The crew behind the Australian Wooden Boat Festival (Hobart) are very clever with their promotional support to promote the bi-annual festival. One of the tools / channels they use is a very cool video series (tagged Boat Folk) that showcases the festival and the people and boats connected to the area. I have posted some of their previous ones on WW.
Todays video showcases a beautiful local built vessel named – Ubique. Very few boats have the pedigree of Ubique both historically and which has spawned a thousand blue water cruising dreams. Famed yacht designer, Lyle C Hess, originally based the design for Ubique (pronounced U-bee-qway) on the legendary Bristol Pilot Cutter – the epitome of yacht design in the mid 1800s to early 1900s.
Ubique is a sister ship to Taleisin, being commissioned by Brad Hampton via the Shipwrights Point School of Wooden Boat Building at Franklin, in Tasmania. Now, owned by David and Michelle Shering, the boat hosts many quiet family sailing voyages in the Channel. Click play and enjoy – I did 🙂
The dreaded covid was the kiss of death to the last festival so next years event – 10>13th February 2023 will be huge. Hope to be there myself.
Yesterday the 30’ 1978 Roy Parris built launch – Waikaro, slipped back into the creek at the Slipway, Milford, looking very smart post a lot of work both in and outside. A Jason Prew paint job and 15+ coats of uroxsys were just the icing on the cake + lots of work on her systems and ‘lets keep the water on the outside’ eg new windows etc.
No sooner had Waikaro vacated the cradle, the 38’ 1937 Sam Ford built launch – Menai (below) was climbing into a warm bed. After a lot of deferred maintenance work, Menai had been ’settling down’ eg taking up on one of the Milford marina berths before getting her final top coats. The new bow-thruster certainly made manoeuvring in the creek easy.
UPDATE 12-07-2022 back in the water after the JPPJ at The Slipway Milford.
Back in Feb 2020 I wrote on WW that launches like Katherine would be the future of classic / spirit of tradition boating – in a nutshell – stunning looks, voluminous interior and low maintenance. Katherine was built is 2013 by Robertson Boats, her design lead by Conrad Robertson. But her roots go back much longer than that – back to the Hokianga Harbour where a workboat played its trade, the hull of which ended up in a farm shed. The hull was moved to Robertson’s yard in Warkworth, where a mould was taken off the old hull, as an aside – the old hull was refurbished and repurposed as a charter steamboat.
When you view Katherine, her lower hull is glass and from the green section up she is wood – the best of both worlds in terms of water ingress and maintenance. Katherine was purchased in Jan 2018 by accomplished professional boat builder Allan Hooper who immediately started reviewing and enhancing the launch, this included designing and adding the rig and a lot more mods. I challenge anyone to show me a sub 40’ launch with more internal volume, with the same standard of fit out, there is even sound proofing built in 🙂
Some specs – 38’ in length, 9’6” beam and draws just 3’. Forward motion is via a Lombardini 60hp diesel engine, new in 2013, this gives Katherine a comfortable cruising speed of 8 knots. A consideration in these days of raising fuel prices, Katherine only sips 3.5L an hour. Fuel capacity is 330L and water 750L. An added bonus is the 6’6” headroom. WW has good readership amongst the serious woodys on the USA WoodenBoat Forum, one of the WBF guru’s once commented on Katherine – ‘Like that, vertical stem, raised deck, spoon stern. What else would you want’.
The Wooden Boat Bureau is looking for a new owner for Katherine, interested parties seeking more information – contact waitematawoodys@waitematawoodys
Todays woody has a very good pedigree in that she was built by Nelson master craftsman Peter Murton as his own boat. Peter’s business Murtons Timbercraft turn out stunning woodwork – from new boat builds and repairs, furniture and nautical art, a piece of which I have at home (photo below).
The launch is a 2018 Weston Farmer sea skiff, 28’ x 8’ x 2’ and is powered by a 60hp Yamaha outboard that cruises nicely at 7>8knots and tops out at 12 knots.
Her shallow draft and bilge keels allow her to navigate some interesting anchorages. An added bonus is the ability to haul out on a trailer for home storage.
