Category Archives: Spirit of Tradition

Auckland Anniversary Regatta

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1889 regatta photo ex Wilson & Horton

Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta

Late January > early February is always a big weekend on the yachting calendar – it is Auckland’s birthday and one of the lead events is the Anniversary Day Regatta – started way back in 1840 it is New Zealand’s oldest sporting event and in fact even pre-dates the America’s Cup by 11 years.

In recent years as competition of peoples leisure time has increased, the number of competitors has dipped, but the good news from a woody view point is the event has been propped up by the classic boating fleet and in recent years the inclusion of Tug/Work boat race and a classic launch, round the buoys drag race. If you are not away boating this long weekend, I would encourage you to visit the waterfront to catch some of the action – the Tug/Work boat race at 10am is a hoot. Best viewing spots found here  https://regatta.org.nz/regatta-spectators/where-to-watch-the-regatta-action/
Timetable.   https://regatta.org.nz/regatta-participants/schedule-of-regatta-events/


BIG WW STORY TOMORROW – 100+ PHOTOS FROM THE MAHURANGI REGATTA WEEKEND

Georgia Rae @ Herald Island

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Georgia Rae At Herald Island
I have seen the above boat several times mooching around the inner Hauraki Gulf but never been close enough to get a good photo or her name. This photo, moored at Herald Island, Auckland, was sent in by Thomas Guthrie and it appears her name is Georgia Rae. Thomas commented that her hull is a lot older than the cabin, can anyone enlighten us on her past and modifications?


Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta

Its only 8 days till the regatta so if you are going to be back in Auckland on the Monday today might be a good time to get your entry in. As well as the yachting events – there is the Tug/Work boat race and a round the bouys launch race for the diesel-heads – lots of great prizes up for grabs. Info & entry details here https://regatta.org.nz(

Photo above from the 1963 regatta)

Bay of Islands – 2021 Tall Ships Regatta

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BAY OF ISLANDS – 2021 TALL SHIPS TROPHY RACE

The above photo essay from the 2021 (Jan 9th) Russell Boating Club’s Tall Ships regatta were sent in by Dean Wright, as always stunning camera work. Dean commented that there wasn’t much breeze on race day so it was a bit of a dawdle. I’m sure that didn’t dampen the legendary post race festivities ashore.

Dean is a good lad and always tries to include a few launches in the mix, even if its a sailing event. #e like that
The photos of the Colin Wild launch – Wirihana, just go to show that if you are a looker, no matter what you hang off her (SUP/Sailing Dinghy/RIB) – you’ll always be a looker 😉
As always – click on the smaller photos to enlarge.

Woody Summer Boating Cruise

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Rakino Island (West Bay on left – Woody Bay on right)
Raindance & Morgana
West Bay, Rakino Island
Marise
Woody Bay Pizzeria – Rakino Island

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT ON RAKINO ISLAND – click to play – the singer, Jennie Cruse is Auckland based and available for hire – 021 266 4330

Liberty
Windhaven II
Marise
Manuroa
Waiari
Raindance @ Garden Cove

GARDEN COVE – 360 deg Video – click to play

WOODY SUMMER BOATING CRUISE
The WW story today is a photo gallery from the 2020/21 holiday period cruise on Raindance, the photos are not always that sharp, it was more like “look there’s one” and I would grab the camera and snap a photo. Click on the smaller photos to enlarge 😉


We mostly mooched around Waiheke and Rakino Islands – had 11 great days afloat, a little blowie at times but tucking away in the right spot with a good book was just what the doctor ordered. Only had 2 hours rain on one day, so can not complain. General observation was that it was quiet in most of the bays. I understand Great Barrier Island was very popular.As always there are a few food pix to break things up. The discovery of a pop-up pizzeria in Woody Bay, Rakino was the culinary highlight of the cruise 🙂


Thanks to help from several woodys sending in photos, we were able to continue the WW stories everyday over the holiday period and the viewing / reading numbers were strong thru-out. I think that one of the few positives from CV-19 is that a lot more people have either upgraded their digital devices or are now more tech savvy and are on-line more often.

Enjoy the photos – the next big woody event will be the Auckland Anniversary long weekend at Mahurangi.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/12/01/wooden-boat-bureau-advice-for-buyers-and-sellers/

Boat Less These Holidays

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Boat Less These Holidays
Consider a cruise on board a very classic looking wee ship on Lake Taupo. The Ernest Kemp isn’t a true woody (steel hull, wooden super structure, she was designed by Bruce Askew and built in Whangarei in 1980. Named after Alfred Ernest Kemp, the last member of the Kemp family to live at Kemp House Kerikeri. She briefly earned a living transporting passengers down the Kerikeri inlet. She was then sold in 1981 to business interests in Taupo, where she remains to this day.

