Category Archives: Non Waitemata

MATARIKI – N10

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MATARIKI – N10

During the week WW was contacted Kevin Uptown regard to the Mullet Boat MATARIKI N10.Kevin’s brother John had discovered reference to the boat in a Oct 2020 WW story (linked here) https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/10/02/classic-wooden-boats-bin-diving/ The yacht featured in a NZ Herald photo from Dec 1931, the photo is below.

I’ll let Kevin tell the story:
“My brother John Upton recently sent me a link to this web site  and I noticed the Mullet Boat Matariki. (NZ Herald 1931)
Our Dad Murray Upton bought Matariki in Tauranga in the early 60’s and sailed her to Gisborne I think in about 1963/64.
At that time the Harbour basin was being dredged so Dad had no mooring. Being the type of boat she was, it had to stay in the water.
Anyway long story, short we striped her down an took her Lake Waikaremoana and used her as a house boat for many years.
Matariki is still on the lake at Waikaremoana I must say she is looking a bit tired.
I have attached some photos which may be of interest to you.”

INDIA  – Picton Clinker & Classic Boat Club

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INDIA  – Picton Clinker & Classic Boat Club

 Earlier in the week we were contacted by Roy Jones from the Picton Clinker & Classic Boat Club. Roy advised that he had come across a photo of the 1906 Robert Shakespear built launch – INDIA on WW.

INDIA these days is a very active member of the PC&CBC fleet so Roy undertook to pull together an article on INDIA that has appeared in the June 2024 club newsletter.

The PC&CBC is a very active club and meets regularly both on and off the water. This year they celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the club – well done.

If you are time poor fast forward to page 3 and get a wonderful insight into this amazing classic woody.

Bay of Islands Woody Long Weekend

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Bay of Islands Woody Long Weekend

Being a professional photographer, BOI woody Dean Wright is seldom without a camera near by, which is a bonus for us. Over last weekend (Kings Birthday) Dean was out enjoying the bay on his classic woody – ARETHUSA and took the above photos.

First up is a stunning open day boat that Mike mentioned that he had seen out a few times on the Kerikeri River and at last got close enough to take a photo.

The Gladden yacht – is WINTERLUDE, owned by Bram Cone. I’m told she is as impressive down below as what we see in the photo.

Next we have the 35’ launch – LOURENA  built in 1965 by Watson Brothers in Wellington to a Athol Burns design. More on her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/11/14/lourena-a-peek-down-below/

Lastly the very smart Salthouse launch – TAPUI, owned by Mike and Robi Quilter. Mike is a life member of my good bastards woody club, having taken a chainsaw to the flying bridge that was on TAPUI when purchased . See and read more here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/09/04/tapui/

IONA – TAUPO

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IONA – TAUPO

Now do not be confused  with todays woody – it is IONA as spotted in the weekend by Jason Prew at the Motuoapa Marina in Taupo. Jason commented that she is a sster-ship to IONA II that currently sits on the hard at {the} Slipway Milford.

Photos below of the work happening on IONA II.
In the last photo below we she IONA II’s room mate – REHIA which has a fast approaching re-launch date. More on her later in the week.

MANURERE – A Peek Down Below + 4sale

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MANURERE – A Peek Down Below + 4sale

Back in November 2021 we ran a story on the 43’ ex workboat – MANURERE, at the time we learned that she was designed and built by Miller & Tunnage, Port Chalmers and launched in 1937.Constructed from 1 1/2” kauri planking over spotted gum frames.

In her early days ( see b/w photo below) she fished commercially (cod and crayfish) in the Otago and Stewart Island areas, and later in her life was converted to pleasure use. 

At the time of the 2021 story she was looking for a new custodian.

