Category Archives: Non Waitemata

Can We Identify This Coulthard Launch

Posted on by
2
Older Photo

Can We Identify This Coulthard Launch

Several woodys have drawn my attention to this  24’6” launch thats recently popped up on tme. The listing states that it was designed / built by L G Coulthard in Onehunga. The build year says 1965 but Nathan Herbert has commented that Coulthard’s last boat was in 1959, this one resembles a build year c1930s. Nathan also as pictured above she will have had a new cabin since launching. 

There is some uncertainty around the launches name – when her current owner bought her in 2006 in Auckland, her name was  – Talofa and it was claimed she was originally  built for the Mayor of Thames. Her name was subsequently changed to Kotare.

What we know  – 24’6” in length, 8’ beam and draws 2’3” – powered by a 28hp 3 cyl. Vetus marine diesel engine giving her a top speed of 7.5 knots.

Current home is Kenepuru Sound, Marlborough Sounds, South Island.

J .(Jimmy) Mc McLaren Boatbuilders Onehunga 

Recently contacted by a James H McLaren regarding his grandfathers boat yard, the yard was probably side-by-side with the L G Coulthard yard in Onehunga.The photo below shows the McLaren builders plate. James is looking for a surviving dinghy made by his granddad – Jimmy McLaren, James commented that they were his stock in trade.Can anyone help out eg have one for sale – any condition.

The Launching of Wynona

Posted on by
5
c.1950’s

The Launching of Wynona

Todays story is on the launch – Wynona, in the top photo above ex fb via K Ricketts we see Wynona being launched at Ohinemutu on the shores of Lake Rotorua in the North Island of NZ.

From previous WW stories we have learnt (thanks Harold Kidd) that Wynona was built in 1948 by Sam Ford for the Rotorua Lake Service Ltd., who used her for tourist trips to Mokoia Island in the middle of Lake Rotorua. The colour photo of her c.1950’s is from the front cover of a brochure promoting the trips.

A comment was recently made on WW that Wynona was being restored at Tarakohe marina, in Golden Bay – would love details / photos, so if this is a happening thing and someone knows the owner – I’ll reward a report with a WW burgee.

And remember to RSVP to waitematawoodys@gmail.com for the Riverhead waterfront Tavern lunch cruise  – 0n Sunday November 19th

The Halvorsen Story

Posted on by
2
Neutral Bay, Sydney – 1936
25′ Wonglaa
42′ Pollyana – 1934
38′ Kweena – pre restoration
Kweena – post restoration
Kweena – interior
60′ Tooronga – owner by A/Cup skipper – Ian Murray
57′ Sinana

THE HALVORSEN STORY

Todays WW story comes to us via the crew at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival and features a video presentation by Tony MacKay on the legendary

Australian boat building dynasty – the Halvorsen family. Tony gave the presentation at the 2023 festival. 

Some background on Tony – he has been on board Halvorsen boats all his life, having owned nine substantial cruisers, all of which were significantly and lovingly restored. Through his involvement with the Halvorsen Club, he has passed some of this passion and energy to like-minded owners of these beautiful craft, also assisting with the improvement of skills and historical information. He has also represented the family for significant events at the Australian National Maritime Museum, exhibitions, on water parades, birthdays and even eulogies. It has been a lasting passion. 

Tony is a real character and has a very salty Australian vocabulary e.g when referring to a narrow beamed craft he said “it would roll on a wet lawn’.The photos above are just a taste of the many in the presentation – linked below – ENJOY.

FLOATING BACH AWARDS

Posted on by
Reply

FLOATING BACH AWARDS

Thanks to Lindsay Grenfell we have two new contestants for the boat that most resembles an apartment / bach. As Lindsay commented and I have to agree – “what were ya thinking and why?”

The good news is they dont reside in NZ, the photos were taken several years ago when Lindsay was staying at the Jamaica Bay Inn at Marina Del Rey, a 30min drive from LA Airport and out of the city.Lindsay commented that there was a marina adjacent and naturally (as we do and like to) he ventured off to view some of those berthed, it was a biggies, from memory – 5000 berths.   

LOOKING FOR A COOL DINGHY /RUNABOUT

Do not normally link to tme listings but this 11’ L,G. Coulthard dinghy is a honey and at current bids, a bargain https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/boats-marine/dinghies-rowboats/wood/listing/4391413624?bof=zXgwcdZX

Tinopai

Posted on by
3

TINOPAI

Back in Oct 2015 we ran a ‘mystery launch’ story – the boat was ID’s as Miss Picton (later named Mitre Peak) thanks to Harold Kidd we learnt that Miss Picton was built by Collings & Bell for a Captain M. Steele of Picton and was launched in December 1933.

