Todays photo was sent in by John Dawson and is dated January 1976. Times have sure changed.
Can we ID the launch alongside the dock. I sprinkled some magic dust on the photo – see below, might help with the ID.
06-11-2026 – INPUT EX KERRY LILLEY -The Tutukaka game fishing boats on the other side of the finger backed up is Freelance with half brown half white coamings Every year during winter 1965-70 Ken Williams brought her up from her mooring in the clean river to Owen Woolleys yard where she was built we pulled her up on the slipway it was my job to clean off her bottom n antifoul with the best Singapore antifoul paint with our special additive We used to go up to the local chemist and we could buy a vial of arsenic stir it into the paint n roll it on not much grew on the hull then Kerry Lilley Owen’s apprentice 1964>1970 .
KAWAU SPRING SPLASH CLASSIC PARADE – 25 WOODYS + A BAY FULL OF BOATS
If you were thinking about buying a classic wooden boat but weren’t quite sure which style floated your boat, a visit to the 2026 Kawau Boating Club Spring Splash over Labour Weekend would have gone a long way towards answering that question!
Over the last two days, I’ve shared a series of semi-random Waitemata Woodys posts to give you a taste of the action, both ashore at the KBC and out on the water.
Aside from New Year’s Eve, I can’t recall seeing so many boats anchored in Bon Accord Harbour. Now, I know that’s not everyone’s scene – some skippers will do a U-turn if they’re not the only boat in the bay! But for most, the fleet, the atmosphere and the chance to catch up with fellow boating enthusiasts are all part of the magic.
There were a few new systems to navigate and the inevitable operational speed bumps, but none of that stopped the good times rolling. Each evening, the dining and partying got underway, with music perfectly matched to the crowd. The food gets an 8/10 from me, which is high praise indeed!
So, a big tick to the team behind the weekend. If you enjoyed this year’s gathering, do yourself a favour and circle Labour Weekend 2027 in your diary now.
Today, I’m sharing a photo gallery focusing on Sunday’s WaitemataWoodys Classic Wooden Boat Parade. We had a fantastic turnout, with 25 classic craft joining the parade. I have include a few photos that show the ambience of the KBC (thanks to Beth Houlbrook from KBC for her photos). When I cover these big events, my objective is to try and give the WW readers a taste / feel for what it was like, so enjoy the gallery and remember if you click on a photo it enlarges.
And it wasn’t just the parade. I’ve never seen so many classic wooden motorboats out on the water at one time, the bay was absolutely teeming with woodys, my count was 41 classic craft.
Enjoy the gallery, and remember, clicking on any photo will enlarge it. Scroll down to view the two previous weekend posts.
P.S. If you were there and we missed your boat, apologies. With so many classics on the water, keeping track of everyone was always going to be a challenge.
If you typed the words jet boat into the WW search box, pretty sure the answer would be ’Nothing Found’, until today.
I stumbled across this wee beauty 4 sale in Nelson – what a treasure.
Some details – TARANUI is 19’ in length and was built in 1967 by Mr Macpherson of Mapua. She spent the most of her life in a shed at Duncan Bay, Tennyson Inlet. Powered by a Crusader Marine 327 Chevy, connected to a Hamilton Jet unit which was purchased from Wilkins & Field in the mid to late 60’s. The gate steering has been modified to make her more agile.
She won ‘Best Jet Boat’ at the 2016 Classic Boat Show at Lake Rotoiti and from the photos looks like she could win again.
WW has been contacted by Jack Lyons regarding his 12’6” classic Sea Craft clinker built kauri runabout .
Jack’s father purchased the boat c.1950 and ownership was passed on to Jack but as is often the case these craft get ‘parked’ away with the good intention of being restored.
Well life and the ownership of a 47’ Warwick yacht got in the way and now Jack has made the call to find a new custodian that can take on the project.The Sea Craft is located in Wellinton and from Jack’s comments, the right owner is more important than the right prize. WW readers will be familiar with my view that these trailerable classics are the future of classic wooden boating, so woodys someone needs to put their hand up.Jack can be contacted at
The photo above has appeared on WW before, capturing and promoting the X-factor that makes Kawau Island such a special destination for classic boaters. Its sheltered anchorages, rich maritime heritage and relaxed cruising atmosphere make it hard to beat for a Labour Weekend escape.
Over the past few years, the Kawau Boating Club, Ponsonby Cruising Club and WaitemataWoodys — three staunch supporters of classic boating and the cruising lifestyle — have been working together to develop and promote a gathering of traditional craft in and around Kawau Island.Brought together under the banner of Labour Weekend Spring Splash.
The event is becoming a wonderful opportunity for owners and crews to get out on the water, catch up with fellow enthusiasts and celebrate everything that makes classic wooden boating so special.It’s all about good boats, good company and the timeless pleasure of cruising in one of the Hauraki Gulf’s most treasured destinations.
