Category Archives: Non Waitemata

Mystery Miller & Tunnage – Tuatea

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TUATEA – Miller & Tunnage

If we believe her tme listing todays woody ws built in 1936 by Miller and Tunnage.

36’ in length she has a 60hp BMC diesel that gets her along at a top speed of 11.5 knots.

Home is Whangarei in the north and that woodys is all me know about her – can we put a name to her and expand on her past.

Heads up on Saturdays Woody Boat Boot Sale at The Slipway Milford yard – we have some serious collectors of marine ‘stuff’ dusting off their lockers so should be some treasure up for sale – remember CASH ONLY.

INPUT ex Paul Drake – The boat is TUATEA. Photos below of her on the Paremata Harbour in the 1980’s. I was told that she was Miller and Tunnage, about 1925. She was a Lyttelton boat, and went to Picton after I photographed her. Subsequently, while on her Ivy Bay (Paremata) mooring, she was struck by lightning and required extensive rebuilding. Whoever rebuilt her did a magnificent job. She re appeared at Seaview Marina, Wellington. Interesting that she is now in Whangarei.  She appeals to me because she is a straight stemmer (nearly), has a full length sweeping belting, is low wooded, has port holes, and has a mast! What more could you want. Note that she is clearly not a double ender.

25-11-2022 INPUT ex Harold Kidd – TUATEA was designed and built by Jas. McPhersoin of Dunedin for Jack Hudson of Cadbury, Fry, Hudson chocolate manufacturers in late 1930.Hudson moved to Christchurch and took TUATEA with him, basing TUATEA at Lyttelton. There were various statements that she was built by Miller & Tunnage and even by J. Miller Ltd of Lyttelton, but not so. Original engine a 30hp Thornycroft. In NAPS as Z124 1942-4 skipper Magnus Smith.

Mystery Waikato Launch (Lady Joyce > Lady Jane) + WW T-shirt Orders

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Mystery Waikato Launch (Lady Joyce > Lady Jane)

The above photo comes to us ex Jon Morey via Maurice Sharp’s fb. The truck has ‘Roost – Mercer’ on the cab so I’m assuming its a Waikato boat, but could be very wrong.

She does look very familiar, I’m sure Nathan Herbert will be able to ID her.

INPUT ex John Bullivant – boat is ‘Lady Joyce’, built by Willy Oliver on his farm at Pukekawa and launched in the Waikato in the late 40s. Pic is apparently around 1949. Truck belonged to Ceaser Roose (Roose Ind Mercer) and was apparently one of two  bought back from Pear Harbour. (info and photo from the Road Transport & Contracting archives Facebook page)

INPUT (+. photos below) ex Ken Ricketts – later renamed Lady Jane

WW T-SHIRTS – BEAT THE PRICE RISE

The price of the WW t-shirts has stayed the same for many years – sadly that is about to end – the buy price has been jumping up for the last 2 years. Sure I could source cheaper garments, but that is not what we are about – only source top line, 100% cotton.

So woodys I have the following existing stock – so be quick, first in first served limited sizes, refer below. Note: going forward will most likely only stock large and XL sizes 

SMALL s/s – 2 only black

LARGE s/s – 4 only black + 9 only slate grey

XL long sleeve  – 5 only black – light weight, organic cotton

XL s/s – 3 only black

2XL s/s – 4 only black

3XL s/s – 3 only black

PRICE $34.95 (INCL GST) + $5 P&P

ORDERING: Because of the small numbers I’ll keep it simple – just drop me an email at waitematawoodys@gmail.com with your size/s and quantity and I’ll get back to you and confirm if there is still stock.

Music

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MUSIC

Today is part 3 of a 3 part insight into the craft built or altered by boatbuilder Neville Robinson.

The launch – Music was built from scratchy Neville and his daughter Marie commented that as a family they spent many hours in the boat shed building her. Unfortunately Music later caught fire and burnt to the waterline. Neville managed to get his hands on some of the burnt timber and made a scale model incorporating the timber into the finished piece, refer below photos.

Remember last weekend to clean out the shed of any woody stuff thats gathering dust and taking up space – see below.

Coda

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CODA

Todays story features the launch – Coda and follows on from yesterdays story on the boats of Neville Robinson.

Neville’s daughter, Marie Breden, supplied all the photos and commented that Neville purchased Coda in Picton, and then under took a refit that included removing the wheelhouse and rebuilding her to give the boat his look and practicality.

Anyone know what happened to Coda?

