Category Archives: Launches

A Visit to Chris McMullen’s Boat Shed

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Chris McMullen & his 1898 reproduction Herrreshoff steam boat

One of Chris’s experiments

Otira- 1902 Logan Bros
Otira- 1902 Logan Bros

And of a few photos of one of the prettiest boats on the Waitemata – Wirihana, the 1933 Colin Wild launch.

A Visit to Chris McMullen’s Boat Shed

Yesterday was a biggie on the wooden boating front – Barbara Cooke & myself organized for the Classic Yacht Association a visit to Chris McMullen’s workshop & boat shed. I have posted photos of the shed & its contents on ww before & ww has published several of Chris’s posts on the topic of electrochemical damage to wooden boats – but it was special for the members to meet the man himself & hear him speak on his past, his current passions / projects & future plans. The reproduction 1898 Herreshoff steam launch project just has to be one of the best kiwi ‘can-do’ tales around. The day she hits the water will be a very special occasion, I just hope I’m around to see it 😉

Today two things stood out for me:
1. The turn-out of two wooden boating icons – John Salthouse & Max Carter
2. The healthy number of sub 35 year old guys with a new found passion for classic wooden boats in attendance

If your a CYA member & you didn’t make the effort to come to the event – more fool you – as one of your most respected members said to me “today was a privilege, Chris is a one of a kind, his practical knowledge on boat building and engineering is unique”.

In my time as CYA launch captain one of my personal goals was to help deliver up events & access to people & ‘cool stuff’ that people would not normally have access to without being CYA members – from the comments & the smiles as people where departing today, Barb & I got it right today 🙂

To read / view more on Chris, his boats & the topic of electrochemical damage to wooden boats just enter – Chis McMullen – in the ww search box 😉

Acquiesce – Garage Sale

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THIS GARAGE SALE NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT

Acquiesce 1

I have been contacted by Robin Fullerton who owned Acquiesce that came to grief on Auckland’s waterfront breakwater during a recent storm. The story of her final days was well covered on ww.
Now like so many (too many) classics, Acquiesce was under insured & Robin is faced with having to sell all the good bits off her to help fund the replacement boat.
Below is an inventory of what Robin saved before the hull went to the land-fill. Ideally Robin would like to move on as one lot, and that the would be reflected in price, so woodys if you or someone you know has a project on the go – maybe this lot or parts of it would be of use. The 7 matching brass portals alone must be of interest to someone, I wouldn’t like to guess what they would cost new.
Robin can be contacted on  09 629 3857, txt 027 227 50 44

ACQUIESCE INVENTORY

2 12v capstans one with gypsy and button, + cables. 150ft as new short link chain, 2 cqr plough 25 /30lb anchors, 1 hose down pump, 1 head waste pump,12v, wooden steering wheel, 22in across complete with shaft and sprockets.1 deck hatch as new 2ft x 2ft with centre alloy hatch, 1 prop shaft, 10ft 4in, x 1and quarter in dia, need to be checked, complete with 6point clamp and hanger bearing, Simms injector pump,Spe, 4A70S371 P8615/RMO,Being rebuilt, Starter motors, x2 12v, VHS radio,as new waterproof, 2 hand rails, 1 wall shelf, Heat exchanger complete with water exhaust, manifolds flanges, 7 brass portals, 8in x 5, Solar panel, reads 16v,timber surround, Varnished mast 5ft, x31in xtree, aerial dish, 2riding lights, stern light, The motor was 60hp Fordson lees marinised circa mid 50s. 6 lifejackets, and other bits and pieces, stainless sink, xstock fuel filters complete ready to bolt on

Mystery Boat 20-06-2015

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Mystery Boat 20-06-2015
photos & details ex Jason Prew

Now the remains of the small double-skinned boat pictured above will test the Lake woodys – to quote Jason’s uncle, Kevin O’Hara, “she was pulled up from Lake Taupo last year & is now sitting at Will Shirer`s place at Kuratau”, near Turangi. Photos from Will’s camera.

Now if we get a proven ID on her – I’ll give the winner a ww t-shirt, as below. Note: the raspberry pavlova is not include 😦

Sterling Girl

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STERLING GIRL
photos & details ex Wendy Muir

A question for the woodys today – are the 2 boats above the same?
Both are named Sterling Girl, but as we know with classic launches that can mine nothing.
The top photo is of Sterling Girl c.1915. She was built by Bailey & Lowe in 1913 & belonged to Robert Taylor of Birkenhead. Named Sterling girl because she had a Sterling engine.
After the Great War, he had Lady Sterling built. (She is now on Lake Wakatipu )
The second photo is of a boat on the hard in Nelson at Easter this year. Also called Sterling Girl.

