Friends Pauline and Tim Evill managed to get a day away from the grape harvest at the Lawson Dry Hills vineyard and were mooching around their old home town of Mapua, Nelson.Tim never likes to be far from the sea so its not surprising he ended up down at the Riwaka river/estuary where there is always an impressive fleet of woodys berthed.
Today’s woody is an open cutter named Matahorua, which my suspicion of being an ex Outward Bound boat was confirmed with a quick google search – she is stretching the WW ethos a bit as she is made from ply and fiber-glassed but her salty looks get the tick. Would have to be a contender for the boat with the highest number of individuals that have sailed / rowed her 🙂
DELFINO A few months ago while trying to follow some very vague instructions on where to find a woody berthed at Westhaven Marina I stumbled across Delfino. As Sargent Shultz used to say on Hogans Heros “I know nothing” – so can anyone tell us more about her – obviously crying out for some TLC 🙂
The stern escape door is an unusual feature.
Updates
Bill – The original name was Carla and built by John Lidgard early 70″s had a 180hp ford engine was in one of the Atlantic 100 Rallies I think won the launch section built from double diagonal kauri. The first owner I think was Charlie Gilberd
Nigel Armitage – John Lidgard design and built , I was an apprentice there at the time of construction. Built for Charley Gilbert in the early 1970’s
Harold Kidd – There is a discussion about CARLA in Sea Spray of September 1971, comparing her to VINDEX. C.G. Gilberd of Sarsfield St owned her new. She had a 180hp GM diesel. Took part in the 1978 Atlantic Power Boat Rally, came 7th overall and was the heaviest of 66 entries.
23-03-2021 Input from Alan Sexton – The article below was sent in by Alan, ex the July 1971 issue of NZ Boating World.PDF file here – might be easier to read
Where Is Idler During the week WW was contacted by Brian Keene a previous owner of Idler ensuring as to the where about of the boat and who owns her. I seem to recall she was on trademe in the last few years.
Brian owned the boat for approx. 15 years in the 1980’s > 1990’s, the top photo was taken during this period. As a result of an upcoming relocation Brian is cleaning out some of the items he has acquired over the years, one of those items is the original Fred Parker plans of Idler that Salthouse Bros used to build her in 1970 for Jim Faire.
The 2nd photo (marina) comes to us ex Scott Taylor. So woodys – where is she and who owns her? Would be good to ensure the plans find the right home.
Update ex Cameron Pollard – Idler is berthed at BBYC. Owned and kept in top condition by Derek Goddard and his wife. If anyone knows Derek, please ask him to contact me on waitematawoodys@gmail.com
A LOCK-DOWN TREAT – FREE ACCESS TO THE WORLDWIDE CLASSIC BOAT SHOW
Our friends over at Off Center Harbor have been orchestrating a new gig on the classic boat scene – a virtual worldwide classic boat show. Its been live now for 10 days and only available via purchasing a ticket (US$5) – now woodys to help us kiwis (and the WW overseas followers) during CV-19 lock-down – the show is now free.
See below instructions on how to visit the show.
You can use the globe / map to see an amazing collection of vessel around the world + locations of museums & trade folks – but the real gem for me is the daily video presentations from some of the worlds leading lights on the classic boating scene – sailors, teachers, photographers, event promoters and boat builders. You will be addicted so I apologise in advance for ruining your day/s – but, you’re supposed to be in lock-down 🙂
If you only watch one presentation – make it the legendary Tom Cunliffe presentation – you’ll find it on Sat Feb20th under the heading ’Seas of Northern Europe’ – do not be put off by the boring title – its a cracker, the mans one of the best storytellers around, you’ll be glued to the screen for 2 hours. ENJOY THE SHOW 🙂
2. Checkout for free, and your username and password become your ticket
3. To login, go to ClassicBoatShow.com, click login in the top right corner to get full access, and enjoy the show!
If you have trouble getting your free ticket, you can always email the show’s crew for help at crew@classicboatshow.com.
If the show turns out to be an enjoyable and valuable experience for you, they have a voluntary “tips/donations” button on the top of the screen where you can contribute.
HINERA Alan Sexton contacted me the other day concerning Hinera, the Roy Steadman designed / Shipbuilders built 38’ launch. Alan believe that she may have been the last boat built by Shipbuilders. She appeared on the cover of ‘Boating World’ October 1971 edition – copy of article below.
Alan has commented that you can see her obvious lineage from Fiesta, Romany II et al. And maybe built to a budget as the rubber mouldings securing the windows, more appropriate for caravans and fizz boats, did not exactly enhance her.
As launched power was from twin T6 – 354 Perkins that gave her a top speed of approx. 20.5 knots and cruised at 17.9 knots. Alan recalls she was berthed on I pier at Half Moon Bay when first launched, all launches moored bow-in in those days, and her heavy stem and huge flare looked very imposing to an 11 yr old.
Hinera went off Alan’s radar round the 1970’s, do we know what became of the launch?
