Category Archives: Tales & Yarns

Ethel

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ETHEL
Info below ex Capt. Tom Leary    B.V.A. (Syd.)  C.L.M.  N.Z.W.G. – sent in by Judith Gardiner (+ b/w photos). Colour photos ex Alan H
Designed and built by the Logan Brothers at their Devonport shipyards in 1896 (Nov 16th) for H. Dawson the owner of Greater Mercury Island. She was 60′ LOA, 11’8″ beam & 5’8 draft. Triple skin kauri & copper roved. Ethel was built as a family cruiser/ racer with slightly more beam than those of her contemporaries. Ethel spent her early years cruising and racing mainly around Auckland but also in Wellington.

Around 1918 Ethel was taken along with other larger vessels into the snapper fleet and given the sail # 33. After the war years she moved to Waitara on New Zealand’s West coast where she remained for fifty years long lining for snapper, it was during this time she had an engine fitted. Whilst in Waitara where she had her own wharf, she was called by the locals ‘The Queen of Waitara.’

About 1970 she returned to Auckland and continued to fish out of Westhaven.

In approx. 1975 she was purchased by John Smith from Thames who did extensive restoration work including new decks new cabin, new interior work and restored her original yawl rig as the mizzen mast had been removed for fishing.

In 1999 I purchased Ethel from John and again an extensive refit began.

Half of her port side was replaced due to dry rot. New fuel tanks, a recond. engine was fitted, new electronics/ wiring including smart charging systems, electronic toilet  and fridge installed she was completely recaulked including scarfing in slithers to her garboard plank. All this work was done under the guidance of Nortel surveyors. 2003 saw more work done during a winter refit her coach roof was glassed over, her main mast and gaff had another two meters added to them to take her back to her original rig. Her cockpit area was increased with self drainage this was done to take six to eight people comfortably. Wheel steering was added and her decks were recaulked with sika. A yard was added and new sails cut to fit. All Ethel’s standing rig is new galv. most of Ethel’s running rig is also new. Ethel is a very well appointed and maintained classic and has been chartering successfully for the past three years.

The Auckland museum has many early photographs of Ethel, as with today, she is a much admired and photographed yacht.

Alan H – Ethel is now owned by Keith Munro & has again undergone an extensive refit & you will see from the photos below is looking rather smart.

Info ex Judith Gardiner on Ethel’s first owner – Herbert Dawson, who was Judith’s great grand uncle through her mothers line.

Herbert Dawson was born 19 April 1859 In Leeds Yorkshire. He married Jane Eleanor Darrell  on 29 December 1886 in Hutton Buscel East Yorkshire & they had two children –
Ethel Fanny Dawson
Born: 14.11.1887 – Lebberston, Filey, Scarborough

Eleanor Sybil Dawson
Born: 03.05.1889 – Falsgrave, Scarborough

Herbert, Jane, Ethel and Eleanor (known as Sybil)  emigrated to New Zealand and landed at Port Chalmers.  They had sailed on the ship Tainui which had left London on 12 May 1892. Herbert purchased Great Mercury on 02.10.1893. Herbert sold Great Mercury Island on 26.02.1912 to John Kemp of Epsom and Frederick William Kemp of Tauranga.

Herbert contracted Logan Brothers of Devonport shipyards to build a ‘boat’ to accommodate his need to transport to and from Great Mercury Island.  It was launched on 16 November 1896.  It was probably sold within the year that Herbert left Great Mercury Island.

Judith would very much like to know who owned it after Tom Leary any other information would be appreciated.

Herbert & Jane Dawson

Herbert Dawson Jane Eleanor Darrell

waitematawoodys.com Gets One Million Views

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waitematawoodys.com Gets 1,000,000 Views

At some stage today the counter on the watematawoodys.com blog site will tick over & show that people have viewed the site 1,000,000 times.

I choose the above photo for todays post because to me it captures what the classic wooden boat movement was / is all about. Its got everything there – motor boats, yachts, dinghies, people hanging out having a good time – there is even a dog 🙂 . The location is obviously Mansion House Bay at Kawau Island. The photo was sent to me by Robert Brooke & is from his father’s, Jack Brooke, stunning collection. (click on the photo to enlarge)

When I look back at the first few posts on waitematawoodys its amazing how we have evolved & now how big the audience is both in terms of numbers & the geographical reach.

