Category Archives: Mystery Boat

Mystery Launch (Elizabeth) & Yacht (Niobe)

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Mystery Launch (Elizabeth) & Yacht (Niobe)

Woody Murray Deeble sent in the above photo of a woody launch loitering around over the xmas /ny break. Murray commented that she maybe named Elizabeth, it drew a blank with me (a common occurrence these days), can anyone ID the launch and tell us more about her?

Help Needed From The Rag & Stick Brigade 

WW was recently contacted by Travers Reynolds who had recently inherited the old original photograph below, taken by FG Radcliffe circa early 1900s possibly near the Whangarei heads. Travers is keen to know if anyone can identify the boat.

UPDATE The launch is called Elizabeth and ‘lives’ a pole mooring at Te AtatuThe yacht is named named Niobe, well spotted Harold Kidd. And confirmed by Janet Watkins, with the following comment – “Yes it is Niobe, taken from near Manganese Point early 1900’s when she was owned by my Grand father A.R. Pickmere. He sold her in 1906 when he took delivery of the launch Kiakoa built for him by Bailey & Lowe.”

Nelson Marina Dockside Mooch

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Unknown
Rarangi
Lady Karita

Nelson Marina Dockside Mooch

One of my southern spies (in the summer months) John Burland sent in the above gallery of woodys that he spotted while patrolling the docks. From top to bottom we have Katoa – all spruced up, then Kelvin and then two unknowns. Finally the very regal Lady Karita, who is looking very well turned out these days, more on her tomorrow.

Update – 4th launch down is – Rarangi – WW story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/12/12/rarangi-a-peek-down-below/

Amuri + Mahurangi Regatta

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AMURI

One of the woody spotters sent in the above photos of the launch – Amuri, hauled out at Gulf Harbour for some TLC. She falls into to the ‘great unknown’ category to me, and I’m told isn’t a local GH boat. Can anyone tell us more about Amuri?

MAHURANGI REGATTA 

Each year the amazing club behind the biggest one day wooden boating event in New Zealand – the Mahurangi Cruising Club, publish a year book, which is eagerly awaited by anyone with sawdust in their veins. Chatting with the editor and design guru – Steve Horsley, the 2022 edition was a challenge to pull together, little things like CV-19 got the way. But if you know Steve, you will know he is not one to let a wee flu bug stop the MCC producing the booklet. Always a great read and good value for money at $20.  If you are Auckland based, grab a copy at Boat Books in Westhaven – or for the out-of-towners contact Victor at ngairehopwood@gmail.com

Reading the programme for the 2022 event I see that CV-19 has been the death of the shore / beach based activity at Sullivans Bay – with no audience there, the Classic Woody Launch Parade would be a fizzer – might have to create something else for us woodys to do. Unfortunately the tide is all wrong for a trip up the river to Warkworth. Will put the thinking cap on. But do put a pencil around Sunday (30th) night in the diary – a gathering at the Kawau Boating Club is always popular.

Milford Sound – Mystery Boat

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Milford Sound – Mystery Boat

The above photo is rather stunning, and comes to us from Lew Redwood’s fb. Its date c.1940’s – and woodys is all we know.Hopefully we can ID what appears to be a commercial boat, given that she is boarding passengers attired for tramping.The poster below were used to promote the area in the 1940’s.

Seeing we didn’t have a winner to the WW t-shirt quiz last week, the most accurate (you’ll need to explain e.g. it could be XXXXXXX that was contracted to the NZ Tourist and Health Resorts Dept etc) answer wins a WW t-shirt – entries via email only to – waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Milford Boat Yard – 1948 + Win A WW T-Shirt

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Milford Boat Yard – 1948

A little bit of a flash back today – in the above gallery we have a mixture of photos which show the yard in several stages e.g. the top two are of what might be a working bee at the club to build the slipway. And another showing the completed yard and ‘workers’ standing around. Not sure about the ‘paddock’ photo, maybe someone can enlighten us on a possible date for this.The photos come to use from the Parsonson family collection via Mitchell Hutchings and are dated 1948.

WIN A WW T-SHIRT

If you think you know the identity of the launch hauled out in the 3rd photo – email your answer to the address below and go in the draw to win a WW t-shirt. Entries close 8pm 20-11-21

waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Beachaven Mystery Launch

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Beachaven Mystery Launch

One of the woodys was mooching around Beachaven in the weekend, must have taken a wrong turn 😉 and spotted the above woody. From the condition of the boat and the cradle set up, I think we could safely assume she has been there a while.

Given the clandestine nature of the woodys visit, I cant ID them, their partner would not be impressed with another woody joining the fleet.

Anyone able to tell us more about the boat?

RIVERHEAD WOODY LAUNCH CRUISE 28-11-2021 POSTPONED – New Date tbc

House Boat – A Peek Down Below

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House Boat – A Peek Down Below

Mooching up the Tamaki River in early May, I spotted this house boat moored in the upper reaches of the Tamaki River. The top two photos are from then. Now thanks to tme, we get a peek down below.

Its 36′, made of ferro cement and started life as a Hartley yacht – that folks is all I’m going to say, I’ll only get myself in trouble 🙂

Whangarei Town Basin – Mystery Launch + Paea P3552

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Whangarei Town Basin – Mystery Launch

Keith and Heather Nicholson sent in the above photo of an old post card of the Whangarei Town Basin. The photo first appeared on a Mitchell Hutchings fb post. 

In the photo, lower right, we can see a launch hauled out – so todays question is – can we put a name to the boat?

Heather mentioned that their beloved woody – Paea (photo below) was for sale on tme. An amazing classic, the 72’, 1942 ex Harbour Defence Motor Launch (P3552) offers so many boating opportunities.

29-09-2023 UPDATE – photo below of Paea about to be relaunched after some TLC – TLC doesnt really fit a vessel the size of Paea 🙂

05-10-2023 UPDATE – Back in the water. we understand that six months ago the boat was put inside a shed and dried out, the seams were splined and the hull was fiber-glassed. The Fodens were removed and replaced with Cummins. (details & photos ex Ken West)

Can We ID This Woody

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Can We ID This Woody

Another photo from the Andrew Donovan collection, I have feeling I may have posted this one b4 but can’t locate it on the WW site ,so maybe not. Each to their own but I do like the design, very salty.
Thoughts on name and builder?

The below made me chuckle 🙂

Help Needed Identifying This Launch (Caesars Palace > Paris > Alena)

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Help Needed Identifying This Launch – Caesars Palace > Paris > Alena

Can not read the name (something Palace?) and the tme seller doesn’t know the builder or year, but commented that mid 1960’s looks right. Also others have mentioned she has a certain ’Shipbuilders’ look to her. But all the aside, we know she is 34’. Made of strip planked kauri and powered by a Ford 90hp diesel that sees her cruising at 7 knots, with a max of 9 knots. Home berth is the Hibiscus Coast.
Can we expand on the above.

Also they would have to win the award for the most ‘off-the-wall’ question on the tme listing – see below 🙂

UPDATE – seems the boat has had multi name changes – thanks to Darrin Kennedy we now know she was called Paris and before that Alena and probably something else b4 that 🙂 https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/02/26/paris-alena/