I spotted todays woody – MERA last week while at the Sandspit marina. MERA last appeared on WW back in May 2015, link below to that story with lots of details and photos.
It is always cool to find a classic craft has been so well cared for – well done her current owners.
MERA was built in 1957 by the Algies brothers, rumoured to a Colin Wild design. Her specs are 36’ x 10’6” x 2’9″
Back in July 2016 we ran a WW story on the 1914 , Percy McIntosh built game boat OZONE, linked below, then last week a woody reader – Stuart Windross posted a comment that he had come across a great photograph of Ozone with a swordfish across her transom, pictured above.
Accompanying the photo on line was an article on the Anich family, it would appear that OZONE may have been owned for a time by the family fishing out of Sandspit. If so her catch would be supplying the famous Tony’s restaurant and fish shop in Warkworth. On the same web page (not in English) were the photos below – first time I have seen a sword fish weighed in like that.
Recently Hugh Gladwell contacted WW re the above photos taken in and around Mahurangi in the early days. Hugh talks us thru them below –
‘The top photo is the launch LAVINIA shown in front of Rodmersham the old house just inside the eastern headland of the harbour The second is another unnamed launch heading down the Mahurangi River
The third is Sarah Lushington who owned Rodmersham in the late 1880s sitting on a pile of ballast out of the family yacht MURITAI which is behind her. She is greeting her housemaid Mrs Brown who lived further up harbour at one time under an upturned boat The old house is much grander than it looks and little changed over almost 150 years. It was built in 1886 out of unreinforced concrete with walls a foot thick with sand from the beach in front, shingle from Motuora and lime from the kilns up the river. It has a large billiard room, servants quarters at the back upstairs and is straight and square with not a hairline crack visible anywhere. It has been in the same family ownership for about 5 generations’
So woodys can we learn more about LAVINIA and put a name to the mystery launch.
Back in 2015 I took the top photo of the 36′ launch – ARISTOS at the Classic Launch & Yacht exhibition, she is a very fine looking woody but with her probably being the only Des Townson designed launch to be built, we would not expect anything less. Built by Noel May and launched in 1985.
Over the weekend I had cause to be mooching around the Sandspit Marina and I spied ARISTOS, nice to see she is still presented in grand condition. The davits on the stern are an unusual design, with the ability to swing back. Wouldn’t suit a lot of classics but ARISTOS carries it well.
The 60’ workboat LADY EVA was built in 1913 by Bailey & Lowe. The last we heard about her was back in a 2018 WW story where Ron Shugg commented that LADY EVA had been at one stage berthed at Helensville on the Kaipara Harbour. She was later hauled out and her two Gardner engines were removed and the hull sold. So the question woodys is – sold to who and where is she now.
The second photo above, dated 1917, is from a previous WW story on the overloading of craft – the PC police would have a field day if this was repeated today 🙂
15-03-2025 – UPDATE ex Lew Redwood and Richard Joseph – photos below are dated Jan 2009, so she has probably gone down hill even more since then. (great photo of the river)
RSVP TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT ON THE BEST WOODY DAY OUT OF THE SEASON – just need – your name, boat name & approx # crew – email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Last year WW was contacted by Darren Critchley regarding the launch. – DESIREE, which Darren had acquired and was undertaking a ‘rebuild’, Darrens words.
He purchased the boat a couple of years ago in Tauranga and knows very little about her. Does the top photo spring anyones memory, would be nice to learn more about her.
Input from Nathan Herbert – Amatuer built cabin on most likely a Shipbuilders hard chine kit set hull, although the sheer line aft looks a bit unusual in that angle
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No need to pay the big $$ for these magazines and they appear on the day they are released overseas e.g. I’m currently reading the November issue of Classic Boat – see below as to how it appears on screen – no gutter join spacing ✔️
THE COMEDOWN OF A CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – CARA MIA
Last weekend at the Kawau Spring Splash Regatta I spot a launch named – CARA MIA, the name ringed a bell but the look didn’t match the tone of the bell ringing.
When I got back to the WW data base I did a search and jackpot, there she was but the old girl has had several trips to the plastic surgeon over the years.
Built in 1961 by Maurice Palmer in Devonport, Auckland, her specs are 36’ x 11’3”x 2’9”. She spent the 1960>70’s game fishing out of Tutukakak, Northland.
Each to their own, an owner can do what ever they like to their vessel, but I wasn’t sad when they headed off up the harbour and didn’t participate in the Woodys Classic Launch Parade 😉
THE RESTORATION OF THE CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – TANGMERE – UPDATE
Recently WW was contacted by Megan Ede regarding the 1949 classic wooden launch – TANGMERE, Megan had come across a story on WW about the launch undergoing a restoration. Megan commented that her parents – Allan and Margaret Norwood had owned the boat when she was in her teens. They purchased her in 1982 from the Rogers family and then sold in 1996 to Jim Cardow.
