Category Archives: Non Waitemata

Le Cygne

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LE CYGNE

Today’s story comes to us via Ray Morey’s fb. Ray tells us Le Cygne was built in Auckland for a Whangarei doctor post 1918. Next owner was Enoch Doel, who had a grocery store in Kawakawa. He used her for deliveries around the upper reaches of the Bay of Islands / Waikare inlet.
Ray’s father bought the launch c.1930 from Enoch Doel. Back then power was a single cylinder ‘Buffalo’ engine. Back in those days the boat was commonly called ‘Latrine’. They sold her to a guard on the railways, and he relocated her to the Clevedon River.
Anyone know what happened to her?

Which is a good juxtaposition to remind you that the Woody Classics Weekend to the Clevedon Cruising Club is almost closed off, so many boats and limited space – it will be a monty of a trip, a great mix of boats and people have RSVP’ed. Do not delay, I will not be posting again on this event, driving attendance – RSVP to waitematawoodys@gmail.com. just need both yours and the boats name. Actually the boats specs i.e. LOL ,beam, draft will also be a big help.

Harold Kidd Input – LE CYGNE (the SWAN) was built for Dr Frazerhurst of Whangarei possibly by David Reid with a Buffalo engine (agent) immediately before the Great War. Dr Frazerhurst was badly wounded and spent the war in captivity. No clues what happened to her after she was part of the fleet to greet Lord Jellicoe off Reotahi in April 1921.

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Kiwi

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As purchased

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Re-launch day

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KIWI

In late Jan 2018 when myself and Jamie Hudson were holding David Cooke’s hand as he piloted Trinidad around the top of NZ and slid down the West Coast to the Marlborough Sounds, Jamie and I had an evening to kill after being cast ashore in Picton. The plan was to catch the late (overnight) ferry back to Wellington. My idea was to hit the waterfront bars, but Jamie has more self-control than I and suggested me stroll the marina for a few hours before we hit the bars, otherwise we might struggle to catch the ferry – as it turned out, very sage advise from Mr Hudson 🙂
 
While taking in the Picton sea air, we spotted numerous very smart woodys at the marina – one of them being Kiwi. Now fast forward 20 odd months and I get an email from Alistair McRae, who had just returned from Picton, on a trip to purchase a very nice Colin Wild woody launch – details on that another day. 
While in Picton, Alistair visited a mate – Wal Edwards, who had bought an old double ended fishing boat named – Kiwi,  built in 1922 (he thinks). Kiwi is 33′ long and was built by Steve Carey of Carey’s Bay. As you will see from the photos above, Wal has done a magnificent job of rebuilding Kiwi. Check out the ballast they removed from her bilge.
Kiwi is powered by a John Deer.
 
The photos above a mix of mine and from Wal and Alistair’s collection.
Can anyone tell us more about this very cool woody?

Doreena / Dorina

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DOREENA / DORINA
Taupo woody Paul Drake was recently in Tauranga helping his brother Nigel give his boat – Freelance, some TLC. They spent some time reviewing Nigel’s colour slide collection from the 1970’s with a projector and screen.
One of the woodys in the collection was Doreena (not sure on the spelling could be Dorina), previously named – Argument and Doreen, when owned by the Pointon family. They bought her in a dilapidated condition. She was built in 1928, and sold to Auckland in 1978. Paul understands she slipped off the truck on her way north and ‘broke her back’, but was fitted with a magnificent new laminated douglas fir keel.
Both Paul and I would love to know what became of her?
Woodys Trip To Clevedon Cruising Club 16>17th November Update
On Saturday morning Barbara and David Cooke  and myself drove to Clevedon to check-out the location for next months Woody Classics Weekend cruise up the Wairoa River to the Clevedon Cruising Club.
The photos below give you a peek at the set-up, its perfect – big wharf, waterfront clubrooms with huge BBQ and ‘party’ area. The club is BYO, so pack that favourite bottle/s of Pinot. And yes Rosanne, its dog friendly 🙂
Given distance and tides, this is an overnight event. The location and clubrooms fit the bill of the perfect classic kiwi boating club – it will be a great night.
Thank you everyone that has RSVP’ed – great numbers, but if you haven’t replied yet – do it now. I do not want to scare you, but due to available space we may have to put a limit on the number of boats doing the trip – so now there’s an incentive to pull finger 🙂 We are working with the club to ensure we can fit everyone in.
RSVP to waitematawoodys@gmail.com   Just need you and your boats name.
REMEMBER WOODY CLASSICS WEEKEND EVENTS ARE NOT RUN BY OF THE CLASSIC YACHT ASSOCIATION – SO ATTENDANCE IS OPEN TO ALL NICE CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT OWNERS
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NIGHTINGALE + waitematawoodys hits 5,000,000 Views

