Category Archives: Launches

KA-IWI Only Read If You Own A Petrol Station

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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

Centaurus On The Move

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CENTAURUS

CENTAURUS ON THE MOVE

Yesterday was a sad day and a good day.

SAD – Angus Roger’s 1967/8 Baileys & Sons built launch – Centaurus left The Landing at Okahu Bay hardstand on Aucklands waterfront on a transporter – why sad?, because she was the last boat left hauled out at the Orakei Hardstand, looks like Scott Milne and his Auckland Council cronies have done a clandestine stocktake i.e. the haul out facility has been closed down and the area no longer available to rate paying Auckland boaties.

(“A section (term) in the above post has been edited on request. The use of the term was not intended to offend any particular ethnic group or religious advocate. No malicious was intended.

WW thanks Mr. Adam Ross for drawing the NZ Human Rights Commission to the matter and going forward the WW site will tighten the filter on its comments”)

GOOD – Centaurus is off to a new temporary home for the final act of her refit – the installation of a John Deere 6.8L 175 hp diesel. The JD replaces her original engine, which was a monster – a Cumins V6 215hp – photo below. The Cumins had to partially dismantled to get her out.

First refit photos https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/09/17/centaurus-has-a-birthday/

Engine out photo gallery https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/02/02/centaurus-under-goes-open-heart-surgery/

Centaurus is a very big woody – 42’ long with a 13’ beam and built like a brick outhouse – 1.25” kauri carvel planked.

Lots of chat and head scratching going on during the unloading > cradle 🙂

Full details on all the refit work in a later WW story.

UPDATE 06-07-2023 NEW ENGINE INSTALLED (video ex Tim Strange)

SKY TV ADDICT – the owner of this (name withheld) launch must like his Sky Sports 🙂

UPDATE FOR THE RECORD – after input from numerious parties re the launch date of Centaurus we can advise the following – BUILT 1967/8 – LAUNCHED EARLY 1969

Marlborough Sounds 30’ Classic Launch

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Marlborough Sounds 30’ Classic Launch

Today woody recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald), the listing doesn’t tell us anything about who built her and when but what we do know is –

30’ in length, she started life as  a trawler from Greymouth. Then brought up to Picton and at some stage converted to a yacht then filled wth concrete to negate the need for chalking caulking. Later convert to the launch configuration we see today.

Forward motion is via a  30hp Yammer engine that sees her cruising nicely at 7>7.5 knots.

Can we have a crack at the design / builder and a new would be nice. Can’t see her moving from the south so fingers crossed a southern woody is looking for a low entry woody that with a small investment could be a very smart sounds boat.

WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE WANT FROM A CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT GROUP

The answer is very simple – events + know how + friendship Seems that Lake Rotoiti’s Classic & Wooden Boat Association know the answer 🙂 Lets hope ‘others’ take notice 😉

Mystery Lake Rotorua Launch #2

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Input from Janice Rogers – “The house in this photo belonged to my grandparents and I lived in it as a child at Otaramarae. I remember 1 of those boats is called the Kay and I recognised the other smaller one as well. The Kay was tied up down at our jetty in the enclave below my grandmothers house I know because I went for rides on it the rear of the bigger boat now has a ramp and has pretty much progressed from when I was a 12yr old 

I got a fright when I saw those photos online golly bought back many memories 

Judge Simon Moore’s parents had a house right on the lake but it often flooded many years later that land was leased to his parents by my grandfather so there you go a piece of history for you”

MYSTERY LAKE ROTORUA LAUNCH #2

Todays woody again comes to us from Greg Philpott, hopefully we will get a better response than last weeks WW story concerning another of Greg’s mystery boats. I suspect that Greg has exhausted most avenues and people ’switch off’ re his pursuit for answers.

The transporter / truck door reads – E.G. Maurice, Cartage Contractor, Rotorua

But its worth a final try – so woodys anyone able to enlighten us on the above launch.

