Saturday was a very special day for the Auckland woody community – we got to celebrate with Milford boatbuilder Geoff Bagnall as he re-launched the 31’ 1973 Roy Parris designed and built launch – Achilles.
Geoff has built and restored a lot of very fine craft in his 19 years at the Milford yard, but the refit of Achilles is extra special because she used to be his fathers boat. Amazingly Warrick was there to witness the launching and he looked very happy, on two fronts – seeing Achilles back family ownership and it was also his 90th birthday, a cake appeared and a bloke’ish version of happy birthday was sung 🙂
Geoff also served his apprenticeship under Roy Parris so the bond with the launch is deep.
Achilles will most likely be Geoff’s last big project – in a few days he will close the shed for the last time – that is a very sad day for us woody owners but this story is all about Warrick, Geoff and Achilles, more on the future of the shed later. Today we had 4 generations of the Bagnall family coming together for the party.
Over the last 18 months I have watched Geoff crafting over the refit and the standard of workmanship and design smarts is second to none, the man has a very good eye for size, proportion and just what looks right when it comes to boats. I have had the pleasure to have Geoff work on Raindance for over 10 years and she is now twice the boat she was when I bought her in terms of practicality and looks, as a result of Geoff’s input and craft.
Some details on the ’new’ Achilles – she now measures 31’ in length, is powered by a new Yanmar 200hp turbo that will she her dancing along very nicely. That stunning finish comes from being glassed (I quote Geoff- “I don’t want to be bloody working on her again in my life-time”) and she has all the latest features to make life aboard very comfortable. There are still a few wee jobs to complete but I think you’ll agree from the photos above and video below, Achilles is an impressive sight and a wonderful example of Geoff’s skills.
Below is a selection of photos taken ‘in-the-shed’ during the refit.
If you are reading WW today, chances are you are not at Mahurangi, so to make up for it today we have a totally stunning 16minute video filmed & edited by Roger Mills of the 2018 event. Roger filmed the footage using a drone.
It truly is breathtaking & what makes it even cooler is the coverage of the Classic Launch Parade. I recommend to watch the video in it entirety, but if you are time poor, skip to the 1:50 mark.
This footage could easily be re-branded as a tourism NZ movie.
Enjoy the film, link below – 2019 regatta photos will be on WW on Tuesday.
Normally on Boxing Day you would expect a boatbuilders yard to be very quiet – but if your were anywhere near Greg Salthouse’s Greenhite yard on the 26th Dec you would have witnessed a very special event. The yard launched two sister 10m weekender boats – ARIHI and GRACE.
Below is the story behind these two stunning launches, as told to me by Delayne Salthouse –
“Nick Peal has been with Salthouse Boatbuilders for over 38 years, and in that time construction methods have morphed and developed to achieve better this, faster that, lighter these or more efficient those. While those improvements are important and incorporated where needed, for the likes of Nick there is nothing better than getting back to the beautiful basics of a traditional build.
You can imagine the excitement when the yard received a brief to design & build two traditional looking 10m craft that would reclaim some of the classic lines and charm of New Zealand’s coastal cruiser. This is in sharp contrast to the imported ‘plastic creations’ we see so many of in New Zealand boating in these days.
The concept plans and line drawings were done by Chris Salthouse, from these Nick has crafted Arihi & Grace utilising double skin ply, with solid timber keelson and gunwale, The boats were then heavily sheathed with double bias glass to make a robust, strong and lightweight boat.”
They are powered by a Hyundai 270hp stern leg, will cruise at 25-30 knts, and top out at around 37 knts. There is a huge super king front island berth + quarter berth with ample saloon seating that can also be a berth. Head, shower, simple cooker, fridge, large cockpit. PLUS Trailerable !!!
The boats are very easy on the eye and I have already had people asking me – who, what, where in terms of the designer / builder.
Well done Greg, Delayne, Chris, Nick & the team at Salthouses – I think you are onto a winner here.
The Launching
Arihi Splashes
Grace Splashes
Photo below sent in by Steve Finnigan – lots of zoom used on the camera/phone
On recent work travels Adrian Pawson came across the very salty wee ship Naiad. Adrian was able to uncover that she is currently being restored by Pete Messenger in a shed at Woolwich Dock in Sydney. She was apparently built locally in approximately 1949 by W.L Holmes at the McMahons Point boatyard in Sydney. She is planked in Oregon timber with a spotted gum keel. LOA is 28ft.
Recently she was sold in derelict condition as part of a deceased estate. Her new owner has commissioned a full refit including splining and sheathing in glass fibre. She currently has no engine.
The timing of the email from Adrian was a little scary as I had just received an email from Australian woody, Andrew Christie, who owns the stunning launch Folly III that recent appeared on WW via a youtube video. Andrew sent me details on the 21’ ex woodys work boat – Nifity, she was built in 1962 by Norman Wright & Sons.
