Category Archives: Sub 28′

Shemara + Laughing Lady in the spotlight

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SHEMARA

The photo above shows the ketch Shemara being launched in Wellington 0n the 9th August 1958, it looks a very miserable day – the wee girl I’m sure would rather be elsewhere. Photo ex Lew Redwood > fb.

Do we know what became of Shemara?

Input below from Gavin Pascoe

I own Sherama. She’s moored at Clyde Quay Wellington. 23′ LOA but feels more like 26 or 28′. She was Roydon Thomas’s first design. Built by Frank Ballinger. That’s him with his two sons Peter and Trevor, who are both still active boating in Wellington. She’s an awesome boat, Australian hardwood to the waterline, Alaskan cedar above. There’s footage of her being hauled up to Grafton Road prior to her launching (plus other cool footage) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hSB9RWMMlw&t=29s. Many, many stories go with both the boat and Roydon Thomas. Stories of Roydon Thomas’ exploits are legion. Some clean ones may be read here: https://thomasfamilyhistorynz.wordpress.com/

Shemara was never ketch rigged. People would call her a sloop as she carries one main and one jib at a time. However her mast is stepped quite well aft in comparison with most sloops, and therefore strictly speaking is more accurately described as a cutter. Though I’m no expert in the finer points of these matters: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155263975080674&set=pcb.10155263977035674&type=3&theater and https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155191194915674&set=pcb.10155191195575674&type=3&theater

And speaking of miserable days – the November 1963 photo below of the Oriental Bay boat harbour in Wellington, is proof of why they build such sturdy vessels so down there 🙂

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Not often a classic woody graces the cover of a NZ boating mag

When you are out & about, pick up a copy of the May issue of Boating NZ, they feature Laughing Lady, post launching at the Mahurangi Regatta. Great story & photos. You can see / read about her restoration > launching at the link below (lots of links to stories). There is also a feature on my boat builder friend, Geoff Bagnall, another great reason to grab a copy 😉

LAUGHING LADY – 1949 33’ USA LUDERS – COMMUTER / SPORT MOTOR BOAT REFURBISHED IN NEW ZEALAND

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Classic Steam Launches

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CLASSIC STEAM LAUNCHES

Two Saturdays ago I mooched down to the Salthouse Yard (ex?) / Greenhithe Wharf to catch up with the crew from the Auckland Steam Engine Society gathering. Primary reason for attending was to see the new steam launch – Kotare, which unfortunately was a no show, rumour was he experienced a mechanical oops on-route (update – arrived later in the day, after my departure). The morning was still a winner with 4 steamers present. I have said it before, but I could own one of these, I’m a closet pyromaniac – so fire & classic boats, it’s a win / win.

We had – Tui, Janice Helen & Victoria present + one with one name.

Enjoy the photos – here is a WW link to some photos & details on SL Kotare  https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/03/23/ss-kotare/

The Potae on the gent below, was always going to go for a swim – I lost count of the saves. It sank but floated below the surface long enough to be rescued 🙂

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Mr. Lister

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MISTER LISTER

Another photo ex Barbara Cooke from the Trinidad Circumnavigation, photo taken in Golden Bay.

You wouldn’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out the make of engine in her.

Do we know anything more about her?

 

 

Manu Tai

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MANU TAI

The photo above of Manu TAI on this slip at Balaena Bay, Wellington is dated 1920’s & comes to us via Lew Redwood’s facebook page.

Interested to uncover more on this vessel.

Harold Kidd Input – MANUTAI was a 28 footer built by W A Smith and J A Westward for themselves in Dcember 1914. She had a 4 cylinder Kermath. Later owned by F Kiernan.

 

Mystery Yacht – Sailing Sunday

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Mystery Yacht – Sailing Sunday

Barbara Cooke sent me the above photo of this very cute yacht moored in Barrys Bay, Akaroa Harbour.

Snapped from on-board Trinidad as she mooches her way back North.

Any of the southern woodys able to ID the yacht & supply details?

MANUTARA

Pictured below is the 1946 Salthouse designed & built yacht Manutara, she built with the intention of racing the Sydney to Hobart race, but this never eventuated. These days she is owned by Ray Shoebridge & earns her keep doing charter work out of Akaroa – details & photo also ex Barbara C.

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GLEAM 

I popped down to the Salthouse (ex) yard yesterday to catch up with some of the steam boat crowd & while there spotted Neil Chalmers old yacht Gleam at the wharf – looking very smart – Neil will be very chuffed to see her being loved & back in the hands of the family of the designer / builder – JB Brooke.

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Input from Barbara Cooke – Manutara was designed by Jack Muir in 1946. And built by Salthouse Boat Builders in 1962. John Salthouse remembers her being the second full build after setting up the yard at Greenhithe in 1960.
Gleam is now owned by Chris (Curly) Salthouse.

