Category Archives: Sub 28′

Port Townsend Classic Wooden Boat Festival 2017 – 80+ photos

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Port Townsend Classic Wooden Boat Festival 2017 – 80+ photos
Kiwi woodys Jenny and Malcolm McNicol sent me the below photo essay from the Port Townsend 41st Classic Wooden Boat Festival from The Puget Sounds in Washington State USA. They were holidaying in the Sounds and got to enjoy the festival.
The McNico’s are members of The Rotoiti Wooden Boat Association and are the proud owners of Tauraka, which has featured on WW.

Enjoy the collection – sorry if I have ruined your day ……… 🙂

Remember to click on photos to enlarge 😉

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Omega

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OMEGA

I received an email a couple of weeks ago asking for info on the launch Omega. A search of my files turned up the above photo, ex Ken Rickets that was tagged ‘Omega by Quality Boat 15-11-2015’. Never made it onto WW back then because it was a solo photo & did not show much. Given Ken’s abode, the photo is most likely to be taken at Gulf Harbour.
She looks a little racey, so with the right engine I imagine she gets along.
Interested to find out more Omega.

12-05-2018 Update ex Matt Hambrook – I bought Omega in Dec 2016 she is currently berthed at West park marina.
We reconditioned the 150 hp Ford engine in June of 2017. She cruises at 9-10 knots, and has a top speed of 15 knots.
Omega is 35 feet by 11 feet and was built by Quality boats in Tauranga in 1965. Designed by Carl Augustin.
We’ve many miles around the Hauraki with our 3 young kids and plan to do plenty more.
Any more information on her history would be much appreciated.

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BAILEY TABLE

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How if Steve Horsley or Harold Kidd win Lotto tonight, I have the perfect first purchase for them – the Bailey Table. Built by one of NZ’s leading bespoke furniture makers ‘Rose & Heather’ – its design was inspired by the structural elements of a classic yacht & is handcrafted using traditional tools – the spokeshave & drawblade. Youtube link below to see more.
A friend of mine owned a house in Ponsonby that was once owned by one of the Rose & Heather family – had a one of kitchen made by the firm – rather nice 🙂

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Kiri Moana – A Zoom Zoomer

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KIRI MOANA – A Zoom Zoomer

Woody, Rod Prosser has the bug, he owns several classic woodys, mostly for use on Lake Rotoiti (Nth Is).

Whilst chatting recently he mentioned his go-fast woody. Rod bought Kiri Moana a couple of years back and has been slowly doing her up. Rod was told it was originally a North Island Ski Club boat but he hasn’t found out any more on that front. Rod originally had a 350 Vortec Mercruiser in the garage for the project but he got a little carried away when he went to an open day at the Toy Shed in Rotorua. The Toy Shed guys specialize in building hot rods and long story short is he swapped the Vortec for an early 1960’s small block Chev 327 V8, next things he’s on eBay sourcing all the shiny bits from the US. Rod commented that she has a ‘mother thumpa cam & is kinda loud 🙂

The interior’s come up well after scraping the orange paint off and the boats now with Sam Dorotich at Superior Boats in Manurewa getting glassed and painted (bright yellow!!). Rod will bring her home and widen the cockpit then back to Sam for the deck.

I have asked Rod to send us photos as the project proceeds & will update this story when he does.

10-11-2019 UPDATE – Boat dropped off at the upholsterer’s in Rotorua last week. Definitely in water this summer. Hopefully before Christmas 🙂

I like the new mudguards & wheels on the trailer – very retro. Alan H

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Wakatu

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WAKATU 

On one of his yard visits Ken Ricketts spotted the above launch hauled out at Te Atatu Boating Club.

Other than her name, we know nothing about Wakatu. Any TBC members able to help out with some details / history?

24-08-2017 Update ex Murray McGehan – Wakatu’s Hull was built by Des Scott in Henderson and finished off by by first owners Ron and Mary McGehan of Howick and launched December 1967. The hull was a Graeme Bronlund design, Graeme actually previously worked for Roy Parris. The boat was owned by the McGehan family until Ron’s death in 1991 and sold to Noel Mitchell then. Original engine was a 3 cylinder Lister air cooled but this was change to a 4 cylinder BMC Captain in 1970. A few later changes were made the coamings and cabintop were replaced about 1980 and reduction gear of the Captain was changed from 2:1 to 3:1 about 1984. The Boat was moored in Shelly Park Howick for about 25 years.

 

Chris Craft in Canada

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Chris Craft in Canada

I have been sent the above photos from Kiwi woody Alan Sexton, who is working in Canada. Alan keeps an eye open for any interesting boats & commented that it seems wooden Chris Craft are the flavour of the month in Vancouver.

The two b/w photos are from a book on the Chris Craft factory, that Alan found in the marine section in the Vancouver Central.

 

A Woody On Tour + An SoS

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A Woody On Tour + An SoS
Woody Paul Drake has just returned from a trip to the UK & sent in the above 2 photos – the first showing a very smart inboard clinker on the beach at Beer, Lyme Bay (1/2 way between Brixham & Portland Bill).