And while we are in the middle of the North Island – circle 8th July 2023 in the diary for what looks like a cool classic event – details on the website – see poster.

lhttp://lakehop.co.nz

SHANGO – A Peek Down Below 

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SHANGO – A Peek Down Below 

Back in mid January in one of the few good boating days we had I spotted the 40’ Atkinson designed/built (1970) launch – Shango anchored at Waiheke Island – link below to photos and details.

Shango

Now thanks to an appearance on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) we get to have a peek down below.  A Ford 200hp 2728T engine gives Shango a comfortable cruising speed of 9 knots. Reviewing the photos she appears to be a very well presented woody. 

She ‘lost’ her NASA space centre control tower (refer below older photo) as part of a 2021/22 refit – we like that 😉

Buccaneer Gets A Revamp

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Arriving for her appointment at the parlour

Buccaneer Gets A Revamp

Back in April 2121 we reported that the 1966 Brin Wilson designed, Fred Lidgard built 34’ 8” launch – Buccaneer had sold and was relocated to Auckland 🙂 A the time it was talk that originally Buccaneer may have been Brin Wilson’s personal boat.

Read see more about her at this link – as always read the comments section, thats where you often find the gold nuggets –https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/04/10/buccaneer-moves-north/

Fast forward two years and her owners have had her out at Precision Boat Painters, Panmure for some serious TLC , the plan is once relaunched the owners will give the interior a lick of paint this winter.

Her co-owner Tim is a very talented man in the metal work industry so as expected there has been some new bling going on. 

A very smart looking woody, and one of the few that carries a flying bridge well.

29-06-2023 UPDATE all set to leave the shed

As bought – early 2021
 Woodys Clevedon River Cruise & BBQ – Aug 2021
 Woodys Classic Beach Picnic – Nov 2022

UPDATE 04-11-2024 – Looking very sharp below

Mystery Lake Rotorua Launch

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MYSTERY LAKE ROTORUA LAUNCH

We know a lot about todays woody – but no name, builder or what became of her.

What we know – possibly built in 1927, 27’ in length with a beam of 7>8’. When launched powered by a 4 cyl. Ailsa Craig engine.

Initially a family launch, she was later moved to Lake Rotorua The photo above is dated March 1932 and is when her then owner Ted Fenton obtained a license to carry fishing parties.

The photo is ex the Don Stafford collection at the Rotorua Museum and is tagged ‘ Dads Boat’. Photo and details shared by Greg Philpott.

Can we put a name and builder to her and discover what became of her.

WW Caps – low profile, 6 panel, canvas caps in the new camel colour topped with dark brown WW embroidered logo has a dash of understated style.

just click the email link here and tell me your name, postal address and number of caps required. I’ll come back to you with payment details – $38 + $6 p&p. waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Ngaio Gets A Heart Transplant

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NGAIO GETS A HEART TRANSPLANT

The 36’ 1921 Arch Logan built launch – Ngaio is one of my favourite woodys, impeccable bloodline and drop dead looks. There are lots of stories on her in the WW archive , including her restoration back in 2013. 

Back then if she had a weakness it was her a heart – a 95hp Ford Trader engine that was a tad tired, well 10 years later and that old Ford was still delivering the goods but her owner decided in the interests of reliability an upgrade might be a good idea – so out it came at the Slipway Milford and the hole will be filled with a much newer (30+ yrs) reconditioned 125hp Ford Dover engine, sourced by Cameron Pollard.

Back in March 2021 Ngaio celebrated her 100 th birthday – link below with lots of interior photos 

100th Birthday Party – Ngaio

(Todays photos ex Jason Prew, Luca Beachman and myself)

21-07-2023 UPDATE – ‘new’ Ford 125hp installed (almost)

WW Caps – low profile, 6 panel, canvas caps in the new camel colour topped with dark brown WW embroidered logo has a dash of understated style.

just click the email link here and tell me your name, postal address and number of caps required. I’ll come back to you with payment details – $38 + $6 p&p. waitematawoodys@gmail.com

LADY GLAD – Electric Conversion

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LADY GLAD – Electric Conversion

Todays story was written by Richard Amery on of the Lake Rotoiti woodys. Richard has pulled together the background on the launch – Lady Glad, owned by Marcus and Jan Wilkins, and her conversion from diesel power electric – I’ll hand over to Richard now – note: slightly different layout today with the photos in the story text.

