THE COMEDOWN OF A CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – CARA MIA
Last weekend at the Kawau Spring Splash Regatta I spot a launch named – CARA MIA, the name ringed a bell but the look didn’t match the tone of the bell ringing.
When I got back to the WW data base I did a search and jackpot, there she was but the old girl has had several trips to the plastic surgeon over the years.
Built in 1961 by Maurice Palmer in Devonport, Auckland, her specs are 36’ x 11’3”x 2’9”. She spent the 1960>70’s game fishing out of Tutukakak, Northland.
Each to their own, an owner can do what ever they like to their vessel, but I wasn’t sad when they headed off up the harbour and didn’t participate in the Woodys Classic Launch Parade 😉
THE RESTORATION OF THE CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – TANGMERE – UPDATE
Recently WW was contacted by Megan Ede regarding the 1949 classic wooden launch – TANGMERE, Megan had come across a story on WW about the launch undergoing a restoration. Megan commented that her parents – Allan and Margaret Norwood had owned the boat when she was in her teens. They purchased her in 1982 from the Rogers family and then sold in 1996 to Jim Cardow.
WW was tasked with obtaining an update on the restoration. The hull for TANGMERE was built by the Shipbuilders yard and W.J. Endean, the first owner, designed and built the cabin. A quick email to current owner Bill Endean (son of WJE) and we had the below. In May 2020 Bill gave us a wonderful history of the launch and a peek at the start of the project – link below to that WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/05/11/tangmere-finds-her-way-home/
Progress has been slow but sure, TANGMERE has had all the internal structure removed (including all ribs), new floors and bulkheads, glassed inside and out, new engine beds waiting for engine install, new superstructure (replicating original). Retained the old deck beams, new self draining cockpit arrangement.The photos above show the work done on the inside, stripped out the riveted ribs and replaced with a simpler structure, and then glassed in. The photos of the outside show the glassed hull and replaced superstructure ( dodger yet to be built ). Bill commented that he knows some in the classic world have a dim view of “ glassing”, but he is obviously not one of them. Nor was his father who in 1964 built the 43′ ketch Portobello using strip planked cedar glassed inside and out, following the trend set by his friend Tony Mason with the Clippers… so Bill comfortably believes WJE might approve of this restoration of his first boat.
Photos below give you an indication of how ‘tired ‘TANGMERE’ was before Bill Endean took her back into the families ownership.
07-11-2025 UPDATE ex Bill Endean – coming along…… slowly 🙂
CLASSIC WORKBOATS & THE BAY OF ISLANDS CREAM TRIP After yesterdays visual blitz from the Kawau Spring Splash Regatta we are probably overdue a b/w oldie photo / storyIn the above photo dated 1930, we see Mr H.W. and Laura Giesen returning from Russell in the Bay of Islands on board what was known as the ‘Cream Boat’. The photo comes to us from a Anna Wilson fb post, via her aunt, via woody John Dawson who sent it to WW. Some background to the ‘Cream Trip and the photo – In 1928 the Hikurangi Dairy Co awarded the Cream Trip contract to Fullers Brothers. The contract had been run for the previous two years by Jack and son Bernard Williams (using the boat AROHA in the middle of the picture) and prior to that by Edmund Lane using the Dairy Company owned boat DAIRYMAID. In 1930; the Cream Trip launch in the foreground would have been either the original KNOXIE or KNOXIE ll (later renamed MISS BRETT) which were owned and operated by Ernest Fuller.AROHA was built by Percy McIntosh in Whangarei in November 1914 for Otto R. Neumann of Russell. She was purchased by Jack Williams in c1928.
