UNKNOWN CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH ON THE MOVE
Woody owner Mark Russell (MV KARANGA) sent the photo above of the launch he spotted in Te Hana heading north yesterday. No visual name, two props so most likely twin engined and in my eyes its got Oliver and Gilpin, Tauranga, written all over her.
Can we put a name to the launch and learn where she is heading.
WOODY ON TOUR – VENICE
The owner of the 36′ classic launch IONA II currently midway thru a total refit at the Slipway Milford is currently mooching around in Venice and sent in the above photo gallery of the hard working Venetian woody water taxis. Nice to have window into the other side of the world and to see the sun 🙂
The scope of the work on IONA II is next level and includes conversion to electric powered – there will be no combustion engine or generator i.e. not a hybrid. Really looking forward to following the project. IONA II was designed by Bruce Askew , and built in 1994 from strip planked wood + some f/glass, all good on a 1994 craft. Link below from when the work first commenced. I’ll get down there later in the week for an update, or maybe Jason Prew could put the tools down for a minute and send in some iPhone photos 😉 https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/05/28/iona-ii-gets-a-birthday/
MOANA – SOS
Yesterdays winner of the quiz to name the launch – TEINA , John Dawson returned the favour and sent me the above photos of the launch – MOANA.
John commented that it was on tme late last month with a $1 reserve. According to the listing she was built in 1930, is 33’ in length and powered by a Ford 40hp engine. Located in Rawene, Northland.
As we can see she is looking very sad and probably beyond restoring.
Keen to hear what became of her and any known history.
CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – TEINA
Yesterday we ran a ‘mystery’ photo of TEINA at Kawau Island, the winner of the name the boat quiz was – John Dawson.
As promised today we get a photo bomb of images of TEINA, all from her original owners – the McLeod family via the Heritage collection at the Auckland Library. Thanks to Nathan Herbert for the heads up re the photos.
TEINA was designed by Glad Bailey and built by Ted & Ray (maybe Roy) McLeod at Bayswater, Auckland and launched in Feb1922.
She was kauri planked and when launched powered by a 90hp Detroit 351diesel engine.
For a woody classic launch that was photographed as often as TEINA was its amazing that she has only popped up on WW once before. She was one of the boats photographed by John Bullivant on a tour of the Tamaki River back in Feb 2019. Photo below.
Would be nice to learn more about the period between 1960 and now + an update on her present location and condition.
MYSTERY CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH QUIZ + Win A WW Burgee
Todays photo is very cool, cool enough to be my screen saver on the laptop.
I know the boats name and the location is probably Kawau Island. The photo is a bit of a tease to Mondays story that will be a photo bomb of images of the launch. She would have to be a contender to knock MY GIRL of its perch as the most photographed classic launch on WW 🙂 All disclose the source of the photo etc in Mondays story.
All correct entries go into the draw – cut off is 6pm Sunday 7th July.
ENTRY VIA EMAIL ONLY to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
CIRCLE THE CALENDAR – UPCOMING CLASSIC BOATING EVENTS
MARLIN – Can We Learn More About This Wooden Boat
The photos above of the 17’ MARLIN were sent in by new owner Brian Thomas. MARORO is built with two skin, possibly in the South Island (top end). Currently powered by a Yanmar 2QM engine.
Brian plans to ’tidy up’ (his words) to use as his river boat on the Waihou River. I meet Brian and his family back in April 2022 when a group of woodys under the command of Jason Prew (MY GIRL) ventured up the Waihou River to the Paeroa Maritime Museum. The Thomas family launch – MARORO made the trip and I got to have a tour – link below – so when Brian says ’tidy up’ I suspect thats an understatement https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/04/25/maroro-a-peek-down-below/
Brian is keen to learn more about MARLIN – can anyone help out.
(photos below of MARORO at Paeroa)
UPCOMING CLASSIC BOATING EVENTS
SAD END TO A WOODEN BOAT
South Island (Waimate) woody – Russell Wallace reported in earlier in the week of a sad sequence of events at Oamaru Harbour. Russell tells the story below – “Oamaru harbour has been the refuge of a number of old small double ended fishing boats which have over the years succumbed to both their age and the elements.
The above photos show the latest sad victim which I took from the Oamaru Today Facebook page (credit to Oamaru Live and Oamaru Today for details and photos) Maybe some of your fans may know of this particular boat” edited
The story ex the fb posts goes like this – she broke her mid-harbour mooring and drifted to the inside of the breakwater and sank. From there she was towed to the Stanford’s berth.
