Category Archives: Movie & Video

Classic Wooden Craft Overnight Trip Up The Wairoa River 

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NGARUNUI + LUCINDA ON-ROUTE TO CLEVEDON CRUISING CLUB
DOCKSIDE STROLL

Classic Wooden Craft Overnight Trip Up The Wairoa River 

Over the weekend we had our first woodys event for the classic boating summer season – a cruise up the Wairoa River to overnight at the Clevedon Cruising Club. Due to lock downs and weather bombs we had skipped a couple of years so the weekend was long overdue.

Given tidal access restrictions the weekend always starts with an early departure to the mouth of the Wairoa River, the smart ones leave on the Friday. 

The weather early (<5am)  Saturday morning was raining cats & dogs, but as if prearranged at 5.30am it stopped and we enjoyed a very pleasant dawn passage. The group gathered at 8.45am and journeyed up the river, always a tad anxious but it was a 3.6m tide so all good.

I snapped a gallery of photos of the woodys that are moored on-route – separate WW story tomorrow.

Our hosts , lead by Commodore Alister (Al) excelled themselves from the RIB on-hand to assist with docking to the world famous (on the river) Saturday night BBQ. The evening included raffles, outdoor fires, a singer and karaoke and even dessert provided. I can report no-one in the woodys group stepped up to karaoke the mike 🙂 Woody Dave Giddens donated several ‘old’ sails to the club which will be repurposed as shade sails around the clubhouse.

If you have never been on one of the trips you need to – the club facilities and hospitality is so traditional /  old school but in a cool way.

Included in the raffle prizes was a WW chopping board… I’ll need to talk to my copyright lawyer 🙂

We eat very well – sorry about the food pix but thats what you have to put up with 🙂

If you think that classic wooden craft are all sub 7 knotters check out the videos below of a couple of the voom-voomers.

(photos & videos ex Jason Prew & Alan H)

MY GIRL
LUCINDA

And a couple of the more relxed woodys

MOKOIA (fenders…….)
RAINDANCE

CLASSIC LOGAN GAFF RIGGED YACHT – WAIRIKI – Ponsonby Cruising Club

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CLASSIC LOGAN GAFF RIGGED YACHT – WAIRIKI – Ponsonby Cruising Club

Thursday night was the second event in the Ponsonby Cruising Club’s new initiative called ‘Featured Vessel Series’ , this time the vessel on display at one of the berths outside the Westhaven clubhouse was the 1904 Arch Logan designed, built by Bennett Bros & Stitchbury, 34’5’’ guff cutter yacht – WAIRIKI. 

15+ years ago thanks to the talent, determination and deep pockets of Jason Prew WAIRIKI was successfully saved from a beehive restoration and totally rebuilt and relaunched in 2010.  For the next 10 years Jason and WAIRIKI were a familiar sight at every classic event, then he saw the light and came over to the dark side with the purchase of the launch – MY GIRL, another total rebuild. This coincided with WAIRIKI being acquired by current owner – Keith Logan, grandson of Arch Logan. You can view the restoration at this link https://www.my-girl.co.nz/Wairiki1904/Welcome.html

Complimenting WAIRIKI was a collection of Arch Logans tools on display upstairs at the club, video below + ‘RUMBO’ spiced rum tasting 🙂

CLASSIC 1950’S WOODEN SKI BOAT

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CLASSIC 1950’S WOODEN SKI BOAT

The c.1950’s 14’ classic ski boat – CORKER was built by by Bay Boats, Hastings for a Hawkes Bay farming family that holidayed in Rotorua, the the boat was used to ski on Lake Okataina and Lake Rotoiti. 

CORKER recently popped up on the tme and to be brutally honest the main reason I have featured her on WW is her paint job, stunning – looks like it may need a refreash but she just looks perfect. Current owners have have not held bak with the TLC and maintain in recent times.

Video below of the 30hp Ford petrol engine running. 

HEADS UP – #2 PONSONBY CC Featured Vessels Event Next Week

The PCC is proud to announce their second in the series of “Thursday Featured Vessels” featuring the classic yacht – WAIRIKI on Thursday September 5.  This woody was designed by world renowned yacht designer – Arch Logan in 1904 and is now owned by his grandson – Keith Logan. 

WINTER CRUISING ON A 47′ CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT

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WINTER CRUISING ON A 47′ CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT

Today thanks to the eye / camera of Dean Wright we get to have a virtual Fiordland woody cruise aboard the launch – MONOWAI III. 

Lets start with some background – Dean and partner Deb are ‘frequent flyers’ when it comes to these cruising grounds. They were back there last in May 2019. As before guests of Andy and Brenda Bell aboard their launch – MONOWAI III for a week in Fiordland mid July.

This time they flew into Dusky Sound and worked their way North, Breaksea, Charles Sounds before flying out of George Sound a week or so later. They aced it with brilliant, calm weather and just a bit of rain. The photos above show a few of the amazing anchorages down there.

MONOWAI III is a 47’ Saunders, built by Harold Saunders in 1976, carvel kauri construction. Her beam is 11’10” and she draws 4’6”.

Forward motion is via a 8V71N GM. Lots more info on the boat in the 2019 WW story link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/05/06/monowai-iii/

Some Great Video Action To Finish

Lake Alice Anchorage:

Sportsmen Cove: 

A DORA BLU

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Today we are state side to have a tour of the 1933 Stephens Brothers built 43′ classic woody – A Dora Blu. I was sent the youtube link by John Dawson – now I ask that you ignore the youtube fluff at the start and the obvious sales pitch – trust me its worth checking out. I was very envious of the boat shed, must make caring for a classic a breeze. Her owners attention to maintaining the boats heritage looks and fit out is wonderful, but when they lift the engine bay covers the sight is a very big wow, twin Yanmar JHC120hp engines, proof that you do not need to weigh these old girls down with huge engines.

