Category Archives: Non Waitemata

Mandalay

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MANDALAY

Back in early Dec 2022 Dean Wright sent me a bucket load of woody photos from a dockside walk he did at Havelock Marina while down south – one of the woodys Dean snapped was the launch – Mandalay, seen above. We ran a WW story at the time but did not generate any leads on Mandalay’s history – so today she get to stand alone i.e. not surrounded by a dozen other photos.

Can we learn more on her provenance.

30-05-2023 UPDATE ex PHIL VINING – I remember having her listed back maybe 1980’s. Ian has kindly forwarded the old listing to me from the Vinings archives. Copy of listing below. info as given by then owner.

Been a busy 2 weeks, had my boat hauled out at the Slipway Milford for some TLC – wasn’t all superficial, a few slightly worrying issues needed addressing (my lips are sealed) but being a good patient she was rewarded with some bling – which included a Jason Prew Paint Job (JPPJ) . The ‘painter’ is addicted to Grownup Donuts, there may be a connection between the quantity of donuts and the quality of the finish 🙂

WW Caps – the new low profile, canvas cloth caps have been a winner – the new understated colour topped with the dark brown WW embroidered logo has a dash of understated style. I have reorder 3 times and stocks are getting low – order today – just click the email link here and tell me your name, postal address and number of caps required ( best order was x5) I’ll come back to you with payment details – $38 + $6 p&p. waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Feel Good Friday

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Feel Good Friday

Sometimes even an old woody like myself is moved by music – this video titled – ‘Dip and Sway’ appeared on the Off Center Harbor v-blog and I dived into a google search to find a ‘free-to-air’ copy of it.

Visually and sonically it ticks all my boxes – Turn your sound up and have a listen / watch – you will enjoy it. The BBQ grill seen towards the end is a doozy 🙂

WW Caps – the new low profile, canvas cloth caps have been a winner – the new understated colour topped with the dark brown WW embroidered logo has a dash of understated style. I have reorder 3 times and stocks are getting low – order today – just click the email link here and tell me your name, postal address and number of caps required ( best order was x5) I’ll come back to you with payment details – $38 + $6 p&p. waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Clevedon Woody Mooching

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Lady Gazelle
Mystery Couldrey
Antares

Clevedon Wood Mooching

Had a good excuse to point the car south yesterday so took a side trip to Clevedon and mooched around one of the ‘private’ docks.

Very pleased to see that work is underway of Lady Gazelle, you may recall back in March she came to grief during Cyclone Gabrille (WW story link below) – a new owner has stepped up and we look forward to her relaunch. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/03/02/lady-gazelle-on-the-rocks/

The mystery Couldrey has been put out graze but is all rugged up for winter. Last appeared on WW back in August 2022 – link below  https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/08/16/a-call-for-help-2/

I spotted the 36’  c.1950’s launch – Antares , one of the better looking launches to come out of the Supreme Craft factory. More on her a future story. Previous WW story and lots of photos here https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/09/25/antares-2/

Also a few boats, below, looking unlikely to see the ocean again.

JOMARLI – A Peek Down Below

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JOMARLI – A Peek Down Below

Todays woody is the 32’ launch – Jomarli, designed and built in 1959 by Jack Taylor. She has a beam of 10’6” and draws 3’. A 120hp Ford Lehman Diesel engine gives Jomarli a comfortable cruising speed of 7>9 knots.

From the above photos ex a recent tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) we can see she is well appointed . I believe she has since sold.

ORDER VIA EMAIL HERE waitematawoodys@gmail.com

TEMPEST – A Peek Down Below

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TEMPEST – A Peek Down Below

Back in May 2020 on a road trip to Kerikeri I spotted the 30’ 1964 McGeady built launch – Tempest moored at the Dove Bay Marina, link below to that story. At the time she was looking a little un-loved. https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/09/13/korawai-an-update/

Prior to the 2020 story she made an appearance in October 2014, back then she was a well maintained woody. Link below, lots of detail there . https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/26/9340/

Fast forward to earlier this year she popped up on tme, so today we get a peek down below. 

