Category Archives: Spirit of Tradition

KAWAU ISLAND SPRING SPLASH REGATTA REVIEW – 70+ CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING PHOTOS

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KBC Spring Splash Launch Parade Start
PRIZE GIVING
AGM
Sunday Race Pre-Start
Sunday Race Start
TAWERA Finish Line

KAWAU ISLAND SPRING SPLASH REGATTA REVIEW – 70+ CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING PHOTOS

 WoW what a long weekend – our first long weekend as we slide out of winter into summer. The on-the-water boating season kicked off this year with a new event on the calendar – the ‘Labour Weekend Spring Splash Regatta’ at Kawau Island, in the Hauraki Gulf. Going forward the hosts – Kawau Boating Club and race organisers – Ponsonby Cruising Club intend to ran the regatta every year. The weather gods were against us at times – but the weekend was a winner with everyone that attended.

Firstly I’d like to thank all the skippers, family  and crew that took the leap of faith and pointed their craft north in conditions on both Friday and Saturday morning that can best described as character building for the skippers and testing for the craft.

I went north at mid day on Friday and all I saw in terms of other craft afloat was a procession of yachts returning to Auckland after pulling out of the Coastal Classic race to Russell. Big ups to the yachts that pushed on and completed the race, I’m sure most skippers will have trouble rounding up crew for next years race 🙂

Fridays race to Kawau was light on numbers due to the weather but the fleet pushed on and most made it to KBC to swap stories. Mike Mahoney commented that his majestic 1935 Logan built classic – TAWERA spent more time going thru the waves than on top of them.

Saturday’s around the island race was cancelled due to high winds, but the KBC turnover was the winner. A great night ,with a DJ on hand.

Sunday we had the Waitematawoodys classic parade and 15 woodys (one yacht) did a lap of BON ACCORD Harbour – a brilliant turnout for the opening year. Those participating were recorded with stunning weather.

Post the parade, the yacht race got away, check out the video below of TAWERA coming in hot to the finish line – perfect timing by skipper Mike and crew, Only problem it was to decide 3 and 4 place 🙂

Sunday nights prize giving was a hoot and most people left with a prize and a smile.

Other activities over the weekend were a children’s lolly scramble and the KBC AGM on Sunday morning. Brilliant turnout at the AGM and very positive vibes.

The weekend report wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the recently refurbished KBC clubroom / bar / bistro – the presentation of the interior is a perfect fit for a boating club of the KBC’s standing.

And the food and staff…………… 10/10 – the food photos tell their own story.

The winner of the major prize for parade participants – SPONSORED BY THE SLIPWAY MILFORD – was Jill Hetherington and her 1939 C. Bailey built launch – TUNA.  Jill’s prize is a haulout and 3 days hardstand at the classic friendly railway slip.

I have to sign off now, I’m falling asleep at the keyboard.

Enjoy the photo gallery & videos, several people clicking the camera (phone) over the weekend, so thanks for everyones contribution.

SeaLegs A Popular Mode Of Transport On The Island

CLASSIC MOTORBOAT – VANESSA TICKS ALL THE BOXES 

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CLASSIC MOTORBOAT – VANESSA TICKS ALL THE BOXES 

Get first glance you would think that the 49’ motorboat -VANESSA , falls into the converted ex-workboat group. But not this girl, she is a purpose built spirit of tradition woody. Designed and built in 2005 by Devonport boat builder – Rob Roberts as a custom passage maker. Her hull has two layers of 15mm ply over 150×150 mahogany ribs, and laminated kauri stringers, then glassed .

 Powered by a Caterpillar 3160, 210hp diesel engine that was reconditioned in 2005, the Cat will see her comfortably cruising at 8+ knots and she slips 8L an hour, very impressive for a 20 ton wooden craft. Combine that with 3,200L of fuel tankage + 1,600L water, she really lives up to the passage maker tag. 

In the interests for low maintenance , long haul cruising – her systems are very ‘old school’ i.e. no turbo, no ‘blackbox’ engine electronics etc. But no money has been spared on her navigation and house systems.

VANESSA has just returned to the water after her annual maintenance work (photos below) and is now for sale and presents in hop on > sail away condition. 

A wonderful craft that visually has all the feel good vibes of a classic boat but with the low maintenance benefits of a 2005 build date utilising the best materials and construction methods.

