Category Archives: Mystery Boat

HIDDEN FOR YEARS – HELP NEEDED IDENTIFYING THIS WOODEN CLASSIC 

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HIDDEN FOR YEARS – HELP NEEDED IDENTIFYING THIS WOODEN CLASSIC 

Recently WW was sent the above photo from Gabrielle Marris, who was looking for help identifying the craft. Gabrielle’s father had recently passed away and as part of the ’sorting out belongings’ there was a rather large belonging e.g. the boat, stored in a shed. Gabrielle commented that it had been there a long time and her dad had once worked on it with her grandfather.

I shared to photo with a few WW readers and all were in agreement that in another life she would have been a sail boat , this view is supported by the presence of chain plates on her hull. 

Anyone with sharp eyes and a good memory able to tell use the design of the vessel.

For Those That Read WW In the Early Hours, Todays The Woodys Boat Boot Sale at the Milford Slipway yard.

UPDATE – 18 SELLERS ONSITE

Scroll down to Fridays WW story to see a location map.

DATE: SATURDAY 02 AUGUST TIME: 10am > 12pm VENUE: 5 Omana Road, Milford

WOODEN MOTOR LAUNCH – ZEPHYR AT WHANGAROA HARBOUR

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MYSTERY CLASSIC WOODEN MOTOR LAUNCH – ZEPHYR AT WHANGAROA HARBOUR

Todays woody photo is another mystery launch that comes to us from the Far North District Library collection via Dean Wright. The photographer being Trevellyn Guest .

The location is Whangaroa Harbour and the date is unknown.

In the photo we see a straight stem launch with a tram top, the lack of a dog house may date the photo c.1910 > early 1920.                                                 Her unusual coamings window configuration may help with ID’ing the boat. That centre square (with curved top) window is a very distinctive feature.

Can anyone put a name to the boat and comment on its back story.

29-07-2025 UPDATE: As identified in the comments section by Fred Walker and latter confirmed via a phone call. It is ZEPHYR and was owned at the time by Joe Shephard who was managing the Whangaroa slip at the time.

VINTAGE CLASSIC LAUNCH POSTCARD

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VINTAGE CLASSIC LAUNCH POSTCARD

WW was sent a copy of the above ‘vintage’ postcard by Glenn Martin. The location is Pilot Bay, Mt Maunganui, Tauranga.

It was tagged ‘ retro modern’ so maybe not as old as it looks.

Anyone able to put a name to the launch in the photo.

Last weeks book quiz – no winners, the correct answer was OIL LAUNCH. None of the emailed entries had that. Will draw a winner from the classic launches at OBC today 😉

Short story today , currently at OBC for the combined OBC / Woodys event. Get alONG if you are at a loose end.

OBC + CLASSIC WOODYS EVENT TODAY

MYSTERY CLASSIC LAUNCH AT WESTHAVEN IN 1967 + BOOK REVIEW 

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MYSTERY CLASSIC LAUNCH AT WESTHAVEN IN 1967 + BOOK REVIEW 

Earlier in the week I was sent by.John Burland a link to a fb video that featured the 1967 visit to NZ by ‘Miss Wool USA – 1966’.

I won’t bore you with the link, but it shows her touring NZ, of interest WW is that in the video there is a very brief shot of Westhaven marina, Auckland. 

I have taken a screen grab that show a rather large wooden launch, an interesting mix of styles – bridge-decker, tram top + dog house.

Anyone able to put a name to the launch.

INPUT EX NATHAN HERBERT – This boat (originally Myrtle) she had more portholes on one side than the other. Don’t know what became of her but one guess is that she became the ‘Matira’?
https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/02/28/mystery-thames-wooden-launch/comment-page-1/

BOOK REVIEW – ‘WATER ROADS – Boat Travel and Tourism in New Zealand from 1840’

Recently a copy the above 530 page book appeared in the WW letterbox, I was amazed the letterbox didn’t collapse under the weight 🙂 The last time it would have carried the books weight would have been when NZ Post was still printing telephone books.

The author is Neville Ritchie and to quote Neville – “the book tells the story of water-based tourism in NZ” and focuses on the small boat operations established to take visitors to tourist attractions on overnight cruises. It also takes the reader on a history tour od boating building in NZ. The story starts at the top of the North Island and finishes off at Stewart Island.

As an indication of the extent of the content we start off c.1840 with maori in ex whaleboats and end with the electric foiling ferries on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour.

As indicated above its a monster of a read, I can see myself consuming it in bite size chunks over an extended period of time.

