Category Archives: Sub 28′

CLASSIC JOHN SPENCER WOODY RUN-ABOUT

Posted on by
1

CLASSIC JOHN SPENCER WOODY RUN-ABOUT

Todays woody gets to be on WW because its just so cute – as Harold told me once re classic wooden boats “dear boy do not be under any illusion, it is a beauty contest” .

What we learn from her recent tme appearance is – designed by John Spencer, launched in 1960, 16’ 5” in length powered by a40hp Mercury outboard. I wonder who built her, most likely a home / DIY project.

Home is Kaitaia, Northland so hopefully someone in the BOI buys her.

 BUDGET BOAT BLING

There is a secret to buying well on trade me , I have bought ace clinker dinghies for $200 and an embarrassing amount of bronze hardware for next to nothing.

The waitematawoodys Slipway Milford car boot sales are also legendary.

Aside from the clinkers I think this weeks buy is the best to date. A pair of bronze/chrome 1/2 vents for $25. A quick clean up with a scotch pad and WD40 and almost like new. Have I a need for them ? – of course not, but better in my glory box than sold for scrap. 

The reason for the bottle of wine in the photo below (size comparison) is when I told Jason Prew what I’d bought and the price, his reply was “I bet they are 1” high and from a model boat kit” if I’m honest I was concerned when the seller wouldn’t answer my question re what size they were (post buying) 🙂

A 1900’s WOODEN SETTLERS LAUNCH AT PAEROA

Posted on by
Reply

A 1900’s WOODEN SETTLERS LAUNCH AT PAEROA

Todays very cool photo comes to us from Lew Redwood via the ’Thames Historic Pictures’ fb page.

The location Is the Junction Wharf, Paeroa and its dated 1907.

I hope I’m correct when a say the small motorboat in the foreground is what was back then referred to as a ’Settlers Launch’. Todays equivalent would be a Toyota HiLux Ute.

Harold Kidd once told me an approx. figure for the number of these Settler Launches built in the 1900>1930 period, the exact number has slipped thru the cracks in my grey matter but it was I think (starting to sound like Ken Ricketts…..) +/- 5,000.

CLASSIC 1920’S PICNIC BOAT – LADY BETH 

Posted on by
Reply
LADY BETH 2026

CLASSIC 1920’S PICNIC BOAT – LADY BETH 

At the recent 2026 Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat weekend one of the stand out craft was LADY BETH, a 23’ picnic / day boat, builder unknown. I was surprised with her build date as she had a ‘new build’ level of presentation.

Today thanks to the LRC&WB team we get to learn more about LADY BETH’s past and how she ended up my pick of the 2026 parade.

LADY BETH, formerly named HIDDEN AGENDA, was first used in Whakatane as a picnic and tour boat. She then moved to Napier and was used in the same way until she was to be found on Lake Taupo, moving to Lake Rotoiti about 40 years ago. Purchased by the current owners in April 2018, she underwent a major  20 month refit at Alan Craig’s boatyard where she was transformed into the very beautiful classic wooden boat she is today. She is named after Lady Beth Moore, (mother of her co owner), who was born the same year the launch was and loved the lake since coming on her honeymoon in 1942.

Her inboard has been replaced by a 9.9hp outboard in a concealed well.  The glass house is made of teak and a teak bowspit and duckboard were fitted with stainless anchor and remote windlass. During restoration it was noted she originally had 2 portholes each side, not just the 1. So stainless ones were imported from Italy. 

CLASSIC MASON SPORTS CLIPPER RUNABOUT – RAROA

Posted on by
Reply

CLASSIC MASON SPORTS CLIPPER RUNABOUT – RAROA

This 23′ woody recently popped up on tme and immediately caught my eye — helped in no small part by the great photography and those postcard-perfect backdrops.

Built in 1966, RAROA presents as a very well-sorted example of the Mason Sports Clipper style. She’s beautifully finished and comes with one very practical bonus – she’s trailerable. That means no marina fees and the freedom to tow her to wherever the water (and weather) looks best.

At 23’ she strikes that sweet spot between classic elegance and modern usability. 

Power comes from a Chevrolet blueprint 383 V8, pushing out a serious 405hp. Top speed would have to be well and truly off the dial. The engine alone reportedly cost around $50k, which tells you straight away this is not an entry-level woody.

This is a complete package that has the woody wow-factor.

2026 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE + PICNIC – Report. 140 photos

Posted on by
3

PARADE 🔻

PICNIC 🔻

LADY BETH

2026 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE + PICNIC – Report. 140 photos

As the photos will quickly confirm, Saturday 7 February delivered near-perfect conditions for the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Association’s annual gathering. While the event unfolds over four days, it’s the Saturday on-the-water get-together that remains the undisputed highlight.

From a photographer’s point of view, wall-to-wall sunshine and tricky angles don’t always play nicely with timber and varnish. So, if I’ve missed your boat or the images aren’t quite showroom-perfect, my apologies — I was doing my best to keep up with a lot of very good-looking boats.

The day naturally divides into two acts: the Parade, followed by the Picnic. A few familiar regulars were absent this year, but they were more than ably replaced by some truly stunning “new” additions to the fleet, making for an impressive and varied lineup on the water.