The vessel recently popped up on tme so if you are looking for a salty looking, impeccably built spirit of tradition woody – Amelia could be the one.
A couple of weeks ago Leane Barry was strolling the river front at Warkworth town when she came upon the collection of woodys above. The Jane Gifford looking as smart as ever and I assume on her home berth. The interesting addition to the docks was the two steam launches – possibly an upcoming event? Not that you would know, those boys keep things very tight 🙂
04-05-2022 Input from John Olsen – Kotare was built by Paul Eaton while he was living near Whenuapai, to a set of plans by Selway Fisher, now available from them as “Golden Bay”. Paul has semi-retired to the Wanaka area, and felt that Kotare was too much boat for one person to handle so has passed her on to the Auckland Steam Boat Association, where Daniel Hicks is taking care of her. . She is I think 26 feet overall, although the plans are available for 23 or 26 feet. Strip planked and glassed. She was built over much the same time period as Dancer with much discussion between myself and Paul over progress and ideas for details. The extra length in Dancer makes it just possible to sleep on board, which is nice. (Neither Dancer nor Kotare is necessarily actually completely finished even now.) Paul is probably right about one person not being able to handle her. Dancer takes two and at times like docking an extra would be nice. Especially when I fell in up the Waihou a couple of weeks back, leaving my wife aboard ready to drift off down river…. Kapanui is an older boat, I am not sure what the origins of the hull were but Alan Brimblecome had her for a long time and may have been the one to put the steam plant in her.
CYA BOAT OWNERS MEETING TONIGHT @ 7pm @ RNZYS – post all the Covid cancellations it will be interesting to hear what the stick and rag brigade are planning for next season. As for the launches – ‘same > same’ – bet it is just change the dates for the next year……….. 🙂
The launch – Oscar according to her tme listing was built in 1970 by Sam Ford, which I suspect is wrong – Sam would have been a very old man at that stage – maybe it was built then to an old SF design.
All that aside Oscar could be the project boat buy of the year – last I looked the reserve had been meet at $11, yes eleven.
She is approx. 34.5’ in length, double skin diagonal kauri and powered by a 165hp Perkins.
The tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) states – Oscar has been neglected for the past several years, languishing unused on a mooring, she’s in need of loads of TLC to bring her back to her prime. She recently developed a leak, we haven’t identified where it’s coming in.
Currently on the hard at Pier 21, Westhaven. Sold As-Is, Where-Is, the new owner to take delivery within three days of auction ending.
22-12-2023 INPUT EX STEPHEN FORD – Sam, my grandfather did infact start the build on Oscar origonally SHIMCA , from memory hull, decks and combings, but due to his death my father Trevor Ford , Sam’s son quit his job and completed the build of Shimca at Sam’s yard and resedence 12,Arthur’s st Ellerslie for the owners Hugh & Inness? Abbot hence the name Shimca , Samual,Hugh, Iness M??? Abbot. I don’t know the year she was built but I remember I was at high school 4th form I think when Sam passed and I was born in 1952. Unfortunately my father passed away 10 years ago and a lot of history went with him whilst I know a few things about the build if anyone wanted to know, I do know she Oscar is at masden cove having some mechanicals sorted
Woodys Classic Launch Easter River Cruise To Paeroa
The Easter weekend cruise was always going to be a biggie – with most launches having to travel upwards of 10 hours to reach the final destination – the ‘waterfront’ Historical Maritime Museum & Park in Paeroa. Most of the woody fleet gathered Thursday evening in Chamberlain Bay, Ponui Island in anticipation of an early start across the Firth of Thames, to rendezvous with the launches arriving from Thames and to collect our guide / navigator for the trip up the Waihou River. I’d have to say that the straight line trip across the Firth of Thames was 4 hours of my life I’ll never get back 🙂
We meet just off the old Kopu Swing Bridge which was opened specially for us to pass thru – and the welcome / turn out on the old bridge was outstanding. Must have been a quiet day in Thames, maybe it was that it was Good Friday and most things (pubs etc) were closed 😉
We shot thru the gap and 10 minutes later our lead boat, with navigator on board, found a mud bank and were ‘stationary’ for over an hour. Once moving again the remainder of the 4+ hour journey was fun to travel together in close proximity, but the scenery got very repetitive and at 5 knots max – the going was slow. The skippers were kept awake by lots of locals who had gathered at wharfs and in paddocks to wave as we went past. The dodging of the occasional ‘grassberg’ (floating mid-stream) also kept skippers on their toes.
