KOKIRI
Todays woody is the launch Kokiri pictured above anchored at Medlands Beach, Abel Tasman Park. The photo comes to us from John Burland. Draws a zero in the WW databank so would love to learn more about Kokiri.
POSTPONEMENT – LAKE ROTOITI PARADE – NOW ON SUNDAY (tomorrow)
NGATIRA REFIT UPDATE
Back in June 2016 Steve Horsley was on the verge of selling his 1904 Charles Bailey Jnr built 49’ B-Class gaffer – Ngatira, link below to that story. Thankfully he didn’t and not long after he hauled her home onto the front lawn for a few wee jobs. June 2016 https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/06/14/20032/
As so often happens the To Do list kept growing and next thing Steve’s into a total refit. Long term WW readers will remember Steve previously rebuilt Ngatira almost single handed. He is a seriously talent man and puts a lot of ’tradesman’ to shame.
I caught up with Steve over the weekend at the Mahurangi Regatta, Steve is a past commodore of the Mahurangi Cruising Club and produces their stunning year book.
I asked Steve how the few wee jobs were coming along and he shared the above photos. Ngatira is now closed in and the varnish (Uroxsys) is getting applied.
Steves gifted with a very considerate wife – Jo, not many would up up with a 1904 collection of kauri planks to remain at the front door for several years 🙂
I was brave and asked for an ETA back in the water – all I could get was soon Houghty, soon 🙂
23-09-2024 UDATE – Its been a long winter but owner Steve reports that its all down hill now and he will be splashing this summer – fingers crossed.
2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH PARADE 130+ PHOTOS
As regular readers of the waitematawoodys site know the last weekend of January is always a biggie on the wooden boating calendar. The Mahurangi Cruising Club year-on-year pull off the biggest wooden boating event in New Zealand – {the} Mahurangi Regatta. If you type that into the WW search box your day will be ruined – hundreds of classic wooden boating photos.
I’ll apologise upfront for the lack of sailing photos – these days there are a lot of other happy-snappers recording the racing – when and if I get photos or links, I’ll add them to the story.
It was a sub 24hr up and back trip to Mahurangi – I had an important family event that I have been dodging for years, and this year the message was – “be here” 🙂
I came away from Mahurangi feeling very upbeat for the health of the classic wooden motor boat movement – there was in excess of 50 classic woodys in the Mahurangi Harbour and from that fleet 32 skippers participated in the classic woody launch parade. A record turnout, so I say thank you those that took part and specially those that dressed their craft.
I was particularly heartened to see the return of several craft that had drifted away from the scene due to relocations, long tern refits and frustration with the community. Of note was Florance Dawn, Kumi and Raiona.
People linked to the supposedly organisation of the the parade (I’m not talking about the MCC) need to wake up to the contribution that the classic launches make to the event – 50+ craft is a mighty powerful visual vista. So fingers crossed the housekeeping improves to ensure the loyalist keep turning up.
After the speed bumps at the start, the parade got underway and a good time was had by the skippers, crews and spectators afloat and ashore at Sullivans Bay.
Enjoy the gallery of photos – some (most) boats appear twice, some I’m sure missed the camera, can’t be everywhere:-) Thanks to Steve Horsley for the photo of Raindance and Murray Deeble for the race start photo.
As always click on photos to enlarge 😉
A reward – first woody to tell me which boat in the above photos has the largest WW flag – wins a normal size WW burgee – enter at waitematawoodys@gmail.com
BAY BELLE – Party Boat
The 57’ ex Bay of Islands ferry – Bay Belle recently topped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) – had to tell without viewing but a little pricey but 10 young woodys could have a lot of fun with this semi permanently moored some where. Its got party boat tattooed all over it.
Built in 1960, kauri construction, by the Deeming Bros, she has seen a lot of water pass under her as she has serviced the B.O.I.’s
There is a 150hp 6cyl. Gardner diesel tucked away on her, so that must enhance the value
Mahurangi Regatta Today
Chances are if you are reading this early today , you have missed attending the 2024 Mahurangi Regatta – so todays to give you a heads up about next weekends Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade, held every year on Lake Rotoiti in the middle of the North Island – its always an amazing gathering – details here
And here’s an ideally the above 1948 classic 15’ wooden speed boat , drop an engine in and you’ll be on the water for the 2025 parade.
LOTS OF PHOTOS FROM MAHURANGI EARLY NEXT WEEK
SEAGULL – West Coast Woody
During the week to woodys Jeff Norris and Dave Stanaway sent in photos of the very salty looking woody launch – Seagull, that was hauled out at Dargarville on the West Coast of the North Island for some TLC.
