Category Archives: Sub 28′

ATHENA – Next Caretaker Wanted 

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ATHENA – Next Caretaker Wanted 

Whangaroa Harbour is a spot I spend a bit of time in/around – when waiting for pickup I mooch around the marina and there is one launch – Athena, that always catches my eye – its hard not too its just so perfect. Most designers were challenged when it came to getting the lines right on a sub 30’ boat, Athena is spot on.

Her measurements are 25’ x 8’ x 1’6” and her hull is 3/4” kauri carvel planked and the decks, coamings, cabin top and bridge have all been f/glassed for weather proofing and low maintenance. Both fuel and water tanks are s/s. Sleeps 4 in a double and 2 single berths.

Powered by a Perkins 40hp 4107 engine (new in 1972, rebuilt 1991) she cruises comfortably at 7 knots. Some history – originally designed and built by Cauldrey in c.1950’s, she was rebuilt (hull up, photos below) in 1991 by her owner as a family launch with game fishing characteristics. Based in the Bay of Islands the owners lost count of the game fish landed over the last 30 years. Athena is still fully game rigged.Owned by a seriously devoted boaty, Athena is fully equipped with all the safety gear for coastal cruising.

We have been tasked with finding a new owner for this very salty looking classic woody – for more details on Athena – contact the Wooden Boat Bureau c/o waitematawoodys@gmail.com

1992 – 1st Marlin caught

Caberfeidh – Where Is She

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CABERFEIDH – Where Is She?

Several years ago the classic powerboat – Caberfeidh was bought to my attention by Shawn Vennell, who was attempting to put a price / value on her. 

Caberfeidh at the time was owned by Lindsay Barron whose father, Tom, kept Caberfeidh  in a berth at the Kinloch marina. He used the boat for fishing on Lake Taupo, where the family had a crib (bach). She was also used for big game fishing at Russell in the Bay of Island every year, leaving from Tauranga. So the Caberfeidh had many trips out to sea  in the early days.  

At the time I was talking with Shawn the boat hadn’t been on the water for approximately 8 years. It has always been kept in a large boat shed. Designed and built in 1967 by Dick Smith in Tauranga- a master builder and of a style that is recognised as a Dick Smith boat.Wooden/ply hull with fibreglass matt skin, inlaid mahogany transom – 5 meters in length.Inboard/outboard Volvo Penta motor.

So woodys – todays question is – what became of Caberfeidh? Hopefully still on the lake.

Classic Woody Runabout

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CLASSIC WOODY RUN-ABOUT

Todays woody is a John Spencer Rocket and was built in the 1950’s and has only ever had fresh water use (Lake Taupo), and shed stored.

She is 14’ in length and powered by a Johnson 25hp outboard (1985) and if you believe tme it has only done 30 hours.

Anyone looking for an entry level woody fir the lakes or at the bach?

WOODYS CLASSICS CLEVEDON BBQ CRUISE – I will be sending out details on NEXT weekends (21-22/05) overnight cruise via email tomorrow to the skippers that have RSVP’ed – keep an eye on you email inbox 😉

Majeika

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MAJEIKA 

The 26’ triple skin kauri launch – Majeika is thought to have been built c.1965 by Shipbuilders. A Nissan 88hp LD28 diesel gives Majeika a topped of 12 knots, but cruise speed is 7>8 knots.

After 17 years of ownership her ownership its time for a new custodian and thanks to tme we get to have a peek down below 🙂

Strolling The Warkworth River Dock

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Strolling The Warkworth River Dock

A couple of weeks ago Leane Barry was strolling the river front at Warkworth town when she came upon the collection of woodys above. The Jane Gifford looking as smart as ever and I assume on her home berth. The interesting addition to the docks was the two steam launches – possibly an upcoming event? Not that you would know, those boys keep things very tight 🙂

04-05-2022 Input from John Olsen – Kotare was built by Paul Eaton while he was living near Whenuapai, to a set of plans by Selway Fisher, now available from them as “Golden Bay”. Paul has semi-retired to the Wanaka area, and felt that Kotare was too much boat for one person to handle so has passed her on to the Auckland Steam Boat Association, where Daniel Hicks is taking care of her. . She is I think 26 feet overall, although the plans are available for 23 or 26 feet. Strip planked and glassed. She was built over much the same time period as Dancer with much discussion between myself and Paul over progress and ideas for details. The extra length in Dancer makes it just possible to sleep on board, which is nice. (Neither Dancer nor Kotare is necessarily actually completely finished even now.) Paul is probably right about one person not being able to handle her. Dancer takes two and at times like docking an extra would be nice. Especially when I fell in up the Waihou a couple of weeks back, leaving my wife aboard ready to drift off down river…. Kapanui is an older boat, I am not sure what the origins of the hull were but Alan Brimblecome had her for a long time and may have been the one to put the steam plant in her.

