Category Archives: Non Waitemata

Wairuru & Lady Jocelyn

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Wairuru ex Baden P

Wairuru at Waitakaruru

Lady Jocelyn + stern of Wairuru

WAIRURU & LADY JOCELYN

Last Sunday I posted a copy of a 1947 trip diary from aboard the vessel Wairuru on its passage to Apia, Samoa. We had no photos of the boat & reading the diary the author (unknown) had made her sound like a yacht / motorsailer, HDK very quickly corrected me on that J

Now thanks to Baden Pascoe & Geoff Brebner we have photos of Wairuru. Baden describes her as a small motor coaster, a friend of Baden’s, Keith Penny, was her skipper for a while. She was powered by a Kelvin K3. Wairuru was designed by Erine Bailey of Charles Bailey in 1937.

In Geoff’s photos, Wairuru is alongside at Waitakaruru, on the Firth of Thames. Geoff lives less than 1 kilometer from the spot. Geoff’s 2nd photo is of the Lady Jocelyn with Wairuru lying ahead of her at Hobson Wharf c.1946. Both ships were almost sister ships, Wairuru was 52’ & Lady Jocelyn being 60’.

Link to the diary mentioned above here https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/10/08/wairuru-auckland-to-suva-1947/

 

 

Petrel

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PETREL
The posts last week on the Philip Lange built vessel Faith have resulted in Sharon Lange (Sharon, married Philip & Bev’s son, Ian Lange) sending in the above photos of ‘Petrel’, the last boat built by Philip. Petrel was build under Philip and Bev’s Mill Bay house in Mangonui and launched in 1991.

Petrel was build for Philips son Stev and is used as a commercial longline boat out of Mangonui to present day.

The photos, from the top, are tagged:
1: The Petrel on the cradle front lawn of Philips house
2: close up
3: Getting ready to go down the drive to Mill bay for launching
4: Philip lange on the Petrel during launching , Stev Lange on the ramp , Bev at the front and Ian lange ready to help and Phils grand daughter watching the action
5: Philip Lange and the Petrel
6: Bev Lange & the Petrel
7: the Petrel
8: speaks for its self

The New Zealand Clinker
In support of last weekends Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition, the Tino Rawa Trust have produced a 36 page booklet titled ‘ The New Zealand Clinker, its a great collection of stories on & around clinker boats. I enjoyed the read & learnt a lot.
You can grab a copy for $20 from BoatBooks in Westhaven or try your luck with answering the question below, all correct entries, emailed to waitematawoodys@gmail.com before 6pm 10-10-2017, go into the draw for a copy.

Q: Where does the word ‘clinker’ originate from?

Clinker Cover

Clinker Spread

Input from Russell Ward

A glossary in the pre WW2 book Motor Cruising by Irvine and others confirms that “Clinker (clincher, clencher) is a method of building in which each side plank overlaps the one below.”
Now, shipmates, we gotta drill a bit deeper into this one, maybe. Clenching or clench nailing is the merry art of holding an iron or hammer just right and picking up the sharp end of your nail as she emerges through the other side and turning it over and back into the wood (provided the wood is soft enough). Quick and easy and, if done neatly looks a lot better than it sounds. I sent a picture via Wifi to AH just now -qv. Iona had a lot of old epaired timbers clinched and it looked good.
The Yanks of course call “clinker” by the more descriptive term “lapstrake”. So Robin Seaward in ‘Boatbuilding’ 2ed says “Lapstrake -sometimes called clinker planking.”
However, I find this appealing “Late 17th century (denoting a person or thing that clinks): from clink + -er. clinker”. Do you reckon that the wisened old man crouched over the wee boat in the corner of the shed was clinking away at his craft?
(Personally I like the old-fashioned slang use for a bum note played on a musical instrument -a clinker! Or in my favourite town Galway, a clinker is a wee lass worthy of a very close inspection. Or modern slang says a clinker is a dingle berry. Nothing to do with our boats though.) Better watch where you use the term.
Take yer pick, fellow anorak wearers…..

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Wairuru – Auckland to Suva, 1947

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Waruru Cover

Wairuru – Auckland to Suva, 1947

I was recently contacted by Steph Mellors who advised she had a short diary written aboard the 1937, Charles Bailey & Sons built motorsailer Wairuru, during a passage from Auckland to Apia, Samoa in  June 1947.

On the cover (see above) is written in pencil Capt. Robt. Patterson, given the content of the diary, Steph does not think he wrote it. (I agree)

The NZ Maritime Index, records that Wairuru, owned by A G Bertram was sold in 1947 to O. F. Nelson & Co. Ltd., Apia, Western Samoa – who renamed her – Gaualofa. The records also sadly record that she was wrecked on 22 November 1953, on the South coast of Savai’i Island, near Sala’ihua.

