Category Archives: Sailing Sunday

ROMANCE JUNIOR – AUCKLAND’S FIRST IDLE ALONG CLASSIC YACHT

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ROMANCE JUNIOR – AUCKLAND’S FIRST IDLE ALONG CLASSIC YACHT

During the week WW was contacted by Brian Peet regarding ROMANCE JUNIOR, the first Idle Along yacht to appear in Auckland. Brian commented that ‘Romance Junior’ was built by Sam Ford for Master Len Hodgkinson and was launched 3 April 1937. It was initially registered in the Y class as #18 and also carried the class name on its sail  – presumably for promotion purposes. By 1937 the class was already strong in Wellington.

The photographer that took the above photo was AW Powell, a professional photographer of Eden Terrace, Auckland.

Before his death, he passed the photo to his neighbour’s son who’s now passed it to Brian.

WORSER BAY BOATING CLUB – 100TH BIRTHDAY – 2026

Worser Bay Boating Club are celebrating their 100th Birth Day in 2026 and are looking for classic , old school sailing dinghies that were associated with Worser Bay in the early years, as static displays for the special weekend events  30 Jan 2026 to 1 Feb 2026.   As part of the celebrations the club is searching for a functioning ” Idle Along”  and a ”  Zeddie ” and other classic dinghies ( or even old launches used as pickup boats )  associated with Worser Bay for a rigged up static display.

There are lunches, dinners, book launching and club day sailing events for young and old and especially visitors and a classic boat club BBQ.

Our idea is that the sight of these old boats will trigger lots of stories and reminiscences. More Details Below 

  1. The events for the weekend registration. https://www.wbbc.org.nz/events/worser-bay-centenary-weekend
  2. Buy the book ” The Worser Way”.  100 years of dinghy racing at Worser Bay https://www.wbbc.org.nz/shop

CAN WE ID THIS1930’s SAILING CRAFT AGROUND AT SULPUR BEACH – The Portland

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CAN WE ID THIS1930’s SAILING CRAFT AGROUND AT SULPUR BEACH – The Portland

Today’s woody photo comes to us from Owen Aspden. All we know for certain is the location — Sulphur Beach, Northcote, Auckland — and the era, circa 1930s.

The yacht appears to be deliberately ‘on the hard’, likely for a bit of maintenance or perhaps loading or unloading stores. But what’s her name — and can anyone identify her?

A short and sweet post today — I’m busy doing a little boat maintenance of my own.

20-10-2025 INPUT ex TOM ROWLING – The vessel is ‘The Portland’. Tom did his boys time in her in 1959. She is now lying derelick in Owaka River South Otago.
The the first picture below is her entering Port Motueka 1959, and the second one is taken at Awanui probably about 1920. In the third photo we see the vessel as of recent times.

UNIDENTIFIED WOODEN LAUNCH, PT CHEVALIER 1933 – ANY CLUES

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UNIDENTIFIED WOODEN LAUNCH, PT CHEVALIER 1933 – ANY CLUES

Todays woody photo comes to us from the NZ Herald archives via David Tomlinson and is dated April 1933. The caption reads – ‘Looking down from the foreshore at Pt Chev, showing visiting sailing boats on the beach’.
On the original fb post Robin Elliott did a wonderful job of ID’ing the yachts, see below.

But todays challenge is can we put a name to the launch at anchor in the middle of the beach.

“From left the yachts are: S-47 Snipe, an American Snipe class design that failed to gain popularity here and was registered in the open S-class yachts exc 14ft not exc 16ft.; T-41 14-footer Nyria, originally a 14-foot One Design (X-class) built by Colin Wild in 1921 but converted to an open T-class not exc 14ft, in 1929; V-13 Belle, 18ft racing yacht designed by Pt Chevalier identity, A.L. ‘Trotter’ Willetts. V-class was exc 16ft not exc 18ft; S-13 Kittiwake was originally a Logan built yawl that was converted to an S-class and raced with Pt Chevalier Sailing Club by the Thorpe brothers

LABOUR WEEKEND SPRING SPLASH (2)Download

VERY SALTY WOODEN YACHT – BEACONLIGHT

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VERY SALTY WOODEN YACHT – BEACONLIGHT

During a review of classic wooden craft stories from the Riwaka Inlet in Nelson I realised that I had overlooked the above photos of the yacht – BEACONLIGHT.

I took the photos back in March 2018 so there is a possibility that BEACONLIGHT may have been relocated.

Can anyone tell us about the yacht.