Sit back, enjoy the gallery, and soak up a little Lake Rotoiti magic. As always click photos to enlarge.

Special thanks to David & Glenys Wilson for the generous loan of a boat for the day 🙂

CLASSIC MASON CLIPPER RUNABOUT

Posted on by
2

CLASSIC MASON CLIPPER RUNABOUT

As the WW early birds read todays story I will heading down State Highway 1 to attend the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Festival. 

Therefore its only appropriate that todays classic craft is a 1967 25’ Mason Clipper. Good looks and breeding let me overlook that her hull is the evil f/glass.

Powered by a 250hp Yamaha 4-stroke outboard one would assume she can lift her skirt and run rather fast 🙂 Thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up.

If you couldn’t make it to the lake today – check out WW Monday for a photo gallery / parade report.

SERIOUSLY – DID I READ THAT CORRECTLY…….

You have worry when you read the criteria for boat selection at an Australian (Victoria) Classic Boat Rally – “ If its older that 25 yrs, of historical value or of classic design”

True classics must be few and far between over the ditch to have craft built in 2000 labeled CLASSIC.😎

TODAYS THE DAY – LAKE ROTOITI COMES ALIVE WITH 70+ CLASSIC BOATS 

WAS THIS MAHURANGI REGATTA OUR BEST CLASSIC WOODY EVENT EVER

Posted on by
2

WAS THIS MAHURANGI REGATTA OUR BEST CLASSIC WOODY EVENT EVER

As some of you will be aware todays Mahurangi Regatta was cancelled sadly for all the right reasons – the safety of our craft and people must always come first.

So today we flash back to 2020 , the biggest and best classic woody weekend on record – check out below and enjoy a vicarious regatta 🙂 https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/01/28/mahurangi-weekend-biggest-on-the-water-wooden-boating-event-down-under-200-classic-wooden-boat-photos/

Race start off RNZYS / Westhaven > Orakei and return > RNZYS

MYSTERY LAKE TAUPO CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH 

Posted on by
2

MYSTERY LAKE TAUPO CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH 

Todays craft appeared in the September 1955 edition of Sea Spray magazine. All we know is home was Lake Taupo and she was 25’ x 8’ x 2’3”, with a round bilge, professionally built from kauri, slept 4. And was powered by a ’near new’ Scripps V8 engine.

Must have been a zoom zoomed back then. I’m sure Paul Drake will help out with more intel.

(photo and details ex Sea Spray via Ken Ricketts)

MYSTERY 20’ SOUTHERN CLINKER WOODEN BOAT

Posted on by
Reply

MYSTERY 20’ SOUTHERN CLINKER WOODEN BOAT

Last week WW was contacted by a Christchurch based gent named Mat Pascoe regarding a 20’ clinker craft he had just acquired.

Mat was hoping that the WW readers could help either confirm what he has been told about the craft and / or learn more.

Mat advised he purchased the old girl for $1, with the intention of getting her floating again. The lady Mat brought it off had no confirmed history, her dad was storing it possibly for someone and he passed away leaving the property it was at to her in his will and she wanted it gone asap.

At the time of purchase it was based in Kaiapoi. The river there was a working port up till the 1970’s  so Mat thinks maybe it worked out of there. The seller also seemed to think it came from Sumner, it could have been tied up in Moncks Bay but she said she was just guessing at something her dad told her years ago. 

As far as can be observed the hull is all native timber and it is all copper rove and rivets. The cabin may have been made later as it is possibly pine and plywood. Mat questioned if she may have been a fishing boat at some time. It’s fitted out with a single cylinder diesel. Possibly Dolphin brand but Mat can’t find any info on them making diesels. (Mat is by trade a diesel mechanic)
Mat has had a good dig around and scraped a bit of paint off in the places where you would expect a name would be and has not found anything. 

Mat is 100% she was originally open topped with maybe a small deck at the bow and stern. He can see a change in the wood work in these areas where the cabin has been fitted. Probably explains why it is so narrow in the beam. Mat commented that a lot of the center line is made up of short lengths of timber scraped together as we. It’s like it was just built from what was around.

So Southern woodys – anyone know more about the boat or recognise her.

TANIWHA 1950’S QUEENSTOWN LAKE RUN-ABOUT

Posted on by
1

TANIWHA 1950’S QUEENSTOWN LAKE RUN-ABOUT

Earlier in the week WW was contacted re the above c.1950’s wooden lake day boat – TANIWHA. Her owner was having to move the craft from Queenstown to Dunedin and had an insurance question.
They commented that she has been in a watertight garage since the late 1990s/early 2000s where the conditions are bone dry. 

It is believed that the craft hasn’t been near Lake Wakatipu since about the same era. The photo are all from the same period.

The run-about was home built by the owners grandfather and father.

It’s a long shot but do the photos ring any bells from the past. TANIWHA was quite a looker so should have been a memorable sight, so fingers crossed.

UPDATE – THEY SUCCESSFULLY REMOVED HER TODAY AFTER 20+ YEARS IN THE GARAGE

UPCOMING EVENTS – CIRCLE THE CALENDAR