60′ Tooronga – owner by A/Cup skipper – Ian Murray
57′ Sinana
THE HALVORSEN STORY
Todays WW story comes to us via the crew at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival and features a video presentation by Tony MacKay on the legendary
Australian boat building dynasty – the Halvorsen family. Tony gave the presentation at the 2023 festival.
Some background on Tony – he has been on board Halvorsen boats all his life, having owned nine substantial cruisers, all of which were significantly and lovingly restored. Through his involvement with the Halvorsen Club, he has passed some of this passion and energy to like-minded owners of these beautiful craft, also assisting with the improvement of skills and historical information. He has also represented the family for significant events at the Australian National Maritime Museum, exhibitions, on water parades, birthdays and even eulogies. It has been a lasting passion.
Tony is a real character and has a very salty Australian vocabulary e.g when referring to a narrow beamed craft he said “it would roll on a wet lawn’.The photos above are just a taste of the many in the presentation – linked below – ENJOY.
The owners of the very fine 36’ Colin Wild 1939 built launch – Rehia were recently going thru a family photo album and uncovered the photos above from one of their grandparents. The grandfather in the late 1940’s > early 1950’s was a mechanic based at the Hobsonville airbase servicing the fleet of maritime support craft.
In my eyes in the photos above there are 3 different craft but it has been suggested that the top 2 photos are the same boat. Also the size of the airforce insignia on the bow of the top craft looks very large , maybe not a NZ vessel?
Can we ID the craft.
INPUT EX John Bullivant – The top 2 photos are of US built 63ft Maiami class crash boats. The RNZAF had a few of these operating from Hobsonville and Laucala Bay in Fiji . The class was originally powered by 4 Kermath 500hp ‘Sea Raiders’ (linked nose to nose in pairs) but later were powered by twin 630 hp Hall Scott ‘ Defender engines as standard, – some with V drives. A number of variants were made. Top speed was around 36 knots (16 model 168s were built with twin Packard 1250hp for a speed of around 48 knots) Boats were used by Russia, UK, Australia, Sth Africa, NZ and the Dutch.
INPUT EX Mitchell Hutchings – the two photos below show the two vessels featured above. The first one is of the 63’ Rescue Launch 276 and the second of 313, both at RNZAF Hobsonville.
In Wellington there is a wonderful group of classic wooden boat enthusiasts that ‘reside’ under the umbrella of the ‘Wellington Classic Yacht Trust’ – they excel at everything and outshine the Auckland based Classic Yacht Association on so many fronts, particularly the 3 F’s – fun, friendship and fraternity. Recently the WCYT publicised on their website http://www.wcyt.org.nz/ a photo essay of classic craft from the Dow Collection. The photo above is one of the featured photos and is of Ngakuta Bay, Queen Charlotte Sound. The collection viewable in the link below is a selection from two albums owned by Doug Gow. It appears the person who took the photos was a crewman (name unknown) on the D Class cruisers HMS Diomede and HMS Dunedin and when off duty a crewed on various boats. The photos date to between 1928 and 1931.
Abalone was originally built for the New Zealand Army in 1943 and named Nissan. After WW2, the Tourist and Publicity Department obtained the boat in 1949 and she was placed into service initially on Lake Tarawera and later on Lake Rotomahana and eventually renamed Manuwai.
In the late 1950’s the boat was sold to Ces Jack in Tauranga who undertook a four year rebuild. On relaunching the boat was renamed Abalone and became a deep-sea fishing launch, owned and operated by Ces Jack and later owned by Ian Clunie. She was relocated to Auckland, where during a violent Auckland storm in1983 she smashed on rocks in Hobson Bay. Repair work after the storm was undertaken by Nealy Craft – anyone know who that is or was? She was eventually repaired and placed back to work as a charter boat by Jim Insley.
Abalone was purchased by journalist Warren Berryman and his wife Helen Vause in 1987 and they used the boat for family excursions out around the Hauraki Gulf; as well as occasional fishing and dive charters. Every summer from 1987 until 2004, Abalone went north to the Bay of Islands and then often on to Whangaroa.
Abalone was sold after Berryman’s death in 2004.
Abalone is a fairly distinctive boat so hopefully someone recognises her and can help advise who purchased her in 2004 and where she is today.
Story and photos above ex Greg Philpott.
INPUT ex Mark McLaughlin – About 10 years ago Abalone was on a private pole mooring on the Tamaki River, near the Panmure Bridge. She sank on her mooring. I don’t know if she was restored or scrapped after that but she was under water for quite a while IIRC. Photo below of the location of where she sank – nearest launch to the building.
