Category Archives: Tales & Yarns

Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Parade – 2016 – 150+ photos

Posted on by
8

P1210884.JPG

Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Parade Weekend – 2016 – 150+ photos

Get comfortable this ones a biggie, 150+ photos from the 2016 Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Parade weekend.

The inclement conditions (lots of H2O) on Saturday resulted in the parade being moved to Sunday, to most this was a positive as it gave everyone more time to socialize. We took the opportunity to mooch around the lake & visit a few lake-side properties. The transport for the day was rather special – 2 of the regular parade attendees, Cathy & Shawn Vennell and Pam & Tim Aurisch had bought their classic cars – a 1960 Dodge & 1956 Chev Bel Air, very impressive tow cars & a cool mode of transport.

So today’s post is a mix of classics – motorboats, day boats, speedboats, steamboats, yachts & cars – Its a visual attempt to give to you a taste of the weekend & showcase the vessels that make up the parade.
Special thanks to the LRC&WBP committee, especially Commodore Grant Cossey, past Commodore Fraser Wilson and the lass that makes it all happen Rachel Jamieson.

Due to another engagement we could not attend the post parade picnic.

Each boat carries a number, to find out more details on any vessel e.g. name, year, owner – refer to this link to a master listing. 2016ParadeEntrantDetails

Enjoy 🙂

Click photos to enlarge 😉

(L>R) Commodore Grant Cossey, past Commodore Fraser Wilson, Chris Miller

P1220376

Lake Rotoiti Dinghy Day – Big Boys Toys Part 2

Posted on by
9

Seagull -104

 

couch%20ladies%20shrunk[2]

Lake Rotoiti Dinghy Day – aka Big Boys Toys Part 2

The Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Association are a very active group & run some very cool events for the members. One of the best activities is the annual Dinghy Day which is a mix of serious – Seagull Outboard race & pure fun e.g. the ‘put you motor on something odd class’. There was even an entrant using the  fuel tanks off an old 1950’s airplane as their vessel & grandmothers couch from the 1960’s made an appearance.
Above are a few of the photos from the day, enjoy, they all did 🙂

http://www.woodenboatparade.co.nz/

Sorceress – Sailing Sunday

Posted on by
9

sorceress_2012_steve_horsley_2012

SORCERESS – Sailing Sunday
Photos ex Lynn Berquist & Steve Horsley. Details Hugh Gladwell

Many of you will be aware of the death of Peter Bailey on 30 December 2015. Peter was a founder of the Mahurangi Cruising Club and revived the racing of yachts as part of the Mahurangi Regatta.
His family have asked the MCC to assist with the sale of his yacht Sorceress which has been on the hard at the old Cement Works in Warkworth for the last few years. Sorceress is a 46 ft Laurent Giles design which Peter had built in Tauranga in the 1970’s. It would be hard to imagine a more imposing or statuesque vessel. Her sister ship Dyarchy is a legendary English yacht and was described at length in Eric Hiscocks book Cruising Under Sail.
Sorceress is triple skinned and was hauled out to have her topsides taken back to bare wood and glassed. This work has been done but the glass needs to be filled and faired then painted.
She may from the above photos look a handful to sail but Peter often cruised in her singlehanded.
Peter and his boat were an absolute item and the MCC will greatly miss his maniacal laugh, the roaring bow wave and the bowsprit pointing to the sky.
The club would love her to remain part of the Mahurangi scene and the family seek expressions of interest.

To view or for further details call Hugh Gladwell 021 606 409

MAHURANGI CRUISING CLUB YEARBOOK – 2015

The latest edition of this annual publication is now out & about. The 2016 issue (88 pages) is stunning – its a great visual insight into the regatta weekend & a cracker of a read, in the past the stories have been a bit ‘hairy’ but this year they are very cool. (excuse my crappy iphone photos)
I would suggest to grab a copy asap as this one will sell out, which it will at only $15
.
Where from you ask? Any of the below.

1. Boat Books – 22 Westhaven Drive, Freemans Bay – 09 358 5691 or online   http://www.boatbooks.co.nz/
2. From the MCC – c/o of P.O.Box 555, Warkworth.
3. On the day at the regatta – but you may miss out 😦

ps nice to see the motorboats featured again 😉

CLASSIC WOODY WEEKEND
Remember : Circle Jan 29 > Feb 5th on the calendar is a great classic boating weekend – 2 regattas (Mahurangi & Auckland) + loads of wooden boating activities – both on-the-water & ashore – details below:
anniversary weekend 2016 poster

Whats Hot In Wooden Boating – Coastal Rowing

Posted on by
2

Coastal Rowing – The Hot New Wooden Boating Activity

If you have not heard about coastal rowing & the St Ayles skiff movement you need to get out a bit more.


