Category Archives: Launches

Maria

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MARIA
photos & details ex Nick Voerman

The photos of Maria were sent in by her new owner Nick Voerman, Nick until recently owned Rosemary M. In Nicks words his last project ‘needs lots of love’, I think that an understatement but Nick has a track record of bring these old ladies back to their finery so fingers crossed. Nick has built a model of Maria which I’m sure will be his inspiration for the restoration project. Below are examples of 2 other models Nick has done, one on the 1915 Lanes – Rosemary M & one on the 1923 Bailey & Lowe – Rotomahana

Nick believes Maria (nick named tuk tuk) may have spent time at Kawau Island & possibly moored off Devonport, can anyone add to what Nick / ww knows about her? She is 21′ long & powered by an air-cooled 2 cylinder Lister engine (that will get Baden Pascoe fizzing)

1915 Lanes – Rosemary M
1923 Bailey & Lowe – Rotomahana

11-03-2016 photos ex Nick Voerman

Hows this for a transformation – all finished & re-launched & looking very smart 🙂

Maria Re-launched b

Maria Re-launched a

Lady Nell

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LADY NELL
photos & details ex Trevor McKay

Today’s post on Lady Nell is a request from her current owner, Trevor McKay, for some clarity on the information he has been supplied about her & also  an attempt to uncover more of her past.

The photo of her alongside the wharf is as Trevor bought her in February 2009 off Steve Hansen of Kauwau fame (he owns the big steel ex navy job in the back ground). Steve bought her from an insurance company after she was damaged off Snells Beach when a storm broke a large yacht loose and smashed into her. He repaired her and then Trevor bought her in an exchange/cash for the Bailey & Lowe launch ‘Countess’ about 5 years ago.

Steve told Trevor that Greg Lees (boatbuilder at Sandspit) had given him a bit of back ground e.g. built 1960ish, design and built by Jack Brooke (but Robert Brooke has later commented – ‘not one of Dads’), she lived a while in the Tamaki Channel, she was bought by the Snells Beach owner, Barry Cranston, from the Jones brothers of Auckland, who kept her at Pine Harbour. Cranston owned her for 3 or 4 years.

Rumour has it that Lady Nell was named after a ‘Madam’ from a house of ill repute 😉 in Ponsonby. Not sure if she was built for the lady or just named after her, this rumour supports the view that due to her roominess she had been know as quite a “Party” boat.
She’s powered by a pair of the small four cylinder Fords, 63 hp, when Trevor bought her she had mechanical gear boxes but he changed to hydraulic a couple of years ago.
She cruises at about 7.5 knots but is very economical.

So woodys – can we help Trevor out ?

Te Honu

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As Purchased

Re-fit Underway

TE HONU
photos & info ex Bruce Dickie & Ken Ricketts. edited by Alan H

Te Honu was built by Brin Wilson in 1963 & is 34′ x  10′  6″. Her first owners were a family by the name of ‘Tuttle’ or ‘Turtle’ according to one of her current owners, Bruce Dickie, Bob believes they were in the cartage business in the Takapuna area, She would have been one of the last boats Brin Wilson built in Porana Rd Glenfield.

She is presently owned by father & son team of boat builder Bruce & his son Logan, they bought her in February 2015 off a Mark Wilson, who had apparently owned her for approximately the last 15 years & had kept her at Pine Harbour.
Home is now Gulf Harbour & she has been hauled out  in the Brin Wilson shed for the last few months for a ‘makeover at the hands of Bruce & Logan, assisted by a number of members of their family.

She is stall largely original except for the flying bridge which Bruce is working at improving the aesthetics of during the refurb 🙂
She is still powered by the original 100 HP 6 cyl. Lees converted Ford diesel.

We look forward to seeing her back in the the water later in the year.

Harold Kidd Input

According to APYMBA records, TE HONU was built by Brin Wilson in 1961 for K S Turtill & Sons with a 6 cylinder Ford. She was 34’x32’x10’2″x3’6″. Later owners included well-known Accountant Jack Anderson of Blomfield Spa, Takapuna (1973).

The full ownership was recorded as K.S., M.I., P.H. and I.S. Turtill. Ken Turtill  (1914-2000) was an Army Captain in WW2 and a POW. He lived at 132 and later 258 Hurstmere Rd Takapuna around the time TE HONU was built by Brin. He was a student liaison officer at the time. Good bloke.

20-04-2021 Looking Very Smart These Days

Merita

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MERITA
photo ex Pam Cundy at Whangateau Traditional Boat Yard

All I know about today’s launch are 3 things – her name , the photo was taken at Great Barrier Island in 2013 & she is a fine looking vessel. So folks what do we know about Merita?

Photos below ex Brian Worthington & Ken Ricketts

09-11-2015 Input from Murray Morrissey. edited by Alan H
Merita was named after a bay in the Far North.

