Category Archives: Mystery Boat

CLASSIC WOODEN WORKBOAT AT LEIGH

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CLASSIC WOODEN WORKBOAT AT LEIGH

As mentioned last week Tobias Forsyth located a treasure trove of old photos from the Leigh area, a mx of workboats and pleasure craft. 

Todays photo shows a small workboat (Reg # 15156) with an interesting mix of steading sails. She looks a little too smart to be a commercial fishing boat, but there does appear to be a long-line set-up on her stern.

Vessel name unknown, but the Reg No. must make ID’ing her easy for someone with a reference of vessels ‘v’ numbers.

The photographer is listed as Robyn Kellian.

CLASSIC WOODEN BRIDGE-DECKER AT LEIGH – WONDABYNE

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CLASSIC WOODEN BRIDGE-DECKER AT LEIGH – WONDABYNE

Recently Tobias Forsyth located a treasure trove of old photos from the Leigh area, a mx of workboats and pleasure craft. 

Todays photo shows a bridge-decker sporting a steading sail. Vessel name unknown, the photographer is listed as Robyn Kellian.

In my eyes the classic wooden launch looks like LADY JOYCE , refer WW link https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/03/22/lady-joyce/ but I’m wrong more often than I’m right, so hopefully we can put a name to the launch.

INPUT ex NATHAN HERBERT – its WONDABYNE – SEE BELOW https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/03/02/wondabyne-pakatoa/

MYSTERY DOUBLE ENDER MOTOR BOAT

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MYSTERY DOUBLE ENDER MOTOR BOAT

Todays classic wood launch popped up recently on the NZ cars, boats, motor bikes etc fb , via Lew Redwood. The photo comes from the Auckland maritime museum collection and the photographer is unknown.

Reviewing the photos the 2nd one above is minus flagstaff/s and ensign / burgee, so safe to assume different days.

Are we able to ID the launch.

24-07-2026 HAROLD KIDD INPUT – What a pretty boat! I’ve asked Gavin Pascoe of the Wellington Classic Yacht Trust to look around. I have some ideas. I think she’s an Auckland-built launch, about 20-22ft, 1907 or so and would pick Bailey & Lowe, maybe Logan Bros or Chas Bailey in that order. If my woolly suspicions are correct she was built first for Picton.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCHES ON THE KAIPARA

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SWANEE
WEONA
AVALON
UNKNOWN

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCHES ON THE KAIPARA

Over the weekend Travers Reynolds was mooching around the Kaipara Harbour (Pahi / Whakpirau) in his kayak and snapped the gallery of photos above.

As Travers commented there is a mix of presentation on display – some on the way out and some in fine fettle. 

Very sad to she the current condition of the launch SWANEE, she appeared on WW back in August 2015 , link below. The last decade hasn’t been kind to her, hopefully its just paint. https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/08/29/swanee/

Other woodys sighted are WEONA, AVALON and an unknown, well at least no name displayed.

CLASSIC LAUNCHES AT GREAT BARRIER ISLAND

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CLASSIC LAUNCHES AT GREAT BARRIER ISLAND

Todays woody photo comes to us from Gt Barrier Island fb via Ian McDonald. Ian commented that the photo was captioned ‘ Nagle Cove, Great Barrier, 1960’s’.

Obviously the uber cool game boat LADY DOREEN is front and centre, can we ID the launch behind her, very distinctive windows / ports configuration.

The photo looks slightly familiar but I can not find it on WW, the presence of the ‘NZ Tourist Air Travel’ flying boat is probably playing games with my memory. 

MYSTERY 1965 COROMANDEL LAUNCH – LADY WINN

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MYSTERY 1965 COROMANDEL LAUNCH – LADY WINN

Earlier in the week todays photo popped up on the ’Timespanner’ page and comes to us via . The comment was that the photo was from Graeme Macdonald and captioned ‘ Boats of Coromandel Harbour, July 1965’, and was taken by Pat A Macdonald.

The centre vessel is quite a beast, very beamy. Doesn’t look like a commercial craft – can we ID her.