From the photos a decision must have been made to hoist her out – the question is – was the breaking up intentional or was there an oops with the lift ?. Either way it is a very sad end to what looked to be a pretty woody double-ender needing restoring.
CIRCLE THE CALENDAR – UPCOMING CLASSIC BOATING EVENTS
JUDITH AIMEE – Classic Wooden Launch
Woody Geoff Fiebig sent in the above photo that he took while doing the Coastal Walk at Ti Point (Omaha / Leigh area, Rodney). The launch was moored in the entrance to the Whangateau Harbour. An interesting blend of styles and a rather large poop deck on her stern.
Can anyone tell us more about the vessel.
INPUT ex SHANE ANDERSON – Shane pointed me in the direction of the Percy Vos book – Launching Dreams – where we learnt she was built in 1966 to drawing by Ken McCormick. 42′ and when launched powered by a 75hp Gardner 6LW
INPUT & PHOTOS ex DONNA LEWIS
M father – Don McMillan and his father Neil McMillan went out on the JUDITH AIMEE when she was in Whitianga. My Grandfather retired to Whitianga from the Bay of Islands.
My best guess on the photos is between 1958 & no later than 1962 ( I was 4 years old then and did go boating with my Dad) but never on the JUDITH AIMEE.
I don’t know who owned her but have a feeling it may have been Malcolm Cruikshank who lived next door to My Grandfather on the esplanade.Pictured on the bottom photo is my grandad Neil – we called him Grandad Dick- sitting on top of the cabin with beret facing forward..I wish I new who the others are/ were. I will go on a fact finding mission
24-08-2025 INPUT ex Liz Needham – The captain of Judith Aimee was my Uncle Jim Needham
And on the subject of additions – we have a new leader in the craft that most resembles a block of flats. I wonder what they grow up there 😉 The woody that sent in the photo below should probably remain anonymous. The location looks like Kawau Island.
SPIRIT OF TRADITION CLASSIC DOUBLE-ENDER WOODEN LAUNCH – BONITA
Over the weekend I was mooching around the upper harbour and came across the very smart looking double-ender above.
She is moored just off the old Salthouse yard / wharf and looks very new.
At a guess I would say approx. 28>30’ , would love to see the wheel house sans the covers.
Can anyone provide more intel on the vessel.
Ken Ricketts pointed out the she made a cameo appearance back in Feb 2023, photo below, nice to see the wheelhouse, James Hutchinson also commented that the boats named BONITA, built by Lanes. Details here for a peek inside the cabin. Amazing the difference a paint job makes. https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/07/07/borato/
INPUT ex CHRIS SALTHOUSE – The Vessels name is Bonita not Bonito and yes Eric Lanes of Picton built her in 1923, I bought her 2 years ago, steamed her across the Cook straight then trucked her to Auckland were we are slowly getting her in shape as time permits. Thanks for the interest.
MV FRIENDSHIP – A Peek Down Below
WW was recently sent details on the 59’ motor launch – FRIENDSHIP by Peter Noble. Peter commented that she was formerly operating out of Deep Cove under the ownership of Fiordland Travel as the company was called 40 years ago. She was used as a tourist boat, taking people out onto Doubtful Sound. Nicknamed the Friendly Ship, she originally had two GM 353 diesels, these produced plenty of smoke and noise but not a great deal of power. Peter also pointed us in the direction of a gent named – Lance Shaw who lives in Manapouri, who hopefully he will be able to tell us more about the vessel.
The listing states that she was built by someone named Robb in 1956 and is made of wood, thats all we know because the ad is all about it being the best live aboard available. Well woodys given the sellers decorating approach thats very subjective, but they do say that ‘furnishing can be separately negotiated’ 🙂
INPUT ex JOHN GANDER ex Dean Wright – “Friendship was built for Les Kenny of ‘Friendship Launches Picton’ by Doug Robb a well known boatbuilder in Timaru. and ran for many years along with the smaller Friendship ( built by Ernie Lane) in Queen Charlotte Sound. Both vessels were powered by G.M. diesels. I remember in the 1960-70s there were three main launch companies, ‘Queen Charlotte launches’ ‘Friendship Launches’ and ‘Red Funnel Launches’ owned and run by Les’s brother Bill Kenny and there was quite a bit of rivalry and competition between Friendship and Red Funnel”
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