Category Archives: Non Waitemata

Caledonia – info wanted

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Caledonia
Caledonia
Caledonia
Caledonia

CALEDONIA

Details & photos from Richard Gordon

Caledonia was built in Auckland in 1956 as a  11 metre ketch. If you believe the old sales document (copy attached below) her designer was a gent or company called ‘Knaggs’.

Richard bought Caledonia, initially in partnership with Don Wilson in 2009. Previously Don was in partnership with Dave Johnson, these two bought the boat off trademe in approx. 2002-3. She had been kept at Milford Marina & owned by a father & son. These owners advised she was built by a father & grandfather, the GF supposedly having worked at Bailey.
Between 1984 – 1988 it looks as if she may have been based in Thames – Coromandel judging by an incomplete log book, her call sign was ZMV3644.
Richard is based in Mana, Wellington & lives aboard Caledonia & reports she is a great Cook Strait boat and Sounds boat.

Richard is interested to find out more about her history. Can anyone help or point him in the direction of someone that can?

Click link to view old sales doco caledonia

As always click on any image to enlarge 😉

Lamorna

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Lamorna c1950 Lake Taupo

LAMORNA

photo & details ex Paul & Nigel Drake

Lamorna was built in 1937 by Colin Wild for J Blundell & specifically designed for trout fishing on Lake Taupo. The photo above was taken in the 1950’s.

As boys, on the Lake, the 4 Drake brothers admired Lamorna from the family’s C&G 22 footer Sir Francis – which they still use constantly today. Paul Drake recalls his father telling him that Lamorna had twin engines that were fully exposed with a chrome rail on each side of the alleyway their only protection from stumbling bodies.

Lamorna was for sale on trademe for a long time until reasonably recently. She looks very different now, with a new dodger extending forward, and the usual fully enclosed fly-bridge. See photos below ex Nigel, taken of her moored off Herald Island – note,  these do not show the full extent of the fly-bridge.

Below are three great photos from Lamorna’s past. Thanks to Harold Kidd for pointing the Papers Past links  to me 🙂

14 September 1937 – at Colin Wild’s Stanley Bay yard

16 November 1937 – Undergoing sea trials on the Waitemata Harbour prior to being trucked to Lake Taupo

25 November 1937 – being loaded for transport overland to Lake Taupo. Love the truck !

An Update from Steve & Dylan Needham – 18/10/2014

Here are some photos of Lamorna since we took possession of her at Herald
Island Auckland. Starting with survey and then taken to Geoff Bagnal’s yard
to make Lamorna sea worthy for the Cook straight crossing. Transport to Mana
by truck as you can see we had to cut the flying bridge off because of one
bridge. Looked quite good without it but we decided to re-attach it and then
made the voyage to the Marlborourgh Sounds where Lamorna is berthed at
Havelock where we are restoring her. We have had a lot of fun with her and
look forward to summer.

Tainui

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TAINUI

photo & details ex Murray Willis

It is believed that Tainui started life as a Auckland Harbour Board work boat. Built in 1967 by according to her owner someone or thing called ‘BOSS’ ?
Her construction is 1×1/2” Kauri plank Carvel. She is round bilge and 38 ft long.

Tainui is moored next to Murray’s launch Marguerite in Whangaparapara at Great Barrier Island where she has spent the last 10 years. The current owner purchased her from a bloke in Plimmerton and sailed her up the east coast to the Great Barrier Island.
More details on her past would be appreciated.

Due to poor health she is for sale but not listed nor advertised any where, if you are interested, contact Murray at jan.murray@xtra.co.nz

 

On- Line Classic Yacht Magazine

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On- Line Classic Yacht Magazine

Ok after yesterdays bombardment of photos of classic kiwi launches I thought today I’d share with you a digital magazine from the USA, remember that the boys in the states call almost anything that floats a yacht, so its a mix of power & sail.

Below is a link to a PDF file to view, but if you want to experience the embedded videos & see the double page spread photos in all their glory, click the link to the on-line version.

I hope this all works – I’m sure someone will post & tell me if it does not.

Enjoy

Click for PDF classicyachtmayjune2014

Click below for on-line viewing

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/ClassicYacht/classic-yacht-may-june-2014/2014053001/#0

Relax-Ay-Voo

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Relax-Ay-Voo

RELAX-AY-VOO

I know little about this very pretty 9m launch other than she was designed by Bruce Askew & is currently owned by John Duncan & resides on Lake Rototit.
For one of the ‘modern day’ designers Askew has a very good eye for what a classic should look like.

Any one able to shed some more light on her?

The above photo was taken at the 2014 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade

Thistle

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THISTLE
Todays post is a little left field in that it relates to a boat in Australia, with kiwi link. I was contacted by Greg Cash who has recently purchased the boat & is trying to find out more about her design & whether others similar were built & still exist today.Alan H

Some history – Cyril Griffiths was born in Devonport (Tasmania) in 1888. His Mother died when was 11 years old. He went to New Zealand to live with an Aunt and Uncle, Sir Thomas and Elsie Mackenzie nee Griffiths. Thomas Mackenzie was Prime Minister of New Zealand.
While he was in New Zealand he was an apprentice carpenter – boat builder.
He went from New Zealand to the 1914 -18 war.