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NIGHTINGALE + waitematawoodys hits 5,000,000 Views
The 55’ trawler cruiser started life in 1925, in Invercargill as a sailing ship, Later owned by the Leask family (Stewart Island) who strengthened and converted her to a trawler ‘ fright ship in the area for many years. In 1987 she was taken to Nelson and converted to a pleasure cruiser. In recent years (last 10) she has seen timber replacements and modernising too systems.
Her trademe listing (thanks Ian MacDonald) describes her as a floating bach and that is a good description of the life she has had in the Marlborough Sounds. Sleeping for 8 people and all the home comforts aboard (42” TV) would make for enjoyable Sounds cruising.
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Her beam is 11’5” and she draws 5’5”. Power is via a Detroit 671, that has her cruising at 7 knots.
Any one able to tell us the designer / builder?
Waitematawoodys Gets 5 Million Views
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At some stage last night or early this morning the waitematawoodys.com site clock clicked over the 5 million views mark – I got the biggest buzz when it hit 5,000 and then 1,000,000 – these days its a freight train – just keeps on rolling 24/7.
Why do I do it? – the #1 reason is to motivate people to use their wooden boats more and to enjoy the classic wooden boating lifestyle.
Some of you have been around since day one and stayed the distance, some are what I call ‘flirters’ you come and go and that’s all good.
The back library is very impressive – over 1/2 the daily views these days are people using the site as a reference tool eg searching for details on a particular boat. Sometimes the odd story  might be a bit lame but it gets into the WW system and over time can grow e.g. someone searches the boats name and next thing we have a new (better) story on the same boat and it kick starts the old story.
It is always try to be to be entertaining and informative. I also try very hard to be factual but if we get it wrong – tell us and if you are in fact right, we will correct it.
I never started out to create an encyclopaedia of classic wooden boats – the idea was to create some good chat around what’s happening in the classic wooden boating community.
I also never intended for the stories to be daily, but the appetite was there and I soon discovered there was no shortage of content out there.
Sometimes, not often, after some moron has sent me a nasty email, I question why I do it, but then I have some chat (on-line) with cool people that make it worthwhile e.g there are a lot of blokes that have spent their life in and around wooden boats and these days reading WW is a highpoint in their day. I like that 🙂
I encourage you to use the comments section.
To those of you working on woody projects – send us updates / photos, we love projects. Send to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Thank you for your support ‘flying the WW flag’ via wearing the WW t-shirts – they pop up all over the world.
Best Regards
alan houghton – waitematawoodys founder
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Waipawa – A Peek Down Below

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WAIPAWA AK83 – A Peek Down Below
 

The ex work boat (Waitemata Fisheries) Waipawa has made a brief appearance on WW back in 2016 (WW link below) Now thanks to Ian McDonald’s road trip in the Far North we get to have a look down below.

The photos above show her on the hard at Opua, in mid October.  The 50’ Waipawa was built by Percy Vos and her owner Pete McIntyre, understands she was launched in 1940).

She gets around, having recently been up to Fiji & Tonga, And to Fiordland / Stewart Island.
 

Somethings Not Right Here + Woodys On Tour

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Somethings Not Right Here + Woodys On Tour
 
I was sent the above photo by Bruce Yarnton, it had both Bruce and I confused for way too long…………
Interesting mix of vessels – anyone able to tell us what was happening?
 
Woodys On Tour
The WW t-shirts crop up all over the world – in the first photo below we see Allan & Pamela Hooper on board the 1922 schooner – Ladona, they spent a week sailing on her from Rockland in Penobscot Bay, USA.  The other photos see Allan out and about in Maine.

Sailing on Ladona Rockland

Woody yachty Steve Horsley has been in South Africa shooting Lions (only joking) it was a family wedding and Steve was flying the WW flag in Simonds Town where the Naval base is situated. Rumour has it he bought the Captain Pugwash boat (the Black Pig) to replace Ngatira 🙂
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Thames River Rats

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Thames River Rats

Last month I did a quick trip to Thames and called into the ‘marina’. The tide was out in the estuary so you get to see the marina looking it finest.
Lots of old girls there, resting up, contemplating life.
If you’re down that way The Wharf bar and Thames Wholesale Fisheries shop are ace. Same owners, so they deliver your newspaper wrapped dinner to the bar – we like that.  Worth a visit just for a cold one & the snapper & chips.

Off to check out another river today – the Wairau River, Clevedon – David Cooke and myself are doing a recky for the upcoming Woody Classics Weekend BBQ cruise (Nov 16>17th). Via car 🙂

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RSVP   waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Andiamo

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ANDIAMO

The 20′ Andiamo was originally  known as the  ‘Yellow Boat’ on Lake Rotoiti near Rotorua. She was built by a farmer from Gisborne in 1949 and was reputedly the fastest boat on Rotoiti back then.