The bottom photo is of the Navy MTB24 ‘resting’ at Bembridge, Isle of Wight. Paul commented that she no longer rises with the tide 😦

An Urgent SoS

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WW follower Scott Perry, has a small obsession with rather large woodys – he is currently rebuilding the HDML Kuparu, an ex naval patrol boat. He is nearly done with Kuparu & is now looking at saving HDML Black Watch, the 72 footer sitting out in front of Bayswater Marina for the last 10 plus years.
Scott is urgently looking for somewhere he could tidal slip her e.g. against poles, or a wharf, somewhere on the Waitemata. She has a bad temporary repair on her bottom that is failing & needs attention in the next couple of weeks. She has a swim prop, so can lean her on her side on the beach or deep creek. Any woodys know of anything about?
As an aside, she currently is ketch rigged & with Scott being a launch man, he would like to sell her 2 solid timber masts – so if someone would like to purchase them, you would make Scott a happy man. Scott can be contacted on 027 278 2542
Ps I’m sure Russell Ward will email be a photo of Black Watch, he had / has the ‘hots’ for her

Input from Russell Ward 

Jeez, Scott. Knocking yourself around a bit ain’tca? You can get pills or ect for that sort of problem I am sure.
Why not take on the Kahu? Lots of fun! I’ve attached a couple of pix of Ngaroma when she was a private ship owned by Capt James Lawler and kept at Cooks Lower Landing. The fair miles were built in NZ as part of the war effort and one should be saved.
Just a thought.
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UPDATE: Photo below ex Heather & Keith Nicholson of Kahu (taken last week)
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Input from Paul Drake – below are two pics of my more humble HDML effort. This is MAKO, 36 inches long (half inch to the foot). I started building her in 1964 aged 16. The following year I was at sea with the Union Company as a Cadet. As shown in the first photo, I took MAKO to sea with me and building continued. The second pic shows her under way and more or less finished on the Avalon duck pond (Wellington). She now resides on my piano here in Taupo – still only more or less finished.

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Updated photo of HDML Kuparu – berthed at Bayswater 07-07-2018

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Slainte

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SLAINTE – 1947 Chris Craft Restoration

I mentioned last Monday that while chatting to Alan Craig about the new restoration project for his yard – Craig Marine at Lake Rotoiti he just casually mentioned t “Speaking of projects, should probably show you the Chris Craft we just finished” – & then sends me a selection of photos of a simply stunning classic woody.

Slainte is a a 1947 27′ super delux enclosed Chris Craft. It was imported into NZ by the owner as a project that was walked away from in the states. The outside was 90% done but the inside was a shell. No motor, shaft or strut etc. A 5.7L v8 Crusader was imported too and Alan lifted the cockpit sole to suit.
Pretty much every single piece has been pulled apart fixed/painted/varnished and put back again. Some ‘ before’ photos below.
The idea has been to keep it looking original but turn key functionality!

WoW, what an additional to the Lake Rotoiti classic wooden boat fleet, can not wait to see her in person at next years Classic & Wooden Boat Parade weekend.

ALPHA A90 ( Arrow Class) – Sailing Sunday

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ALPHA A90 ( Arrow Class) – Sailing Sunday
I have been contacted by Adam Akehurst who is Interested in what us woodys knows about the Arrow class sailing dinghy. Adam is currently restoring A90 – Alpha. Progress photos attached. Wood working done, interior nearly done, soon time to turn it over and sort the outside ready for summer.

All Adam can find on the class is that they are a Jack Logan design from circa 1950 and that until recently the class seems to have been based at Glendowie but interest seems to have died out a few years ago in favour of the Mistral. Also interested in what else Jack Logan designed. I have heard he had a boatshed at Mangawhai at some stage.

The historic photo of Alpha above on the beach (date unknown) shows her rigged for a gennaker on a fairly long prod. Adam assumes this is a later class development and that they originally flew a symmetrical kite.

Adam hasn’t been able to find many photos of the class online, so is interested in seeing anything ww have.

07-08-2017 Update from Adam. Project finished – see below. Stunning

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Check The Video Link Below Out – If you thought the commute to work was bad, these guys are mad 🙂

Lake Rotoiti Barn Find Restoration

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Lake Rotoiti Barn Find Restoration

Alan Craig the Lake Rotoiti boat builder (Craig Marine) dropped me a note the other day to say that he was restoring the about boat. She would have to win the WW barn find prize 🙂 Her story goes like this – has be in a shed on a farm in Rotoma for the last ten odd years. Built in 1928, 24′ in length, appears to be to a USA Hacker Craft design or most likely copied, she is in fact not to dissimilar to Malolo.
It has been owned by Peter Davies and was his Fathers boat from near new. Details Alan has been told about her history: Built in Picton by Vic & Clarrie Olson? (Scandinavian or Swiss?). Built for a Mr Stocker then brought by Mr Davies in 1930, it was sold a while later and brought back again by Mr Davies once the wool price lifted and in 1950 an old, but still new, 1938 Osco marine flathead V8 went in it and is still there now. Alan thinks it was sold once again then found by Peter and brought back to Rotoma.

There is a Hacker Craft step pad fitted to her (the only reference to Hacker Craft) but this could easily have been a later addition. The plans are to rebuild the engine and try get a bit more than the supposed 90hp out of it. Apparently they didn’t get much speed out of it but looks like pretty small prop set up.

This will be a great project to follow – Alan is keen confirm / learn more about her past so if any woodys can help, please comment.

Now Alan’s not a man to run things up the flag pole, chatting on-line he says ” speaking of projects, should probably show you the Chris Craft we just finished” – totally blew we away – amazing project. I’ll run a story on her soon.

Update ex Alan Craig – Alan found the below under the fore-deck – D Jennings?

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Where Is She Today?

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WHERE IS SHE TODAY?

Today’s boat, isn’t a mystery boat as we know that it was owned by one of the Allen family (owners of the launch Tiromoana & the C class yacht Tuirangi in the later 1940s-50s) & was probably belonged to Henry Allen’s son in law Joe Coggan.
The photo was taken in front of the family’s business premises at that time in Manukau Rd Epsom opposite Epsom Girls Grammar. Photo emailed in by Ken Ricketts.

Can we put a name to her to & what became of her ?