Category Archives: Sub 28′

Aries

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ARIES

Aries is a 26’ Roy Parris launch, launched in 1962. She has a kauri hull & mahogany topsides.

Her zoom zoom comes via a Perkins 4-108 diesel.
She is listed on trademe (thanks Ian McDonald) & while she has recently had some TCL to the cabin sides she stills require finishing off.
Her reserve (starting bid) is $500, so there could be a bargain entry level woody to be had here 🙂

Mystery Whangarei Launch

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Mystery Whangarei Launch

Today’s launch, if you believe the trademe listing (thx Ian McDonald) is a 26’ ‘Bayee Low’, built in 1960. He rhull is kauri carvel.

Zoom zoom is from a 60hp Isuzu diesel.

Do we know any more about her?

 

2018 Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition – The New Zealand Sailing Dinghy

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2018 Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition – The New Zealand Sailing Dinghy

This years Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition, hosted by Tino Rawa Trust, at Karanga Plaza in Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter, was a 3 day celebration of the New Zealand Sailing Dinghy.
The event showcased many of the successful designs that created our world class sailors & formed the backbone of your sailing clubs.
I went along on Friday morning to the opening morning tea 🙂 & rubbed shoulders with some of our wooden boating legends, these morning teas are always a special treat. We were entertained by another of Robert Brookes talks – always beautiful delivered & an entertaining insight into Auckland’s sailing past. If you have not seen Robert’s & the Brooke families latest book ‘Memories – Roads of Destiny’ (WW link below) grab a copy at Boat Books in Westhaven – its a must have / read.
I’ll let the photos tell the story of the show – enjoy.
Brooke Book Link

Matariki

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Matariki
This 16′ launch has got Lake Rotoiti written all over her. With a build year of 1973, the only reason she gets to make an appearance on WW is her very salty looks.
Her trademe listing (thanks Ian McDonald) states she was built by A. Westrupp in double diagonal timber & then glassed.
Zoom zoom is from a rebuilt MTU 30hp diesel that sees her cruising at 5 knots. Included is a road trailer, so easily re-locatable from her current home in the Marlborough Sounds.
Ps Nice ass 🙂
And below, something to watch while you are having your morning brew. The video tells the story of the re-launch of the British speedster Bluebird, its a great watch & a just shows what can be achieved when people have a vision.

Alert

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Alert HDML

Alert
Yesterday as part of the story on the HDML – Kuparu, I ran a link to Zaps Zander’s impressive blog on Navy vessels. Zaps has asked for some help from the WW readers, in the above photo we see a large white vessel rafted alongside the ferries, now some people think it is an ML (Alert Q1189) and some say not? The question of the day is – is it Alert? Zaps is pretty sure she would have been in Dunedin around the time of this photo, as the road construction behind is before 1959 when the Auckland Harbour Bridge opened.
Any one able to help out, & if its not Alert, who is it?
The photo also is a sad reminder of the fleet of awesome harbour ferries we lost, just imagine the tourist attraction if they were around these days…………….

Update from John Bullivant – below is a selection of photos of ‘Alert’. The colour photo with the ferries looks to have been  taken from a similar spot as the one you put up. Think they buried them in the early 1970’s, they were mostly cut up when I rescued some Kauri off them for wood turning.

Input from Russell Ward – more photos below, Russell believes she was used by the sea scouts in Dunedin. Later owned by Ernie Davis Mayor of Auckland. Chiseled out of him on some deal and there was a memorable photo of her on a rock in the Gulf at an impossible angle – Russell will try & find it. Russell thinks she has been updated and sold for a pittance in Dunedin and was also heard of up in Auckland (confirmed by Cameron Pollard) on offer for a lot more. Two Isuzu diesels for the zoom zoom.

 

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Input from Linus Flemin – the current skipper of the ML Alert. (Q1189)
The research I have done would also suggest that this is Alert alongside the ferries and at this time belonged to Sir Ernie Davis. Alert was one of the first HDMLs to be sold by the Navy post war 1947. Alec Black of Dunedin was the first owner who converted her for charter work.( I think Ernie purchased her around 1959) We Know she went south again around 1980 for deer recovery in Fiordland owned by Jim Kane, and has been in Bluff and Fiordland for the past 30 years. Anymore history would be greatly appreciated.
Alert is currently receiving much needed love at Kopu Marine. Photo below.
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07-10-2018 Update from owner Linus Fleming – the new photos below, in his eyes confirm that the vessel is Alert.
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Alert
Interested in reading more on all things Motor Launch, be they serving in the Navy or in civvy hands. (over 250 photo’s and 50+ stories and tech data / links to other ML pages) Check out the link below
 

http://rednaz1958.blogspot.com/2016/03/composite-list-of-hdmls-still-active.html

 
And if you are looking for eye candy – check out the link below to the 2018 Victoria Classic Boat Festival in British Columbia – stunning.
 
