Category Archives: Tales & Yarns

CLASSIC WORKBOAT MV MILLARM 

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CLASSIC WORKBOAT MV MILLARM 

The MV MILLARM a well known boat around Wellington in the 1970’s,  popped up on social media several months ago in the ‘Cook Strait Gossip & Drama’ fb feed. 
The story goes that in 1982 after a medial event onboard the vessel was run aground in Breaker Bay, Wellington.                                                                                              The motor was salvaged and put into another vessel, the top cabin and deck were removed and taken to Lyall Bay where they sat on the seaward side of a property at the westside of the bay.In previous life worked as a pilot boat.

Can we learn anymore about MV MILLARM.

INPUT ex JOHN WICKS  – Owner was Russ McKay. Memory (that unreliable source) says she was a Roger Carey design and possibly build. She was named for Mill Arm in Greville Harbour, D’Urville Island, a very pretty and sheltered anchorage. She was quite new when tragedy struck her. Interestingly she was built as a private vessel, despite her handsome fishing boat look.

INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – Built by Miller and Tunnage. Used as a pilot launch for a few weeks when both Wellington’s pilot launches were out of service for reasons I cannot recall. On the day she was wrecked, she had crossed Cook Strait and visited the PACIFIC CHARGER, aground at Baring Head. I remember that there was a big swell running that day. Owner Russell McKay was on his own. Set sail from Baring Head towards Breaker Bay and failed to alter to starboard once the harbour entrance was reached. The unforgiving nature of the shore and the big swell did for MILL ARM. A great shame. Beautifully built in kauri of course. Only a year or so old.

CLASSIC LAUNCH HITS THE ROCKS AT BROWNS ISLAND – SOS  – CAN WE SAVE SILVER SEA FROM THE CRUSHER

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2016 PHOTO BELOW

CLASSIC LAUNCH HITS THE ROCKS AT BROWNS ISLAND – SOS  – CAN WE SAVE SILVER SEA FROM THE CRUSHER

Back in 2016 we ran a story on the 36′ classic wooden launch – SILVER SEA, at the time the story generated a lot of chat and photos. Link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/01/19/silver-sea/

Yesterday afternoon WW was contacted by fellow classic boat owner Mark McLaughlin – details below –
“ I was down at RAYC this afternoon for my son’s Optimist sailing and found Silver Sea being towed in by the Harbourmaster. He told me she went onto rocks today at Brown’s Island and the keel got punched into the hull. She went down to the gunwales at the cockpit but they managed to keep her afloat long enough to get her into Okahu Bay. She was quickly pulled ashore to the old hardstand area (brutally!) and will stay there for 48hrs before disposal by the Harbourmaster unless someone wants to take her on. Sadly the owner is not insured and apparently this was to be his final trip in the boat before selling her. The Harbourmaster said it is unlikely the owner will have the resources or energy to fix her.”

Check out the video below – the haul-out was VERY agricultural……………….
So woodys anyone out they prepared to step up and take on saving SILVER SEA Anyone interested should contact the Harbourmasters Office.

WW MERCHANDISE – IF YOU ARE THINKING OF ORDERING – DO IT NOW B4 STOCK RUNS OUT

MYSTERY COROMANDEL CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH

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MYSTERY COROMANDEL CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH

My spotter Ian McDonald sent in todays photo ex the Auckland heritage collection via fb.

The photo was tagged ‘A motorboat at an unidentified location on the Coromandel Peninsula’. Stapley Farmer, 1960’s.

And that woodys is all we know. Her appearance / finish has that workboat look. Keen to learn more about the vessel and whether she is still around.

JUST RELEASED – MAHURANGI CRUISING CLUB YEARBOOK 2026 – Another impressive edition from the hands of Steve Horsley – at $20 its the best buy this summer. Don’t wait hoping someone will buy you a copy for xmas – treat yourself – out next week – preorder your copy here srhorsley@gmail.com

NOW AVAIILABLE FROM BOAT BOOKS WESTHAVEN – IN STORE & ON LINE

CLASSIC WOODYS AT ANCHOR – MOTUIHE ISLAND 1969

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CLASSIC WOODYS AT ANCHOR – MOTUIHE ISLAND 1969

It never ceases to amaze me where I get sent photos from, woody John Dawson sent me a link to a fb page titled – Golden Days of New Zealand. 