As I’ve mentioned many times on WW some woodys get lucky in terms of owners, MANURERE is one such boat, over the next 3 years her new owner continued to undertake a rolling refit. In fact when purchased MANURERE was effectively set up as a day-boat, her owner undertook to re-equipped and updated her to be able to undertake passages to isolated areas and provide crew comfort for extended periods. As the photos show MANURERE presents in better than new condition. Roll forward and her owner has made the call to return to a life of sail and have asked {the} Wooden Boat Bureau to find a new owner to take over the vessel.  So woodys best we tell you more about her – 

MANURERE’s hull, engine and ancillary equipment are in very good condition. The interior was recently restored, ‘in keeping’ using native timbers. Powered by a Iveco 120hp marine diesel, she uses about a litre of diesel per nautical mile at 8 knots.  Recently work included the injectors being tuned, new water pump and starter motor and a powered second alternator fitted, upgraded bilge pump and system. Modern electronics fitted including AIS. , 230V power with power points throughout. Smart charger charges the 3 battery banks simultaneously.

MANURERE is rigged with steadying sail, main and mizzen. 2 x 2 speed winches. Anchor operated at wheel house or deck. Life raft, heavy duty Coppin’s drogue, second CQR with spare 50m 10mm chain, EPIRB, VHF etc. Hot and cold pressure water, shower on rear deck. Electric toilet, holding tank and LectrSan sanitation unit (use optional). Gimballed hob in wheel house with barbeque rear deck. Dometic fridge freezer (24v/230V) under wheel house seat. Near new 2.5m RIB with 3.3 Mercury. And being a southern lass she has a diesel heater – we like that 🙂

Whats especially compelling about MANURERE is that she’s ready to use – now. So, if your looking for an exceptionally well built and maintained classic motorboat with plenty of life left in her, to have your own adventures, this might be it. We do not normally include pricing on WW stories but I predict that MANURERE will find a new owner very quickly. Why? Because at $136k she would be the best classic on the market in terms of size, condition and functionality + cool factor.

Interested parties to initially contact waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Ps – If the other 1/2 saw the error of her ways and showed me the door, I would be buying MANURERE in a flash and doing laps of NZ 🙂

Old (2021) photo below to show off her cute rear end…………..

LADY CAROLE – Scheduled For A Revamp

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Havelock Marina -2022
1950’s
Whangaroa Harbour – c.1970’s

LADY CAROLE – Scheduled For A Revamp

During the week WW was contacted by Patrick Crawshaw with the news that the launch – LADY CAROLE had returned to the family ownership. Patrick’s great grandfather – Albert (Chappy) Baldwin owned her in the 1950s and she later passed on to Patrick’s grandfather – Pat Smith. LADY CAROLE left the family ownership in 1994.

In previous WW stories there has been speculation that she was designed by L. Couldrey but at the time Harold Kidd commented that her name didn’t appear on the list of Couldrey designs, but she may well have been inspired by his designs 😉

LADY CAROLE has recently been re-located from the South Island and now resides in the Far North. This week she has been hauled out for a two stage restoration / refit.

Stage one being to restore the exterior back to as she was in the 1950’s (refer 2nd photo above b/w)

Stage two will be a complete restoration of the interior layout and finishes. The last photo is c.1970’s and the location is Whangaroa Harbour , Northland. 
Patrick has agreed to document the project and keep us regularly updated. She was a rather fine looking craft so we very much look forward to this project.

TE KUIA – Workboat Wednesday

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Kerry Lilley Boatbuilders – Panmure
Panmure River
Tauranga – Blue Ocean Charters
Russell – September 2023

TE KUIA – Workboat Wednesday

Retired boatbuilder Kerry Lilley sent in the photos above of the 52’ workboat – TE KAUIA, which he built in 1978 in Panmure. Kerry built TE KUIA for Harbour Transport, Tauranga which at the time was part New Zealand Forest Products. Her role involved ferrying workers to and from Matakana Island, towing log barges, and other duties and the occasional fishing charter.

TE KUIA was later sold to Hugh Ensor in 1989, who then operated her as a charter fishing boat based at Tauranga. Later Jack Elliot converted TE KUIA to a passenger ferry. At the time the cabin roof was extended.The vessel is powered by a GM 6/71 Detroit diesel engine.