If your a serious marine historian your bookcase will be lacking if you do not have copy.

COPIES AVAILABLE FROM nevritchie@outlook.co.nz

WIN A COPY – Answer the question below correctly and you will go into the draw for a copy of the book. Entry By Email only to >  waitematawoodys@gmail.com.

Entries Close 6pm Friday 18-07-2025.

QUESTION: In the early 1900’s what were the words commonly used to describe (small) motorboats?

MYSTERY CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH 475 – CAN WE ID 

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MYSTERY CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH 475 – CAN WE ID 

The WW brains trust have been starching their heads on todays classic wooden boat and have not been able to put a name to her. The photo comes to WW from Craig Pippen via Jason Prew.The rather large 475 on her side should help but has drawn a blank.

Can anyone help out with a name and even better some info on her back story.


ATTENTION – MASON CLIPPER OWNERS – Looking for an original Fairhead for a Mason Clipper 24’? Alan Smith has one, available free + the cost of courier. Contact smital@xtra.co.nz

CLASSIC WOODEN BOATS NAVIGATE THE OHAU CHANNEL

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CLASSIC WOODEN BOATS NAVIGATE THE OHAU CHANNEL

Todays woody photo popped up recently on the postcard’s of old NZ fb page via a Marcus Hurst posting.

 The location of the photo is The Ohau Channel, that connects Lake Rotorua and Lake Rotoiti.

I know the channel is still in existence as the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Association run an annual raft / float day down the channel – not sure what the depth is these days.  Any of the Lake WW readers able to put some names to the craft we see on the waterway.

MYSTERY LAKE BOAT – CAN WE ID HER

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MYSTERY LAKE BOAT – CAN WE ID HER

Todays woody photo comes to use from John Dawson. John believes the location is most likely Lake Rotorua, this is based on the photo album it came from. So if not Lake Rotorua maybe Lake Rotoiti.

Would be nice to put a name to the launch and learn some of her history.

CAN WE ID THIS CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH + Win A Off Centre Harbor Cap

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CAN WE ID THIS CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH + Win A Off Centre Harbor Cap

Todays woody photo was sent in by Nathan Herbert and shows a classic wooden launch probably berthed at Westhaven Marina, Auckland.

Nathan commented that the date was c.1960’s and that the launch had a Woolleys look to her.

She is one of those boats that looks very familiar but we can’t put a name to her.

So woodys – the first person to correctly* ID the launch wins a OFF CENTRE HARBOUR cap. All entries via the WW comments section. *NOTE: WW must be able to verify the launch name. 

VIEW OFF CENTER HARBOR HERE – offcentreharbor.com

CLASSIC SWANSON KAURI CLINKER LAUNCH -STELLA ROSE

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CLASSIC SWANSON KAURI CLINKER LAUNCH – STELLA ROSE

Todays 34’ woody was built in 1967 by boat builder R E Swanson, constructed via the clinker method using kauri planks. The interior is macrocarpa.

Forward motion is from a 70hp Ford diesel engine.

Woody Ian McDonald commented that she had a similar ‘look’ to Baden Pascoe’s – JOHN DORY, I’m sure Baden will disagree 😉

Can we learn more about this Akaroa, South Island woody.

22-06-2025 INPUT EX LIAM DALY
There were at least two other ‘almost identical’ clinker built launches built by  Bob Swanson. One was named “TELSTAR” And the other named “MANANA” which was often mispronounce!  “Mañana” named after a popular song of the day, translated from Spanish means, “tomorrow” or “morning”.Back in the day, Manana was at one time owned by Bay of Many Coves identity Errol Christian. Errol installed a huge turbo charged 100 h.p. diesel engine in Manana which he used as a water taxi throughout Queen Charlotte Sounds.     

KEN RICKETTS Input – it’s named STELLA ROSE

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ROTUI

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ROTUI

Todays WW story features the classic wooden launch – ROTUI. The photos above were sent in by Karyn Klarwill and came to her from the McCann family.

A mystery woody to me, so keen to learn more about her.

A search on WW comes up with a couple of stories on a boat named ROTUI, but that one was built in 1938 and according to K Ricketts was a Chris Craft  boat. Not sure if it was a genuine CC or a NZ knock-off.

Todays we are mooching up the upper Waitemata Harbour for a Woodys Cruise to the waterfront Riverhead Tavern for a group catch up / lunch. If your attending remember to take lots of photos and email in to waitematawoodys@gmail.com