Andrew commented that Nifity was an ex ‘line boat’. Line boats had the job of collecting the ‘lines’ from incoming ships & bringing the lines ashore, at the same time as the bigger tugs were manoeuvring the ship.
UPDATE ON WAITEMATAWOODY T-SHIRT ORDERS – RESPONSE HAS BEEN HUGE, SO HUGE I WILL BE CLOSING THE ORDER BOOK EARLY – LAST DAY WAS NOV 30TH BUT I HAVE AMENDED THAT TO TUESDAY 27TH. IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT ORDERING, DO IT NOW. DETAILS HERE
Last year we featured the 1947, 36’ Roy Lidgard launch Awarua twice on WW, with photos of her afloat & even a ‘peek down below’(WW links below)
In recent chats with owner Ross Mason, he mentioned that he had hauled out at Pine Harbour & put her in the Harkins Boat Builders shed, where Jared Kirby & team were painting her topsides. A Altex alkyd 7 coat (roller & brush) system was used that consisted of – x2 coats primer, x3 undercoats & x2 gloss coats. Prior to this the hull was sanded back to bare wood in places.
You will see in the above photos that her kauri hull was in excellent condition, a great testament to the kauri timber used & the skills of her original builders. Ross understands that the kauri used originated from the Naval Dockyards.
I’m (as is Ross) very impressed with the end results, she was always a very smart ship, now she is up there with the finest in our woody fleet. Well done to everyone involved & Ross for the biting the bullet & commissioning the work.
MY GIRL and PACIFIC Relaunched – 60+ Wooden Boat Photos
Big day on Saturday in the woody world, we had the launching of Pacific & My Girl. Pacific is a 1917 Joe Slattery designed & built launch, owned by Nathan Herbert, & has been out all winter at Milford Crusing Club’s yard getting a major over-haul – hats off to Nathan, Pacific is a stunner, the perfect choice & mix of colours & varnish. It has been a long winter but from the smiles on everyones face, dock-side, it was all worth it. This WW link will give you a peek at what she used to look like. https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/02/07/5898/
Well done Nathan & Steven + a big cast of helpers thru-out the project.
Second splash was Jason Prew’s – 1925, Dick Lang built ‘My Girl’, also re-launched at MCC. Jason’s re-build of My Girl has been a very long 4 years, mostly out of sight in a cold (& sometimes wet) commercial storage yard. My Girl arrived at MCC approx. 6 weeks ago for the final touches. Some of NZ’s most respected woodys were shaking their heads when Jason bought My Girl, she was so close to being a BeeHive (box of matches) restoration, but Jason has a track record of bring woodys back from the dead & that he did with My Girl. This link will show you what he started with https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/12/12/my-girl/
To see more of the project – check out his weblog. https://www.my-girl.co.nz/mygirl/Welcome.html
Post launching, I managed to score an invite to go for a blast on My Girl, she is fast (my lips are sealed) but I expected that, what really impressed my was the ride – very smooth. The question of the day was – are classic woodys allowed trim tabs 🙂 I seem to recall James Mobberley had some ‘additions’ on Falcon…………..
Today’s woody story features a 5’10” video on Folly III, a 33’ cruiser designed by W. Holmes & built by his sons, Reginald & William, c.1920 in Sydney, Australia. Her beam is 9′ & she draws 3′.
I understand Holmes senior was a kiwi builder that moved to Sydney to build bridges & later turned his talents to wooden boats, of all shapes & sizes.
I’m sure HDK will be able to enlighten us on the man.
The Folly III design follows the look of the popular American Lake Union Dream Boats.
The video is beautifully shot in Moreton Bay, Queensland & has a ‘colourful’ commentary from the Folly III owner, Stephen Lake 🙂 Enjoy
Thanks to woody John Sloane for the heads up on the video.
I have had a long vicarious association with Lucinda, myself & friends used to sit in the Devonport Yacht Club & look out at her moored in what appeared to be the main channel of Waitemata Harbour. I think we even took bets of how long before she sank, then one day Nathan Herbert rocks up, tracks down the owner & buys her. Her extraction & removal of her beard was covered off on WW her at the link below:
Then she was towed to Milford Marina & hauled out for a 2+ years restoration (some photos from then included above). Nathan is an engineer & very fastidious so all the work was 120%. You can view her relaunch at the WW link below:
I do not normally do ‘long’ 4sale features on WW but (a) Nathan is a mate (b) Lucinda would have to be the best presented, best looking, value for money classic woody on the market. For $30k, you will be boating this coming weekend. And for the record, given the extent of the work done on her – I think Nathan is a little low on the asking price, it should be closer to $40k in my eyes.
And the question you are all most likely thinking – “Why is he selling?” – simple answer, he had the opportunity to purchase a classic woody that has been in his family for 100+ years, you don’t pass on something like that, so Nathan is back in the restoration mode.
