Category Archives: Military

Manunui

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MANUNUI
The 42’ Manunui was designed and built in 1939 by Bill Couldrey for Percy Colebrook, back in 2013 she appeared briefly on WW (link below) but the photo was very poor, now thanks to Lew Redwood fb and Harold Kidd we get to see her in her finest and learn a little more about this very smart launch.
Couldrey was a stunning craftsman, in fact one of the few boat builders preferred by Arch Logan.
When launched she was powered by a 55hp Benz diesel. The Benz lasted until 1963 when it was replaced with a 100hp Perkins diesel.
In 1942>44 Manunui was commandeered from Max Colebrook and taken to Fiji as a Naval patrol vessel.
In the 2013 story it was mentioned that Manunui had possibly headed south to Wellington, HDK has confirmed this, she calls the Boat Harbour marina in Wellington home.
Would love to see some up to date photos.
Input from Simon Smith – these photos were taken approx. 3 years ago and show Manunui motoring round Wellington harbour. Simon commented that her elderly owner is struggling to give her the attention she needs as he lives a 2 hour drive away from the marina.
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Manunui Gun rack

Update ex Hylton Edmonds c.1981 > 1982

Manunui 1943

Manunui 1947

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Manunui 1954

 

Jeunesse Awaits A Letter From the Queen

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Jeunesse Awaits A Letter From the Queen

John Wright’s woody – Jeunesse, built in 1919 (most likely) by Dick Lang has hit the ton, she turns 100 this year and John is in the process of giving her a wee tart up, which any old girl of this age deserves.

John is a master craftsman’s who has the eye and skills to turn a woody from a good looking woody launch into a stunning classic launch.

Jeunesse measures 39’, with a beam of 11’ and draws 3’. Tucked away down below is a 180hp Hino so when asked she can lift her skirt and dance 😊

You can view a gallery of b/w photos from her early days here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/11/30/jeunesse-2/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/09/17/14170/

UPDATE 02-03-2020 Photos below of John Wright’s – Jeunesse in the 2020 Auckland Anniversary Day regatta. Sent in by Brett Evans.

Jeunesse 1

Jeunesse 2

 

20th Lake Rotoiti – Antique & Classic Boat Show – 200+ Classic Wooden Boat Photos

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20th Lake Rotoiti – Antique & Classic Boat Show – 200+ Classic Wooden Boat Photos

On the 1st weekend of March we travelled south to Nelson for a wee escape. Just by chance (yeah right says the wife) there was a classic woody event on. I have seen and heard a lot about the Antique & Classic Boat Show that is held every year on Lake Rotoiti, one hour south of Nelson but I had never attended. We were staying with good friends in Mapua so early on the Sunday the men folk packed up the car  and headed off. We arrived at the lake as everyone was dusting off  / polishing their pride and joy – I understand there was a social event on the Saturday night and a few looked a little ‘dusty’ themselves.
The venue is just mind blowingly spectacular – and I have not seen so much varnished wood in one place in NZ before. Combine this with a very laid back southern friendliness and we had a great morning.
The woodys on show ranged from vintage radio controlled speedboats, sailing dinghies and speedboats to 100 mile-an-hour hydro-planes. Check out the movie of the hydro-plane Elray III below.
The photos above are intended to give you an insight into the show, warts and all – it’s not a gallery of perfectly presented craft.
Enjoy, we did.

Doris

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DORIS
Baden Pascoe sent in the above photo of the Collings & Bell designed / built launch – Doris. Once owned by Jack Allan (Allen?).
Baden commented that she was one of several motor boats was taken over by the RNZAF and used at Lauthala Bay, Fiji during WW2.
Can any of the woodys tell us more about Dorris?
TAMAKI BOATS UPDATE:
Yesterdays story on the boats ‘resting’ up the Tamaki River blew me away in terms of viewing numbers e.g. 25% more than the coverage of the Mahurangi Regatta and almost neck-‘n-neck with the recent Hobart Wooden Boat Festival. Again many thanks John Bullivant 🙂

Australian Wooden Boat Festival 2019 – Photo Parade – Part 3 – 90 photos + video

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TAMARIKI – Peter Mortimer

Australian Wooden Boat Festival 2019 – Photo Parade – Part 3 – 90 photos + video

For the few of you that have seen enough beautiful boats in the last few days, I promise today will be the last AWBF photo gallery. But for the record Tuesdays AWBF WW story out performed Mondays story and had in fact the highest number of views of any story on WW in the last 12 months 🙂
Today our gallery comes to us from the camera of CYA NZ Chairperson – James  Mortimer. On top of capturing some great photos, James was in a very unique position at the festival – his father Peter was exhibiting the 1979, Gary Wheeler built yacht – Tamariki (photo above), which was the only NZ flagged boat in attendance, and they briefly had the past two NZ CYA chairs and the current one on board for a beer at the same time, nice.
Again, different person = different perspective – enjoy and remember , click on photos to enlarge.
And as a bonus we also have a video of the James Craig leaving her dock – would be nice to have a vessel of her presence based on the Waitemata. Filmed by Andrew Christie.

