Category Archives: Movie & Video

Marnine

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MARNINE

Must be the week for the big girls, yesterday we had a feature on the 56’ Turongo coming onto the market and today we see the 1961 Lane built – Marnine.
Marnine measures 50’ and has a 15’ beam and weighs 25 tonnes so very similar in size to Turongo.
Marnine has made numerous appearances on WW – links below. The first one contain a great insight into her past from Terry Porter, son of her original owner Fred Porter.
Today we see her hauled out in Auckland for some TLC.

 

MULLET BOAT MAST SOS
The boys at The Slipway Milford have a 22’ mullety hauled out which given her existing masts is in 3 pieces and looks like a shark has had a chew, there is an urgent need for a suitable replacement.
Not fussy if its wood or alloy – anyone got one up in the rafters? Contact Jason Prew jason@slipway.co.nz

Des Townson  – A Sailing Legacy – Perfect Fathers Day Present – Ordering Details Below

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Des Townson  – A Sailing Legacy

Back in July Brian Peet contacted me about his latest book publishing project, Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy. Brian asked if I would like to attend the launch night, a smallish gathering in the dinghy locker at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron – of course I said yes and a few days later an advance copy of the book arrived via courier. Well that buggered my plans for that day 🙂
I later asked Brian if I could sneak a couple more onto the invite list, which happened. Then Brian lets me know that things have snow balled and the launch was now in the main ballroom at the RNZYS, things had stepped up a few notches.
Fast forward to last night and the who’s who of yachting is crammed into the Squadron. My guess would be 400+ people. Speakers were the Squadron Commodore Ian Cook, Des’s younger brother – Bill Townson and Brian Peet. Ian built six Zephyrs under Des Townson’s supervision, won the National Champs in 1980. Bill Townson is a skilled boatbuilder, yacht designer and amphibian aircraft designer/builder.
I sneaked in early any took a few photos and videos of some of the exhibits, which included a Starling, Zephyr, Mistral and a 1956 replica of Des Townson’s first commercial design Nimble. What most caught my eye, was the Townson 2.4m dinghy on display that had just been built by Allan Hooper at the NZ Traditional Boatbuilding School. Its for his own use, but if you ask me it should be should be on display somewhere. Talking to Allan I understand the school will have ‘build your own’ kits and how to classes – perfect opportunity to own a Townson.
I later filmed Brian’s talk / presentation, see below – it is a wonderful insight into how the book came about and challenges Brian had over the 10 years it took to complete it.
 
As I have said before – its a great read, buy it, you won’t be sorry – as Brian said last night – it is a “sailing book, about a sailor, written by a sailor”.
 
Enjoy the video, then buy the book – either via the website https://destownson.co.nz  or if you prefer to do a bank transfer, email Brian with your name and postal address and he will reply with bank account details – its that easy info@destownson.co.nz
 
Oops nearly forgot –  Details on how to win a copy of the book on WW, later in the week.

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Te Hauraki

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TE HAURAKI

The photos above show the ex workboat – Te Hauraki, built for the Auckland Harbour Board, in her current presentation, as owned by Rodger Moore.
Previous to Rodger Moore, Te Hauraki was owned by John Street – in the video below John talks of his ownership period and sale to Rodger. Turn your sound up, its a great tale.

Input from Martin Howson – Great story from John Street, for many years Te Hauraki was stored in a barn in Wellsford while owned by George and Alma Hansen, they bought her after she had languished on a mooring in Little Shoal Bay and motored her up to Mangawhai Harbour from there she put on a transporter and into their barn waiting for George to fit a new engine ,that never happened meanwhile she just sat surrounded by vintage cars and covered in bird droppings. After George died she was sold to the Kaipara Harbour where she had a powerful engine fitted and blew away the opposition at the next Pahi Regatta. The rest of the story we all know thanks to John.

JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES

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JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES

Over the last week each day we have been featuring video footage of John Street’s recent speaking engagement that supported the exhibition – ‘One Man’s Treasures’ at the New Zealand Maritime Museum, MC’ed by Larry Paul. For the overseas readers, John Street was at the helm for over half a century of Auckland’s historic ship chandlery – Fosters. Such was John’s influence on the New Zealand boating and marine scene, that the late Sir Peter Blake tagged John the ‘Waterfront Mafia’. These days John has a mighty passion for preserving New Zealand’s maritime heritage. Videos’ enhanced & edited by Andrew Christie.

There are 6 videos in the series:

  1. Fosters The Beginning
  2. History of The Breeze
  3. The schooner Daring + TV1 documentary
  4. 2012 Americas Cup
  5. The steam crane ship Rapaki
  6. Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata Harbour

Today I have pulled them all together in one place for ease of finding them in the future and to highlight the series for anyone that missed a day. Enjoy 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heather Dawn + John Street on Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata

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HEATHER DAWN

This double-ender launch has got Lake Rotoiti written all over her – her trademe listing (thanks Ian McDonald) states her design is ‘lifeboat’ and built in 1955 – this would suggest that she has been converted to pleasure use. The first thing I would say is the photographer has not been kind to her, in most photos she looks a lot shorter / ‘chunky’ than her actual length of 21’ 6” (the last photo gives us a better view).