She came to her current owners 10 years ago, who undertook a 4 year restoration project to bring her back to her former glory. The work included partial hull replacement, structural framework enhancement and strengthening using marine grade ply, kauri and stainless steel fixings. All timber used was locally milled kauri in keeping with the original construction, and came from a single tree thus the beautiful consistency in the decking – handcrafted piece by piece using kauri with a kahikitea accent and mahogany surround.

The original Dodge 6 was replaced with a 275ci alloy V8 producing 280hp, running through a Borg Warner gearbox to the bespoke brass prop. The engine is computer controlled, inter-cooled and muffled, providing amazingly smooth, quiet and reliable power.

Andiamo is an iconic piece of New Zealand maritime history that has been preserved and is now offered for sale. Her owners  want her to go on to her next adventure with a new family – and are selling well below value. to make that happen.

Andiamo will be available for viewing at Lake Tarawera over Labour Weekend.

(thanks to Rod Prosser for the trademe heads up)

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RSVP   waitematawoodys@gmail.com

 

 

 

Komutu + What To Do On The Long Weekend

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KOMUTU

Woody Ian McDonald has been on a wee road trip up north. Ian sent in the above photos of Komutu hauled out at Whangarei. All we know is she was built in 1950 by Curnow & Wilson in Motueka.

Komutu is 44’ in length , single skin and powered by a GM 6/71 diesel engine.

Can anyone tell us what she has been up to in the last 69 years ?

Input from Brian Kidson – Komutu was designed by Cliff Nalder for himself and built by Curnow and Wilton of Port Nelson. Cliff was the Nalder of the Nalder and Biddle, marine engineers with Curnow and Wilton, next door on the same 200ton sidways slip way. Komutu was launched in the December 1952 at 42ft x 12ft x 3ft 6inches. Komutu hull was seam batten carvel planked white pine from Golden Bay over rata frames with hollow sections frd running aft to a straight flat transom. Her original engine was a 165hp 6/71 GM said to have come out of a Sherman tank. Cliff used her between Nelson and the Marlborough Sounds where he had a bach, until he sold her about 1967 to a Keith Robson. Has had five or six of owners since then.

Further Input from Brian Kidson – Brian sent in the photos below (ex Bill Nalder & Phil Robson) The shows her under construction, then post launching and lastly c.1960’s.

Input from Mark McLaughlin – The new cabin was built by Blenheim boatbuilder Arthur Watson in the late 1980’s. Arthur showed us over her when he had nearly finished the cabin while she was on the hard in Havelock for the refit.

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Komutu(Phil Robson) 1

 

BUSY WEEKEND ON & OFF THE WATER THIS LONG WEEKEND

  1. Friday – sees the start of the annual Coastal Classic Yacht Race to Russell in the Bay of Islands. The start is always a great spectacle, best viewing spot being up North Head, Devonport. Follow the race on-line, details here  https://www.coastalclassic.co.nz/watch

2. Saturday > Monday  – the Tino Rawa Trust are again hosting the classic yacht and launch exhibition at Te Wero Island down at Auckland’s Viaduct. This year the event celebrates the contribution immigrant boat builders had on Auckland’s maritime history. Particular focus will be on the Logan and Bailey boat building dynasties. Event open each day 10am > 4pm – Entry is free. Read more on the event here https://tinorawatrust.co.nz/events

3. Its Labour Day long weekend – time to load the boat up and get out there 🙂

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Jaguar – mini me

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JAGUAR – mini me
 
John Bullivant is a very talented man, one of his talents is building classic boating models – not the kit-set ones, we are talking about drafting them by eye from what ever resources are still around. John had mentioned he was keen to build one of the 40’ Jaguar, which he had wanted to build since back in the days when she was moored down the road from John’s place at Bucklands Beach in the 1960’s > 1980’s, (the photo of her on the hard at Bucklands in the 1970’s below). 
John didn’t have a plan to go off, just this photo, some movie grabs from Ken Rickets and some info from on-line sources. The model is R/C and powered with two water cooled (pump) 540 brushed motors and has independent motor control. It also has twin sound units (unfortunately they haven’t got Detroits in the program, but they make a reasonable sound – check out the youtube link below.
Has the usual lights etc, and cooling water comes out of the exhausts and side telltales. Model is glass over planked balsa with a ply deck and balsa coamings.

Youtube video of the model –https://youtu.be/VqUNmWlKdGw

 

 Previous WW story on Jaguar.  https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/08/16/looking-for-jaguar/

 
Its the 2nd Woody Classics Weekend today – 20+ boats cruising to the Stillwater Motor Camp for a picnic – lots of photos tomorrow 🙂
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UPDATE: Photos below showing John’s attention to detail – the one of the original boat under way (ex Ken Ricketts video footage, filmed in the 1970’s) and the one of the ‘as launched’ model (also ex KR) – shows matching colours on the deck and dinghy.
Plus more from KR of the launch day.
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