BOAT LESS THIS LONG WEEKEND – PROBLEM SOLVED
Today’s WW story is a flash back to the 2014 Mahurangi Regatta for all the boatels woodys sitting at home this long weekend. Enjoy and remember to come back on Tuesday to see this years event :-)2024 Mahuranghi Regatta Launch Parade Flash Back https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/01/30/2024-mahurangi-regatta-classic-woody-launch-parade-130-photos/
The zoom zoomers arrived late avo on Friday.
CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ROSELLA
Todays woody is the launch – ROSELLA. I was sent the above photo by John Dawson who saw it in a classic yachting newsletter. Accompanying the photo was an update on the craft from her current owner – Danvers Devereux.
“We rescued ROSELLA a few years ago due to our connection with Great Barrier Island, producing the Great Barrier Island Bee Co range of body care products. We were fascinated with the island’s history as well as classic boats.
ROSELLA was built in 1928 by the Voss boat builders at Westhaven for the Blackwell family. She became well known for carrying the Barrier Island honey and produce back to the wharfs in Auckland to be traded. Because of this she became known as “the honey boat”
She also made many mercy missions with Adam Blackwell to help the sick or injured off the “Barrier”. She was like the Westpac helicopter back in her day!
We found her by chance and luck, high in the Coromandel ranges, ironically next to some beehives! No trucking company could assist due to 4WD access, so it was down to some Kiwi DIY, a long trailer and a Land Rover, followed by a 7-hour drive back to Matakana. She is now parked outside our Great Barrier Island honey gallery/museum.We hope to explore opportunities this year on how we can go about possibly restoring her.”
Back in Oct 2022 W ran a story on a launch also named ROSELLA,, as seen in the photo below. At the time we were trying to learn more about her – ex a Lew Redwood fb story we learnt that the photo was from the Auckland Library Heritage collection and was tagged 1930>1939. The location was Falls Park, Henderson, West Auckland. Sadly we learnt no more.
So woodys – todays question is – are these two craft the same or just share the same name.
24-01-2025 input EX HAROLD KIDD – I think that the Falls Park launch is the 24 footer ROSELLE (not ROSELLA) built in May 1914 by/for Peter A Smith of St Mary’s Bay for Reeves Currie with an Alpha engine.
WOODEN LAUNCH – SCUFFY
Todays woody is one of the many classic wooden craft from Picton that have recently appeared on tme for sale (thanks Ian McDonald) – must be something in the water down there…….
There is no mention of a launch date, but its safe to assume that being named – SCUFFY, that she has had a name change along the way.
What we know is that she is approx 24’ 6” in length, built from wood and s powered by a 30hp Yanmar 3 cyl diesel engine.
It’s commented that she was the vessel featured in the NZ story ‘ Herbert The Brave Sea Dog’.
Her Picton marina berth (pole) is available for $210 a month – that figure will make most Auckland boaties weep.
Can we learn more about SCUFFY.
26-05-2025 UPDATE ex Joel Gillespie (new owner) – Earlier this year I purchased Scuffy – I’m keen to learn more about this boat. Approximate build date? Boat builder? Photos prior to 2016? Where she started life?
I purchased her in pile birth in Picton, but this past week had her relocated to Duncan Bay, Tennyson Inlet. She handled the 12 hour trip around Cape Jackson & Aligator Head very well, commented the commercial skipper that drove her. She seems to cut through chop well, though she doesn’t have much of a chine so does tend to feel a fraction tender, especially at rest. I’m keen to hear from those that know how I can reduce her inclination to be tender, some lead has been added to the bottom of the hull but isn’t solid.
She presently sleeps 2 in the fore birth, I plan to slat her aft bench seats to sleep 4 total. She has a basic galley, portable gas stove, 3 way fridge, sink. Stainless diesel and fuel tanks with baffles. Capstan, plotter VHF, etc . Still has her Yanmar 3QM30 running well. I intend to use her as a cruiser through Pelourus sound, a weekend at a time.
CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ARAB
I stumbled across todays woody photo during a search of the the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection – the photos is ‘credited’ to the McLeod Collection, date and photographer unknown. The location is probably – Kopu Wharf, Thames.
What we do know from previous WW stories on ARAB (links below), that she is 32’ in length and built / launched in 1913 bu boatbuilders Collings & Bell.
Lots more re past owners and photos in the links .
WW Aug 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/08/23/3911/
WW March 2021 https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/03/30/arab/
VERY COOL MARITIME AUCTION – check out at link below https://auctions.mccormackandmckellar.co.nz/208/catalogue?page=1#0051
CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT – GEMINI – A Peek Down Below
Todays woody is the Lanes (Picton) built double ender – GEMINI. Built in 1932, kauri carvel construction , her specs are 33’ x 8’6” x 4’. GEMINI is powered by a 75hp Perkins Sabre diesel engine that gives her a 7>8 knot cruising speed.
Home port is Picton. Marlborough and like most ’Sounds’ boats GEMINI is well fitted out for year round cruising.
Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up. Anyone able to tell us more about GEMINI.
CLASSIC 1948 WOODEN LAUNCH – MAKURA
In late November 2024 WW attended the relaunch of the very salty 24’, 100 year old ex workboat named – MARISSA at the Te Atatu Boating club. While there her owners, the Monaghan family, very generously shared an old photo album. One the woody craft included in the album was the Collings & Bell built bridge-decker – MAKURA. Seen in the first two photos above.