24-08-2025 INPUT ex ROBBIE WILLIAMS (aged 91) I certainly can comment on beacon light I watched VAL POLLARD build her in 1955 and was lucky enough to be part owner of her in 2005 with TOM ROWLING ( present owner ) and KEVIN BANTON in the photo top left hand corner is shed roof where she was built I hand sewed a new suit of sails for her and still have the headsail VAL POLLARD sewed for her when new I’ve enjoyed many great voyages aboard her.

INPUT ex TOM ROWLING – Beacon Light under sail

25-08-2025 INPUT ex PETER – The photo below, maybe late 1960’s, is of BEACONLIGHT leaving Torrent Bay with Noel and Dorothy Pawson, who owned her at the time. The Pawson’s went on to own the Mariner, the family boat built by Val Pollard for Dorothy’s father. I believe it was the largest vessel that Val built, and is still owned by the Pawson family and still kept at Riwaka.

My beautiful picture

PAM – OPUA CLASSIC YACHT – What Do We Know About Her

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PAM – OPUA CLASSIC YACHT – What Do We Know About Her

Trolling thru the WW files on Friday and found the above photos of a classic yacht named PAM that had ‘fallen between the cracks’.

The photo was sent to me back in November 2024 by Dean Wright with the commented ‘ spotted today on the hard at Opua’

And that woodys is all we know about PAM, other than she is quite a stunner.

Anyone able to shed some light on PAM.

04-08-2025 INPUT EX DEAN WRIGHT

From the owner, John Oates of Russell: Stuart Knockabout, imported from the US. Fibreglass version of L. Francis Herreshoff’s 1932 Design. 28′ x 6’11”

https://www.stuartknockaboutllc.com

MYSTERY POND YACHT

WW has been contacted by Matt Blaikie concerning a classic pond yacht named – TANIWHA. Matt is selling for a friend and he commented that it was purchased approx. 30 years ago from an antiques dealer in Wellington, and other than that he knows zero about the model. (1.8m tall and 1.5m approx long)

Any of the woodys interested in pond yachts able to tell us anything from the photos (apologise for the quality)

CLASSIC DES TOWNSON 30’ YACHT – FALCON + Win a copy of the book – DES TOWNSON A Sailing Legacy

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CLASSIC DES TOWNSON 30’ YACHT – FALCON + Win a copy of the book – DES TOWNSON A Sailing Legacy

As most WW readers will know, Des Townson never designed an unattractive craft, that skill is harder to do as the size of the vessel decreases. I have often said on WW that very few people can get a >30’ craft looking ‘right’.

Mr Townson excelled himself with the design of the 30’ keeler – FALCON (Reg. #873), as seen above.

Falcon was built / launched in 1965 and constructed from double diagonal kauri, and no f/glass ✓.

Her owner Grant Wylie has been the custodian of FALCON for the last 17+ years and contacted WW to say that age and health were against him and could we help locate a new owner.

I asked Grant about headroom and I had to laugh at his reply – “Yes & No”, Des’s design eye always won out over comfort 🙂

FALCON is powered by a Bush 20hp engine and sports a KIWI prop. She is well kitted out for gulf cruising but needs a refresh, which is reflected in Grant’s price expectations.

A great opportunity to acquire for a modest price a classic yacht from the design board of one of New Zealand’s most paramount designers.

Continue to enjoy her as she is or put your sanding / painting skills to use this winter and prepare yourself for the compliments at anchor this coming summer.

Interested parties to contact Grant initially via email – grant.wylie@xtra.co.nz

AND AS AN ADDED BONUS TODAY – ANSWER THE QUESTION BELOW CORRECTLY AND YOU ARE IN THE DRAW TO WIN A COPY OF Brian Peet’s book – ‘DES TOWNSON A SAILING LEGACY’. A 343 page  insight into the man and his designs.

Enty ONLY via email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Question : HOW MANY INDIVIDUAL DESIGNS DID DES TOWNSON TURN OUT ?. (in the event no one gets the correct number – closest wins)

CLASSIC 40’ WOODEN CRUISING CUTTER – ENCORE 

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CLASSIC 40’ WOODEN CRUISING CUTTER – ENCORE 

Earlier in the year John Dawson pointed me in the direction of the classic 40’ wooden cruising yacht – ENCORE.

We learnt that she was built by master boatbuilder Lionel Jefcoat as his own boat. Launched in 1988 she slips into the spirit of tradition woody category.