So folks what say you?

As always keen to find out more at the Nelson boat.

Mystery Launch 16-06-2015

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Mystery Launch & Location 18-06-2015
photo ex Juliana Cooke (nee Turnwald)

All I can tell you about the above photo is that it was taken in 1940.
I can count 21 on board & it looks like more are about to board AND not a lifejacket in sight, no rules in those days 😉

Given the reeds & the bow ladder – suspect its on a lake – Taupo ?

Lady Claire

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A LADY CLAIRE QUESTION
photo & details ex John Wicks

Now Lady Claire has appeared in detail on ww before but I have had a request via John Wicks from her owner, Bruce Carter to see if any woodys can ID the people in the above photo. The photo was supplied by Rebecca Hayter (Boating NZ) . No one knows anything about the photo but John feels it could be pre WWII.
She was a magnificent looking launch & must have been one of THE boats in her day.
To read / view more on her click this link   https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/07/02/lady-claire/

Remember you can click on the image to enlarge, then click on ‘View full size’, then move the magnifying glass icon over the image & then click on the area you want to enlarge further.

Photo of Lady Claire & Lady Eileen hauled out together – may 2014 ex Ken R

LADIES EILEEN & CLAIRE Late May 2014

25-09-2023 Update ex John Dawson – photo below of Lady Claire berth near the old Wilson cement works in Auckland, now the site is known as Silo Park

Mansion House Bay On A Bad Day

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Mansion House Bay On A Bad Day
photo ex Juliana Cooke (nee Turnwald)

Not sure of the date on the above photos but the presence of all the plastic fizz boats & the navy vessels in Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island, must make dating the photo easier.
If you look at the top photo & out into the bay, it must have been the start of ‘the end’ 🙂 i.e. the arrival of plastic fizz boats & plywood Vindexs .There is a cluster of classics in the right hand corner.
In the 2nd photo, who can ID the launch at the wharf – given the origin of the photos, the Turnwald family, I would suspect its ‘Robyn Gae’ but it does not look right to my eye.

Tuarangi

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TUARANGI  
photo & details ex Robert Brooke

The above photo is one from the Jack Brooke collection & shows Tuarangi  out at the Barrier in the early 1950’s. The Brooke family in ‘Judith’ was cruising in company with Tuarangi which was owned by Bruce Winstone who was with his wife and three children. Robert Brooke remembers Bruce rowing across one evening to tell Jack that as the weather forecast was good, they would be off to Whitianga first thing in the morning. The next thing they heard was that Tuarangi had blown up while refueling at Whitianga. Luckily the family had gone shopping for provisions, and Bruce was the only person on board. He was quite badly injured and was not well for a long time.

So folks todays questions are:
1. Does anyone know what happened to Tuarangi & where she is today?
2. Who designed & built her?

Update
I had an early morning txt from Nathan Herbert, saying that he thought there had been a oops in the boat name. I placed all the blame on Robert 🙂 ,  who supplied the photo tagged as Wairangi. Given the comments today we can safely assume it is Tuarangi. Post headline has been changed. See details below from Harold Kidd.
TUARANGI was built by Lidgard Bros for H.S. White and launched on 25 November 1950. She was 42’x40’x12’x4’3″ and originally had twin 90hp 6 cylinder Redwing petrol engines. White sold her to Bruce Winstone in 1951.
By 1959 she was renamed SILVER FIN and owned by Dr. R.L. Kennedy at Tauranga. George N. Hale owned her in Auckland in 1964 by when she had been re-engined with twin Ford Lees Marine 4 cylinder 64.8 bhp diesels.
Barbara Cooke had this to add –  Bruce Winstone had a Frostbite which was carried on the cabin top, the name being Wairangi. Both Bruce and his son Jeff were injured in the blast. After re fueling someone lit the stove to boil the kettle causing the explosion. Judy Salthouse (nee Brooke) recalls the event well.

Mystery Launch 12-06-2015

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Mystery Launch 12-06-2015
photo ex Dean Wright

The photo of the above launch was taken by Bay of Islands based professional photographer Dean Wright,  so again I assume the location is up ‘North’.

Can anyone ID the vessel & supply any details on her?