty laundry but I have to say that despite the amazing job that CYA launch captain Nathan Herbert did promoting & hosting the weekend – 7 boats is a p_ss poor turn out from a fleet of 200+ vessels. For those that did not attend, again you missed a great event. Maybe next time………………………?

Photos below from Ken Ricketts taken at arrival & departure.

Lady Crossley
Silens
Raindance arrives
Otira enters the lagoon
Lagoon closes

OOPS
Now heading back I got a call on the mobile from Jason Prew to say Dolphin had entered Milford Creek (marina) on the wrong side of the channel mark & was aground & could I try & tow them off. When I arrived it was looking like a long day/night for the crew of Dolphin………., Milford is intimidating to even the locals so I was on high alert as we nudged Raindance in VERY close. Robyn was on rock watch & telling me “they are right in front of us”. We managed to get a line bow to stern but she would not budge – not surprising when you look at the photos from later in the day, with the tide out. Hopefully she re-floated last night. She was on-route to Geoff Bagnall’s boat yard so any damage will not be a problem to Geoff & his crew. One negative was that in the process we pulled the outboard off the stern 😦

With outboard
Those rocks look close
Minus outboard 😦
Holy cow – thats scary

 

Its That Time Of The Year

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Retawai
Katie Didit
Katie Didit
Time Piece
Time Piece
Lucinda 🙂
Valhalla

Its That Time Of The Year

Mid week I dropped in to say hi to the Milford based boat builder, Geoff Bagnall & went next day to the Milford Cruising Club’s yard with the camera to snap a few woodys that are hauled out for the annual pre-summer love.

ps now I’m not a member of the Vindex fan club but there were two examples in Geoff’s shed getting makeovers, one in particular receiving an semi-enclosed cockpit, a job the Mr Bagnall does very well, Geoff has a very good eye for proportion & just getting the look right. Sorry no photos.

Mandalay

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MANDALAY
photos ex Russell Ward

I last saw this little cutie 4sale on trademe back in Oct 2007. Back then it stated she was built in Auckland in 1932 but went into dry storage during WWII until 1986. Around then she was purchased by Dave Jackson of Northcote & recommissioned by ex Navy dockyard shipwright Jeff Cook. During the recommissioning she was re-powered with a 23hp Yanmar 3 cyl. inboard diesel, which pushed her along at 6 knots. Built with full length planks, edge fitted & riveted to ribs without caulking, decks are glass over ply. When advertised in 2007 she was moored in the Clevedon River & came with a road trailer.
The other day Russell sent in the above photos that were from a friend who owned her, possibly the trademe seller, during their ownership they kept her at Coromandel & the Waikato River. Russell commented that the friend believed that just prior to the WWII storage she had sunk at her moorings.

Its believed Mandalay is now in the Bay of Islands. Can any woodys report on where she is now & any more details?

Harold Kidd Input

She was built by Ralph Shepherd of Kowhai Rd Birkdale for himself in 1932 when he was 24. He and his brother Harry were in business as motor body builders. Their main customer was the Birkenhead Bus Co. Ralph went overseas during WW2.
My friend Wallace McNair, (and Russell’s too), the amazing vintage car restorer of Hamilton, had her on the Waikato at Hamilton for several years. His son Robert later had her on the Clevedon River. I’ll ask Wallace for some pics.

A Woody Quizz

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A Woody Quizz

Ok woodys who can ID the above photo – looking for location, boat names & approx. date, a little hint – think Jim Young 😉

And of the subject of Jim Young, the man himself will be at The Ponsonby Cruising Club, Logan Lounge, this Friday night November 13th. to meet and chat with people from 6.30 on. Jim will then give a short talk at 8pm.
Jim’s book ‘Jim Young – designer, boatbuilder, sailor’ is a cracker, starting off with his early sailing and boatbuilding career as an apprentice to Roy Lidgard, working on minesweepers during the Second World War and then the challenges and dramas of starting out in business on his own at the age of about 25, building wooden boats in a small shed in Little Shoal Bay in Birkenhead. Signed copies of the book will be available for sale on the night. The perfect xmas present to yourself 🙂

I understand the PCC kitchen will have meals available and of course the bar will be open.