Forward motion is via a 95 hp 6 cylinder Ford diesel.

ORDER VIA EMAIL HERE waitematawoodys@gmail.com

LADY BESS – Live Aboard Project

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LADY BESS – Live Aboard Project

The 1922 Lady Bess was built by Leon Warne, St Marys Beach in Auckland. Originally built for passenger service around Waiheke Island and later in Tauranga. Then purpose modified for fishing charter work out of Helenville on the west coast of the North Island.

She is built of kauri, carvel hull, 48’6” in length and powered by a 471 GM Detroit engine, this gives her a cruising speed of 7>9 knots.

Interior is particularly stripped out ready for a new interior to suit her next life – domestic or back in charter.

Her tme me listing (thanks Ian McDonald) closes on 23-05-2023 and current bidding is sub $2500. Located at Gulf Harbour.

21-05-23 Input ex Alan Johnson (the nice one) – subject to final bidding but it looks like Lady Bess is off to Mangawhai

And from Bill Faulkner — She ran as a workboat for Harbour Transport on Tauranga harbour for many years. At least 1955 -1975 towing barges / logs from Bunns Mill on Matakana Island and ferrying workers / residents at the mill. I recall her coming into Coronation Pier circa 1962ish and the reverse gear failed at the optimum moment and she went under the pier and wiped the wheelhouse off. No injuries thankfully. A nice hull shape and one of the quickest displacement launches on the harbour. Great to see she’s still going strong.

Puruwai

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PURUWAI

Sometimes the odd email in the WW inbox sips between the cracks – today woodys is one of those, back in June 2022 Mike Ogier pointed me to a fb marketplace post on the yacht Puruwai – a kauri planked 40′ restoration project. Her story stated that she had been ’sailed internationally.At the time she was in s yard in Te Puna, Bay of Plenty.

Question of the day, did she sell and what became of her.

Margaret Joy

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MARGARET JOY 

One of the lines that pricks up my ears is “ I was going through some old family photos” – almost always there is an attachment of great photos linked to a woody.

Late last year David Engleback sent me a note that started with those words – turns out David’s wife’s grandfather – Gerald Wilson ( of Browns Bay) was aboard the launch – Margaret Joy in Feb 1955 and landed a 220ib. Marlin fishing in the Bay of Islands – as seen in the above photo weighing in at Russell and looking very happy. 

A google search by David popped up some previous WW stories on Margaret Joy, links below. Lots of speculation as to who designed / built her but todays photo confirms the name. Well done Robin Elliott back in 2016 getting it right.

2019https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/01/04/margaret-joy-a-mystery-game-boat/

2016 https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/04/02/mystery-launch-02-04-2016/

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Mystery Launch 14-05-2023

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Mystery Launch 14-05-2023

Back in January Eric Sanderson sent me a folder of random woodys – no names, no location or dates. Eric ‘recently’ restored the 33’ ex work-boat – Quest, re-launched May 2022. Quest is a very stunning woody, built in 1959 by Roger Carey, one of her many features is a canoe stern. Quest launching photos at link below: https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/11/the-relaunch-of-quest/

In the folder mentioned above was the launch berthed along side Moana, in my eyes a rather fetching craft. 

With that raked mast it does look a little familiar –  can you put a name and some provenance to her.

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Oops That Must Have Been Embarrassing

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OOPS THAT MUST HAVE BEEN EMBARRASSING 

The woody above was spotted in Paeroa – probably a combination of things

1. One of more lines came loose

2. River in flood

3. Bad luck

Will be interesting to know how she was extracted, maybe a midnight autos tow before anyone from the council spotted it.

Oops happen to even the most experienced boaties – after the recent Woodys Riverhead cruise the skipper of the launch Awariki was turning her around at Tamaki Marina and misjudged things and gently touched the launching ramp. A four hour wait for the tide, no damage just a bruise ego 🙂