Heather Dawn is powered by a 34hp Yanmar diesel. And is very well fitted out.

Home is the bottom of the South Island > Dunedin – but she comes with a new purpose-built braked trailer, so woodys this makes her very flexible in terms of her future location/s.

That diesel stove would help take the chill out of an early morning Lake fishing trip J

JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES – Part 6

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Every day this week WW featured a video filmed at John’s recent speaking engagement at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. The language is a tad ‘blue’ in places, but that is how John rolls 🙂 NOTE VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT DO NOT DOWNLOAD WITHOUT PERMISSION. Videos edited & enhanced with the help of Andrew Christie

PART Six – Tug Boat racing on the Waitemata (turn your sound up)

UPCOMING VIDEOS

Monday –          Fosters the Beginning

TUESDAY–        History of The Breeze

WEDNESDAY– The schooner Daring

THURSDAY–     Amercias Cup

FRIDAY –            The steam crane ship Rapaki

SATURDAY–      Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata

 

Naomi (Huria > Vanora) + John Street taking about the steam crane Rapaki

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NAOMI – Huria > Vanora

One of WW spotters, Shane  Anderson was driving thru Whangateau this week and spotted a woody parked up on a yard in the middle of a major restoration.
Turns out the 45’ launch is named Naomi (see interior carving photo) – the boatbuilder – Josh, working on her believes there may have been a name change in the past, but if so, a long time ago – the skylights have Naomi sandblasted on them. There is talk of her possibly being a Logan and even originally steam powered. Also talk of a 1897 build date. Her name board records her builder as Chas. Bailey. Investigation shows the existence of 3 sets of engine beds.
There also appears to be old repairs to both sides of the boat.
Her current owner has had her for 20 years, kept in dry storage in West Auckland.
A suggestion – in a previous WW story (link below) on a launch named Naomi III, Harold Kidd spoke of the original Naomi (I) being built in March 1902 and Naomi II in November 1902, both by Chas. Bailey Jnr and both for M.A. Jenny of Nelson. Could the above launch be one of these boats?
Input from Harold Kidd – The story is unbelievably complex; the NAOMI bit is the result of an assumption on someone’s part, many years ago, that any launch owned by M A Jenny of Nelson and Auckland was a NAOMI. This launch seems to have started life as the oil launch HURIA (twin 2 cylinder Daimler petrol engines) built by Logan Bros in January 1899 for Capt Mercer of Nelson as a trader, bought by Jenny in 1905, fitted with a 30hp Gardner in Wellington and rechristened VANORA. In 1907 Jenny sold her to Lindsay Cooke of Auckland who got Chas Bailey Jr to refit her for cruising. She took part in the 1908 RNZYS Rudder Cup race around Sail Rock.
Need several pages more to bring her up to date.
In summary, the current name and builder carved into her is bs.

JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES – Part 5

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Every day this week WW we are featuring a video filmed at John’s recent speaking engagement at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. The language is a tad ‘blue’ in places, but thats how John rolls 🙂 NOTE VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT DO NOT DOWNLOAD WITHOUT PERMISSION. Videos edited & enhanced with the help of Andrew Christie. 
PART Five – The Steam Crane Rapaki (turn your sound up)
UPCOMING VIDEOS
MONDAY–         Fosters The Beginning
TUESDAY–        History of The Breeze
WEDNESDAY– The schooner Daring
THURSDAY–     Amercias Cup
FRIDAY –            The steam crane ship Rapaki
SATURDAY–      Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata
 

Silver Spray + John Street on the America’s Cup

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SILVER SPRAY + JOHN STREET ON THE AMERICA’S CUP

The above photos of Silver Spray popped up on a fb post last night via Ngapipip Road boat builder GlenBurnnand. In the past Silver Spray has appeared on WW many times, she was owned by passionate woody Mark Stapleton. Mark restored her and kept her in his Ngapipip Road boat shed. Unfortunately after many years of ownership, poor health forced Mark to sell Silver Spray. I’m guessing but I suspect  Glenn Burnnand bought her.
There is a vast amount of details and photos at the WW link below – but a quick overview – built in 1926 by Joe Slattery for Charles Ravenhall of Remuera. Silver Spray is 26′ LOA, 7′ beam with a 2’6″ draft, powered by a 4108 Perkins. A selection of photos from her past below.
I have held my breath on the addition of the two cabin top hatches, a tad out of place…………… on a 1926 woody 😦
 
 
 

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JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES – Part 4