After the war he returned to Tasmania and married Mary Frances Black.
He worked at Waratah as a carpenter in the mine for 10 years. He had 3 daughters.
He built 2 boats at Waratah, including the Thistle (c.1928) using a design he’d brought back from New Zealand -19’8″ in length, 6’9″ beam, huon pine with and inboard motor and sails.
Greg has been told it is a hard chined carvel hull, but knows nothing more than that and anything waitematawoody readers can add would be greatly appreciated.

The Thistle was used as one of the first tourist/fishing hire businesses on the Western side of Tasmania. It later became part of a ferry service across the Arthur River in North-west Tasmania for 20 years (see b/w ferry photo with boat attached), and was the Arthur River town boat until the 1980’s when it was retired to a farm dam and paddock. It was restored in 2011, and Greg bought it in 2014.

I have grouped the photos in two sections – old & as found + today.

As always with ww you can enlarge all the photos for viewing just by double clicking on one.

Alberta

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ALBERTA

I know very little known about Alberta other than she is kauri, 28’6″ & built in 1913. She now resides on Lake Rotoiti. In the back of my mind I recall someone saying she was kept at Milford Marina for a long time, prior to getting a new lease of life on the lake. If anyone knows the owner – Jon Dustin?, maybe we could find out more.

Harold Kidd Update

ALBERTA was built as a flushdecker by H.N. Burgess at Judges Bay in December 1913 and fitted with a 6/8 hp Automatic engine for which Burgess was the Auckland agent. A. Parsons of Ponsonby was her first owner. In 1914 she was repowered with a Model M Scripps from Lanes. From 1918 she was in Whangarei owned by the Palmer family. Maurice Reynolds bought her in 1959 and rebuilt her, then sold her in 1961. M C Williams of Northboro Road, Takapuna bought her and kept her at Milford. Artie Perkin owned her in 1969 and had a 36hp Perkins diesel in her. Andrew Campbell owned her in 2002, still in Milford and still a flushdecker, probably the very last of the pre-WW1 flushdeckers to survive in original state. The dodger put on her now is tastefully done and typical of the dodgers most flushdeckers had gained by 1918.

Aroha

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AROHA

Aroha is a kauri carvel planked 6.4m launch designed & built by C E Thompson, Dargaville, for Frank & Millie Macklow. She was fitted with a ‘Kelvin Ricardo E 4cylinder petrol (or paraffin) engine , featuring 2 sets of 2 cylinders with separate carbs, this enabled either pair of cylinders to be switched off. I have heard her running & she sounds rather ‘sweet’. This motor was designed by Anton Bergius of Glasgow & was fitted to a lot of Scottish trawlers. As an aside his nephew, Conrad Bergius lives in Auckland & is a diesel mechanic.
Amazingly Aroha is still powered by the same engine & maintains its original colours, accessories, trim, tools, stripped canvas cushions, manuals & warrantee.

In 1950 Aroha was hauled from Dargaville by road to Lake Rotoiti & launched at Mourea. She has spent the last 64 years on lake at Otaramarae Bay.

Her owner Warwick Henderson, purchased her in 2002 & renamed her Aroha after his mother, Aroha Avis Hutchinson.

Anyone able to expand on her year on build, original name & her life pre 1950 ?

(photos taken by Alan H at 2014 Lake Rotoiti Classic &Wooden Boat Parade)

Ankle Deep Too

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Ankle Deep Too

photos & story ex Chris Leech

Todays post is a quiz for the armchair historians out there. Now the above speed boat (hydroplane) is not a waitematawoody, built in fact in the USA in 1915 & competed in the 1915 Gold Cup Trophy for Count Casimir Mankowski, pictured above sitting on the bow. One week before the race she was holed & sank, recovered, repaired & raced. The 3 race series was one by the legend ‘Miss Detroit I’ who took out all 3 races.

Ankle Deep Too does have a connection to one of NZ’s outstanding designers who had a hand in building her.

Anyone willing to take a guess the designers name? Bert Woollacott √

click photo to read the New York Times storey

Update from Jo & Rob Woollacott 08/06/2014

Coincidentally, I was cleaning our our shed today and found the original framed photo of this boat. Rob (Bert’s grandson) and I were chatting about it over lunch so I googled the boat name and came to this site. Rob had the designs stored at the museum for safe keeping.

Twenty Eight Feet – life on a little wood boat

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Twenty Eight Feet – life on a little wood boat

I challenge you to watch this 8 minute movie about David Welsford & his life & travels on a H28 & not get itchy feet. Perfect entertainment for a wet Sunday –  Enjoy 🙂