Miss Picton was a replacement for Steele’s 45’ launch Tinopai that was also built by Collings & Bell and launched in November 1932, sadly Tinopai was destroyed by fire in Marlborough Sounds just on month after being launched.

Today thanks to a NZ Herald press clipping, sent in by K Ricketts we get to view the short-lived – Tinopai

Oct 2015 Miss Picton WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/10/28/mystery-launch-28-10-2015/

INPUT EX HAROLD KIDD – vastly better photo 🙂

Proof I’m A Nutter – suffering from post AB’s loss blues so Sunday afternoon was spent polishing the engine and upgrading the old engine box insulation 🙂

Mystery 1939 Lane Launch

Posted on by
1

MYSTERY 1939 LANE LAUNCH

A recent addition to tme this 27’ Lane, 1939 built launch is powered by a Perkins 40hp diesel engine, and that woodys is all we know, other than current home is Whangarei. 

Can we put a name to her and maybe learn where she has spent the last 80+ years.

(Thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads up)

29-10-2023 Input ex Mark Sorrenson – Looks like Lyrebird. I bought her from Brian Juers in 2004. She was on a swing mooring at that time off McLeods Bay. Brian believed she may have been a Lanes and that she had spent time on the Hokianga Harbour. My late father Graham helped me bring her down the coast to Milford marina. It was a great journey.
We sold her to a couple of gals that lived at Mangawhai Heads. They motored her over the bar and she was on a mooring in the Mangawhai Harbour for a number of years.
She featured on W/W in 2015.
She is very hard chined and would be quite a speedster with a higher powered modern lightweight engine. I had a dream that I would buy her back and repower her, but I’m in the final throws of refurbishing my current boat Manapouri and I will have to wait for the next time she comes up for sale.

Woody Euro Tour

Posted on by
Reply

Siesta – approx. 45′ canoe stern bridge-decker – Stockholm
Vasa – 17th century warship – Vasa Museum – Stockholm
Oslo, Norway
Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Gothenburg
Probably steel

WOODY EURO TOUR

Todays story comes to us from the camera of Rick McCay, owner of the 1920 MT Land built 47’ launch – Luana. Rick has been tripping around the northern hemisphere. Rick didi a similar trip back in 2017, you can view that story at the WW link below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/11/02/a-woody-on-tour/

Where known I have tagged the locations – enjoy the photo gallery.

MILADY – A Peek Down Below

Posted on by
Reply

MILADY – A Peek Down Below

Todays woody is the Billy Rogers designed and built launch – Milady. Milady was launched c.1955 , approx 38’ in length she is powered by a Ford 130hp diesel engine. In recent times she underwent an extensive refit, in my eyes a tad too modern in places, but certainly a very well presented craft.

Thanks to Ian McDonald spotting the tme listing we get to have a gander below decks. 

Previous (Aug 2015 WW story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/08/31/milady/

NGAIO – Another one

Posted on by
Reply

NGAIO – Another one

Ngaio must be one of the most popular launch names, todays Ngaio popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) 

You have got to love the listing headline – ’38 ft BOAT’, now thats going to generate a lot of eyeballs….. The seller is very honest – not many details but they say “She needs work” – never a truer comment 🙂 but the price reflects that.

We don’t know who designed / built her or when, just that she is 36’ (yes that differs from the headline), and has a Ford 70hp 4 cyl. diesel engine in her.

Location is Matakohe, Northland (home of the famous Kauri Museum)

Can anyone tell us more about this Ngaio.

KAWAU BOATING CLUB NEW CLUBROOMS OPENING DELAYED

So woodys that means the woody gathering this Labour Weekend is postponed until we get confirmation of the new date. If you are in the bay I understand you can poke your nose in the door for a work-in-progress peek 🙂

Marietta

Posted on by
5

MARIETTA

Back in March 2023 WW was contacted by Stuart Myers regarding the whereabouts of Marietta. Stuart’s family owned her from the late 1950’s > late 1970’s. At the time we uncovered some of her past, link to that story below. In the comments Nathan Herbert tabled the suggestion that she wasn’t a Collings & Bell build, built by a gent named Casey in 1927. March 2023 WW Story https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/03/17/marietta/

Recently Marietta popped up on tme, thank you Ian McDonald, below is what is recorded there.

Built 1936 by Collings and Bell, 36’ in length with a 9’ beam, powered by a 170hp Hino. Her hull has been splined and glassed.

VERY in need of some TLC but as the architects say – ’she has good bones’

Not too sure about how she is sitting on those blocks, hopefully well supported else where.