Category Archives: Sub 28′

RESTORATION OF THE CLASSIC WOODEN EX WORKBOAT – CLYDE GS 28

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RESTORATION OF THE CLASSIC WOODEN EX WORKBOAT – CLYDE GS 28

WW has been contacted by Mark McLaughlin regarding the 25’ Roger Carey built (1949) ex workboat – CLYDE GS28. Mark’s notes below – 

“I have been following the Facebook page of Doug Johnson who is a traditional boatbuilder in Picton documenting his restoration of the lovely little Roger Carey 25ft fishing boat “Clyde”. Originally built in 1949, Doug has rescued Clyde and spent the last three and a half years on a thorough restoration which is nearing completion with launching planned for Labour Weekend. Clyde features in the book “By Boats We Live” by Roger’s daughter, Joan Clark, which recorded all of her father’s designs & builds and designs built by others. The watercolour image is by Joan from her book and shows Clyde’s original working boat configuration” 

Mark also sent in the selection of photos above from Doug’s Facebook page, and commented that there are many more photos and videos of the restoration there, link below  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084924609149  Mark tracked down a copy of the story on CLYDE in the “By Boats We Live” book from his mother down in Marlborough. Photos below.

MYSTERY 1933 MULLET BOAT

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MYSTERY 1933 MULLET BOAT

Todays outstanding classic wooden yacht photo comes to us from Heritage Images – TW Collions collection via a Lew Redwood fb post.

The photo is tagged ‘1933 Mullett boat under power Bay of Islands’, and that woodys is all we know.

To me it has a Whangaroa Harbour look to it but I’m sure I’ll be corrected 🙂

Tudor Collins was a very talented photographer and most of his work is clearly identifiable without any reference to his name. The Bay of Islands was one of his favourite locations and his collection of work is vast and just not limited to marine. In fact better known for his native bush / forest work.

Can we learn the yachts names and designer / builder.

(photo ex Toby Hyman)

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – AVALON RESTORATION UPDATE # 3

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – AVALON RESTORATION UPDATE # 3

Todays photo gallery of AVALON the 24’ 1954 Sam Ford built woody was sent in by John Dawson and is a follow up to our last update in November 2025 – WW link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/11/17/classic-wooden-launch-avalon-restoration-update-2/

Owner Tobias Forsyth has been making good progress and I love his approach to semi finishing areas while the overall project continues – I’m sure it helps with the motivation.

AVALON is a member of a very small classic wooden boating club – one family owner since new.

Lots of background on AVALON in this 2021 WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/11/29/resurrection-of-avalon/

Photo below from pre launch day.

(photo ex Toby Hyman)

KAWAU ISLAND — Idyllic Classic Times Afloat

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KAWAU ISLAND — Idyllic Classic Times Afloat

Todays very cool photo comes to us from a recent Lew Redwood fb post and is tagged – ‘Yachts & Launches at Kawau Island 1900-1916, Hocken. 

Can we ID the canoe stern launch on the righthand side, middle/top of the photo.

Its a very salty clinker dinghy, what’s the significance of the ‘4 KAWAU’ on the stern – was here a fleet back then.

😃 given the dates even K Ricketts can’t claim he was there when the photo was taken 😉

150 YEARS OF NZ SHIPBUILDING – Reference Guilde

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150 YEARS OF NZ SHIPBUILDING – Reference Guide

Released in 2012 as a compact disc (CD), by Miles Hughes and covering the period 1795 > 1945, this booklet is of epic proportions – topping out at 837 pages.  For easy of reading in todays digital world the ‘book’ is below in PDF format.

The publication contains more than 1,200 NZ shipbuilders, shipwrights and boatbuilders and includes their biographies and the names, specs and first owners of over 5,600 craft.

150 Years of New Zealand Shipbuilding_260414_080355Download


HEADS UP: WW can not vouch for the accuracy of the content and when reviewing the list of contributors , several stood out as ‘being fond of interviewing their typewriter’ i.e. they make up what they either do not know or are unsure of. So woodys best treat it as a guide 😉

WW would be interested in feed back on this guide – maybe chose a designer/builder well known to you and review the content. 

