Category Archives: Non Waitemata

Ocean Queen – A Peek Down Below

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OCEAN QUEEN – A Peek Down Below

Mid last month I ran a story on the Taupo based woody – Ocean Queen, most likely built by Joe Slattery in 1920. Nathan Herbert had spotted her at Lake Taupo with a 4-sale sign on her and commented on how stunning she looked.
I have since been contacted by her owner Paul Stewart and given a collection of photos of her interior. In Paul’s words – “she’s had a real spruce up, new Autex paint inside and out, anti-fouled, new varnish to the mast and boom, new duckboard, new raw water impeller, filters and oil. Polished up all the stainless fittings, removed and resealed some of the windows, new carpet, water tank clean and new hoses. new clears and covers. Last job is to make a new sail cover and then the boom can go back on”.
Paul commented that they use the sail often, it does a beautiful job of holding her steady on the wind and gives you another knot.
Paul still has the spare engine that came with the boat when he bought her.
As I mentioned previously at around $36k, if you are looking for an early 1900’s classic wooden launch – this woody has to be the buy of the year. So woodys, someone needs to buy Ocean Queen > then call Boat Haulage and arrange a pick up > then plonk her back in the Waitemata where she belongs 🙂
Read and see more of Ocean Queen at the links below.
 

Spartacus – 4sale

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Spartacus – 4sale
 
Woody Baden Pascoe spotted Spartacus parked up at Waipapa in the far north. Baden commented that his thoughts were she was ex NZ or UK Navy. Can anyone enlighten us on her origins and what she is up to at Waipapa?
 
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11-09-2023 UPDATE – Vessel now for sale, contact Lyall Quaife 021 273 9225 for details

Lady Noelene

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LADY NOELENE

Has appeared on WW before and from all accounts has been having a restoration for the last 20+ years. It appears for her tradesmen listing (thanks Ian McDonald) that she is now offered for sale in a 1/2 finished state. When I wrote this the highest bid was $405 and the reserve had been reached, someone might get a bargain.
The listing states she is a Dick Lane design / build but its actually Dick Lang c.1951/52. She measures 32’ x 9’ x 2’6”. There has been a lot of work done to e.g splined & glassed and 2 pot painted. Her motor is a Ford 120hp diesel. There are a lot of new parts and fitting that go with her.
In her present stated i.e. interior stripped is a perfect blank canvas for someone to fit her out to their spec.
Previous WW story here (lots of restoration photos)  https://wordpress.com/post/waitematawoodys.com/23938

Dawn

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DAWN

I was recently in Thames and snapped the colour photos above of the launch Dawn. Then last week while looking thru Andy Donovan’s old brokering photos, I came across the b/w photo of Dawn – do we think its the same boat? The b/w photo does appear to be on a lake.
Health & Safety – yeah right
Also in the Donovan photos was the photo below of the Cape Brett lighthouse, check out the guy hanging off the aerial on the top of the dome…………..
Cape Reinga Light House

Manunui

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MANUNUI
The 42’ Manunui was designed and built in 1939 by Bill Couldrey for Percy Colebrook, back in 2013 she appeared briefly on WW (link below) but the photo was very poor, now thanks to Lew Redwood fb and Harold Kidd we get to see her in her finest and learn a little more about this very smart launch.
Couldrey was a stunning craftsman, in fact one of the few boat builders preferred by Arch Logan.
When launched she was powered by a 55hp Benz diesel. The Benz lasted until 1963 when it was replaced with a 100hp Perkins diesel.
In 1942>44 Manunui was commandeered from Max Colebrook and taken to Fiji as a Naval patrol vessel.
In the 2013 story it was mentioned that Manunui had possibly headed south to Wellington, HDK has confirmed this, she calls the Boat Harbour marina in Wellington home.
Would love to see some up to date photos.
Input from Simon Smith – these photos were taken approx. 3 years ago and show Manunui motoring round Wellington harbour. Simon commented that her elderly owner is struggling to give her the attention she needs as he lives a 2 hour drive away from the marina.
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Manunui Gun rack

Update ex Hylton Edmonds c.1981 > 1982

Manunui 1943

Manunui 1947

IManunui 1953

 

Manunui 1954

 

Woodys In The Whangarei Town Basin

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Woodys In The Whangarei Town Basin

Previously on WW we have seen numerous b/w photos of the Whangarei Town Basin , today’s photo comes to use via Lew Redwood’s fb. and show a lot of classic launches tied up on pole moorings.
While its a great photo of the area, the wide angle makes it a little hard to ID the boats – any on brave enough to suggest the year ?
The Perks of Being The Commodore
Thankfully we have moved on in terms gender equality in advertising 🙂 the image below appeared in an early 1950’s edition of the American published ’The Rudder’ boating magazine.
Old sexist Ad

Ruru

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RURU

I have been contacted by Lake Rotoiti boatbuilder – Alan Craig (Craig Marine) regarding a lake boat that he and the owner are looking for more details on. Ruru is 19’ in length, with mahogany hull and kauri top. Alan commented that she is well built with seam battens and ribs, the planks have hardly moved. The build date is thought to be in the 1930’s > 1940’s period and was built for Sir Frank Mappin.
The engine is an Austin Triton, it was removed 20 years ago and was never put back in, as you will note in the photos it got as far as the end of the shed.
The owner – George Joseph has had the boat for 60+ years, the last 20 of which has seen Ruru stored in the shed. The previous owner, owned most of the land between Moose Lodge and the Marae.
Can anyone help ID the designer / builder?
Harold Kidd Input –
1. Lidgards built an unnamed runabout for Mappin in September 1935. The Austin TRITON (not TRIDENT – corrected AH) marine engine, based on the Austin 10 car engine, came out in 1935, so it’s a good match.
2. Got a Herald cross-reference on Mappin’s runabout. She was an 18 footer intended for Lake Rotorua. Rotoiti isn’t a huge step.

