Todays woody was nearly one of those projects that got started then life and time got in the way – thankfully Simon Raikes discovered the hull and took on the project.
What we see above is the result of Simon’s very talented skills. Simon’s company Craftbuilt won the 2023 Supreme Award at the Master Joinery Awards.
The launch is 30’ in length, constructed of diagonal laminated kauri planks and powered by a 80hp Ford D series engine. Not a lot more is known about the launch, so if anyone recognizes her – let us know.
Email in the location of the image in the photo below and all correct entries go in the draw for a WW cap. waitematawoodys@gmail.com Closes 6pm 25-06-2023
Today woody recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald), the listing doesn’t tell us anything about who built her and when but what we do know is –
30’ in length, she started life as a trawler from Greymouth. Then brought up to Picton and at some stage converted to a yacht then filled wth concrete to negate the need for chalking caulking. Later convert to the launch configuration we see today.
Forward motion is via a 30hp Yammer engine that sees her cruising nicely at 7>7.5 knots.
Can we have a crack at the design / builder and a new would be nice. Can’t see her moving from the south so fingers crossed a southern woody is looking for a low entry woody that with a small investment could be a very smart sounds boat.
WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE WANT FROM A CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT GROUP
The answer is very simple – events + know how + friendship Seems that Lake Rotoiti’s Classic & Wooden Boat Association know the answer 🙂 Lets hope ‘others’ take notice 😉
Input from Janice Rogers – “The house in this photo belonged to my grandparents and I lived in it as a child at Otaramarae. I remember 1 of those boats is called the Kay and I recognised the other smaller one as well. The Kay was tied up down at our jetty in the enclave below my grandmothers house I know because I went for rides on it the rear of the bigger boat now has a ramp and has pretty much progressed from when I was a 12yr old
I got a fright when I saw those photos online golly bought back many memories
Judge Simon Moore’s parents had a house right on the lake but it often flooded many years later that land was leased to his parents by my grandfather so there you go a piece of history for you”
MYSTERY LAKE ROTORUA LAUNCH #2
Todays woody again comes to us from Greg Philpott, hopefully we will get a better response than last weeks WW story concerning another of Greg’s mystery boats. I suspect that Greg has exhausted most avenues and people ’switch off’ re his pursuit for answers.
The transporter / truck door reads – E.G. Maurice, Cartage Contractor, Rotorua
But its worth a final try – so woodys anyone able to enlighten us on the above launch.
And while we are in the middle of the North Island – circle 8th July 2023 in the diary for what looks like a cool classic event – details on the website – see poster.
We know a lot about todays woody – but no name, builder or what became of her.
What we know – possibly built in 1927, 27’ in length with a beam of 7>8’. When launched powered by a 4 cyl. Ailsa Craig engine.
Initially a family launch, she was later moved to Lake Rotorua The photo above is dated March 1932 and is when her then owner Ted Fenton obtained a license to carry fishing parties.
The photo is ex the Don Stafford collection at the Rotorua Museum and is tagged ‘ Dads Boat’. Photo and details shared by Greg Philpott.
Can we put a name and builder to her and discover what became of her.
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One of the boats that Dean Wright photographed at Havelock Marina back in October 2022, is pictured above – to date we have not been able to ID her.
Obviously has the sounds boat look i.e. could take just about anything over the bow and still pop up.
The size of the dry stack exhaust at the rear of the pilot house suggests a rather large zoom zoom down below.
Can any of the southern woodys put a name and more details to her?
The New WW Caps Are Popular – Just Placed My 4th Order With the Embroiderer
WW Caps – low profile, 6 panel, canvas caps in the new camel colour topped with dark brown WW embroidered logo has a dash of understated style. I have reordered 4 times already and the next shipment arrives today – so get your order in – just click the email link here and tell me your name, postal address and number of caps required. I’ll come back to you with payment details – $38 + $6 p&p. waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Had a good excuse to point the car south yesterday so took a side trip to Clevedon and mooched around one of the ‘private’ docks.
Very pleased to see that work is underway of Lady Gazelle, you may recall back in March she came to grief during Cyclone Gabrille (WW story link below) – a new owner has stepped up and we look forward to her relaunch. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/03/02/lady-gazelle-on-the-rocks/
I spotted the 36’ c.1950’s launch – Antares , one of the better looking launches to come out of the Supreme Craft factory. More on her a future story. Previous WW story and lots of photos here https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/09/25/antares-2/
Also a few boats, below, looking unlikely to see the ocean again.
Back in January Eric Sanderson sent me a folder of random woodys – no names, no location or dates. Eric ‘recently’ restored the 33’ ex work-boat – Quest, re-launched May 2022. Quest is a very stunning woody, built in 1959 by Roger Carey, one of her many features is a canoe stern. Quest launching photos at link below: https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/11/the-relaunch-of-quest/
In the folder mentioned above was the launch berthed along side Moana, in my eyes a rather fetching craft.
With that raked mast it does look a little familiar – can you put a name and some provenance to her.
A Sad Ending WW was sent the above sad photo of a woody that had come to grief in Oamaru Bay, Coromandel earlier in the week. The following day Dennis Maconaghie reported that shewas in little bits on the back of a truck on the way to the tip. Anyone able to tell us the name of the boat and what happened to her.
A Request For Help – Stuart Turner P66 Engine
Any woodys out there with a spare ST engine or a cylinder block? Drop an email to waitematawoodys@gmail.comFYI – I’m not that crazy to want one, but a reader doing up a 15’ clinker needs a replacement or parts.
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