Category Archives: Non Waitemata

William Whithell

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William Whithill

William Whithell

The photo of todays woody was sent in by Andrew Pollard and shows the launch William Whithell.
The photo was taken in Motueka, just after WW2, at the time she was owned by Kelvin Wilkinson.
AP commented that apparently she was a bit of a speed machine. She certainly looks it, even sitting on the transporter.
Can anyone tell us more about William Whithell?
Input from Brian Kidson
It was built in Motueka by a Sid Gilbertson as a fishing boat. Built of white pine and had a Redwing petrol engine at one stage. The boat was built out of Sids head, as in no plans. William Whithell bought the boat and changed the name and named it after himself. A Charlie Stade owned it in the 1950s. It did have a larger cockpit till the cabin was extended

Tua Tai

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Tua Tai

I was trolling thru my WW archives and the above woody popped up, sent to me by Luke van Vliet back in Jan 2019. At the time the launch was for sale on Trademe and Luke was an ‘interested’ party.

Don’t know if Luke went ahead and bought the launch……… but at the time he commented “she is located in whangarei Heads, up north and is 32’ in length. All I know is that she has been owned by the current owners for the past 20 years, I was told she was named Too Tai but I could be wrong”
 
Do we know anything about this woody?

Monowai III – Southern Cruise

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MONOWAI III – Southern Cruise
Todays WW story is part 2 of Dean & Deb Wright’s recent 2 week Fiordland cruise aboard Monowai III, owned by Andy and Brenda Bell. Today we focus on the launch Monowai III. The photos above also include some from last years (April) cruise > Port Pegasus, Stewart Island, the shots of hail on the foredeck, were when the temp dropped a bit post a front that came through.
Interesting Info:
 
  • 47’ Saunders
  • 11’10 beam, 4’9” draft
  • Carvel kauri construction
  • 15t light ship mode, 18t heavy (Fiordland mode)
  • 8V71N GM diesel, twin disc 2:1 box
  • 2” shaft, swinging 29×21” 4 blade
  • Built by Harold Saunders, Tory Channel, launched 1976
  • Built as a fast cray boat for Cook Strait, capable of 21 knots when launched.
  • Dave Duff was the 1st owner, he kept the boat moored by the Mana Bridge.
  • 2nd owner was Peter McManaway, who did his apprenticeship at Saunders yard and worked on the original build of Monowai III. Peter extended the hull 3’ and did a major conversion, changing the aft fish hold to accommodation and completely changing the wheelhouse to the current configuration. He also added two planks to the height of the hull.
 
She carries 1200 litres of diesel with an additonal 480 litres in portable containers. 600 litres of freshwater. Cruise speed approx 8 knots with a fuel burn around 2 litres per nautical mile.
 
Past Owners:
Dave Duff
Peter McManaway
Syndicate from Wellington
Ron Legge / Richard Downer ( sold to Andy and Brenda Bell in June 2013)
 
 
Below is a video (drone footage) Dean took of the boat going through North Port, Chalky Inlet. That’s the hulk of the Stella lying beached. Built in 1875 and was the first purpose-built lighthouse ship apparently.

Mason B – Bay of Islands Woody Launching

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Mason B – Bay of Islands Woody Launching

 The caption on the photo / press clipping (ex Lew Redwood) reads “A new fishing launch takes the water from the builder’s shed. Mr W. Mason Bayly is the owner”

It was also tagged “Early preparations for the forthcoming dee-sea fishing season at Russell, North Auckland”
The date is August 1926.
Can we put a name to the boat, designer/builder, location?
Harold Kidd Input – She is MASON B, designed and built for W. Mason Bayly by Leon Warne and launched in August 1926 from Warne’s shed at Russell. She was30′ x 8’6″ and had a 30/40 hp Kermath. She replaced Bayly’s GISPA (ex-GLADYS).
Help Wanted
Any one have a base like the one circled below, tucked away anywhere? Or something similar. A woody friend has a spotlight but no matching base.  Any condition ok.
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A Woody Fiordland Cruise 

