I was sent a link from Harold Kidd re a woody that had ‘popped up’ on one of his son’s fb marketplace feeds.
The boat is located in Wanganui, Manawatu and all we know is she is 28’ in length, no engine, and built by Laines (their spelling) in 1905. As discussed many times on WW, sadly the word Lanes is almost the default for any unknown launch, so she could be built by anyone. Been on tme for over 10 months and has an asking price of $500, maybe there are a few bronze fittings that could offset that.
It is a very long shot but – anyone out there know anything about the vessel.
We have been following the refit / restoration of the 28’ Salthouse built, A Couldrey designed, 1968 launch – Pirimanui – links below to the last few years stories on WW.
This week the Blair Boats yard advised that the day had come and she would be re-splashing later this week.
Stunning workmanship and hats off to her ’newish’ owner for the level of commitment to the project.
Update – Pirimanu back in the water, all windows replaced with new teak beading, all new varnish inside and out (14 coats of alwood gloss) inside cabin repainted, new electronics solar and bilge pumps, new gear box and refurbished engine. (Photos and words ex Blair Boats fb.
May 2022
02-01-2025 UPDATE ex NIXON FLYER (a previous owner) now in her new Bay of Islands home
Time for some xmas goodwill – a little quiz with a cool prize. As always entry is ONLY VIA EMAIL, you can only enter once, all correct entries go into the draw. Quiz ends on Friday December 15th at 6pm. Winner announced on WW. (photos shown above random selection only)
THE QUIZ QUESTION: Which boat builder / designer has had the most boat / name mentions on the WW site – email your entry to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
THE PRIZE: A copy of the Best Selling Book – ’Shipwright, Boatbuilder, Yachtsman’ by Gilbert J. Littler + A WW sweatshirt (L/S, size XL only) + A WW Burgee
Todays woody is somewhat of an unknown boat – the only time I have seen her out and about was back in November 2022 at our ‘Woodys Beach Picnic’ at Motuihe Island, the top photo is from that outing. Todays photos come to us for a tme me listing, spotted by Ian McDonald.
What we know about the 34’4” Taiho II is the she was built in 1968 by Shipbuilders using double diagonal kauri. Power is via a 150hp Ford D-Series turbo Diesel engine that gives her a 7>8 knot cruising speed.
Back in 2020 she underwent something of a re-birth and her interior is now very modern in layout and build – but as they say each to their own. Certainly well spec’ed in terms of home comforts.
Personally I’d lose the batwing which doesn’t appear to do anything other than be a mounting spot for the anchor light.
Do we know anything about her early days.
INPUT BELOW (press clipping) ex Nathan Herbert
Heading To The Bay of Islands This Summer – – circle Jan 6th 2024 in the diary for the Tall Ships Regatta , hosted by the Russell Boating Club it is always a dozy of an event.See below – more details at russellboatingclub.org.nz
Todays woody – Karina, was built in 1959 by Brin Wilson, kauri planked she is 36’ in length with a 10’ 11” beam and draws 2’11”. Forward motion is via newish 75hp Yammer diesel engine that gives her a cruising speed of 8 knots. Her owner must like hot showers as her tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) states she has 600L water capacity.
Can anyone tell us what Karina has been up to for theist 60+ years.
Input ex K Ricketts – Top photo (b/w) below ex a Ford Dealership advertisement in Sea Spay magazine 1961. 2nd photo (colour) c.2014 ex B Worthington.
Todays woody story is on the launch – Romany Rye that sank in late June 1936, near the launch jetty in Lyttelton. A diver located the boat in 30’ of water and successfully placed slings under her. The Harbour Board’s pile driver was then used to lift Romany Rye to the surface.
Can anyone enlighten us more on the vessel and whether she survived.
(Photo ex fb, ex Stuff, ex The Press and probably ex Paperspast – via K Ricketts)
STOCK LEVELS GETTING LOW ON WW MERCH – already o/s of some sizes. If you are thinking about treating yourself this xmas -order soooooooon.
