Category Archives: Launches

How Do I Stop The Roll

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HOW DO I STOP THE ROLL
Well woodys you can’t – all boats roll but you can minimise it – read on.

I was recently included in an email exchange where a classic launch owner was asking Chris McMullen why they should replace the mast (rot issue) on their launch given that there was no plan to make use of a sail. Chris shared with us both a copy of a 1909 extract titled ‘Ballasting of Motor Boats’ from an article by Charles G Davis in the book – ‘Motor Boat Handbook vol. 1’. The article provides all the information required for displacement launches. If the above images are too hard to read – below are links to downloading the articles.

ballasting-of-motor-boats1Download
ballasting-of-motor-boats-2Download

WOODY + VINTAGE MOTORBIKE STILLWATER WATERFRONT PICNIC – OCT 7TH – RSVP NOW waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Momo

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MOMO

Bay of Islands woody Dean Wright sent in the above photo and video of a very salty woody trailer boat, Dean took the photos on Saturday as Momo cruised back up the Kerikeri inlet. 

If the background noise in the video doesn’t match what you would  have expected from Momo – relax, you ears aren’t playing up –  Momo is powered by an o/board. The noise is coming from Dean’s woody – Arethusa’s Gardner 4LW.

Would love to learn more about Momo.

A bonus for the Gardner nuts – link below to a past WW story on Arethusa, which backgrounds the restoration and installation of the Gardner 4LW in Arethusa.

Restoring & Installing a Gardner in Arethusa – Revisited

Big thank you to all the woodys that attended the Boat Boat Sale at The Slipway Milford on Saturday – a lot walked away with a WW cap and burgee tucked under their arm 🙂

Jo Marli – A Peek Down Below

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JO MARLI – A Peek Down Below

A couple of weeks ago (Sept 1st) we ran a story on the launch – Jo Marli, link below, at the time we uncovered some intel on her, short story –  built in 1959 by Jack Taylor. 

Today thanks to a tme listing from May 2023 we get to have a gander below decks. Photos sent in by K Ricketts. The listing must have resulted in the relocation from a swing mooring in Mahurangi to Auckland. Always nice to see the classics going onto a marina berth – they get better looked after and more people see them, and we like that 🙂

https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/09/01/jo-marli/

HERCULES 

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HERCULES 

Back in Sept 2021 John Newsham sent in the top photo above of the ex tug – Hercules that John photographed in the xmas 1987 period.

The second photo was sent in by John Dawson last week.

All we know about Hercules is that she is 50’ in length and was built by Howard Greenwood at his Whangateau boat shed.

Can anyone tell us more and whether Hercules is still afloat and where.

INPUT ex Mitchell Hutchings –  Hercules was never a tug. She was designed by Denis Ganley for the late Joe MacArthur to be a cruising version of  the Hudson River N.Y. tugs he loved. Hull built in steel by Howard Greenwood and finished with a beautiful wooden interior (some from the old Bean Rock lighthouse legs) by three boatbuilder mates at Joe’s property up the Paremoremo Creek. After many years of family cruising she was sold to a new owner who I believe took her to New Guinea. Engine is a lovely Gardner.

11am TODAY – BOAT BOOT SALE @ THE MILFORD SLIPWAY YARD – 5 OMANA RD, MILFORD – CASH ONLY

There will be limited stock of WW merchandise offered for purchase to pre approved woodys 😉

VICTORIA CLASSIC BOAT FESTIVAL – Vancouver – Dockside Tour 

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VICTORIA CLASSIC BOAT FESTIVAL – Vancouver – Dockside Tour 

Last week we had a story about Peter Knowles and his travel to the Victoria Wooden Boat Festival vis his v-blog ‘Boat Life – Travels With Geordie’. Peter very briefly showed us some of the craft arriving – today we get a dock-side wander, complete with captions for the classic woodys.

I hope the people at Auckland’s maritime museum see this video – re their upcoming Auckland wooden boat festival next year. The stand out observation is the mix of yachts + launches + work boats + small craft – it is all mixed in together and thats what works all around the world – not rocket science……………..

INPUT ex Neil Chalmers – Great video , at 2 56 there is the NZ yacht ‘Two Sisters’ (was sail no. F3) . Has a Woollacott look about her. I often wondered where she got to .

A picture of her at Bon Accord Kawau appears in the ‘Cruising in NZ Waters’  by GR Paul (below). This was the go to book in the 1960’s before to the RAYC Cruising Guide was published.

