Category Archives: Mystery Boat

CLASSIC WOODYS AT ANCHOR – MOTUIHE ISLAND 1969

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CLASSIC WOODYS AT ANCHOR – MOTUIHE ISLAND 1969

It never ceases to amaze me where I get sent photos from, woody John Dawson sent me a link to a fb page titled – Golden Days of New Zealand. 

A gent named Neil Rawlins post these today from tagged Ocean Beach, Motuihe Island, Auckland, Its dated 1969. Neil commented that folks traveled to the island on the following ferries – KESTREL, TOROA  and NGOURO.

A good collection of classic launches at anchor – can we ID any of them. Sorry for the quality of the enlargments.

Check out this link to a very cool on-the- water event in Copenhagen -its the Santa Lucia Kayak Parade. Sent to me by Brent Kennedy ✔️

MYSTERY PICTON WOODEN LAUNCH AT THE MOETAPU REGATTA

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MYSTERY PICTON WOODEN LAUNCH AT THE MOETAPU REGATTA

Regular WW readers will know I’ve got a real soft spot for the good folks at the Picton Clinker & Classic Boat Club. They truly embody everything that’s great about the New Zealand classic boating scene — passion, community spirit, and plenty of character.

One of the highlights in my inbox each month is their club newsletter, DEADWOOD — always packed with stories, snippets, and treasures.

In the latest issue, two photos caught my eye — both shared above.

The first shows a rather smart-looking launch, captioned “Moetapu Regatta, Pelorus Sound, 26th December 1911.” Sadly, her identity remains a mystery. Can any woodys help name this launch.

The second photo, taken at the Moetapu Regatta on 27th December 1905, captures a very different scene — a seriously overloaded punt ferrying people to shore. The club newsletter counted at least 45 souls aboard. Clearly, there were no Health & Safety inspectors on duty that day 🙂

MYSTERY CLASSIC WOODEN WORKBOAT

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MYSTERY CLASSIC WOODEN WORKBOAT

I spotted the above (ex?) workboat last weekend in Bon Accord Harbour, KAWAU ISLAND during the Woodys Classic Launch Parade.

Keen to lean more about her past and present life.

ANYONE OWN A –  J. A. Wheeler classic boat? I have come across the location of the builders name plate below, which is crying out to be re-connected to a suitable vessel.

Email me at waitematawoodys@gmail.com telling me why you are the most suitable reciprant.

CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CLASSIC BOAT – REBEL

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CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CLASSIC BOAT – REBEL

Today we are trying to help out a woody boater named Andrew Macbeth, Andrew contacted WW asking for help to learn more about the launch REBEL.

All we know is that she came from Mercury Bay and is now in West Auckland receiving some well overdue TLC, or more likely correcting the deferred maintenance from an extended period of neglect 🙂

So woodys, do todays photos and the name REBEL ring any bells.

Mystery Northland Classic Wooden Launch – VALIENT

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Mystery Northland Classic Wooden Launch – VALIENT

Leaving the Whangārei Maritime Festival on Saturday, I made the rookie mistake of thinking, “I know a shortcut.” I didn’t.
Instead, I found myself deep in the industrial maze of Port Whangārei.

The upside? I stumbled across a couple of woodys hauled out at Oceania Marine — home to the biggest travel-lift I’ve ever laid eyes on.

Tucked away among a line-up of serious commercial tonnage was today’s mystery classic wooden launch. She’d clearly had some recent TLC and looked about ready to be splashed again.

I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the generous helping of zinc hanging off her stern gear… seems the message about no / over-zincing hasn’t quite made it this far north yet! 😅

So, woodys — what do we know about this mystery craft? Any sharp-eyed locals able to share her name and history?

15-10-2025 UPDATE ex owner – Launches name is VALIENT, once called PLAY-BOY, Possibly built by Bailey & Lowe. 32′ in length. Has spent several extend stints as a long-line fishing boat. Once owned by the RSA Fishing Club in Whangarei, they did the name change. In a previous life was moored in the Waitangi river. Currently powered by a Nissan diesel.Has undergone a rolling restoration with lots of structural work, which included over 800 new copper rivets.

TIMELESS WOODEN LAUNCHES OF THE BAY OF ISLANDS 

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Aquarius
Maharatia
Poseidon
Manu

TIMELESS WOODEN LAUNCHES OF THE BAY OF ISLANDS 

Todays gallery of classic Bay of Islands wooden boats was snapped by Dean Wright , owner of the majestic woody – ARETHUSA. Dean was un-route to hauling ARETHUSA out for her annual TLC.

For top to bottom we have – AQUARIUS (1955 Supreme Craft), MAHARATIA (1947 Roy Lidgard), POSEIDOM (1965 Owen Woolley), and the last boat, the bridge-decker, is MANU (1913 Bailey & Lowe) a mystery, but looks familiar , hopefully we can put a name to her.

Make sure you check out WW on Monday, we have an epic trip report from John Oates who recently attended the 2025 Port Townson Wooden Boat Festival.

