Todays woody appeared in WW back in 2016 (link below) since then she has been re-powered with twin 350 Chef V8’s that give her a top speed of 30 knots – as they say if you have to ask what the consumption is – its not the boat for you 🙂 The re-power was more a de-power, the previous engines saw her topping out at 45 knots.
Ka-iwi is a 26’ Mason Clipper, built in 1968 and possibly the first twin engined one. Originally owned by the Stevenson family and used up north at their family bach. Has also done some powerboat racing in her early days. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up
29-06-2023 UPDATE ex Hamish Moore – Hamish spotted the article below in the May 1968 edition of Sea Spray magazine
We know a lot about todays woody – but no name, builder or what became of her.
What we know – possibly built in 1927, 27’ in length with a beam of 7>8’. When launched powered by a 4 cyl. Ailsa Craig engine.
Initially a family launch, she was later moved to Lake Rotorua The photo above is dated March 1932 and is when her then owner Ted Fenton obtained a license to carry fishing parties.
The photo is ex the Don Stafford collection at the Rotorua Museum and is tagged ‘ Dads Boat’. Photo and details shared by Greg Philpott.
Can we put a name and builder to her and discover what became of her.
WW Caps – low profile, 6 panel, canvas caps in the new camel colour topped with dark brown WW embroidered logo has a dash of understated style.
just click the email link here and tell me your name, postal address and number of caps required. I’ll come back to you with payment details – $38 + $6 p&p. waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Todays story was written by Richard Amery on of the Lake Rotoiti woodys. Richard has pulled together the background on the launch – Lady Glad, owned by Marcus and Jan Wilkins, and her conversion from diesel power electric – I’ll hand over to Richard now – note: slightly different layout today with the photos in the story text.
“The keel was laid in 1981 by Mr. Bill Visser attached boat builder who had settled in Tauranga and started building boats under the name Kingfisher Boats limited, in a shed where the present oil terminal at the Mount is today before moving to Omokoroa. Bill was asked by Mr. Marshall Lee to build a small tug for him to tow a barge between Matakana Island and Omokoroa for his farming operations and it was to be named “Lady Glad” after his mother.
The tug was to have a gas stove and two bunks in it. The bunks had been beautifully painted with scenes by local young artist Alice Blakely, but unfortunately they were pulled out and lost. Bill Visser was an artist with wood, and he carved the name along with the scroll and the tiller handle and also built the steering wheel which in itself is a work of art. The back deck was to have a bollard for towing mounted in the middle with the underneath area to be able to hold a farm bike and tools. This was all removed and Bill made the rear cockpit as it is now. The motor was a Yanmar 32HP diesel.
However, before her completion Mr. Lee sold the property and we purchased the Lady Glad, and Bill Visser completed her at his home workshop, hence she never got to sea, and was launched on Lake Rotoiti in 1985.
In 2022 by age 87 Marcus with Jan 86 were sick of climbing over the motor and made the decision to bite the bullet and fit her with a more compact electric motor and batteries. With the expertise of Tony Whiting, marine engineer of note from Auckland, Alan Craig boat builder and his team, Miles Harnett on boat electrics and local electrician Simon Andrew to sort out the mains electric charging system, the task provided quite a challenge for them.
The power comes from eight 6 Volt batteries weighing 400kg coupled in line to produce 48 volts. This was a little more weight than was removed, and the charging unit for these and the house battery which looks after lights, radio, auto bilge pumps etc are fitted up in the bow. The shaft thrust bearing, special coupling to motor and mounting bracket etc central and the redesign of rudder, keel and propellor are all part of the team’s combined thoughts and expertise that went into this conversion.
The shaft thrust bearing, special coupling to motor and mounting bracket etc central and the redesign of rudder, keel and propellor are all part of the team’s combined thoughts and expertise that went into this conversion.
Lady Glad’s heart transplant is now completed with the Combi inboard 10kw electric motor with a Combi Inboard 10 kW electric motor made in Holland, the home country of her designer and builder.
We are delighted with the result, and along with a new cockpit and cabin layout has transformed Lady Glad into a lovely comfortable easy to use craft.
