Category Archives: Non Waitemata

Maharatia (Anita Bay / Te Repo Repo Relaunched

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MAHARATIA RELAUNCHED
 
Last week in the WW inbox up popped a note from Troy and Dave Searle the owners of the 1947 Roy Lidgard built – Maharatia, the subject line said “Maharatia (Anita Bay) Update”. Well woodys that was an understatement, I can report that Maharatia has been relaunched 🙂
Firstly excuse me while I rewind – back in August 2015 Paul Drake sent me a single b/w photo (c.1960’s) of a rather large woody on the back of a truck in Taupo. Paul commented that the launch was Te Repo Repo as she was named while operating commercially on the lake.
That single photo (below) ignited one of the biggest chat sessions on WW, there have been over 64 comments posted around the boats provenance.
I attempted to summarize it into one read, which you will find along with a great photo gallery of her past at the WW link below. Make sure you read the comments, start at the bottom 😉 
 
 
Now back to the the Searle’s email – I have reproduced it below – rather a big project – well done guys, amazing effort – email me your T-shirt sizes and I will gift you a couple of WW t-shirts. Hopefully in person at this weekends Mahurangi Regatta.
 
“Well finally after a 4 1/2 years restoration we have relaunched Maharatia.
Last Wednesday (8th Jan 2020) Boat Haulage safely transported her up to Dockland 5 in Whangarei from the boat shed at Omaha. 
She is now berthed in Marsden Cove Marina
Colin Brown, Josh Hawke and owner Dave Searle have worked hard to help bring her back to a very solid representation of her former glory.
Just a brief overview of the restoration work
– Replaced 23 frames in hull
– Replaced garboard plank
– Replaced all keel bolts
– Replaced all through hull skin fittings
– Re-corked hull
– Replaced worm shoe
– Rebuilt shaft logs
– Rebuilt rudder logs
– New diesel tanks 
– Motors (2 x 6LX Gardner) rebuilt by Shaw diesels Ltd
– Replaced all fuel systems, lines and filters.
– Complete rehire and re-plumbed.
– All new toughened glass windows
– New dash panel, gauges and instruments
– New Interior, saloon and galley
– Raised and built new roof to increase headroom by 80mm
– New shower/head room built in.
– New capping on rail
– New exhaust system
– All porthole windows removed, new glass and seals fitted.
– 2 new hatches made. Fwd cabin and roof top.
– New anchor winch
– Aft deck, seating and storage compartments made and hatch to lazarette installed.
 …and Lastly a full repaint.
 
Looking forward to spending our summer on the water this year! 
We hope to be at the Mahurangi regatta In a few weeks time and catching up with other woody enthusiasts.”
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Tall Ship Peking Rounds Cape Horn – Movie

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Tall Ship Peking Rounds Cape Horn – Movie

The above 1929 film is shot and narrated by Captain Irving Johnson and records the tall ship Peking on her outward bound journey around Cape Horn.
Special thanks to Max Pike for sending me the link.
Input from Keith Ottaway

“She is still afloat and being restored……..

http://ss-peking.de/en/viermastbark-peking/bildergalerie.php

There is another of these in Sweden / Finland

https://sjofartsmuseum.ax/en/the-ship-pommern/

And a read of Eric Newby book on sailing these with a complete set of photos.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/298571.Learning_the_Ropes

The book has some very good photos under way and what they had to do – very readable – but on a winters night in front of the fire to make you appreciate what you have.”

 

Bay of Islands Woodys

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Bay of Island Woodys

Dean Wright has just sent in a few more photos from the BOI, as always stunning photography.
We have Alma G and Winsome fishing off Onewhero and Tapui coming through Kent Passage.
Enjoy.
Hopefully I’ll be afloat this weekend and in case it slipped you by – next weekend is the BIGGIE – Mahurangi Regatta, the biggest woody event in NZ.
If you believe the MCC website – there is a classic launch parade, I understand the CYA are behind it, but details are a ‘little’ light’ 😦
I have cut and pasted below what appears on the MCC website and marked the parade assembly area / time i.e. 10.15am at Scotts Landing.
As per previous years, entry is a formality that a lot turn a blind eye to, you can just rock up on the day – as long as you are a classic and made of wood 🙂
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Remember to slip $20 cash into your pocket to pick up a copy of the Mahurangi Cruising Club year book – its a cracker
MCC YB 2020 Cover

Marlin 17 Rescued

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Marlin 17 Rescued

Have been contacted recently by Keith Bradley concerning a Marlin 17 that he rescued from the chainsaw. The previous owner was about to cut the hull in half and mount it on the wall of the fish and chip shop in Nelson……… 😦

In steps Keith and the woody run-a-about is now 1/2 way thru a re-fit.
When Keith acquired her she had a large crack in the bow, that with help (verbal) from a local boat builder Kieth has addressed.
The project is actually more of a custom re-build than a restoration to as built, but rest easy – she will look a picture when completed.
Keith has set himself a target to have her back in the water for the Lake Rotoiti (Nelson Lakes) classic boat show at St. Arnaud this year, so he better get a move on 🙂
Keith would love to hear from any other Marlin 17 owners to swap notes re his and their boats.
The photo below of Keith’s shed shows an impressive collection of deer antlers  – must be a very good shot 🙂
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Ani (Brief Affair)