I would like to thank all the followers of the site, but special thanks must go to everyone that sends in material (photos & info). Doing a daily post can be a little challenging at times but just when I start to panic, an email arrives from someone with some old photos of granddads boat. I would also like to thank Harold Kidd who gave me a swift kick in the backside 2 years ago in terms of getting serious about the site & the accuracy of the content. I would be embarrassed to say how many hours I had to spend to go back & populate the existing posts in terms of year, designer,builder etc but now the site is the #1 reference tool for New Zealand classic wooden boats. But that is a by-product, the real success of the site is that everyday it delivers to people something fun & enjoyable to read & interact with, something that puts a smile on their face.

Way did I start waitematawoodys ? – well the idea came to me via my involvement in the NZ Classic Yacht Association, the CYA is a great club but like most small clubs it can be seen as slightly cliquish, we do so many neat things but the audience is small & there are so many more people out there with an interest in wooden boats. With the birth of social media networks, stuff (photos, stories, info) that had previously been packed away, could now be available to anyone with a computer or smart phne. The future was all about content being on-line & easy to access. It was also about being collaborative. With the advent of personal websites (called blogs) people like myself are able to create a communication channel that has no boundaries. But more importantly blogs are able to be managed/controlled so that they remain true to the topic, which in the case of waitematawoodys is – the study & appreciation of classic wooden boats & the desire to tell the stories behind them & the people who built them, owned them & crewed on them.
At the start the content was all about motor boats but as the audience has grown the readers now have a broader interest in all classic wooden boats & things related to them.

Why did I call it waitematawoodys – now I could put my advertising hat on & rabbit on about what the words mean to people but the simple truth is its just a cool name & looks great on a tee-shirt 🙂

I still get a buzz out of posting daily & from the feedback I get, so do you. But folks – do not hold back on spending stuff to me, some of it in isolation may not be enough for a post but I file it & then bang, someone else sends me something on the same topic & we have a story.

Again thanks for being part of waitematawoodys & remember – its all about wooden boats.

Cheers Alan

ps below is an advertisement I made to plug membership of the CYA (you should join up) the photo (ex Chris Miller) shows we are still enjoying these wonderful craft. If you look hard that’s me in my number one clinker dinghy – I say #1 because there are a few…………..  🙂

CYA Classic Journal – Issue 100

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CYA Classic Journal – Issue 100

In todays world of publishing, hitting 100 issues for a bi-monthly is pretty impresive. If the below is a little hard to read, click on the blue link below to download a pdf file. Enjoy 🙂

CYAJUNE2015a

Classic Reproductions

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Tawera and Ngaio
Tawera and Ngaio
Rainbow and Jesse Logan
Thelma
Waitangi
Waitangi deck

Classic Reproductions

Today’s post profiles the work of Wayne Spicer, a very talented modeler who has built an impressive number of our classic fleet. Wayne has been modeling for approx. 17 years & is a volunteer model maker at the Maritime Museum in Auckland (on Tuesdays). Wayne has built a number of square riggers including Endeavour, Bounty (3), Victory (3), Spanish galleon.

While at the Museum Wayne meet Rod Marler, the owner of the Logan yacht ‘Little Jim’, Rod commissioned Wayne to build a model of LJ & this got Wayne hooked on Logan boats. Wayne told me that he enjoyed the classic lines of the Logans and how they showed the evolution of sailing designs since the late 1800’s. You will see from the the list below that he has built quite a few.

BUILT TO DATE:

Thelma
Rainbow
Waitangi
Jessie Logan (2)
Little Jim (2)
Tawera (2)
Ariki
Aromoana
Ngaio
Gypsy
Nomad
Ranger
Helen

Most of Wayne’s models are made from scratch which means they are not kit sets, fyi below are some photos of the model making process for Nomad.