Built in 1975 at the Salthouse yard using 3 skin kauri. Powered by twin 425hp Detroit diesels, giving a max speed of 16knots and cruise of 10 knots. Mana Moana at 59’ in length, has a 18’ beam and draws 4’9″ but what sets her apart from most other woodys of the that length is the volume – she is huge – as an example – 3 cabins, 3 heads and 4 showers.
Originally built for the German Consul and then skippered and bought by John Pulham from Tauranga. Ken Winter was the next owners from 1982 > 1992. (Tech & ownership details supplied by Allan Winter via K Ricketts)
AUCTION OF VINTAGE NAUTICAL INSTRUMENTS
Chris McMullen gave me a heads up on a very special auction of vintage nautical instruments taking place tomorrow at the Cordys auction house.The items are from The Harvey Sheppard collection, a close friend of Chris’s – Link below to website / catalogue. https://www.cordys.co.nz/auctions/D002/catalogue
Whats So Special About Wooden Boats The above video by Tom Nitsch, featuring Tom’s stunning camera skills, gives a very cool insight into why in this modern age so many people are committing so much time and money restoring and enjoying wooden boats. The interviews with Donn Costanzo from the Wooden Boatworks yard and John Lammerts van Bueren (sailor, boat builder, author) really capture the why – something a lot of us struggle to communicate when asked by people outside the wooden boating movement.I have reproduced some of John’s comments below –
“Most of all I think that a lot of the people who sail classic boats and enjoy the classic boats are probably more bonded than the people who sail modern boats. Nothing bad against the modern boats but modern boats are usually fiercely competitive and there is not as much love for the boat for what it is, the love is for the performance, the speed you get out of it and your chance to win the boat race. Something that people have in common is they have a drive to create and re-create and preserve and not to consume and I think that that is something very essential. If you are driven by consuming you aren’t able to create and re-create and preserve as much as you need to do to love these classic boats, and in a way the beauty of the boats that you are working with. You look at the old boats and in many ways they are compared to modern boats not as mush as a statement of your personal wealth, they are statement of beauty and it doesn’t really matter whether is a Dragon with varnished topsides or whether its a cruiser or a meter or a great big schooner, no matter how large these great big schooners are they are a statement of beauty and not a statement of wealth, all though they are incredibly expensive, it doesn’t really matter – they are beautiful and people appreciate it.”
SS DANCER During the recent Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat show I spotted the steam boat – Dancer, her owner and builder John Olsen supplied the following details.
Dancer is a 30 foot long steam launch, designed by Peter Sewell and built by John and his wife Diana. The engine is a compound twin, designed by A.A Leak and built by John. The boiler is a 3 drum type.designed by Andre Pointon. (Colonial Iron Works) and also built by John apart from welding by a certified welder. In the top photo, the tender on the Aft deck is a folding dinghy, called Kahikitea and mostly built from that timber.
Dancer is equipped for sleeping aboard, with a head compartment and blackwater tank, a small galley with gas cooker, sink, and fridge, and solar panels on the cabin top to provide electric power. The boiler is fired with diesel. Myself I like wood/coal fired but her diesel set up must make life a lot simpler, and we like that 🙂
Today’s story sees us taking a peek inside the boat shed at Quayside Marine, Mahurangi where Daniel Taylor is putting the finishing touches to his families launch – Waione. Daniel is the 3rd generation to own the boat. Taking over from his father Steve and grandparents Jack and Missy McCabe.
Waione has appeared on WW before – links below.Daniel by trade is a marine electrician so the fit out is A1.
The Roy Parris launch (sub 20’) below has washed up on an inner harbour beach (broke her nearby mooring) and will most likely be salvaged and taken to the landfill within the next 24hrs. The photos are 2+ years old, but give you an idea of what she could look like again. The last photo is as of yesterday. Perfect opportunity for someone wanting a winter project. The engine is outboard in a well – I believe the intention is to sell the o/board (75hp) to re coup salvage costs. Contact owner on 027 254 9442 – but do it now.
RIP BERT WOOLCOTT
Sadly I report that Bert Woolcott, partner of Margaret, passed away last Friday in hospital, aged 76. While a lot of woodys that have had the privilege of attending the annual CYA Patio Bay, Waiheke Island weekend will be familiar with Bert and Margret’s legendary hospitality, most wouldn’t be aware of the volunteer work Bert did in the background – on Classic Race Committees, skippering finish boats at classic regattas and club racing. Bert always made the time to chat and would always enquire about your vessel and more importantly how you were.
Bert was a big man with a big heart and leaves a big hole in the classic boating movement. Fair Winds. A funeral service for Bert will be held in the Main Chapel of the Morrison Funeral Home on Friday the 19th of February 2021 at 3.00 p.m
Classic Boat Builder and Guiding Light – Nat Benjamin Interview
WoodenBoat magazine editor Matt Murphy interviews Nat Benjamin – one of the classic wooden boating movements guiding lights. Nat co-foundered of Gannon & Benjamin Marine Railway in Vineyard Haven Harbour, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. https://gannonandbenjamin.com
Nat has been designing and building boats from dinghies to schooners for more than 35 years. Sit back and listen to Matt and Nat chat about how Nat and business partner Ross Gannon set up the yard and went on to be at the forefront of the revival of wooden boats.
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