Australian Wooden Boat Festival 2019 – Photo Parade – Part 2 – 337 photos

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Australian Wooden Boat Festival 2019 – Photo Parade – Part 2 – 337 photos

One of the interesting things reviewing all the photos that have been sent in from the festival is that each person ’sees’ the festival through different eyes – so what they end up photographing is very different from someone else.
Todays collection from Fiona Driver and Rod Marler is a perfect example, it is a very different view from yesterdays and also shows the scale of the event. Worthy of its own WW story.
I could have edited the collection down, but the photographer/s are very passionate woodys so if the image appealed to them, I’m confident it will to you. Enjoy 🙂
Scroll down after todays photo gallery to view more of the festival in Part 1 of the coverage.
And remember , click on photos to enlarge.

Australian Wooden Boat Festival 2019 – Photo Parade – 200 Classic Wooden Boat Photos – Part 1

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AUSTRALIAN WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL 2019 – HOBART, TASMANIA – PHOTO PARADE 200 CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT PHOTOS

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Well woodys while I was gutted that I had to cancel my trip to the festival, I honestly believe that we have ended up with a better view of the festival. I have been inundated with photos from woodys from both sides of the Tasman. The coolest thing is that the show is so big and the exhibitions so broad, that there have hardly been any duplications – my new best Aussie woody friend – Andrew Christie has excelled with photos from the air (drone) and on the water (he borrowed a clinker dinghy from the ‘Living Boat Trust’ and rowed around the docks). My kiwi woody friends –  Colin and Sheryl Pawson + Fiona Driver and Rod Marler + James Mortimer  have supplemented Andrew’s photos with more stunning photos from their camera’s. As an aside Andrew won the AWBF 2019 short film festival, with his entry ‘Wooden Boat Lunacy’ featuring a Billy Holmes built motorboat – Folly III. This short film has been featured on WW – link here    https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/11/08/folly-iii/
Rather than mix them all up – I thought it would cool to group them by photographer. There will be more to share with you over the next few days, seems like everyone has maxed out the mobile data packages 🙂
Remember you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them – Enjoy
Andrew Christie

 

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James Mortimer
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Colin Pawson
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1940’s Pacific Island Tender

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1940’s Pacific Island Tender

The above photo ex Lew Redwood’s fb is dated 1940’s and shows a tender a speed, interesting mix of attire (confirming the PI link) and the USA flag would suggest it is a tender to / off an American war ship.
There appears to be woman on-board so maybe it was post the war years? (Yes I know woman were in the service during the war, but not I think on ships?)
The bow fender is are impressive, a lot of work would have gone into that.
Anyone able to ID the location of the photo and the tender + mother ship?

Theresa May

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Theresa May
 
Relax woodys todays story is not political  – the 42’ woody above was called Theresa May when she was taken over by the RNZAF and used at Lauthala Bay, Fiji during WW2 as W78.
She first pops up as Theresa May in Whangarei in late 1938 and was at Whakatane fishing in 1940 before being taken to Fiji for towing etc.
The photo & details we sent in by Harold Kidd who commented that it is said she was originally from Auckland (under another name).
 
Apparently she wasn’t repatriated to NZ and ended her days in a Fiji landfill in the 1960s, but that may be apocryphal too.
She’s quite a handsome vessel & Harold is interested in what her origins were pre 1938.
She was obviously a grand boat in her time so hopefully someone will be able to help us uncover more on her.
AUCKLAND ANNIVERSARY DAY REGATTA – LAUNCH RACE RESULTS

Seven woodys lined up on Monday for the launch race – offical results below.
Snap Shot – LAUGHING LADY was 1st across the line and MY GIRL was 1st on Handicap
aar lr results

Rakanoa + Reminder Re Cool Woody Event

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RAKANOA

Today’s WW post features one drop dead gorgeous woody. The photo above is of the 56’ Rakanoa, sent in by Peter Loughlin & is the perfect photo to showcase the recent TLC she has received. Rakanoa was built in 1946 by Shipbuilders.

You can see > read more on Rakanoa here.      https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/21/rakanoa/
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LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC – WOODEN BOAT PARADE WEEKEND – FEB 8TH > 10TH
Big reminder / nudge that one of the coolest woody events of the year is fast approaching & if you are thinking of attending with your boat you need to get your A-into-G & register now.
If you are boat less & around the centre of the North Island that weekend – check out the Parade on Saturday – there will be between 70 & 100 woodys on display.
I have featured the Parade on WW for the last 4 years – so just enter Lake Rotoiti in the WW search box & you will be blown away with the boats. Or  be lazy & just click the link below to view last years event
Link below for more details on the Parade & the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Association

 

Mechanical Advice Needed Re Bearings

I have been contacted by Bruce Flintoff looking for some advise on his my stern bering. Refer photos below. The bearing needs replacing. Does anyone know who supplies these bearings and what bearing would be the best replacement?

Bruces boat is Norma built around 1920 and featured in Waitemata Woody’s a couple of years back. Link below