As an example below is the listing on my boat RAINDANCE, some of the content is correct and some unknown or speculation that I have been told over the last 18 years of ownership, but it is very close her provenance.

So the question of the day – is this an amazing reference tool or to use that old school english saying ‘A Load Of Pants’ ?

UPDATE – Still available in print version at Boat Books in Westhaven, Auckland.

CLASSIC WOODEN CARVEL LAUNCH – SEA CREST

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CLASSIC WOODEN CARVEL LAUNCH – SEA CREST

Todays woody comes to us from ’Kev’s Wanganui Riverboat History Page fb via Maurice Sharp.

The photo is dated 1968 and shows the 22’ travel built launch – SEA CREST, being re-launched following a 17 month restoration at the hands of Neville Fitch and Barry Sangster.  The vessel was possibly previously named LAZY EHTEL.

The venue of the event is the Wanganui River.

Can we learn what became of SEA CREST and where she might be today.

(photo ex Toby Hyman)

22ft MULLET BOAT – Sailing Sunday

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22ft MULLET BOAT – Sailing Sunday

Todays we get to view a design interruption for the 22’ Mullet Boat, as designed by R. T. Hartley. 

The design drawings appeared in Sea Spray magazine – Vol 2, No 2, January 1st, 1947.

I’m probably showing my ignorance of things without an engine – but did the design make it off the drawing board?

I’m sure Jason Prew with embarrass me 🙂

CLASSIC SOUTHERN WOODEN WORKBOATS 

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CLASSIC SOUTHERN WOODEN WORKBOATS 

Earlier in the month Glenn Martin was mooching around the South Island on a bike  (I assume motorbike) and sent in todays gallery of woody workboat photos from Bluff. 

Not all capable of heading out to sea but wonderful to see them still intact, if that was Auckland they would have made a oneway trip to the landfill years ago.

CLASSIC WOODEN 1930’s SPEEDBOAT – WINTER PROJECT

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CLASSIC WOODEN 1930’s SPEEDBOAT – WINTER PROJECT

Todays vintage woody recently popped up on tme with a $1 reserve (thanks Ian McDonald).

 Now hush my mouth but the chrome fittings would be worth buying her for. But there’s the bones of a nice lake boat there – 20’ in length, made from mahogany , stored under cover its whole life.  Designer / builder unknown.

OFF CENTER HARBOR WEBSITE

Regular WW readers will be familiar with the USA based website – Off Center Harbour, but if you aren’t already a member I would encourage you to subscribe.

A day wouldn’t go by when I do not log in to view one off the 600+ video’s from the back library – for advice, inspiration of just entertainment.

At the link below you will find a short video on what the site is all about . https://www.offcenterharbor.com/what-is-off-center-harbor-regular-join/

Below is a random collection of screen grabs showing some of the content.

CLASSIC SOUTHERN WOODEN CLINKER – BEATTIEFUL

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CLASSIC SOUTHERN WOODEN CLINKER – BEATTIEFUL

When I first sighted todays 16’, 1961 built clinker run-about I was a little startled and my first thoughts were had she started life as a project boat at a boatbuilding school were every skill / feature was explored. But as they say – beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and if you pay the bills you can do what ever you want 😉  

And she was awarded the top prize at the 2018 NZ Antique and Classic boat show at Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes. So she appeals to them southern folks 🙂

What we know about BEATTIEFUL is she was designed and built in 1961 by Jim Beattie, a kiwi boat builder based in Blenheim, and then in the mid 2000’s she was restored in Blenheim by Wayne Foley of Blenheim. Power is via a 60hp Yamaha outboard.I understand the boat changed hands at the 2026 Nelson Lakes boat show, so nice that she remain ‘local’ and presumably lake based.

(thanks Ian McDonald for the story heads up)