Todays photo was sent in by John Dawson and is dated January 1976. Times have sure changed.
Can we ID the launch alongside the dock. I sprinkled some magic dust on the photo – see below, might help with the ID.
06-11-2026 – INPUT EX KERRY LILLEY -The Tutukaka game fishing boats on the other side of the finger backed up is Freelance with half brown half white coamings Every year during winter 1965-70 Ken Williams brought her up from her mooring in the clean river to Owen Woolleys yard where she was built we pulled her up on the slipway it was my job to clean off her bottom n antifoul with the best Singapore antifoul paint with our special additive We used to go up to the local chemist and we could buy a vial of arsenic stir it into the paint n roll it on not much grew on the hull then Kerry Lilley Owen’s apprentice 1964>1970 .
KAWAU SPRING SPLASH CLASSIC PARADE – 25 WOODYS + A BAY FULL OF BOATS
If you were thinking about buying a classic wooden boat but weren’t quite sure which style floated your boat, a visit to the 2026 Kawau Boating Club Spring Splash over Labour Weekend would have gone a long way towards answering that question!
Over the last two days, I’ve shared a series of semi-random Waitemata Woodys posts to give you a taste of the action, both ashore at the KBC and out on the water.
Aside from New Year’s Eve, I can’t recall seeing so many boats anchored in Bon Accord Harbour. Now, I know that’s not everyone’s scene – some skippers will do a U-turn if they’re not the only boat in the bay! But for most, the fleet, the atmosphere and the chance to catch up with fellow boating enthusiasts are all part of the magic.
There were a few new systems to navigate and the inevitable operational speed bumps, but none of that stopped the good times rolling. Each evening, the dining and partying got underway, with music perfectly matched to the crowd. The food gets an 8/10 from me, which is high praise indeed!
So, a big tick to the team behind the weekend. If you enjoyed this year’s gathering, do yourself a favour and circle Labour Weekend 2027 in your diary now.
Today, I’m sharing a photo gallery focusing on Sunday’s WaitemataWoodys Classic Wooden Boat Parade. We had a fantastic turnout, with 25 classic craft joining the parade. I have include a few photos that show the ambience of the KBC (thanks to Beth Houlbrook from KBC for her photos). When I cover these big events, my objective is to try and give the WW readers a taste / feel for what it was like, so enjoy the gallery and remember if you click on a photo it enlarges.
And it wasn’t just the parade. I’ve never seen so many classic wooden motorboats out on the water at one time, the bay was absolutely teeming with woodys, my count was 41 classic craft.
Enjoy the gallery, and remember, clicking on any photo will enlarge it. Scroll down to view the two previous weekend posts.
P.S. If you were there and we missed your boat, apologies. With so many classics on the water, keeping track of everyone was always going to be a challenge.
Firstly I hope Sundays WW story appeared ok , first time done totally remotely from mobile phone and dodgy internet connection + a little late at night….
Sunday we had the Classic Woodys Parade in Bon Accord Harbour – amazing turnout , 24 classic craft gathered off Kawau Boating Club for a celebratory cruise around the bays.
A huge thank you to the skippers that made the effort to turn up and special thanks to the Kawau locals that cheered the fleet on from their bachs and wharfs.
Only a few parade photos today, just too many to edit on the phone – full report on Tuesday.
We held a parade prize giving on Sunday nights at KBC and most woody skippers walked away with a smile on their face ✔️. Full photo gallery from the bay and parade on WW Tuesday.
Spotted the 33’ Roy Parris designed and built (1978) classic launch – WAIKARO at the Slipway Milford earlier in the week , poked my head / camera into the cabin and got a surprise – it looked a little like a tip 🙂 Normally she is immaculately presented (last photo), closer inspection revealed a large hole midships and the absence of her Ford 2715 diesel engine.
Turns out she is getting a heart transplant – out with the Ford and in with a new Yanmar. Will be interesting to see the performance comparison – the Ford was 6cly. 120hp and gave her a top speed of 14 knots, The Yanmar is 4cyl. 110hp and turbo. Yanmar is higher reving and probably 1/2 the weight. Her semi displacement hull helps with the speed.
Being keen fishermen her owners like to fish where the big ones are eg Great Barrier Island , so reliability would have also been key factor in the decision to re-power.
Looking forward to feed back on the performance of the new Yanmar.
A SPIRIT OF TRADITION CLASSIC LAUNCH – FAULTLESSLY PRESENTED 4SALE
If you used the WW search panel you would not find many Pelin Empress motor launches on WW, but there would be more than you would find Vindexs 🙂
Todays 35′ launch, ELYSIUM fits very comfortably into the Spirit of Tradition category.
Built in 1980, 10.6m in length and powered by a 225hp Ford Lehman SP225 turbo diesel engine.
Her owner, a good friend, has ELYSIUM for sale along with her Gulf Harbour marina (note – marina not for sale separately)
The sale is brought about due to health reasons, always sad for an owner but more often, a buyer gets a better boat i.e. most boats sell at the end of an ownership period and their condition reflects deferred maintenance.
