Category Archives: Launches

AWANUI – A Glimpse Back In Time & As Today

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AWANUI – A Glimpse Back In Time & As Today

Back in May 2016 we ran a story on the launch – Awanui – link here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/05/25/awanui/

Fast forward to early 2024 and Les Nelson contacted WW with an update on the vessel in regard to his parents owning Awanui for a number of years in the early 1980’s at the time based in Picton.

Les supplied the black and white photo (1st photo above) of Awanui that was most likely from when she was first launched c. early 1900’s (unconfirmed). Les commented that the backdrop (hill outline) looked familiar, probably the foreshore of Picton. A short time later Les unearthed the above colour photos from when his family owned her.

Also as a result of the story her present owner – Carmel Bradley made contact  and advised the launch was still in Motueka and used regularly in and around the Abel Tasman. Carmel sent in the photos below.

Love it when a WW story sparks a few memories and we roll into a bigger story 🙂

Still do not have any intel on who the designer / builder was, both owners are keen to learn more.

2024 🔻

Torrent Bay Lagoon 
Kaiteriteri Beach
Bark Bay Beach Abel Tasman. 

A DORA BLU

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Today we are state side to have a tour of the 1933 Stephens Brothers built 43′ classic woody – A Dora Blu. I was sent the youtube link by John Dawson – now I ask that you ignore the youtube fluff at the start and the obvious sales pitch – trust me its worth checking out. I was very envious of the boat shed, must make caring for a classic a breeze. Her owners attention to maintaining the boats heritage looks and fit out is wonderful, but when they lift the engine bay covers the sight is a very big wow, twin Yanmar JHC120hp engines, proof that you do not need to weigh these old girls down with huge engines.

(note: some confusion on the build year – the nav light boards say 1931)

ID The Russell Yachts Friday Quiz Winner – Ken Fyle. WW burgee on the way – the yachts were – (L) XANTHO & (R) IIEX. As I thought a lot picked IIEX but only 2 correctly had XANTHO.

Woody Fathers & Grandads

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Woody Fathers & Grandads

Be an instant hero and take the kids out for a day trip – this weekend the Matakana School are hosting the – Matakana Model Boat Show. Over 200 boats static and afloat + races.  And if there are no siblings around, even better – more time to enjoy it. See flyer below for full details.

If you go Saturday – take in the Matakana Market, I was there last weekend – great food, produce & coffee. Opens at 8am. And the new express way makes the trip a doddle 🙂

Special thanks to Mark Lever (MV Nereides) for the heads up + photos

COMPASS ROSE _ A Peek Down Below

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COMPASS ROSE – A Peek Down Below
The launch Compass Rose popped up on tme nearly a year ago and at the time we ran a story on her that generated a lot of discussion / chat in the comments section around her DNA. We never really established her origins but I tend to lean on the side of Allan Keane’s input – i.e. her builder and as launched  name is unknown but c.1986/88 her name was changed to – Arthur Daley. c.1995 she was sold again and renamed – Compass Rose. Allan’s ‘knowledge’ comes from having sold (brokered) the boat 3 times.

In the previous WW story – link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/02/lady-fay-arthur-daley-compass-ros/  there was speculation her launch name was Lady Fay and built by Orams & Davies in Whangarei in the early 1960’s. As often happens the collective memories get a little mashed up over the years so very keen to be able to clear up the question marks hanging over her. Thanks to woody John Dawson for the photos.

KAWAU ISLAND – The Hauraki Gulf Woody Mecca

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KAWAU ISLAND – The Hauraki Gulf Woody Mecca

Recently I was sent the above photos the trial goes like this – sent in by Ken Fyfe via Ruth Thomson from Jim Tatterfield.

The top one is tagged Squadron Weekend and the 2nd one Lady Gay, but I can not spot LG in the photo – both photos are ‘located’ at Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island.

Rather a lot of familiar woodys gathered in those photos.

Below the top photo is another from Jim Tatterfield of Little Jim (A16) in full flight. A looker when launched and still is today. The bottom photo of LJ is ex Mahurangi Regatta a couple of years ago.

SYBIL II

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SYBIL II

With the opening of duck shooting season only a few weeks away now seemed a good time to run the photo above of the 1910 launch – Sybil II.

In the photo which comes to us from a Lew Redwood fb post, we see the launch post a very successful mornings shoot. Must have been no ‘bag’ limited back then, today I think its 8 birds pre shooter.