The final short leg from the main river to the Museum dock again saw the lead boat aground and a wait for more tide.
We sneaked in just before dusk, a very long 10 hour day.
Jason Prew and Peter Vandersloot oversaw the shoehorning of the 10 woodys into the docking area. Then it was ashore to stretch the legs and a BBQ dinner/ catch up. The Museum had set up an impressive and most appreciated dining / BBQ area for the crews to enjoy. Post dinner most returned to the boats for an early night.
Observation- it’s bloody cold up a creek in the middle of the Waikato, thank god for hot water bottles.
Saturday was another cracker autumn day. The crews enjoyed a trip on the classic launch – Ariana (skippered by Peter Vandersloot) to the Paeroa township for morning tea at the local RSA – hot scones and pastries – always a winner. To balance out the catering, the river trip was split in two – with 1/2 the crew travelling by bus and boating back and same same in reverse for the other 1/2.
The day saw a great turn-out of locals visiting the Museum and walking the docks. I would encourage you to search the following words Kopu Bridge / Waihou River / Maritime Museum & Park on Facebook – the weekend was covered by so many people – lots more photos and videos to see.
Special mention must be made to Peter Vandersloot who masterminded the weekend and was on hand to provide so many insights into the heritage of the area, vessels and personalities. The Museum’s Chairperson Colin James and partner Gloria (a trustee) who were everywhere when needed and helped the weekend run smoothly.
Lastly none of this would have happened without woodys Jason Prew from The Slipway Milford, and Kerry Lilley for pulling everything together – well done guys.
The return trip back down the river had its challenges, very complicated tide table – but to the best of my knowledge no one is still there 🙂
The Museum and their boat trips are a must do if you are passing thru or around Paeroa. And big ups to the local council and business association – Paeroa is a healthy, well presented town, and a credit to everyone living there.
Over the next week I’ll do additional WW stories on the Museum, the river trip to Paeroa on board Ariana and a few of the launches that made the trip.
(Woodys who attended – My Girl, Raindance, Awariki, Lucille, Summer Wine, Ngarimu, Lucinda, Maroro, Cindy Jane, Kaikoura, and guest appearance by Ariana – refer photos below)
(Photo credits to – Jason Prew, Linus Fleming, Andre Thomas, Andrew & Mechaela Dobbs and yours truly)
THE FLEET
AWARIKI – 1967 – Owen WoolleyMARORO – c.1905 – tbaNGARIMU – 1945 – Fred GoldboroKAIKOURA – 1951 – Percy VosSUMMER WINE- Noel May – 1992CINDY JANE – 1975 – Pelin EmpressMY GIRL – 1925- W H Hand JrRAINDANCE – 1928 – Lane Motor Boat CompanyLUCILLE – Logan 33LUCINDA – 1930 – L Coulthard
Several WW stories ago I asked the question about a certain woody being the biggest wooden classic, floating down under – seems I was wrong 🙂 The 100’ Sea Breeze III takes that title surely. Built in 1976, it would have to be stamped as a ’spirit of tradition’ vessel. Formerly named Ulysses and owned by the Kiwi that tops NZ’s Rich List – Graeme Hart, these days she appears to be in charter.
Twin Detroit 12v71 450hp engines get her off the dock and know doubt deliver an impressive speed underway.
Not a classic but a woody and cool to get a peek down-below 🙂
Over the weekend I had cause to visit an area that I had often passed by boat but never on land – the area I refer to is the ‘Old Cement Works’. Home these days to the very funky Mahurangi Marina. Its just 5 minutes from the Warworth township and as well as dockside berths, offers halibut and hardstand facilities.
There is a nice selection of woody / classic craft tied up and with the ruins of the cement works as a backdrop, its very pleasant. The grounds I imagine would be a popular picnic spot and there’s even a fresh water lake, photos below.
