Category Archives: Mystery Boat

MYSTERY WOODEN LAUNCH AGROUND -C.1960

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MYSTERY WOODEN LAUNCH AGROUND – c.1960

During the week the story on MARISTELLA and her several episodes of touch hydrography prompted Gavin Pascoe to send in the photo above of an unidentified launch run aground on Pukerua Bay rocks in the Wellington region. There are some impressive rollers coming in so I’d be surprised if she was re-floated.

The photo caption had a date of c.1960’s on it and the comment that the photograph was taken for the Evening Post newspaper of Wellington by an unidentified staff photograph. The origin is c/o the National Library collection.

Anyone able tout a name to the launch.


WESTHAVEN COMPETITION – Dockside chat tells me the waterfront marine community are running a sweepstake on when the classic yacht CAPLIN will leave its new berth and venture out on the Waitemata Harbour. One old salt commented that maybe its new prime position was viewed by her new owner as an ornate gift to the neighbourhood…………….. 😉

UPDATE 11-07-2024 – I can confirm Caplin has ventured out 🙂

A CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT OUTSTANDING IN ITS FIELD 

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A CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT OUTSTANDING IN ITS FIELD 

Sometimes the WW “Mystery Launch’ stories are easy in terms of putting a name to a vessel – todays one I suspect will burn some fuses in the odd woody brain.

The above photo was sent in by Jason Prew and as he commented there is a nice looking hull hiding under the additions.

The location is at the Stoney Oaks Wildlife Part in Kaimana, Inglewood, Taranaki (middle’ish of the North Island for non NZ readers). Its been there a considerable time but how it got there and what is doing there is unknown. There is a ‘river > creek’ – Waitara River that runs from the ocean at coastal Waitara, so maybe…….. thats how she ended up at Kaimata.

The park is sort of a farm / petting zoo and has an impressive collection of critters for visitors to rub up alongside. So woodys can we ID the launch and get some background on her.

UPDATE 24-06-2024 ex Previous owner – Albert Littin – This is “Waihou”. 1912 Baily built 36 foot. Originally built as a work boat with the dredge building the stopbanks on the Waihou river. I have some early photos in its original form with the dredge. Sometime later it has been transformed with chainsaw, fence battens etc until I aquired it in 1999 and worked on it to tidy it up. Used out of Port Albert until 2010 then sold and trucked to its present posion up the Waitara River.

UPDATE 24-06-2024 ex Previous owner – Allan – I can confirm this is the Waihou.I was an owner from 1997 until 1999.Waihou was on the Tamaki River,when I purchased her from Ray? who had recently taken on the launch Joan.Waihou had a Gardner 5LW.Sold her to Northland,where she was moored at Mangawhai

HELP NEEDED IDENTIFYING THESE WOODEN BOATS – Lady Eileen

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HELP NEEDED IDENTIFYING THESE WOODEN BOATS – Lady Eileen
As mentioned on Tuesday WW has been contacted by Ted Armitage in regard to a collection of glass plate negatives he inherited. Ted had the photos digitised and has sent them thru to WW in the hope that we can identify the location / boats. Today we have two woodys alongside a wharf, the launch looks familiar, if my life depended on it, I would say it is VALSAN, the 46’ Bridgedecker built in 1948 by Lidgard.                                          

As to the sail boat behind – that is too hard for me, may be an early scow.  So woodys can we put names and a location to the boats in the photo.

UPDATE ex RUSSELL WARD – No question of it, its Lady Eileen (confirmed also by Nath Herbert). Look at the launching pic (below) – even got the drop down canvas cover side of the aft dodger.
Question of the day – How is Hylton getting on with her restoration?

User comments

CAN YOU HAVE A LOOK IN YOUR TREASURE BOX
As mentioned in a story on June 2nd, the launch – LADY CAROLE has just started a refit. I’ll cover stage one on Friday.The owner has a big favour to ask WW readers – they are looking for the following – so check the ‘maybe one day’ box.
MUSHROOM VENTS – x2 – vents are 6cm from the top of the deck to the top of the mushroom when closed. Diameter of the outer flange is 115cm


COWL 1/2 VENTS x4 – (2 portside / 2 starboard) ideally between 200 and 300 high. (photos below reference example only)

Drop WW an email if you can help out  waitematawoodys@gmail.com

MYSTERY NAVY LAUNCH

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MYSTERY NAVY LAUNCH

Doing the fatherly thing the other day, walking the dog, I was doing a lap of the Devonport Naval Base (outside of the ’no go’ fence) when I spotted the above launch tucked under a tunnel house. 

