Category Archives: Launches
Souvenir – Work-boat Wednesday
8
SOUVENIR – Work-boat Wednesday
Back in March 2020 whilst mooching around the Whangarei Town Basin one of the craft I photographed was he ex work-boat – Souvenir (my photo below).
Early this week Ant Smit was also walking the docks and sent in the above photos of Souvenir.
Can we learn more about this vessel – when I ask the question “does it move” I know I leave myself open for a side-swipe but every time I’m at the basin she is there.
INPUT ex Dean Wright – Photo below ex Dean dated xmas 2021, location – Army Bay.
Dean also forward comments from John Gander – “Souvenir was designed by Roger Carey for Erskin Neame a Blenheim fisherman, built in 1954 by Curnow and Wilton Nelson Boatbuilders. And powered with a 6L3 Gardner. For a number of years after launching Erskin with his crew Frank Derbyshire trawled out from the Wairau bar. She was later to be seen fishing out of many South Island ports.”
NORWIND – Can We Help Locate This Wooden Boat
NORWIND – Can We Help Locate This Wooden Boat
Yesterday WW was contacted by Jan Berber who is trying to uncover what became of her father’s classic wooden launch. The launch was named Norwind, 36’ in length , made from kauri and slept six. Some intel that Jan has some recall on – she may have had outriggers originally and sailed out of Tutukaka. Her engine possibly a Fordson diesel that gave her a cruising speed of 8 knots. She was sold in the early to mid 1970’s. Jan’s father’s name was Max Greg and he owned Norwind in the 1960’s, during this time she was moored at Westhaven, Auckland.
Jan recalls that when purchased she had painted coamings but Max stripped all the paint off and restored her back to the beautiful kauri.
So woodys – cast your mind back 50+ years – does anyone recall Norwind and can we learn what became of her. Jan would love to hear that she is still afloat.
Mapu Gets A Refresh + New Woody Event Dates Released
MAPU GETS A REFRESH
The 30’ 1914 Lane Motor Boat Co.designed and built launch Mapu has just emerged from the Blair Boats yard in Oromahoe, Harare (Far North) after a some TLC.
Mapu is one of the lucky woodys, still in the family of the great grandfather that built her. Like most woodys from her era she has undergone several additions / configuration to her tramtop / doghouse but the hull is still the original solid carvel planked kauri.
While it appears from the photos that she has lost her varnished coamings – I can report they were never varnished – the finish was a very smart brown paint and made of ply.
Mapu has appeared numerous times on WW – lots of history and photos in the links below.
MAY 2023 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/28/the-launch-mapu-far-north/
JUNE 22 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/22/mapu-2/
JUNE 1 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/01/mapu/
Photo (L) below ex Nathan Herbert 2016
Photo (R) below ex Mark Lane 2013
2023 CLASSIC WOODY ON-THE-WATER GATHERINGS – DATES
Has it stopped raining………. I’m too embarrassed to tell you how many nights I’ve spent on the boat this year, makes the return on investment look very sad. But thankfully most of us don’t measure life on that template.
So on the assumption that the current meteorological conditions will end , we have pulled together a calendar of woody gatherings for the 2023 spring > summer period. Later in the year we will publish the 2024 calendar.
So woodys circle these dates on the calendar, and we will talk to you closer to each event.
In the meantime, light the fire and open that bottle you have been saving for a special occasion.
MYSTERY LAUNCH 30-06-2023
MYSTERY LAUNCH 30-06-2023
Todays woody was nearly one of those projects that got started then life and time got in the way – thankfully Simon Raikes discovered the hull and took on the project.
What we see above is the result of Simon’s very talented skills. Simon’s company Craftbuilt won the 2023 Supreme Award at the Master Joinery Awards.
The launch is 30’ in length, constructed of diagonal laminated kauri planks and powered by a 80hp Ford D series engine. Not a lot more is known about the launch, so if anyone recognizes her – let us know.
Nana SOS
NANA – SOS
The launch Nana popped up on tme 4sale by boat yard as a ‘As-Is-Where-Is’ sale.
Someone needs to snap her up – she has blue blood – designed by C. Bailey Jnr. , and built in 1934 by Chas Bailey & Son . 35’ in length and a very pretty woody.
