Category Archives: Mystery Boat

Okahu Hardstand – Back In The Good Old Days

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OKAHU HARDSTAND – BACK IN THE GOOG OLD DAYS

Murray Deeble sent me the above photo of the Okahu Hardstand back when space was used efficiently in the sixties. As I commented to Murray, painting & varnishing was probably all done by brush, so no chance of over spray 🙂
Half the woody fleet must have been hauled out there.
Now the photo below was sent in by Dean Wright & shows the Opito Bay, Bay of Islands,  boat ramp.  Dean commented that its pretty manic at this time of the year. Too many boats, not enough parking. Fishing must have been really good as these guys didn’t make it back untill bang on full tide. By which time the water was right into their sitting down place by the looks 🙂
Looks like a company car – will be interesting explaining this to the boss………..
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Mystery Tug Boat
Barbara Cooke sent me the photos below of this very cute small tug – it is the tow boat for the stock barge in Home Bay, Whanganui Island at Coromandel. Needs a fair amount if TLC. Hard to believe it can drag a herd of cattle around. Probably doesn’t travel very far…..from island to island maybe?
Can any one tell use more about the tug? I thought it had appeared on WW but can not find any link.
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Margaret Joy & A Mystery Game Boat

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Margaret Joy & A Mystery Game Boat
Today we have two more game launch ex Dean Wright from Snooks and Lola Fuller’s photo collection. Dean produced these images from scanning old b/w negatives, on loan from Snooks.
Questions today are:
1. What do we know about Margaret Joy – she appeared on WW back in April 2016 as a ‘Mystery Launch’ story, there was speculation as to her design (refer link below .> comments section) Keen to confirm the ID & also who built her.
2. Can we ID the launch in the bottom photo?

Orakei Hard Stand

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ORAKEI HARD STAND 1920’>1930’S

Today’s photos come to us via Lew Redwood’s fb, and show a selection of launches & yachts hauled out. The probate date is somewhere in the 1920>30’s.
The 2nd photo shows a magnificent collection of rear ends 🙂 Whilst I would never be able toID them, a woody like Simon Smith (convalescing at home, should be able to 😉
I’ll give a 2019 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Calendar (see below) to the woody that correctly ID’s the most bums 🙂
I’ll have to get outside help to judge the winner. Entries (this time) via the WW comments section.
Closes Jan 7th, 2019.

Mystery Ruakaka Launch

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MYSTERY RUAKAKA LAUNCH
Todays woody is 32’ in length and powered by a 45hp Lees Ford diesel. Built in kauri, with carvel construction, approx. 20 yrs ago the hull was filleted and f/glassed. In her trade listing (thanks Ian McDonald) her owner comments that he believes given the style / construction used, the boat may date from the early 1900’s period.
Currently located at Ruakaka.
Can anyone give us the name of the vessel and anymore details on her?

A Pre Christmas Woody Cruise

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Alice James

Nancy Belle
Nancy Belle
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Marguerite

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Vanessa

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Kiwitea

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Orari II

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Linda

A Pre Christmas Woody Cruise
 
Bay of Islands woody & photographer Dean Wright has just returned from playing hooky (his words) for the last 4 weeks on a mates sailing cat. Dean spent a fair bit of time around Barrier Island & snapped some woodys he spotted at the Barrier & elsewhere on-route.
 
First (unnamed) boat above was anchored in a bay on Rangiahua Island in the Broken Islands. Can anyone tells us more about her?
Next up is Nancy Belle and one of my favourites,  Marguerite were on their moorings in Whangaparapara.
Then we have Vanessa and Kiwitea on moorings in Mahurangi.
Orari II is seen on anchor in Home Bay, Rakino Island
Lastly – Linda & the Brooke family at anchor in Takutairaroa Bay, Motuihe Island.
 
Stunning boats & as always from Dean great photos.
 
As you are floating or driving around this Christmas / NY period, if you see any woodys – take a photo/s and send them in to us.

1931 Onerahi Annual Regatta

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Onerahi Annual Regatta

The photo above (T.G. Palmer) ex Lew Redwood’s fb is tagged “A picturesque North Auckland Aquatic Carnival – The Annual Reggata at Onerahi, Whangarei & is date January 1931. Not the best resolution, but still an interesting photo.