Phantom 4Sale

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PHANTOM 4Sale

The 1925, 16’ day launch “Phantom” has a carvel planked kauri hull, and cabin. An electric start Yanmar YSB 8hp marine diesel engine with reduction gearbox, driving a small (10×7) 3 blade prop through original 1955 “Stuart Turner” stern gear. All this sees her get along at a comfortable 5 knots. I have photographed her numerous times at the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade, she is a very pretty craft & with a little TLC she will be back to her best (the photos are 12mths old & she needs a paint). Currently located in the Tokoroa / Putaruru area.

The added bonus of being on a trailer makes the Phantom a very usable classic woody. 4 sale on trademe.

Does anyone know more about where & what the Phantom has been up to for the last 93 years??

Input from Mick Jones 

“I purchased “Phantom” from the late John Goudie of Otautu Bay in 2007. He found “Phantom” wrecked in Tukituki Bay before the Second World War, and it considered an “old hull” at that time. The purchase included a “Stuart Turner” 4HP engine and sterngear which dates it back to the mid 50s when the engine was originally purchased. I suspect the cuddy cabin and engine were fitted then Phantom” was the family settlers launch operating out of Colville Bay in the Coromandel for many years. She was taken out of the water before 1985, and stored in a series of sheds as a bare hull. I had her trucked to Tokoroa, sat her upside down on three 60l oil drums, and proceeded to recaulk and pay the seams, fit a second hand diesel, strip back the kauri cabin and finish bright- as it should. The transom hung rudder was replaced with modern thru hull steering gear and tranverse seating fitted. Phantom has been negotiating the waikato hydro lakes over the past 7 seasons , and an annual trip to Rotoiti for the Classic Boat Parade.”

Classic Woody  Riverhead Hotel Cruise

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Nana

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Lucille
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Te Arahi
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Lillian
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Te Arahi – Lillian –
Te Arahi – Altair – Lillian
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Volantis

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Korara

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Classic Woody  Riverhead Hotel Cruise

Not wanting to sound like a parrot but the CYA has an amazing track record of aceing the weather for its launch cruises to the waterfront Riverhead Hotel. 

The forecast was average, but it just never eventuated & subsequently the boats that made the trip had a great day.  

So cool to have one of our yachties make the trip, that center-board helped 😉

Highlight of the day for me was seeing John Wright’s recently restored launch – Nana. Nana was designed by C. Bailey Jun. &  built by C. Bailey & Sons in 1934. You can view more on Nana’s amazing journey, from rescue to re-launch at this link https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/02/01/nana-resuced-restored/ 

John has one of the best eyes for how a woody should look, the final details on Nana make her look perfect, in my eyes. John, you should have finished the trip & come up to the hotel, I have a WW tee-shirt for you – email me your postal address – waitematawoodys@gmail.com

 Also had a peek at the publican’s – Paula & Stephen Pepperell’s 1967 Jorgensen launch -Volantis, that is nearing the end of an extensive re-fit, Stephan is another woody with a great eye for detail.

Below are a collection of photos from the camera of Simon Smith who was perched on the Greenhithe Bridge – they give us another perspective on some of our classics. Pity Simon wasn’t there for the return trip – Raindance & the motor-sailer Korara, were just passing under the bridge, being good woodys, traveling to starboard of a large plastic yacht (a Hanse) that was approaching the bridge – when all of a sudden the yachts bow shot up out of the water & the yacht shot backwards. The reason – you guessed it – mast hit the bridge (photo of dent to the bridge, below) luckily they were travelling slow, any faster & they might have lost the mast. I suspect there was a change of undies needed for the crew.

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Raindance & Nana

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Lucinda

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Lucille

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Mahanui

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Arohanui

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Korara

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Te Arahi,Altair,Korara,Arohanui

Upper Harbour ‘V’s’ Yacht Oops

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HDML – Kuparu – P3563 Looking Rather Smart

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Kupara

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SS Kotare

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SS KOTARE

Today’s photos of the steam boat Kotare come to us from John Wicks. I’ll let John tell the story.

“On my way back from our “walkies”, approaching the launching ramp (Hobsonville-nee-Westpark Marina), the dog’s ears pricked up, then I heard some hissing and farting. As the ramp came into view, I could see steam and smoke rising, and Lo! and behold – the little steam launch Kotare which been launched from her trailer.

By the time I got down onto the pontoon, she was full steam ahead and straining at her mooring ropes, smoke and steam everywhere. Glorious!

Her crew was fairly busy fiddling with valves, levers and suchlike, but I did learn that she was preparing for a steam meet at Greenhithe this Saturday, and a few other details;

  • She’s a woody, quite new, strip planked and glassed.
  • Her owner/skipper (that’s him inboard working on “stuff”) built the whole thing, boat, engine et al.
  • The engine is a 2-cylinder double-expansion one, plus she has an auxiliary electric motor tucked away aft.
  • Just now they’re using diesel to heat the boiler, but they’re turning vegetarian in the near future.

The other bloke in the grey shirt is part of the outfit, though I’m not sure just what part. The couple on the pontoon, I’m in the dark shirt and white cap, her in the orange T-shirt, just turned up purely by chance – in the neighborhood, came down to have a look at the marina. They’re from the West Coast and – would you believe – they have a small steamer on Lake Brunner! Spooky, possums!

Having been warned many years ago that steam is almost instantly addictive, I walked away before harm came to me, and took the broadside shot from behind the safety of a metal fence.”

Russell Ward Input – Famous wooden boat exponent Pete Culler said “Stay away from steam, it’s very addictive -one sniff and you’re hooked.” He was an oars and sail man though and he’s right.
The Auckland Steam Engine Society is meeting at Rame Road reserve Greenhithe Saturday 24 March 2018. High tide 1.30 or so. Fill yer lungs and feast yer ears and eyes.

EVENT UPDATE

Regrettably the steam event Saturday 24 March has been cancelled because of the adverse weather. We’ve never had a steamer melt in the rain and our fearless leader Alan will agree that damp days are often the best!

One of the best boating days ever 🙂 Alan

Input from Daniel Hicks – 

The boat was built by Paul Eaton, and is based on a Simpson Strickland launch of around 1900. Selway Fisher in the UK drew the plans, and it is listed in their catalogue as the 23′ Golden Bay design. Paul started by building the engine, a John York designed compound (3 + 5.25 * 3.75) from a castings kit from Elliott Bay Steam Launch Co in the US. Paul then built the hull and had a boiler designed (based on a steam car boiler) and the pressure vessel professionally made. The whole lot has come together over 17 years!

Kotare has a number of interesting features, as mentioned she is both a steam and electric vessel, being able to be propelled by either form of power, or propelled by steam with the electric motor charging the batteries. Another unusual innovation is the fact she is fitted with a Rice type propeller nozzle!

Yes Kotare is complicated, but Paul wanted to try lots of things out, and have lots of back up systems in place. The machinery may appear to take up a lot of the boat, but it always does in a steamboat, and Kotare is better than some, she just appears worse because of the location of the electric drive system directly behind the steam engine.

Wednesday was launch day, and I was there as I’d offered to help and provided the tow vehicle, my only claims to fame on this one. She floated very close to her marks, she steamed well and goes fairly well, despite a number of snagging issues being apparent. A pretty successful first day out, and superb effort from someone who hasn’t built a boat or a steam engine before!

Update 27-03-2018 photo ex Alan Good

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C’est Ia Vie

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C’est Ia Vie*

The above clinker runabout is owned by Stuart Donaldson, who is keen to learn more about her past. Stuart has been told that it was designed and possibly built by John Spencer in the late 1960’s /early 1970’s.

Thanks to woody Baden Pascoe who spotted her at Okahu Bay boat ramp over the weekend & took the photos.

Baden commented that she appears to be a very professionally built boat.

So woodys – anyone able to supply more intel on this clinker runabout?

(*French translation = That’s Life)

Update 09-05-2018 ex John Wicks – after spending most of her life on the lakes, C’est La Vie has really got a a taste for salt. This time at West Harbour.

 

 

Woody Jet Boat

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Woody Jet Boat

Including the words ‘jet boat’ in the story headline could be slightly off putting to some, but today’s boat just ticks so many boxes it was an automatic Monday story.

The hull design is inspired by a picture on the workshop manual for the Hamilton Jet Rainbow unit, and is typical of the period of the unit (1956).
The jet unit has been completely rebuilt, including all new gaskets and bearings, and a freshly rebuilt impellor.
The engine is a 1956 Ford 100E Prefect (which the Rainbow unit was designed for). It has been professionally re-conditioned, was re-sleeved, and has new pistons, valves, bearings, oil pump, gaskets etc. All major parts that were re-used (block, head and crank) were crack tested before being re-machined. I.e. No expensive was spared.
The engine is cooled by a modern savage heat exchanger and runs a modern sand filter.
The 12’ hull has an aluminum planning surface (to aid longevity) but is otherwise constructed mainly of recycled kahikatea, rimu, Southland beech and kauri. The sides are Fijian kauri marine ply.
The Art Deco style trailer is a work of art, it was custom built by Ted Sagar of Rivercraft Marine exclusively for this boat.

She was launched in 2007. Her owner has another project planned, shed space is required, so now is the chance for someone else to own this little beauty.

You can view / read more on the original build at the Jet Boating NZ website – link below
http://www.jbnz.co.nz/yabbse/index.php?topic=10897.0

And I want the truck – always had a soft spot for the Willys Wagons.