Marcus and Jan say thanks to ‘the Team’. “
Note:Available now for sale in excellent condition: The 32hp Yanmar Diesel engine, hydraulic gearbox, heat exchanger, flexible shaft coupling, bilge blower, hand & electric bilge pumps plus gauges and wiring loom- a great unit in excellent condition. Phone or Text Marcus to view 027 955 2213.
With the constant escalation of Auckland marina berth costs more and more woodys are considering a craft that will fit in the garage / driveway. Today we have a peek at a unique 18’ runabout that started life in the early 1960’s at the Devonport Naval Base in Auckland.
The story goes that there were two boats built to the same design – the first boat was (possibly) built to take the Queen Mother fishing on Lake Taupo, in the early 1960s, and the second for old family friends of the current owner, they had a house at Rainbow Point, Taupo. The boat was fitted with a Volvo Penta Stern drive. The colour of the block (bronze) suggests it was either the first or second stern drive ever imported. When the house at Rainbow Point sold – the current owner bought the boat of the family. It had sat under cover for 60 years odd – she was as dry as a bone. Her new owner, a highly skilled furniture restorer commenced a restoration that included – engine reconditioned, new exhaust manifold, complete rewire, new upholstery, 1,000 hours on the woodwork and paintwork, new covers. An amazing project that accumulated with the craft winning ‘Best Presented Boat’ at Aucklands Outboard Boating Club (OBC). Power is from a 1962 Volvo 75hp stern drive (petrol)
Sadly her owner isn’t a boatie and has only used the runabout 4 times in the last 4 years so the hunt is on for a new custodian. (Thanks to Lindsay McMorran) for the tme heads up)
Recently I was sent a link to an article that appeared in the New Zealand Geographic magazine back in 2000 – in fact issue 45 , Jan-March. The article was headlined – GRACE UNDER FIRE, written by Vaughan Yarwood with supporting photos from the late Henry Winkelmann and more recent photos ex Hamish Ross and Paul Gillbert.
The stars of the article is the 42’ 1908 Logan built gaff rigged cutter – Rawene, and her then skipper Russell Brooke.
This is a brilliant insight into the early days of boating in and around Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour, I’m sure there will be some mix ups re dates, skipper/craft names but overall we get to see and read the history of these magnificent craft, a lot of which are still sailing today.
Have a read, its only 10>15 minutes, longer if if you linger over the photos 🙂 – even a die-hard motorboat owner like myself found it a fascinating read.
WW was recently contacted by Carol Jukes who is researching her late fathers fishing trawler – Pup, I’ll let Carol tell the story, below.
“My Father George Hemsley purchased the fishing trawler ‘PUP’ about 1933 from Akaroa, he fished out of Lyttelton with his friend Peg Gillard. Her registration number was LN 27. Pup was 25’ x 7′ x 3’ 6”. I have been able to follow the Pup’s life off and on to the present day, she is now on Stewart Island and has been so for the last few years. Along the way she had a name change and is now known as ‘TOPAZ’. At some time she was badly crushed by a boat in Dunedin, the damage was so severe that it must have been recorded at the time, unfortunately not having a date for this accident I have not been able to find a record of the event. A few years later the sad state of this boat was seen by a sympathetic boatie who bought her, and over the years did a fantastic repair job on her. Pup / Topaz was given a new lease on life. This boat must be around 100 years old.
I have managed to get some information from Papers Past, but there are holes in that. She was called into do a few heroic things so of course they are recorded.
I also have the name of the present owner and have spoken to the person who rebuilt her and have some photos of the rebuild, looking at the photos I think most people would have taken one look and run, I gather it had been sitting in it’s sad state for a few years before he bought it. I take my hat off for the rebuild. It’s actually a funny story, after my Dad died eleven years ago my brother took his ashes to Stewart Island, he decided to go for a ride on one of the boats there, he mentioned to the skipper about Dad’s boat, on the way back in this skipper pointed to a boat and said to David is this your Dads boat? As you can imagine David nearly fell overboard in shock because it was Dad’s boat, renamed Topaz.
It is since this incident that I have followed up and tried to find more about her history because at the time we knew nothing other than Dad had owned her. I am working away on a book on his life and this will be part of it.