Both gents commented that Seagull had an ex lifeboat, maybe even surf-boat look to her, but thats all they could add, so super keen to learn more about her.
07-2-2024 INPUT EX OWNER - Hi I am the owner of Seagull, pictures of her on the Doraville slipway in a post a couple of weeks back.
She was built in England 1900 -1904 as an admiralty barge, She was bought to NZ as a ships lifeboat. Spent the first 70 years of her life on the Kaipra , I bought her from Waiheke Island and bought her “Home”. She has had 4 names during her life. Seagull, Her launch and present name, Lady Irene, Spicer, and Rakapi.
Mahurangi Regatta Classic Woody Launch Parade
Will be sliding up the coast later today for the 2024 Mahurangi Regatta and the classic woody launch parade on Saturday morning – need to knows below
10.15am ASSEMBLE OFF SCOTTS LANDING
10.30AM HEAD OFF IN INDIAN FILE TOWARDS SULLIVANS BEACH
Note: there will be a clearly marked lead vessel and at Sullivans a MCC craft (probably a landing craft named- J Barry Ferguson) will pilot the woody fleet for two circuits of the bay.
COMMS: VHF CHANNEL 17
PHOTOS – SMILE AND WAVE IF YOU ARE NEAR RAINDANCE 🙂
SUZI Q > EMILY M – Could Be A Perfect Lake Day Boat
The 27’ 1960 built launch – Emily M recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald).
Her owner believes she was built by Lanes of Totara North, but we all know how frequently that name is attached to wooden craft 🙂
Forward motion is via a 80hp Ford diesel. Looks like she needs some TLC to the interior but a very salty looking craft that could easily be returned to looking smart again.
In a previous life she was named Suzi Q and worked as a commercial snapper long-liner out of Whangamata in the 1970’s.
Current home is Opua in the Bay of Islands.
Can We ID This Sinking Woody
Todays story comes to us from Ian McDonald via the Bay of Plenty community website – SUNLIVE’ –Article written by Rosalie Liddle
“Plans are in place for the removal of a vessel rotting and sinking on its mooring in Tairua Harbour. Sadly, the boat’s owner has recently passed away. Last week a commercial operator alerted Waikato Regional Council to an old wooden vessel sinking on its mooring in Tairua Harbour, says Waikato Regional Council’s regional harbourmaster Chris Bredenbeck. Staff from our Maritime Services team responded, pumping out the water.
The team returned again on Sunday, after becoming aware that the vessel was again taking on water. They pumped the water from the vessel and then towed it to shore on the high tide, where it remains, says Chris. After establishing that the owner has recently passed away, we arranged for the 300 litres of diesel onboard to be safely drained and taken away so it no longer posed a risk to the environment. Chris says while the diesel was being removed from the vessel at low tide, booms were set up around it just in case any contaminants escaped.
Unfortunately, the timber is rotten which prevents the vessel from being lifted off the beach, so it will be dismantled and removed over the coming days,” says Chris.”
So woodys – can we put a name to the vessel
THE BARGE
Some light relief today – a woody, probably best to just say ‘a visitor from Hawkes Bay’ sent in this photo with the tag ” came in Opito (B.O.I.) this morning :)” The name on the bow – The Barge, says it all. It truely is a floating apartment. Dont imagine it travels far.
Any Northland woodys able to enlighten us on the vessel.
SANTA MARIA – A Peek Down Below
Todays woody the 42’6” – Santa Maria ticks a lot of my boxes – built in 1955 by Curnow & Wilton for what’s loosely referred toad ’the Italians’ (Wellington based) for Hapuna and crayfish fishing in the Cook Strait. Post this she worked various roles around much of the rest of the country, and then professionally converted to pleasure use around 20 years ago.
I was aboard her a few years ago and she is a very comfortable woody.The icing on the cake is a 127hp Gardner diesel that has her cruising at a very stately 8 knots.
Keen to learn more about her past. Current home is Kerikeri.
UPDATE ex Brian Kidson – WOW, stunning photo below –
George Curnow, his partner Maurie Wilton and their foreman Keith Carnahan all came from Lanes in Picton. Business started in Nelson about 1933 and finished in 1966 after their last fire. They were then absorbed into Nalder and Biddle.
Brian was told that the Santa Maria was involved in a rescue off the east coast of the North Island at some stage. Brian doesn’t know dates and details. Does anybody?
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