CYA BOAT OWNERS MEETING TONIGHT @ 7pm @ RNZYS – post all the Covid cancellations it will be interesting to hear what the stick and rag brigade are planning for next season. As for the launches – ‘same > same’ – bet it is just change the dates for the next year……….. 🙂

The Snipe > Cyndy

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The Snipe > Cyndy
A few weeks ago I was contacted by a WW follower, Greg, looking for intel on a very appealing 22’ launch named – The Snipe (or Cyndy) details below .The launch was built for a family on the Coromandel who used it to get to Auckland across the Firth of Thames. Rumour has it that it had a Ford Model A engine in the beginning, currently its sporting a Lister Petter. Originally called The Snipe, then spent may years on Lake Taupo and had a name changed to Cyndy.  It has a mast and apparently it sails quite nicely on a staysail.Greg commented she appears to be built like the proverbial brick outhouse, but in her current home e.g. a farm paddock, she will decline quickly. With her well built cabin work and a great hull shape chances are she was built by professionals, it does not have the look of a first time around build.There are less and less of the these small launches still out there and this one appears untouched / altered.Anyone able to tell us more about the launch?

30-04-2022 Input From Paul Drake – According to the Taupo Times in November 1987, SNIPE arrived at Taupo in 1985, owned by Tom Wilson. He bought her on the recommendation of a son of a previous owner. SNIPE was lying under a tree somewhere in the Coromandel at the time. She was built in Auckland in the mid 1930’s by the McLarens (says the Taupo Times). She is listed in the Collings and Bell book as being one of theirs. The James family owned her for many years. Tom Wilson did a good job of ‘doing her up’. She was at Taupo for maybe 20 years.

What Became Of The Woollacott Yacht – Jacob Don
WW has been asked to help ‘find / uncover’ the whereabouts of the yacht – Jacob Don (photo below) the 22’ John Woollacott designed yacht, built and owned by Harry Holthausen. Launched c.1961, her design was as per ’sister’ yacht – Calm. There is a great background story on the yacht and Holthausen’s sailing adventures on the Woollacott website – link below

http://www.woollacott.org.nz/Feature%20Boat.htm

Luyvon

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LUYVON 

 A few weeks ago Glenn Martin sent in the above photos of woody speed boat hibernating in Taupo. Do not want to give the location away but – near the marina.

As Glenn commented there appears to be a cool hull shape hiding under that tarp. Well thanks to a WW story back in Oct 2017 by Paul Drake we know that the hull was very quick – back in c.1935/36 she narrowly missed out on being the fasted boat on Lake Taupo – just beaten by Piri Pono. Read the story at the WW link below, make sure you also read the Comments Section – good chat there. https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/10/31/three-taupo-boats/

Thanks to Paul and Harold Kidd we know that Luyvon was designed and built by Jack Taylor and launched in November 1934. She was two skin kauri and supposedly 23ft x 7ft. On her trials she attained 25mph.

I love that its tied onto the fence post – just in case it floats away 🙂

Popeye

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POPEYE

The woody day boat Popeye last made an appearance on WW back in August 2018, at the time we uncovered a lot of history on her – see WW link to read and view  https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/08/28/popeye/

A few months ago her owner, Adrian Howitt contacted WW advising that she was most likely for sale and that he was testing the water on tme.

Popeye was built in c.1941 and started life on the Hokianga Harbour as a fishing boat. She has twice been given a birthday – back in c.1998 by Greg Lees Boatbuilders in Sandspit and in 2015 by Colin Brown Boatbuilder. 

The photos above are more recent from when Adrian gave her a ‘general spruce up’ (his words) A newish (2012) Yanmar 1GM provides the forward motion.

Nautical Car Boot Sale – This Sunday – 3rd – Sandspit Yacht Club

Seeing you have an extra hour to play with on Sunday (end of day-light-saving) why not point the car north and do a road trip to the famous SYC car boot sale – lots to see and buy + there is a live band and great coffee & food.

Sale starts at 8.30am > 10.30

Lots of other activities to do in the area, so get off the couch and head north.