In 2023, the Bay of Islands ferry – WAITERE was involved in collision off Russell and.suffered major damage, and was a write off. TE KUIA was purchased as a replacement in June, 2023 for the Pania > Russell run.

Woodys Postcard From London

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Woodys Postcard From London

Olaf Wiig Has owned several woody in NZ, all of which have been enhanced  by Olaf’s talents as a gifted boatbuilder / wooden craftsman. For a period he was also a trustee at the NZ Traditional Boatbuilding School.These Olaf and family resided in the UK but summer in NZ on board their 45’ launch – NGARO , built in 1953 by Lidgards, photo below. During the week Olaf dropped me a note on his recent boating adventures – I’ll let Olaf tell the story. Have to love the flying of the WW burgee 🙂

“For many years we had a beautiful river cruiser in London. She was all varnished mahogany from the waterline up.  When we were thinking of returning to NZ full time she had to be sold as I wouldn’t be here to look after her. She had a mooring in West London which is a really special place but only fits a boat which is narrow boat shaped so a steel narrow boat has lived on this mooring ever since. This year I decided we would take the narrow boat closer to our home in Henley-on-Thames for the summer. Now there are two ways to do that. Come out of her berth in Notting Hill and turn right. This will take you west on the Grand Union Canal (Paddington branch) through West London and eventually down to the Thames at Brentford.  Or you can turn left… this takes you east through Paddington, Little Venice, Regent’s Park, Camden Town and East London, eventually all the way down to Limehouse basin next to the Thames. You can then lock out onto the tidal Thames just below Tower Bridge, ride the flood tide all the way up the river to Teddington where you lock up onto the non tidal Thames. 

I took the second option.  Now the Thames is a very busy commercial port and has a wild reputation for big waves crazy tides and very fast ferries. Narrow boats are slow bathtubs! It wasn’t without a degree of trepidation that we locked out of the huge lock at Limehouse.  We were really lucky, it was the perfect day still and calm and being early on a Saturday the clipper ferries hadn’t started for the day.  What a ride. Under tower bridge past HMS Belfast, London Bridge. HMS Wellington (built for the New Zealand station and based in Auckland to patrol the Pacific Islands, arrived on station in 1934, and recalled for war service in 1939, went on to be a Dunkirk ship in operation Dynamo) the Houses of Parliament…. We arrived at the half tide barrier in Richmond just in time to see it open and Teddington lock right on high water.  From there the Thames passes Hampton Court Palace, Eton, Windsor royal estate and castle and then slowly out into the Buckinghamshire countryside,  the boat is now on her summer mooring at Temple Island,  the start point of the Henley Royal Regatta (rowing). 

Now just to bring this back to woodys.. The last photo above shows one of my favourite London based woodys Wairakei 2 (always thought there must be an NZ connection) another Dunkirk little ship. Her history can be seen here. https://www.adls.org.uk/wairakei-ii  “

MISS RAETIHI – A Peek Down Below

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MISS RAETIHI – A Peek Down Below

Todays woody the 44’ ex charter boat was built in 1955 by Sandy Brunsel in Havelock. Construction is carvel planked Kaihikatea.

Forward motion is via a 471 Detroit Diesel engine that gives her a cruising speed of 8.5 knots.

As to be expected with an ex charter vessel she is very well fitted out. Home is Picton, Marlborough. 

(Thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads up on Miss Raetihi

CYGNET – Restoration

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CYGNET – Restoration

 The 35’ launch – CYGNET was built in Auckland in 1913, builder unknown,  and started life as the cream boat on the Mokau River.  A 2016 WW story (link below) advised that she was restored in 1998 and operated on the Mokau as a passenger vessel. 

In a story this week on ’The Kawhia Connection’ fb, Andrew Shaw commented that CYGNET was owned by a John Ruby between mid 1950’s and 1994, based in Kawhia. Also operated for a time by Grant and Pauline Taylor.

Andrew Shaw advised that they had nearly finished a 3 year restoration of CYGNET and a launch date is eminent  (Thanks to Lew Redwood for the heads up)

WW story Oct 2016https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/10/22/23124/