Woody David Cooke spotted the 1950 Billy Rogers designed and built 36’ launch – Lady Diana earlier this week in Parekura Bay, Bay of Islands. From the photo she appears to be in good hands – looking very smart.
Southern Seas., previously named South Seas, last appeared on WW back in 2014 (link below) At the time she was for sale at an asking price of $85k, currently she is for sale with bids starting at $25k and a ‘buy now’ figure of $65k, which includes marina (I suspect, rental only).
Back in 2014 we were not able to successfully ID the designer / builder and from her tme listing, thanks Ian McDonald, still can not. Possible build date is c.1963. We know that she is 34’ in length and built of 3 skins of kauri on opposite diagonals and powered by a Lees converted 6 cyl. Ford D series diesel.
Earlier this month WW was contacted by Greg Philpott in regard to a comment on WW back in March 2018, concerning a gent named Ron Morgan who was trying to locate his old 24’ mullet boat named Echo. Echo had been at Whitianga but was taken to Beachlands to be rebuilt by a painter from the marina who Ron thinks went overseas before it was completed. Ron commented that the boat had a long history and was raced early last century. When Ron had it she was configured as a launch. Before selling it she had its cabin stripped off so could be just a hull. Enter Greg Philpott who recently posted the picture above on the ex RNZN Facebook page with the primary interest being the Naval Base and the warships HMS Diomede and HMS Dunedin. The photo came from the British Museum files. On the fb posting there was a comment added by a William Ohealy as below.
“That launch in photo is the Echo . We rebuilt her into a fine fishing boat / charter boat. But me dad got to old so was sold. We put a 6LW Gardner. Dam she was fast, 11 knots at 1100 rpm – sad to see her go. Last I saw her at Herald Island in the upper Auckland Harbour, sorry no photo. Put a forward wheel house on her. aft cockpit cabin and walk around deck. When first built was a 28 ft. mullet boat steamed up to Whangarei Harbour and added 7 ft. to the stern and made into a motor sailer. With a whole new keel. As a racing mullet was the fastest on the Auckland Harbour.”
So woodys, after digesting the above (some what convoluted) intel – can we ID the actual launch in the photo and possible join the dots to a Mullet boat link?
13-01-2023 Input ex Chris McMullen – Refer page below out of the 1945 Book “Little Ships” by Ronald Carter. It shows an early photograph of a Mullet Boat called “Echo” (top left). Mullet Boats have built down aft sections (no deadwood) Difficult to fit a propeller and make into a launch, but it has been done. The design weakness in Wooden Mullet Boats was the Centre board case. Once Toredo worm got in the case and keel the damage was a big job to fix. Enthusiast owners have done these repairs them selves. To have it done professionally would cost more than the boat was worth. So mullet boats were sold cheap. The new owner blocked off the centreboard slot, strengthened the keel, installed a motor and went fishing.
The 26 foot Mullet Boat “Corona”(now extensively rebuilt) almost suffered that fate. She disappeared for many years. As far as I know and fortunately the owners never worked out how to fit a propeller. Her hull was saved by some Mullet Boat Enthusiasts. Her Spars and Sails were long gone.
INPUT EX HAROLD KIDD – There was an ECHO launch, 29ft, originally with a 10hp Lozier built by James Reid and domiciled in Devonport around this time. She was hauled out on the Devonport Ferry slip in 1919 and took part in the first race run by the Milford Cruising Club in 1924. I reckon this is the boat. As for the 1900 Clare 24ft mullet boat ECHO, she went to Thames in 1904 and was still in existence at Whitianga in a terrible state in 1989. NOT this boat.
ATTENTION WOOLLEY CLASSIC LAUNCH OWNERS
WW has been contacted by Kerry Lilley, owner of the Woolley launch – Awariki asking for owners of Woolley designed/built classic launches attending this years Mahurangi Regatta (Jan 28th) to join Awariki in Saturday mornings launch parade – Kerry’s contact details are below, so drop him an email or call and he will explain in detail the plan to celebrate the Woolley marque. If you don’t own a Woolley but know someone who does – be nice and pass the message on 🙂
Todays photo, dated 1938 by Tudor Collins ex the Auckland Museum via Glen Ngapuhi and Len Redwood fb shows several launch off the wharf at the Whangaroa Swordfish & Big GameFish Club.
Can we attempt to name the boats L>R? My contributions – I think of the two dark hulled craft, stern in, the one on the right (middle) is Ethel.
INPUT EX NATHAN HERBERT – These game fishers are the Marlin, the Rosemary and the Wanderer II
Woody On Wheels
Last year on fb John Bertenshaw posted the photo below of a 1963 woody MGB , photo taken at the 60th anniversary of the MGB model.
Woody Olaf Wiig resides off shore these days but as the owner of the rather imposing 1953,Lidgard built 48′ woody – Ngaro as often as he can he hops on the big silver bird and returns home. Then slips the lines and heads out to enjoy the Hauraki Gulf and beyond.