REMEMBER BOAT BOAT SALE 11am SATURDAY @ MILFORD SLIPWAY – 5 OMANA ROAD, MILFORD $BRING CASH$ WW MERCHANDISE FOR SALE

LADY ADELAIDE – Changes Her Lipstick

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New Look
Old Look

LADY ADELAIDE – Changes Her Lipstick

Woody John Dawson sent in the top photo above of the 1922 Dick Lang built 36’ launch – Lady Adelaide. Seems her newish owner has been consulting the paint charts and decided a refresh was called for. Colour is a very personal thing and what colour your chose to paint your boat is your call, and at the end of the day its only paint so easily changed 🙂

Bottom photo was as purchased – lets do something different today and run a poll on what we think is the preferred look 🙂

CLICK ON THUMBS UP IF YOU LIKE THE NEW BLUE – THUMBS DOWN IF YOU PREFERRED THE MUSTARD COLOUR

NORSEMAN Launch Day

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NORSEMAN Launch Day

Todays photo is dated Feb 1965 and comes to us from Dean Wright ex the Tauranga Library collection. No mention of the location or builder.

Back in Sept 2022 Dean commented on WW that Norseman was run as a charter boat out of Tutukaka by Phil Bendle for an extend period, these days home is a mooring at Rangitane, up the Kerikeri River.

Photo below taken by Dean in Sept 2022 in the Bay of Islands.

It’s A Tough Job But Someone Has To Do It

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Cabin heater fogging up windows 🙂
West Bay, Rakino Island
Drone filming crew
There is always food
Beer O’Clock
Photo ex Mark Smith

21-09-2023 UPDATE – Can now show what the day was all about. A fashion shoot for the new WORKING STYLE summer range – click this link to view video from the day https://www.workingstyle.co.nz/

Also below more images from the day (click to enlarge)

It’s A Tough Job But Someone Has To Do It

All week we were scanning all the weather apps looking for that ‘magic’ day to schedule a fashion photo shoot afloat. The 1947 Colin Wild built motor launch – Lady Crossley was on stand-by, all buffed up from her recent round of TLC in Opua in the far north. The model was flying in from the UK so come Tuesday the call was made for Friday, and what a call – best day of the year – blue sky, flat seas, norther boats in the bay and the prefect light for photography.

Come 6am skipper Jamie Hudson and myself were drying LC off and at 7am we were heading to West Bay at Rakino Island. 

I’ll let the photos tell the story but Lady Crossley was the perfect catwalk for the shoot. 

More on LC here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/01/14/a-woody-trip-up-the-coast/

ENJOY 🙂

Stormbird + Boat Boot Sale

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STORMBIRD + Boat Boot Sale

The 26′ Roy Paris c.1960 clinker built launch – Stormbird recently popped up on tme , thanks Ian McDonald, and to a brave buyer could be a great gulf cruiser. By brave I mean having the courage to get out the tungsten tipped chainsaw and dropping the cockpit top down some, if you want full headroom and good looks , there is only one solution – buy bigger 🙂

Stormbird is powered by a 60hp Isuzu desel engine that gets her along at 5 knots.                 

Home is the inner estuary at Sandspit and she comes with a swing mooring, which probably justifies the buy price of $12k alone.

Anyone know more about her past.

NEXT SATURDAYS BOAT BOOT SALE AT THE SLIPWAY MILFORD – so we can ensure there are enough bangers on the BBQ, if you are intending coming – seller or buyer – can you give us a heads up email waitematawoodys@gmail.com

AND I WILL BRING ALONG SOME WW CAPS AND BURGEES FOR SALE – SAVE ON POSTAGE. If you are an out-of-towner – shop on line https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/11/11/58095/

Can We Put A Name To This Launch – KIA KOA

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Can We Put A Name To This Launch – KIA KOA

Todays woody photo via Lew Redwood’s fb and its thought that its anchored in either One Tree Point or Marsden Bay, with Mt Manaia, Whangarei Heads in the background. If you look carefully there is actually two craft in the photo, the second is just visible over the cabin top of the ‘hero’ launch.

Others commented that it was actually Urquhart’s Bay with Calliope Island in the mid background. Also a suggestion that the boat was named Moerangi, an ex Mail Boat owned by Leonard Harnetts.

Would be nice to confirm her ID.

UPDATE 20-08-2024 ex HAROLD KIDD – The launch in front is KIA KOA, built by Bailey & Lowe in 1906 for A.R. Pickmere. Still thinking about the tuck stern launch behind.

Reply

1da day ago

If there is no WW story tomorrow it will be because the latest book ex the library wasn’t well received by the recipient………….