A gent named Neil Rawlins post these today from tagged Ocean Beach, Motuihe Island, Auckland, Its dated 1969. Neil commented that folks traveled to the island on the following ferries – KESTREL, TOROA  and NGOURO.

A good collection of classic launches at anchor – can we ID any of them. Sorry for the quality of the enlargments.

Check out this link to a very cool on-the- water event in Copenhagen -its the Santa Lucia Kayak Parade. Sent to me by Brent Kennedy ✔️

MYSTERY PICTON WOODEN LAUNCH AT THE MOETAPU REGATTA

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MYSTERY PICTON WOODEN LAUNCH AT THE MOETAPU REGATTA

Regular WW readers will know I’ve got a real soft spot for the good folks at the Picton Clinker & Classic Boat Club. They truly embody everything that’s great about the New Zealand classic boating scene — passion, community spirit, and plenty of character.

One of the highlights in my inbox each month is their club newsletter, DEADWOOD — always packed with stories, snippets, and treasures.

In the latest issue, two photos caught my eye — both shared above.

The first shows a rather smart-looking launch, captioned “Moetapu Regatta, Pelorus Sound, 26th December 1911.” Sadly, her identity remains a mystery. Can any woodys help name this launch.

The second photo, taken at the Moetapu Regatta on 27th December 1905, captures a very different scene — a seriously overloaded punt ferrying people to shore. The club newsletter counted at least 45 souls aboard. Clearly, there were no Health & Safety inspectors on duty that day 🙂

THE CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH JULIA – HOW DID SHE END UP HERE

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THE CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH JULIA – HOW DID SHE END UP HERE

Back in May  2017 one of the roving woody crew, Ross Dawson, reported in on the classic wooden double-end launch – JULIA. Ross spotted JULIA berthed at Nelson Marina (first 3 photos above) 

Fast forward to Jan 2018 and John Burland reported that she was still berthed in Nelson.

Then in December 2022 Bay of Islands woody, Dean Wright snapped a photo of JULIA in Havelock Marina.

Sadly each time we were unable to learn anymore details on the vessel.

Then mid-week I get an email from Alistair Rowe reporting that while on a walk he spotted JULIA looking very sad lying in a bit of wasteland behind Sanford’s mussel processing plant at Havelock.

Hopefully this isn’t the end of the road for JULIA- can anyone enlighten us on the vessel and how she ended up in this sad state.

2025 KAWAU ISLAND SPRING SPLASH REGATTA – A WOODY WEEKEND TO REMEMBER – 50+ PHOTOS

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THERE IS A WOODY HIDING IN THERE – SEE BELOW ⬇️
RAINDANCE
KAIKOURA
CENTAURUS
CALLISTO
HGARUNUI
MARIHI
ST CLAIR
TAREE
MEOLA
RONAKI
VOLANTO
KIWARUA
MOANALUA
TUNA

2025 KAWAU ISLAND SPRING SPLASH REGATTA – A WOODY WEEKEND TO REMEMBER – 50+ PHOTOS

Pleased to report that the long weekend’s woody action at Kawau Island was an absolute triumph. Now in its second year, the Spring Splash Regatta — a joint venture between the Kawau Boating Club, Ponsonby Cruising Club, and Waitematawoodys — continues to grow in both size and spirit.

It’s still early days for what’s shaping up to be a great annual tradition, but this year’s event had an unmistakably upbeat, jaunty vibe. Everywhere you looked, people were smiling, swapping yarns, and clearly having a great time afloat and ashore.

I’ll apologise up front for being light on the yacht racing and prize-giving coverage — for reasons I won’t bore you with — but rest assured, the competition and camaraderie were both in full swing.

Sunday’s Woodys Classic Parade was the visual highlight of the weekend, showcasing a handsome flotilla of 17 classic launches for all those anchored in Bon Accord Harbour and watching from waterfront properties. Aside from a brief 10-minute burst of H₂O at the start, the weather came right and the parade looked spectacular.

A big thank you to the classic skippers and crews who took part — your efforts made for a great show.