Over winter Ngaro spent a couple of months in the shed at Robertsons yard having her cabin tops and varnish redone. It wasn’t all lipstick – a new water tank was installed + a major engine service and a full new suit of canvas.As I have commented before Bgaio is one of th few woodys that no matter what angel you approach her from, she looks perfect. Well done Olaf and Emma for the custodianship of Ngaro.
Classic Woody Summer Cruising – A Game Of Two Halves
Happy New Year Woodys – WW is back ‘live’ so no more oops boating photos 🙂
On Saturday when I was reviewing and editing the above photos I struggled to believe that we had a xmas/ny cruise, but as they say the truth is in the photos 🙂
I decided to break todays story into two parts:
1. Raindance related
2. Woodys Out & About
Mostly from my camera but assisted by Barbara Cooke (Bay of Islands), Mark Edmonds (Waiheke), Russell Ward, Jason Prew (upper harbour) and Alan Gilder (Woody Bay Rakino)
Raindance’s cruise / tiki tour mainly consisted of bouncing between Rakino Island and Waiheke Island. Left on 27 Dec and the weather was just stunning with crystal clear, warm water. On 01 Jan the forecast was starting to look very average and most concerning was all 3 weather platforms that I follow were saying the same thing. So early morning on 02 Jan we made the call to up anchor and head home. Turns out that was a good call because for the next 5+ days if it wasn’t raining it was drizzling non-stop + ugly seas and high winds.
So woodys the second half of our planned cruise was sent at home enjoying good food, wine, movies and watching almost every wooden / classic boating video on YouTube.
Very grateful we had 6 days of great weather before we pulled the pin. As an old salt told me once – when it comes to happy family boating – better to have a handful of fabulous days than an abundance of average days – very sage advise.
Enjoy the gallery.
UPCOMING ON-THE-WATER WOODY EVENTS
Circle the calendar:
28 January – Mahurangi Regatta launch parade – more details closer to the day
25 February – Stillwater Picnic + Dockside Raft-Up – more details closer to the day
I was chatting to John Dawson last week and he asked why so few boats flew pennants / burgees these days. Back in the good old days, no matter what size your vessel you ‘ dressed it’. As proof Bruce emailed me the above photo of the launch – Raurangi., built c.1915 by Deeming in the Bay of Islands.
20-01-2023 Harold Kidd Input – RAURANGI, Deemings, Opua, December 1912.
In the above photo there is a not insignificant amount of canvas flapping around. Looks great – 2023 could be the year we produce a WW burgee, watch this space………..
Here’s an idea – Do a poll – would you fly a waitematawoodys burgee if there was one?
The 50’ Lane Motorboat Co. 1962 built launch – Adi Kutla / Ma Cherie has appeared several times on WW, links below. Lots of photos and details there. Today thanks to Eric Sanderson we get a peek back in time – location is Auckland but no dates.
The McGeady designed, 1964 built by Ben Hipkins, Gary Wheeler and 1st owner Gordon Collie launch – Rangiora struck the Ahaaha Rocks north of Waiheke Island on the night of 21-09-1973. A combined rescue effort of the police launch Deodar, Coastguard and 2 commercial vessels managed to save her before see went under. More details in the press clippings above from the NZ Herald.
INPUT EX ALAN DEMPSEY“Oh God.. this article tears at my heartstrings.. MV Paterangi was my parents’ launch.. and summers were wondrous upon her. That partial sinking was a failed skin-fitting,but strangely there was evidence of out outside impact in it ( suspected tanalised pine pole that was found washed up on shore later). We spent that following winter on Okahu Bay hardstand getting her back seaworthy, and finely dressed. Huge respect to Keith Wyllie ( the ultimate Hauraki Gulf Old Salt) for doing srtrip-down and rebuild of motor , in situ. That’s a Good Mate eh?.. I learned a lot about Ford Ds , all of 16 years old as I was, just handing him tools and watching and listening. Sadly in ’78 a cyclone hit that dropped a neighbouring yatch’s rig on to Paterangi’s fordeck that smaskedout the bollar, and she was blown ashore onto the seawall and smashed to bits , the waves blowing the bits all across the Harbour Bridge toll plaza… I was living in Devonport and we had solid water hitting the house,100 yard away from the beach. Riding my motorbike into Auckland at 8am was the biggest traffic jam ever, and when I got to the toll-plaza area, I was pondering my stupidity in attempting the Bridge in those winds, when I saw the wreckage all over the road.. and recognised the bits . Saddest moment of my life to that point. That afternoon was the first time I’d ever seen my father cry. Vale BJD, and MV Paterangi… two stalwart Woodies of yore. Cheers.”
This Is A Loyal WW Follower – woody Michael Park (MV Lady Jan) is a recent recruit to the classic wooden boating movement – in the photo below Michael is sporting his recent tattoo – I assume copied from the WW site. Also in the photo I spy a WW t-shirt. Photo ex David Cooke.
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