Category Archives: Mystery Boat

Dione – But Which One

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DIONE
We are going to need so serious input today re the above launch – in the past on WW there has been a lot of chat around the number of launches named – Dione and their provenance. Today’s Dione is ex a recent Lew Redwood fb post and Lew competed that ‘she was the 1933 Allely’s launch in Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island’.


Now this is where it gets confusing – previously (June 2018) Lew posted a photo of the launch below and commented it was ‘the Alley family launch, Dione, at anchor at Matiatia, Waiheke Island’. At the time Harold Kidd commented as below (after photo)


On the recent photo fb post HDK comments that he doesn’t think neither of them are named Dione. Now woodys you can see why a simple country boy like me is a tad confused.Anyone brave enough to add their input ? 🙂

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Kawau Island – Unknown Launches

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KAWAU ISLAND – UNKNOWN LAUNCHES


Today’s photo ex Lew Redwood is tagged The Wharf At Mansion House, Kawau Island. There is a WW t-shirt up for grabs for any woody that can correctly name the three launches (L>R) at the wharf. In the event more than one of you get it right, we will do a draw. Entries via email only to waitematawoodys@gmail.com


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Mystery Launch 03-09-2020

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Mystery Launch 03-09-2020


The above photo of an unknown launch popped up on Mitchell Hutchings fb. Might be the perspective of the camera, but she appears to have a far sized boom relative to the mast.
Can anyone help out ID’ing this woody?


Morning Dog Walks

Hard not to love boating and the sea when your early morning dog walk looks like this – no special effects, straight off the iPhone 🙂 You can just see the Devonport Yacht Club peeping out on the left from under the pohutukawa tree.

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Mystery B.O.I. Launches – WW Gear To Be Won

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Mystery 1

Mystery Launch #1

mystery 2

Mystery Launch #2

ID These Mystery B.O.I. Launches – Win WW Merchandise

Ok woodys, double banger competition today – we have two photos (by Tudor Collins) sent in by Nathan Herbert. All those that can correctly name the two launches, go into the draw for a WW T-shirt (s/s) and hat. Entries close at 8pm 18-08-2020.

ENTRY BY EMAIL ONLY to  waitematawoodys@gmail.com

WW Merch copy

Lake Taupo Launches At The Landing

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Lake Taupo Launches At The Landing
The above photo comes to us via NZ Vintage Postcard fb and is captioned – The Landing, Taupo and is possibly from the 1930>1940’s period.

A question for Paul Drake – is the boat ‘closest to the channel‘ your 1914 Bailey and Lowe launch – Romance  ? If so, that would date the photo post 1931.

Can we ID any of the other boats?

Input from Paul Drake – Yes the launch nearest the channel is ROMANCE, still at Taupo and owned by the Drake Brothers. She arrived ex Napier post 1931 earthquake as a flush decker, and had her cabin raised when acquired by Jack Taylor and put to work as a commercial boat, probably in 1932. The counter stern boat is KINGFISHER. Thomas Ryan ran the 60 foot steamer RMS TONGARIRO ( Bailey and Lowe 1899 and built at Taupo) until 1925. She eventually rotted away on the foreshore between the Boat Harbour and Acacia Bay – photo below at the Taupo Wharf, before the 2 storied cargo shed was built , so quite early on in the 1900’s.

Tongariro

Input from Nigel Drake – The boat between Romance and Kingfisher looks to be Waihora, about 23 feet in length and probably a Couthard built boat, (not to be confused with the Brin Wilson built Waihora). She was on the lake for a long period of time and ran for hire under local identity “Tabby” Tabernacle.
POHUTUKAWA 
Lock-down = less going out = more fires, so collected a load of firewood today, life is easy when there is an arborist in the family 🙂
While at his yard, I spotted this magnificent pile of Pohutukawa logs, the coffee cup is there to give you an indication of the size of the 12 logs . A huge tree came down in a recent storm, blocking a road so out with the big chainsaws. Not destined for firewood, I’m told a few coffee tables and bar tops.
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Mystery Clevedon Launch – Seaforth

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Mystery Clevedon Launch

MYSTERY CLEVEDON LAUNCH – SEAFORTH

While sliding up the the Wairoa River on Saturday, on route to the Clevedon Cruising Club, I spotted the above launch hauled out.
Her identity is really bugging me, I feel I should know who she is, but just can’t ID her.
Hopefully one of the CCC members will help us out or Mr Herbert 😉
Update – Nathan has come to the rescue – the launch is Seaforth – lots of photos and details at the WW link below

HELP NEEDED TRACING LAUNCH

Can anyone provide details on the whereabouts of the 40’ launch – Albatross III, built c.1960’s to a Harry Biddle design.
Previous locations are Auckland > Bay of Islands > possibly Nelson. Owned at one stage by Joe Bosanquet. Call sign was ZM4180

Mystery Devonport Launch

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Mystery Devonport Classic Launch

Today’s launch popped up yesterday on Keith Humphrey’s fb. The location is Queen’s Parade on Devonport, Auckland waterfront. Date is c.1925. Keith commented that on the extreme right of the photo is the Flagstaff Hotel which was relocated from the site of the present Esplanade Note. In the middle of the photo should be Anne Street.
This before the sea wall was built and in those days boats were hauled out on the slope alongside the road.
Keith also commented that military style tents can be seen on Mount Victoria.
So the question woodys is – any anyone ID the launch moored in the foreground.
There is a great collection of small launches hauled out.
In the 1927 photo below we see the sea wall and carpark under construction.
(Photos ex Devonport Historical and Museum Society)
Our Youngest Woody
Boat builder Greg Lees sent in the photo below of his very new (less than a week old) granddaughter. Daughter (& mother) Rosie didn’t waste any time introducing her to the woody speedboat – ’Summertime,  Rosie built. WW link below
https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/12/24/10216/
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Westhaven Classic Launches

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WESTHAVEN CLASSIC LAUNCHES 

Today’s photos come to us from Scott Taylor and are from the same batch that Scott sent in earlier in the week. You may recall that Scott is the son of the late Mac Taylor, the Westhaven based boat broker.
Scott told us that the photos was probably taken by himself over fifty years ago while he was tagging along with his Dad at Westhaven.
In the top photo we see the 1970, Salthouse built launch -Idler, previously on WW  https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/03/27/idler/
In the 2nd photo, closet to the camera, we have a very new looking, modern, mystery launch, which I suspect used up a lot of sheets of plywood in her construction. Alongside her is what I assume is Connie V, the 1949 Lane Motor Boat Co. built launch. These days tucked away at The Slipway Milford, previously on WW
I’m unable to put a name to the last photo – Nathan?
She is an impressive looking craft.

Help Needed Identifying Waiheke Launch

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Mystery Waiheke Launch

Today’s woody is seen anchored in Matiatia Bay, Waiheke Island and comes to us from the Williamson family collection via Mitchell Hutchings fb.
And that woodys is all we know. Looking for help on this one 🙂
Update ex Nigel Minn – She is Matanui – more here

Mystery Westhaven Launch

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MYSTERY WESTHAVEN LAUNCH 

I have been sent the above photo by Scott Taylor, son of the late Mac Taylor, the Westhaven based boat broker. Scott advised that he had been going through a box of old negatives which he converted into digital photos and came todays woody is one of them.
Scott commented that  the photo was probably taken by himself over fifty years ago while he was tagging along with his Dad at Westhaven Marina.
Are we able to ID the launch – to me it screams late 1940’s Lidgard bridge-decker and I suspect I know the owner – but I have been wrong before 🙂