You can read more on her history here. https://ernestkemp.co.nz/about-us

Ernest Kemp is 47’ in length and has a 3’ draft, perfect for the sometimes swallow lake waters she operates in. Powered by twin 4 cyl. Ford 73hp diesel engines that give her a cruising speed of 9 knots. 
Ernest Kemp offers scenic cruises on Lake Taupo  during the day and an early evening cocktail cruise. Details here https://ernestkemp.co.nz
photo below ex Angus Rogers

Katoa

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KATOA
The photos above of the 37’7” launch Katoa , were sent in by Bay of Islands woodys – Dean Wright. Dean snapped Katoa in the Te Puna and Kerikeri Inlet area last week.

Designed and built by Geoff Bagnall in 1988, she may by ‘youngish’ for a woody but she is an oldie at heart 🙂 Powered by a 130hp Lees Ford diesel.


Katoa has appeared on WW before – link below for a peek-down-below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/06/19/katoa/

DONATE HERE https://givealittle.co.nz/org/nztbs

A Woody Christmas – A Time For Giving

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A Woody Christmas – A Time For Giving

I have an ask today – one of wooden boatings coolest and most deserving organisations urgently needs help – relax, you don’t need to do anything other than put your hand in your pocket – more on that later. But first let me tell you about the New Zealand Traditional Boatbuilding School – it was started back into 2005 by a group of visionary wooden boat enthusiasts. I have rubbed up against it a lot over the years – during the re-birth of the classic wooden launch movement we used their facilities for social gatherings and seminars. I have even done boat maintenance workshops and built a woody tool box (under close supervision)If ever there was something that deserved its place in our maritime community – it’s the NZTBS, more so than a lot of other questionable entities that live off rate payer handouts.I won’t bore you today with the day to day challenges the current trustees have keeping the doors open – just trust me when I say – to survive the short term they need help, mid term hopefully they will be able to secure sponsorship.


Today’s WW story is an example of the amazing work the school does – last week, trustees Olaf Wiig (classic launch – Lady Margaret and Alan Hooper (spirit of tradition launch – Katherine) ran a pilot course for one they are hoping to offer in the future. In a joint venture with Taikata Sailing Club, Drowning Prevention Auckland and Coastguard Education, NZTBS ran a week long course for a group of 9 year olds, building a pair of John Welsford Scraps dinghies. The whole week was a great success, resulting in two cool little boats being launched on Saturday. Just check out the looks on the kids faces – you don’t get that from playing on an electric device. The kids all made a name board for their boat and then voted for the best names and then Moonlight and Rose Gold were christened and launched – so cool.

Special thanks to James Hutchinson and Olaf Wiig for the photos
HOW CAN YOU HELP

The NZTBS is a charitable trust – donations are eligible for a tax credit and its so easy – click on this link and invest in the future of wooden boating in New Zealand. And do you know what?, you’ll feel good about it 🙂

https://givealittle.co.nz/org/nztbs
Merry Christmas & Thank You. alan houghton – waitematawoodys founder

Almeda – Mapuna – Sisters?

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ALMEDA –  MAPUNA – Sisters?
Recently Alan Sexton and Mark McLaughlin were plating hooky from work to check in of the launch Trinidad that is receiving some serious TLC at Greg Lees shed at Sandspit. 

Back in February 2017, Alan sent in some photos and details on a local (Matakana) classic launch named Almeda, at the time he commented that the designer was unknown but it appeared to have John Brooke’s name all over it – link to that story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/02/02/almeda/

While at the Lees yard they spotted Almeda hauled out at Sandspit Yacht Club and are both sure she is a slightly updated version of Mark’s launch – Mapuna. Alan commented that Almeda’s keel is obviously rather more substantial and that Greg Lees told him they fitted the deeper keel to Almeda quite a few years ago for the previous owner. The pieces attached to the keel are the lead ballast relocated from the bilges. She has a reduced transom tumble home but the bow and hull lines look identical to Mapuna (first photo below ex Mark).

Mark is keen to hear peoples thoughts re comparing Almeda and Mapuna with Tarata, also by J Brooke. Tarata is rather deeper in the forard sections, no doubt to provide the buoyancy required to offset the forward mounted engine in the smaller hull. (Refer second photo below, also ex MarK). https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/11/21/tarata/


So woodys – thoughts, comments, opinions ?