The Boats Of Neville Robinson

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The Boats Of Neville Robinson

Late August we ran a story on Neville Robinson Boats (link below) – his daughter Marie Breden came onto the WW site and …. Today thanks to Marie’s generosity we get to see a gallery of the boats that Neville whether built or altered (Marie’s words). The 6 she recalls are – I’ll let Marie tell the story:

“ My first memory of Dad’s boat building was when he built a speedboat in our garage. He named it Cee Bee II and was very successful in his racing days.The first boat Dad built was “Marco Polo”, built in our backyard for some local fishermen. Next was Music, built from scratch, as a family we spent many hours in the boat shed building her. Unfortunately she caught fire and burnt to the waterline. Dad managed to get his hands on some of the burnt timber and made a scale model incorporating the timber into the finished piece. After Music, and I think I’ve got the order correct, was Harmony, Souza, Largo and finally Coda. Jim Carey, previously from Picton, built the hull for Harmony and it was sailed across and finished in Wellington by Dad, and possibly another but I can’t remember sorry. Coda was purchased in Picton, the wheelhouse was removed and rebuilt by Dad, giving it his look and practicality.“

Link to August story below – includes wonderful input from Paul Drake and Marie (as above)

Neville Robinson Launches

Friday and Saturday on WW we will have a more detailed look at the launches- Coda and Music.

Launches Cruising The Mahurangi River 

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Launches Cruising The Mahurangi River 

Many moons ago (2010ish)  when the CYA launch fleet was alive and active, one of the more successful events was a cruise up the Mahurangi Harbour / river to the Warkworth town dock. Very much a follow the leader trip, but we all got there and rafted up for a few hours ashore. Sadly most of the photos from that trip died when the CYA pulled the pin of what was the CYA FORUM, but a few survived (the last two above)

The above photos above from ex Mitchell Hutchings fb ex the Parsonson Family collection c.1980’s reminded me very much of the river trip .

The photo below ex Ken Ricketts dated c.1961 also shows how popular the destination was with launches.

So – woodys once the final dredging of the river is complete, I promise a woodys weekend trip up the river – it will be a doozie 🙂

Photo below of Aoma c.1955 ex K Ricketts

Lourena – A Peek Down Below

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LOURENA – A Peek Down Below

The 35’ launch Lourena was built c.1963 by Watson Brothers in Wellington to an Athol Burns design, using 1 1/8” kauri carvel planks. With a 11’6” beam she has a healthy interior for a 35’ boat, the draft is 3’6”. Forward motion is via a 70hp D series 4 cylinder Ford that gives her a 7 knot cruising speed.

Lourena is a well traveled woody having spent time in Wellington > Marlborough Sounds (15 yrs) > Opua (20 yrs),

Thanks to Ian McDonald’s heads up re the tme listing, today we get to have a peek down below.

Southern Woody Speed Boat

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Southern Woody Speed Boat

Jason Prew is currently on a road trip tearing up the highways and backroads of the South Island. I was pleased to see he wasn’t totally engrossed in the world of 4×4, the above photos come to us from the Otago Settlers Museum. Link below

https://www.toituosm.com/#!home

The photos above are of a speed boat named Minx built in 1958 by Les Booth, Les also built the mini-me model in front. This would have caught Jason’s eye – he has a radio controlled model of his very quick classic launch – My Girl. Video of 1st run, prior to finishing below.

The Minx speed boat was originally powered by a Hillman Minx 4 cyl engine, but not long after launch this was replaced with a V8, must have been very quick.

Also another My Girl model – they are popular builds https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/02/27/my-girl-mini-me/

HOWS THE SHED CLEAN OUT GOING FOR THE WOODYS BOOT SALE ON NOV 26TH?

William Steer > Graham John > William Steer

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William Steer > Graham John > William Steer

The c.1950’s built launch William Steer has made a few cameo appearances on WW, but todays photos come to use from Hagan Parvin’s fb via John Dawson.

William Steer was built in Nelson by Don Calder and launch in 1961 at Motueka. At one stage her name was changed to Graham John, but has reverted back.

Believed to these days call Napier home.

Anyone able to enlighten us more her past.

The Legacy of Bill Orchard

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The Legacy of Bill Orchard

Today we share a great kiwi boating story from your woody friends at WoodenBoat magazine in the USA. Penned by kiwi journalist John Eichelsheim. 

Click this link to view > read. https://www.woodenboat.com/legacy-bill-orchard

Enjoy 🙂

INPUT ex Mark McLaughlin – SABRE is now Auckland based and is well kept at the OBC Marina. GLENMORE was one of the Pelorus Sound mail boats throughout the 1980’s to mid 1990’s, operated by Ken and Dianne Gullery. She was sold to an Australian owner and is now moored at Pittwater up Sydney’s north coast. She did the Tasman Sea crossing under her own steam from Picton, which is no mean feat for that type of boat.

The photos below of Glenmore in her orange hull livery during the mail boat years are from the Old Marlborough fb group page, and the photo of Glenmore on her mooring at Pittwater is from Lew Redwood’s fb page.

11-11-2022 Input ex Eric Sanderson – I believe the vessel below is one of Bill Orchards, was on the Kaipara when photo was taken

KATHERINE  4SALE & ON DISPLAY @ WESTHAVEN MARINA – THIS WEEKEND – BY INVITATION

Considering an upgrade or a boat for summer – the 38’ Conrad Robertson designed classic – KATHERINE, has been relocated to Westhaven Marina for one weekend only – inspection by invitation.

More details on this immaculately presented, ready for immediate delivery craft – click here https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/06/13/katherine-a-peek-down-below/

To book a viewing time email waitematawoodys@waitematawoodys