Mystery Launch & A Few Yachts
I’m hoping that I have not published this photo before, its from the Mac Taylor collection. Interested in ID’ing the launch.
Sorry for a rather lame post today but I’m laid low with the man flu, feeling very average, in fact didn’t even watch the All Blacks test last night.
OSTKUST – Sailing Sunday
Ostkust (means East Cape in Norwegian) was built by Colin Brown & his twin brother Stan, to an American Al Mason design, she measured 24′ LOA.
She was originally powered by a 3 hp 1 cyl., Yanmar diesel & the Brown’s built her almost entirely in the traditional single skin, ribbed copper nailed, red lead concept, with only the smallest bit of glued work in her.The brothers started her when they were 15 years old in 1965, when Colin was a new apprentice boatbuilder & launched her when they were 17. They kept her for 15 years.
The Brown’s don’t recall who she was sold to, but she disappeared until she popped up at Pine Harbour, where Colin Brown saw her one day in 2000. She then disappeared again until 2009, when Colin had a call from the person Colin believed is probably still the present owner, an American, living in the Bay of Islands.
Colin is in fact correct – the American being Bill Sellers who’s lived in NZ for many years & is presently living aboard at Orongo Bay BO.I. Ostkust has had a name change to Ludique & been lengthened her to 28′. Photos & details ex Colin Brown, emailed to me by Ken Ricketts.
Lots of details & photos of other Ostkust’s here http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?117266-The-Ostkust-Thread
12-09-2016 photos below of the vessel currently moored in the Bay of Islands. Taken by John Grant, emailed in by Ken Ricketts
Markson > Pacific Sunrise > Last Vintage
I have been contacted by Samuel Wayne who has been working under a shipwright in Tasmania. They recently did many months work on the 110 ft ‘Last Vintage’ which has been renamed twice; originally it was ‘Markson’ & before that ‘Pacific Sunrise’. The reason Sam emailed ww was because this ship was purchased by the New Zealand Government and refitted circa the year ~2000 & Sam was wondering if ww knew any information as to where and who did the work.
While working on Last Vintage they replaced some planks, refastened the hull and rebuilt the rear living area / saloon walls (frame + exterior) to provide solid anchor points for the mizzen mast.
More information on the work done and many photos can be found at lastvintage.com.
Sam will be flying in to Auckland next week and driving around the northern island with his girlfriend and would appreciate the chance to look around and meet some of the people doing similar work on wooden boats or people that worked on the ‘Last Vintage’ while he is in the country. Contact is samdavidwayne@gmail.com
4 Classic Yachts – Sailing Sunday
How many of the above can we ID ? they are all still afloat. Photo is from the Mac Taylor collection.
REMEMBER – MAX CARTER MEMORIAL TODAY @ RNZYS 2.00PM
And if you need some motivation to get the sandpaper & varnish out – click the link below & check out this line up of 33 beautiful classic yachts at Les Voiles de St Tropez. My eldest daughter (23) is currently in St Tropez, leaving on Tuesday for Sardinia on a 260’+ monster super ‘yacht’. Oh to be young & carefree again 🙂
New Golden Hind at Kawau Island – Sailing Sunday
Today’s photo is another from the Auckland Museum’s Tudor Collins collection, this one emailed to me by Ken Ricketts. It shows the ‘New Golden Hind’, designed by Chas. Bailey Jr. & built at the Deemings Opua yard. She is anchored off Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island c.1940’s.
Any one able to ID the launches?
You can see more photos & details on her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/06/22/new-golden-hind/
Christina – Sailing Sunday
The early 1950’s cutter Christina was designed by Athol Burns & built in Wellington by Bill McQueen. She has appeared before on ww (blue link below) & we uncovered some amazing detail for her current owner Bill Moe who resides (along with Christina – now renamed Victory) in Silva Bay, Gabriola Island, B.C., Canada.
ww woody Nathan Herbert pointed me in the direction of this 1956 National Library photo of Christina with builder / owner W (Bill) McQueen on board. I’m sure this photo will see Bruce Tantrum having flash backs 🙂
Anyone able to ID the 2 yachts in the background?
Make sure you check out the previous Christina/Victory ww story
09-08-2016 Input from Gavin Pascoe
The below photo of Christina from the RPNYC collection. Shows Bill McQueen. Gavin thinks it shows her hauled out at Evans Bay.