Steph is unsure how she acquired the diary, thinks “probably rescued it from someone’s wastepaper basket in a fit of – it could be of interest to someone”.

Thankfully she saved it & now over 70 years later we get to share it. Enjoy the read, I did.

Any guesses as to who the author was?

Wairuru 1

Wairuru 2>3

Wairuru 4>5

Wairuru 6>7

Wairuru 8>9

Wairuru 10>11

Wairuru 12

I couldn’t do a WW post without a boat photo – my clinker dinghy Peg at Patio Bay. Which is a good excuse to remind you that today is the last day of the Classic Launch & Yacht – Clinker Boats Exhibition – details below – AND ITS FREE TO GET IN.

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Clinker Event Ad

Ugliest Clinker & A Spot of Clinker Envy

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Ugliest Clinker & A Spot of Clinker Envy

My recent photos of clinkers prompted Don MacLeod to send in the two photos above – the top one in Don’s eyes wins ‘most ugly clinker’ hands down , the planking is a fright. I know Jason P would nominate another one, but we all need to play nicely Jas 😉

Don was not sure when the picture was taken, but believes it is on one of the rivers at Lake Taupo. Possible choices are the Tauranga Taupo, the lower Tongario or the Waihora in Western Bays.

Don’s second clinker photo shows a clinker powered by a Seagull south of Mana Island, going fishing in Cook Strait. Those are the radio masts at Titahi Bay behind.

This photo was taken early 1960’s Don believes, and it is a smart looking clinker getting along at a great clip.

Now Clinker Envy – I was dropping my clinker, Peg, off at the Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition on Thursday night & spotted the beauty below, size & design wise, perfect for my launch Raindance – I wonder if the owner would notice if I swapped 🙂

Please try & make the effort & get down there this Saturday & Sunday – entry is free. Details below.

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Clinker Event Ad

A wee tease of what is on show 🙂

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FAITH – Flash Back Friday

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FAITH – Flash Back Friday

Last week I posted some ‘recent-ish’ photos of the Philip Lange built launch – Faith, now owned by Neal & Nicki Harding in the Marlborough Sounds. Yesterday I was contacted by Sharon Lange with the above photos from the launching & older days up north.

Sharon confirmed that Faith was built by Philip Lange in 1967 and launched in 1968 at Whangaparoa at Matakatia Bay. Philip installed a Kelvin motor in the Faith.

Philip worked the Faith as a commercial fishing boat out of Whangaparoa for a little while then left Whangaparoa, driving the Faith up with one of his young sons – Graham Lange , north to Mangonui , Doubtless Bay. From there he continued to fish for cray fish and longline on the Faith. Philip and his wife Bev and six sons moved to Mangonui where he continued to build other boats.

The Faith was sold to Philips brother Douglas then to Murray Hamilton (both deceased). Then sold to Vick Spaights, after that Sharon does not know any further history apart from the Hardings owning her now .

There are 4 of Philips boats moored permanently in Mill Bay Mangonui, they are: – 1. The Michele, 2. Kaipara, 3. Tui, 4. Petrel. The Petrel was the last boat built in 1991.

# The top photo was taken at the launching of the Faith with 4 of Philips young sons and one neighbor’s boy at Matakatia Bay on the Whangaparoa Peninsula.

# The middle photo was taken in Mangonui Harbour by the wharf heading toward Mill Bay mooring.

# The bottom photo shows Faith heading towards the Mangonui wharf.

SLAINTE Relaunched

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Slainte

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SLAINTE Relaunched

Back in early August I posted photos / details on the restoration / rebuild of the 1947 27’ Chris Craft Super Delux – Slainte at Craig Maine at Lake Rotoiti (link below).

Yesterday Alan Craig sent me photos from last Friday’s relaunch on the lake. Alan’s a man of few words e.g. “ It floats, all went well” J

Slainte is a stunning addition to the Lake Rotoiti woody fleet – well done Alan & the brave owner that commissioned the project.

Slainte

 

Christopher Grey

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CHRISTOPHER GREY

CHRISTOPHER GREY

Today’s photo should please the Work Boat woodys out there. It was taken by Nathan Herbert on a recent trip south to Dunedin & shows the Christopher Grey.

Keen to learn more about her past & when she came out of the closet & became a pleasure craft 😉

Update – photo below ex Russell Ward

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Need To Tidy / Clean Out The Shed?