New Zealand’s history is full of coastal rowing journeys and races, many journeys were made out of necessity as basic well founded open rowing boats provided the backbone of transport around the countries many coastal ports, harbours and rivers, transporting all manner of goods, fishing and of course whaling. This lead on to racing and many open rowing boat races are listed in our history including in our Anniversary regattas throughout the country.

The New Zealand Coastal Rowing Association has been formed to promote and encourage the revival of coastal rowing in strong well founded open rowing boats not only for national races between teams fighting it out for victory but also journeys, adventures and exploration of our countries amazing waterways.

Why the St Ayles Skiff?

The NZCRA choose to embrace the international St Ayles skiff rather than a historical New Zealand design for one very simple reason –  the St Ayles skiff has since 2009 has become an international one design rowing boat and with over 100 built around the world it opens up the opportunity of international and trans Tasman racing and comradeship. Already there is a fleet of 10 skiffs in NZ.

For more details on the NZCRA & the NZ St Ayles fleet check out the website http://nzcoastalrowing.org/

ANNOUNCEMENT  – 2016 Kiwi Raid and Regatta – Jan 29th – Feb 12th

New Zealand’s first major coastal rowing event is The Kiwi Raid and Regatta 2016.

Its starts January 29th 2016 at Sandpit, and finishes fifteen days later in Auckland, see route chart below. Along the way there are lots of short adventures for sailors and rowers alike. There will be a two day St Ayles skiff regatta (short rowing races) at Whangaparoa in the middle. The event has attracted teams from around the world & will show case the sport of coastal rowing to New Zealanders. WW encourages woody boaters to take the opportunity to experience coastal rowing up close over this period – plan a day out or overnight to follow the event. More info & contact details here http://raidnz.org/

Whats a Raid ? A sail and oar adventure combining sailing and rowing. It involves a fleet of small boats capable of being rowed and sailed, exploring a coastline or inland waterway over several days, often with some competitive element.

(photos of the 2015 Australian event, courtesy of Nel Tyson)

17-01-2016 Update

‘Saint Helier’ NZ’s latest St Ayles skiff was launched yesterday morning at St Heliers Beach, where else 🙂

FullSizeRender

Bugger

Posted on by
8

BUGGER

The 1921 classic Arch Logan launch Ngaio got a little close to the eastern end of Flat Island (Gt Barrier) on Monday. She hit just after high tide and given the angle of the ‘dangle’  must have been going at a good pace. I understand the hole(s) were patched and she was floated off on the next tide. She is built like a brick shite house so one can imagine the only major damage would have been a few bruised egos 😉 Click photos to enlarge, sorry crappy photos, mobile phone at a distance.

I for one can not comment – a mooching speed & a big powerful runabout nearby, were my saving grace (different bricks) 🙂

15-01-2016 Owner Report

Luckily Ngaio  was only traveling at 5 knots when she hit and it happened at full high tide. As the tide dropped, Ngaio came to rest almost fully supported along her keel. Salvage operators had her refloated 3 hours before the next high tide. The only damage was to the stem plate which covered the pohutakawa stem underneath, and the sacrificial keel plate. No boards were sprung, no water was taken on, and no other damage. They don’t build boats like that, these days.
The next day she returned to Auckland from Gt Barrier, without missing a beat..

MoanaLua

Posted on by
20
Collings & Bell 1935

MOANALUA
photos ex Philip Hamlin

Sadly for a lot of folks today signals the return to the office, so I thought I would try to brighten up the day with a rather special post.

In early December Helena & Philip Hamlin, the owners of the magnificent 1935 Collings & Bell launch MoanaLua, sent me this amazing photo essay of Moanalua’s past. Philip & Helena would like to acknowledge the generosity of their friends & previous owner of MoanaLua for sharing this collection compiled by Allan Keane.

Where possible I have captioned the photos & remember you can enlarge any photo by clicking on it. Enjoy.

Input from Allan Keane – past owner
Fantastic – great to see that this history is not lost and there is no safer site than WW. I hope people enjoy seeing boating as it used to be.
Seeing crew on the bow reminds me that when we bought her there was no deck access to a huge anchor locker. This locker originally had a large header tank to give pressure water, including to the bath aft. Graham Watt who used to cruise on her told me his first job each day was to pump up water to the header tank—how things change! So all the anchor rode was carried on deck.
We built two good hatches to rectify having to pull everything out over the front berth, and of course the bath is long gone.

