Category Archives: Sailing Sunday

The Restoration Of Ida

Posted on by
10

P1060326

P1060339

THE RESTORATION OF IDA

New Zealand’s A class fleet grows steadily larger as yet another important Kiwi yacht is restored to her former glory. Chairman of the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust John Street and boat builder Wayne Olsen visited Sydney in August 2018 to inspect Ida, the 45’ Charles Bailey Jnr. designed and built in 1895 by C&W Bailey gaff rigged cutter. In racing mode with hers spars she has a LOA of 58’, a beam of 8’ draws 6’6”.

Ida was for sale as the current owners (20 years) had reached a point where, due to ill health, they were unable to complete the planned deck restoration nor maintain her to the standard they previously took pride in. Her owners had raced her regularly in the classic yacht races on Sydney Harbour with the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club at Mosman Bay and the Balmain Sailing Club, where she won hands down.

Wayne’s assessment was that, while the hull appears sound, being triple skinned kauri, it i was unclear what will be found once the inner layer is pealed back. She was in poor condition with much of the rest of the boat needing replacement. John recognised that Ida is an important part of New Zealand’s boat building history and a deal was done to acquire her, her owners  generously donated 20 kauri deck beams (220 x 13 X 5cm) and a spinnaker pole. John then arranged shipment back to New Zealand where she was moved to Horizon Boats shed in Stillwater.

Yesterday (06-07-2019) The CYA members were invited to view IDA before the deck is fully replaced. I understand the target is to have her sailing this summer.

You will see from the photos above she is a whippet, look at her keel and with just 3 ton of lead hanging of it, you can imagine a slightly damp crew 😉

Photos below of Ida as launched, ‘recent’ Aust.photos, and as she arrived at Horizon Boats + the early days of the restoration.

You can read more about Ida’s history on the CYCT website here

Details & some photos ex CYA and the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust websites.

22-09-2019 Update : photos below of Ida hauled out, when still in Australia ex David Campbell-Morrison

Hawkes Bay Mystery Motorsailer

Posted on by
7

Screen Shot 2019-06-01 at 3.26.21 PM

Screen Shot 2019-06-01 at 3.26.09 PM

Hawkes Bay Mystery Motorsailer

Todays photos come to us fro Lew Redwood’s fb, the name of the yacht is unknown, but we know it was owned by J.A. Louis Hay.
Again the location is also unknown, but the photo is tagged MTG Hawkes Bay which is – Museum Theatre Gallery, Napier – so that might be a big help ID’ing the location.
Interesting ‘funnel’ , I assume for a solid fuel stove. And speaking of wood stoves on boats (my dream) Mondays WW story ticks a lot of my boxes – wood stove + a Ford Model T wheel / helm.
Harold Kidd Input – I’ve scratched my head over this one before. J A Louis Hay was a well-known Napier Architect and amateur musician. Just a guess, he designed he boat himself and had it built locally at Westshore by R. Farquhar, very possibly the unnamed one he built in September 1915 before Hay went overseas to France, She was 26’6″x6′ with a 4hp Monarch. The “funnel” is probably a dry exhaust.
Bonus Read
I’m a big fan of the UK website Classic Sailor, it started out as a magazine, published by a past editor of Classic Boat magazine, but then after a few issues, went to a weblog format. They have some great articleds- check out this one on the restoration of the yawl – Wayward – see link below.

Jeanette – C23 Sailing Sunday

Posted on by
13

IMG_5974

Jeanette C23 – Sailing Sunday 

Todays photo comes to us from Mike McGehan and is of (to me) an unnamed yacht with the sail number C23. I suspect from other others sent to me by Mike, this photo could be dated in the late 1940’s.

Can one of the sailing Woodys ID the boat for us?
Sorry – short and sweet today, woke up at 2.30am and realised I had not done a story………….
Harold Kidd Input
Ted Le Huquet built her for himself in 1933. Dick Bakewell bought her and took her on the 1961 TransTasman race. Ted got Parkinsons later in life. I used to see him walk slowly down Church Street, row alone out to JEANETTE at her moorings in Torpedo Bay, set the tiller, painfully make his way forward, hoist the staysail, drop the mooring and sail out of the bay without any fuss, hoisting the mainsail and then the jib on the way.
What a seaman!
24-06 HDK – Dick Bakewell sold JEANETTE to Evan Berghan in 1974. Berghan did a circumnavigation with her from April 1981. He finished up in Canada but I’m not sure if JEANETTE survives there. 