MAKURA last made a cameo appearance on WW back in 2013 when Harold Kidd and Russell Ward contributed to a WW story titled ’The Collings & Bell Bridge-deckers’ – link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/07/09/the-collings-and-bell-bridgedeckers/
In the story we learnt that MAKURA was built in 1949 for W D C & C H Leighton and fitted with a 6 cylinder Chrysler Crown. They sold her to Phil Seabrook of Seabrook & Fowlds in 1957. He fitted the Nordberg a year or so later. Phil Seabrook had Billy Rogers design and build LADY DIANA for him in 1950 and fitted her with the Austin Skipper from new, replacing it with a 155hp Nordberg sleeve-valve engine in 1956 shortly before he sold LADY DIANA to Monte Winter and bought MAKURA.
Later owners were V F Adams (1966) and W G Boughtwood (1973). Back in 2013 she was in Picton.The photo of MAKURA above was taken by Russell in 1961. Russell commented at the time that she was a fine looking ship. Also shown is a photo of MAKURA as built from the July 1951 edition of Sea Spray magazine.
MOLLYMAWK – CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT
Today thanks to tme and Ian McDonald we get to view the Wellington based canoe stern wooden boat – MOLLYMAWK, built in c.1930 in Nelson by Jack Guard. Her original name was – VALETTA.Built from kauri her specs are 31’6” x 8’4” x 3’. Powered by a 20hp Hupeh engine.Current owner has had her for 25 years and commented that he has made 50+ Cook Straight crossing in the boat.
A PRODUCT PLUG – (I bought it, no trade bribes) Recently discovered a great boat wax, called ‘Meguiars Flagship Marine Wax’. Not cheap $85 for 475ml but so easy to apply and no residue white marks on fittings etc. The photos tell the story. Just had my boat out for some TLC at the Slipway Milford, her bottom was the worst ever, a sad reflection on the amount of use in 2024 ……….
AND SPEAKING OF PAINT JOBS / SHINE – check out the Couldrey clinker dinghy in the shed at the Slipway Milford, in the final stages of a high-end refurb – soon to be paired up with her Couldrey mother ship 😉
MYSTERY CLASSIC LAUNCH A LONG WAY FROM THE SEA – PRIVATEER
Todays photos were sent in by Jason Prew who spotted the launch ‘high & dry’ at Tokaanu. I’ll assume that like me most of you will go ‘where?’, so I’ll make it easy for you – Tokaanu is a small settlement at the southern end of Lake Taupo, near Turangi, in the central north island.
She is quite pleasing to the eye and appears to be well looked after. Maybe a few inches off the top of the dog house and replace the windows………..
Can any of the lake woodys (Drakes brothers?) ID the craft for us.
INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – The Tokaanu launch is PRIVATEER. She appeared on woodys in 2015. She was the last boat to be ejected from the old Motuaopa Marina before it was re developed. In about 2221 she was purchased from the Harbour Master as an abandoned vessel. Her new (Auckland) owner has done well to get her to the stage she is at, but the last step – getting her back in the water – seems to be eluding him. Good things take time……
2015 WW link https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/08/22/privateer/
2021 WW Link https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/07/07/what-happened-to-privateer-sandpiper/
CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – MASEKA – A Peek Down Below
Todays woody is – MASEKA, designed and built in 1968 by Chris Robertson. When launch she was 36’ but now measures 40’ that includes the normal protrusions + a 800mm hull extension.
Her owner Grant Keighley commented that she was built the same year as the launch – WAIMIGA however each owner wanted different looks, WAIMIGA the more traditional style while MASEKA’s wanted the modern look. WAIMIGA has made numerous appearance on WW and was once one of the ‘poster childs’ of the classic wooden launch movement. Photos below for comparison.
MASEKA”s hull is all kauri, double diagonal planking on stringers and frames, originally only glassed to the waterline. Her combings are solid teak. Decks and flying bridge (later addition) are plywood.
Some History Below Ex Her Owner (as they know it ) Any help in adding to this would be appreciated. Its so great when we get such extensive details of a vessel – also always a good sign that she is well cared for, and we like that.
OWNERS
• Built for a unknown family with a business in Newmarket It is possible that the name was from family members eg. Mary, Sera, Karen? 1968-?
• Brian Purdy, who owned North Coast Builders ?
• John Priestley ?
• Gary and Yvonne Sterling 1983-1987
• A partnership of 3 airline pilots 1987-1995
• Grant and Lee Keighley 1995-2025
POWER
• 145hp lay over Perkins, going by the cut out in the starboard engine bearer to accommodate the vertical heat exchanger
• 175hp lay over Perkins
• 2004, 240hp Yanmar 4HLA
The Perkins broke it’s crankshaft so it was decided to bite the bullet and install the Yanmar (non common rail marine diesel) matching 8 degree angled ZF gearbox, high tensile SS prop shaft, Briski 22×18 four blade prop, this transformed the boat giving, reliability, much better performance and economy
To strengthen the hull to cope with the extra power, additional laminated floors installed between the frames in the engine room, frames flinched for additional strength
OTHER WORK (carried out by the Keighley ownership )
• Glassed the hull above the waterline
• Glassing the cabin tops and flying bridge
• Replacement of the deck plywood and glassing
• Extensive system upgrades
WAIMIGA – PHOTOS BELOW
MAHURANGI DOCKSIDE MOOCHING + MAHURANGI REGATTA
Just prior to the xmas break I had cause to visit Warkworth, ok I’ll tell the truth – I was buying a pie on route to Sandspit marina 🙂
Rather than fill the car with crumbs, I went for a stroll down to the riverfront dockside. As always there was a very salty looking collection of craft tied up.
Most of the craft will be attending the 2025 Mahurangi Cruising Club Regatta later this month (Jan 25th) – the biggest gathering of classic craft afloat in New Zealand, refer flyer below.
The scow – RIPPLE is a seriously good-looking craft – read more on her at the link below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/09/04/the-sailing-scow-ripple-can-we-learn-more-about-her/
Todays story is a shameless plug for the MCC regatta and other activities in Kawau Bay over anniversary weekend.
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