There is a tongue-in-cheek saying amongst trades people that goes like this – “the builder has the worst maintained house in the street” – well ULYSIUM’s owner is a marine engineer and he destroys the saying. In terms systems, fittings and maintenance you would struggle to find a better boat. I do not have the room on the page to narrate her extensive fit out. To see and read more go to her trademe listing https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/boats-marine/motorboats/listing/6173940295
CLASSIC WOODYS ABROAD – COLOURFUL CRAFT ON THE CÔTE D’AZUR
For the last few months, Kiwi woody Shane Anderson and partner Azra have been exploring Europe the hard way — by bicycle and on foot. And we’re not talking about battery-assisted cycling or gentle strolls! These two have been tackling the big stuff, including the mighty Mont Blanc.
This week, they’ve been hiking the spectacular French Riviera, using the beautiful coastal town of Villefranche-sur-Mer as their base.
Naturally, Shane couldn’t resist checking out the local boating scene, and today’s woody photos come from the marina at Villefranche.
Shane reports that much of the local wooden fleet consists of smaller 15–22ft fishing boats, most powered by small diesel engines, with a few sailing craft thrown into the mix.
What really catches the eye is the wonderful use of colour. These working little wooden boats have plenty of character, and sitting together in the marina, they make for a colourful slice of traditional Mediterranean boating life.
The photo above has appeared on WW before, capturing and promoting the X-factor that makes Kawau Island such a special destination for classic boaters. Its sheltered anchorages, rich maritime heritage and relaxed cruising atmosphere make it hard to beat for a Labour Weekend escape.
Over the past few years, the Kawau Boating Club, Ponsonby Cruising Club and WaitemataWoodys — three staunch supporters of classic boating and the cruising lifestyle — have been working together to develop and promote a gathering of traditional craft in and around Kawau Island.Brought together under the banner of Labour Weekend Spring Splash.
The event is becoming a wonderful opportunity for owners and crews to get out on the water, catch up with fellow enthusiasts and celebrate everything that makes classic wooden boating so special.It’s all about good boats, good company and the timeless pleasure of cruising in one of the Hauraki Gulf’s most treasured destinations.
• SATURDAY – Matakana Markets River Cruise & Round the Island Yacht Race
• SUNDAY – Waitematawoodys Classic Parade & Short Course Yacht Race + Race Giving ar KBC
• MONDAY – Breakfast at KBC
Each day the KBC clubrooms will be open to all boaties + we have new managers and menu. Check on-line for opening hours. https://kawauboatingclub.nz
f you are not racing there is no requirement to enter, just turn up and enjoy the weekend and the sociability of the KBC. Hey you my enjoy it and consider becoming a member 😉
PS – I emailed details out to the WW data base earlier in the week, but not surprisingly not everyone is on the database. If you want to be kept updated on classic events and gatherings – just drop an email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com with your name, boat name (if you have one) and mobile number. We do not spam you, it is a very tight list.
Todays woody photo popped up recently on a fb link that features historical events from the Tauranga area.
The photo originated from the Bay of Plenty Times, 22 March 1973 issue.
The poster was Rebecca Muir, who commented that in the photo we see Henry Geros and his two sons – Phillip and Michael(r), putting the finishing touches to a 22’ cabin cruiser built in their Tauranga based boat building yard.
Can we learn more about the yard and possibly the design of the cabin cruiser, which to my eyes is very appealing. Being 1973 the AWB’s (average white boats) can not of been too far away……..
DEFIANT — A RATHER MAGNIFICENT CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH
On one of my recent trip north I spotted a rather impressive woody hauled out at in Whangarei named DEFIANT. Hard not to miss her given her size.I had a brief phone chat with her owner Chris Wilkens, and was given the green light to go aboard. Chris went to great lengths to tell me she was a tip inside as he was part way thru an upgrade project.
Excuse the quality of some of the photos, as I edited them to remove WIP clutter.
First impressions of DEFIANT is her overall size , she is huge. As a guide in the photos you can see some ‘LazyBoy’ armchairs – there are 4 in the saloon and they are the full domestic size.
Keen to learn more about her – but for now – designed by Nick Peel, I think 54’ in length, powered by a Gardner engine (possibly 150hp).Home port is Whangaroa, Northland.
INPUT ex PAUL WILSON – built by Dave Bryant, an experienced off shore sailor, as a long range cruiser.
There are a few ‘hard to achieve’ things in classic boat design – one is to create a motorsailer that doesn’t look like a compromise between a yacht and a motor boat and second to create a craft 30’ or less that to the eye looks proportional correct and visually appealing. Most get it wrong.
On a recent web forage on the Wooden Boats of Tasmania fb I came across todays woody that straightaway caught my eye.
The boats name is HUON KELLy and is a design by Terry Lean and tagged ‘Cloudy Bay 30’, built in Tasmania at the Wooden Boat Center in Franklin c.2005/6. The fb poster, Andy Mac, commented that 4 sister craft were built between 2005 >2011.
A quick google search popped up a broker video , link below, from 6 years ago when she was for sale in Sydney. Check it out, a very impressive woody packed with everything you would want aboard but discreetly hidden to give a heritage look.
