Category Archives: Trailer Boats

CLASSIC MASON SPORTS CLIPPER RUNABOUT – RAROA

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CLASSIC MASON SPORTS CLIPPER RUNABOUT – RAROA

This 23′ woody recently popped up on tme and immediately caught my eye — helped in no small part by the great photography and those postcard-perfect backdrops.

Built in 1966, RAROA presents as a very well-sorted example of the Mason Sports Clipper style. She’s beautifully finished and comes with one very practical bonus – she’s trailerable. That means no marina fees and the freedom to tow her to wherever the water (and weather) looks best.

At 23’ she strikes that sweet spot between classic elegance and modern usability. 

Power comes from a Chevrolet blueprint 383 V8, pushing out a serious 405hp. Top speed would have to be well and truly off the dial. The engine alone reportedly cost around $50k, which tells you straight away this is not an entry-level woody.

This is a complete package that has the woody wow-factor.

2026 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE + PICNIC – Report. 140 photos

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PARADE 🔻

PICNIC 🔻

LADY BETH

2026 LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE + PICNIC – Report. 140 photos

As the photos will quickly confirm, Saturday 7 February delivered near-perfect conditions for the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Association’s annual gathering. While the event unfolds over four days, it’s the Saturday on-the-water get-together that remains the undisputed highlight.

From a photographer’s point of view, wall-to-wall sunshine and tricky angles don’t always play nicely with timber and varnish. So, if I’ve missed your boat or the images aren’t quite showroom-perfect, my apologies — I was doing my best to keep up with a lot of very good-looking boats.

The day naturally divides into two acts: the Parade, followed by the Picnic. A few familiar regulars were absent this year, but they were more than ably replaced by some truly stunning “new” additions to the fleet, making for an impressive and varied lineup on the water.

Sit back, enjoy the gallery, and soak up a little Lake Rotoiti magic. As always click photos to enlarge.

Special thanks to David & Glenys Wilson for the generous loan of a boat for the day 🙂

CLASSIC MASON CLIPPER RUNABOUT

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CLASSIC MASON CLIPPER RUNABOUT

As the WW early birds read todays story I will heading down State Highway 1 to attend the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Festival. 

Therefore its only appropriate that todays classic craft is a 1967 25’ Mason Clipper. Good looks and breeding let me overlook that her hull is the evil f/glass.

Powered by a 250hp Yamaha 4-stroke outboard one would assume she can lift her skirt and run rather fast 🙂 Thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up.

If you couldn’t make it to the lake today – check out WW Monday for a photo gallery / parade report.

SERIOUSLY – DID I READ THAT CORRECTLY…….

You have worry when you read the criteria for boat selection at an Australian (Victoria) Classic Boat Rally – “ If its older that 25 yrs, of historical value or of classic design”

True classics must be few and far between over the ditch to have craft built in 2000 labeled CLASSIC.😎

TODAYS THE DAY – LAKE ROTOITI COMES ALIVE WITH 70+ CLASSIC BOATS 

WAS THIS MAHURANGI REGATTA OUR BEST CLASSIC WOODY EVENT EVER

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WAS THIS MAHURANGI REGATTA OUR BEST CLASSIC WOODY EVENT EVER

As some of you will be aware todays Mahurangi Regatta was cancelled sadly for all the right reasons – the safety of our craft and people must always come first.

So today we flash back to 2020 , the biggest and best classic woody weekend on record – check out below and enjoy a vicarious regatta 🙂 https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/01/28/mahurangi-weekend-biggest-on-the-water-wooden-boating-event-down-under-200-classic-wooden-boat-photos/

Race start off RNZYS / Westhaven > Orakei and return > RNZYS

TANIWHA 1950’S QUEENSTOWN LAKE RUN-ABOUT

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TANIWHA 1950’S QUEENSTOWN LAKE RUN-ABOUT

Earlier in the week WW was contacted re the above c.1950’s wooden lake day boat – TANIWHA. Her owner was having to move the craft from Queenstown to Dunedin and had an insurance question.
They commented that she has been in a watertight garage since the late 1990s/early 2000s where the conditions are bone dry. 

It is believed that the craft hasn’t been near Lake Wakatipu since about the same era. The photo are all from the same period.

The run-about was home built by the owners grandfather and father.

It’s a long shot but do the photos ring any bells from the past. TANIWHA was quite a looker so should have been a memorable sight, so fingers crossed.

UPDATE – THEY SUCCESSFULLY REMOVED HER TODAY AFTER 20+ YEARS IN THE GARAGE

UPCOMING EVENTS – CIRCLE THE CALENDAR

CLASSIC 1955 WOODEN RUNABOUT – LITTLE HONEY UPDATE

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CLASSIC 1955 WOODEN RUNABOUT – LITTLE HONEY UPDATE

Back in March 2025 WW ran a story on a1955 17’ Mason Marlin runabout named LITTLE HONEY that owner James McConnell was restoring – link to that story here – https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/03/17/little-honey-1955-classic-wooden-runabout/

Over the xmas/ny break James sent in photos above and commented that after managing to dislodge the transom on the 2nd voyage after the initial rebuild, he had now completed the repair.