The 40’ ex work-boat Sierra was built by Joseph Fell at Kohukohu on the Hokianga Harbour in 1917, making her 105 years old. She had a complete rebuild in 1998. Forward motion is via a Ford 120hp diesel engine.
She started life as a work-boat in Hokianga and later become the Hokianga ferry. Later on she worked in Auckland as the Customs and Doctors boat on the Auckland Harbour. She also assisted with building the Auckland Harbour Bridge & Glenn Brook Steel Mill.
Sierra has made several appearance on WW – links below for more details and photos. For those woodys looking for a classic with deep workboat roots the vessel Sierra presents as a very affordable classic. Interested parties are asked to contact the Wooden Boat Bureau at waitematawoodys@gmail.com for more details and viewing.
The photo above comes to us from Papers Past > NZ Herald 5 March, 1928 and show the 35’ launch – Ika after she had been salvaged and towed into Whangarei Harbour.
The launch had set out from Auckland on a fishing trip but her (near new) 15hp engine broke down near Tiritiri Island and she started to drift off shore. The weather on Tuesday 27 February 1928 saw her drift approx 50 miles and in addition she was taking on water. The crew of 3 put a mayday call out and the R.M.S. Niagara located Ika near the Hen & Chicken Islands. Her owner/crew made the difficult decision to abandon ship and Ika was left to drift with the expectation she would sink.
While the crew were steaming to Sydney aboard Niagara, the vessel Eva put out to salvage Ika and towed her to Whangarei.
Question of the day is – who designed / built Ika and what became of her
(Photo sent in by K Ricketts)
BAYSWATER 12M MARINA BERTH – SHORT TERM RENTAL / PURCHASE – very attractive pricing. Email waitematawoodys@gmail.com
SOORY FOR LATE POSTING OF YESTERDAYS STORY – I SET THE CLOCK TO PM INSTEAD OF AM
Last week B.O.I. woody Dean Wright popped into the CMC Design boat shed in Opua and snapped a few photos of the restoration of the 1927 Collings & Bell built launch – Alma G II. The last update was in May, link here to that story https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/01/restoration-of-alma-g-ii-begins/
The old girl is getting a serious refit, some diagonal planking being added to hold the old girl together 🙂 anything that gives her another 100 years of life is better than slowly decomposing on a swing mooring up some estuary .
Her Lees Ford has been reconditioned – check out this video of the test bed run.
Cake Day Entries – It Did Not Win But The Chocolate Cake Was The Best
PATIO BAY CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT WEEKEND – 2023
Todays story wasn’t meant to happen, the 2023 Patio Bay Weekend was not on the radar but several woody skippers told me late in the week that they were going so I shuffled the plans around.
Saturday mornings weather and sea state was average but sometimes you just have to make the call and head out. I was also suffering from serious cabin fever, so little boating in the last year.
As the day unfolded the weather improved but from the fireside chat post race, the classic yachts racing down did not have a pleasant trip.
CYA numbers were down significantly from previous years , in fact I was the only launch in the bay.
The venue hosts, the Mahoney family, ensured a great time was had by all, with the emphasis on an old-school / retro boating gathering e.g. open fire / bbq, Pohutukawa and driftwood smoke and the legendary barrel of rum……….. on that subject most were amused when the yacht “Prize” won her division – part of the winning is having to re-fill the rum barrel the following year – I was told Prize’s skipper historically has gone to great lengths to sidestep the expensive.
The assorted collection of photos above is simply to give you a glimpse of the weekend, and showcase the magic of Aucklands woody fleet and Patio Bay. Enjoy (passage photos B15 Frances & dark hulled yacht ex Dennis & Sue Rule) – (some photos below average in definition – long lens the camera).
Xmas Boat Reading – 10+ years ago I asked at my local 2nd hand book store, about an out of print copy of a book titled “Hemingway’s Boat’ by Paul Hendrickson – out of the blue last week I got a call telling me one had turned up – I started to read over the weekend and after just 10 pages put it down, just a gem, to be saved for the summer xmas /ny trip. Best $15 I have spent. If you see one for sale, grab it.
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