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Mera – 1956 > 2015

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c.1958

Building

Late 1956
Late 1956

Launch Day – 1957

Late 1950’s > early 1980’s

Family aboard – early days
Aft cockpit
Owners aboard
Family aboard – early days
Cruising early days
Top of the beach on the farm
On the farm
Bottom clean
Bottom scrub
At Algies Bay
1957
1958
Late 1950’s
c.1960
Cruising 1960s
Crising 1970’s
Cruising 1970’s
Cruising 1970’s
Cruising 1970’s
Sandspit 1983
Sandspit 1984

January 2015 at Great Barrier Is.

photo ex Colin Pawson

2015 – Sandspit

2015
2015

MERA – 1956>2015

Photos ex Jack Algie. Details ex Jack Algie, Brian Algie & Mat Tickle – via Ken Ricketts. Edited a lot  by Alan H

Mera was built on the Algie family farm, adjacent to the waters edge at Algies Bay (their own bay) by Steve & Merv Algie over a 2 year period & was launched Labour weekend Saturday, 1957.
 Quite a feat for two farmers who had not been trained as boat builders, to create this 36’ loa, 10’6″ beam, 2’9″ draught launch that features a superb (Kens eyes) flare in the bow & lovely shear aft. A difficult task to achieve, even for the professionals. My design origins are unknown but both Jack & Mat make mention of Colin Wilde & Bill Couldrey having been influences (I suspect vicariously. AH). The name Mera is an acronym ex ‘Mary Elizabeth Roose Algie’.

She was originally powered by a 4 cyl. 60hp. Ford diesel up until she was slipped for a major refurbish & overhaul c.1998, which took about 15 years to complete, after a number of gaps in progress.
 The original engine was replaced with a 6 cyl. Ford diesel during this lay-up.

Mera is currently hauled out at the Sandspit Yacht Club hardstand & Ken reports that Mat has done a magnificent job of splining & glassing her & she looks simply stunning. Unfortunately the original varnished coamings went many years ago, this aside she is virtually exactly as she was built & still in the same family, another rarity for her age.

Ken would like to acknowledge the input & support of Jack Algie (nephew & son of the builder/s of Mera), Brian Algie & Mat Tickle. 
 Special thanks also to Jack for sharing his photo collection, which starts in 1956 (half way through construction) up to the present era.

Note: Ken commented that he has had various associations with the Algie family since 1944-45 & has been aware of Mera since new. He & a great many boaties who frequented Bon Accord Harbour, Kawau Island, around New Years Day, for the KYC regatta & the New Years night prize giving / dance, from 1957 onwards, will recall Mera arriving day & night, loaded to the gunnels, with musicians, onlookers, stores, ballroom dancing enthusiasts & of course the Algie’s own families.

Sunburst Dinghy – In the photo below , taken c.1957/58 there is a “Sunburst” sailing dinghy visible at the stern of Mera. This Jack A. advises is the very first Sunburst ever built by Don Brookes & designed by Jack Brookes & she was being sailed that day by Don Scotts.

USA Classic Yacht Magazine – On-line May/June 2015 Edition

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USA CLASSIC YACHT MAGAZINE – Digital Edition

Lots of great looking woodys in the latest edition – click the blue link below to view the whole magazine on-line.

Classic Yacht On-Line Magazine – USA – May/June 2015

Venture – Sailing Sunday

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Venture slipping
Wreck of Rewa, Moturekareka Is.
On beach at Okahu Bay
Off Tiri
Don Ross (L) Graham Gordon (R) at Okahu Bay
Diving for bottles off Kohimarama