James pulled the transom back the 1/2 inch it had moved when the motor hit the submerged log.  Cut the buckled veneer off, cleaned it up and epoxied it back in place followed by 8 coats of varnish.

He then put 4 threaded rods from the transom to the next structural point as he felt the motor put a lot of load on the transom.  Lastly a layer of fibreglass tape along the bottom of the transom just in case.

In James words itt’s a goer now and the new perma-trim meant no need for a new prop” 

CLASSIC WOODEN DAY BOAT – RURU 

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CLASSIC WOODEN DAY BOAT – RURU 

I have photographed the very beautiful classic wooden launch RURU many times at the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade.

One of the woody gang spotted her recently on a trailer at the Outboard Boating Club hardstand in Tamaki Drive, Auckland. 

They commented that she’s obviously very well looked after and appears to have had recent work to bring her to mint condition. 

Well done to all involved in maintaining her to such high standards.

And speaking of the  Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade, there is a LRC&WBP 2026 calendar to the first person that can correctly name her first owner. Clues – they were a knight (Sir). Entries via email ONLY to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

CLASSIC WOODEN RUN-ABOUTS

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CLASSIC WOODEN RUN-ABOUTS

I rotate my laptop screen saver image most days but for the last week one photo has remained there – its the classic wooden run-about – LADY KAY, pictured above.

Recently WW was contacted by Jeff Norris who sent some photos of his grandfathers boat – LADY KAY. Jeff’s GF bought the boat about 1953 off a gent named Eric Such. During this time the family had a bach at Kawa Kawa Bay and it was moored there , the bach was sold around 1970 and the boat was sold about 1971 to a man in Mt Albert, Auckland.

LADY KAY, named after Jeff’s grandmother, started life as a speedboat (photos 2,3,4) which Jeff’s GF turned into a cabin cruiser (top photo), powered by a Willys engine. In my opinion the conversion to cabin cruiser was very well done, very hard to get the proportions right and still look good.

Back then it was kept at KawaKawa Bay. Jeff commented that he spent his holidays fishing with his GF. 

Jeff also sent in the photo of the boat below that was owned by a good friend of his grandfathers, Jack Bradstreat, a farmer from Pukekohe he also had a batch there, The boat was powered by a Ford Consul engine.

Any woodys know what became of these craft.

ROMANCE JUNIOR – AUCKLAND’S FIRST IDLE ALONG CLASSIC YACHT

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ROMANCE JUNIOR – AUCKLAND’S FIRST IDLE ALONG CLASSIC YACHT

During the week WW was contacted by Brian Peet regarding ROMANCE JUNIOR, the first Idle Along yacht to appear in Auckland. Brian commented that ‘Romance Junior’ was built by Sam Ford for Master Len Hodgkinson and was launched 3 April 1937. It was initially registered in the Y class as #18 and also carried the class name on its sail  – presumably for promotion purposes. By 1937 the class was already strong in Wellington.

The photographer that took the above photo was AW Powell, a professional photographer of Eden Terrace, Auckland.

Before his death, he passed the photo to his neighbour’s son who’s now passed it to Brian.

WORSER BAY BOATING CLUB – 100TH BIRTHDAY – 2026

Worser Bay Boating Club are celebrating their 100th Birth Day in 2026 and are looking for classic , old school sailing dinghies that were associated with Worser Bay in the early years, as static displays for the special weekend events  30 Jan 2026 to 1 Feb 2026.   As part of the celebrations the club is searching for a functioning ” Idle Along”  and a ”  Zeddie ” and other classic dinghies ( or even old launches used as pickup boats )  associated with Worser Bay for a rigged up static display.

There are lunches, dinners, book launching and club day sailing events for young and old and especially visitors and a classic boat club BBQ.

Our idea is that the sight of these old boats will trigger lots of stories and reminiscences. More Details Below 

  1. The events for the weekend registration. https://www.wbbc.org.nz/events/worser-bay-centenary-weekend
  2. Buy the book ” The Worser Way”.  100 years of dinghy racing at Worser Bay https://www.wbbc.org.nz/shop

HIGH PERFORMANCE AFFORDABLE CLASSIC SAILING 

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HIGH PERFORMANCE AFFORDABLE CLASSIC SAILING 

Very rarely woodys will you see the above words together, but today they perfectly described the classic 29’ yacht – AOTEAROA.

Let me explain – Affordable # because the asking price is only $14,750 and that includes the trailer, which is probably worth more than the yacht #  no marina fees, keep at home or in low cost out-of-water storage

High Performance – # the Dragon classic yacht is a pure racing thoroughbred with the added bonus of drop dead good looks thanks to her sleek, graceful lines and its generous overhangs. # Her powerful rig delivers supreme on-the-water performance.

Classic Sailing – # built in 1967 AOTEAROA is registered with the NZ Classic Yacht fleet and regularly outperforms many larger classic keelers of a similar era, regardless of their size.

AOTEAROA IS COMPLETE AND READY TO BE SAILING THIS SUMMER HOLIDAYS – Treat yourself or the family this Christmas.  Whist it would be nice to see AOTEAROA back on the Waitemata Harbour she would be a very cool sight on Lake Taupo.

For a copy of the maintenance history, race results and inventory – contact Tim Hooson on 021 623 225 or via email thooson@outlook.co.nz