09-11-2024 UPDATE – Video below of VANESSA docking at Sandspit Yacht Club today

VANESSA 09-11-2024

SOUTHERN WOODY MASON MARLIN RUNABOUT + Riverhead Tavern Lunch Cruise Details

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SOUTHERN WOODY MASON MARLIN RUNABOUT

I was contacted about todays woody earlier in the year, at the time the boat was based in Queenstown and was looking for a new owner.

Her then owner had spent a lot of money on her, the Honda 50 hp 4-stroke would have broken most peoples budget.

No name visible – keen to learn if she sold and where she ended up.

EXCITED ABOUT THE UPCOMING LABOUR WEEKEND WOODY SPRING SPLASH AT KAWAU ISLAND. Below are details on the next woody event after Kawau – circle the calendar. 

RSVP to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

IF I WON LOTTO – WHAT CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT WOULD I OWN

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Deal Island 50

IF I WON LOTTO – WHAT CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT WOULD I OWN

Well woodys the first thing I would do is jump on a plane and fly to Melbourne , Australia and go and see Tim Phillips at The WoodenBoat Shop in Sorrento. I met Tim in Feb 2023 aboard his 100 year old ’cruising smack’ – STORM BAY at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart, Tasmania. Tim, family and cruising buddies had sailed over for the festival. Fresh crew attire was supplied via the waitematawoodys merch bag. (Photo below of Tim aboard STORM BAY)

At the time I just thought Tim was a genuine good bugger but unbeknown to me Tim is the powerhouse behind Australis’s leading wooden boat yard – The WoodenBoat Shop. And that woodys is who I would trust to build me my dream boat. Visit the website here to view / read more about them www.woodenboatshop.com.au

The TWBS team have just launched their latest creation – WINTER COVE, the Deal Island 50, on display this weekend at the Melbourne International Boat Show at Docklands Marina.

As well as building and restoring wooden boats, the WBS have their own custom range of bronze chandlery.

In the photo gallery above, most of the photos are of the WINTER COVE the Deal Island 50, but I have included a few workshop and other TWBS craft images to help set the scene.

CLASSIC WOODY BOAT FESTIVAL AT THE WHANGAREI TOWN BASIN – 48 Photos & Videos

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CLASSIC WOODY BOAT FESTIVAL AT THE WHANGAREI TOWN BASIN – 48 Photos & Videos

The weekends weather in Auckland certainly wasn’t conducive to boating so on early Saturday morning I pointed the car north and headed to Whangarei for the 2024 Maritime Festival at the Town Basin.

Year two and a quick overview, – more tie-dyed tee shirt vendors and food trucks, a lot more general public – less launches, more large cruising yachts. Steam boat rides were the most popular offering – long queues of kids that probably walked away with a life time memory – well done to all the  steam boat skippers and crew.

Nice to see a couple of woodys from the Waitemata make the trip north – RAWHITI and JOHN DORY. 

As always when she makes an appearance anywhere Dick and Colleen Fisher’s ex pilot boat – AKARANA was the start of the show.

THE AUCKLAND WOODYS HAD AN INTERESTING TRIP HOME ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON 🙂

RAWHITI
JOHN DORY

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – SHANGO (ANI > BRIEF AFFAIR) – A Peek Down Below

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SHANGO (ANI > BRIEF AFFAIR) – A Peek Down Below

Back in Jan 2023 (linked below) we shared some photos of the 40’ Keith Atkinson designed / built wooden launch – SHANGO anchored in Little Oneroa, Waiheke Island. Today thanks to Ian McDonald and tme we get to have a gander below decks. Construction is stripped plank kauri. Built c.1970’s.

SHANGO is powered by a Ford 200hp 2728T diesel engine  that gives her a 9 knot cruising speed. At some stage in her ownership life someone must have done some serious cruising her her – she has 1000L fuel capacity.

Has previously been named ANI and BRIEF AFFAIR.

WW Jan 2023 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/01/17/shango/

CLICK IMAGE FOR DETAILS

LABOUR WEEKEND CLASSIC WOODY BOATING AT KAWAU ISLAND

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LABOUR WEEKEND CLASSIC WOODY BOATING AT KAWAU ISLAND

In recent years the Kawau Boating Club have probably been the must progressive boating club in town with their upgrades to facilities – clubhouse, jetty, fuel dock etc and securing the longtime tenure on the clubs assets.

In addition to all this the club, spearheaded by Mike Mahoney, have been planning to create an icon event for the club – well sometimes looking backwards is a smart thing – for decades the KBC hosted every Labour Weekend an OPENING WEEKEND REGATTA, but for all the wrong reasons the event had slipped off the calendar. Fast forward to 2024 and opening weekend at Kawau is back – bigger and better than ever. 

