22′ Mullet Boat – Sailing Sunday
photos from ex Mac Taylor Collection
The above photo shows an unidentified 22′ mullet boat in full flight on Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour. The crew have an impressive amount of canvas up & unlike the photo below are in full control 🙂
LORNA – Sailing Sunday
photo ex Brian Peet, details by Harold Kidd
Brian sent Harold the wonderful photo above of Tom Townson’s yacht Lorna which Tom owned in 1929/30. Brian was seeking confirmation on the location of the photo. Brian commented that he assumed the photo was probably taken in the mid reaches of Auckland Harbour – probably around where Westhaven is now located.
Harold commented that the big building in the background has to be the Farmers Trading Co. building, later remodelled, but with the right number of windows.
The yacht has to be in the vicinity of Beaumont Street but that he could not figure out the orientation and the position of that reef which, logically, should be the Westhaven Breakwater at a high tide. What was not helping things was that he could not see the Destructor on Fanshawe Street nor the Gasworks and could not figure out which was Beaumont Street which logically should be directly ahead of Lorna.
Lorna was built by Dale Spencer as Alarm in December 1920 for himself. Sadly Dale Spencer drowned with his 8 year old son when the 26ft mullet boat Celox went to the bottom between Motuihe and Waiheke in March 1921, only a few weeks later. The probable main cause of the sinking was that she was racing under kite which had to be sheeted to weather in those days, a recipe for disaster in a big mullet boat. History on Celox & the sinking here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/02/01/celox-sos/
NEWS FLASH
Further evidence that launches are the new hot item in the classic boating world – the British Classic Yacht Club has voted to allow motorboats at its next annual regatta – Panerai British Classic Week at Cowes, in July 2016
WAIKATO WOODYS – SAILING SUNDAYS#1
photos & details ex Judith Wallath
Judith has just finished reading Jimmy Gilpin’s book “Winners are Grinners” and was amused to discover that her last year in P Class on Hamilton Lake coincided with his first year (although he was from Tauranga). The Cambridge Boating Club held a Regatta in 1949 to celebrate the completion of Karapiro Dam and the formation of the Lake. The first photo above was taken by Waikato Times/Herald photographer, Mr Fred Louden. Judith is on the right hand end (H11) and Jimmy Gilpin (T23) is at the left end.
Judith says the only remarkable thing she did that day was to break her yacht’s centre board during the capsize race in front of the crowd of spectators. It was her first (and last) attempt at a capsize race 🙂
The 2nd & 3rd photos are from the Hamilton Yacht Club inaugural Easter Regatta in 1949 and Jimmy G was there, well towards the front. Jimmy and Judith are both in the P Class line-up at the lake edge before the race. Incidentally, the water tower, pictured, had a piece of roofing iron wrapped around it for years. A memento of the 1949 Frankton tornado.
The 4th, 5th & 6th photos are of the Idle Along H2 ‘Judith’ that belonged to Judith’s brother Brian. She was built by Brian and their father in the back yard, with encouragement from retired Hamilton builder Harold Martin an enthusiastic yachtsman. Mr Martin towed her to Auckland for the Anniversary Regatta, behind his Model T Ford. On the way back to Hamilton an accident occurred and ‘Judith’ suffered a stoved in side. Promptly repaired, and back on the lake.
Harold Kidd Input
Harold Martin Sr was briefly in partnership with Chas Collings as “Collings & Martin” from 1907. He and his sons were very important in Waikato and Rotorua sailing in the 30s and 40s with the Idle Alongs IONA (1936), IDA (1939), TAMARA (1940) and WINSOME (1944). They also built and raced the X Class MYSTERY (1922) and the Zeddies TUI (1932) and CUPID (1951) amongst probably several other centre boarders.
Harold Sr lived at Orakei originally and built and/or owned several mullet boats until he left Auckland to live in Hamilton c1920. These included the 22 footer TE ATA and the 26 footer MYSTERY. The name MYSTERY was used by at least three generations of Martins for their yachts from at least 1874.
Similarly the Neilsons of Kawhia, and later of Tauranga, used the name CHARM for a couple of generations including for Jimmy Gilpin’s first Tauranga 7 footer CHARM (to close the circle).
BTW the car towing Briian Wallath’s IA isn’t a Ford T if Judith meant that. It’s a big American tourer of c1924, probably a 6 cylinder Buick. The trailer has 1935 Ford V8 car wheels.
P.S. – Harold Martin didn’t last long in business with Chas Collings, but then nobody did, neither the Clare brothers, Harold Martin nor Alf Bell. I gather he was “difficult”, but he kept the Bell name in the business long after they parted ways during WW1 when Alf went off to help the Walsh brothers build and maintain their flying boats at Kohimarama.
Updated 03-11-2015 Photo below ex Harold Kidd of Le Clerc’s IA JUDITH on Hamilton Lake with the 14 footer PERSEUS (Y8) and Frostbite 151, KIRIROA, c1949.
