Category Archives: Mystery Boat

Herne Bay Cruising Club + Help Needed ID’ing Some Woodys

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Sloanes Beach Regatta and Centreboard Cup

If you are wondering where Sloanes Beach is – google it. It is one of Aucklands hidden gems in the suburb of Herne Bay. The regatta is very low key, almost secret hand shake low key. Each year I try and drop in and grab a few photos to help promote the club (Herne Bay Cruising Club) http://hbcc.net.nz/

I had a full dance card yesterday, so only stayed for the start of the ‘bigger’ boats race. A little overcast but as I was leaving the sun came out and the wind picked up.Spotted an original burgee from the Auckland Motorboat Club handing from the rafters – you do not see many of those around these days.


Mahurangi Cruising Club / Regatta Year Book

The perfect stocking stuffer – available now at Boatbooks in Westhaven (or on-line) + at usual outlets around Warkworth.


Looking For Something Bigger

Grab a copy of Brian Peets book – Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy. A must for every kiwi yachtie and even launch owners 🙂 Also available from Boatbooks or https://destownson.co.nz/

WW Xmas Quiz Winners

Matthew Drake, Ken Goa, Simon Smith, Nick Voerman, Jason Prew – prizes on the way to you, if you have supplied your postal details.


Help Needed – Yacht Sojurn

WW has been contacted by Zoe Hawkins in regard to the yacht – Sojourn.Zoe is writing a story on the Northern Manukau Harbour and is looking for intel in regards to the keeler. She was built by the Davis Brother in Titirangi in the 1950’s. Zoe believes that It was put on the road and sold after one of the brothers became too sick to finish it and go sailing, most likely this was the 1960’s. An help very much appreciated. Two photos below.  


And More Help – Yacht Hawk V67

Yesterdays WW story featured small boat builder – John Maxwell – recently when John was cleaning out his parents home, he came across the hand coloured old print, below, of the yacht Hawk V67. John told me that if the boat is still around, then maybe the current owners may like this photo. It isn’t large but is better condition than the photo shows. 

Fruin

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FRUIN

I have been contacted by Neville Watkin in regard to his classic launch – Fruin. Neville knows very little about her early history, but believes she was probably built just after WW II (late 1940’s) and is kauri planked.

The above photo was taken in Cissy Bay near French Pass in the Marlborough Sounds in 2016. More recently her hull has been re-caulked and repainted and she currently doesn’t have a name.

Neville is keen to uncover any information on the vessel and suspects she was renamesd at some stage in her life. 
Can anyone help Neville put the correct name on the launch.

Woody Christmas Quiz – Big Prize Draw

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Woody Christmas Quiz – Big Prize Draw
Correctly name the launch in the photo above and you go into the draws to win one of 5 prizes on offer. Entry by email only at waitematawoodys@gmail.com  I have extended the entry cut off to allow more people to participate i.e. not just the early raisers 🙂

Closes Friday 18 Dec 2020 @ 8pm. I will do everything I can to get prizes out b4 xmas, so maybe include your postal address on the email.There has been a name change , so I will take either answer 😉

• A Copy of the book – ‘Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy’ https://destownson.co.nz/

• WW T-shirt

• WW Cap

• A 2021 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Calendar zea.rachel@gmail.com

• And the best prize – a bottle of the world famous in Devonport home made tomato sauce – 100 year old family recipe – perfect for the beach BBQ

Order a copy here https://destownson.co.nz/

Opua Marina / Hardstand Mooching

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Luana
Florence
Ngapuhi
Typee
Sea Mate
Unknown

OPUA MARINA / HARDSTAND MOOCHING
Woody Dean Wright snapped the above selection of woodys that he spotted at Opua at the weekend.I have supplied links to previous WW stories below. I know I’m a broken record, but Luana …………. 🙂
Luana    https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/04/01/luana-4/

Ngapuhi – Ex pilot boat, more on this one later in the week

Florence.  https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/12/28/florence-6/

Typee.   No details known

Sea Mate (Birdsail 52 on the marina) – No details known 


Dean didn’t catch the name of the ‘long’ keeled yacht in the last photo above – any one able to supply details?

Input from Neil Chalmers – Could be ‘Restless’  – Lou Tercel  / John Alden   April 1920.

Input from Simon Smith – The long keeled yacht is indeed the Tercel yacht Restless. 100 years old and owned by Russell resident Tim Beattie who being a master painter has her in beautiful condition. Always sails in the Tall Ships Race but with her ocean cruising rig needs a strong breeze to show her mettle.

Hokianga Mystery Wooden Boat

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Hokianga Mystery Wooden Boat – Seabird


WW was sent the above photo by Alistair Rowe, who took the photo earlier in the week from the deck of the Boathouse Cafe in Rawene. As we see her above, there is an interesting mix of lines and styles – and one would have to assume she started life as a work boat. Her colour scheme indicates that someone loves and cares for her.


Keen to learn more about this old girl.

Input & photos below from Cameron Pollard – SEABIRD. Been on Hokianga for eternity. Powered by a 100hp Hino noise maker.

11-12-2020 Harold Kidd Input – SEABIRD was built at Motukaraka by Kelsey Bros to their own design for their own use in April 1912 with a 6hp Automatic engine. Another clone of Chas. Bailey’s MILKMAID.