Any information on this boat Pup / Topaz would be very much appreciated.”
In the first photo we see Pup on the dry dock c.1934 with owner George Hemsley. Photo two is her then named Topaz, after repairs.
UPDATE 15-06-2023 Photo below supplied by Carol Dukes
Todays woody was built c.1960, carvel planked, 24’ in length and powered by a Lister 50hp diesel engine. And that folks is the some total of what we know about her.
She is up for sale on tme by the Seaview Marina, Wellington, to recoup unpaid costs.
The interior doesn’t quite match the exterior in terms of presentation but could be a low cost buy for someone. Last time I looked the highest bid was around $1k. Closes Tuesday late afternoon.
Anyone know more about the launch – almost differently had a name change since 1960.
NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show 2023 (Nelson Lakes)
Today thanks to the camera of Michael Brownee we get to take in the amazing woody craft and spectacular scenery at Lake Rotoiti, South Island for the 2023 NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show that was recently held (March 4>5)
Michael has captured the essence and spirit of the event beautifully , if he not a professional photographer , he should be 🙂
I attended the show 3>4 years ago and it should be on every woodys bucket list.
Last month I bombarded you with a several photo galleries of the 2023 Australian Wooden Boat Festival. As part of the wrap up of the festival, the organising crew have pulled together a 3min short film that utilises a lot of aerial film footage. The video gives us a wonderful overview of the festival, the Hobart harbour and waterfront – if there is any saw dust in your blood – Hobart February 2025 needs to be circled on your calendar. As festival director – Paul Stephanus says “This festival is one of a kind” . And its the largest event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and surprise surprise woodys – its free, no charge – we like that.
Find a comfortable chair and prepare to be wowed.
TIP: To enlarge screen size – scroll over the screen above and click on the icon I have highlighted below
“Dad had a pretty good memory and for many years we asked him to write his memories down, at last he and I got cracking. Dad grew up in Lyttelton and the sea was a great part of his life. The Sanders Cup left a lasting impression on him, the article on HUIA and the Sanders Cup was taken from his book (Just George). His love of the sea continued all of his life and at one time he was the proud owner of Cherub #1. Like the owner who gave HUIA a new lease of life, Dad did the same for Cherub #1. My Brother David and I were also keen yachties
Unfortunately my photos of the HUIA sailing in the Sanders Cup leave a lot to be desired, I would be interested if anyone has a good copy as I am in the process of updating Dads book, I am now up to the chapter of the HUIA and the Sanders Cup and that’s how I came upon the waitematawoodys site when I put HUIA into the Google search engine. Thank you for your interest.”
Extract Below From George Hemsley’s Memories (2.8.1913 > 29.7.2010)
It was the year 1939 when my Brother Bill Hemsley’s yacht “Huia” the Canterbury representative won the Sanders Cup. This event was sailed on Bluff Harbour with the first race starting on the 20th January. She was skippered by W A Tissiman with the crew of Bill Hemsley, S Sillars and H Brodie.
Her placings were as follows:-
Race #1 – Third
#2 – First
#3 – Huia did not start as she was unable to reef:-
#4 – second or third
#5 – First
#6 – First
HUIA wins the Sanders Cup.
“The Sanders Cup” yes it would seem that salt-water activities create bad feelings between yachties. Take the “Americas” cup today, what do we have, well when I was still at school the “Sanders Cup” was the same as the “Americas Cup” capable of stirring up the people of New Zealand to great enthusiasm between each province that competed. The reason that I do remember because my brother Bill (William Roy Hemsley) had bought the 14 footer HUIA.
Now in Lyttelton we had a man that built these 14 footers they had to be the exact measurement set down to fit a mould and no excuses for any mistakes. Mr Fred Dobbie was the man who built most of these 14 footers. Well brother Bill’s yacht was built by a different builder – from memory his name was Dick Tredenick.
It came time to race to determine who was to represent Canterbury – it was sailed in Lyttelton. To the best of my knowledge Huia won the first three races outright, so was the winner, but no they had to sail another three races, which she also won, now she had won six out of six races, but they the ”opposition” was determined that a Dobbie built boat was going to go, so they counted another three races which HUIA refused to enter and another boat was the winner of the next three races. This caused bad feeling especially when Brother Bill was asked to lend his set of sails to send the other boat away.
