Greyhound + Johnny Wray On TV + Bargain Woody 4sale

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GREYHOUND

Greyhound was an ex WWII 40′ high speed launch .Ex Air Force out of Hobsonville. One of four launches built in the late 1930’s >early 1940′, as Waitemata chase boats for the Catalinas. They were W44; W45; W46; and W88 (now in Wigram Museum). Greyhound is thought to be W45.  She is a sister ship to Jaguar, already featured on woodys  (16.8.2014). The above photo are ex John Bullivant & the present owner, Mark Allen (trademe) via Ken Ricketts.
Allen bought the boat in December 2014 in Tutukaka & motored it down the coast to Whangerei and then took it by road to Helensville, where it resides today. It was out of the water for 6 months being re-glassed & repainted.
During the war it had two engines and would do between 30 and 40 knots, plane over the water. These days she is powered by a 120hp Ford diesel(12 knots), that is currently undergoing repair. If you are looking for a project with some history, I understand the vessel is for sale.

Input from John Bullivant – “below is a photo of Jaguar I took in the 70s. She is on the ramp at Bucklands Beach Yacht Club having just been hauled out. The Hansens who owned her had an engineering business in Harp of Erin producing grease guns amongst other products ( I still have one of their grease guns). Jaguar definitely had two stroke diesels at the time this photo was taken (used to love the sound of them). She was moored at little Bucklands beach, pretty much straight out from the owners house for years. I lived on The Parade at Bucklands for many years and saw many well known boats come and go up and down the river including Imatra, Jaguar, Golden Lotus (Alan Harnish and later Rick Irvine who put the cabin on her for diving use) Tarapunga, Alert, Carroma, Jane Gifford, Romo, Rainbow and Rainbow ii and hundreds more. Fleetwing Junior (with cabin) was moored almost in front of our place (belonged to a school friends parents at the time)
Coincidentally there was a plywood yacht of around 45ft named Fleetwood moored about 200ft from her as well.
It was a great place to live in the 60s and 70s and 80s as the river was like Queen st most weekends, but as the price of gas went up there seemed to be fewer launches going out regularly. I’ve noticed a big drop off in weekend boating in the last 20 yrs (maybe it’s just me) but I’ve been out sailing on a few perfect days between Browns Bay and Rangi and been all on my own with not a boat in sight. The first time that happened I thought I was missing something – like a Tsunami warning, a very odd feeling to be out there on your own on a perfect day, would not have been like that in the 70s as the whole area would have been populated with boats of all types.”

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The Johnny Wray & Ngataki Story –  On TV Tonight (Sat 18th)

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Just a quick heads up that Television NZ will be screening tonight (Sat 18th) the latest series of ‘Te Radars Chequered Past’ on TVOne at 8:05pm. In the opening episode Radar retells the story of Johnny Wray & Ngataki’s creation. I’m told its a cracker & not to be missed – but if you do miss it, in this wonder digital world, you will be able to view it later ‘OnDemand’ link below.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/ondemand/te-radars-chequered-past
Enjoy 🙂

36′ Grand Banks – ‘NO SALT’ – Must Be Sold – Offers over $50,000 will buy her
Check out the trademe link http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/motorboats/auction-1258171194.htm
Owner contactable on 021 025 46184

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Trolling On The Lake – Mokoia

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Trolling On The Lake – Mokoia

The above photo, ex Harold Kidd, is of Mokoia, fishing on Lake Rotorua. The question of the day is – when was she built and who built her?
The first correct answer in the ww comments section, after 6.30am, scores a 2017 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Calendar.

Harold Kidd Input – MOKOIA was built by Bailey & Lowe in December 1903 for the Hot Lakers Steam Navigation Co. Typical “settler’s launch” by Bailey & Lowe, very similar to Chas Bailey Jr’s MILKMAID type. There were hundreds of these all over New Zealand.

Marangi – Sailing Sunday + CYA Events Update

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MARANGI – Sailing Sunday
The photo above of Marangi is ex the September 1910 edition of the NZ Yachtsman magazine, sent to me by Ken Ricketts.
The photo (9/10/1910)is just prior to her launch in Auckland, where she was built at the Le Huquet yard. She possibly went to Wellington. Can any of the woodys enlighten us on her details & history?

A Little Boat Porn
Check out this video of Rosemary III, designed by William Fife III & built in 1925 by William Fife Fairlie. waterline length is 25′ (38’6″ overall) with a 8’6″ beam. The video shows hr sailing in Falmouth, UK in early December 2017, post a very sympathetic restoration by a relative of William Fife III. For sale for NZD$520k – makes the Logan – Little Jim, a steal for around 25% that price – enter Little Jim in the ww search box for details.
Enjoy 🙂

CYA Event Updates – Update Your Diaries

Don’t always believe what you read – 🙂 there have been several changes to the CYA launch / cruising calendar.