Harold Kidd Input – There was a strong connection between Snow Waters and Jack Brooke, witness SCOTT COLVILLE. Robert Brooke worked for Snow about this time and will know exactly what the story is about these designs.

Yesterdays winner of the Off Center Harbor cap was – John Hunter, with the answer Lady Ellen

Mapuna
Tarata

Chantal – Sailing Sunday

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Chantal – Sailing Sunday

Chantal was designed, and built in 1981, by Denis Brown, in the Bay of Islands. LOA 8.24m, DWL 7m, Beam 2.1m, Draft 0.9/1.9m Displ 2,450KG 

A 3/4 rig, double ended, centreboard, sloop, that is easy to sail single handed, and very quick in light air. Great for cruising, as the shallow draft with the board up, gives you more options for exploring and anchoring. Fun to race as she is pretty efficient up wind, and has very low drag on a reach. Sailing photos taken during the 2017 Tall Ships Classic Invitation Race.

Constructed in Radiata Pine and Kahikatea, opposing diagonal 4.5mm laminated  planking, outer sheathing 5mm lamination longitudinal. Everything well soaked in West System Epoxy. Centrecase fabricated in 6mm mild steel plate, which holds 1200KG of lead ballast. Centreboard is solid Kauri. Shaft tube and bearing setup for a small inboard motor, which we installed back in 2000 and removed again in 2001.

Sleeps 4 comfortably, and while space is fairly tight the arrangement feels generous. Single burner gas stove, storage space for a medium sized chilly bin and jerry cans for water. Torches and candles for lighting, and a chemical toilet. A very simple set up.

(details & photos ex owner – Bruce Mitchinson)

WIN AN OFF CENTER HARBOR CAP

All correct answers to the question below, go into the draw to win an OCH cap. Enter via email only at waitematawoodys@gmail.com Closes 8pm 13-12-2020

Q – Name Bruce Mitchinson’s classic launch

SCROLL DOWN TO YESTERDAYS STORY – STARTED OFF WITH ONE OLD PHOTO, MORPHED INTO AN AMAZING RESTORATION STORY 🙂

Classic Woody Weekend At Patio Bay – 60+ Classic Wooden Boat Photos

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The Big Winner On The Day – the Duder Family on Spray – 1st Across the Line
A visitor from Hawkes Bay

Classic Woody Weekend At Patio Bay – 60+ Classic Wooden Boat Photos


As you will have come to expect, the first weekend in December sees the CYA hosting the annual Patio Bay weekend, for some reason in recent years its morphed into a potpourri of events – these days its – the CYA Xmas party, a cake competition, a motor boat poker rally and what it always was – a yacht race down to the bay for a old school waterfront BBQ. A little busy these days but it seems to work 🙂

This year was the first visit since the ownership of the property changed hands from the Woolicott family (100+ years) to Mike Mahoney. It was comforting to hear Mike talk of their feature plans that include continuing the event.


New to the programme this year was a poker run rally for the CYA launches. Skippers collect a playing card from 5 collection on route and then play a round of poker ashore to determine the winner. The event was sponsored by The Slipway Milford. Winners below:

First Across The Line – Gay Dawn – Mark & Pricilla MacDuff – Burnsco voucher + wine

Poker Run Winner- Kumi – Hayden & Linda Afford – COMPLIMENTARY SLIPWAY MILFORD HAULOUT + 4L ANTIFOUL PAINT + WW T-SHIRT

Biggest Oops (involuntary swim) – Lucinda – Jason Davies – WW T-shirt

Shoddy Boat Handling Skills – Lucille – Alan Good (wife name withheld as she was innocent) WW T-shirt
A great time was had by all and special thanks must go to everyone that helps pull the weekend together. To me it always signals the start of summer boating.

Yacht Race Results https://classicyacht.org.nz/patio-bay-mark-foy-race-results-2020/


Mahurangi Cruising Club Year Book

Most WW readers will be very familiar with the annual Mahurangi Regatta – the biggest gathering of wooden boats in NZ. The MCC also put together a year book that is a one of the best boating reads each year and perfect for on the boat over xmas. So woodys, if your looking for a self present (always the best) or being asked what you want from the kids – at $20 for 108 pages it’s a steal.

Pre-order a copy here  ngairehopwood@gmail.com Or pick up a copy in store or on-line at BoatBooks