Wasn’t sure if it was there slowly decomposing or whether the navy were refitting her.

I suspect the above question will be answered quick smart by Chris Leech and hopefully we might learn more about the craft.

Can We Identify This Wooden Boat – NAU MAI

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Can We Identify This Wooden Boat – NAU MAI

During the week we were sent the above photo of a very neglected launch, as seen above. The location is on the Tamaki River just north of Panmure Highway Bridge.

The sender of the photo is keen to know if anyone has information on the boat eg design, history and ideally current ownership + anything else about her.

UPDATE – Photos below ex John Bullivant sent in by Ken Ricketts. There is speculation the bay maybe named Delray

INPUT ex MARK McLAUGHLIN – the boats named Nau Mai, built by Allen Williams in 1964 – WW story link https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/05/08/nau-mai/

MYSTERY 1902 PILOT BOAT

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MYSTERY 1902 PILOT BOAT

Todays woody is very much a mystery boat – the photos were shared with WW by a potential new owner, not sure if the ownership transfer actually happened.

All we know is that its claimed she is a 1902 ex pilot boat. There is a nice hull beneath that more modern looking cabin addition. 

Reviewing the ‘duckboard’ addition that can be viewed in the photos, it does look vaguely familiar – one of the few negatives of the WW site is the search section works on exact wording eg if in a previous story I didn’t mention the words – pilot boat, it wouldn’t show a link.

So woodys can anyone enlighten us on this vessels past.

06-11-2024 UPDATE ex John Bullivant – an update on the boat in the storage yard, by the North Shore airfield. Still there, (now on its’ lonesome) and with a big for sale sign painted on the side. Haven’t heard anything more from the guy who was trying to buy it. Looks like a lot of work but maybe good for someone wanting an older style hull as a starter. 

Mystery Wooden Boat & Location

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Mystery Wooden Boat & Location

The woody photo above popped up on Lew Redwood’s fb and in the photo we see a launch being craned out of what probably was a back-yard building site.

The name on the crane is H.J. Hensley, does that ring any bells out there.

Keen to learn – location / date /  builder / boat name.

Classic Wooden Boat <> Water Front Apartment

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Classic Wooden Boat <> Water Front Apartment

We know nothing about this 33’ woodys past life and how it ended up as a floating waterfront pad – but its a seriously cool, low cost accomodation option in Wellington.

The tme story (thanks Ian McDonald) says only $120 a week rent and that includes secure car parking and security gate. At <$20k its a bargain. 

The stern ‘window’ is an obvious giveaway that dockside is her resting place, in fact the engine is not working.

Can we put a name to this former launch now apartment.

MYSTERY CLASSIC WOODY DUCK SHOOTING BOAT

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MYSTERY CLASSIC WOODY DUCK SHOOTING BOAT

The first weekend of May is not a good time for ducks – its opening weekend for the duck shooting season. Angus Rogers sent in the above photo yesterday that is pinned to the wall of the maimai (explained for non NZ readers – a temporary waterfront shelter for shooters to hide in, photos below) that Angus was shooting from on Saturday.

The caption reads – ’Shooting on the Piako – 1920’s. Various members of the Wilson and Collins familiars onboard.

Hopefully Angus’s bag for the day was less than what we see on display in the photo 🙂

Anyone able to ID the launch.

Mystery Lyttelton Launch

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Mystery Lyttelton Launch
Again only a mystery because her owner didn’t include a name on tme (thanks Ian McDonald). If we believe the tme story she is a Logan, built in1908, 36’ in length. Powered by a 1970, 65hp Rustin Rover (???) 

And that woodys is all me know – any southern readers able to enlighten us more on the launch.

BUY OF THE YEAR – HEAO – LOGAN 33 – A Sailors Motor Boat – Reduced Price – Low $80’ks – Click link below for details. https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/02/29/heao-a-peek-down-below-4sale/