  1. Firstly next Saturdays (18/02) lunch cruise to the Riverhead hotel has been cancelled. But there is a replacement event – an overnight raft-up at Fairway Bay (Gulf Harbour), we did this once before & it was a lot of fun. Note there is a tight window for entering & leaving the basin (gate/boom) so refer copy of CYA newsletter below for details.
  2. March 3>5 is the dates for the CYA Yacht Regatta, this year on the final day (5th) there will be a Launch Parade, just prior to a cruise to the Riverhead hotel.Full details in the newsletter below.

RSVP for these events to    admin@classicyacht.org.nz

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3/4’s a Woody – Wild Horses

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3/4’s a WOODY – WILD HORSES

Taupo woody’s Cathy & Shawn Vennell own a rather special zoom zoom woody, Judy H – a 19’6″ Chris Craft replica speed boat, which I have had the pleasure of skimming over the top of Lake Rotoiti in. For an 8 knot woody, doing 75kph+ is like space travel 🙂 You can check out Judy H here    https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/02/10/the-two-extremes-of-classic-boating/

Last weekend the Vennell’s turned up at the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat weekend with a floating bach – a Mason Clipper named Wild Horses. Now this addition to the Vennell fleet was not a total surprize to me as we had chatted on & off last winter about the suitability of a MC for Shawn & the family.

Wild Horses has a plastic (f/glass) bum but there is enough wood else where to get the ww tick. Zoom zoom comes from a very grunty V8 (Shawn will chip in soon with details)
Already Wild Horses has made a lot of Vennell love & looks stunning – can not wait till next year to see what else they will (tastefully) do to her 🙂

Korara

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KORARA

Korara was built in 1962 by Snow Waters to a design by naval architect, John E. Powell, UK.  The 37’6″ design is for a ‘sport- fishing’ motorboat which can cruise at a good speed in the rough conditions of the English Channel without slowing.
She is a very practical boat with an extremely well built kauri carvel hull. Zoom zoom comes from a 120hp Ford diesel that sees her cruises at 8 knots using very little diesel. While she probably can sail without the engine, her owner has never tried. She has a main stored on the boom under a brand new cover (beige, not shown) and a couple of headsails which have never been out. The main works excellently as designed, to steady her in a sea.
Some specs:
• There are two large plastic fuel tanks in a walk around engine room with about 5ft headroom. Engine room even has its own porcelain hand basin!
• Her propeller and rudder are bronze, the rudder being supported by a large, beautifully cast solid bronze shoe.
• Sleeping is via – 5 singles and 1 double berth.
• Decks are double (possibly triple) diagonally laid with no leaks and no movement save for the odd small seam crack.
• Coamings are all varnished teak including skylight, hinged 2 ways and removable all on bronze fittings, over the aft double cabin.
• Interior is in excellent condition, with all solid teak mouldings. Floorboards are teak and all wear areas are very thick teak (staircases, steps, handles etc)
• Gas stove / grill / oven is used very little. Water in 3 basins is fed from a header tank which is topped up by manual pump from a large stainless underfloor tank.

Korara is a special boat that has been fortunate to have been owned by a very talented & passionate woody. This owner is asking a very reasonable price – $75k ono, I hope a good buyer steps up soon & buys her, she deserve to be passed onto someone who will continue to appreciate her & care for her.
I’m not always a fan of the high gloss varnish coamings but Korara would look like a million dollars if you did the Uroxsys (Awlwood MA ) varnish treatment on her 😉

I very rarely post trademe links but I like the owners & I like the boat – so here you go – buy it.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/motorboats/auction-1237123330.htm
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Spindrift – A Short Movie – Sailing Sunday

Spindrift – A Short Movie – Sailing Sunday

http://www.nzonscreen.com/title/spindrift-1968

The NZ On Screen link to this 9 minute 1968 movie was sent to me by Hamish Stanaway.
Its a cracker with lots of familiar boats & faces – bare with the 1st 1:30 minutes, the sailing starts approx then. Enjoy

Sailing Sunday Eye Candy – Kahurangi & Manitou

Photo © Nico Martinez XXII REGATA ILLES BALEARS CLÀSSICS

Photo © Nico Martinez XXII REGATA ILLES BALEARS CLÀSSICS

Sailing Sunday Eye Candy – Kahurangi & Manitou

Baden Pascoe forwarded me the above photos of Kahurangi ex Pepe d Miguel. The ‘old’ girl is looking very sharp & looking very much at home on the Med. classic sailing circuit. She was built by Percy Vos in 1952 & would have to be one of the prettiest yacht to slide down the Vos slip.