Bucklands Beach – c.1968

Bucklands Beach c.1968
Bucklands Beach c.1968

VENTURE – Sailing Sunday photos & detail ex Don Ross ex Merv Stockley. With lots of input from Harold Kidd The history of Venture (E38) goes something like this – she started life as a carvel lifeboat built on the Northern Wairoa by Barbour then was converted to a keel yacht by Bob Shakespear. Alan Coates (later a Magistrate) owned her about 1931 and sold her to Dick Bakewell in 1936. Harold imagines Dick sold her on when he bought JEANETTE from Ted Le Huquet in 1948. Don Ross purchased her from Dick Bakewell about 1939-40 (dates a bit out, but you get that), Don thinks she was built of island kauri and thought she had been built in the islands and sailed to NZ, this contradicts Harold’s records but Don’s version is only ‘dock chat’. She was only 18ft and a carvel double-ender. Don later swapped Venture’ for the launch Ngaroma from Snow Harris who Don believes was a well known yachtie in Mullety circles from Auckland. At the time Snow lived at Hansen’s Island (after Charlie Hansen had passed on) and wanted a yacht instead of a launch. Don lived for most of his younger years in Auckland and sailed all round the Gulf. One of his favourite trips was to sail up to Hansen’s Island for the weekend. He has a number of letters from Charlie Hansen. In 1949 Don,his wife and daughter Lyn headed off to Whitianga in Ngaroma where he used her for game fishing until 1962. Merv Stockley believes they saw Venture up on Bucklands Beach in Auckland around 1968 and took the above photos. Some of her original keel had been removed then. Merv has commented that of all Don’s boats Venture was closest to his heart as he & his late wife, Joan,  did a lot of sailing in Venture & he would love to know if she is still around. Harold Kidd Input Merv is undoubtedly right that Don bought her from Dick Bakewell c1939. My date of 1948 was the most recent limit date, logically. The first mention of her I can find (amongst a scrum of other VENTUREs) is in 1933 when she took part in an Otahuhu Sailing Club race to Bucklands Beach, so she was obviously up the Tamaki at that time. Dick Bakewell told me she was built by Barbour as a lifeboat for ARATAPU which he built in 1878, a sister-ship to HUIA. ARATAPU was sold overseas in 1932, so that kind of works. Did I say Alan Coates owned her in 1931? All I know about his ownership is that he sold her to Dick Bakewell in 1936. Alan was a keen yachtsman in his earlier days and was associated with the Richmond, Otahuhu and Manukau clubs.Lovely bloke. It’s possible that he bought her when ARATAPU was sold, and had Bob Shakespear convert her to a deadwood keeler, but that’s conjecture. She was registered as E38 when it became necessary to wear sail numbers during WW2. Update from Russell Ward – 12-05-2015 1987 photo below of Venture moored at Okahu Bay, off the slipway over towards Pooh Pt. Russell had just launched SL Gypsy and admired Venture’s style. In typical Mr Ward style he warns us to not get sidetracked by the elegant steamer centre frame 🙂

Colin Wild Yard – Stanley Point, Devonport

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Colin Wild Yard – Stanley Point, Devonport
photo from the John & Judy Salthouse Collection

Todays photo was sent to me by Mike Drummond, with the permission of Judy & John Salthouse & was taken during John’s time at the Wild yard.
It looks a little familiar – possibly posted on the CYAF a few years ago & I recall Harold Kidd ID’ed the vessels. I could be wrong…….. ?

Can we attempt to do a L>R listing.

Note: thanks to Mike digitizing the Salthouse album & Judy & John kindly agreeing to share it with ww, we will have some great content coming up. Mike has a interesting link to Colin Wild in that his house is on the site of Wilds yard. Who knows one day we might get Mike off that 40knt+ foiling cat & into a Col Wild classic 🙂

Koputai – Sailing Sunday

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KOPUTAI  Sailing Sunday

Todays post is one of the ones I love, lots of details & lots of both old & current photos.

Koputai is a heavily built pilot stye hull weighing almost 40ton. She was built by Miller and Tunnage of Port Chalmers and launched in 1939. She served as a pilot vessel until the early 1990s when she returned to Miller and Tunnage to be converted to a pleasure boat.  Since she has circumnavigated NZ twice including  Chatham Islands, Great Barrier Island, Stuart Island and the Three Kings.

In 2013 her owner, Louey Sandlant, circumnavigated the South Island after fitting rigging and sails to the boat. They spent April-June in Fiordland with friends coming and going. The boat was perfectly suited to this life with spacious living quarters, a warm wheel house, plenty of food storage and fridge freezer space that easily accommodated 7-9 people long term.
On this trip she averaged 1L/NM at 6-7kts and didn’t get to make much use of the full set of sails. On passages Koputai will motor at 6.5-7kts with some sail for steadying. If there is a good blow she will sail 6-9kts with the engine backed off to idle or just over, this brings the fuel consumption right down & can halve the fuel consumption, making long passages very affordable cruising.

Despite the GM Detroits reputation for noise and thirst, Louey reports they have found it to be a very pleasant piece of machinery to live with. It has been very well set up with a 4.5:1 Allison box turning the large propeller and a sound insulated dry muffler set up with a wet exit making it quiet and smooth. Like most Detroits she runs like a clock.

