Category Archives: Tales & Yarns

RESOLUTE – Looking Very Sorry For Herself

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RESOLUTE – Looking Very Sorry For Herself

I first saw the 1937 Dick Lang built 34’ launch – Resolute 12+ years ago when she was hauled out at the Devonport Yacht Club at the same time as Raindance. Her spot was directly in front of mine so I suffered all winter from the green eyed monster i.e. the workmanship and skills of her owner were on another level. 

Fast forward to August 20i6 and she makes an appearance on WW (link below), this story generated details and 2008 photos ex her owner and Harold Lidd.

Then in 2017 we see her hauled out getting a dose of TLC (link below)

Then sadly in 2020 I reported that she had dragged her Stanley Point, Devonport mooring and was aground at low tide. Her owner and helpers saved the day (link below) WW 2016  https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/08/10/resolute/

WW 2017 https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/07/21/resolute-update/

WW 2020 https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/04/14/sos-classic-launch-resolute-aground/

Last week I was at the Te Atatu Boat Club and spotted Resolute hauled out. As you will see in the above photos she is still a fine looking woody, in architect speak – she’s got good bones, but the clocks ticking – hopefully a plan is in place to bring her back…………….

2008
2017

Can We ID This Young Man Aboard MANAIA

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Can We ID This Young Man Aboard MANAIA

Last week we ran a story that featured a photo of the pilot boat – MANAIA.  At the time Paul Drake chipped in to say he was at the launching in 1963 at the P. Los yard and took the photo. 

Russell Ward also advised he was lurking at the event. 

A couple of days later Paul contacted me and commented that unlike Vintage Steamer Russell W) who scored a seat with the big shots for MANAIA’s launching, he was just part of the boatyard urchin brigade. Paul mentioned that there was another young guy, pictured in the photo above who he fell in with. After the launching, we bravely boarded the vessel for a closer look, until we were asked to leave after poking our heads down the engine room hatch (a step too far). 

So woodys today we are trying to see if we can ID who Paul’s companion was. It would be very cool if he or someone else recognised himself through this WW story and made himself known.Russell Ward was sent the photo and asked if he was the young man in the photo, Russell’s reply was “it isn’t me and the bloke in the pic was far too clean cut to be any of his crew” 🙂
Link to the WW story mentioned above https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/04/18/launch-day-mystery/

Recent photos below – looking better than as launched.

2021

OMOKOROA – In Former Times

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OMOKOROA – In Former Times

Back in July 2021 we reported on the 36′ launch – Omokoroa being washed ashore in a storm. We subsequently learned that she was re-floated by Lyndon Chambers and moved to Shelly Park Cruising Club for repair / refitting. Link to the 2021 story below. Keen to learn how the project is coming along. https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/07/10/omokaroa-omokoroa-saved/

Fast forward to last week and Ian McDonald was doing a deep drive on his iPad and found the photos above . First up we have a b/w photo dated 1954 and the location is Katkati. Then a montage of photos from the 1983>84 period.

Last up is an undated press clipping from the Bay of Plenty Times that celebrates the restoration and relaunch of the launch after she has sat on a hardstand for an extended period.

NOTE: may the b/w photo is a different boat and the photo tag is the location v’s the boat name – thoughts?

A DORA BLU

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Today we are state side to have a tour of the 1933 Stephens Brothers built 43′ classic woody – A Dora Blu. I was sent the youtube link by John Dawson – now I ask that you ignore the youtube fluff at the start and the obvious sales pitch – trust me its worth checking out. I was very envious of the boat shed, must make caring for a classic a breeze. Her owners attention to maintaining the boats heritage looks and fit out is wonderful, but when they lift the engine bay covers the sight is a very big wow, twin Yanmar JHC120hp engines, proof that you do not need to weigh these old girls down with huge engines.

(note: some confusion on the build year – the nav light boards say 1931)

ID The Russell Yachts Friday Quiz Winner – Ken Fyle. WW burgee on the way – the yachts were – (L) XANTHO & (R) IIEX. As I thought a lot picked IIEX but only 2 correctly had XANTHO.

CAN WE NAME THESE YACHTS – Prize To Be Won – XANTHO & ILEX

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CAN WE NAME THESE YACHTS – Prize To Be Won – XANTHO & ILEX

Must be overdue for a quiz – the photo above was taken on Christmas morning 1905, location is Russell in the Bay of Islands. ID’ing the two yachts will be a challenge to most of the WW crew but I’m sure the stick & rag woodys will work it out. So to make it slightly easier – correctly ID’ing each yacht equals a chance in the draw i.e. get one right = one chance, two right = two chances. Close off is 8pm 19-04-2024. ENTRY BY EMAIL ONLY to >>>>

 waitematawoodys@gmail.com

23-04-2024 INPUT ex HAROLD KIDD – The 40 footer XANTHO was launched as XANTHE in Wellington in 1888 by Henry Berg using timbers from the dismantled yacht MINNEHAHA. She was traded in to Robert Logan in part exchange for WAITANGI which he sailed down to Wellington and won the NZ Championship in January 1895. He sailed XANTHE back to Auckland in the smart time of 7 days and put her up for sale. There were no takers until 1897 and she lay off Devonport with the rig out when one Spraggon bought her. She was driven ashore at Devonport and badly damaged soon after. She was sold in April 1898 to G. Cook of Whangarei. The pic with ILEX was taken at Russell around 1905. I have no clues on what happened to XANTHE/XANTHO/ZANTHE/ZANTHO after that. Possibly she was converted to a launch?

