Category Archives: Launches

Castaway & La Rosa On The Slip

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Two of the CYA ‘s launch fleet have been getting some late summer TLC

La Rosa

Ward House & Bob Stevenson  had their 1923 Ernie Harvey launch out recenty at Tamaki to take her underwater surface back to bare wood & treated with Chem Bar (the Altex equivalent of International Primercon), the topsides received a splash of paint as well- looking very sharp for a 90 year old.

Update 23-12-2019 La Rosa hauled out for some TLC, interesting to note the no growth of marine animals what so ever around metallic parts after being in the tide for 3 plus years. Note, no propspeed as well. Baden Pascoe supplied the photos and commented that if she had anodes she would have needed a tow to the slip.

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Castaway

Chris Leech’s 1947 Dick Lang launch seen here on the slip at the Devonport Yacht Club. Once a familiar sight on the harbour, lately its rare to see her away from her marina, Chris has almost earned the ‘floating man bach’ award 🙂  Hopefully this work will mean she is out & about more.

4 Norm Beetson Sisters

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Kakariki
Naiad
Gayella
Acquiesce

THE FOUR NORM BEETSON DESIGNED ‘SISTERS’

Thanks to Mark McLaughlin sending in a photo of Acquiesce we now have photos of all 4 of the Beetson designed sister’s. Interesting to compare the ‘changes’ over the years.

Apparently all four boats were featured in the 1950’s on the cover of Sea Spray, would love to get a scan/photo of the cover & the article inside the mag – Harold ???

Scroll down to the previous post for details on the 4 launches – Acquiesce, Gayella, Naiad, Kakariki (launched as Georgella)

Kakariki (Georgella)

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KAKARIKI (Georgella)

details from Harold Kidd & Andrew Pollard.photos ex trademe

Kakariki is one of the 4 ‘sisters’ designed Norm Beetson built, they were launched in the following order –  Acquiesce, Gayella, Naiad, Kakariki (launched as Georgella).

The 32 footer Acquiesce was built by Norm for himself in 1948 for himself at 70 Kildaire Ave, St. Heliers followed by the 33 footer Gayella in 1952 to the same design, built by George Roberts for himself at St. Heliers (Chrysler Crown), then Naiad by Stan Blake for himself in 1956 and Georgella in 1959 by George Roberts again for himself with a Fordson. Georgella was sold to the famous petrol-head Les Stericker who renamed her Kakariki. Gayella has been in Andrew Pollard’s family since his grandfather Shorty Sefton (Mr. Gardner in Auckland) bought her in 1963.

The question of the day is – where is Acquiesce?

Kakariki is currently for sale on trademe

Mark McLaughlin Update

ACQUIESCE was for sale a couple of years ago at the Panmure Bridge. I had a look over her when she was on the slip there. Her owner at the time told me she was repowered c.1965 with a 4cyl Fordson. She now resides on a swing mooring at Okahu Bay.
NAIAD was up at Te Atatu recently, GAYELLA is on a pile mooring up the Tamaki Estuary and KAKARIKI (GEORGELLA) is at the Thames boat harbour.

Poll on future ww content

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Normally on a Monday I try to post something special to kick the week off, & I will later on, but first I would be interested in your feedback on waitematawoodys & ask you to select your answer from the 3 questions below. If there are other topics you would like to see covered list them in the comments section of the poll.

 Thank you . Alan H

Lady Margaret (Oliver & Gilpin)

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LADY MARGARET – WHANGAROA

photos ex Dean Wright

There have been numerous Lady Margarets featured on ww, it was a popular name & must have been a good luck charm, as most as still afloat.

The above LM is 42′ in length & was built in Tauranga by Oliver & Gilpin c.1958. Harold would say ‘she has the typical O&G flair for dramatic style’.

She spent a lot of her life chasing game fish. The photos above were taken by Dean Wright in the Whangaroa Harbour.

Wakatere

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WAKATERE

photos & details ex Ken Ricketts 

Built in 1939 by Roy Lidgard  & was based at Mercury Island as the Island managers boat, for a period in the later 1950’s – early 60’s.

The shed photos of Wakatere were taken by Ken when he recently inspected her on the owners property in Te Atatu. She is currently undergoing a protracted major refit, which started in the early 1990’s & it appears work has stalled on her.

She still has her 60hp 4 cyl Ford still in place, having been refitted after an overhaul, as part of her present restoration.

The hull has had a major work over, having been splined & sheathed in fibreglass 😦 . In addition a little rot around the deck lines has been removed & some fairly major refastening work, in respect of the ribs.

She was lengthened to 40 feet a good number of years ago, so she in fact now looks a little different to her sister ship Isa Lei (Taipari), search Isa Lei to view. She still has her special tuck lines.

Harold Kidd Update

WAKATERE was built by Lidgards for Ray Vincent, the well-known truck wrecker and repairer. She was in NAPS as Z27 between 1942 and 1943 with Ray as skipper. P.D. Simmonds of Tauranga owned her in the early 1960s when she had a 90hp Graymarine.