WW was tasked with obtaining an update on the restoration. The hull for TANGMERE was built by the Shipbuilders yard and W.J. Endean, the first owner, designed and built the cabin. A quick email to current owner Bill Endean (son of WJE) and we had the below. In May 2020 Bill gave us a wonderful history of the launch and a peek at the start of the project – link below to that WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/05/11/tangmere-finds-her-way-home/
Progress has been slow but sure, TANGMERE has had all the internal structure removed (including all ribs), new floors and bulkheads, glassed inside and out, new engine beds waiting for engine install, new superstructure (replicating original). Retained the old deck beams, new self draining cockpit arrangement.The photos above show the work done on the inside, stripped out the riveted ribs and replaced with a simpler structure, and then glassed in. The photos of the outside show the glassed hull and replaced superstructure ( dodger yet to be built ). Bill commented that he knows some in the classic world have a dim view of “ glassing”, but he is obviously not one of them. Nor was his father who in 1964 built the 43′ ketch Portobello using strip planked cedar glassed inside and out, following the trend set by his friend Tony Mason with the Clippers… so Bill comfortably believes WJE might approve of this restoration of his first boat.
Photos below give you an indication of how ‘tired ‘TANGMERE’ was before Bill Endean took her back into the families ownership.
07-11-2025 UPDATE ex Bill Endean – coming along…… slowly 🙂
CLASSIC WORKBOATS & THE BAY OF ISLANDS CREAM TRIP After yesterdays visual blitz from the Kawau Spring Splash Regatta we are probably overdue a b/w oldie photo / storyIn the above photo dated 1930, we see Mr H.W. and Laura Giesen returning from Russell in the Bay of Islands on board what was known as the ‘Cream Boat’. The photo comes to us from a Anna Wilson fb post, via her aunt, via woody John Dawson who sent it to WW. Some background to the ‘Cream Trip and the photo – In 1928 the Hikurangi Dairy Co awarded the Cream Trip contract to Fullers Brothers. The contract had been run for the previous two years by Jack and son Bernard Williams (using the boat AROHA in the middle of the picture) and prior to that by Edmund Lane using the Dairy Company owned boat DAIRYMAID. In 1930; the Cream Trip launch in the foreground would have been either the original KNOXIE or KNOXIE ll (later renamed MISS BRETT) which were owned and operated by Ernest Fuller.AROHA was built by Percy McIntosh in Whangarei in November 1914 for Otto R. Neumann of Russell. She was purchased by Jack Williams in c1928.
CLASSIC WORKBOATS & THE BAY OF ISLANDS CREAM TRIP TODAY FOR THE WOODY LUNCH CRUISE TO THE RIVERHEAD TAVERN – DEC 7th TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com – your name, boat name & approx # onboard
KAWAU ISLAND SPRING SPLASH REGATTA REVIEW – 70+ CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING PHOTOS
WoW what a long weekend – our first long weekend as we slide out of winter into summer. The on-the-water boating season kicked off this year with a new event on the calendar – the ‘Labour Weekend Spring Splash Regatta’ at Kawau Island, in the Hauraki Gulf. Going forward the hosts – Kawau Boating Club and race organisers – Ponsonby Cruising Club intend to ran the regatta every year. The weather gods were against us at times – but the weekend was a winner with everyone that attended.
Firstly I’d like to thank all the skippers, family and crew that took the leap of faith and pointed their craft north in conditions on both Friday and Saturday morning that can best described as character building for the skippers and testing for the craft.
I went north at mid day on Friday and all I saw in terms of other craft afloat was a procession of yachts returning to Auckland after pulling out of the Coastal Classic race to Russell. Big ups to the yachts that pushed on and completed the race, I’m sure most skippers will have trouble rounding up crew for next years race 🙂
Fridays race to Kawau was light on numbers due to the weather but the fleet pushed on and most made it to KBC to swap stories. Mike Mahoney commented that his majestic 1935 Logan built classic – TAWERA spent more time going thru the waves than on top of them.
Saturday’s around the island race was cancelled due to high winds, but the KBC turnover was the winner. A great night ,with a DJ on hand.
Sunday we had the Waitematawoodys classic parade and 15 woodys (one yacht) did a lap of BON ACCORD Harbour – a brilliant turnout for the opening year. Those participating were recorded with stunning weather.
Post the parade, the yacht race got away, check out the video below of TAWERA coming in hot to the finish line – perfect timing by skipper Mike and crew, Only problem it was to decide 3 and 4 place 🙂
Sunday nights prize giving was a hoot and most people left with a prize and a smile.
Other activities over the weekend were a children’s lolly scramble and the KBC AGM on Sunday morning. Brilliant turnout at the AGM and very positive vibes.
The weekend report wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the recently refurbished KBC clubroom / bar / bistro – the presentation of the interior is a perfect fit for a boating club of the KBC’s standing.
And the food and staff…………… 10/10 – the food photos tell their own story.
The winner of the major prize for parade participants – SPONSORED BY THE SLIPWAY MILFORD – was Jill Hetherington and her 1939 C. Bailey built launch – TUNA. Jill’s prize is a haulout and 3 days hardstand at the classic friendly railway slip.
I have to sign off now, I’m falling asleep at the keyboard.
Enjoy the photo gallery & videos, several people clicking the camera (phone) over the weekend, so thanks for everyones contribution.
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