CLASSIC WORKBOATS & THE BAY OF ISLANDS CREAM TRIP TODAY FOR THE WOODY LUNCH CRUISE TO THE RIVERHEAD TAVERN – DEC 7th TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com – your name, boat name & approx # onboard
KAWAU ISLAND SPRING SPLASH REGATTA REVIEW – 70+ CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING PHOTOS
WoW what a long weekend – our first long weekend as we slide out of winter into summer. The on-the-water boating season kicked off this year with a new event on the calendar – the ‘Labour Weekend Spring Splash Regatta’ at Kawau Island, in the Hauraki Gulf. Going forward the hosts – Kawau Boating Club and race organisers – Ponsonby Cruising Club intend to ran the regatta every year. The weather gods were against us at times – but the weekend was a winner with everyone that attended.
Firstly I’d like to thank all the skippers, family and crew that took the leap of faith and pointed their craft north in conditions on both Friday and Saturday morning that can best described as character building for the skippers and testing for the craft.
I went north at mid day on Friday and all I saw in terms of other craft afloat was a procession of yachts returning to Auckland after pulling out of the Coastal Classic race to Russell. Big ups to the yachts that pushed on and completed the race, I’m sure most skippers will have trouble rounding up crew for next years race 🙂
Fridays race to Kawau was light on numbers due to the weather but the fleet pushed on and most made it to KBC to swap stories. Mike Mahoney commented that his majestic 1935 Logan built classic – TAWERA spent more time going thru the waves than on top of them.
Saturday’s around the island race was cancelled due to high winds, but the KBC turnover was the winner. A great night ,with a DJ on hand.
Sunday we had the Waitematawoodys classic parade and 15 woodys (one yacht) did a lap of BON ACCORD Harbour – a brilliant turnout for the opening year. Those participating were recorded with stunning weather.
Post the parade, the yacht race got away, check out the video below of TAWERA coming in hot to the finish line – perfect timing by skipper Mike and crew, Only problem it was to decide 3 and 4 place 🙂
Sunday nights prize giving was a hoot and most people left with a prize and a smile.
Other activities over the weekend were a children’s lolly scramble and the KBC AGM on Sunday morning. Brilliant turnout at the AGM and very positive vibes.
The weekend report wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the recently refurbished KBC clubroom / bar / bistro – the presentation of the interior is a perfect fit for a boating club of the KBC’s standing.
And the food and staff…………… 10/10 – the food photos tell their own story.
The winner of the major prize for parade participants – SPONSORED BY THE SLIPWAY MILFORD – was Jill Hetherington and her 1939 C. Bailey built launch – TUNA. Jill’s prize is a haulout and 3 days hardstand at the classic friendly railway slip.
I have to sign off now, I’m falling asleep at the keyboard.
Enjoy the photo gallery & videos, several people clicking the camera (phone) over the weekend, so thanks for everyones contribution.
Todays photo recently popped up on one of the many classic boating threads that I follow, and the 44’ SINABADA is just too stunning to not share.
She was originally built in Sydney, Australia as a sports fly game boat and used extensively for big game fishing, note the out rigger poles.
Built by the famous Sydney wooden boat building family – Halvorsen, she was later modified by extending the flybridge roof after more Shae in summer (major consideration in Aust).
At 44’ SINABADA must be one of the largest Halvorsen’s built, the family cut their teeth on building smaller (28>32’) launches. A lot of which were hire boats on the Sydney Harbour.
IF I WON LOTTO – WHAT CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT WOULD I OWN
Well woodys the first thing I would do is jump on a plane and fly to Melbourne , Australia and go and see Tim Phillips at The WoodenBoat Shop in Sorrento. I met Tim in Feb 2023 aboard his 100 year old ’cruising smack’ – STORM BAY at the Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart, Tasmania. Tim, family and cruising buddies had sailed over for the festival. Fresh crew attire was supplied via the waitematawoodys merch bag. (Photo below of Tim aboard STORM BAY)
At the time I just thought Tim was a genuine good bugger but unbeknown to me Tim is the powerhouse behind Australis’s leading wooden boat yard – The WoodenBoat Shop. And that woodys is who I would trust to build me my dream boat. Visit the website here to view / read more about them www.woodenboatshop.com.au
The TWBS team have just launched their latest creation – WINTER COVE, the Deal Island 50, on display this weekend at the Melbourne International Boat Show at Docklands Marina.