Gaff Schooner Collides With Container Ship – Overseas Report

Posted on by
6

Screen Shot 2019-06-09 at 4.56.46 PM

GAFF SCHOONER COLLIDES WITH CONTAINER SHIP & SUNKS – Overseas Report
 

The gaff schooner Elbe No. 5 collided with a container ship in the Elbe river (Germany) last weekend. The boat sank after the collision with the rescuers managing to rescue 43 passengers.

The historic 1883 built, 121’ vessel had only just returned to Hamburg’s waters after it had spent eight months in a Danish shipyard undergoing a €1.5 million renovation and was relaunched only days before the collision.

She was struck by a 462′ container ship, the Astrosprinter and suffered serious damage and sank, though rescuers were able to secure the wreck relatively close to the surface.
The container ship continued its voyage, having suffered almost no damage. Apparently, the container ship was out of her channel and likely at fault.
So woodys this serves as a warning to be very careful out there, particularly as the Auckland council continue to expand the container port into OUR harbour…………….
Screen Shot 2019-06-09 at 5.00.41 PM

Rangi Rua (Rangi II)

Posted on by
10

 

Rangi the one that hit rocks in Norfolk.
Rangi11 sailing past the oil rigg having a rest on its way to New Plymouth

 

IMG_0155

RANGI RUA (Rangi II)
 
I was recently contacted by Terry Hall in regard to his ex yacht Ranginui Rua, Terry commented that when he bought her she was named Rangi II (as seen in the sailing photo above) but when he tried to register her with Lloyds – London the name was refused as there was a passenger  ship with that name,  Terry had a Maori friend, a chief in Northland who suggested trying Rangi Rua –  Rua being #2 in Maori, he sent this off and it was accepted. Thence the ‘different’ name on the hauled out photos.
 
Rangi Rua was built by Mark Anthony in Freeman’s Bay and is a Woollacott 42′, Terry believes it was extended with extra frames. Her and a gaff rigged boat called Marpu were probably the last kauri boats to be built in Freemans Bay. Bad luck followed both yachts – Rangi Rua was lost in the Trans Tasman race in 1948 and Marpu was lost in the Pacific on its way home from Japan.
 
Terry owned Rangi Rua for many years and had her moored in the Town Basin in Whangarei in front of the wharf shed. He still has the log book which he kept when he sold her. In the photos of her on the slip, Terry is in the white overalls with his boatbuilder son, Frank and crew.
SUNDAY QUIZ
Yesterday Angus Rogers was doing what most of us were doing i.e. nothing 🙂 so he took an old photo out of its frame to clean the glass. Do we think Angus has ID’ed the yachts correctly ?  Sail numbers starting with A17 Ngatoa on right working left are A11 Ida, A5 Rawene, A3? Ariki and A16? Little Jim. Some of the anoraks may be able to identify the last two from their sails and shape and the yacht on the right with no numbers showing.
IMG_1769
 

Mahurangi Regatta 2019 – Classic Wooden Boat Movie

Posted on by
3

Mahurangi Regatta 2019 – Classic Wooden Boat Movie

The weather forecast is for a very average day today so I decided to share some serious eye candy with you. The video above comes to us from the very talented Roger Mills via his drone camera.
Once again Roger was out and about over the regatta weekend and captured some amazing classic woody footage.
I have to comment that it was very pleasing to see the classic woody launches featured, thank you Roger. All to often people forget there are more wooden motorboats afloat on the day than the stick and rag boys 🙂
Enjoy the video – its a goodie.
To view a high res / quality version of the movie – us the link below.

Victory A8

Posted on by
10

IMG_5972

IMG_5968

VICTORY A8

A great photo above of Victory (I hope my record of sail #’s is correct). This and the bottom photo were sent to me by Mike McGehan. The first woody that can correctly name the 3 yachts (L>R) in the bottom photos wins a waitematawoody t-shirt.
Entries via any way – comments box ofr email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
HDK will be the judge of the correct names 🙂
Mondays WW story is a very special look at the NZ wooden boating scene from a visitors eye/camera – the owner of the camera is none other than the world’s leading classic wooden boat photographer  – Benjamin Mendlowitz. Ben’s talents are second to none and you will see a gallery of some of our finest woodys presented like never before. This access has been granted to WW by the team at Off Center Harbor. Lots more details tomorrow 😉

Restoration of Te Uira begins

Posted on by
6

FB_IMG_1539727408050

20181016_081930

 

FB_IMG_1539641729372

RESTORATION OF TE UIRA BEGINS 
 
Pleased to announce that the restoration of 45’ C & W Bailey built (1896) Te Uira has finally begun in Australia.
During the week I was contacted by Colin Grazules with the news – I’ll let Colin tell you the story.
 