(note: some confusion on the build year – the nav light boards say 1931)

ID The Russell Yachts Friday Quiz Winner – Ken Fyle. WW burgee on the way – the yachts were – (L) XANTHO & (R) IIEX. As I thought a lot picked IIEX but only 2 correctly had XANTHO.

Probably NZ’s Biggest Classic – TSS Earnslaw

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Probably NZ’s Biggest Classic – TSS Earnslaw

I had cause to spend sometime last week/end in Queenstown and made the effort to take a ‘cruise’ across Lake Whakatipu on the 1912 built coal fired steamer –  TSS Earnslaw. I have visited Queenstown a lot in the past but mainly for business related events and was always running to a tight agenda – not so this trip.

A wedding invitation was the excuse for a visit, so while the rest of the family went for a long walk I boarded the ship, at nearly 160’ in length she is a ship.

Trip included a brief stop at the Walter Peak farm – a very impressive looking complex.

The conditions were perfect and woodys I would encourage you to do it if you are down that way. Enjoy the photo gallery.

And the wedding was a stunner – the best of everything – people, venue, food, wine and music. I think I danced more in one night than in the last 20 years, hopefully no one was filming 🙂

Harold Kidd – ‘Yachts and the Waitemata’ – Parts 3>6

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Following on from yesterday today we have PARTS #3/4/5 /6 – Recorded ‘live’ last Thursday evening at the Devonport Yacht Club- we have Harold Kidd speaking on the topic – ‘Yachts & the Waitemata, HDK broke the talk into several time periods.Apologise – Part #4 – 1945>65 is missing due to an editing error.

PART #3 – 1920 > 1945, Post war boom and bust, and boom again. • The rise of the one design and restricted centre board classes and their competitions • Launch building extended • Keel yacht building boom in the 1930s • The effect of WW2

PART 3

PART #4 (Missing) 1945 > 1965, post war boom again, new materials • Boom in keel yacht construction and offshore cruising • New materials arriving. • Designers take advantage of new materials • International contests

PART # 5 1965 to date • Increasing sophistication in design and use of materials• International racing success • Americas Cup • New Zealand at forefront of world yacht design and construction

PART 5

PART #6 Question time

PART 6

Harold Kidd – ‘Yachts & the Waitemata’ – Part Two

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PART TWO – A
PART TWO -B

Following on from yesterday, today we have PART #2 – Increasing sophistication, 1870 > 1900, Yacht Clubs & Regattas :-

• The first yacht clubs • Competition in the yacht building industry • Use of kauri and diagonal construction • The rise of the mullet boat as a type • Open sail boats • Exports of yachts • Volunteers • The rise of yacht clubs and the proliferation of regattas • Patikis

Recorded ‘live’ last Thursday evening at the Devonport Yacht Club- we have Harold Kidd speaking on the topic – ‘Yachts & the Waitemata, HDK broke the talk into several time periods.The filming was a last minute idea so the quality is a little average and on the night there were a few technical issue with the sound, I have edited the best I can.

NOTE: The slides on screen were always going to be average in terms of reproduction so I focussed on the man (HDK) and his narrative. Turn up your sound and enjoy (approx. 40 minutes)

Make sure you check out WW tomorrow for part #3

Probably The Best Classic Cruising Story Ever

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Probably The Best Classic Cruising Story Ever

Over the last 2+ years I have religiously followed a YouTube series put out by Madison Boatworks. Sounds very corporate but its the total opposite – a youngish couple named Jonathan & Whitney who refurbished a 1960 37’5” (on deck) ‘Ingrid’ ketch designed by William Atkin named Julia. After 4 years of working on the boat they left Seattle, Washington, USA and pointed the bow towards Mexico. After this the big call was made and they were off to the Pacific. There are 21 videos in the series that have clocked up over six million views and each one is gold. 

The cinematography and narrative is just outstanding. Jonathan is a wonderful storyteller and one follower commented that his voice is semi tranquillising – it is, the man should do sleep videos 🙂

I have featured their latest – ‘Exploring the islands of Fiji, Vanua Levu and Taveuni’ below. And also a link to the master YouTube collection

LINK TO MASTER LIBARAY COLLECTION https://www.youtube.com/c/MadisonBoatworks

RSVP > waitematawoodys@gmail.com

2024 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE – 200+ PHOTOS

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2024 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE – 200+ PHOTOS

Wow what a weekend , stunning weather, so many classic woody boats and as always at Lake Rotoiti – nice people.

Left Auckland at 5.30am to drive down – have to say the new Waikato expressway is so fast BUT so boring as a drive.

Arrived at my hosts Dave and Glenys Wilson lake front residence and collected the on-the-water transport for the day. Had a nice surprise in that the boat came with a skipper – local boatbuilder Alan Craig (Craig Marine) who over the last 10 years has rubbed up against most of the craft floating on the lake. This made my boat buddy – cabin boy, Grant Gibbs redundant but he accepted the demotion to #1 lackey.

After recent parade weekends have been effected by CV19 and weather bombs everyone was hanging out for a special day afloat and we got it in spades. 

Todays photo gallery is loosely broken into 3 sections – Mooching About / Parade / Picnic.

Enjoy – if I missed your boat – sorry, next year. Tomorrow I will do a story on the Albatross runabouts that were a major part of the parade – I believe the biggest turnout in the Southern Hemisphere.

A couple of videos below.

REMEMBER – CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE


09-02-2024 UPDATE – Video of the fleet at the Picnic