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A Woody Fiordland Cruise 
Todays photos are from Dean Wright who has just spent 2 weeks mooching around the Fiordland aboard Monowai III, owned by Andy and Brenda Bell. The Bell’s are part way thru their fourth circumnavigation of the South Island. I will do a feature on Monowai III, soon.
Dean & partner Deb have tagged along on their adventures twice now, last year two weeks exploring Stewart Island, and this year two weeks in Fiordland.
Above is a collection of mostly work boat woodys that Dean photographed on the trip – below is a photo of a 65’ fibreglass bad boy snuck in there, punching its was around to Preservation Inlet  🙂
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Artono + Mystery Launch

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ARTONO + MYSTERY LAUNCH

The launch on the left is Artono, owned at the time by Arthur, Tommy & Nole Cole. The location is the Puhoi River.
What more do we about Artono and the mystery launch on her right?
Photo ex Lew Redwood’s fb

Morning Star – There’s A Mullet Boat Hiding In There Somewhere

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Morning Star – There’s A Mullet Boat Hiding In There Somewhere
 

According to her trademe listing, Morning Star started life as a Logan 28ft Mullet boat yacht. The exact date of her build is unknown, but thought to be around 1910.

Hull of kauri carvel construction, the ‘new’ cabin are of marine ply. 

Powered by Ford D-Series 120hp diesel, that pushes her along comfortably and economically at 8 knots @ 1200rpm. Currently moored at Kaipara Cruising Club Marina, Helensville. 
 
Can anyone confirm the bloodline and add any info on her conversion to motorboat?
Harold Kidd Input – 28ft mullet boats were quite rare. The Logan 28 footer CORA is now sadly defunct. I suspect this one was the Crossley-built MERMAID or one of the several 28ft fishing boats built by people like Burgess at Judges Bay or Harvey & Lang.
BUT PLEASE may we refer to mullet boats as “mullet boats” or “mulletties” but not as “MULLETS”. According to people under 50 that I know, that term refers to a particular men’s hairstyle and was never used to debase mullet boats until recently and then only by ignorami. (done AH)

Cobra

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Cobra

 

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COBRA

The C. Bailey & Sons ex workboat (fishing?) Cobra was built in 1935 and measures 49’11” x 14’1” x 5’10”. 

If you’re wondering about the ‘almost’ 50’ in length – she was constructed 1” short to enable her to only have 2 crew rather than 3 to allow them to go offshore.
Zoom zoom is via a 180hp Gardner 6L3B.
Alan also added that she was converted to pleasure use in the 1970’s by Shorty Sefton and friends.
It states on her trademe listing that she has been prepared by her current owner for a voyage around New Zealand, and now sports a balancing sail.
Baden Pascoe believes the b/w photo below from 1952 is Cobra at Auckland’s Viaduct
Viaduct 1952

Moby Dick

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MOBY DICK
 

I was recently contacted by Richard Neighbour who was hoping someone maybe able to help uncover some history on the 8m Jack Morgan launch he has acquired.

Richard is not sure of any history, but has been told it was most likely built / launched mid 1950’s.  She is one of two built by Jack Morgan in Picton. The wheel house was added some time after as was also the pointed bow (he was told the original bow was referred to as a ‘Husky’ bow).
It might be the angle of the camera but the wheelhouse looks VERY top heavy, could be interesting in inclement
Sadly, in his words Richard will be preserving, not restoring her i.e. “kauri is expensive, she is being re skinned in marine ply and glassed over”.
 
Any help would be much appreciated. 
 

Ranoni Revisited

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Ranoni Revisited

The 1911 35’ classic launch Ranoni (Z38) has just popped up on trademe (thanks Ian McDonald) – you have to wonder about how serious some people are in selling their classic woody – other than telling us she is powered by a Ford Sabre 82hp engine you won’t learn anymore about the craft.

Ranoni has appeared on WW in the past and the story covered a lot more on her history, including photos. You can read it here.   https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/05/12/ranoni/
But in a nut shell she was built in 1911 by Charlie Gouk at Beaumont Street, and measured 35’
x 8’6” x 2’6”.
In 2014 she underwent repairs in Opua by local boatbuilder Graham Ridge, who had bought her after a mooring mishap with a another vessel.
As presented she looks a very smart woody. I’m keen to learn what the two additions as to her hull under the belting strip – that’s a newbie to me ?