DON’T FORGET THE NZ SAILING DINGHY EXHIBITION IS ON THIS WEEKEND – I WENT YESTERDAY, VERY IMPRESSIVE – DETAILS BELOW
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East Wind + A woody weekend

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East Wind
In a recent WW story the Lake Rotoiti location of ‘Honeymoon Bay’ was mentioned, this prompted woody Paul Drake to send in the above photo (dated Feb 2017) of one of his families lake boats – East Wind. She has been in the their ownership for nearly 50 years but little is known about her provenance.
Looking For A Woody Experience This Weekend?
It has become a bit of a tradition that on the weekend following the Auckland on the water boat show the team at the Tino Rawa Trust host a classic boating event at Auckland’s Viaduct (Karanga Plaza, at the waterfront end of Halsey St.). This years theme / focus is the New Zealand sailing dinghy. The event is open to the public on Friday 5th, Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th October | 10am to 4pm and entry is free.
These exhibitions are always a not to be missed gig on the classic woody calendar, so do make an effort to visit and see the cream of our small classic fleet on display. Details below 
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Wooden Boating VIP On The Waitemata

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Wooden Boating VIP On The Waitemata

Today I hosted Ben Mendlowitz on Raindance, Ben is the number one wooden boat photographer in the world & shoots for just about every boating magazine there is & produces the world famous “Calendar of WoodenBoats’ + has authored dozens of books on the subject.
While in New Zealand Ben was keen to photograph some of our classic fleet, so we headed out yesterday to catch the classic division of the RNZYS Winter Series race.
Ben will have some stunning photos, I was just the driver today so only took a few, very average photos – I did however capture 2 rare events:
1. Thelma going a ground off Stanley Point – some very red faces
2. Jason Prew venturing forward of the mast on Rawene – he didn’t look comfortable 🙂
Photos below – enjoy
THE NEW ZEALAND SAILING DINGHY EXHIBITION
In case you missed it – in 2 weeks (Oct 5>7th) is the annual Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition at the Viaduct – this year the theme is ‘The New Zealand Sailing Dinghy’ – I’ll post more on the event during the week – but right now Tony Stevenson is doing a call out to anybody interested in displaying their classic NZ designed and built sailing dinghy, yacht class information or memorabilia.
Please contact Tony Stevenson tonys@nwv.co.nz  or 021 977 456
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A Peek Inside Dave Jackson’s Shed

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A Peek Inside Dave Jackson’s Shed

Woody Dave Walker recently sent me these photos of Dave Jackson at work in his Warkworth workshop.
In the above photos we see Dave working on a 8’ clinker (ply) dinghy of his own design, in the background (more photos below) is a 16’ day-sailer he built, again own design.
It’s great to see that such a talented man is still turning out fine craft. Dave would list is age as 80+ so well done I say. The dinghy looks ace.
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Need A Trailer?
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Laughing Lady’s owner James Dreyer, has kindly made an offer to loan his beast of a trailer to anyone starting a restoration & needing a trailer.
It currently has Jason Prew’s – My Girl onboard (see below) but will be free very soon.
The trailer can easily deal with 35′ x 10′ and 12 tons.  Pintle eye type trailer hitch.  New wheel bearings and great tyres.
Disclaimer is the air brakes are not operational nor is it road legal.  It has covered Tauranga > Whangateau > Auckland with ease behind a large truck. James is happy for the bunks to be modified as & where needed, as long as it is returned to as found when done.
Anyone interested can contact James as below:
jamesdreyer@hotmail.com
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Mystery Bay of Islands Launch (Raurangi ?) – 14-09-2018

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Mystery Bay of Islands Launch (Raurangi ?)- 14-09-2018

In both of the above photos we see a very smart day boat, in the boat house photo we also see beached a motor boat with what appears to be the name ‘Zephyr’ on her bow.
The photos come to use ex Ross Griffin, via the BOI’s Historic Photos fb.
Anyone able to ID the launch? She is rather cute i.e. not a workboat, so chances are someone will recall her, the gent aboard or the boasted.
Update from Hylton Edmonds – who has advised that the photos above originate from the late Coralie Hilton (nee Deeming) Collection via Gavin Bedgegood,  a Deeming relation too.
The new photo below, shows the young school boy (possibly a Deeming?) very proudly standing on what looks to be the same boat, newly launched.
10-07-2019 Harold Kidd Input – H.B. Melton ran her in the Russell Regatta race for launches 6 knots & under in early January 1913. She came third. She must have been launched no later than December 1912. Very up to date with that raised foredeck and neat dodger, an exact contemporary of Collings & Bell C & B JUNIOR, a very similar craft. A very pretty launch.
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Layla

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LAYLA
The above 26’ launch has just popped up on trademe (cheers Ian McDonald) details are a bit sketchy – she was built in 1960, possibly a Roy Harris design, using wooden carvel plank construction.
The engine is a BMC Captan diesel (unknown hp) & needs some work i.e. she was towed into Half Moon Bay marina & is now for sale on behalf of the owner.
The starting price is $1,000 & no reserve – so someone could pick up a good project boat.
I’m amazed that Tom the Torch hasn’t swooped on it & re-listed it for $10,000 🙂