KIWI – Sailing Sunday
photos & details ex Peter Midegly
Following up on last Sundays post on the royal p-class yacht ‘Tui’, Peter Midegly sent in the above collection of photos of the 14’ sailing dinghy ‘Kiwi. She was built at the Devonport Naval Base by his late father, Eric Midgley, a shipwright, with the assistance of an apprentice, both employed at the dockyard. ‘Kiwi’ was built in Auckland for members of the royal family, this being the occasion of the wedding of the then Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip in 1947.
Unlike the ‘Tui’, ‘Kiwi’ was well used, as is outlined in the letter below from G.A. Vince of the Sea Training Establishment at Botley, Southampton. This letter describes the workmanship of the boat as first class and her success in racing with other Naval 14 footers. In 1952 George Vince, Director of the Southampton Sailing Centre, also won first prize racing ‘Kiwi’ during Cowes Week that year.
Peter does not know whether the Royal couple sailed ‘Kiwi’ to any great extent, but from the 1950’s she was used by a number of sailing organisations & Sea Cadet Units .
Some years ago Peter made enquiries as to what had happened to ‘Kiwi’, and eventually located her at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Falmouth. At the time they told him she was in their offsite store in Falmouth.
Peter’s father started his boat building apprenticeship in 1923 with Joe Slattery. He later worked at Percy Vos’s during the building of the ferry Korea and from 1938 to 1950 at H.M. Dockyard, Devonport. His final employment was with the Auckland Harbour Board as a shipwright in Beaumont St. before retiring in the 1960’s.
Tui – Sailing Sunday
I have had to photoshop the above photo as there were a few visible clues.
So the question today is – whats the boat & why she it famous?
After she has been ID’ed I will supply more details on the how I received the photo 😉
Update: The above P-Class is in fact Tui, built in Auckland by David Marks in 1952 and given to Her Majesty the Queen with the suggestion that Prince Charles might like to learn to sail in her. She is presently on loan to the ex Royal yacht Britannia from Portsmouth Naval Base. The photo was sent to me by David Balderston who visited Britannia recently while on holiday.
19-10-2015 Photo below of Tui’s display card was sent in by Greg Fenwick
12-09-2017 Input from Christopher Deane
Last month when we were in Edinburg, Scotland we went for a tour on the Royal Britannia .
I must say it is a very interesting tour. The first Yacht I have been on which carries a Rolls Royce as standard equipment.
Another interesting find was this P Class sailing yacht Tui that was presented to the Queen, during her tour in 1953 .
As a bonus today click the link to view some eye candy from the Panerai Regatta in Cannes. Photos courtesy of Classic Yacht / Guido Cantini / Officine Panerai
PATIKI YACHTS – SAILING SUNDAY
photo ex Michael O’Dwyer
The rather serene photo above shows a number of Patiki yachts tied up in Ahuriri Lagoon, it was taken just 4 days before the February 3rd 1931 Napier earthquake. The earthquake reduced the size of the lagoon considerably when the seabed in the area lifted (up to 2.7 metres just north of Napier) spelling the end of lagoon sailing to the far Poraiti hills. The photo is hanging on the wall at the Napier Sailing Club.
Updated – to appease Robin E I have added a wee bit more sailing to ‘sailing sunday’ 🙂
Kahurangi (below x2) at Napier – Michael O’Dwyer commented that the Patiki Kahurangi was last owned by a current NSC member Peter Parvin, about 30 years ago. He had replaced some broken ribs and had it moored in a creek awaiting further work. Unfortunately some scallywags deciding to go for an adventure untied it and let drift off into a storm grate which destroyed it.
Peter told Michael they had sailed her once in about 10 knots of breeze and recalls it being quite scary with her massive rig and no ballast.
Maroondah (below) off Westshore Beach
Some Chat
Yesterday several classic launch owners & friends went to Waiheke Island for the inaugural Oyster Festival held at the Rangihoua Estate Olive Grove, the day was a brilliant mix of live music, fine local wines & craft beers + the most succulent Te Matuku Bay oysters cooked every which way. And for the non oyster lovers there were plenty of other dishes to sample.
On route we had a a little scare that thankfully was a false alarm, while motoring along approx. 1k from the island we spotted something in the water & turned around. It was a body & the mood on board sobered up pretty fast, closer inspection revealed it was a dummy that Coast Guard had planted as part of an exercise. There was a note explaining this attached to the dummy. All very relived that the day was not going to be distributed by a ‘floater’.
A peek below at the venue & food.
Passed Nereides heading home
The Des Townson Story & The 2015 Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition – Part 2 – Sailing Sunday
Today’s post features the yachts, both keel & trailer, that are on display at the Tino Rawa Trust hosted exhibition & gives you a peek at the collection of memorabilia & models also on display.
The show is open today from 10.00am > 4.00pm at the Viaduct – details in yesterdays post (scroll down). So if you are looking for something to do post chapel ;-), come on down.