WOODYS CRUISE TO CLEVEDON POSTPONED – NEW DATE TBA

100 Year Old Classic Clinker 

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100 Year Old Classic Clinker 
Back in late 2015 I rail-roaded a good friend into buying a beautiful classic clinker day boat – he lives on Waiheke Island and it was a perfect match for him. WW link to the 2015 story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/11/21/an-evill-boat/
Well as always seems to happen, life gets in the way of hobbies and the old girl just isn’t being used – so the decisions been made to pass her on to her next caretaker.

As her owner is a far better wordsmith than I am, I have reproduced the trademe listing story below:

“I am reluctantly selling my beautiful 108 year old boat. This clinker built tender/lifeboat is purported to have been built in 1914 likely by one of the Miller Bros (precursor to Miller & Tunnage est 1922) It is claimed to be one of two launched on the back of the tug “Dunedin” on Jan 6th 1914 ( see photo) 14′ length. 6′ beam. The craftsmen in Port Chalmers, where some of the finest boat-builders in NZ and their clinker built craft are amongst the most sought after collectibles around.

Powered by a single cylinder 7HP Yanmar Diesel, installed by Miller & Tunnage in 1961. It propels the craft at 6 knots and is extremely economical. Running for hours straight on a cup of diesel. The engine was last serviced in 2019 and has not run since, so it will need some TLC but should be simple to get going again as it’s fool proof. (I have a 1970 BMW D7 marine engine, semi complete with many new parts, i was going to replace the Yanmar with, that I would consider selling separately.)

It was used as a salmon boat in Port Chalmers for 30 years and then spent ten years on Lake Taupo until I bought her 7 years ago.

I used her a fair amount until 2019. The last owner told me he spent $40,000 restoring her and I can believe it. She has teak decks and posts. Huge bronze hinges and a magnificent bronze bilge pump and prop. Brass whistle and controller and anti- aircraft gun cartridge cases as rod holders! The woodwork is good for her age and the bespoke trailer is really solid. She’s a joy on the water and capable of handling any seas in safety. Extremely stable with 4 on board. Like most of its kind she lets in a little water on first entering the sea but takes up rapidly within 24-48 hrs. This is a superb piece of New Zealand seafaring history. I am looking at offers over $7,500 but it is more important to me that she goes to a good home so if you love classic boats and want to own a piece of our boat building heritage then get in touch.”

To view more photos – click here https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/boats-marine/motorboats/listing/3526252981

Kotare – Needs A New Custodian 

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KOTARE – Needs A New Custodian 

The yacht Kotare popped up on WW back in 2018 (link below) having recently changed hands, now her owner Don Fraser would like to place the yacht with someone who will  maintain and use Kotare – I’ll let Don tell the story

KOTARE – Sailing Sunday

Don Fraser here. Back in Jan 2018 you posted a mention of my little 20′ cutter-rigged 1940’s keeler ‘Kotare’, having spotted me antifouling her in Rocky Bay, Waiheke where both the boat and I reside. 

That was my 3rd (or 4th?) season of ownership, after she was gifted to me by the previous owners – who were virtual strangers but had spotted me in the bay and thought I looked a suitable candidate… reasonably handy but not rich enough to buy anything substantial for myself, I was at that time ‘custodian’ of a friend’s dilapidated trailer sailer, also moored in the bay and since passed on to my friend’s nephew. 

Since then I have only sailed Kotare a handful of times – as work and family commitments continue to expand. On my youngest leaving home last year I thought Kotare’s time had finally come for a full repaint, cutting out some rot from the ply cockpit (added by the same guy who’d converted her to a keeler) and in the topper cabin trim, and some decent sail time. But alas covid came, then my mum needed a live in carer in the city, then my wife announced we will spend the next few summers walking the length of the country.

So Kotare needs a new owner / kaitiaki. One with the skills, time and energy to attend to her ongoing maintenance – and maybe even beef up her underpowered rig a bit. She is simple and fun (if slow) to sail – the running back stays and basic cockpit all very ‘yar’ as Gregory Peck once put it. The owners before me at given her a thorough resto with red lead interior paint, fijian kauri ply floor added, and every bit of rig removed and either replaced or given a good tickle.

No money need change hands – the new owner has to just have the skills and enthusiasm to keep the old kingfisher going for another few years before they too might pass her on. Outboard not included but old 6 foot inflatable tender is. Interested parties can contact Don at fraserhoults@gmail.com