The photos below ex John Bullivant shows the little Tinopai marina on the Kaipara Harbour. The photos are dated 2012 & JB came across them while doing a google search.  There are a number of nice launches living there, I wonder how many are still there.

Sorry for the random post today – yesterday was a nightmare – everything I touched was a disaster – I’ll give you a motoring tip – do not breakdown on the 5th floor of a parking building – there is only one tow truck in Auckland low enough to extract you…………………… took nearly 4 hours……… 

Ended up leaving work bag & computer in the car, so posting tonight from a borrowed one.

TINOPAI ON KAIPARA

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Mystery Launch at Omokoroa Boat Club

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MYSTERY LAUNCH AT OMOKOROA BOATING CLUB

Woody Roger Guthrie sent me the above photos of this launch moored of the Omokoroa Boating Club. For the overseas WW readers Omokoroa is a small town in the Western Bay of Plenty – Tauranga, North Island. 
Roger commented that she was just too far away to view the name board – can anyone ID the launch?
 
WAITEMATAWOODYS T- SHIRT SALES
 
I’m ahead of schedule on the despatch of the above, posted all the overseas & out of Auckland orders today, & if I can stay awake, will do the greater Auckland ones tonight. Was a mammoth session last night, finished at 3.30am. House looks like a courier post branch at the comment. 
BUT – have only shipped the orders that have been paid for – so if you haven’t done the funds transfer yet – get a move on.
 
And on the subject of payment – there are always a few that order but forget they have & don’t follow thru with the $$, so if you want a shirt & missed the cut off – let me know – in a few days, subject to size, I still might be able to fill the order 🙂
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Mystery Launch On Slip at St Mary’s Bay

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Mystery Launch On Slip at St Mary’s Bay
Today’s photo comes to us via Lew Redwood’s fb (probably taken by Radcliff) & shows an unidentified launch on a slip in the St Mary’s Bay area. The photo is captioned ‘Auckland Harbour From Ponsonby’.
Lew commented that the orientation of the photo is looking from St Mary’s Bay near Point Erin showing a boat slip, with the premises of JT Julian & Son Boat Builders on Wynyard Wharf in the mid ground (1910>1919)
Can anyone ID the launch?
Harold Kidd Input – Reverting to the postcard, I think Chas Collings’ house is the one to the right whose verandah is visible. As for the launch, her configuration was a common one at the time. Built c1910 + or – 2 or 3 years, flush decked, “schooner rigged” with auxiliary sails, tuck stern, nice lines, a typical Auckland-built launch of the time. I think the pic and the postcard are too early for TEINA (sp) which was launched in June 1922. I can’t see why TEINA would be pulled out in St. Mary’s Bay. She was a Bayswater boat.
If the image was clearer you could count the ports etc. I do have a copy of the postcard at home but have never attempted to identify the launch.
My guess is that she’s a Ponsonby-owned launch. My mind says the first Drayton a 27 footer built in 1912 by H.N. Burgess and owned by the Walker Brothers, members of the Ponsonby Cruising Club just to the right of frame. But it could be 30 others.
Also CYA Woody’s – Remember this weekend is the Annual CYA Patio Bay Yacht Race + Launch Cruise + Christmas Party
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No Varnish Today :-)

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No Varnish Today 🙂

I received an email from Jake Bradshaw yesterday, Jake is from Southland, for the non Kiwi woodys that’s the bottom of the South Island. Jake was asking if any WW followers may know the  hull design of the woody runabout above that he has just acquired. The boat is 12’ & appears to have a marinised Vauxhall motor, from what Jake can work out.
And when a woody dies – the photo below is where we hope we will end up – looks like boating heaven.
Boat Heaven

Mystery Work Boat

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Mystery Work Boat

Today’s photo comes to us from Lew Redwood’s fb, & show a very nice work boat towing a barge – the boat & location are unknown.
The barge has quite a crowd aboard, both females & males, so it must have been an outing / picnic.
Anyone able to ID the vessel for us, I wonder if she is still afloat?
Angus Rogers sent in the video below of a barrel cooper/hopper at work. Almost as such skill required as building a clinker dinghy.