Designed and built to handle off-shore cruising she is an impressive craft, constructed from 2” Kauri planks that run the vessel’s length, with an elm interior. I love the interior, especially that heater, but the exterior has a little too much of the blur colour for my eyes. But as they say – its only paint, so easily changed 😉

DO WE KNOW THE WHERE ABOUTS OF SAILOR DON ROBERTS

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Don Roberts heading off to Rotorua Regatta
Race Day – Tamaki
Race Day – Tamaki
WHY & BOKEY – Bucklands Beach
BOKEY, ZEPHYR, WHY – Maraetai Regatta 1954

DO WE KNOW THE WHERE ABOUTS OF SAILOR DON ROBERTS

Todays story is in answer to a request from Brian Peet, the secretary of the Zephyr Owners Association. WW doesn’t normally run stories like this but in my book Brian is good man and is probably better known to WW readers as the author and publisher of the impressive book ‘DES TOWNSON – A SAILING LEGACY’, so the story makes it onto WW. I’ll let Brian tell the story:

“Above are five historic Zephyr photos taken by Don Roberts, who in 1956 owned #4 ‘Why’. Unfortunately they’re low res photo-copies, so it would be great to access originals for scanning. Efforts to track down Don or his descendants have been unsuccessful. Next year will be the Zephyr class 70th anniversary and early imagery is keenly sought. Could there be a WW reader who can help establish contact with Don or his descendants?

What’s known is Don purchased the forth production hull from Des Townson in 1956 while living at 15 Highland Ave, Mt Albert. A year later he sold the completed boat to Nev Thom and repeated the process with unfinished hull #25. In 1964 he’s recorded as owning Kitty cat ‘Katawall’ – possibly living in Clevedon. In 1980 there’s a record of him on Papakura owning ‘U Choose’, a Davidson 28. 
Any help from your readers would be much appreciated. “

Brian Peet can be contacted via the WW comments section or on email at peetfamily@orcon.net.nz

WHAT WE USED TO DO BEFORE BOAT HAULAGE CAME ALONG

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WHAT WE USED TO DO BEFORE BOAT HAULAGE CAME ALONG

Todays woody photo was sent in by John Dawson who found the photo on a Paul Lishman fb post. Paul commented that the location was Vine Street, St Marys Bay, Auckland and taken by M. Friedlander.

In the comments section there was debate on both the design of the yacht and the possible date. Paul commented it was 1970 but others felt based on the cars shown it was more likely in the 1950>60’s period.

Comments that the yacht looked like a Townson design, possibly 30’.

Any woodys able to help confirm the approx. date and  design.

A scary observation – when this photo was taken you could have bought a house in Vine St for around $5,000 – did a search on a random number e.g.10 Vine St = $3,650,000 …………  

INPUT ex JIM LOTT – Definitely a Townson 30 with higher freeboard than the 26 ft earlier design. Looking in the Townson book, Magic Flute was finished by Alan Warwick who took delivery of the hull in 1966 and lived in Herne Bay. Des built all the hulls himself. Owners finished them off. Names include Firebird, Mercury, Falcon, Anitra, Finesse, maybe about 4 others, so probably 1967 or 68.

THE SINKING OF THE WOODEN SCOW – KALAIA

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THE SINKING OF THE WOODEN SCOW – KALAIA

Todays woody images come to us from Owen Aspden and show the auxiliary scow – KALAIA, built in 1909 by boatbuilder Davy Darroch.

Owen included an excerpt from the Court of Enquiry Report into the vessels sinking in 1936.

“During the early hours of March 25 1936, the scow foundered near Castle Rock south of Mercury Bay. There was a heavy sea and the wind had reached gale force, two hand pumps were manned but the scow settled by the bow and at this point two Maori members of the crew were washed overboard and lost in the darkness.

An attempt was made to launch the dinghy but the propellers then half out of the water threatened to stove in the small craft but reassured by the calls of the two Maoris who were excellent swimmers, the crew stood by the dinghy until the  KALAIA was sinking beneath their feet.

The two Maoris were picked up and the five crew rowed through five miles of rough water and through the surf on to Hot Water Beach.”

Owen commented that back then this was just part of the job for these tough sailors.

28-04- 2025 INPUT ex STUART JOHNSTON re STANMORE BAY – As a young fellow and regular holiday and weekender to Stanmore Bay  Whangaparaoa, I have memories from early/ mid 1950’s of Scows grounding in the shallows at the eastern end of Stanmore Bay loaded with red chip road metal (from McCullams Island I think) destined for Hopper Bros. Hoppers trucks, some being ex WW2 were loaded by on board Dragline before departing up what is now Stanmore Bay Rd destined for road seal and or concrete footpaths and foundations.

Whence this procedure terminated, scows were motored up the Wade River to the then new landing stage to feed the growing needs of the area which included a ready mixed concrete plant and later concrete building blocks and other construction needs. This was probably very late 50’s early 60’s. Are there any historical photographic records on the beached scows as this activity was instrumental in the growth of Whangaparaoa?