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Ani Photo

ANI (BRIEF AFFAIR)

I have been contacted by Matthew Hambrook looking for more details on the 1975,  41’ Keith Atkinson built launch – Ani. In a previous like she was called ‘Brief Affair’ and spent a number of years in the Golden Bay area.
Matthew commented that there had been talk of the boat being one of the ’Shango’ named launches that Keith Atkinson built.
Can anyone shed some light on the boat?
LADY SHIRLEY
Two nights ago BOI woody Dean Wright sent me the photo below of Lady Shirley swinging on a mooring in Opito Bay. Obviously in summer cruising mode with all the ‘fruit’ on top of her 🙂
Not too sure about those cabin hatches, looks like they would be more at home on a Y88 😉
Lady Shirley BOI Jan2019

Lady Gillian

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Lady Gillian new bow rail

LADY GILLIAN

Last year I was in dialog with Andrew Beatson, the owner of the Nelson based launch – Lady Gillian, in regard to a a replacement bow rail. Andrew had made the decision to replace the existing rail (as seen the the top photo) with a something similar.
The middle photo shows the mocked up replacement, which AB had little say in the ‘design’. Andrew contacted me asking for advice, I won’t bore you with the details, unless you are contemplating something similar, in which case PM me.
Yesterday Andrew sent me the bottom photo, with lots of smiley faces – the new rail looks ace and will only get better after the timber has aged a little.
Small things can make a big difference to how a woody looks, sadly more often than not, people get it wrong. If you ever want advice / 2nd opinion, just drop WW an email – there are some very talent woodys who we can tap into 😉
There has been discussion on WW before regarding the provenance of Lady Gillian – back in 2014 Harold Kidd commented that she had most likely had a name change and could be from any builder in the 1910 >1930 period. Probably started life as a flush decker and with her row of even sized ports is characteristic of a southern build and could pass for an early Jukes of Balaena Bay.
Six years have passed since then and WW has a lot more readers – can anyone help ID the vessel?

10-03-2022 Photo below ‘uncovered’ in the WW archives

A Woody Trip Up The Coast

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Lady Crossley @ home in the BOI

A Woody Trip Up The Coast

Just before Christmas I buddied up with Jamie Hudson to take Jamie’s classic launch – Lady Crossley to her summer home in the Bay of Islands.
Jamie and I have a great track record when it comes to long hauls and the weather, so once again we enjoyed perfect conditions. We were in no hurry so the trip was broken into – Kawau Island > Urquhart Bay (Whangarei Head) > BOI.
Above is a gallery of photos from the trip – as always food was a major component of the trip 🙂
Enjoy the photos – didn’t see a lot of other woodys, but there appears to be a good representation on the replica f/glass Logan 33 launches in the Bay.
Photo below of Russell’s waterfront – have not been there for a long time – I’ll be back, soon, its a great spot.
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Ariana

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ARIANA

The build / launch date of Ariana is unknown but she was formerly a Nelson fishing boat named ‘Glenrowan’. Her current owner purchased Ariana in Picton in 2005, after extensive re-building by McManaways of Picton. She was relocated to Napier, where she still is to this day.
Her zoom zoom is from a near new Perkins Sabre model M225Ti installed 2015, current engine hours are only 25hrs, the Perkins gives her a cruising speed of 9 knots. She is 37’9” in length, with a 10’ beam.
Her trademe listing (thanks Ian McDonald) lists a very extensive inventory.
Can anyone help us got with details on builder > year of launch etc?

The South Passage – A Short Wooden Boat Film

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SOUTH PASSAGE

Todays woody story comes to us from Andrew Christie in Brisbane, Andrew filmed and edited the short film on the glorious launch – South Passage, built in 1952 in Brisbane by Percy Tripcony.
South Passage is 50’ in length with a beam of 13’4”, and she draws 4’6”. The sound and footage of her Gardner 6LX diesel will be music to Dick Fisher’s (Akarana) ear and hopefully inspiration to Jamie Hudson (Lady Crossley) to get the tooth brush and Brasso out 😉
Sit back and enjoy 6 minute of wooden boat porn 🙂

Woodys Cruising The Bay Of Islands – Summer 2019/2 – Part 2

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WOODYS CRUISING THE BAY OF ISLANDS – SUMMER 2019/20 – Part 2

Yesterday we featured a gallery of classic wooden launches that photographer Dean Wright has snapped over the xmas / new year period in the Bay of Islands.
Today we get to view some magnificent examples of ex work boats, now enjoying their twilight years as leisure craft.
Meola steals hearts where ever she goes and has made numerous appearances on WW.
Donna Maree was built by Jorgensens at Waipawa, Picton for Charlie Hebberley for the Tory Channel- not sure of the date. Now owned by Cal Crook.
I’m in the dark on details on the other to boats – Liberator and the unnamed one.
All the boats featured yesterday and today are stunning examples of why we love classic boats – the photo below unfortunately is an example to what we see hanging out in the Bay of Islands at this time of the year – “a face only a mother could love” 😦
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