Category Archives: Tales & Yarns

Gunk-holing up the Weti River in a 1902 Logan – Revisited

Posted on by
6

So far there have been over 2,000 classic wooden boat stories featured on waitematawoodys & the viewing numbers (3,300,000) have grown from a dozen people to over 80,000. I have had some loyalists from day one but the big numbers have happened in the last 2 years – so not everyone will have been exposed to all the stories. Over the Christmas / NY period I have decided to take a peek back in time & feature some of the gems from the early days. Enjoy.

Have a great holiday & remember to take the camera / phone with you & snap a photo of any woodys you see. Email them to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

 

Gunk-holing up the Weti River in a 1902 Logan Motor Boat

photos ex Jason Prew at the helm of Otira

Despite the CYA Launch cruise / picnic being cancelled Jason Prew & Nathan Herbert + crew decided to launch Otira, the 1902 Logan day boat at Gulf Harbour & explore the upper reaches of the Waiti River. They made it passed the Silverdale road bridge, which is an impressive distance, along the way they passed an ‘interesting’ array of vessels. Enjoy 🙂  As always – click on any photo to enlarge.

For reference see below a recent photo of Otira at Lake Rotoiti Wooden Boat Parade

Jack Brooke Cruise Collection #6 – Matanui 1966- Revisited

Posted on by
2

So far there have been over 2,000 classic wooden boat stories featured on waitematawoodys & the viewing numbers (3,300,000) have grown from a dozen people to over 80,000. I have had some loyalists from day one but the big numbers have happened in the last 2 years – so not everyone will have been exposed to all the stories. Over the Christmas / NY period I have decided to take a peek back in time & feature some of the gems from the early days. Enjoy.

Have a great holiday & remember to take the camera / phone with you & snap a photo of any woodys you see. Email them to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

 

Matanui 1966 Cruise

Jack Brooke Cruise Collection #6 – Matanui 1966

waitematawoodys would again like to thank Robert Brooke for making the remarkable cruise drawings done by his father, Jack Brooke, available to ww followers. Jack produced a hand drawing on each cruise. Today’s post is the sixth of several – enjoy.

The above drawing records the travels of Matanui during a ‘boys’ weekend fishing trip in 1966 to the Needles. They departed Friday morning & returned early Sunday morning. Check out their course on the chart & the times recorded – given the distance & time, I’m surprised they caught any fish. The haul was 23 hapukau, a lot of snapper, a few sharks & a cod or two. From the illustration of ‘El Capitano’, Jack can’t have had much luck with the fishing rod 🙂

The crew was made up of Jack Brooke, Joe Kissin, John Ellis, Ralph Scott & Gordon Bliss. Most of this crew did the same trip 11 years earlier (1955) – type Jack Brooke in the ww search box to view the previous cruise drawings.

Jack Brooke Cruise Collection #13 – Kiariki Xmas 1961/62 – Revisited

Posted on by
2

So far there have been over 2,000 classic wooden boat stories featured on waitematawoodys & the viewing numbers (3,300,000) have grown from a dozen people to over 80,000, I have had some loyalists from day one but the big numbers have happened in the last 2 years – so not everyone will have been exposed to all the stories. Over the Christmas / NY period I have decided to take a peek back in time & feature some of the gems from the early days. Enjoy.

Have a great holiday & remember to take the camera / phone with you & snap a photo of any woodys you see. Email them to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

 

Jack Brooke Cruise Collection #13 – Kiariki Xmas  1961/62

Another  Jack Brooke drawing, published on ww thanks to son Robert making them available to ww followers. Jack produced a hand drawing on each cruise. Todays post is the 13th featured.

The above drawing records the travels of Kiariki during the Xmas 1961/62 cruise to Kawau Island, Kerikeri (Bay of Islands), Great Barrier all points in-between. Sounds like the weather gods did not smile for the trip north. If Robert or Judith are reading they might like to enlighten readers on the ‘birds & wasps’ reference.

Crew: John Brooke, Elsie Brooke, Judith Brooke, Howard Wallace, Monty Wallace & Richard Purchase.

Merry Christmas

Posted on by
9

Unknown-1

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Several weeks ago I came across the above illustration on the website ‘Lastlemon’, the site promotes the work of Lisa Swerling & Ralph Laza – 2 very talented & prolific illustrators. To me the cartoon sums up why I own a wooden boat & why I’m so passionate about the classic boating movement.

My boat is my rock in a life that revolves around endless deadlines & delivering on expectations. I work in a field of business that has benefited hugely from the advent of the digital age & that’s very cool, but the downside is that now days a lot of us are always available, effectively on-call 24/7.

So woodys – grab the opportunity in the next few weeks to turn the mobile off, walk away from the screen & just relax, read a book, walk the dog, be nice to your partner, say hello to a stranger on the beach.