Heather Dawn + John Street on Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata

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HEATHER DAWN

This double-ender launch has got Lake Rotoiti written all over her – her trademe listing (thanks Ian McDonald) states her design is ‘lifeboat’ and built in 1955 – this would suggest that she has been converted to pleasure use. The first thing I would say is the photographer has not been kind to her, in most photos she looks a lot shorter / ‘chunky’ than her actual length of 21’ 6” (the last photo gives us a better view).

Heather Dawn is powered by a 34hp Yanmar diesel. And is very well fitted out.

Home is the bottom of the South Island > Dunedin – but she comes with a new purpose-built braked trailer, so woodys this makes her very flexible in terms of her future location/s.

That diesel stove would help take the chill out of an early morning Lake fishing trip J

JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES – Part 6

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Every day this week WW featured a video filmed at John’s recent speaking engagement at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. The language is a tad ‘blue’ in places, but that is how John rolls 🙂 NOTE VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT DO NOT DOWNLOAD WITHOUT PERMISSION. Videos edited & enhanced with the help of Andrew Christie

PART Six – Tug Boat racing on the Waitemata (turn your sound up)

UPCOMING VIDEOS

Monday –          Fosters the Beginning

TUESDAY–        History of The Breeze

WEDNESDAY– The schooner Daring

THURSDAY–     Amercias Cup

FRIDAY –            The steam crane ship Rapaki

SATURDAY–      Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata

 

Naomi (Huria > Vanora) + John Street taking about the steam crane Rapaki

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NAOMI – Huria > Vanora

One of WW spotters, Shane  Anderson was driving thru Whangateau this week and spotted a woody parked up on a yard in the middle of a major restoration.
Turns out the 45’ launch is named Naomi (see interior carving photo) – the boatbuilder – Josh, working on her believes there may have been a name change in the past, but if so, a long time ago – the skylights have Naomi sandblasted on them. There is talk of her possibly being a Logan and even originally steam powered. Also talk of a 1897 build date. Her name board records her builder as Chas. Bailey. Investigation shows the existence of 3 sets of engine beds.
There also appears to be old repairs to both sides of the boat.
Her current owner has had her for 20 years, kept in dry storage in West Auckland.
A suggestion – in a previous WW story (link below) on a launch named Naomi III, Harold Kidd spoke of the original Naomi (I) being built in March 1902 and Naomi II in November 1902, both by Chas. Bailey Jnr and both for M.A. Jenny of Nelson. Could the above launch be one of these boats?
Input from Harold Kidd – The story is unbelievably complex; the NAOMI bit is the result of an assumption on someone’s part, many years ago, that any launch owned by M A Jenny of Nelson and Auckland was a NAOMI. This launch seems to have started life as the oil launch HURIA (twin 2 cylinder Daimler petrol engines) built by Logan Bros in January 1899 for Capt Mercer of Nelson as a trader, bought by Jenny in 1905, fitted with a 30hp Gardner in Wellington and rechristened VANORA. In 1907 Jenny sold her to Lindsay Cooke of Auckland who got Chas Bailey Jr to refit her for cruising. She took part in the 1908 RNZYS Rudder Cup race around Sail Rock.
Need several pages more to bring her up to date.
In summary, the current name and builder carved into her is bs.

JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES – Part 5

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Every day this week WW we are featuring a video filmed at John’s recent speaking engagement at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. The language is a tad ‘blue’ in places, but thats how John rolls 🙂 NOTE VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT DO NOT DOWNLOAD WITHOUT PERMISSION. Videos edited & enhanced with the help of Andrew Christie. 
PART Five – The Steam Crane Rapaki (turn your sound up)

UPCOMING VIDEOS
MONDAY–         Fosters The Beginning
TUESDAY–        History of The Breeze
WEDNESDAY– The schooner Daring
THURSDAY–     Amercias Cup
FRIDAY –            The steam crane ship Rapaki
SATURDAY–      Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata
 

John Street – One Man’s Treasures Video Series – Part 3

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JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES – Part 3

Every day this week we are featuring a video filmed at John’s recent speaking engagement at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. NOTE VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT DO NOT DOWNLOAD WITHOUT PERMISSION. Videos edited & enhanced with the help of Andrew Christie.

Today John talks on rescuing the schooner Daring – a hugely significant piece of New Zealand’s maritime history that lay buried for 153 years on Muriwai Beach, West Auckland, until shifting sands revealed the wreckage. The 2ndvideo is from last weeks TV1 ‘Sunday Programme’

Scroll up to view videos one & two.

PART THREE – The schooner Daring 

UPCOMING VIDEOS

MONDAY –        The history of Fosters

TUESDAY–        History of The Breeze

WEDNESDAY–  The schooner Daring

THURSDAY–     America’s Cup

FRIDAY –           The steam crane ship Rapaki

SATURDAY–      Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata