Category Archives: Sub 28′

Governor

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GOVERNOR
I got a subtle dig in the ribs yesterday that (a) I hadn’t featured anything very quick of late and (b) there had been a noticeable lack of varnish – So todays woody is a very ‘fresh’ restoration / rebuild i.e just launched (2019).
Governor started life back in the 1960’s, with the hull being built by Brin Wilson, her trademe listing comments that she was originally built following the lines of Chris Craft boats.
The project saw her totally rebuilt (in fact lengthened by 6’ – now 21’3″), glassed and a reconditioned 2016 4.3L 214hp Mercuriser TKS engine installed. One of the lake boys needs to buy her……….
Thanks to Rod Prosser for the elbow in the ribs 🙂

Mystery Marlborough Sounds Launch

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Mystery Marlborough Sounds Launch
All we know about the above launch is that she is 27’, made of kauri and has a Ford 60hp does; engine that pushes her along at 5>6 knots.
From her cabin top layout she looks like she has been used as a bach ’taxi’, most likely private use.
Can any of the Southern Woodys put a name to her and any info on her past?

 

Karakia

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KARAKIA

Karakia was designed by Roy Parris in 1968 but I suspect somewhere along the line she has been ‘altered’ a tad 😉

She measures 24’ and is pushed along by a 34hp Sole diesel engine that gives a 6.5>7 knot cruise speed.
Currently home is Lake Taupo, note the trailer pictured is not for sale, thanks Ian McDonald for the tm listing heads up. BOAT SOLD
Harold Kidd Input – KARAKIA was registered with APYMBA for the 1966-7 season to J.S.C. McLanachan of Meadowbank.

Wooden Boat Festival – 30 Wooden Boat Photos 

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Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival – 30 Wooden Boat Photos 
 
Todays photo essay of over 30 photos was captured by NZ Traditional Boatbuilding School trustee, Kere Kemp. Kere has just returned from the 2019 Festival and in Kere’s words “the festival was 3 great days of wooden boat jewellery everywhere you looked”.
 
I’ll let the pictures tell the story – remember you can enlarge a photo by click on it 😉
Enjoy
ps – nice to see the WW cap made an appearance 🙂
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RSVP– you and your boats name + approx. numbers to sueedwards@xtra.co.nz

Where and when did we go wrong

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WHERE AND WHEN DID WE GO WRONG
I just love the photos above, back then even smaller boats and boats with outboards still looked like real boats. I’d like to think that if something like these boats were around today they would be popular.
The caption on the top photo reads ’The Latest Development of Outboard Motor-Boating.  A 20ft. V-bottom cabin boat built at Tauranga for use with a large-size outboard motor’
The SeaCraft runabout photo is via Peter Murton and again shows us that even small craft can look very salty.
Next week/weekend at the Auckland Viaduct Boat Show you will see some terrible examples of companies NOT using the skills of a designer or marine architect  – but there will be some cool examples e.g. Dickey Boats from Napier seem to get it right every year 🙂
HIGHEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE EVER VIEWING waitematawoodys YESTERDAY

Interesting day yesterday, WW struggles with the UK market, despite lots of promotional activity we just can not seem to crack it. Yesterday was the biggest number of individual people ever on one day visiting the WW site, with UK visitors 2nd in numbers to NZ for the 1st time ever. Checking out the stats the WW story titled ‘Electro-Chemical Damage Update’ by Chris McMullen was the single biggest viewed page.

I can only assume that somewhere in the UK, maybe a wooden boat building school or a tech university etc told all their pupils to check out Chris’s findings – what ever the reason its great to see the WW site and Chris’s research findings getting exposure around the world 🙂

Happy Hours V13

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Photo below taken when Happy Hours was collected ready to transport to Alan Craig’s shed.

 

HAPPY HOURS V13
 
I have been contacted by Alan Craig from Craig Marine looking for he next owner of the18’ mullet boat – Happy Hours V13. 
Built by Billy Rogers in 1949 to an earlier Logan design, she was a copy of Secret  (V3) but is a much fuller boat so must have been modified during building. She was first owned by Billy Rogers’ brother in-law and then by Lieutenant Commander J. Lennox-King.
 
Happy Hours is currently sitting in one of Alan’s sheds waiting to be finished. But Alan commented that he has not been near it in a couple of years, he is a very in demand wooden boat builder and the current work schedule is very motor-boat focussed.
The yacht was acquired from the NZ Traditional Boatbuilding School before being passed on to Alan. 
I understand that Alan’s exceptions in terms of a price are not great, he is more interested in Happy Hours going to a good home.
Alan has the mast and rudder plus fittings etc for it too.
 
So woodys – anyone looking for a classic wooden boat project?
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23-09-2019 Input from Robin Elliott

Owners:
N.C. Wensor 1949?/52+?; F. Simkins 1955?/56+?; Peter & Frederick Boyle 1958+?; R.D. Wood 1959?/60+?; Lt.Cdr J. Lennox-King 1961?/68+? ; Dean Herbison 2007/16+?; Alan Craig ?/2019+?

Happy Hours was built for Noel Wensor (billy’s Bro’ in law) in 1949. Lennox-King did not own her until the early 1960’s. Dean Herbison bought her in 2007 when she was hauled out at Okahu Bay.

Maree Anne

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MAREE ANNE 
Anne Maree was built in 1950, kauri planked, 26’ in length and powered by a 3 cylinder Lister18hp Lister diesel engine.
Home port is Dargaville, Northland.
Thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads up on this woody.
That folks is all me know – anyone able to expand on her provenience ?

Des Townson  – A Sailing Legacy – Perfect Fathers Day Present – Ordering Details Below

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Des Townson  – A Sailing Legacy

Back in July Brian Peet contacted me about his latest book publishing project, Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy. Brian asked if I would like to attend the launch night, a smallish gathering in the dinghy locker at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron – of course I said yes and a few days later an advance copy of the book arrived via courier. Well that buggered my plans for that day 🙂
I later asked Brian if I could sneak a couple more onto the invite list, which happened. Then Brian lets me know that things have snow balled and the launch was now in the main ballroom at the RNZYS, things had stepped up a few notches.
Fast forward to last night and the who’s who of yachting is crammed into the Squadron. My guess would be 400+ people. Speakers were the Squadron Commodore Ian Cook, Des’s younger brother – Bill Townson and Brian Peet. Ian built six Zephyrs under Des Townson’s supervision, won the National Champs in 1980. Bill Townson is a skilled boatbuilder, yacht designer and amphibian aircraft designer/builder.
I sneaked in early any took a few photos and videos of some of the exhibits, which included a Starling, Zephyr, Mistral and a 1956 replica of Des Townson’s first commercial design Nimble. What most caught my eye, was the Townson 2.4m dinghy on display that had just been built by Allan Hooper at the NZ Traditional Boatbuilding School. Its for his own use, but if you ask me it should be should be on display somewhere. Talking to Allan I understand the school will have ‘build your own’ kits and how to classes – perfect opportunity to own a Townson.
I later filmed Brian’s talk / presentation, see below – it is a wonderful insight into how the book came about and challenges Brian had over the 10 years it took to complete it.
 
As I have said before – its a great read, buy it, you won’t be sorry – as Brian said last night – it is a “sailing book, about a sailor, written by a sailor”.
 
Enjoy the video, then buy the book – either via the website https://destownson.co.nz  or if you prefer to do a bank transfer, email Brian with your name and postal address and he will reply with bank account details – its that easy info@destownson.co.nz
 
Oops nearly forgot –  Details on how to win a copy of the book on WW, later in the week.

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Mystery Launch at Clevedon

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Mystery Launch at Clevedon

I feel that ID’ing the above photo, dated c1912,  will be a big ask, but hopefully Harold Kidd will come to the rescue 🙂
An overnight trip up the Clevedon River is on the cards for a Woodys Classics Weekend in 2020. I missed the last trip up the river so really looking forward to this one.
No one was able to ID Sundays mystery launch, so all will be revealed on Wednesday, which will include an interesting twist 😉
I saw this & being a dog owner it rang my bell – so true 🙂
DOG T Ball

Lady Jane

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LADY JANE

Lady Jane is described in her listing as a 12’5” Squirt model and while is was built in 1975, she ticks all the classic boxes.

Tucked away under a cover is a 25hp Johnson that is more than enough to make her 12’ hull fly along.

Being easily trailerable Lady Jane would make a great family fun boat for the beach or lake. Christmas is only 14 weeks away 🙂
A neibour of mine has a teak ladder 2.5m long 580mm wide (photos below) that is surplus to their needs. They are keen to sell it to someone who needs it as part of a restoration or whatever. It was in their house when they bought it so could be ex Navy, maybe it was an old engine room ladder. Anyone interested call David 021 793 439