Over the break I’ll be pumping out WW stories when I can, subject to internet access & motivation.

Two parts to the holiday this year – Part1 will see us floating around somewhere on Raindance after Christmas Day & in the early part of the NY, hopefully catching up with friends.  Part2 involves joining Barbara & David Cooke on Trinidad during their circumnavigation of NZ. Myself & Jamie Hudson (Lady Crossley) are doing the Bay of Islands > Picton leg, across the top of NZ & then down the West Coast, so hopefully some good stories from that trip.

Thanks to everyone for all the help with stories & photos throughout the year, without you all, WW would not exist.

Again Merry Christmas & Have a Safe & Fun Break.  Alan Houghton

OOPS – Last Quiz Of The Year

Posted on by
4

Unknown

OOPS – last quiz of the year

The above photo was sent to me by a mate, he recalls the incidence was 3>4 years ago. Interesting to note the 4sale sign on the bow rail….. wonder if it happened during a test run ?

So woodys – the 1st one to correctly name the boat & the location, wins a Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade 2018 calendar. Entries via the WW comments section.

I hope Santa finds your chimney on Sunday night & you get to spend time with the people closest & dearest to you 🙂

 

New Zealand Classic Wooden Boat Register – 200+ Photos

Posted on by
7

image1

New Zealand Classic Wooden Boat Register – 200+ Photos

Stoked to be able to share with you the 2018 edition of the CYA Classic Register. Big ups to the CYA team behind it, pulling everything together is a massive undertaking, I’ve been there & done that, having been involved with the first 4 issues – 2018 is a winner, so make a cup of coffee or pour something a little stronger & sit back & enjoy over 200 photos. Click link below

to view https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/fullscreen/59612422/cya-classic-register-2018-yum

Lucky CYA members will be getting a free hard copy version in the post very soon. Almost worth joining to get a copy 😉 Membership details here  http://classicyacht.org.nz/joinus/

Nukutere – Part 2

Posted on by
5

Construction & Launching

Unknown

Unknown-5

1940’s War Service & Up To About 1950’s

Unknown-23

Unknown-10

1960’s > 1981

Unknown-13

Unknown-15

Unknown-16

Unknown-18

Unknown-22

NUKUTERE – Part 2

Back in September (11th 2017) I wrote a story on WW about the launch Nukutere, as a result of that story Bernie Warmington made the comments below on the WW Comments section

“Hi, the lovely Nukutere was built by Arthur Sang for our grandad Foster Warmington of Wellington, from 1939-41.  She remained in the family until 1981.  Grandad sketched up some design drawings from reading boating magazines and Arthur made up a model.  (Grandad then shaved the model to make the bows finer, Arthur didn’t find out until she was partly built!).  Moored mostly at Port Nicholson and then later at Seaview, and in the Sounds she was moored at Nana and Grandad’s house in Double Cove.  She saw naval service as Frank mentioned, her registration was Z74.  My Dad Gavin and Uncle John went on night patrols when 14 and 15 until the navy banned them due to age.  Not sure what Nana thought of all this… We have a small book based on Dad’s memories of the Nukutere and her adventures, happy to share these, photos etc with the current owners and others interested.”

I asked Bernie to send me the above mentioned photos, which appear above. What a collection – I have broken them into 3 parts.

  1. Construction & Launching (stunning photo of the kauri log)
  2. 1940’s War Service & Up To About 1950’s
  3. 1960’s > 1981

THE NUKUTERE STORY – Below is a link (in blue) to a photo-essay book, titled The Nukutere Story, that Gavin Warmington authored for his family. The story & photos were passed over (told) to his children – Julie, Bernie & Matty in late 2007 > early 2008.

The family edited the story & published it in March 2016. WW is in debt to the Warmington family for sharing the book with all us woodys.

Enjoy the read, it puts all the above photos & more in context.

THENUKUTERESTORY

Screen Shot 2017-12-14 at 7.53.40 am

 

Link to the WW post #1 showing Nukutere today.  https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/09/11/nukutere/

 

 

 

 

A Master Class in Wooden Boat Building

Posted on by
1

 

A Master Class in Wooden Boat Building

In the past I have published several links to retired Australian boat builder, Ian Smith’s blog (Smithy’s Boatshed) on the building of his 24’ Ranger Class yacht. Today’s link is to the full blog; it is a truly amazing record of how to build a wooden boat. If Ian was to appear on the TV program Mastermind, his specialist topic would be ‘Australian Open Boats’, the man is a living legend. Read / view the story, if you are too busy, bookmark it for later reference.

