One of the many photos on display over the weekend at the Milford Cruising Clubs 100th birthday celebrations is the one shown above of the stunning yacht. The photo is captioned ‘Yacht at Milford Estuary 192?’ So that doesn’t really help us much 🙂
The photo caught the eye of both Harold Kidd and myself, but drew a blank. Our best was 22>24’ in length .
So woodys can we ID the yacht? WW burgee to the first woody that puts a correct name / builder to her – subject to HDK giving his ‘could be – sign off 🙂
AND WOODYS THE MCC PHOTO EXHIBITION IS STILL ON TODAY – 10AM > 4PM AT 24 CRAIG ROAD , MILFORD
How did the owners of these launches sleep at night ? In the top photo dated 1975 we see the sad sight of a launch being pounded on the Tamaki Drive breakwater , a not uncommon occurrence . Anyone know the name of the launch.
In the images below this photo I have cropped in to show some of the moored craft. Can the hawk eyed woodys ID any of them. I think the Roy Parris built – Pleasure Lady is centre in the second photo. (photo ex Lew Redwood fb)
INPUT ex Nathan Herbert -Boat on the rocks appears to be Te Kowhai, boat identified as Pleasure Lady is Istalena, at left is Almana, and perhaps in distance what looks like Adelaide V with previous low bridgedeck.
The owners of the very fine 36’ Colin Wild 1939 built launch – Rehia were recently going thru a family photo album and uncovered the photos above from one of their grandparents. The grandfather in the late 1940’s > early 1950’s was a mechanic based at the Hobsonville airbase servicing the fleet of maritime support craft.
In my eyes in the photos above there are 3 different craft but it has been suggested that the top 2 photos are the same boat. Also the size of the airforce insignia on the bow of the top craft looks very large , maybe not a NZ vessel?
Can we ID the craft.
INPUT EX John Bullivant – The top 2 photos are of US built 63ft Maiami class crash boats. The RNZAF had a few of these operating from Hobsonville and Laucala Bay in Fiji . The class was originally powered by 4 Kermath 500hp ‘Sea Raiders’ (linked nose to nose in pairs) but later were powered by twin 630 hp Hall Scott ‘ Defender engines as standard, – some with V drives. A number of variants were made. Top speed was around 36 knots (16 model 168s were built with twin Packard 1250hp for a speed of around 48 knots) Boats were used by Russia, UK, Australia, Sth Africa, NZ and the Dutch.
INPUT EX Mitchell Hutchings – the two photos below show the two vessels featured above. The first one is of the 63’ Rescue Launch 276 and the second of 313, both at RNZAF Hobsonville.
Dave Stanaway connected me recently regarding a tug boat that he would like to identify. Dave was sent the photo by Ray Morey, and all we know is that shehe was in Whangarei early 1960’s.
In the 2nd photo we see her off Whangarei with the Bounty replica.
So a call out to the workboat woodys – can me help Dave with a name and details.
Today we also get another tour of the recent Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival 2023 – sit back and enjoy.
Todays woody photo via Lew Redwood’s fb and its thought that its anchored in either One Tree Point or Marsden Bay, with Mt Manaia, Whangarei Heads in the background. If you look carefully there is actually two craft in the photo, the second is just visible over the cabin top of the ‘hero’ launch.
Others commented that it was actually Urquhart’s Bay with Calliope Island in the mid background. Also a suggestion that the boat was named Moerangi, an ex Mail Boat owned by Leonard Harnetts.
Would be nice to confirm her ID.
UPDATE 20-08-2024 ex HAROLD KIDD – The launch in front is KIA KOA, built by Bailey & Lowe in 1906 for A.R. Pickmere. Still thinking about the tuck stern launch behind.
In Wellington there is a wonderful group of classic wooden boat enthusiasts that ‘reside’ under the umbrella of the ‘Wellington Classic Yacht Trust’ – they excel at everything and outshine the Auckland based Classic Yacht Association on so many fronts, particularly the 3 F’s – fun, friendship and fraternity. Recently the WCYT publicised on their website http://www.wcyt.org.nz/ a photo essay of classic craft from the Dow Collection. The photo above is one of the featured photos and is of Ngakuta Bay, Queen Charlotte Sound. The collection viewable in the link below is a selection from two albums owned by Doug Gow. It appears the person who took the photos was a crewman (name unknown) on the D Class cruisers HMS Diomede and HMS Dunedin and when off duty a crewed on various boats. The photos date to between 1928 and 1931.
Woody John Wicks was recently visiting Wellington and tooth opportunity to do a spot of marina mooching at Chafers Marina.
One woody leapt out to the eye, hard not to when painted ‘Rescue Yellow’ 🙂 John was unable to sight a name, but dockside chat is that she may have come down from Auckland.
Given the colour – hopefully we can ID her and learn more about her.
Nathan Herbert Input – That’s the Rehutai, ex Arawa, Nomad, Irihapeti. Converted to this guise by Allan Williams in Milford
FREE TO THE RIGHT HOME– Have been recently contacted by a gent that has a pair of wooden game poles (5m high x .800m wide) that he will donate to someone that will use them – so no profiteers need apply 🙂
Todays woody photo has a launch leaving the Waikato River at Taupo for an excursion on the lake. The photo appeared in The NZ Herald on the 9th January 1937.
And woodys that is all we know, so keen to ID the launch and also the sedan cruiser in the background.
I suspect my inbox will ping me an alert from one of the Drake brothers with the answers 🙂
INPUT ex Nigel Drake – In my view the boat leaving the harbour is Waihora and the sedan launch on the beach is probably Destiny. Will leave someone else to hopefully confirm and provide more detail.
INPUT ex Paul Drake – Yes the above is a great photo of WAIHORA, run commercially by a Mr Tabernacle (Tabby) who was an A grade mechanic and the only person in New Zealand qualified to work on Rolls Royce engines. WAIHORA had a Chrysler Ace or possibly a Chrysler Crown. Last seen at Lake Rotoiti in the early 1980’s with the usual ugly plywood cabin but not seen for many years.
I don’t think the other boat is DESTINY.
Photo below of WAIHORA at Lake Rotoiti dated Feb 8th 1983.
03-09-2023 INPUT ex Michael Drake – I agree that the launch in the foreground is Waihora, going far too fast in the river and with two fenders still down. But I doubt if the sedan launch in the background is Destiny, as the launch in the photo is too highly wooded at the stern, and the Destiny’ s cabin sides were visually lower than shown in the photo.
Today we have another woody from Sue Rivington’s family album. Photo most likely taken by her grandfather – George Hyaulason.
Looks to be around 32’ in length and her hull design looks familiar – fingers crossed Nathan Herbert can ID the launch.
The ‘eye-brow’ on the forward edge of the cabin top is a perfect example of the difference they can make to the appearance of a launch – and even the davits are a good look – very salty both get my tick 🙂
INPUT ex Nathan Herbert – I’d like to say it’s Boucher’s boat, the Baby Lu, with altered windows (pre or post racing era I’m not sure). Furthermore, I’ll add that I think she may be the present/recent ‘Waratah’. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/03/16/waratah-needs-a-new-home/
Waitemata Woodys Gear Update
Start saving your pennies – we have just ordered another run of the WW canvas caps – these ones are now the #1 selling WW crew gear.
And after years of hearing “where are the WW flags” we have pushed the green light on production – 100% canvas, printed both sides with the Waitemata Woodys logo (below) using old-school screen printing method (long lasting) and pennant shaped.
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