As well as building and restoring wooden boats, the WBS have their own custom range of bronze chandlery.
In the photo gallery above, most of the photos are of the WINTER COVE the Deal Island 50, but I have included a few workshop and other TWBS craft images to help set the scene.
What happened to the classic wooden yacht – MAHAKI
WW was recently contacted by Chris Leech who was reaching out to establish the whereabouts of the c.1894 built Logan designed 2 1/2 rater yacht – MAHAKI.
The primary reason for Chris’s interest is that the Devonport Yacht Club have been presented with the NZ Yachtsman Cup that was presented to MAHAKI in 1910. At the time the yacht was owned by George Sim and the cup remained in the Sims family ownership ever since.
DYC will be adding the cup to its impressive collection of silverware.
Chris suppled a collection of historical articles on the yacht, attached below as a PDF file for reference for those that want to go done a rabbit hole. The readers digest of (potentially accurate) known, recent intel is – bought by Eric Wing (McMullan &Wing) in the mid 1980’s. Partially restored by Wing and then on his passing in 1994 was purchased by Peter Blunder who finished the project in Clevedon. From there the current location and presentation of the yacht is unknown.
So woodys can we learn what became of MAHAKI
Photo below of the trophy presented to DYC by Gavin Sims.
INPUT ex ANDREW LUSTY – Still owned by Peter Blundell and still in Clevedon
INPUT ex MARK NEWCOMB The article on Mahaki refers to a previous owner, “Russell”. This will be Russell Going, an Auckland architect with a practice in a lovely old restored building on Newton Road. He was my wife’s uncle, and I occasionally sailed on Mahaki, possibly around 1983sh. I had been raised on our family yacht, Tamatea A20, and had spent some years crewing on Ariki A3, and thought I knew all about wet sailboats. Mahaki was another level of wet, but a lovely craft and Russell loved her.
JACKPOT – WE FOUND HER – Andrew Lusty was spot on – on a shed in Clevedon
When a classic woody has had the same owner for over 50 years, not a lot of people have popped their heads down below, today we get to do that.
The 43’ yacht Tuahine was designed and built in 1957 by the Dickson family, lead by Roy Dickson’s father (grandfather to Chris Dickson). Dickson senior along with Roy and twin brother had all sailed on Ranger with Lou Tercel and got many ideas from Ranger – longish with narrow beam (9’).
Stepping aboard Tuahine is like entering a time capsule being almost unaltered from new, always a sign that the designer / builder got it right first off. Tuahine even has the original Crown Lynn dinner set and on her bulkhead the pennant / decals recording her off-shore races (1977 and 1979 Auckland > Lautoka).
Home for most of the last 40 years has been the Bay of Islands, where she still resides, upstaging her plastic neighbours in the bay.
Her owners have followed a regular maintenance schedule that has included – recently removing the teak decks and plywood substrate laid and the deck relaid. The windows have also been removed and re-sealed. Other work has included the installation of a new Lombardini engine, new stove, new batteries and new main sail.
If the above sounds like an advertisement, it is – the Wooden Boat Bureau has been tasked with finding the next custodian of Tuahine. Her owners are motivated to sell so if you are looking for true blue classic with one of the best pedigrees in the fleet – contact waitematawoodys@gmail.com for more details on Tuahine, and then make an offer.
The photo above of the classic game boat – RELIANCE comes to us from Lew Redwood fb’s and is dated May 1930.
The photo is captioned – ‘A launch returning from the Bay of Islands grounds at Cape Brett, with a captured mako shark landed on rod and line by Mr.J.W. Harding of Waipukurau, after a fierce struggle. The weight of this fish was 615lb.
Would love to have seen how they got that fish onboard. Several years ago fishing at Great Barrier Island we hooked a mako and even though we thought it was dead, hours later on the wharf at Tryphena , it was inches away from taking a passing child’s leg off……
WILL YOU BE JOINING THE CLASSIC MUSTER THIS LABOUR WEEKEND AT KAWAU
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