“The keel was laid in 1981 by Mr. Bill Visser attached boat builder who had settled in Tauranga and started building boats under the name Kingfisher Boats limited, in a shed where the present oil terminal at the Mount is today before moving to Omokoroa. Bill was asked by Mr. Marshall Lee to build a small tug for him to tow a barge between Matakana Island and Omokoroa for his farming operations and it was to be named “Lady Glad” after his mother.

The tug was to have a gas stove and two bunks in it. The bunks had been beautifully painted with scenes by local young artist Alice Blakely, but unfortunately they were pulled out and lost.    Bill Visser was an artist with wood, and he carved the name along with the scroll and the tiller handle and also built the steering wheel which in itself is a work of art. The back deck was to have a bollard for towing mounted in the middle with the underneath area to be able to hold a farm bike and tools. This was all removed and Bill made the rear cockpit as it is now.   The motor was a Yanmar 32HP diesel.

However, before her completion Mr. Lee sold the property and we purchased the Lady Glad, and Bill Visser completed her at his home workshop, hence she never got to sea, and was launched on Lake Rotoiti in 1985.

In 2022 by age 87 Marcus with Jan 86 were sick of climbing over the motor and made the decision to bite the bullet and fit her with a more compact electric motor and batteries.              With the expertise of Tony Whiting, marine engineer of note from Auckland, Alan Craig boat builder and his team, Miles Harnett on boat electrics and local electrician Simon Andrew to sort out the mains electric charging system, the task provided quite a challenge for them.

The power comes from eight 6 Volt batteries weighing 400kg coupled in line to produce 48 volts. This was a little more weight than was removed, and the charging unit for these and the house battery which looks after lights, radio, auto bilge pumps etc are fitted up in the bow.                                                                                                                                                             The shaft thrust bearing, special coupling to motor and mounting bracket etc central and the redesign of rudder, keel and propellor are all part of the team’s combined thoughts and expertise that went into this conversion.

                                                                                                                                                  The shaft thrust bearing, special coupling to motor and mounting bracket etc central and the redesign of rudder, keel and propellor are all part of the team’s combined thoughts and expertise that went into this conversion.

Lady Glad’s heart transplant is now completed with the Combi inboard 10kw electric motor with a Combi Inboard 10 kW electric motor made in Holland, the home country of her designer and builder.

We are delighted with the result, and along with a new cockpit and cabin layout has transformed Lady Glad into a lovely comfortable easy to use craft.

Marcus and Jan say thanks to ‘the Team’. “

Note: Available now for sale in excellent condition: The 32hp Yanmar Diesel engine, hydraulic gearbox, heat exchanger, flexible shaft coupling, bilge blower, hand & electric bilge pumps plus gauges and wiring loom- a great unit in excellent condition. Phone or Text Marcus to view 027 955 2213.

ALIBI – Re-Launched Briefly

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ALIBI – Re-Launched Briefly

We have been following the refit / refurb of the Mason Clipper – Alibi at the Greg Lees Boa Builders yard at Sandspit.

Early this month ‘Alibi” came out of Lees shed after 5 months and slipped briefly into the water and out again on to the hardstand. The stern legs will be removed and serviced and painted along with engine servicing, some electrical work and general bits and bobs, this work will take a few months. We’ll keep you posted 🙂

(thanks to Mason Clippers fb for the photos)

CIRCLE THE CALENDAR

Put a ring around November 18th – for the Karapirp Classics – Off the water boat show followed by on the water activities, open to Classic and Wooden boats, Classic jet boats and home built boats of the 1960-70’s at the Horahora Domain – more details closer to the event.