Earlier this year the 33’ launch – SKIPJACK made an appearance on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) at the time we were told that SKIPJACK was built in 1918 by Chas Bailey. During her life she has twice been ‘modified’ to create more headroom in the wheelhouse and cabin.
Forward motion is via a 80hp Ford Dover diesel engine that gets her along at a comfortable 7.5 knots.
SKIPJACK has had several home ports having spent time in Auckland and now calls Waikawa marina in Picton home.
The launch has made several appearances on WW, the most recent back in July 2019, link below, when she was relocating south (by road). In a previous life was was named SEA DEVIL. https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/07/26/skipjack-sea-devil/
Back in nearly July, Sven Wiig shared with WW some photos from the Ryland family album, that had been shared with him. (FYI – Bill Ryland owned Sven’s boat – ARIANA c.1950’s. He fished her out of Wanganui. Bill owned her until sold in 1974. At the time of Bill’s ownership the boat was named – TE KAWAU)
One of the photos was of the vessel – DALAMORE, seen in the above photo cruising on the Wanganui River. At the time it was owned by Ted Ryland.
From the photo it appears to be a family day out, with two couples visible on deck / at the helm. An unusual view of the boat, no drones back then :- my guess – she is about to pass under a bridge, on which is the photographer.
If we believe her tme story, the classic wooden launch – MAXIE, was built in 1903 by Logan Bros in Auckland. That makes her royalty in the NZ classic boating world – with a starting bid of $10k, someone needs to snap her up quick. Home is Lake Taupo.
What we know from tme is she is 32’ in length, and powered by a 75hp Ford 2701E diesel engine.
Back in 1985 she had some serious work done which included a new engine, new deck and new cabin. The hull is double skin kauri and in sound condition as is the cabin structure. The deck as seen in the photos has rot and is leaking and in need of replacement.
So woodys who is going to step up and take over ownership of this blue blood classic Logan launch.
UPDATE – I asked Harold Kidd if MAXIE was the real deal – answer below “Yes it is. She was built as LIGAR for H H Harris of Pelorus but was sold to the Kennys at Picton then on to Wellington in the early 1920s renamed MAXIE. She was there for many years but has been on Taupo recently.She’s in the Logan book as unknown built for Harris in late 1903.”
INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – Photo below of MAXIE at Paremata Wellington not long after her rebuild and before coming to Taupo – in the 1980’s?
03-02-2026 – INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – Good news from Taupo. MAXIE (Logan Bros 1903) SOLD and was taken away for some extensive TLC. The intention is that, in time, she will return to Taupo in pristine condition.
During a review of classic wooden craft stories from the Riwaka Inlet in Nelson I realised that I had overlooked the above photos of the yacht – BEACONLIGHT.
I took the photos back in March 2018 so there is a possibility that BEACONLIGHT may have been relocated.
Can anyone tell us about the yacht.
24-08-2025 INPUT ex ROBBIE WILLIAMS (aged 91) I certainly can comment on beacon light I watched VAL POLLARD build her in 1955 and was lucky enough to be part owner of her in 2005 with TOM ROWLING ( present owner ) and KEVIN BANTON in the photo top left hand corner is shed roof where she was built I hand sewed a new suit of sails for her and still have the headsail VAL POLLARD sewed for her when new I’ve enjoyed many great voyages aboard her.
INPUT ex TOM ROWLING – Beacon Light under sail
25-08-2025 INPUT ex PETER – The photo below, maybe late 1960’s, is of BEACONLIGHT leaving Torrent Bay with Noel and Dorothy Pawson, who owned her at the time. The Pawson’s went on to own the Mariner, the family boat built by Val Pollard for Dorothy’s father. I believe it was the largest vessel that Val built, and is still owned by the Pawson family and still kept at Riwaka.
1910 >1920 – original Deeming homestead and boat shed at Tapu Point
1945 > mid-1950’s – Opua to Okiato vehicular ferry
1980’s
1990’s
SAD DEMISE OF CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ILEX
WW has been contacted by Greg Philpott regarding the 1910 classic wooden launch – ILEX. Readers may recall Greg recently published a book titled ‘Boats of the Bay’ and he’s working on a sequel (‘First Boats of the Bay’). Greg commented that one of the craft to feature in the new book will be ILEX. I’ll hand over to Greg to tell the story ILEX.
“Ilex was the very first boat built by Scarlett Deeming at his boat shed at Tapu Point opposite the fledgling township of Opua. She was built in 1910 and was used by the Deeming family in a variety of ways – two of the key ones, firstly as the school ferry to take children to and from the Opua School and this operated from 1928 to 1939. Ilex was also the prime towing launch for the Okiato to Opua vehicular ferry which had been instigated by the military during World War Two and was then taken over by Jack and his son Selwyn Deeming from 1945 and continued to operate until A E Fuller and Sons took over around 1954 and Ilex was replaced by Miss Doris.