14-09-2023 UPDATE ex Ray Morey – photos below of Abalone from her re launch 1962. The view of her as original from NZTourist Corp guise is unusual. Note the black top (soot band) on the pipe exhaust.
Sick Of Getting Socks For Fathers Day
This year grab the reins and tell the family what you really want. Today is the un-offical launch of the new waitematawoodys burgee – a long time in the making but I picked the first batch up yesterday. I’ll do a longer story on them later but the quick over view is – 100% canvas, printed 2 sides with the Waitemata Woodys logo using old-school screen printing methods = long lasting. Size is 40cm x 30cm. Sorry about the bad mast photo, no wind yesterday -:) See flyer below – Burgees are $40, caps $38. P&P is $7 – Buy both and WW will pay the P&P. Email orders to waitematawoodys@gmail.com with your address and we will send them off and let you know payment details etc.
In my communications with Sue Rivington re Sundays story on the launch – Leone, we uncovered that her grandfather also owned the launch – Ronaki. There are several vessels with that name on WW, but this one last appeared on WW back in August 2015, the two photos below ex the team at Whangateau Traditional Boat Yard are from then when Ronaki was jn storage in Ruakaka, Northland. At the time we learnt that she was built as a fast harbour launch by Collings & Bell for the Auckland Harbour Board in January 1913, a 38 footer powered by a big 55-75 hp H.C. Doman marine engine with a max of 14 knots.
The last photo above is of her, ex Ron Watton, during her sea trial. After many years of service with AHB she was sold to G Hyauiason (Sue Rivington’s grandfather) who had her bridgedeckerised.
The RNZN took her over in 1942 for control service (at the boom, HDK thinks) but sold her in 1944 to J.A. Collins. Harold’s uncle – Lou Wilson, MD of Morris Black & Matheson bought her soon after that. The AHB bought her back subsequently and fitted a Leyland.
The photos above come to us ex Sue’s family album/s, Sue commented that the background in several of the photos is at Sandspit. They used to own the farm there above the Motor Camp and out down the point to Brick Bay and around to Kanuka Road. Sue’s father sold the farm to developers in 2015 – now a subdivision. There maybe more than one launch in todays photo gallery – I would appreciate your views on the below and anything else that you see- 1. Are the launches #746 and #1661 the same launch
2. Is #748 the ‘bridgedeckerised’ launch Harold refers to above
3. Is the dark hulled launch another launch or part of the evolution of Ronaki
Back in 2017 WW got two comments added to the 2015 story. A Graham Watt advised that he owned Ronaki from 1969 > 1971, when he purchased her she was moored off Little Bucklands Beach. Graham immediatly undertook repairs to the boat at Westhaven as she was very ‘run-down’. Back then a Perkins P6 powered hr. The second comment was from a gent named Grant advising that Ronaki was on the hard at Mangapai, Whangarei, Northland and work was underway to refit her. We haven’t heard anything since then so very keen to learn the status of Ronaki.
INPUT ex Nathan Herbert – Three boats shown: First one possibly Miss Aussie then progress photos of the single-sheer Ronaki being rebuilt into raised foredeck bridge-decker. Third and dark painted boat is the Iorana in original guise.
PLAYMATE – A Peek Down Below The Sam Ford 1936 built launch – Playmate (named ‘My Playmate’ when launched and changed to Ida Mae and then back to Playmate) , has popped up twice on WW – both stories in Sept 2014. At the time we uncovered so much about the launch – now thanks to a tme listing we get to have a better look at the ship. Links to the 2014 stories below – do check them out. https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/09/02/playmate-ida-mae/https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/09/04/ide-mae-playmate/
A quick overview = 39’ , powered by a 80hp BMC diesel – everything else you would want to know can be found in the links above 😉
Post Re-buildAs LaunchedOriginal EngineWellinton 1940’sWellington WWII – NavyWellington – Navy
Pre Re-build
PENCARROW – Where Is She
WW was recently contacted by Dylan Saggers in regard to the 1916 built, 38’6″ vessel – Pencarrow. I’ll let Dylan tell the story
“The bridge-decker has been close to my heart and the history has been with many other happy owners. 95% of her life she has been called Pencarrow but when she was launched (as described In the paper article below) she was christened Valerie. Originally had a NZ made 4cyl. Twigg marine engine, then a 160hp petrol Kermath engine and I possibly believe she still has her 6 cyl. Ford diesel.Built In Auckland by Lanes (as I was told) not sure If this is correct . She has been many tops and 1 hull change In her lifetime, as described In the photos she has been many things. Many owners have had her. The Pencarrow spent time with the Pencarrow Sand Shingle company for a year in the mid 1930’s towing barges to Wellington for reclamation of the wharfs. In the 1940’s she was owned by the NZ Govt for Navy Patrol for Wellington. After that she went to the Dunn family who owned it from the early 1950’s to late 1960’s.