1960’S NOSTALGIA – CLASSIC WOODEN BOATS AT WARKWORTH TOWN BASIN

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Same day – different angle

1960’S NOSTALGIA – CLASSIC WOODEN BOATS AT WARKWORTH TOWN BASIN

 Todays woody photos popped on the Warkworth NZ Old Time Photos fb and comes to us from Alison Wallis via Maurice Sharp. The photo was tagged – Warkworth wharf late 1960’s, around Christmas time.

The classic wooden launch alongside the wharf, pointing downstream has to be TASMAN , the 1927 Colin Wild built beauty.

The bridge-decker anchored mid stream is a mystery – at first glance I thought – LADY RAE the 1948 Chas Bailey design, but a quick WW search proved once again I was wrong.

So woodys can we put a new to the bridge-decker.

LABOUR WEEKEND WOODY ACTIVITY

Time to start thinking about boating for Labour weekend (Oct 24>27). The Kawau Boating Club’s Spring Splash Regatta is a great event and there is something for everyone. Details below. Next week I’ll supply details on the motor launch activities.

UNIDENTIFIED WOODEN LAUNCH, PT CHEVALIER 1933 – ANY CLUES

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UNIDENTIFIED WOODEN LAUNCH, PT CHEVALIER 1933 – ANY CLUES

Todays woody photo comes to us from the NZ Herald archives via David Tomlinson and is dated April 1933. The caption reads – ‘Looking down from the foreshore at Pt Chev, showing visiting sailing boats on the beach’.
On the original fb post Robin Elliott did a wonderful job of ID’ing the yachts, see below.

But todays challenge is can we put a name to the launch at anchor in the middle of the beach.

“From left the yachts are: S-47 Snipe, an American Snipe class design that failed to gain popularity here and was registered in the open S-class yachts exc 14ft not exc 16ft.; T-41 14-footer Nyria, originally a 14-foot One Design (X-class) built by Colin Wild in 1921 but converted to an open T-class not exc 14ft, in 1929; V-13 Belle, 18ft racing yacht designed by Pt Chevalier identity, A.L. ‘Trotter’ Willetts. V-class was exc 16ft not exc 18ft; S-13 Kittiwake was originally a Logan built yawl that was converted to an S-class and raced with Pt Chevalier Sailing Club by the Thorpe brothers

LABOUR WEEKEND SPRING SPLASH (2)Download

MYSTERY WOODEN VESSELS AT COROMANDEL

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MYSTERY WOODEN VESSELS AT COROMANDEL 

Todays woody photo comes to us from Ross Dawson and is dated c.1957 and the location is Coromandel. The image is from a postcard and that woodys is all we know  – so we throw this open for input – can we ID the wooden craft – L>R.

I’m not too sure about the aqua section on the workboat looking vessel, an unusual colour for 1957 and also doesn’t quite look kosher eg added to the photo at a later date.

INPUT ex MURRAY McGEHAN – The boat in the right hand  side of the postcard picture is LADY WYN LADY WINN designed built and owned by the strongman family, moored outside their workshop. I last saw Lady Wyn in the Havelock marina about 1974. 

INPUT ex JACKIE CAREY – The vessel is named the Lady Winn was built by my Uncle Sam Strongman and my father Harold Carey in the Strongman boat building sheds in Coromandel owned by Sam Strongman, my father’s brother in law.   She was built as a family launch and we had many lovely adventures on her going to great barrier, Port Charles and around the islands in the Hauraki Gulf.  Including coming out of Port Charles straight into some huge waves that were crashing over the bow and my father kept going until we got back to coromandel harbour.  My grandmother was praying in the cabin while us kids were enjoying the ride in the stern not having any idea of the seriousness of the situation.  She did have a mast.

INPUT ex Dave Giddens – In the mod 1960’s she was the support vessel on one of the Auckland to Suva yacht races.

INPUT ex LEW REDWOOD – Could  the front launch outside  Strongman’s  in the Coromandel be TWYLIGHT  built by  Strongmans  – photos below.

RSVP – boat name to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

2008 YARD PHOTO OF AN UNNAMED CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ANY CLUES 

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Westpark marina c.2008

2008 YARD PHOTO OF AN UNNAMED CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ANY CLUES 

Well maybe not too much of a mystery  – todays photo was sent in by John Dawson, the location is the hardstand at Westpark (Hobsonville) marina.

Already Chris Leech has commented that whilst he initially thought the vessel was RESOLUTE , after a 2nd look Chris is leaning towards ALOHA , but to me – not enough tram-top windows and a few other bits that don’t quite look right.

Can we confirm get a confirmed ID on the launch.

HAVE YOU RSVP’ed FOR THE WOODYS CLEVEDON CRUISE

We like to get as many boats as possible alongside the (all tide) dock and numbers are building so if you are considering the trip on Sept 21.22, rsvp today to waitematawoodys@gmail.com  with your boat name, length and approx. # of crew. AND ITS JUST NOT MOTOR LAUNCHES – WE HAVE 4 YACHTS (so far) JOINING IN 🙂

RVSP TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com