CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – LADY ETHEL – A PEEK DOWN BELOW
The 34’ 1962 classic wooden launch – LADY ETHEL has previously appeared on WW, link below. In that 2014 story and in her tme listing last year it was stated that she was built by Brin Wilson, this is incorrect. Back in 2015 Chris McMullen advised that LADY ETHEL was in fact built by Morrie Palmer of Devonport, he did the hull and Mr Neil Wilson (owner) finished her off.
Early in the year she made an appearance on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) and this enabled us to get afresh look at some of the enhancements.
Briefly overview of what we know – 46’, Collings & Bell launched in 1954, powered by twin 120hp Nissan diesel engines. She had a new kauri hull fitted about 15 years ago up to the water line.
Interested to learn if she sold and if so where she resides now.
SUMMER WAS A TAD AVERAGE BUT AUTUMN GETS A BIG ✔️
Had a lazy weekend at Rakino Island, condition perfect – as expect Woody Bay was packed and zero woodys, but West Bay was the better anchorage.
If you like gin – try PAPA SALT – Coastal Gin, seriously good and the sea glass bottle ilooks the part on a classic wooden boat 😉
When I first sighted todays 16’, 1961 built clinker run-about I was a little startled and my first thoughts were had she started life as a project boat at a boatbuilding school were every skill / feature was explored. But as they say – beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and if you pay the bills you can do what ever you want 😉
And she was awarded the top prize at the 2018 NZ Antique and Classic boat show at Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes. So she appeals to them southern folks 🙂
What we know about BEATTIEFUL is she was designed and built in 1961 by Jim Beattie, a kiwi boat builder based in Blenheim, and then in the mid 2000’s she was restored in Blenheim by Wayne Foley of Blenheim. Power is via a 60hp Yamaha outboard.I understand the boat changed hands at the 2026 Nelson Lakes boat show, so nice that she remain ‘local’ and presumably lake based.
During the week WW was contacted by Jeff Giddens concerning the classic wooden launch – MALUA. Jeff tells her story below –
“We have sort of acquired the above named vessel “Malua”. At this stage make and builder unknown.Story goes……there was a brand new 65 Volvo marine diesel engine fitted in the boat some 25 years ago, it did very few hours, then was put into a slipway cradle and has been on the slipway ever since (approx. 17 years).
Someone may know some history on this vessel. We would love to see this old girl be restored, hull is 98% sound, but unfortunately the decks and cabin sides need work. Be nice to know there is someone out there that wants her. Not free but her price will reflect the buyers commitment to restoring her.”
What we know – approx. 26’-28′ in length and very beamy for her length. Constructed from single skin, most likely kauri planking. 25+ years ago, she was on a swing mooring in Ivy Bay, Paremata, Pāuatahanui Inlet, then she went to Tauranga, then came back to Ivy Bay, Paremata, and has been on the slipway cradle ever since.
From the photos we see that her cradle sits above the water at high tide so this should have helped reduce the ‘drying out’ effect over the years.
If you have room and the passion for a classic wooden launch like MALUA in your life – initially contact Jeff at j.giddens@xtra.co.nz
And it saddens me to add that if we can’t find a new owner, she will face an appointment with a back-hoe…… 😢
The 30’ classic wooden launch TEMPEST recently made an appearance of tme, bidding reached $395 and the listing was withdrawn. Hopefully the seller realised its real value and has found a genuine buyer. Would be keen to learn what became of her.
In the meantime some background – built in 1964/5 by McGeady and powered by a Ford 100hp 6 cyl. diesel engine.
She has appeared several time on WW starting back in 2014, looking very salty, then in 2022 looking very sad and again in 2023. WW 2014https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/26/9340/
Her recent history is that her owner spent hundreds of hours restoring her and then during Cyclone Gabrielle she was struck and sunk on her mooring by a much larger floating foot path (concrete boat). Her owner also experienced a medical incident and the rebuild is beyond his physical resources and he has made the hard call to find a new custodian.
TEMPEST is #3 of 4 boats that Norm Fairlie had built for him by Mc Geady in the 1950s >1970s period.
She was purpose built in kauri and mahogany for him c.1964/5 by McGeady in his Summer Street, Ponsonby premises , specifically to fish for Tuna in the World Game Fishing Competition held in NZ in March of that year, which he won in her.