INPUT FROM RUSSELL WARD & HAROLD KIDD – the launch is Sam Strongman’s LADY WINN

Nice to see the cold snap has not stopped some woodys from enjoying their craft – photos below of FELICITARIE and SUSAN JANE in Oneroa, Waiheke Island. Photos ex Angus Rogers from onboard CENTAURUS,

MYSTERY TIM WINDSOR DESIGNED CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH

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MYSTERY TIM WINDSOR DESIGNED CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH

Recently the prolific fb poster Lew Redwood has been sniffing around the Maritime Museum photo archives and has discovered ( I use that term because so much of the museums treasures are ‘hidden away’ ) a treasure trove to old b/w boating images from the 1940’s.

Today thanks to Lew we get to see a 26’ classic wooden launch that was designed by Tim Windsor and built at the Shipbuilders yard in Auckland.

The photo is dated 1948 and the photographer is most likely Tim Windsor.

Can we put a name to this classic wooden launch and learn what became of her.

CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – GRYPHON

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CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – GRYPHON

Over the weekend WW was contacted by Glenys Milne who writes / edits the Sandspit Yacht Club newsletter regarding the launch GRYPHON, seen in the above photo.

The vessel had recently been ‘hauled’ out at Sandspit by the Harbourmaster, and due to neglect, was demolished.   Glenys was hoping to via WW uncover  some early history on GRYPHON and commented that she appears to have had a once fine hull, but had had alterations over time eg the enclosed cockpit. 

I tongue in cheek refer to these additions like this as TV1/2/3 i.e. she appears to have 3 TV screens on her 🙂
So woodys – can we help Glenys out with some history on GRYPHON.

WHAT BECAME OF THE CLASSIC LAUNCH – OK

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WHAT BECAME OF THE CLASSIC LAUNCH – OK

During the week WW was contacted by Maxine Dignan a descendant of the Sanderson family from Whangaroa, Northland.  Maxine advised she was currently writing a history of the family. During the research process she came across the photo above of a launch named – OK, pictured in Whangaroa Harbour, with Eric Sanderson at the helm.The photo was in her great-aunt’s album, but sadly with nothing more than the name the boat name and skipper.

Maxine commented that she had also found on WW mention of Eric Sanderson, most often about the launch MANAAKI. She also has links to him re the HAZEL and his brother Alan ( who was the Whangaroa Harbourmaster) on the LOTUS, and apparently Alan also owned the CONDETTE and the  RIO. Eric’s son Jim, grandson Bruce and his sons have all carried on the family commercial fishing business.

With that distinctive bow pattern / caving she must be a Bailey & Lowe boat. And with a very memorable name like OK, we must be able to tell Maxine more about the vessel. So woodys what can we share with Maxine.

INPUT ex HAROLD KIDD – she is Te Whara built by Bailey & Lowe (obviously) in late 1916 for TL and N Drummond of Whangarei. The only local O.K was built by James Reid in 1909 as a passenger launch for Capt Stentiford. Misnamed in the caption I think.

JUST NEED TO FIND THE 8MM MOVIE PROJECTOR IN THE STORAGE LOCKUP 


One of the Friday night gang is an antique dealer and travels the country sourcing goods, these days mainly ‘old’ gold.During the week at one location he spotted a stack of old 8mm movies, on closer inspection one to him may have had appeal to me (note I’m being very PC). Titled ‘Nautical Nudes’ , filmed c.1960 – for the sensitive WW readers I have edited the cover photo, when and if its viewed I will report back 😉

HOW MANY OF THESE CLASSIC CRAFT WERE SAVED.

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HOW MANY OF THESE CLASSIC CRAFT WERE SAVED.

While using the WW search box yesterday for the SOS – SOUTHERN MAID story I typed in SOS and was amazed how many WW stories had SOS in the headline of text (selection above)

Ata glance not many of them were saved. The common denominator was lack of timing, in most cases WW was contacted with less than 24hrs notice of an appointment with a back-hoe.

Click on this link to see all the SOS stories . https://waitematawoodys.com/page/2/?s=SOS&submit=Search

Also any update on the classic launch – SILENS, last I heard , $500 would have secured ownership. A great project boat, hopefully saved.