I’ll let the photos tell the story. Enjoy
Remember click on only photo to enlarge 😉
Updated – dropped down to the exhibition late this afternoon, primarilly because Colin Pawson told me I had over looked the best Townson yacht on show – Caper. I did have one photo of her, but most of the time I do what I’m told 🙂 so back I went.
So glad I went back & introduced myself to the owner & had a wee tour – simply stunning, & yes would get my best in show. Check out the bilge photo, I suspect the pump does not see a lot of use, a duster would be all that is required 😉
I also had a peek on-board the launch Aristos, she too is a work of art.
Tight Racing – Sailing Sunday
photo ex Mac Taylor Collection
Asking woodys to ID the race would be a big ask 🙂 so maybe we just ask that we match the yacht names to the sail numbers. From L>R its – E34 / L18 / A11 / E21 / E11 / A16 / A2 / H6 / B20 .
And if you wondered why we refer the boats as – shes , below might be the answer.
13m Marina Berth For Rent
If anyone is looking for a 13m marina berth at Gulf Harbour? one of the private apartment berths (extra security) is available on a long term / permanent basis. Email address below for details. kenpat@ihug.co.nz
LA MORENA – Sailing Sunday
Sometimes you see a boat & just go wow – now everyone has their own taste but today’s yacht rang my bell. Got to love the dinghy & the solar panel 🙂
La Morena is a 95 square metre Skärgårdskryssare. She is a 1922 masterpiece by Gustaf Estlander, the Finnish architect.
The yacht was built in Germany for a Swedish engineer, Frithiof Dahl. He was a building contractor, at that time responsible for the building of Ragnar Östberg’s famous City hall in Stockholm. Under the name Roxane III, the engineer race her during the 1920’s and 30’s, against Kerma and other famous yachts, probably mostly around Sandhamn and Saltsjöbaden. Then the family Graffman own her for almost forty years. They call her La Morena, “the brunette” in Spanish. They sold her to Arne Fyrk and Bengt Helgesson in the late 1970’s, who moved her from Stockholm to Motala and lake Vättern, were she stayed for 20 years. La Morena was almost 60 years old when they bought her. No age for a beauty, but she had worked hard and was in deep need of recondition. Arne and Bengt’s effort saved her for the future. The year 1998 she was back in Stockholm with new owners, who sold her to the present owner in the summer of 2004.
During the winter of 2004-05 an extensive restoration were carried out. It ends with a new keel plank, a new rudder stem and knee, 50 meter new planking, a new stainless steel rudder, a new modern profile of the keel, and high finish of the whole bottom. Damages in the deck and deckhouse were also repaired, as were damages in the mast. The restoration has continued. With the aim to both have a shining and a fast yacht.
The text is Swedish but the photos of the restoration are stunning – link below
http://www.lamorena.se/restoration/
Also as a bonus – click the link to the on-line USA Classic Yacht magazine
http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/ClassicYacht/clasicyacht-septoct2015/2015090801/
MONDAYS WW POST IS A MONTY – THE RESTORATION OF DICK FISHER’S EX. PILOT BOAT, ‘AKARANA’, 40+ photos.
Mistletoe – Sailing Sunday
photo ex Jason Prew
Jason snapped the photo above in August 2015 in Tauranga Harbour. Can not be a lot of ‘these’ down there so hopefully one of the woodys will be able to ID her.
Harold Kidd Update – 16/09/2015
Fred Mann built two 24 footers called MISTLETOE. The give away really is the narrow stern which betrays her early build. This is said to be MISTLETOE I which Fred built in late 1904, first race Auckland Anniversary Regatta January 1905. MISTLETOE II was built in 1914 and had very similar lines.
Frankly I am undecided which of the two this one is. Some authorities reckon she’s the 1904 boat, some the 1914. The APYMBA registration of MISTLETOE (sic) as I7 recorded her as being built in 1911, which merely shows how much confusion there has been since the second MISTLETOE was built.
Whichever one she is, she’s another survivor of Mann’s excellent design and craftsmanship.
I did most of my early keel yacht sailing on Lincoln Wood’s Harrison Butler-designed and Mann-built MEMORY and was regaled by Linc with Mann stories (as were most of Devonport’s young water rats he took as crew).
The photo below was sent to me by Judith (Le Clerc) Wallath & is of a punt built in Whangarei for her brother Brian by their Dad, Godfrey Le Clerc. The picture was taken at Onerahi with Limestone Island in the background. The punt was made out of a salvaged board that had borer and planks from a wooden case. It was painted with tar from the gasworks but still leaked through the borer holes, and had a sail made from an ironing sheet, complete with iron-shaped scorch mark. Brian took it, against instructions, over to Limestone Island. His Dad removed a plank from the bottom until there was a promise to behave. Brian went on to become a champion P Class and Z Class sailor, and his sister (Judith) also sailed a P Class (on Hamilton Lake). Definitely a classic woody 🙂
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