The Wooden Boat Centre – A Peek Behind The Door Today we have a short video, narrated by Paul D’Olier from The Wooden Boat Centre in Franklin, Tasmania. The video #2 in a series is titled ‘The Boat Builders’ and show cases the courses being run at the centre. I have listed below a link to the another in the series – wonderful images and words, do check them out.
The videos are bought to us by the good folks at The Australian Wooden Boat Festival, if you haven’t already , put a line in the diary for 10>13 Feb 2023, this event is a serious bucket list item for all woodys.
Today’s photos of the Mullet Boat L16 were sent to me by Cheryl Hill who was having a lock-down tidy-up and came across a collection of sailing photos that belonged to her father Ian Hill. Cheryl doesn’t know whether the yacht was a family boat or just one that one of her Dad’s mates owned.
The top photo was tagged – ‘Tiri Passage Easter’ and may have been 1947.
Jason Prew pointed me in the direction of the Ponsonby Cruising Club’s 2000>2001 Year Book, which had a ‘Mullet Boat Register’ at the back and the sail # L16 is alongside the 22′ Mullet Boat named – Rahiri. So we have confirmation Rahiri was still on the scene in the early 2000’s.
Can any of the Muttet Boat crowd enlighten Cheryl as to Rahiri’s past and present where-abouts ?
I was sent the above photo by Gary Stanborough whose family owned the 32’ Des Townson designed and built yacht Starlight from 1978 to 2016, so any other namesake boats would always catch our attention.
Gary took the photo in 1984 in Woody Bay, Rakino Island but knows nothing of the history of this salty looking old timer. She’s tied alongside another fishing boat. Does anyone know of her past or what’s become of her? Reg # is AK14333.
A great example of the amazing work the Rakino Island residents have been doing on the planting front.
LOCK-DOWN GARAGE SALE
One of our followers is using the enforced lock-down to clean out a home workshop.There are a few bits and pieces up for grabs and a project boat that never got finished, but it’s very close to being done though. It looks to be around 14ft, and a sailing and rowing skiff. Design is called a Phoenix 3. Comes with a rig and centre board but not the trailer. Offers around $500 will see the boat oft a new owner.Plus a woodworkers tool cabinet & a few misc. tools Drop me an email if you are interested waitematawoodys@waitematawoodys
The Thames Traditional Boat Festival is one of the woody events on my bucket list and today thanks to Olaf Wiig we get to vicariously check out last weekends event.
Olaf commented that as long as it is made of wood or riveted steel it is welcome at the festival. No 1950 cut off here 🙂
Olaf’s highlight was – Islanda, see spec sheet on her below. Enjoy the varnish 🙂
We have had examples of ’small’ boat builder John Bullivant’s work on WW before, I use the term small because to tag John a model maker would be very inappropriate – the man is very talented.
Today’s boat – Flareline was built by John over a 12 month period, based on his memories and photos of a full size sister ship that he owned a number of years ago. She measures 31’ LOA and is powered by a jet propulsion unit, check out the electronics.
Part of her set up sees her emitting engine smoke and water from the stern drive + she is wired for sound – engine starting & running noise. There is full interior lighting, working nav lights and even illuminated instrument dials on the dash.
Check out the link below to view a pre launching video of her being towed by an SUV https://youtu.be/hs6-DmBKRHM (photos, video and details ex John Bullivant and Ken Ricketts)
Back in late 2020 woody Barrie Abel contacted me to update me on a new addition to his fleet, Barrie owns the classic launch – Matira, photo below. Barrie had just purchased a 1965, 16’ Sea Craft clinker run-about named Touchwood. We first saw her in the flesh when Barrie piloted us up the Wairoa River to the Clevedon Cruising Club.
Fast forward to 2 weekends ago and Barrie was back on piloting duties, this time the clinker had received some TLC and was looking very smart – refer photos above.The Sea Craft woodys are very much in demand these days as they offer a very affordable classic wooden boating experience, with the advantage of being able to taken home and care for it.
Steamboats at Hipango Park Back in February Russell Ward was twisting my arm to join him and a group of steamboat enthusiasts on a trip on the Wanganui River for a meet up at Hipango Park. The park is only accessible by boat, and is a tranquil rest point for kayakers and people making a day trip in a boat up the Wanganui River. I can’t remember my excuse but I missed a great weekend in early March.
In the 2nd photo above we see three steamboats rafted up at the upper part just below the steamer Dancer, They are Romany, Janice and Gypsy –all 3 boats once owned or owned by Russell. Russell reports that Janice and Gypsy are now in the hands of devoted owners who obviously enjoy polishing brass and copper. Gypsy has infected more people with steam enginitas (as Pete Culler said “don’t go near it or you’re hooked” than any other boat 🙂
Russell had promised to pen some copy around the weekend, but life got in the way – so today is a photo essay. Photos ex: Russell Ward, Phil Pollero and Chris Rabey
Mystery Woody – Lake Okataina Today’s woody popped up on Richard Wooders fb. All we know is the location – Lake Okataina, the date – c.1954 and the name of the photographer – John McFayden.
