Today’s woody story takes us on a woody tour of the Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre, in Southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Our host is Mike O’Brian, a few years ago I entertained Mike and wife Peggy in Auckland, they were on a cruise liner and just in port for the day. I picked them up and took them on a dock tour of a selection of our finest wooden classics, made even better by each skipper turning up and opening their boats up.
NEW WOODY OWNERS
Pleased to be able to report that the classic wooden launches Centaurus, Mahanui, Kailua and Haunui have all recently changed hands. All will remain in Auckland 🙂 and are in the care of passionate wooden boat enthusiasts.
SUNDAYS WOODY CLASSICS RIVERHEAD CRUISE – IMPORTANT DETAILS
(If you RSVP’ed I have sent you further details via email)
I had a reason to be pointing the car towards what used to be called ‘Nappy Valley’ (Pakuranga) so decided to call into the Panmure River boat shed where Steve & Colette Pople are having the 38’, 1934 Cox & Filmer built bridge-decker – Royal Falcon restored, ‘having’ isn’t the best word because both are actively involved in the project.
As you will see in the above photo gallery, the team are working at an impressive pace. The Commer TS3 engine is back in and looking very shinny. Very impressed to see the team re-purposing as much timber as possible – we like that 🙂
While there I dropped off an age appropriate search light that I had promised Steve, it didn’t suit Raindance so – ‘spread the love’. Thank you Jason Prew who gifted it to me originally 🙂
You can read / view Royal Falocn’s past at the link below + earlier project photos
Below is a video walk by/thru that I did. Have to say it is so cool to see a real, working, waterfront boat shed. Anyone remember something called ‘Heritage Landing’ aka the Vos Shed………….
Click the link below to join WB editor Matt Murphy in a live discussion with Reuben Smith. Reuben is boatbuilder and owner of Tumblehome Boatshop in the Southern Adirondacks town of Warrensburg, New York. The shop has restored some of the finest canoes, skiffs, guideboats, runabouts, launches, and one-design sailboats in the region. The conversation includes a ‘ walk-about’ of some of the shop’s past and present projects.
Today we have a photo of the launch Rona cruising on the Whangarei Harbour. A caption records that on board were Harold Jagger and Heather & Muriel Stuart.
I believe at the time the launch was owned by the Jagger family.
I’m slightly embarrassed to say that I know nothing more about the boat and have my fingers crossed that we can learn more about her and where she is today.
WoodenBoat Magazine Interview #4
This week we see WB editor Matt Murphy interview Sean Koomen. Sean is the chief instructor for the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding in Port Hadlock, Washington. While studying cello performance at St. Olaf College in Minnesota, Sean launched his own small boat shop. Subsequently, he worked on the restorations of several historically significant vessels, including the 138′ steam yacht Cangarda and the 1929 schooner Viviveka. Sean later led the restoration of the 90′ fantail yacht Wanda, and has worked as a shipwright for the San Francisco Maritime Museum and for Brooklin Boatyard in Maine. Sean also talks about his recent extended stay in Tasmania, and the school’s current exploration of online hands-on education initiatives in the age of social distancing.
The photos above of Caravel come to us via the camera of Dean Wright and are ‘lock-down’ discoveries. Dean commented that he wasn’t even sure if Caravel was a woody, but she is a looker and there is enough wood on show for me 🙂
Can anyone tells us more about Caravel?
GLASSING A WOODEN BOAT – Yes / No / Maybe
When it comes to the restoration of a classic wooden boat, one item draws the most discussion / debate / arguments and that’s the topic to splining and fiber-glassing the hull. Amongst the majority of woodys its long been considered sacrilege – but sometimes it is the only option that saves a boat from a ‘Beehive’ restoration (a box of matches).
Thanks to your friends at Off Centre Harbor, today we join expert boat builder and OCH co-founder Eric Blake explaining how – and more importantly, why – he fiber-glassed his 75-year-old wooden lobster boat, Charlena. LINK below to view video.
And woodys, the WW special 8 weeks NZD$5membership to OHC is still live – so jump at it below, the best $5 you will ever spend. Detail below –
Off Center Harbor has created an 8-week membership with full access to the entire website for just $5 NZD. They’re also including an optional upgrade to an annual membership at the end of the 8 weeks at 50% off.
So if you haven’t already joined, now’s definitely the time to jump aboard this premier classic boat video website to start learning from leaders in the field how to build, paint, or restore a boat… or step aboard some of the best boats in the world (including in NZ) and hang out with the owners (from the safety of your favorite chair at home).
See the details and get the membership here and enjoy full membership privileges for 8 weeks. That means you’ll have access to over 1,000 videos and articles full of inspiration and know-how.