KBC will be holding hands with the Ponsonby Cruising Club to offer up an action packed long weekend of boating activity – afloat and ashore. See below for details.

While most of the on-the-water activity is sailing focussed, WW have been working with KBC and PCC to encourage classic woody launches and classic cruising yachts to attend. 

The plan is to hold a classic woody event on the Sunday where woodys will participate in a parade around the bays / baches in Bon Accord Harbour – along the lines of the Mahurangi Weekend launch parade. Meeting time will be 11am off KBC wharf.

We will spice it up with prizes for things like – Best Dressed Craft / Longest Traveled / Oldest Boat / Lucky Draw etc – + all woodys in the parade will also go in the draw for a haul-out at the Slipway Milford yard. On the Saturday there will be a waitematawoodys gathering ashore to catch up and enjoy each others company. There will be lots of opportunities over the weekend to enjoy the recently refurbished clubhouse – so make plans to be there.

So for now

1. Circle Oct 25 > 28 in the diary

  1. 2. View / download the file below to read all about the weekend.

3. If you own a yacht or crew on one – down load the entry form at the link below

LABOUR WEEKEND SPRING SPLASH (12)Download

And there is always a woody boat story – check out the photo below ex Ken Ricketts of two woodys in Whakatakataka Bay (Orakei, Auckland), can we put a name to the boat in the foreground. Excuse the image quality – pulled off TV screen.

INPUT ex NATHAN HERBERT – It’s Natasha which kept sinking and then was hauled at Okahu and presumably left by road or bin. The other is a Kempthorne / Salthouse KB760 type, presumable fibreglass. https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/06/07/natasha/

MYSTERY SHIPBUILDERS 30’ WOODEN LAUNCH – ANTIBES

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MYSTERY SHIPBUILDERS 30’ WOODEN LAUNCH – ANTIBES

Todays woody is only a mystery because there is no name visible on the vessel or mentioned on tme (thanks Ian McDonald).

What we know is she was built from triple skin kauri (+glass) in 1979 by Shipbuilders and is powered by a 180hp Nissan turbo diesel engine, given her length and engine size she cruises nicely at 10 knots.

I have spotted her several time moored at Waiheke Island and she always looked well cared for.

The 1979 build and some of the design elements (flybridge, stern profile) keep her out of the true classic group but she gets away with it, which isn’t easy on a sub 30’ vessel.

Can we put a name to the launch.

REMEMBER BOAT YARD SALE AT TE ATAU BOATING CLUB TOMORROW

CLASSIC WOODEN CLINKER – MISS MARAETAI – Where Is She

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CLASSIC WOODEB CLINKER – MISS MARAETAI – Where Is She

WW was recently contacted by Rowan Muir re Seacraft runabout named – MISS MARAETAI, read below

“We are compiling a history of sea rescue out of Maraetai as it has operated from 1975 and it will be fifty years in 2025. 
I am trying to locate the present owners of “MISS MARAETAI” the original rescue vessel that the Maraetai Beach Boating Club owned.

She was a 16 foot Seacraft clinker built runabout with a petrol inboard Falcon motor.
The last information I have is about 15 -20 years ago was that Rick and Viv who we think they lived in Manurewa somewhere owned her.Can we help Rowan and the MBBC track down what became of MISS MARAETAI.


NAME THE PENNANT – AND WIN A WW BURGEE In my recent travels around Auckland I spotted this on a club wall – I rather like the design ;-)First woody that can ID the pennant – wins a WW burgee. NOTE: entry via the WW comments section. Here’s a hint – not NZ, but not too far away………..

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCHES AT SANDSPIT YACHT CLUB

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCHES AT SANDSPIT YACHT CLUB

Its’ not often we see two Dave Jackson boats together, hauled out side by side. Gregs Lees sent in the above photos from the yard at the Sandspit Yacht Club.

On the left is the launch – KARROS, Dave’s own boat, built in 1974 and on the right LADY BEV, the first boat of his own design, which he built in 1957 for his father. 

Photo of KARROS afloat in this WW story from Oct 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/10/03/karros/

We get a better look at LADY BEV in this link from a WW story back in July 2022 https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/07/30/lady-bev-cya-heritage-basin-marina-poll-results-revisited/

And a peek down below on LADY BEV in a WW April 2024 story https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/04/13/lady-b-bee/