It must have been a very impressive run-about back in the 1950’s. Can anyone ID the boat for us? There was speculation it may have been in charter.
For the overseas WW readers, Lake Okataina is the northern most and largest of 4 small lakes lying between Lake Rotorua and Lake Tarawera in the Bay of Plenty region of NZ’s North Island.
HERITAGE BASIN UPDATE Following on from yesterdays pink elephant in the room CYA story – I have never had so many emails and txts concerning a WW story – 99% supporting the call for a review of the vessel eligibility policy for the new Heritage Basin classic marina (if you missed the story, scroll down).
I would like to clarify something – I am a passionate believer in the CYA and its right of place in the classic boating movement. It just concerns me that as a group we are all equal and there is no inequity around what vessel you own or do not own, at the end of the day, it is all about the boats, not the people.
But, sometimes strong tactics are required to bring attention to issues and believe me the proposed segregation policy isn’t what the broader CYA membership is all about. There was a lot of chat in the WW comments section yesterday – but one comment stood out from the others – the author was Simon Smith, I have reproduced his sage words below.
“Having seen a number of classic boat displays overseas including USA, Australia and England it is the VARIETY of craft being displayed that has been the attraction. Case in point is the Tasmanian Wooden Boat Festival where the range of vessels covers wooden yachts, launches, dinghies, fishing vessels, square riggers, models etc. As an owner of a wooden yacht I am drawn to all types of wooden craft on display ,NOT JUST YACHTS and thus firmly believe that to attract visitors to Auckland’s proposed display, a range of wooden craft is required and of varying ages thus highlighting the variety and influence of local designers we have produced in NZ.”
I’ll finish on an observation: Of the newly elected 9 CYA members on the executive committee – probably only one (someone might like to correct me if I’m wrong) owns a classic vessel that would ‘qualify’ for a berth in the new Heritage Basin, and guess what? Its a launch, so dam that is a 0/9 score. The first ex committee meeting could be interesting……
Some of you will be aware of the name Steve Stone – Steve is one of the founders of the uber cool weblog – Off Center Harbor that I regularly plug on WW, OCH is a subscription driven weblog that just about answers every question you would ever want an answer to concerning wooden boats and enjoying life afloat.
The team at OCH have been suffering bad from cabin fever as the USA has been savaged by Covid, so as things have eased up in terms of getting out and about – there is some serious on-the-water catch-up happening.
Steve has just started a cruise of the entire Maine Coast (refer chart below) in a 19’ open Caledonia Yawl named Howdy. Each day Steve is posting images and short video clips of the cruise on Instagram that you can follow on the bottom of the members’ home page (signed in) on Off Center Harbor. You don’t need an Instagram account to follow all that on the members home page of Off Center Harbor. And for those that aren’t OCH subscribers – you can also follow on OCH’s Instagram page directly as well, link below –
I spotted Steve wearing a waitematawoodys t-shirt, so thought I had better give his trip a plug, so far there is some very cool scenery and boat footage – so woodys check in each day and see how the 260+ mile journey is unfolding 🙂
RAINDANCE UPDATE: Following on from the TLC that RD received at the Slipway Milford, I have had Moon Engines upgrading and servicing all the bits that are bolted on – then a quick polish with WD40 – I know, no one sees it, but I know 🙂
Enter the name – Kotare (Kingfisher the bird) into the WW search box and a lot of boats will come up, seems back in the day it was a very popular name for boats.
The 25’ woody above has a genuine claim to the name as she was built by Kingfisher Boats in 1951. Fast forward to 2015 and she underwent a full refit – work included new wiring, new galley, new fuel tanks motor, new head and her engine a Nissan AL20 – 60hp diesel was rebuilt and has only done 620 hours since. Also undertaken was fully glassing her kauri hull, that included 5 coats of resin on the inside, this may get a few frowns from some quarters but you can see from the photos it saved Kotare from a beehive restoration.
At 25’ LOA, the 60hp engine gives Kotare a top speed of 13 knots (cruising at 8). I can vouch for her being a very good sea boat because her owner does the miles in her – frequently over at Great Barrier Island. With a beam of just under 6’, putting her on a trailer is an option.
I spotted Kotare recently hauled out at the Slipway Milford getting some TLC and discovered that her owner was looking for a new owner – so woodys, if you are after a very cute, easily managed and maintained boat – Kotare could be yours for +/- $25k. I know I sound like a broken record, but……….. lake boat? For more details – email waitematawoodys@gmail.com
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