She was considered incredibly old fashioned by the time she was launched and had the cod’s head and mackerel tail of earlier yachts and a large camber on the deck.

PRIZE: A WW burgee 

MYSTERY MAHURANGI WORKBOAT – RURU

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MYSTERY MAHURANGI WORKBOAT – RURU

Todays woody comes to us from Dave Balderston via hid cubby Dave Stanaway. 

Dave B. spotted the boat hauled out at the Cement Works Marina up the Mahurangi River in Warkworth.

The Daves and myself are keen to learn more about the boat and what the plans are for her.

18-04-2024 Input ex Ari at the Quayside Boat Yard – Yes, Ruru was designed and built by Chris Robertson for John Spencer to help them transport gear and maybe the odd animal between John’s island farms in the Coromandel and the mainland. As can be seen by her condition, she had been left unused for years, with the Spencer’s having larger barges to do this kind of work nowadays. One of Chris’ Son’s, Martin, has since acquired her and collectively with the crew here at Quayside Boatyard, plan to bring her back to her former glory and utilise her as a river/harbour work boat.

COMPASS ROSE _ A Peek Down Below

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COMPASS ROSE – A Peek Down Below
The launch Compass Rose popped up on tme nearly a year ago and at the time we ran a story on her that generated a lot of discussion / chat in the comments section around her DNA. We never really established her origins but I tend to lean on the side of Allan Keane’s input – i.e. her builder and as launched  name is unknown but c.1986/88 her name was changed to – Arthur Daley. c.1995 she was sold again and renamed – Compass Rose. Allan’s ‘knowledge’ comes from having sold (brokered) the boat 3 times.

In the previous WW story – link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/02/lady-fay-arthur-daley-compass-ros/  there was speculation her launch name was Lady Fay and built by Orams & Davies in Whangarei in the early 1960’s. As often happens the collective memories get a little mashed up over the years so very keen to be able to clear up the question marks hanging over her. Thanks to woody John Dawson for the photos.

LADY BEV

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LADY BEV

Todays woody has just popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) struggling to read the name, either – Lady B or Lady Bee. . Its Lady Bev

We do not know a lot about her other than. – designed and built c.1956 by Dave Jackson, using kauri planking. Approx 32’8” in length and powered by a 6cyl. Ford diesel engine.

Given she has been around for qpprox. 68 years we must be able to learn more about her.

INPUT ex HAROLD KIDD – The launch is LADY BEV built by Dave Jackson for himself in 1957 in timber. 30ft 9ins loa but lengthened by 3ft later. First engine was an Austin Skipper 100hp. Dave owned her for many years (and may still do?).

SYBIL II

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SYBIL II

With the opening of duck shooting season only a few weeks away now seemed a good time to run the photo above of the 1910 launch – Sybil II.

In the photo which comes to us from a Lew Redwood fb post, we see the launch post a very successful mornings shoot. Must have been no ‘bag’ limited back then, today I think its 8 birds pre shooter.

Harold Kidd has commented that Sybil II was built by Bailey & Lowe for a WR Twigg.

Back in August 2018 Cameron Pollard sent in photos of Sybil II on the move to a new storage location. At the time Cameron had owned the launch since 2004 and she was being ‘stored’ in anticipation of a restoration in the future – any update Cameron?

2018 WW story link https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/08/04/sybil-ii/ lots of photos and details in the comments section.

Probably NZ’s Biggest Classic – TSS Earnslaw

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Probably NZ’s Biggest Classic – TSS Earnslaw

I had cause to spend sometime last week/end in Queenstown and made the effort to take a ‘cruise’ across Lake Whakatipu on the 1912 built coal fired steamer –  TSS Earnslaw. I have visited Queenstown a lot in the past but mainly for business related events and was always running to a tight agenda – not so this trip.

A wedding invitation was the excuse for a visit, so while the rest of the family went for a long walk I boarded the ship, at nearly 160’ in length she is a ship.

Trip included a brief stop at the Walter Peak farm – a very impressive looking complex.

The conditions were perfect and woodys I would encourage you to do it if you are down that way. Enjoy the photo gallery.

And the wedding was a stunner – the best of everything – people, venue, food, wine and music. I think I danced more in one night than in the last 20 years, hopefully no one was filming 🙂