Nana has appeared on WW several times – back in Feb 2017 she had just been repaired after being t-boned on her mooring by a wayward vessel. Link to that story with lots of pictures here https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/02/01/nana-resuced-restored/
I very rarely post links but check Nana out here https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/boats-marine/motorboats/listing/4199572782?tm=email&et=47&mt=16373835-5D46-4FFE-A44C-B8ECA6A92162&bof=hzam1Goh
Be quick woodys – someone will score a bargain. Starting bid is $5k. Photos below from 2017.
(Thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up)
2023 Moreton Bay Classic
MORTEON BAY CLASSIC
The classic boating community in Brisbane / Queensland Australia have just celebrated the second running if the Moreton Bay Classic – a 10.9 nautical mile drag race for all shapes and sizes of classic craft. Last year was the inaugural event – link here to details on the event and how ir came about https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/07/04/the-race-social-event-that-stops-the-bay-the-moreton-bay-classic-part-one/
First video – the start from onboard the vessel – Adagio
https://www.facebook.com/adagioalaskan/videos/1900175600355472
A woody friend, Andrew Christie also sent me a link to a 3 minute birds-eye video of the fleet filmed by Saxton Thomas – what an impressive gig. I can see Jason Prew salivating over this 🙂
Enjoy.
https://www.facebook.com/100023439100358/videos/204917255845751/
Triton V – A Peek Down Below
Triton V – A Peek Down Below
It always amazes me when people trying to sell a vessel go to great lengths to tell you about how many it sleeps, how comfortable it is and I quote “features an actor winch” but tell you nothing about the age , who built it etc. Its a little like advertising on trademe – Car For Sale, 4 tyres and comfortable seats.
Putting this to one side – Triton V is 45’ in length, powered by twin Ford 120hp diesel engines, giving her a cruising speed of 8.5 knots.
There is even a nice video, but no audio https://youtu.be/Ykx_U95a0Bo
Can any of the Motueka woodys enlighten us more on Triton V.
INPUT EX RUSSELL WARD – photo below was given to RW by Layne Stephens of Triton in her original form. Russell commented she would be much more liveable with that top but he would rebuild the original.
Original owner Ken Butland used to take sea scouts out to teach navigation. She had a folding chart table and the orders would come down an ex Navy voice pipe from up top.
Triton slipped along quite well with her original petrol engines – quite a slippery wee hull.
Joe Tatham had her in the 1960s and his kids reckoned she was a real roller.
And more ex RW – Colin Wild built her but refused to do the open bridge that Ken Butland wanted. Lanes finished that off. She was a little MTB and rather tasty. Layne Stephens did the closed in wheelhouse up top in later years. More habitable but I preferred her original config. An early owner was quite tall and had the wheelhouse top raised -you can see the line. Dunno where the V came from.
AND THE WINNER OF SATURDAYS QUIZ RE THE LOCATION OF THE AUCKLAND MOTOR YACHT CLUB LOGO IS – Russel Ward . The answer was on the front door of what is now the RNZYS Training Building in Westhaven.
EUREKA – Looking For Help ID’ing This Woody
EUREKA – Looking For Help ID’ing This Woody
Todays woody – Eureka, comes to us from Kelly Ellis via fb via Ken Ricketts. The location is Havelock and that woodys is all we know.
A very distinctive looking craft so no doubt one or more of todays readers will be able to tell us more about Eureka
INPUT EX GARY CHAPLIN – link below to an article that appeared in the Southland Times on August 30 2015. Lots of photos & video footage.
NAME THE LOCATION – Win A WW Cap
Email in the location of the image in the photo below and all correct entries go in the draw for a WW cap. waitematawoodys@gmail.com Closes 6pm 25-06-2023
KA-IWI Only Read If You Own A Petrol Station
KA-IWI Only Read If You Own A Petrol Station
Todays woody appeared in WW back in 2016 (link below) since then she has been re-powered with twin 350 Chef V8’s that give her a top speed of 30 knots – as they say if you have to ask what the consumption is – its not the boat for you 🙂 The re-power was more a de-power, the previous engines saw her topping out at 45 knots.
On WW June 2016 https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/06/04/ka-iwa/comment-page-1/#comment-64552
Ka-iwi is a 26’ Mason Clipper, built in 1968 and possibly the first twin engined one. Originally owned by the Stevenson family and used up north at their family bach. Has also done some powerboat racing in her early days. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up
29-06-2023 UPDATE ex Hamish Moore – Hamish spotted the article below in the May 1968 edition of Sea Spray magazine
waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news - updated daily - 15+ million views 