Screen Shot 2015-11-12 at 12.17.27 AM

The Sail ‘v’ Power Relationship

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The Sail ‘v’ Power Relationship

In a ww post back in August 2013, I (tongue in cheek) stated that I had found photographic evidence of the exact day & event when the relationship between power & sail soured– 29 January 1953, Auckland Anniversary Regatta. View photo & story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/08/01/yachts-versus-motor-boats/

Well folks I got it wrong, it was much earlier than that – it was early December 1930. In the above photo ex Peter Loughlin’s (current owner) facebook page, we see Lady Margaret (1928 Colin Wild), described in the NZ Herald, 11th Dec 1930, article as a fast cruising launch ‘passing’ some of the M-Class sailing fleet. Passing was a rather polite term for ‘going thru at full chat’ 🙂

For the train spotters Maratea is in the lead (& won) followed by Mercer?? & Manu

Thankfully most classic motorboat owners are a wee bit more considerate these days, can not say the say about the average Riviera owner & a remarkable number are flying a RNZYS burgee 😦

Seagull outboard racing on the Manukau Harbour. This Sat. 14th

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This Will Be A Lot Of Fun
This Saturday (14th) if you not attending the CYA event at Fairway Bay (Gulf Harbour) I have got details on what should be a very cool event for anyone with a little salt in their veins –  Seagull outboard racing on the Manukau Harbour.  The event will be based at the new Onehunga reclamation area  & is open to anyone with a Seagull motor. One of the organizers Adrian Pawson has offered that if any of the classic guys would like to join in with their clinkers they would be very much welcomed. They could even provide a few motors for those who like the idea of becoming a real seagull seadog. If interested, leave a note in the ww comments section & Adrian will be in touch.
Racing will be very close in so spectators can get a good view of the racing.

DETAILS
An update on the Manukau Event here:
 Launching:
Before 10am it will be possible to drop boats off and launch at the Manukau Cruising club ramp, which is quite close (100m) to the sandy beach. With your boat delivered around the break water and safely pulled up on the sandy beach, the car and trailer can them be moved to a permanent car park further down the road.

After 10am, the Cruising club ramp and car park is going to become very busy. So launching from the all tide ramp will be less chaotic.  Cars and trailers can also be left on Coronation Rd (next to the ramp) throughout the day.  Downside of this ramp is that it’s a bit of a delivery trip to the sandy beach (800m by sea). So for those new to seagulling I would recommend the easy option of turning up earlier and launching at the old boat ramp near the cruising club.
Essential Items:
Life Jacket
Tow rope (6m)
Oars or a paddle
Mobile phone in water tight bag

Costs:
$10 cash entry fee per boat. This can be paid on the sandy beach prior to racing. Entry fee goes towards prizes and the BBQ.

Racing:
3 divisions starting 5 minutes apart
•             2.5hp and slower 4.5 boats (
•             Faster 4.5hp and 20’ers
•             Open class (5R and Sport engines)
Prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd in each division + a few spot prizes.

Approximate sequence of events:
9:00 – 10:30 – Launching at Manukau CC ramp, or Mengere all tide ramp.
11:00 – Boats motored around to the larger sandy beach on reclamation area.
11:30 – Registration & division flags issued
12:00 to 2pm  – Racing – within the vicinity of the beach.
2:30 – BBQ & Prizes on the beach
There is a little bit happening on the day as it’s opening day for this new public space, although on the plus side, there will be plenty of surf club Rib’s to rescue you when you break down or sink 🙂 See map below of activities.

And yes I know the above photo is not a Seagull motor – its of Adrian trialing his new foiling hull. Yes that’s not a typo, some very heavy hitters at the cutting edge of foiling have been having a ‘play’. These  Seagull guys are a little crazy. Click the link below to view photos from the Waikato River Seagull race.

The tale of the 2015 Waikato Seagull Race

The 2014 Great Annual Waikato Seagull Regatta – Part2

16-11-2015 A few photos from the weekend – ‘borrowed from ‘Waitakere West Ranges’ faceook page