• SATURDAY – Matakana Markets River Cruise & Round the Island Yacht Race
• SUNDAY – Waitematawoodys Classic Parade & Short Course Yacht Race + Race Giving ar KBC
• MONDAY – Breakfast at KBC
Each day the KBC clubrooms will be open to all boaties + we have new managers and menu. Check on-line for opening hours. https://kawauboatingclub.nz
f you are not racing there is no requirement to enter, just turn up and enjoy the weekend and the sociability of the KBC. Hey you my enjoy it and consider becoming a member 😉
PS – I emailed details out to the WW data base earlier in the week, but not surprisingly not everyone is on the database. If you want to be kept updated on classic events and gatherings – just drop an email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com with your name, boat name (if you have one) and mobile number. We do not spam you, it is a very tight list.
Todays woody photo popped up recently on a fb link that features historical events from the Tauranga area.
The photo originated from the Bay of Plenty Times, 22 March 1973 issue.
The poster was Rebecca Muir, who commented that in the photo we see Henry Geros and his two sons – Phillip and Michael(r), putting the finishing touches to a 22’ cabin cruiser built in their Tauranga based boat building yard.
Can we learn more about the yard and possibly the design of the cabin cruiser, which to my eyes is very appealing. Being 1973 the AWB’s (average white boats) can not of been too far away……..
Todays classic woody photo was sent in by John Dawson, and was a flash back for me. My father built me a P-Class but as was typical , built it x4 the weight (1”+ marine ply) of the plans and it took 3 of us to launch it. Sailed like a pig and it was painted yellow. It didn’t get a lot of use and sold as a duck shooter punt. I was told I was a ungrateful child (they were right, I was). Not sure of the date of the photo but the bike, attire, and car would suggest late 1950’s > early 1960’s.
How cool would have this young guy been, owned a bike and a yacht ✔️
I DISCOVERED WHERE AMERICA’s CUP BOATS GO TO DIE
On last weeks travels to Whangarei I called into Port Nikau and there looking very lonely were 3 of New Zealand’s Americas Cup yachts – NZL60, NZL84, NZL92 (lost the cup to Alinghi) – anywhere else in the world NZL60 would be on permeant display somewhere a little more fitting. She successfully defended the Americas Cup back in 2000. The first boat to defend and retain the Cup outside of the USA.
WW has run numerous stories on the very appealing classic clinker runabouts built by the Seacraft company in Auckland. Well maintained examples tend to be snapped up by the ‘lake crowd’, todays woody is already at Lake Taupo, would be nice to liberate her and let some salt water into her kauri hull.
What we learned from tme – built in 1956, 14’ in length, 2012 30hp Mercury o/board + what appears to be a good road trailer. Asking price 15k
Park her in the drive and wave goodbye to the marina robber barons and annual haul out costs
There have been several magic bullet moments in the history of waitematawoodys, actions that had significant impacts on the readership numbers. The most significant was an international phone call, now I tend to ignore these calls as normally it is some self titled investment guru wanting to share a once in a lifetime investment opportunity with me. For some unknown reason I took the call and it was a gent named Carl Cramer, who introduced himself as the Publisher of WoodenBoat magazine in the USA, that got my attention pretty quick.
Carl told me he and the founding publisher / owner of WB – Jon Wilson, had been chatting on the phone, bored senseless after being snowed in for 3 days. As they were talking Jon Wilson was trolling the web looking for sunny wooden boating content – bingo Jon hit on the waitematawoodys site and the story of the day was my coverage of the 3 day Mahurangi Regatta weekend. Over 200 photos and videos, Carl told me Jon suggested he make contact – which led to our telephone call. Back then WB was print only and a very popular on-line forum, so he was impressed with this new-ish blog format. Carl used to send a short, chatty weekly email out to the WB magazine subscribers, we talking 50,000+ – he asked if he could do a story on waitematawoodys. The story was a cracker and started with being snowed in and getting an infusion of summer boating that cured his cabin fever. He finished by saying.“This website is truely great” Overnight the WW viewing numbers went into orbit, from around the world and we still retain a high % of them. In fact the USA is number 2 on the readers list.
Sorry for the long lead in to todays WW story. Over the years I have read several features on how Jon Wilson founded the WB group but over the weekend I stumbled on a YouTube channel named ‘LIFE ON THE WATER’ – one of the featured videos is titled ‘Jon Wilson – The Restorer’s Journey’. In their words it is is a cinematic portrait of the man who took on a monumental task to change the course of wooden boat history. I haven’t come across a better insight, explanation on this bug we all suffer from. Read it, I promise afterwards you’ll feel better about life and your classic wooden boat.