But through the 1970’s > 1980’s unfortunately, I didn’t know who owned her. Early 1990’s my Dad had her and she did not have the extended top (as pictured with her reflection shining in the water) She was very beautiful to me In that configuration. She is my favourite boat of all the boats my father had. Then sold to the Macmorland family with partner family (It’s easily understandable why the top was extended including the wheelhouse being put forward for more room) as pictured the current top as it is now. Then the Coles family. Last sold In 2016 I think In Waikawa in Queen Charlotte Sound. After that I don’t have any Info.”
Dylan would like to locate the present owners, keep In touch with them and make an offer on it when he can. Dylan’s main outcome of all this is to buy her and restore her how Dylan remembers her when his father had her. Any current info or pictures Is very welcome.
The 36’ launch – Rehia, designed and built in 1939 by none other than Colin Wild, our foremost wooden boat craftsman, has been undergoing a rolling restoration since changing ownership back in late 2021.
Last Sunday at the Woodys lunch cruise to the Riverhead Tavern, Rehia was front and centre looking very majestic.
When purchased her interior was a tad tired and new owners Amanda and Joe have given Rehia a revamp and she is looking rather dapper. (As purchased photos below)
I’m told that the next project is renewing the varnished coamings.
During the week WW was contacted by Stuart Myers in regard to the whereabouts of the 36’ bridge decker – Marietta.
Marietta was built c.1920>1930’s by Collings and Bell, her beam is 9, she is semi-chine and had full length kauri planks.
Marietta was used by the NZ Navy during WWII as a look-out boat.
Marietta was owned by the Myers family from the late 1950s’ until the late 1970’s and was moored during this time in Little Shoal Bay. During this time she still had her original Chrysler Crown 6 cylinder, side valve, petrol motor. In the late 1970’s she broke her mooring and ended up on the rocks in Little Shoal Bay and after repairs (some re-fastening of planks by Baileys) she was sold, re-powered with a diesel motor and converted to a fishing boat.
Marietta was last seen about 8 years ago at Milford Marina moored outside the Milford Cruising Club and was painted a light green colour and had returned to being a pleasure boat.
The above photos are from the 1960’s, one of her on the old grid at Needle’s Eye in Little Shoal Bay.
So woodys – can anyone update us on what has become of Marietta.
17-03-2023 INPUT ex HAROLD KIDD – According to APYMBA records MARIETTA was built by Collings & Bell in 1934 for G A McKendrick who had a property at Rocky Bay. He sold her to B Kissin of Takapuna in September 1938 when she had an extensive overhaul at Percy Vos’ yard. I have zero information on the launch being used by the Navy during the war and doubt that it happened. The Hert brothers bought her in April 1947 and it was then that she was fitted with a Chrysler Crown. J S Richards owned her from 1952 to 1962 when Athol Myers of Queen ST Northcote bought her. Frank Cooper bought her in 2001 and kept her in Milford Creek. Dave Nicholson has brought you up to date.
21-03-2023 INPUT ex NATHAN HERBERT – I believe that she was built for Casey in 1927 as the Imanota, with a 70hp (50-75hp) redwing motor, steered from the aft dodger hence the hatch, with the bridge deck having been added later on. She was Marietta by the late 1930’s when owned by McKendrick. Notes from when she was new include various speeds claimed from 10 to 15 knots, 15 electric lighting points, all mod cons including sink, an unusually flared bow ‘like a destroyer’ and topsides which are so rounded that she appears to be of the ‘old fashioned’ round bilge type.
Earlier in the week a nugget of gold dropped into my inbox – Mark Newcomb sent in a copy of his families yacht – TAMATEA A20 log book (refer PDF file link below to read)
The log book covers the background to the building of the yacht and her first race + some wonderful insights into life in the WWII period.
Tamatea was designed by A.C. Robb and built by A. Couldrey, launched in Jan 1937.
Amazingly the yacht was built from one kauri log, grown on the owners property in Waitakere (note: log was from a ‘dead’ tree)
Click on the blue text below to open the PDF file, the original of the log book is in the hands of the Maritime Museum, so probably this file is the only record, given the Museum’s track record with ‘losing’ things 😦
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