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Every day this week WW are featuring a video filmed at John’s recent speaking engagement at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. NOTE VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT DO NOT DOWNLOAD WITHOUT PERMISSION. Videos edited & enhanced with the help of Andrew Christie 
PART FOUR – America’s Cup (turn your sound up)
UPCOMING VIDEOS
MONDAY–         Fosters The Beginning
TUESDAY–        History of The Breeze
WEDNESDAY– The schooner Daring
THURSDAY–     Amercias Cup
FRIDAY –            The steam crane ship Rapaki
SATURDAY–      Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata

John Street – One Man’s Treasures Video Series – Part 3

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JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES – Part 3

Every day this week we are featuring a video filmed at John’s recent speaking engagement at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. NOTE VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT DO NOT DOWNLOAD WITHOUT PERMISSION. Videos edited & enhanced with the help of Andrew Christie.

Today John talks on rescuing the schooner Daring – a hugely significant piece of New Zealand’s maritime history that lay buried for 153 years on Muriwai Beach, West Auckland, until shifting sands revealed the wreckage. The 2ndvideo is from last weeks TV1 ‘Sunday Programme’

Scroll up to view videos one & two.

PART THREE – The schooner Daring 

UPCOMING VIDEOS

MONDAY –        The history of Fosters

TUESDAY–        History of The Breeze

WEDNESDAY–  The schooner Daring

THURSDAY–     America’s Cup

FRIDAY –           The steam crane ship Rapaki

SATURDAY–      Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata

 

 

 

Petrel + John Street – One Man’s Treasures – Video Series – Part 2

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PETREL
The photo above comes to us via Lew Redwood’s fb page and started life as a postcard (from Lew’s collection).
We know from a comment of Harold Kidd’s that Petrel was built by Bailey & Lowe in Jan 1903 for Cecil Ley.
The caption on the photo tags the location as Herne Bay, Auckland. HDK also commented that review the photo that the launch would have been near new at the time of the photo.
Can anyone tell us what became of the launch?

JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES – VIDEO SERIES – Part Two

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Every day this week WW will feature a video filmed at John’s recent speaking engagement at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. The language is a tad ‘blue’ in places, but thats how John rolls 🙂 NOTE: VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT DO NOT DOWNLOAD WITHOUT PERMISSION. Videos edited & enhanced with the help of Andrew Christie 
PART TWO – The History of the Breeze  (turn your sound up)
UPCOMING VIDEO’S
MONDAY–         Fosters The Beginning
TUESDAY–        History of The Breeze
WEDNESDAY– The schooner Daring
THURSDAY–     Amercias Cup
FRIDAY –            The steam crane ship Rapaki
SATURDAY–      Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata
UPDATE: Stunning photo below of the Breeze running down the inside of Roberton Island 2014 – taken by Dean Wright
The Breeze 2014

Sir Francis Relaunched + John Street Video Series – Part One

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July 2019

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July 2019

28 MAY 2018 (2)

In need of attention – May 2018

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Prep for new caulking
Re building the stern deck
Fore deck ready for painting
New toe rail and refurbished bollard
Stern deck finished
SIR FRANCIS
Back in June 2016 one of the woodys spotted Sir Francis berthed on Lake Taupo and commented on WW  that she was looking a little tired. Well folks I can report that after thirteen months of hard labour, Sir Francis went back into the water on July 6. Co-owner Paul Drake commented that she was last out of the water for 9 days, 10 years ago and she was becoming an embarrassment. 
As part of their re-fit the deck canvas has been replaced with the usual ply and glass cloth, and much other deferred maintenance was attended to. (scroll over photos for captions)
 
Sir Francis is 22’ and built by Collings and Bell in 1916, powered by a Universal Utility Four. This engine was added in 1937. 
When launched she was named – Fairy, then renamed – Aloha and when Grandfather Drake purchased her in 1938, he changed the name again to Sir Francis. She has been owned by the Drake family for the last 81 years. 
The Drake brothers (Paul, Nigel, Roger and Michael) individually and collectively are a great bunch and between them own numerous woodys. I have meet them at the Lake Rotoiti Wooden Boat Parade. Photo below.
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Brothers Nigel and Roger on SF late 1950’s.

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Paul

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L to R – Michael, Paul, Nigel, Roger. Oldest to youngest

 

 

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JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES 

Every day this week WW will feature a video filmed at John’s recent speaking engagement at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. The language is a tad ‘blue’ in places, but thats how John rolls 🙂 NOTE VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT DO NOT DOWNLOAD WITHOUT PERMISSION. Videos edited & enhanced with the help of Andrew Christie.
PART ONE – Fosters The Beginning (turn your sound up)

 

UPCOMING VIDEOS
MONDAY–         Fosters The Beginning
TUESDAY–        History of The Breeze
WEDNESDAY– The schooner Daring
THURSDAY–     Amercias Cup
FRIDAY –            The steam crane ship Rapaki
SATURDAY–      Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata