Category Archives: Non Waitemata

Fifer

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FIFER

I’m hoping today is a wet, rainy day – why?  todays story on the restoration of the 67’ Canadian motor yacht – Fifer, is such a great read.

Fifer was built in 1928 by the Hoffa- Beeching Shipyard in Vancouver BC, the company went on to merge with the Boeing Company in 1929.

Her owners are passionate woody boaters with a long history of classic wooden boat ownership. She is powered by twin 102hp Gardener 6L3, which are over 40 years old & still going strong.

The owners & Fife’s story is told on their weblog – link below.  You will see from some of the photos above she has had a few ‘adventures’ – read her story it’s very addictive reading – Enjoy.

https://www.yachtfifer1928.com/blog/

 

 

Te Anau

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TE ANAU

I was recently contacted by Mike O’Dwyer in regard to boat that is currently visiting Napier, Mike’s home town.

It is called Te Anau, currently owned by Mike and Julie Trewern from Port Chalmers.

Designed by Henry Miller (Miller and Tunnage) originally as a trawler, Te Anau has been converted to a  now a very comfortable live-aboard measuring just over 50’ with a 13’ beam and a 6’ 6” draft.

Te Anau was launched in 1956 after being built at Scotts boatyard in Invercargill from Tallowood, an Australian native timber belonging to the Ucalypt species. It is a naturally oily timber with a high tannin content.

Scotts boatyard mainly used Tallowwood for their boat construction.

The vessel is powered by a 170hp DAF 6 cylinder diesel motor. Originally powered by a GM this engine was replaced by a DAF which after 55,000 hours was replaced by the current engine.

Forty-eight of theses motors were imported in the sixties to power the Chatham Island crayfish boats.

Mike and Julie are currently on a prolonged cruise and after leaving NZ in Sept 2016 have visited Queensland, New Caladonia, Vanuatu and Fiji returning to NZ in November last year.

They plan to cruise for another 18 months which may include another offshore stint.

 

 

 

 

A Woody Sounds Cruiser

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A Woody Sounds Cruiser

The above launch was built in 1960 by Ship Builders & is just over 30’ in length, with a beam of 10’5”. Her zoom zoom comes via a 140hp Perkins diesel. Home port is Picton.

In true broker style there is no reference on the trade listing to the boats name 😦 thanks to Ian McDonald for the trademe heads up.

Can one of the southern woodys give us a name & hopefully more details on her past?

 

Ruamano

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RUAMANO

The above photos ex the FB page of Lew Redwood show the 1925, 46’,  Collings & Bell built launch Ruamano in February 1926 on an extended cruise of the South Island’s West Coast sounds.

The bottom photo sees her alongside the wharf at Picton & her crew being welcomed in Nelson, her owner / skipper A.H. Courts is on the far left in the photo.

Sadly Ruamano was ‘lost’ (abandoned) at sea in 2000, off the West Coast of the North Island – read / see more at the links below.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/05/02/ruamano/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/03/17/ruamanu/

 

 

 

Aquarius

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AQUARIUS

I have been contacted by Rob Watt who is  wondering if any of the woodys may know what happened to his old boat Aquarius.

She was a 27’ kauri built, with pohutukawa stringers. Some thought it was built in 1928 and may be a Logan.

At the time she was powered by a 60hp Isuzu diesel and around her home port of Tauranga harbor, where she was nicknamed the ‘Flying Pencil’. Rob kept Aquarius at the Sulphur Point Marina & sold her some years ago to a couple who were going to use it on Lake Taupo.

Rob told me that his family spent many a happy time on her when his kids were little and made memorable fishing trips out to Mayor Island.

So woodys, can we help Rob out & uncover what became of Aquarius & possibly some insight into who built her etc?

 

Glenlee

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MV GLENLEE

Glenlee is one of the historic Marlborough Sounds Launches, she was built around 1908 by Claude Wells for the McNabbs to service their Crail Bay guest house Glenlee.

In her time Glenlee has also been used as a mail boat and commercial fishing boat. Last two owners (approx 60 years) are both relations of the original builder
She is made from double skin kauri & measures 39’, with a beam of 9’. The zoom zoom comes from a 6 cyl. Ford diesel with pumps out approx. 120hp.

Currently moored at the Okiwi Bay South, Grove Arm, Queen Charlotte Sound, she is for sale on trademe. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads up.

Input & photos from Cameron Pollard– Glenlee had a Regal engine (see below) originally, followed by a Lister Blackstone, then a Detroit & a Ford

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Wai-iti

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WAI-ITI

I have been contacted by Simon Manning on-behalf of a friend of his who is trying to track down a Marlborough Sounds launch named Wai-iti.

Wai-iti was possibly built c.1950’s by Swanson. Simon’s thinking around Swanson is based on her sheer and the location near Blackwood Bay and Picton. Although Simon commented that the chine forward is a bit unusual for a Swanson.

Back in her day, Wai-iti was based at Mistletoe Farm, in Onahau Bay (Queen Charlotte Sound) and was owned by Jim and Jo Vogel.  They apparently had 2 boats; ‘Aqua Lady’ which was a speed machine used for waterskiing and “Wai-iti” which was used for picking up guests and supplies in Picton and for fishing trips – which were legendary. Wai-iti was white and quite elegant but unassuming.  Simon’s mother and others he has spoken to, do remember the boat but don’t know what happened to her, or where she is now.

The people trying to locate Wai-iti have a genuine and special reason for doing so and will be visiting NZ, so woodys – it will be a very cool thing to be able to find out what became of her.

11-06-2018 Update from Simon Manning –

08-06-2018 Update – photos below of Wai iti / Sea Shanty that Chris’s brother, Chris, took during last weekend at Mana Marina.

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Mahana

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MAHANA

Mahana being built in c.1975 by Atkinson falls into the ‘Spirit of Tradition’ category. She is a biggish girl – 46’ LOA & is pushed along by a 315hp Yanmar.

Ian McDonald commented that he was on board Mahana up Kawau Island some years ago. She was then powered by a big old 6 cyl Foden and was owned at the time by two brothers connected with Rinnai NZ. She is strip planked. Ian next saw her in Picton marina about 2008.

Home these days is the Marlborough Sounds & she is for sale on trademe.

Do we know any more about her past life?

16-01-2023 Update – new photos ex tme listing

 

 

 

 

Photina – Sailing Sunday

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PHOTINA –  Sailing Sunday

 On Friday as part of the post on the launch Luanda, there was a photo of Luanda with a yacht alongside, I ran a wee quiz to find out the name of the yacht, won by Martin Howson (does that man sleep?) – the yacht was the 39’ Photina built by Trevor Managh and Ces Watson for her owner Trevor Managh. In the photo below she’s still to have her mast stepped.

Tracing the history of Photina on the web is a little ‘misty’ as after Trevor sold her, a future owner took her to Mururoa in 1995 & certain ‘people/country’ have clouded (excuse the pun) the on-line media coverage of what happened up there. You can read more in the book ‘Mururoa Blues’ by John Simpson page 149.

Trevor also did a Noumea race in her before selling her. The boat went on to do 4 circumnavigations, so Ces Watson knew how to build a good boat.

Thanks to Mike Elliott for the photos & details.

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