WAITEMATAWOODY CHRISTMAS PRESENTS
Just a heads up, we have almost sold out of WW merchandise, orders have been coming in think and fast over the last month, even without any promotion – on Monday we sold 16 t-shirts to a very big visiting yacht – seems all the crew are getting one in their Santa sack 🙂


The WW cupboard as of today looks like this:
Mens short sleeve dark blue – size 2XL – 8 in stock
Mens short sleeve dark blue – size 4XL – 1 in stock
Mens short sleeve dark blue – size 5XL – 2 in stock
Mens short sleeve orange – size 2XL – 1 in stock
Mens short sleeve dark brown – size L –   8 in stock
Mens short sleeve dark brown – size XL – 4 in stock
SOLD OUT of hats
T-shirts are $34.95 + $5 p&p. Email me the size / colour you are after and I’ll get back to you with availability and payment details. waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Mystery Napier Launch

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Mystery Napier Launch
Bay of Islands woody – Dean Wright, recently escaped the winter-less north and has been mooching around the Napier marina. Dean spotted the very streamlined looking launch above, can anyone tell us about the boat?

Input from Michael O’Dwyer – its called Phoebe (Imp) and appeared on WW back in 2015 https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/12/22/phoebe-imp/


Dean also snapped the photo below of the Napier Sailing Club’s patrol boat – someone has a very good idea for fitting a boat out , well done, she is a looker.

Input from Michael O’Dwyer – The Watchman was built in Dunedin around 1955 especially for the Napier Sailing Club. She has conducted patrol duties ever since. A club stalwart, she received a well earned makeover a couple of years ago.

Mystery Launch at Whau Creek

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Mystery Launch at Whau Creek
The photo above of the very unconventional launching of a 26’ cabin cruiser in the Whau Creek , New Lynn is big mystery. The people in the photo appear youngish and a tad nervous  🙂

Photo is an old press clipping ex Lew Redwood’s fb, but no dates. We do know she was built by Mr L Knaggs of Sandringham for a Mr J. Harvey of New Lynn.There was mention on the press clipping that the launch was built to an American design.


Anyone able to ID the vessel?

Input below from Nathan Herbert

Miller and Tunnage – Double Ender – Fisher Lassie

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Miller & Tunnage – Double Ender – Fisher Lassie
If you spend as much time as I do stalking wooden boats on-line you will have noticed the growing trend for work boat conversions, you either love them or not – me I’m in the love them camp. We do not know a lot about todays woody, thanks Ian McDonald, other than she was built by Miller and Tunnage in 1922, out of kauri, is 40’ in length, has a 9’ 10” beam and draws 3’7”. A Gardner 3LW 150hp diesel pushes her along at a comfortable cruising speed of 7 knots. Appears to be very well fitted out.


Can anyone put a name to this woody ?

18-11-2020 Input from Mark Erskine – I was interested to read about the above Miller & Tunnage Double Ender. I agree it’s a real nice boat and was interested to read about her Gardner 3LW engine.

Depending on the fuel and governor / rpm settings, the 3LW engines produce between 36 to 53.5HP from their 4.184 litre capacity.

Dimensions

The “Gardner 150” badge on the Miller & Tunnage control panel is for a 6-cylinder 6LXB Gardner (127 to 150HP) or possibly the 8-cylinder 8LXB (150 to 200)

Gardners are great engines and although the whole range are all low on HP for their considerable size, capacity and weight, they all produce a lot of torque at low rpm and are very reliable.

Although 36 to 54 HP seems a bit low for the size of the boat, I’m guessing the 3LW is a good match for a double ender hull because torque turns the prop rather than HP and the 3LW should also be very economical to operate at 7 knots.

24-11-2022 UPDATE ex Steve’s Coffee Cart – Steve sent in the photos below of Fisher Lassie below, hauled out at the Waikawa hard stand. Check out the new look, it is not often we see people ’taking away’ as compared to adding on. Well done to the owner.

admin@classicyacht.org.nz

Miranda

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MYSTERY LAUNCH 05-11-20 MIRANDA

Back in early October we did a story on a collection of boating books and photographs that David Campbell-Morrison rescued from the rubbish bin. The owner of the collection was a D.F. Thompson and the material was from / dated the early 1930’s to the mid 1940’s. Any photos were of yachts except for the photo above. 

Can anyone help with identifying the motorboat, location and crew? Its quite a distinctive design so hopefully someone will recognise the vessel. Given it appears to be an aerial photo and the number of crew on-board and that the crew have all turned out on deck, my wild guess is that it may be performing a role of ‘mother-ship’ in an offshore yacht race.

06-11-2020 Input from Harold Kidd – MIRANDA was a 55ft twin-engined steel launch built by E.D. (Bill) Edmundson at Thorndon Quay and launched in June 1953 after 7 years of work.. She became the unofficial flagship for the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club and did a trip to Sydney and back in 1960-1.


REMINDER: Starting this Friday > Sunday – Auckland’s Waterfront Celebrates Yacht Designer John Spencer – Details Below 

Opua Mystery Launch

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OPUA MYSTERY LAUNCH
Bay of Island woody, Dean Wright, sent in the above photos of a launch he spotted on a mooring at Opua. At the time Dean I was idling around waiting to go up on the travel lift.No name, but I’m sure someone will be able to tell us more about the boat.

Putting aside the obvious neglect – there is a nice woody hiding there, crying out for a serious dose of TLC.