In the sailing department Koputai has a traditional Bermudan style cutter ketch rig. Louey generally always has the mizzen hoisted for stability and with the stay-sail forward this configuration is balanced and happy up to around 35+kts., in lighter airs the full main and code zero style jenoa as well goes nicely up to around 24kts, she will get along at 8 kts off the wind with engine just ticking over. She feels solid pushing into heavy weather and will safely hold her own against most NZ coastal conditions and her owner wouldn’t hesitate to take her offshore. Koputai has been in survey.

Koputai has had a lot of time & money sent on her – in 2012 and 2013 she under went extensive restoration work, including:

-Complete deck re-corking and refinishing
-Complete new Kauri covering board
-Cabins stripped and refinished and windows refitted
-New stainless steel staunch-ens
-All repairs have been done with top quality treated kauri
-In 2013 she has also had a new sailing rig fitted with Canadian Oregon masts, standing rigging and all new sails made by classics sail maker Bud Nalder.

Everything that has been done to her by the current owners has been done with the highest quality products available for traditional boat building and completed by an experience boat builder to a high standard of durability. A useable finish is achieved while maintaining her traditional style.
The rig was designed to suit the era and fit with the original lines to make a well rounded, practical motor sailor for extensive cruising and expedition.

Recent work June 2014 includes; Full repaint above and below the water, new shaft bearing, new zincs, exhaust through hull fitting removed and inspected and refitted, prop removed checked and cleaned, shaft bearing replaced, shaft inspected and cleaned

Now the sad / good news – Loueys sad news is that Koputai is now for sale – the good news is the some lucky boaty is going to get to own one of the best restored, set up motor-saliers around. I don’t normally put prices on ww but I believe this to be such great value – this time I have – NZD$195,000.

If you wanted to a have a South Island experience for a while, there is a mooring in Nelson that is available to rent or purchase by negotiation and she will be delivered anywhere in New Zealand. I have to say that she would also make a great live aboard.

Her owners are currently cruising north over the next month via Great Barrier so if any ww followers are interested – contact Louey on 0274948028

Some Specs:

Leingth 17.1m  –  Draft 1.95m  –  Beam 4.7m

-Engine;  GM Detroit 671 New 2008 4090hrs  – Dry muffler wet exit. 180-200hp

-Running gear; Allison gearbox, 3 1/2″ bronze shaft, 53″ bronze propeller, solid bronze rudder and shaft with hydrolic steering (new main shaft bearing 2014)

-Genset; Newly reconditioned 2.5kva Mase (single cylinder yanmar)
-Fuel;     1700L  –  Water;   2000L

-Power; New batteries all round feb 2013  –  2x290ah AGM deep cycles. 2xNS220 start batteries

-Anchoring;  Nilson maxwell 3500 winch (new 1000w motor 2012.),  13mm galv short link chain (New chain 2012.), 80lb  manson plow

-Refrigeration; Large 200l freezer/chiller with engine driven compressor(new compressor and switches 2013) Dometic 3way automatic fridge freezer (new 2011)

-Sails; Main, Mizzen, Staysail and Genoa (new 2013)

-3m inflatable dingy with yamaha 8hp  –  Or a 4.1m inflatable thundercat with a 50hp yamaha with cradle

-lifting gear with elect capstain for loading tenders up 450kg also very handy for lifting anchors and gear on board.

 

Update 27-08-2020 Photo below supplied by David Balderston, as per his 2015 comments

Jack Brooke Cruise Collection #20 – Xmas 1967/68 Cruise On Kiariki & Defiant

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Jack Brooke Cruise Collection #20 – Xmas 1967/68 Cruise On Kiariki & Defiant

Another Jack Brooke drawing, published on ww thanks to son Robert for making them available to ww followers. Jack produced a hand drawing on each cruise. Today’s post is the 20th featured – this one shows the xmas 1967/68 cruise aboard Kiariki & Defiant. A lot water under the keel on this trip – Kawau Island, Bay of Islands, Whangaroa & Great Barrier Island. It appears there was a little fire incident. Crew list below – you’ll note there was a mutiny* post Kawau 🙂

Crew On board Kiariki : John Brooke, Elsie Brooke, Howard Wallace, Monty Wallace, Peter Walker

Crew On board Defiant : John & Judy Salthouse, Philip, John Brooke*, Elsie Brooke*