If you are a follower / reader of Wooden Boat magazine, you will be familiar with the work of photographer – Tyler Fields, again thanks to the world-wide lock-down, life has been given to another previously ‘stalled’ project, which we now get to enjoy 🙂
I’ll let Tyler tell the story –
“More than a year ago, Woody Metzger of First Light Boatworks and I started a video project introducing some of the people behind New England’s marine industry. The small network of boat builders, sailmakers and artists that make up what we do are the best in the world. Woody and I wanted to provide an quick introduction to the people behind these brands with the hope that getting to know us might encourage boaters to support the locals when buying new, restoring old or just keeping our lives on the water going. Our idea was simple; ask our friends four questions. 1 -Why has your business survived and where do you see it going? 2- What would you do if you weren’t doing this? 3- Would you like to see your kids do this? 4- Do you love your job? The responses we filmed were a mix of the expected, unexpected, humorous and a little sobering. After a handful of interviews, life caught up and we set our big idea on the back burner. Woody and his crew started building and launching boats one after another, after another and my schedule of chasing boats around New England ate up any free time we had. Well, the world has a habit of keeping us on our toes. At the moment, we all have found some extra time. So, last week I started digging through the footage and decided to start putting the interviews together. Oddly enough, the questions seem more fitting now than they did when we first asked them. We want to send out a huge thank you to each of the people and businesses who gave the time and let Woody and I into your shops. For the rest of us, it’s more important now than ever to support these small business. They are not just logos, they’re friends and family right here in our local communities.”
TOUGH DAY AT THE OFFICE
Popped down to Waiheke Island yesterday to show a potential buyer over Kailua, stunning day, stunning boat. More details at the link below:
Recently I was sent the above gallery of photos of the small yacht – Herald, from kiwi Fred Lomas, who lives/works in Australia. The photos are from an album given to him by his ex (deceased) Omapere (near Opononi, Northland) neighbour – Aubrey Bracey. Aubrey was a farmer / carpenter who built a couple of small boats, Herald being one of them.
How lucky were these kids to have a boat of their own at their age, these days we are just too PC.
I love the combination of paint colours – a perfect example of the old principle of only using 3 colours max on a boat. Also looks like as the kids got taller, they raised the cabin top 🙂
Devonport Yacht Club – Duder Cup – On The World Stage
Check out the link below to read / view a great story by Rob Peake, editor of the ‘Classic Boat’ magazine in the UK, on this years running of the Duder Cup race.
When I spotted the photo above on fb I thought I had a great Mystery Launch competition photo, then eagle eyed Jason Prew ID’s her as the 1948, Lidgard built, 48′ launch Ranui, before her hull extension. Seen here at the 1955 Auckland Anniversary Regatta. Recent photo below. And a shameless plug – she is for sale – link here
Courier Arrived Today – Not often I get one marked ‘Dangerous Goods’
The label even had ‘Danger – May damage fertility or the unborn child + very toxic to aquatic life’ on it.
What was it? Good old Red Lead powder. Don’t have a use for it at the moment but its like hens teeth to buy and being in lock-down, on-line shopping has been getting a little out of hand e.g. did I need that 8” bronze adjustable spanner from Arthur Beale – London’s 300 year old yacht chandler 🙂
One of the many woodys that contacted WW for a copy of Chris McMullen’s docking tips was Mike Empson, owner of – Maureen II, a Matangi, built c1967-68 by Brin Wilson. Maureen II is 100% kauri, 36′ long and weighs approx. 9 tonnes.
Mike has been in touch with people connected to the Brin Wilson yard and been told she may have been built for someone connected to Ross Reid Contractors – that woodys is all Mike and wife Ann know about her, so would love to uncover more information on the vessel.
Mike has commented that he believes these boats were originally built with timber masts and timber lifeline stanchions, but Maureen II has had retro-fitted aluminium mast & boom, plus stainless lifeline stanchions. It has roller-boom reefing and a roller furling headsail.
Power is via a Ford 4-cyl E592 industrial stationary engine, marinised when new, by Lees Marine, fresh-water cooled. These engines were also used on the UK 4-cyl Ford Trader trucks, in the mid to late 1950’s and also on Fordson Major tractors.
Transmission is through a Parsons Marine-o-matic HG4 Mk 2 hydraulic transmission and she has a 1.75” bronze prop-shaft which is 11’6″ long. She is set up with dual station steering, which comprises a truck steering box with a long under-floor shaft, connected by chains to the two steering stations; one inside and the other in the cockpit.
WOODY WET SUNDAY TREAT
As you know I’m a big fan of the website – Off Center Harbor, the site is probably best known for jaw dropping boat tours and in-depth how-to series, but the OCH lads also know how to slow down and soak up the scenery. Given the craziness of the last 5 weeks I have found myself trolling the OCH online library more than ever, looking to a cure to my boat less blues. I have some favourites that I would be embarrassed to say how many times I have viewed 🙂
Last week one that popped up again was the OCH lads doing an early morning mooch around the fleet at anchor at last summers Eggemoggin Reach Regatta in Maine. The stunning classic woodys are basking in a golden glow at dawn after the previous days racing and partying. It reminds me very much of Saturday morning at our own Mahurangi Reggata.
Chatting with Steve Stone from OCH, I mentioned the comparison as Steve was at the Mahurangi Regatta in 2019 and Steve kindly offered to supply a link to the ERR video – view it here CLICK HERE
Early in the lock-down the OCH guys put together a special deal for waitemata woodys to help us out while we are boat less. Well the good news it is still on offer – so if you haven’t already joined up, do it today – link here 8-week membership with full access to the entire website for just $5 NZD. They’re also including an optional upgrade to an annual membership at the end of the 8 weeks at 50% off.
Woodys, signing up to OCH will be the 2nd best woody thing you have done – after discovering WW 🙂
waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news - updated daily - 15+ million views 