Merita was built by Murray’s Father in law – James (Jim) Dymock of Takapuna.  She was built in his brothers building yard ( Bill Dymock) behind the Waitemata Power Board in Taharoto Rd.

Murray is not sure of the hull design but the cabin top was designed by Brin Wilson.  She was launched in 1965 in the Milford Creek where she spend her early years. In those days she sat in a mud berth in front of the Milford Cruising Club. She was powered by an A.E.C. – war surplus tank engine – a beautiful sounding engine that pushed her along at 12-13 knots.

She was sold in 1971 to a Mr. Robertson who lived in Red Bluff Rise in Cambells Bay.  From there Murray lost track of her.

Murray can clearly remember standing near the cliff face at Kennedy Park, Castor Bay, watching her heading northwards on the day she changed hands – with a heavy heart.  She was a beautiful boat.

Merita was back in the Milford Creek in the late 1980`s or there abouts – crying out for some TLC.  Murray then saw her at Gulf Harbour in pristine condition a few years ago & was very happy to see someone was looking after her.

Privateer

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PRIVATEER
photo & details ex Paul Drake

Today’s launch is Privateer a recent arrival at Lake Taupo. Can anyone comment on where she came from and what her history is? Paul mentioned that she seems quite heavily ribbed. Not an Auckland boat perhaps?

The photo is taken (Aug 12) at the marina at Motuoapa (at the southern end of the lake) & the reason its so empty is it has been closed and emptied of boats, in preparation for its re development.
Soon the weathered wooden jetties and the wetland/island in the middle will be gone. The new marina will lack any character whatsoever and be all plastic, as is the custom these days. A little sad if you like weathered wooden jetties! Anyway, its great that the last boat out will be a woody.

Star Drift (Lovely Lady)

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STAR DRIFT (Lovely Lady)
photo ex Pam Cundy at Whangateau Traditional Boats

Now today’s post is looking very sad, but still afloat. The photos show Star Drift (if that is her real name) moored in Tryphena Harbour at Gt Barrier Island. The flying bridge (I hear you John 2Dogs) almost passes the test, so I suspect at some stage she has spent time in the hands of a good boat builder.
What do we know about her & given I do not know the date of the photo, is she still there & floating?

Harold Kidd Input

The boat was launched as Lovely Lady & was built by  R.T. Hartley at Whangarei in 1951 to a design by Dick Hartley. She was 33’x11’x3’9″ and had a Scripps V8 originally. She was built for game fishing and is featured in the December 1951 SEA SPRAY mag.

Update 04-08-2019 Photos below sent to me by Tony Simpson, who spotted her on a trailer at Tryphena, Great Barrier Island.

IMG_0349

IMG_0348

Tony Simpson

Cherokee

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CHEROKEE
photo ex Ken Ricketts. Details ex Harold Kidd

Today’s post is of the sedan top launch Cherokee. The photo above was taken by KR c.1972.

CHEROKEE was built for J. W. Farrell in 1958 and, according to Bo Farrell, was a 34 footer. She had a 100hp Gray engine.

Interested in more info on her past & whereabouts today.

A lot of chat on Cherokee & possible sister ships in the ww Comments section.

High Tea

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HIGH TEA

Now I know Gravenhurst, Ontario is a long way from the Waitemata but when I saw the above photo on the WoodenBoat facebook page & checked out the amazing work that Brackley Boats do, I just had to share with you this great set of photos,below, that show High Tea’s pilot house being reunited with the hull & then relaunching.

At 58′ and 30 ton this Ditchburn motor yacht is a beast & swinging from the crane looks like a wee run-about , yeah right.

Check out some of the other boats that have been lucky enough to have spent time at the Brackley yard  http://www.brackleyboats.com/

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Wooden Boats In Croatia

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Wooden Boats In Croatia

Somehow I think the middle child must be deaf, she has emerged from 22 years of sharing a roof with me & says “Dad you’ll be proud of me, I’m sailing on a wooden yacht in Croatia” & sends me the above photos. When I asked if they actually sailed i.e. put the sails up, she replied “yes I think they did a few times” 🙂
Had a chuckle at the big ugly air con unit on deck, I suppose its the trade off for a cool cabin & cold drinks.

That’s her in the middle doing a back flip 🙂

And b4 Jason P comes on & says “what sails”, there is a wee one 😉

Jennifer II

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JENNIFER II
photo ex Tony Kellian ex Pam Cundy at Whangateau Traditional Boat Yard

The photos of Jennifer II were sent to Pam by Tony & show her hauled out at the Whangateau slip & at sea. Jennifer was used by Tony’s grand father Ross Kellian to commercially fish out of Leigh.
The Kellian family would like to know who built her etc. and if she might be still be around.

So woodys – can anyone help out with info on Jennifer?