However the next year when HUIA again won the races there was no doubt. The HUIA did represent Canterbury for the 1939 Sanders Cup and did win the Sanders Cup for her province. The racing was held in Bluff with Bill Tissiman as skipper.
Between 1921 and 1946 Canterbury won the Sanders Cup 9 times, with the racing being sailed in Lyttelton 5 times and between 1921 & 1946. There was no racing during the war years of 1942-43-44 and 45.
I remember reading about a rowing race that was held for the visiting reporters as well, before the commencement of cup racing. I don’t know if this was always the case but the race in question was 1928 at Stewart Island. This caused a great deal of hilarity as well and was fiercely contested. Boats of supporters followed each reporter yelling encouragement to them and the opposite to the opposition. I do wonder if the same spirit is still as evident today.
06-03-2023 INPUT BELOW EX ROBIN ELLIOTT
Bit of an essay here but …. it’s complicated
Recollections are tricky things and although correct by and large, several seasons in your father’s memoir, 1936-1939, appear to have been conflated into one major story. I recommend a serious trawling of Papers Past to straighten out the kinks.
As unfair as it sounds, it was not uncommon for Sanders Cup committees to ‘swap out’ crew, or sails from one winning boat onto their chosen representative, such was their desperation to be successful. Many skippers angrily resented this practice and refused to comply with requests to turn their boat over to their Sanders Cup Selection committee to have the best bits pinched off it. Here is the justification.
Huia also suffered from being regarded as ‘an old boat’. Back in 1924 R. Tredennick and Fred Dobby built Pioioi, Dobby’s first 14-footer, which was wrecked during its maiden race. It seems that 8 years later, rather than go back to Fred Dobby for a new boat, Tredennick may have used these 1924 moulds to build Huia. She was often referred to as a Dobby boat ‘built by Tredennick’.
Either way, Huia was launched in November 1932, carried sail number X-7. She did little of note until sold to Bill Hemsley around 1935 who installed Sanders Cup winning skipper Elliot Sinclair on the helm. She was suddenly a very competitive boat.
This caused a problem for Sanders Cup selectors because Canterbury had won the previous 4 contests in the newer Dobby-built boats, Avenger and Irene. The Huia design, if from the Pioioi moulds, would have been over 10 years old, and amateur built at that. Maybe too much risk?
The committee selected a proven winner, the Dobby-built Avenger, put Huia’s Eliot Sinclair on as skipper with one of his crew and two of Avenger’s normal crew.
Avenger won the 1936 Sanders Cup so it was all seen as justifiable in the end.
It is unclear when Bill Hemsley sold Huia, possible as early as 1937. For the 1936/37 Sanders Cup Trials he sailed with Bill Tissiman on Colleen, won selection and was Canterbury Rep that season, coming a close second to the winner Lavina from Wellington.
In the 1937/38 season Huia was sailed by R. Hendry, and in 1938/39 Bill Tissiman was on the helm when she won selection for the 1939 Sanders Cup at Bluff.
It doesn’t look like Bill Hemsley was in the crew of Huia that season. He may have accompanied the group to Bluff but he was not selected as crew.
Just to complicate matters, I have a copy of the Wheatley & Reid’s Sanders Cup book which has, facing page 169, a ‘photo of the crew of Huia’ at Bluff 1939 (the same as your ‘crew of Huia’ photo above).
X-class historian, the late Murray Stark has noted on my copy of the book, ‘Facing page 169 NOT the 1939 crew’ and lists the crew as per the Papers Past articles above.
I suspect that the ‘crew photo’ is that of Colleen from 2 years earlier with Bill Hemsley in the crew.
You may find more details in a trawl of Papers Past.
Whoever owned Huia sold her to W. Pool of Akaroa in 1941 and she was still racing with the Akaroa Sailing Club as late as 1948.
My Canterbury contact (the late Graham Mander who raced many times at the Akaroa Regattas) was fairly sure she had been converted to a runabout in the late 1950’s early 60’s.
It seems unlikely (though not impossible) that she is the X-class Huia since restored and appearing on the earlier Woodys post.
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