Category Archives: Non Waitemata

MYSTERY 42’ CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH BUILT IN OTAGO

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MYSTERY 42’ CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH BUILT IN OTAGO

Todays classic wooden launch comes to us from the July 1960 issue of Sea Spray magazine via Ken Ricketts. The write up appeared is a popular magazine section titled ‘Gadabout’.

As learnt from the accompanying copy – the 42’ twin engined launch was built by a Mr. C. Maxwell and his sons – Ron and Barry. The article mentioned a Nov 1961launching date.

The launch had a 12’ beam and that sadly is all we know about her. It looks like someone has ‘borrowed’ the design of the cabin windows from the Lidgard yard, the 3 aft were a signature Lidgard look.

So woodys todays questions are

1. There is mention of there going to be a post launching story – did that happen

2. Do we know her name , designer and what became of the vessel

3. Who was ‘reporter’ that went by the handle – ‘Gadabout’

INPUT ex NATHAN HERBERT – Waiana/ Exclusive Lady, purported to have been a Lane but obviously incorrect. The windows do have the Lane Ma Cherie look to them, mind you.

ROMANCE JUNIOR – AUCKLAND’S FIRST IDLE ALONG CLASSIC YACHT

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ROMANCE JUNIOR – AUCKLAND’S FIRST IDLE ALONG CLASSIC YACHT

During the week WW was contacted by Brian Peet regarding ROMANCE JUNIOR, the first Idle Along yacht to appear in Auckland. Brian commented that ‘Romance Junior’ was built by Sam Ford for Master Len Hodgkinson and was launched 3 April 1937. It was initially registered in the Y class as #18 and also carried the class name on its sail  – presumably for promotion purposes. By 1937 the class was already strong in Wellington.

The photographer that took the above photo was AW Powell, a professional photographer of Eden Terrace, Auckland.

Before his death, he passed the photo to his neighbour’s son who’s now passed it to Brian.

WORSER BAY BOATING CLUB – 100TH BIRTHDAY – 2026

Worser Bay Boating Club are celebrating their 100th Birth Day in 2026 and are looking for classic , old school sailing dinghies that were associated with Worser Bay in the early years, as static displays for the special weekend events  30 Jan 2026 to 1 Feb 2026.   As part of the celebrations the club is searching for a functioning ” Idle Along”  and a ”  Zeddie ” and other classic dinghies ( or even old launches used as pickup boats )  associated with Worser Bay for a rigged up static display.

There are lunches, dinners, book launching and club day sailing events for young and old and especially visitors and a classic boat club BBQ.

Our idea is that the sight of these old boats will trigger lots of stories and reminiscences. More Details Below 

  1. The events for the weekend registration. https://www.wbbc.org.nz/events/worser-bay-centenary-weekend
  2. Buy the book ” The Worser Way”.  100 years of dinghy racing at Worser Bay https://www.wbbc.org.nz/shop

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH TE RAUPARAHA FACELIFT GOES ALL WRONG

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH TE RAUPARAHA FACELIFT GOES ALL WRONG

Yesterday WW was contacted by a reader in Hamilton who shared a link for a sales listing for the classic wooden 55’ launch – TE RAUPARAHA was built by Chas. Bailey and Sons Ltd in 1938 for a Harry Mills and back in May 2013 we heard from Pamela Hillyer, Harry Mills’ granddaughter, Pam shared a lot of detail and photos. We also had a great update, below, ex Harold Kidd.