Helming a boat among moored craft while trying to take photos is a fine line between “challenging” and “slightly reckless,” so I’m especially grateful to Dean Watchlin, Murray Deeble and Richard Bicknell for sharing their superb photos from the weekend.

Enjoy today’s gallery — loosely divided into two parts: the weekend’s happenings and the Sunday Parade. Sorry if the cameras missed your boat – some joined the parade midway and some departed midway. The crew of KAIKOURA below, correctly attired for the occasion 🙂

CLASSIC WOODEN BAY OF ISLANDS LAUNCH – MARLINE GETS A REFRESH

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CLASSIC WOODEN BAY OF ISLANDS LAUNCH – MARLINE GETS A REFRESH

Today’s woody story features the beautifully built MARLINE — a 1949/50 ex-game boat crafted by Leon Warne, and remarkably, still in the same family after three generations.

Now owned by Leon’s son, Ken Warne, the custodianship torch has been passed to Ken’s son Kennedy Warne, who’s been spending countless hours alongside the skilled team at CMC Design Boatbuilders in Opua, giving MARLINE some well-earned TLC.

MARLINE arrived at the CMC Design workshop in late April 2025. As Sian Steward from CMC Design explains, Leon’s master craftsmanship remains front of mind in every decision as they carefully upgrade and refresh her. While she was in impressive condition on arrival, she’ll leave looking that little bit sharper — the perfect birthday present as she celebrates 75 years afloat.

Relaunch is set for December 2025 — just in time for a well-deserved Bay of Islands summer.

WOODEN CLASSICS TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT THE 2025 WHANGAREI MARITIME FESTIVAL – 60+ photos & videos

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WOODEN CLASSICS TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT THE 2025 WHANGAREI MARITIME FESTIVAL

Early Saturday morning I pointed the car north and arrived in Whangārei just in time to catch the soft early light — perfect for photography and well before the dockside crowds arrived.

Whangārei’s Town Basin really is the ideal setting for a maritime festival — easy dock access, great viewing angles, and plenty of nearby cafés and attractions. Add in the buzz of the Saturday markets and you’ve got all the ingredients for a standout event.

Wooden boat numbers were a little down on last year, but a few visiting commercial vessels — including Customs, Pilot boats, fishing craft and a pair of Waka — helped round out the fleet. From a public point of view, it was still an impressive line-up. Given the number of classic boats that have migrated north in recent years, it would be great to see more of the region’s wooden heritage on display next time around.

It was great to catch up with so many familiar faces — clearly the new highway was busy with Aucklanders heading north for the weekend.

All up, a thoroughly enjoyable day. Hopefully today’s photo gallery will inspire a few more of you to make the trip in 2026.

And there is always a few foody pix – hands down the best two seafood fritters ever – one mussel and the star – one whitebait. And a free KOWHAI coffee because she liked my WW t-shirt.

FYI – when I’m at an event I point the camera at what catches my eye , sometimes I miss a few boats but I like to think the photos are more like someone strolling the docks rather than someone trying to capture the whole caboodle 🙂

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCHES NAMED SPEEDWELL 

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCHES NAMED SPEEDWELL 

I suspect I’m going to get  history lesson today…… The above photo surfaced on a Maurice Sharp’s fb feed and was captioned “The motor launch Speedwell om the Waitemata Harbour – 1920’s – 1930’s” (NZ Herald). Searching WW we get a link to a ROSEMARY M story where Harold Kidd advised the ROSEMARY M had once been named SPEEDWELL – link to that story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/09/07/rosemary-m/

Harold also made reference to his and Robin Elliott’s book – Vintage NZ Launches’where we see another SPEEDWELL, this time one of several launches of the same name owners by WA ‘Wilkie’ Wilkinson . To my eye this SPEEDWELL (2nd photo above)  is not the one in Maurice’s fb post.

Can we correctly put a builder / date on this one.

13-10-2025 INPUT ex GREG PHILPOTT – advertisement below appeared c.1920’s Bay of Islands Swordfish Club yearbook.

Off to Whangarei today for the Whangarei Maritime Festical – fingers crossed Monday will be a great story 🙂

KEY INTEL October 11th and 12th 2025

Whangārei Town Basin – Free Entry

More info: www.whangareimaritimefestival.co.nz