WAIMARIE II
Waimarie II was built by Oliver & Gilpin. The photo above was taken in 1984 & comes from Dean Wright’s recently digitized collection.
Dean commented that she was bought by Gerard Fitzgerald in 1986 and run as a charter boat in the Bay of Islands for two years, then someone bought her changed her name to Kiwi Cruiser and ran her for many years. Sadly Waimarie II hit Tapeka Point (B.O.I.) one night and was a total loss.
Do we know any more about her?
NUKUTERE – Part 1
The owners of Nukutere have asked if the WW readers can supply anymore details / history on their launch. We know that she was built by A. Sang & Sons, of Wellington in 1942 & she is 46’ in length & kauri planked.
Currently powered by twin 80hp Ford (Lees) diesels – installed in 1979 that push her along at between 9>10.5 knots. Home these days is Onahau Bay, Queen Charlotte Sound in the South Island.
She may have been used as a patrol boat in Wellington during the war.
WW understands she is 4sale – would be nice to see her head north & join the CYA cruising fleet 😉
Mystery Lidgard Launch
The above launch is only a mystery because the broker has not revealed her name.
I can tell you that she was built by Lidgard’s in 1955, is 35’ in length, with a 10’5” beam. She has a kauri planked hull. The zoom zoom comes from a 120hp Ford diesel & home is the Marlborough Sounds.
Any southern woodys able to ID this launch?
RANGI – Wanaka
According to her trademe listing, Rangi built in 1908, measures 33’ & is a double ender made from kauri. She has been moored at Lake Wanaka for the last 15 years and previously in Te Anau for 40 years. With her length, shape & powered by a Ford 86hp diesel, she must get along at a good clip.
Do we know know anymore about Rangi?
05-09-2017 Photo (Graham Palmer) below ex Ray Money of the Blue Boat Rangi, now Lady Kawhia
EDWINA (Rotomahana)
Its Spring !! summer is so close – so I thought we needed some stunning woody imagery to celebrate the day 🙂
It’s not often do we see a woody with such scenery and with snow in background. The above photos of the 1923, Bailey & Lowe – Edwina were taken by Roger Guthrie & show her on the beach at Waterfall Valley Outlet, on Lake Wanaka.
WW followers will know Edwina as John Pryor’s old Rotomahana. Now owned by Dean Weatherall.
You can see / read more on the launch at this link https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/07/05/rotomahana/
13-09-2018 Update – photo below ex Mike Trotter’s fb
HELP WANTED
I have had several requests for a recommendation on a classic friendly handyman, ideally with varnishing (Uroxsys) experience – anyone know anyone that does ‘odd-job’? Email me on waitematawoodys@gmail.com
11-09-2022 Update ex Chris Leech – in the photo below, location unknown, Rotomahana is flying the Devonport Yacht Club Commodore’s pennant – which commodore is also unknown.
18-05-2025 UPDATE – EDWINA has recently changed hands and will remain on Lake Wanaka , photos below ex new owner Sam Watts. Being lifted out for some TLC.
KIRI MOANA – A Zoom Zoomer
Woody, Rod Prosser has the bug, he owns several classic woodys, mostly for use on Lake Rotoiti (Nth Is).
Whilst chatting recently he mentioned his go-fast woody. Rod bought Kiri Moana a couple of years back and has been slowly doing her up. Rod was told it was originally a North Island Ski Club boat but he hasn’t found out any more on that front. Rod originally had a 350 Vortec Mercruiser in the garage for the project but he got a little carried away when he went to an open day at the Toy Shed in Rotorua. The Toy Shed guys specialize in building hot rods and long story short is he swapped the Vortec for an early 1960’s small block Chev 327 V8, next things he’s on eBay sourcing all the shiny bits from the US. Rod commented that she has a ‘mother thumpa cam & is kinda loud 🙂
The interior’s come up well after scraping the orange paint off and the boats now with Sam Dorotich at Superior Boats in Manurewa getting glassed and painted (bright yellow!!). Rod will bring her home and widen the cockpit then back to Sam for the deck.
I have asked Rod to send us photos as the project proceeds & will update this story when he does.
10-11-2019 UPDATE – Boat dropped off at the upholsterer’s in Rotorua last week. Definitely in water this summer. Hopefully before Christmas 🙂
I like the new mudguards & wheels on the trailer – very retro. Alan H
CENTRE FOR WOODEN BOAT – LAKE UNION- SEATTLE
Woody Alan Sexton is currently working in Vancouver, Canada & last weekend he traveled the 3hrs to Seattle to visit the Centre for Wooden Boats, on Sundays the CWB offer free rides/sails/paddles or if you like you can rent a boat. Alan reports its a wonderful facility in a great location. We so need something like this in Auckland………………
The above photo gallery gives as a vicarious visit – Enjoy 🙂
ps you can see/read more about the facility here http://www.cwb.org
MARINA
How is this for a barn find? (well shed), according to her trademe listing her name is Marina & she was built by Glavich Boatbuilders in 1902 on the Kaipara. 30’ long & built in single skin kauri from a single tree.
She has been dry stored for many years and comes with new keelson, keel bolts, modern engine, gearbox, prop shaft and prop, stabilizing mast and a rack of timber.
Come on woodys, someone must be looking for a project, she deserves to be restored to her former glory.
Very keen to learn more about her – Harold?
28-08-2017 Input ex Harold Kidd
VENTURE
Another great collection of photos from Dean Wright’s collection of photos he has scanned from old negatives. The ones above show the privately owned game boat – Venture about to weigh in a very impressive marlin at Russell Wharf in the Bay of Islands. Skippered by Norm Hudspith at the time.
Normal questions – what is she & where is she today?
UPDATE – Thanks to HDK’s memory (or ww search skills) we now know all about her. She appeared on ww back in November 2015 (link below), make sure you read the comments section – lots of chat there. Cheers Alan
BRIONI
Today’s post features a visitor from distant shores. I’ll start off with some background – the above photos were sent to me by the CYA launch captain Angus Rogers. Angus had been contacted by a gent by the name of Thom Board, who lives in Cornwell in the UK. Thom’s house overlooks the harbour at Mylor Churchtown & recently he spotted a launch named Brioni tied up.
Like all good woodys Thom was looking around the internet trying to find some information on Brioni & stumbled across the online version of the CYA (NZ) Classic Register. Thom discovered that the register has a number of similar looking designs with straight stem, raised topsides forward, ports, narrow and a tumble-home hull aft. He also noticed many of the boats were Colin Wild designs.
It’s a very slim chance but Thom wondered if there was any possibility she was actually a Colin Wild design or similar. Personally I suspect she falls into the ‘Spirit of Tradition’ category i.e. new-ish build. What say the woodys?
Whoever the designer – she is rather pretty 🙂