MANITOU – JF Kennedy

 

Check out the link to the video clip below to view JFK’s old yacht, Manitou. Same bloodlines as Dorade & Stormy Weather i.e. a Sparkman & Stephens (Design #90), she is one of Olin Stephens finest. Launched in 1937, LO= 62′, LW= 44′, Beam+ 13’9″, draft= 8’6″. She carvel & made from mahogany on oak frames. Rumour has it that Aristotle Onassis tried to buy her once. The open fireplace is very me 🙂
If you are interested – 4sale in France for USD$1.3 million – makes the sale price of our Rawhiti the buy of the century.

$1 Reserve

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$1 Reserve
This has to be a project for one of the woodys. I was alerted to this cutie on trademe by Scott Taylor.

Currently located in Paeroa (Waikaato) she measures 22’4″ & has no motor. As architects say about good houses – ‘she has great bones’, so woodys – someone must be looking for a project? Would be a cool lake boat – Rod Prosser, up for another lake boat ……….?  🙂

ps check out the motor in the background of one of the photos – wheres the monster going?

Now at the other end of the scale – check out the the youtube movie below. Its records the build of a one-off modern classic wooden boat – amazing to view the amount of time & skill that goes into building a wooden boat these days – enjoy 🙂

The Mullet Boat – Buona Sera

The Mullet Boat – Buona Sera

Chris McMullen sent me the link to this cool little youtube movie on the mullet boat – Buona Sera.

Chris commented that there is a slight oops in the commentary in regard to his involvement in the build – Eric had the boat half built before Chris met him 🙂
Chris believes Eric used the moulds received from Morrie Palmer who had just built the first cold moulded diagonally planked mullet Boat. He called it Controversy as that what it caused. He was barred from racing her for a time!
Buona Sera was the second diagonally planked boat. Chris’s Tamatea L-10 (featured already on ww) was the last boat built using carvel construction.
Enjoy the movie.

On the topic of mullet boats – this years Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition at the Karanga Plaza (in front of Viaduct Events Centre) celebrates THE MULLET BOAT’s. As always with the Tino Rawa events it will be a not to be missed classic wooden boating event. So put a circle in the diary for the weekend of October 8>9th, 10.00am > 4.00pm. More details closer to the event 😉

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3 Ladies + Movie Premier Invite

3Ladys

Lady Sandra, Connie & ValSan

Photo above of three of our most elegant classic ladies – Lady Sandra, Connie & ValSan rafted up (photos ex Ken Jones, emailed to me by Ken Ricketts).
Also today I have news on a very cool film premier that will appeal to all woodys – see/read below.

Poster

Adrian Pawson & partner Nina Wells have produced a very cool movie called ‘Birds of a Feather’. Nina is the real star as its her film – she produced & directed it. The film is based on the annual Seagull outboard race on the Waikato River, over the last 18months I have seen numerous drafts & rough cuts, trust me it’s a goodie. See synopsis below & click on the link to view the trailer 😉

Adrian has asked if waitematawoodys could help promote the NZ premier of the film, the answer of course was yes. The screening is at The Vic Theater in Devonport & seats are very limited.

Tickets are only $10. I would encourage you to book online asap at http://www.thevic.co.nz  Its unlikely there will be door sales on the night.

Film Synopsis:
For the 30th consecutive year, a modest group of eccentrics assemble at the base of the Karapiro hydro dam, ready to embark on one the world’s longest and most challenging small boat races. The Great Waikato Seagull race draws contestants from all round New Zealand, all vying to conquer the mighty Waikato river but with an unlikely choice of hardware.

The British Seagull once touted as ‘The best outboard motor in the world’ is now famous for all the wrong reasons. With a reputation for being hopelessly unreliable, the British seagull is a relic of modern technology dating back to the second world war.

‘Birds of a Feather’ is the story of seagull racing on the Waikato where competitors from all walks of life, battle 141km downstream subjecting themselves to an arduous two day challenge that will test their patience, tempers and humour! They don’t have to be crazy, but it certainly helps!

Information:

6.30pm Sunday 25th September
THE VIC DEVONPORT
Cinema – Theatre – Cafe – Gelateria
Ph: +64 9 446 0100
48-56 Victoria Rd, Devonport 0624, Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.thevic.co.nz
Opportunity to get pre drinks etc and mingle from 6pm in the lounge bar
DVDs of the film will be available for purchase after the screening $25 Cash
POA Blu-ray DVDs are possibly available depending on numbers of requests
Book tickets :

http://www.thevic.co.nz/movies/11992.php

TRAILER

WEBSITE

http://www.birdsofafeather.nz