“A true “Express Cruiser”, TE RAUPARAHA was the product of the late flowering of Chas. Bailey Jr’s genius, exemplified too by his design of the 94ft ketch NEW GOLDEN HIND for his old customer H.R. Jenkins (SHENANDOAH, 1929),which was built by Deeming Bros of Opua in 1939 and several outstanding sweet-lined contemporary fishing boats like KATOA, JOAN and MARGARET.TE RAUPARAHA was fitted with twin 110hp Buda diesels which were becoming very popular at the time, supplied by Seabrook Fowlds and fitted by Allely Bros. They were replaced with Graymarines after her extensive wartime patrol work in WW1, often well off the Northland coast. A motor launch to make the pulses race if ever there was one”

Back then Andrew Pollard advised she was for sale in Noumea, New Caledonian – then radio silence – until yesterday when she has popped up for sale in Queensland, Australia. OMG – why do people do this to a classic wooden boat – surely its cheaper to just buy a plastic one than turn such a fine craft into what we see today… words fail me.

1941- CLASSIC GAME BOAT BURNS TO THE WATERLINE

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1941- CLASSIC GAME BOAT BURNS TO THE WATERLINE

If I had run the headline ‘ Classic Launch VALHALLA Catches Fire’ Peter Busfield would have had a heart attach, so I toned it down 🙂

Todays photo was sent in by John Dawson and is ex the NZ Herald heritage collection.The image was tagged ‘March 1941 Otehei Bay, Bay of Islands. The 35’ fishing launch belonging to Mr L Blomfield VALHALLA destroyed by fire (burnt to the waterline)

The owner suffered burns and shock.
Do we know any more about this VALHALLA – builder, year built and was she rebuilt or scraped.

CANVAS CAPS – BLACK (white embroidered logo) – one size fits all – $42

COTTON T – SHIRTS  – DARK CHOCOLATE (white screen printed logo) – short sleeve only – – SIZES  > SML / MED / LRG / XL / 2XL – $39

Numbers are very limited so order now – just tell me what you want and I’ll confirm we can supply and send payment (+ postage) details. waitematawoodys@waitematawoodys

CLASSIC SOUTHERN WORKBOAT – RAWHITI

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CLASSIC SOUTHERN WORKBOAT – RAWHITI

Todays woody workboat comes to us from ’Timespanner’ via Ian McDonald. All WW knows is the boat is / was based at Stewart Island and her skipper was Fluff Leask.

Can me learn more about this very salty looking classic.

WW MERCHANDISE – IF YOU ARE THINKING OF ORDERING – DO IT NOW B4 STOCK RUNS OUT

CLASSIC COLIN WILD LAUNCH – LINDA – THE FULL CIRCLE

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CLASSIC COLIN WILD LAUNCH – LINDA – THE FULL CIRCLE

Back in 1959 the 1927 Colin Wild built 47’ launch LINDA relocated from her home waters , the Waitemata Harbour, to Whangarei, Northland. Her new owner was Reg Fisher.

In the April 1961 edition of Sea Spray magazine there was an article (as above) on the boats history and recent modifications and updates.

In later years she returned to Auckland and in the last 2 years has relocated North again to Kerikeri, – the full circle.

The Sea Spray article comes to us via Ken Ricketts.

Lots of WW stories and photos of LINDA at this master link https://waitematawoodys.com/?s=LINDA&submit=Search

WW MERCHANDISE – IF YOU ARE THINKING OF ORDERING – DO IT NOW B4 STOCK RUNS OUT

CLASSIC WORKBOAT MV MILLARM 

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CLASSIC WORKBOAT MV MILLARM 

The MV MILLARM a well known boat around Wellington in the 1970’s,  popped up on social media several months ago in the ‘Cook Strait Gossip & Drama’ fb feed. 
The story goes that in 1982 after a medial event onboard the vessel was run aground in Breaker Bay, Wellington.                                                                                              The motor was salvaged and put into another vessel, the top cabin and deck were removed and taken to Lyall Bay where they sat on the seaward side of a property at the westside of the bay.In previous life worked as a pilot boat.

Can we learn anymore about MV MILLARM.

INPUT ex JOHN WICKS  – Owner was Russ McKay. Memory (that unreliable source) says she was a Roger Carey design and possibly build. She was named for Mill Arm in Greville Harbour, D’Urville Island, a very pretty and sheltered anchorage. She was quite new when tragedy struck her. Interestingly she was built as a private vessel, despite her handsome fishing boat look.

INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – Built by Miller and Tunnage. Used as a pilot launch for a few weeks when both Wellington’s pilot launches were out of service for reasons I cannot recall. On the day she was wrecked, she had crossed Cook Strait and visited the PACIFIC CHARGER, aground at Baring Head. I remember that there was a big swell running that day. Owner Russell McKay was on his own. Set sail from Baring Head towards Breaker Bay and failed to alter to starboard once the harbour entrance was reached. The unforgiving nature of the shore and the big swell did for MILL ARM. A great shame. Beautifully built in kauri of course. Only a year or so old.

CLASSIC WOODEN CLINKER – GYPSY – Why Are the Good Ones Never Nearby

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CLASSIC WOODEN CLINKER – GYPSY – Why Are the Good Ones Never Nearby

Doing a tme deep dive over the weekend and up popped the 22’ clinker launch – GYPSY. Sure its a project given the recent sinking but at current bidding (4 bids) its $10 and its reached its reverse price.

This 1970 woody comes from the very impressive stable of Lionel Jefcoat, a master craftsman. Read about the man here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/03/12/lionel-jefcoat-boatbuilder-wood-craftsman/
The story is the boat sank on its mooring (not totally submerged) due to a skin fitting failure caused by bad weather .It is sound condition with only a small amount of rot around cabin.the motor was running normally before it sank and was washed down and flushed out within a day of haul out. The photos of GYPSY out of the water were taken after the sinking.

Motor is a 10hp Kelvin P2 diesel. Home is Lyttelton, Canterbury.
Someone one in the Picton Clinker and Classic Boat Club needs to buy her, a perfect additional to the fleet.If she was in Auckland, it would be sitting in my drive by now.Auction close 7pm Friday night.

WW MERCHANDISE – IF YOU ARE THINKING OF ORDERING – DO IT NOW B4 STOCK RUNS OUT

SONGBIRD – A SPIRIT OF TRADITION WOODY

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SONGBIRD – A SPIRIT OF TRADITION WOODY

It is pretty rare these days to see the launch of a new wooden boat so Bill Townson’s SONGBIRD gets to make an appearance on WW via the ’spirit of tradition’ umbrella.

Todays photos and comments (below) come to us from Hugh Gladwell.

“Bill Townsons new launch Songbird went overboard at the Warkworth Cement Works on Wednesday. A backyard designed and built wooden launch is a rarity these days. She is 3 skin kauri and Alaskan yellow cedar glassed inside and out with no stringers or ribs. Powered by a Yanmar 110. The standard of finish is impeccable. Bill is now 82 and has been building her with his wife Mona for the last 6 years. Mona explained that she didn’t actually work on the boat but supervised Bill throughout.”

WW MERCHANDISE – IF YOU ARE THINKING OF ORDERING – DO IT NOW – DOWN TO SINGLE DIGIT NUMBERS ON MOST T-SHIRT SIZES AND LESS THAN 12 CAPS IN STOCK 

MYSTERY COROMANDEL CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH

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MYSTERY COROMANDEL CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH

My spotter Ian McDonald sent in todays photo ex the Auckland heritage collection via fb.

The photo was tagged ‘A motorboat at an unidentified location on the Coromandel Peninsula’. Stapley Farmer, 1960’s.

And that woodys is all we know. Her appearance / finish has that workboat look. Keen to learn more about the vessel and whether she is still around.

JUST RELEASED – MAHURANGI CRUISING CLUB YEARBOOK 2026 – Another impressive edition from the hands of Steve Horsley – at $20 its the best buy this summer. Don’t wait hoping someone will buy you a copy for xmas – treat yourself – out next week – preorder your copy here srhorsley@gmail.com

NOW AVAIILABLE FROM BOAT BOOKS WESTHAVEN – IN STORE & ON LINE