Harold Kidd has commented that Sybil II was built by Bailey & Lowe for a WR Twigg.

Back in August 2018 Cameron Pollard sent in photos of Sybil II on the move to a new storage location. At the time Cameron had owned the launch since 2004 and she was being ‘stored’ in anticipation of a restoration in the future – any update Cameron?

2018 WW story link https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/08/04/sybil-ii/ lots of photos and details in the comments section.

MYSTERY LAKE LAUNCH

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MYSTERY LAKE LAUNCH

Well woodys it is only a mystery because the owner, trying to sell her chooses to not show the vessels name – a tad crazy when selling a classic – the name is what joins the dots.

What we are told (thanks IanMcDonald / tme) is that she was built in 1978 and is described as a Woolley 25, kauri planked, powered by a Volvo Penta 28hp diesel engine and calls Lake Rotoiti (Nth Island) home.

The ability to trailer the boat is a big bonus – but sadly the trailer is probably worth more than the boat 😉

Hopefully one of the Lake Rotoiti woodys can enlighten us more.

OSCAR – Born Again

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OSCAR – Born Again
Back in May 2022 Oscar made an appearance on WW, link below to that story, back then she was in a very sad state and being offered for sale via ‘As Is Where Is’ condition.At the time we learned that the 34’6” Oscar was designed by Sam Ford and commenced the build c.1968>70. Sadly Sam passed away and his son Trevor completed the project. When launched the she was named – Shimca’. 2022 WW Story https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/01/classic-boat-barn-find/

Recently I was contacted by Mark Pearce who purchased Oscar and undertook to refit the launch (see Marks words below) – as seen in the above photos. Currently 4sale on tme.

“I’ve stripped the outside from the deck down. I re-fastened the hull bottom and sides to the frames and put thousands of screws into the inner diagonal and outer horizontal planks which are about 12mm thick on the topsides and 15mm on the bottom.
I replaced a small part of one rotten plank but the rest are in great condition.
I then glued and screwed 6mm ply strips on the bottom and topsides and cut out ply to shape for the deck. I glassed the whole boat with 200g cloth and two pot inter protect followed after lots of sanding filling and fairing.
I replaced the cutlass bearing after dropping the strut 10mm to line the shaft correctly.
The boat has new paint from cabin sides to keel.
We had to hiab the engine up to remove and repair some holes in the cast aluminium sump.
New electric toilet was fitted along with a new gas stove, VHF and an am/fm radio.
It has a new electric anchor winch as well.”

2022

OLEO

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OLEO 

Over the weekend Dave Stanaway was passing through Awanui, the historical river port in the far north of New Zealand. Ray parked up and checked on the launch – Oleo that is berthed in the river.  Dave commented that she was an ex towboat in Whangarei. 

Back in December 2019 we had the photo below of her hauled out at Awanui and Harold Kidd at the time commented that Oleo was built for R H Harnett of Whangarei by Tyler & Harvey in December 1910. Her original engine was a 20hp Union. R H Harnett lived at Parua Bay and was a trader on the harbour. He sold Oleo to R B S Hogwood in 1915 and owned Moerangi for passenger and mail work from 1912 until he died in 1936.

Dave also mentioned Ray Morey knows all about her so hopefully Ray will join in and tells us more about her more recent activity. Dave’s older brother Jim knew her then as well.

INPUT ex Hylton Edmonds – Oleo was owned and operated by Larry Walker as a workboat and contracted a lot with her to the former Whangarei and latterly Northland Harbour Board(s), as inner harbour barge and general assist. Larry and son Tommy (great Kiwi blokes) have both now sadly passed (and a lot of Far North history with them too), but I believe Oleo is still in the Walker Family who live nearby at Unahi. Oleo runs a 6 Cyl Ford, and like of small workboats of the day- punched well above her weight.

KONINI – A Peek Down Below

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KONINI – A Peek Down Below

Todays woody slips onto WW primarily because home of the 34’ launch – Konini is Queenstown and thats where I am today. Thanks to a tme listing back in Nov 2023 (via Ian McDonald) we learnt that Konini started life as a fishing boat from the east coast of the South Island. Her owner back in 2023 bought it from a fisherman in Bluff.  Her hull is double skin kauri plank and the cabin and wheelhouse were rebuilt about c.2017.

A 51hp Perkins 4.108 pushes her along at 6>7 knots. I’m sure she gets some sideways looks from tourists onboard the TSS Earnslaw, but as they say – ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ 🙂