Rata

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RATA

Rata was built by Dick Lang in 1926 in St Marys Bay. In todays world she is rather unquie in that her owner is only the 2nd since 1936. Rata has recently completed a lengthly keel up ‘rebuild’.

She is 35′ long with a 3′ draft & powered by a 85hp Lees Ford engine, she cruises at 8knots.

Currently 4 sale on trademe. Hopefully the price of $45k includes a chainsaw to remove the ‘carry handle’ 🙂

Anyone able to provide any more details on Rata?

Bondi Belle

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BONDI BELLE

story & photos by Baden Pascoe

Bondi Bell was built as S.S.Whakapara, at Whakapara (North of Whangarei) by Charles Bailey Jr. for the Foote family who were saw millers at several Northland locations . Launched in 1901, initially she was a steamer and converted to diesel in the 1920’s. This vessel is steeped in history and her owner ,Ted Carter needs to find a new owner for her. He is asking $85,000 and is open to negotiations. For details call Ted on 0274-485976.

(b/w photo c.1901-02. Whangarei, Hatea River, were the town basin is now)

Link the (blue) link below to read the brilliant story of the history of Bondi Belle & her 80 year circumnavigation of New Zealand.

BONDI BELLE – Around NZ in 80 Years

The press clipping from the Hokianga Newspaper c1929, was saved by Arch Fell & given to Baden Pascoe. Arch is most likely in the photo. Click to enlarge

Bondi Belle Hokianga Newspaper c1929

Money Can’t Buy Moments

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Money Can't Buy Moments

Money Can’t Buy Moments

The CYA is full of moments that money can’t buy e.g. hooking an old owner up with the present day owner, facilitating the transfer of a boats artifacts (a name plate, wheel or log book) from someone with an obscure connection to the boat to the current owner etc.

Well todays ww posting is one of those tales.

Push rewind & Dick Fisher has Akarana berthed at the 2011 boat show as part of the CYA’s on-the-water display, Chris Miller is cruising the the docks with his friend Geoff Diggle (Master Mariner) who is the NZ operations manager for Swire Shipping, as they pass Akarana Geoff comments that his father (John Diggle, Master Mariner) was the Auckland Harbour Board senior pilot for over 30 years & spent a large chunk of that time aboard Akarana. Geoff himself as a child spent many an hour aboard as well.
Chris & Geoff hop aboard Akarana for a chat with Dick, which includes the compulsory tour of the engine room 🙂 Geoff casually mentions that some where at home he has a crystal whisky decanter & glasses, that are sand blasted with a line drawing of Akarana. These were presented to the late John Diggle when he retired in 1993. Turns out Geoff’s wife Bev has been threatening to put them out in the next inorganic collection so plans are made to hand them over asap. Well Dick lives up North & Geoff travels a lot.

Now fast forward to Jan. 2014 & the occasion eventually happens at Westhaven. In addition to the decanter set, Geoff had also discovered a wonderful framed photograph of Akarana which will now most likely hang in Dicks engine room (which is the #1 spot on the boat, in Dicks eyes).

It would have been rude to not use the gift for what it was intended so the moment was celebrated accordingly. Now CYA deputy chairman Bruce Tantrum has a good nose for a fine drink & was cruising the docks & either caught a whiff or heard the cork being extracted & joined the gathering.

In the next few days I will do a pictorial posting on the restoration (rebuild) of Akarana from when she was retired by the harbour board into the magnificent ship she is today.

click photo below to enlarge

akarana

Silver Dollar

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SILVER DOLLAR

In the last week my spies have sighted Silver Dollar at Great Barrier & Kawau so as my mother used to say “she gets around”. All I know is her stern says Scotts Landing, Mahurangi & was built in 1958. Keen to learn more about this launch with an unusual cabin.

Update from JohnWicks

he and her sister-ships were built by Bob Swanson at Blackwood Bay in Queen Charlotte Sound in the 50s. Bob later moved his boatbuilding operation to Picton, at what had previously been Ernie Lane’s yard. As a small boy I was at either her launching or that of “Maritza”, one of her sisters.- memory not wot it wuz :-)
She hasn’t been lengthened, though that dodger over the cockpit is a later modification.
Neat that she still has her original 2 cylinder “Jimmy” shoving her along. Those hulls are easily driven, and don’t need a lot of power.
I’ve always thought those boats were very handsome; my admiration is tempered by the difficulty of getting from the helm station at the forward end of the house to the foredeck. My father had the slightly smaller “Palomino” which had a more conventional sedan layout and was easier to work single-handed..

Updated Photos  (20/03/2014) from Paul Stichbury (ex Ken Ricketts)

The b/w photo was taken c1958 at the launch at Blackwood Bay, Picton. According to John Wicks (who was there with his father, but not in photo) the gent centre stage with the braces & hands in pockets is Bob Swanson . The photos also show her original (& still there) engine at the time of being reconditioned in 2011, all that was required was new sleeves, pistons & bearings (there was no wear on the crankshaft).