Sunday Bonus – click the blue link below to view on-line the latest edition (August 2016) of ‘Yachts & Yachting’ magazine & read the feature on the Rio Olympics + upcoming America’s Cup World Series action at Portsmouth.
Ariki – Sailing Sunday
Today’s photo is one from the Mac Taylor collection & shows a gaffer in full flight, given the other yachts in the distance she is either well ahead or well behind 🙂
Who can ID the yacht?
Swallows & Amazons Movie
I have been reading some great reviews on the ‘new’ 2016 remake of the Swallows & Amazons movie based on Arthur Ransome’s book.
Below is the trailer for 2016 movie, due out mid August & below that – the trailer to the 1974 movie for comparison. Also a short video on the ‘secrets’ of filming the 1974 movie, that gives you a peek into the behind the scenes filming of the movie. Enjoy 🙂
Sail vs Power
Today’s photo is from the collection Mac Taylor & shows what must have been a very cutting edge outboard powered run-a-about passing the A Class yachts Nga Toa (A17) & Little Jim (A16). Now if you need a little more stick & canvas action click the links below to check out the activity at the Panerai British Classic Week at Cowes.
MATARA & MENACE – Sailing Sunday
While doing a lap of the Gulf Harbour compound a few weeks ago Ken Ricketts spotted Matara & Menace, two of the three ‘M’ Class yachts owned by Howard Spencer (the other being Mach One). All were built by Owen Reid* the legendary M Class builder. Reid’s idea to glue the laps of a clinker boat veered away from the traditional & ensured that the moisture content was fairly stable.
Matara & Menace were built in 1991 & Matara was listed for sale last in 2014, most likely when Spencer bought her.
They both look almost brand new in these photos, but Ken reports that they were at Gulf Harbour for some routine TLC.
“If You Buy A Classic, Buy It For Life, Then All The Work Pays Off”
As a bonus today – you an view & or download the official Classic Boat magazine programme for the 2016 Panerai British Classic Week, click blue link below.
Great article on David Murrin, the commodore of the British Classic Yacht Club, the headline above about buying a classic for life is one of David’s quotes.
Input from Robin Elliott
In 1989 Owen Reid began building built 3 M’s simultaneously in the old Watersiders Cafeteria on Princes Wharf.. The planking was glued and fastened, then coated in Everdure to ensure stability of the planking and prevent moisture intake. It was a long term project, all 3 hulls being finished, varnished and decks painted by Owen (with a lot of help from Graham Russell) in 1991.
The late Peter Spencer bought two of these hulls and the third, originally intended for Owen himself, was bought by a syndicate headed by Sandy Grigg.
First to be launched was Peter Spencer’s Matara M-47 in December 1991. He raced Matara for a season or so then handed her over to his son Howard who has campaigned her ever since.
Matara was followed by Sandy Griggs’ Mistress M-50 in October 1992. She is currently owned by Dave and Eric Mahoney.
The third Spencer hull was kept ‘on ice’ until completed by Howard and launched as Menace M-47 in December 2011.
Most of the above details are expanded on in some book somewhere.
ANDROMEDA – Sailing Sunday
Todays’s post is a tad different – it not often (these days) that we see a yacht being converted to a motor boat. Ken Rickett’s emailed in these photos of the Townson 26′ Serene -Andromedia that he spotted while on a visit to Colin Brown’s yard in Omaha. She was built in 1960 of 2 skins of kauri on opposite diagonals & is now owned by Dave Walker, of Warkworth, who recently bought her off Dave Jackson. She had been keep out in the weather, in DJ’s garden, in a semi derelict state, for about 3 years, with her coamings completely past their use by date. Reports are that she was in a very sad state in general, but with a sound hull.
Dave Walker decided to remove all her interior & coamings & start again & convert her to a displacement launch, to be powered by a smallish diesel. You will see in the photos he has already fitted a deadwood with shaft log.
The work is being undertaken in a shed at Omaha, as per the photos. Dave anticipates having her in the water within approx. 18 months.
Ken was told she had been moored on a pile mooring at Westhaven originally, for many years, & was virtually unused, with someone just going aboard to pump her out, every now & again.
So woodys can we shed some light on Serena’s yachting past
Work-in-progress photos – April 2018 ex Ken Rickett’s
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