1930’s

1935 Launch Day
After launching
Christmas 1935 Cruise. Monowai (ex Razmuk) in background
New Year 1935 Cruise
Northern Cruise 1935. Note extra fuel on board
New Year Cruise 1935
New Year Cruise 1935
Northern Cruise 1935
Underway
Taking snaps 1935
Opua Wharf 1935
Atau Crew – Barry, Cuts & Dolci Boucher
Original interior
Easter 1935 on-route to Kawau
Northern Cruise 1935
Easter 1935 – Uncle Pip,Bill Boucher,Cuts,Mrs Boucher,Aunty VE,Dulcie,Bob
1935 – The Skipper – Bill Boucher
1935 – The New Skipper
1935
1935 North Cruise – Russell
1936 North Cruise. Fueling at Auckland
1936 Nothern Cruise. Russel
1936 Northern Cruise. Opua Wharf
1935/36 – in Matiatia
Christmas 1937. Mansion House Kawau
Christmas 1937. Muriel,Dulcie,Ken,Bob
Christmas 1937. After big storm
Jan 1938 Cruise. Ken,Irene,Sam
Christmas 1938. Alice,Betty,Loris,Irene
1939. Rewa wreck
With cockpit dodger,flybridge & bow rail
Christmas 1939. Muddy Bay Kawau. Te Rauparaha (fwd)

1960’s

c.1969 – Mansion House Wharf. Owner Ken Burroughs

1990’s

Coromandel 1993. Owners Broadbent & Keane families
c.1994/95 – 9>10 knots
1994/95
1999 Refit at HMB
1999 Refit at HMB

2000’s

Schooner Bay, Great Barrier 2001/02
2010 – Patio Bay, Waiheke Is.

27-04-2016 Input from Graham Watt

I am the Graham Watt referred to by Allan Keane as the Lad who had the onerous morning duty of pumping up the water header tank. Moanalua was owned by Denny Bishop during the late 50’s and early 60’s, and his best mate,my father Colin Watt ,plus family made up the regular crew. I believe Denny purchased the boat from the Boucher estate.
She was moored on the piles ( pre marina ) at Westhaven and our regular cruising was to the “bottom end” and Kawau ,with Christmas to the Bay of Islands and as far as Whangaroa.
To clarify the comments around engine, at that time it was a Petrol Kermath Seafarer Special along with a wing motor with its own shaft. Another feature was the R.T. , ex army ZC 1, a massive multi dial affair whose only purpose was to call Auckland Radio to get a telegram away to a mate giving instructions on horse racing bets..
Both Denny and Colin were builders who figured that by cladding the cabin with this latest Formica product they could get a permanent finish without the varnishing. Not a good idea with the benefit of hindsight.

Vagabond – Sailing Sunday

Posted on by
3

VAGABOND – Sailing Sunday

Story alert ex Frank Stoks

Frank who owns the classic vessel Atatu sent me a link to this very cool story that appeared in ‘The Marlborough Express’ newspaper on the 28-12-2015, written by Kat Guggan.

Marlborough woman Viv Murray’s 1926 yacht, Vagabond, has been passed through generations of her family.
Viv said that she has grown up with it, her grandfather had it built and when she was 5 years-old he handed it on to her father, so we started cruising the sounds.
Built in Wellington, Murray believes her grandfather based the design of Vagabond on boats the Americans were building at the time, having seen similar styles in boating magazines from the era.
She and her brother, Rick Holmes, have made alterations to the boat, including an extension to the cabin, but kept its decor largely the same.
“It’s still in the old style … we have changed a few things but we put in old-fashioned things rather than modernising it,” she said.
Vagabond was kept at the Port Nicholson Yacht Club until about 30 years ago.

Click the link below to read the full story – it’s a great tale 😉
http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/cruising/75483136/on-the-water-viv-murray-spends-a-lifetime-cruising-the-marlborough-sounds.html

Harold Kidd Input

VAGABOND was primarily a launch, a motor sailer, or at most an auxiliary like her later near sister NEREIDES. Both were built by B.J.L. (Joe) Jukes at Balaena Bay, VAGABOND for Arthur Moody Holmes (Jock’s father I believe) in late 1925 and NEREIDES for C.H. Mitchell, launched in October 1926 with 28-36hp Ailsa Craig power.
VAGABOND had a 45hp Thornycroft in 1937 but that replaced an earlier unspecified 24hp unit.
She was in NAPS as a patrol vessel 1942-3.
Both these Jukes boats were built for Cook Strait work. No wonder they have survived so well.
Arthur Holmes’ first boat was the little keel yacht NANOYA in 1907 and he was a staunch Port Nick sailor for many years until his death in 1963.

Hoax Woody

Posted on by
6

Hoax Woody
The above person is not a classic wooden boatie. If you sight him loitering around marinas & wharfs please confiscate the ww tee-shirt. He obtained it under false pretenses.
As a result of his behavior, future purchasers of ww merchandise may have to supply proof of their trustworthiness & commitment to the wooden boating movement 🙂

ps Its not a photo of  Xxx  Xxxxxxxx .  Name removed due to lack of a sense of humour 🙂