(thanks to Robin Elliott for pointing me in the direction of Ian’s build / blog)  

http://smithysboatshed.weebly.com/blog

 

Waiata H15

Posted on by
2

Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 1.53.30 pm

2017

WAIATA H15

 A gent by the name of Billy Bott called me last week with a wee problem, with a such a cool name, I couldn’t not help him out

Billy has a 26ft Mullet boat (now in motor launch mode) with a very colourful history. Built by Dick Lang, one of the leading mullet boat builders at the time and launched in 1936. One of the last boats launched before the man power project in 1938. Her first owner, Hec Moylan, won 1st prize in the ‘NZ Art Union’ lottery & commissioned Lang to build the yacht.

Waiata was transported to Japan in 1946 aboard the English aircraft carrier “Gloria” to be used for Rest and Recreation duties by members of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Waiata was also used for recreational sailing at the RNZAF Sunderland base at Lauthala Bay, Fiji.

In 1984 as the result of a rather big storm, she had a wee altercation with the Westhaven sea wall, at the bottom of Curran Street, Herne Bay (refer press clipping below) & more details on her past.

Today Waiata resides in the Milford Creek. Powered by a 25hp Volvo diesel motor and gearbox. The motor has only done a few hundred hours since being reconditioned. She is very roomy for a 26’ boat, with full head room throughout.

Billy’s problem ? – Waiata needs a new owner, sadly she has not been used lately & someone could acquire her for not a lot of money, in Billy’s words “I’m open to all offers”

For more information call Billy on 0274956561

ERNIE SEAGAR RIP – Saddened to learn of the passing last week of Ernie Seagar, one of the giants of our wooden boating community. 

Harold Kidd Input

Sad indeed to hear about Ernie Seagar’s death. He was already a legend as a boy. He was Head Prefect and Captain of the First XV at Takapuna Grammar in the 5th Form and a very useful cricketer, track and field athlete and yachtsman. In his later years he became a truly admirable hard man from his experiences at sea and in life. A true two-fisted tough-minded Seagar of the great New Zealand engineering family. His great-grandfather worked under Isambard Kingdom Brunel in the construction of the GWR Saltash Bridge and the SS GREAT EASTERN at Milwall.
My sincere condolences to his family.
WAIATA was launched by Dick Lang on October 5 1934, not 1936. My father and mother lived in London Street, just up from St.Mary’s Beach. Dad knew Dick Lang well (as well as Lloyd George).
Boylan raced her infrequently with Ponsonby Cruising Club and Richmond but she was well-known on the waterfront.
This “manpower” comment is way off beam. Between 1934 and 1940 (not 1938….WHY 1938, the war was a year in the future?) when tradesman began to be “manpowered”, many hundreds of yachts and launches were built in Auckland, a large number by Dick Lang.

Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 1.55.05 pm

Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 1.56.18 pm

 

Rawene – A Peek Down Below

Posted on by
22

Unknown-6

Unknown

RAWENE – A Peek Down Below

Woody John Wicks sent in the above photos of the launch Rawene. They came from a friend of John’s, who got them from his brother on Tauranga, so the details were a little light e.g.  only the name & the date 1926.

This Rawene (there have been a few) has appeared on WW before when she lived on Lake Waikaremoana, looks like she is being hauled after receiving some TLC, as mentioned below in the owner’s comments. Great to see below decks.

Link here to when she first appeared on WW, I in fact had suggested that she had to be a finalist for the 2016 Floating Bach Awards 😉 https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/05/21/2016-floating-bach-award/

Below I have reproduced Hendrik Metz’s WW comments on the vessel.

Keen to hear more about what happened to with her while she was out & if she did make it back to the Lake?

Rawene – as told by owner, Hendrik Metz

Built in 1928 by L.C. Coulthard, Boatbuilder of Onehunga, on a commission for a Mr Alexander Alexander of Napier, Rawene operated as a fishing boat out of Ahuriri.

After the Napier Earthquake in 1931, Rawene was left high and dry on the newly formed mudflats, caused by the earthquake.  Mr Thomas Holden of Gisborne, on a visit to Napier thought she would make a good lake boat and purchased her and brought her to Waikaremoana, in 1931.

The Holden and Heggarty families spent many happy holidays at Waikaremoana on board Rawene.  In 1960 following the death of Mr Holden the boat was sold to the Chapman Brothers of Frasertown, who owned her for the next eight years.  Phillip de Lautour, who was then farming at Ohuka, purchased Rawene from the Chapmans about 1968 and eventually sold her to Walmsley Canning of Porangahau, April 1970.  On 11th September 1976 she was purchased by a partnership of Jock Ross and Evert Metz.  The Metz/Ross families still own her today.

She is currently in Tauranga undergoing a refit but will be back at Waikaremoana early in 2017.

Mr Coulthard’s son, who helped with her construction says they built an identical boat at the same time but he cannot remember her name – if anyone knows of a similar shaped hull we would be keen to hear more.  Originally Rawene didn’t have the raised roof at the stern or the poop deck these were added in about 1978.