I have been contacted by Warner Bros NZ with an interseting request – read below J

DESIGN JUNKIES – OPPORTUNITY FOR UPCYCLING

Design Junkies is an exciting, upcoming, prime time television show that takes 6 Industrial Designers and challenges them to create usable household objects and breath-taking art installations from discarded materials. We are on the hunt for old marine salvage whether it’s wood, metal, rudders, masts or even an old clinker!  If you or someone you know, has a shed full of marine rubble that’s going to waste, we could be very interested in taking it off your hands. For any queries or expressions of interest, please contact Beth Eldercable on 027 8287 555.

 

 

 

Faith

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Faith June 2013

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FAITH

I was contacted recently by Neal & Nicki Harding who had just came across an article in waitamatawoodies about the Phil Lange built boat ’Tui’.
The couple own one of his 30′ boats ‘Faith’ built in 1968, they bought Faith in 2006 and trucked up from Careys Bay, Dunedin. These days she swings off a mooring at the bottom of their garden in the Marlborough Sounds where they live. They met Phil Lange briefly a few years ago. Faith has very similar lines to Phil’s other launch, Tui, but without the flybridge.
The 2nd photo above shows Faith coming through one of the Kaikoura road tunnels in 2006, its a very changed landscape today.

The Harding’s have spent many happy hours restoring, scraping, sanding, painting and cruising with Faith.

The Harding’s have photos of Faith going back to her fishing days in Northland and voyage South to Port Chambers, Dunedin, but are particularly keen to obtain any photos of her for the build / launch period if they exist. I have asked the Harding’s to send in the photos they have so we can all see them.

Classic Launch & Yacht Exhibition Next Weekend – Put A Circle In The Diary – 7>8 Oct
This year  the exhibition is celebrating Classic Clinker Boats

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Clinker Event Ad

 

Sou’ East

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SOU’ EAST
The 39′ 1947 Lanes built Sou’East is seen above weighing in a thresher shark at Paihia in 1984. Photos ex Dean Wrights collection.
Sou’East has appeared on WW before, but not as above – to view as launched photos & current day, click the link below.

Sou’East

I have include below another of Dean’s photos, this one of the very ‘salty looking’ commercial fishing boat – Lady Karen – photo dated 1984, when owned by Frank Goodhue.

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YVA II (Yelda) + Win Boat Show Tickets

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YVA II (Yelda)

Woody Angus Rogers sent in the above photos of Ivy II (originally named Yelda) on Lake Whakatipu, for the overseas readers – Lake Whakatipu is the 3rd largest lake in New Zealand, situated on the southwest corner of Otago in the South Island.

Angus commented that she was not what he expected to see on the lake. Interested to learn more about her & when & how she arrived at the lake.

Photo below ex Russell Ward , taken 2003.

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Input from Richard – owner

I purchased Yvalda via Ted Church (Picton) in 2002. Sailed her down to Port Chalmers then got Fulton Hogan to truck her down to Lake Wakatipu where I used her commercially for tourist trips on the lake. Had lots of fun doing it but did not make a fortune!! Christmas parties, hen parties (the worst), weddings, stag parties, N.Y.E. parties etc etc.
The O.D.T. had a great photo of her going thru Dunedin on the back of the F.H. truck.
Yvalda, ( Yes, her original name) was built by Mc Gruers at Clynder Scotland in 1936. ( I think a G.L. Watson design) for a couple of wealthy brothers who were manufactures of biscuits. Not sure how or when she came to N.Z. but she must have been shipped here.
She was beautifully built, ( as were all boats built by Mc Gruers). Teak on oak frames, all as good as the day she was built.
Still had her original 4L2 Gardner engines coupled to massive Gleniffer gearboxes controlled by a couple of wheels mounted either side of the helm station. You had to have your wits about you as to which way to turn them to go fwd. or aft. but after a while it became automatic.
Quite a lot of untruths about her relationship with Winston Churchill and I suspect he never had anything to do with her. I thought she may have been one of the Dunkirk little ships but there is no record of that. I believe she was use for the degaussing of much larger metal ships during W.W.11
What vintagesteamer commented was more the truth and I too was told of her so called association with Churchill when I bought her but as they say, ” Why let the truth get in the way if a good story” ( I was advised) I’m sure those deck stepped masts were perfectly aligned when I had her. Vintagesteamer, you must have had too many Speights to drink when you saw her!!
WIN TWO TICKETS TO THE AUCKLAND ON THEW WATER BOAT SHOW

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Today & tomorrow I’m giving away tickets to the boat show – 2 each day. Just answer the simple question below & email your answer to waitematawoodys@gmail.com . All correct answers received before 6.00pm today (27-09-2017) will go into the draw. Winner will be notified by email.

Q: Name the location at the Show where the America’s Cup will be displayed. You’ll find the answer on the Show website  http://www.auckland-boatshow.com