My advice to anyone interested in her – buy her & quick, unlike most classic woodys, she will not be on the market for long.
Below is her story & details on the restoration project.
Lucinda was built in 1930 in Auckland by LC Coulthard and has a beautifully sound single skin Kauri hull with solid kauri cabin. With the help of classic boating experts, I completed a 2.5 year restoration/rebuild of her that saw her stripped back to bare hull and cabin sides, fully checked over and all other components rebuilt/replaced. Lucinda has covered over 1000 miles since relaunch in 2016.
She is a good looker from every angle, is extremely roomy for her 27ft and uses very little fuel with her relatively modern diesel engine.
Lucinda is very seaworthy and with her high bow and V-bottom hull shape she barely rolls and rides over waves well. She is easy to manoeuvre and with her 2ft 6” draft it is easy to find safe anchorage close to shore!
All of Lucinda’s gear is built to last and top quality.
Hull
Stripped bare inside and out and repainted in Altex system.
Kauri carvel construction with copper fasteners.
Large pohutukawa knees throughout with extra large kauri knees in the bow area.
All sawn frames re-fastened.
Both bulkheads replaced, with extra sawn hardwood frames added in these areas.
New solid Jarrah engine beds fitted.
All keel bolts replaced with large custom-made copper bolts.
Keel is solid kauri with no hogging.
Decks
Foredeck (bow area) stripped back to original laid kauri deck. Some planks replaced, then whole deck ply covered and fibre glassed over.
Side decks excellent condition kauri planked with solid pohutukawa belting. Stripped bare and laid over with new fibre glass.
Cockpit roof completely replaced with treated plywood and fibre glassed over. Other cabin roofs are sound, and fibre glassed already.
Cabin sides
Solid Kauri sides stripped bare inside and out and repainted in Altex system. Windows all removed and resealed with sikaflex.
Drivetrain
c.1990 Perkins Prima 50hp diesel rebuilt (new pistons, rebuilt block, crank, valvegear, head) by Taylor Automotive in 2017.
Borg Warner velvet drive 2:1 hydraulic transmission.
Solid bronze shaft. New custom- made 4 blade propeller to match.
Steering gear
New marine grade stainless steel rudder. Teleflex cable steering.
Solid bronze shoe from keel to rudder pintle
Practical and unobtrusive Garmin GPS/fishfinder etc.
Interior
All upholstery replaced, with double V-berth in bow and two singles in saloon area.
Sink and solid kauri bench / seating in cockpit. I have always used a portable gas stove and a portable compressor fridge for simplicity, which are not included in the sale.
Full headroom in the cockpit and bridge (very tall interior in bridge) and about 5’5” in saloon area.
Marine toilet located underneath a lifting section of the for’d berth to starboard.
General fittings
Solid bronze cleats, bow roller, electric anchor capstan etc etc.
Manson Boss anchor with 16m chain, spliced to rope, very safe system.
Full-height varnished hardwood Samson post for anchoring.
Oregon mast on bronze tabernacle.
Varnished hardwood grab rails.
Top quality fitted cockpit covers.
Automatic deluge-resistant ventilators on foredeck.
Whitianga Mystery Launch + Akarana Launch Day ‘Home’ Movie
Great photo above dated December 1950 of a lot of pleasure craft at Whitianga – the question is can we ID the white launch in the middle of the photo? Baden Pascoe will chip in, I’m sure 🙂
The Launching of Akarana
I was sent the above 2 minute ‘home’ movie by Ngairene Rogers of the launching of the 1960 Auckland pilot boat Akarana, designed by A.J. Collings & built by W.G. Lowe. Ngairene promised me the a copy of the movie approx. 8 months ago & I was pleasantly surprised when it arrived in the post. I’m sure Dick & Colleen Fisher, owners of Akarana, will be rapt to view it. So thank you Ngarene for sharing it with us.
(sorry about the ‘tattoo’s the middle off the screen – the price you pay for free hosting)
Ngairene’s brother Wade worked on Akarana when he was an apprentice in the early 1960s. He also did all the interior and detail work on Deodar (the harbour police launch), Ngairene commented that Wade was such a good boatbuilder that all the wealthy “yachties” used to ask that he be the one to work on their precious yachts, even though he was an apprentice.
The movie is in two parts, one section in black and white and the other in colour. There are also a few of bits of the boatbuilders clowning around (or working?), such as putting a plank of wood into a steamer.
Ngairene occasionally is in contact with one of the apprentices (Ross MacIntosh) featured in the movie, Ross lives in the Auckland suburb of Mt Roskill. In the movie Ross is the one wearing a pale short sleeved shirt and (short) brown shorts with a hammer sticking out of the belt on the left side – he walks away from the camera at one point then looks back over his shoulder and bends his left arm backwards as if waving.
You can view/read more on Dick Fisher’s restoration of Akarana here
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