“We have constructed a new wee shed to house the old girl and the steel and iron keel has been removed.
At this stage we are envisioning that the restoration back to her original condition should take 2 to 3 years all going well.
The owners wish is to return her to as close to her launch configuration as possible.

We will begin by removing the ribs that were added to stop her leaking in 1898.

But we need your help.

We need if possible a detailed plan of where the original stringers were installed and the triangular beam that sat on top of the floors?
A plan or photos of what the original keel would have looked like would be greatly appreciated.
I have a copy of Robert Brooke’s book ‘Beautiful Boats’ but unfortunately the plans in the book have little detail on this. 

A deck plan would also be of great assistance including including where the original mast step would have been installed etc.

Well this is just the start and I’m hoping this will become an ongoing conversation to ensure that we can do justice to Te Uira and her heritage!!

I intend to post the restoration on the NZ Classic Yacht Forum and on the Cygnet Wooden Boats FB page and will keep you appraised of the progress.”

 

Below are two videos of the keel removal.

Previous Input From Harold Kidd

TE UIRA (usually shortened in Oz to UIRA) was built by C.& W. Bailey and launched on 17th October 1896 for Gidgeon Palmer of Melbourne as a 5 rater.
She was taken across by the steamer TARAWERA with Chas. Bailey Jr going with her to settle her in.
She was quite successful in Melbourne but came up against SAYONARA, the bigger Fife-designed cutter.
She raced in Melbourne with the St. Kilda club for many years, converted to a Marconi rig in 1925.
 
You can also eat / see more here  https://wordpress.com/post/waitematawoodys.com/13298

Awa Iti

Posted on by
4

Screen Shot 2019-05-10 at 10.26.22 AM

Screen Shot 2019-05-10 at 10.26.40 AM

AWA ITI 

Awa Iti is a 26’ Gladden motor sailer that has been in one extended family for the past 40 years, but now it is time to pass on to someone who has the energy to keep this lovely old boat going. Her trademe listing says she’s a comfortable stable & safe boat that is easy to sail and handle. She draws under 3 ft and with her bilge keel she can sit on the mud flats upright. Its a classic Gladden which means for its length there is lots of room for a family to enjoy the inner gulf.  

This boat needs some TLC, but is currently sailable. Cabin top, varnish and hull painted and anti-foul done 2018.

 Powered with a “WaterMota Sea Wolf” petrol motor (based on Ford Escort motor) with a heat exchange unit Waterline length 7.1m 23.3ft – Beam widest point 2.775m 9.1ft  – Draft 863mm 2’10”. Currently moored at Northcote Point swing mooring. 

Currently the bidding sits at c$2000 & the reserve has been met so Awa Iti could be a very good buy for someone entering the classic woody movement 🙂

 

Rangi B16

Posted on by
4

B16

RANGI B16

I have recently been contacted by Andrew Mason who while going thru a collection of old photos, came across the one above by H Winkelmann, sporting the sail number B16. Andrew was asking if anyone knew if she was still around and if so, what became of her.

I was able to point Andrew in the direction of a comment by Harold Kidd from back in April 2015 where HDK commented on a story / photo ex Chris McMullen on a mystery ship (yacht) wreck.
HDK advised that B16 was the Bailey & Lowe keel yacht Rangi, which had broken up when she came ashore at Norfolk Island in 1951.
Anyone able to tell us more about Rangi prior to 1951?
Harold Kidd Input – She was built as the fishing boat or “schnapper boat” for line fishing by Bailey & Lowe in 1903 as SCHOPOLO for a Greek fisherman called Nicholas. She was very like if not a twin to the Bailey & Lowe fishing boat WHITE HEATHER built for J. Wheeler. Logan Bros’ VICTORY and FRANCES were the same sort of boats. Motor fishing launches made them uneconomical very shortly after and they were converted to most satisfactory yachts because of their extra beam.
SCHOPOLO was sold out of the fishing industry and became LORELEI in 1919, changed hands and was renamed RANGI around 1923.
She took part in the 1931, 1948 and 1951 TransTasman races but was lost at Norfolk Is on her return in 1951.
Input from Jim Lott – Rangi was owned for a number of years by Con Thode’s father. Con learned his early sailing on board and spoke often of his time on board, and his sadness when she was wrecked after his father sold her.

I have been away overseas on “Victoria” (another Auckland ‘woody’, since 2011 and am now back living in NZ.
Currently we won the Camelot “Mokoia” (Stewart) and also owned “Vectis” (Woolacott) in the 1970’s.