TEMPEST’s hull had been started by McGeady to be a boat he had intended for himself but he was persuaded by Fairlie to sell her to him & finish her to Norm’s requirements i
Fairlie owned her simultaneously with his other larger McGeady boat the 38 foot CHALLENGER which McGeady built for him in c.1962. He fished for Tuna in the contest off TEMPEST, & Billfish off CHALLENGER & came second in the overall contest
Fairlie later sold her to his then business partner Mr Bert Grimshaw-Jones, who lived on the banks of the Tamaki River, where he kept her at the bottom of his garden, for a number of years,
WHERE IS THE CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT – ENDOLA – AK313 – NOWADAYS
After 48 hours solid boat porn its time to return to one of the best WW tools i.e. finding lost craft, so read on.
Todays photo originated ex the ‘Thames Historic Pictures’ fb and comes to us via Maurice Sharp post. It was commented that the photo appears to be from the early 1970’s and the location most likely the Shortland area (southern end of Thames township).
The vessel appears to be resting on the mudflats or a tidal berth, a common sight at low tide on the Thames foreshore, even today. The AK313 number on her bow is a commercial fishing registration number – the ‘AK’ prefix indicates it was registered in Auckland, which was standard for vessels operating in the Hauraki Gulf and Thames area during the 1970’s period.
A comment on the post indicated that the photo had been enhance (AI most likely) and I suspect the 2nd photo (afloat) is the enhanced image.
Next wee nugget is a Kaye Jamieson commented that her partner – Ron Pepper, acquired the vessel in 1972 via a tender process in the NZ Herald. Kaye advised it was called ENDOLA, so maybe thats where name came from on the enhanced version??? Kaye’s story has Ron hauling the boat out of the mud and transporting it to Hamilton where over the next 5 years he restored the boat. It was later relocated to Tauranga where she was used for leisure use for approx. 13 years. Next ownership period saw her sold to a commercial fisherman at Waiheke Island, and thats where the trail goes cold.
So woodys can we learn what became of the launch ENDOLA AK313.
WHAT BECAME OF THE CLASSIC LAUNCH – ADELA + WW HITS 15 MILLION VIEWS
Todays woody photo comes to us from the ’Thames Historic Pictures’ fb via Lew Redwood and features a launch named ADELA. The photo is ex the Judd family album and the tag was ’The Judd’s at play on ADELA presumably on the firth’ (of Thames).
ADELA has not appeared on WW before so it would be nice to learn what became this rather smart looking classic wooden launch.
On the THP site I found the two photos below – tagged ‘Fenton Bros of Turua 1960s carting some big logs’ – Could have built a few woodys from those logs, sadly probably went into the domestic housing market.
Last week WW was contacted by Graeme Carr concerning a launch named – NAOMI, now back in the day that was a popular name and it pops up several times in the WW archives. In Graeme’s opening correspondence he referred to the launch as NAOMI II, but subsequently came to the view that this name came from his sighting the tender that was being used with the boat when afloat was labeled the NAOMI II. But the likelihood is that the main boat was just named NAOMI and the tender was named NAOMI II, as is the often the case.
Graeme commented that he first encountered NAOMI when it was on the hard located at Daimond Harbour, quite a ways from the sea and in a somewhat sad state, refer photos one and two above (dated c.1995/6). His intention was to buy the boat and relaunch. There were many conversations with the young owner but no deal as he wished to keep it. Graeme lost touch with it after that only to find that he had planted the seed of its sale and that the owner had sold it to an older gentleman who had repaired and re-floated it.
Graeme later (2015) came upon it again moored at Cass Bay close to Lyttelton. Refer bottom photo.
Can we learn more about NAOMI, Graeme is aware that there were sister ships built but unfortunately all records were lost in a fire at the boat builders (Bailey Bros.).
LAST WEEKEND AUCKLAND’s CLASSIC YACHTING ENTHUSIAST’S HELD THEIR ANNUAL REGATTA – woody John Dawson sent in a link to a brilliant you tube video filmed and edited by Roger Mills that showcases some of the cities best classic yachts. Enjoy
In the first weekend of March we have one on NZ’s coolest wooden boating events – the NZ Antique & Classic Boatshow, hosted in Kerr Bay, Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes National Park.
Todays coverage of the event is a perfect example of how the WW community works – I get an email from a friend (John Burland) living in Germany informing me a friend of his (Cam Rodgers) is attending the show this year and would I like some photos – short answer – YES.
So thanks to Cam today we get to have a gander at the show. Looks like the weather gods were smiling.
Remember – click to enlarge photos and enjoy the gallery 🙂
Todayswoody story bends the WW rules eg probably ply and f/glass and an American design, but there are some redeeming features – ZOET was built at the Auckland UNITEC Boatbuilding School in the 1980’s, its got a canoe stern + she is a good looker.
Some background – 28’ in length, built c.1980’s to a Ted Brewer (USA) design, powered by Nissan SD22 inboard diesel. Shallow (28”) draft = great inner harbour / lake boat.
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