The history of Ilex then disappears until the mid / late 197o’s when brother Don and Max Lightband purchased the boat in Auckland and took her to Mangonui where they ran her as both a family boat as well as used for fishing charters. She appears to have been sold around the late 1970’s to the then owners of the Mangonui 4 Square (the shop over the water) – it is possible that Ilex was renamed Twilight at that time.
Ilex then suffered a mishap when during a storm one night (date unknown) she was forced under the Mangonui wharf and had her topside totally destroyed. She was hauled out and placed on a property at Mangonui and restoration started. It looks like ownership also changed around this time. Eventually Ilex was acquired by Ken Wright who took her to his property at Kaikohe when he set about rebuilding her deck and cabin top – in the process adding a low flying bridge. She was then used as a family pleasure boat with much fishing engaged in.
In 2010, Ilex was sold to Warwick Moore who had her transported to the Maritime Museum at Paeroa. She was being worked on there when sometime between 2016 and 2019 she was apparently accidently knocked off her cradle by a worker at the Museum. She was subsequent destroyed by the Museum. A key part of New Zealand’s maritime history, at that time over 100 years old, gone.”
Greg would like to learn more of ILEX’s history particularly between the mid-1950’s and mid-1970’s. And also her time in Mangonui and her demise at Paeroa.
So woodys can we help Greg with his search for more intel on the vessel.I’m also keen to get some photos of the final days at Paeroa.
Todays woody bridge-decker is only a classic because the seller choices to not record her name, nor builder (made not known). What we know is she is 32’ in length, has a beam of 8’3”, and draws just over 3’ and is built from kauri.
Forward motion is via a 4 cyl., 3.6L Fordson Major diesel engine.
Currently inWellington, previously Christchurch and Auckland before that. Given current tme bid of $1500 (reserve meet), could be a good buy given what appears to be a lot of worked / $$ done to her. (thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up)
Can we put a name to the vessel and maybe learn who built her and when.
CLASSIC WOODY FUEL TANKER + CLEVEDON RIVER BBQ CRUISE DETAILS
When I first saw todays photo I thought it was Jason Prew’s launch MY GIRL loaded up for a xmas cruise. The photo was sent in by Barrie Abel (MV Matira) who spotted it on the wall at the office of Morton Timber in Clevedon.
You would have to hope those fuel drums are empty, but sometimes (fumes) that makes them more dangerous.
CLASSIC WOODYS CLEVEDON RIVER BBQ CRUISE
And on the subject of Clevedon and the Wairoa River – todays the day we open the book for expressions of interest to come on the river cruise to the Clevedon Cruising Club for the annual waitematawoodys overnight dockside BBQ. This gig is one of the stand out events on the woodys calendar.
We are always driven by the tides so this year its an early start – heading up the river at daylight – 6.15am. So we suggest leaving Friday late avo and anchoring in the bay. Many have done this in the past, makes for (almost) a leisurely start.
Normal plan – piloted Indian file cruise up the river, docking on the wharf, boats open for CBC members to inspect, evening BBQ at thecubrooms, leave early Sunday . Dogs welcome, but on a leash please.
For now – let us know – boat name, boat length, est. crew numbers email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Last Wednesday we did an story on the TCL work boatbuilder Alan Craig had done on the classic wooden launch – ALPHEUS. During the chat with Alan I nudged him for an update on the 28’, 1938, Collings & Bell built – MOOSE restoration, and today woodys we get to share what’s been happening in the Craig Marine shed.
Links below to the previous stories, including the extraction of MOOSE from her lake front boat shed.
With the likelihood of a new Yanmar engine, the old unit has come out. The plan is to try and use the existing V drive.
As MOOSE will end up out on a Jetty most of the time, the cabin roof will be getting a protective layer of f/glass. Alan remarked that while it seems a shame to cover the nice tongue & groove roof, they want MOOSE to live on many more years yet.
Now that she is in a cradle the boatyard team can attack the underside and are starting work on an interior layout.
DAVEY JONES NEW BOOK QUIZ WINNER – JAMES HUTCHINSON. Congratulations to James, for all those that missed out – copies available at daveyjonesofwakatahuri@gmail.com
CAN ANYONE TELL US ABOUT THE WOODEN BOAT – LADY JOYCE
Somedays life just gets in the way of writing a WW story, so today’s story is a lazy one eg I was sent the photos above by Dion Lane. Dion had recently purchased the 44’ LADY JOYCE and was seeking more intel on her, makes for an quick story.
Dion commented that he believes LADY JOYCE was built from kauri c.1970 by the ’Carey family’. Home currently is Wellington but she may have spent time in Waikawa, Marlborough, South Island.
The addition of the block of flats doesn’t please my classic eye but as one of my favourite boatbuilders is fond of saying “its only wood and I do own a tungsten tipped chainsaw” 🙂
DAVEY JONES BOOK QUIZ – CLOSES TONIGHT AT 6 pm
Scroll down to yesterdays story for details on the prize and how to enter – FYI – So far the most entries ever to a WW competition and they all have the correct answer ✓ So it seems Davey and vessel are well known around NZ’s coastal ports.
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