Chances are if you are reading this early today , you have missed attending the 2024 Mahurangi Regatta – so todays to give you a heads up about next weekends Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade, held every year on Lake Rotoiti in the middle of the North Island – its always an amazing gathering – details here
And here’s an ideally the above 1948 classic 15’ wooden speed boat , drop an engine in and you’ll be on the water for the 2025 parade.
Bay of Islands Summer Mooching + Anniversary Weekend Cruising
Todays gallery of classic wooden craft comes to us from the camera of Dean Wright, taken while he was cruising the bay on his woody – Arethusa.
From top to bottom the craft are:
• Ranoni – Army Bay
• Enterprise – Opunga Cove
• Arohanui – steaming past Cable Bay, Urupukapuka
• Arethusa – Whangamumu
• The Logan yacht – Iorangi – Whangamumu
• Alofa – Whangamumu
• Valhalla – Whangamumu
• Rampage – Whangmumu – an early 2000’s Robertson Boats sedan launch ( lengthened and repainted)
• Mary of York – Ben Tomb’s leeboarder
2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – Classic Launch Parade & Sunday Gathering At KAWAU ISLAND
The countdown is on for one of the worlds best and biggest classic wooden boating events, the Mahurangi Regatta, organised by the Mahurangi Cruising Club.
Sadly due to the freakish weather the 2023 regatta was cancelled, but plans are in place to make 2024 on-the-water and ashore at Scotts Landing bigger and better.
The Classic Wooden Launch Parade is one of the highlights of the weekends activities – followed later in the day by a serious ‘old school’ boaty BBQ ashore at Scott’s – including a massive marquee for the 20 piece dance band.
On the Sunday, most woody launch skippers head to KAWAU ISLAND and the plan is to gather later in the day for a few sun-downers at the newly refurbished Kawau Boating Club.
CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISING THE HAURAKI GULF – SUMMER 2023/24
Now todays post is the one you have been waiting on – the classic wooden (mostly) craft that I spotted around the Hauraki Gulf over the Dec 27 > Jan 5th period.
Probably the best turn out of woodys that I have seen – seems it just wasn’t me suffering from cabin fever 🙂
As always some photos are good, some not so good – direction of sun and distance dictates that. Mostly I’m taking photos as a visual account.
Enjoy the gallery – broken into locations – I have endeavoured to list the craft in the tagged section.
I hope you all survived New Years eve, these days its always a struggle to last to midnight 🙂
I’ll make a new year prediction – 2024 will be least expensive time to buy a classic wooden boat for the next 5+ years. Prices were very deflated thur-out 2023 but they won’t stay like that – so if a classic craft is something you have on the bucket list – check out the link below. There are others that for privacy reasons do not appear on the list so if you are or are going to be in the market in 2024, let us know. https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/10/16/buying-or-selling-a-classic-boat/
Time for some xmas goodwill – a little quiz with a cool prize. As always entry is ONLY VIA EMAIL, you can only enter once, all correct entries go into the draw. Quiz ends on Friday December 15th at 6pm. Winner announced on WW. (photos shown above random selection only)
THE QUIZ QUESTION: Which boat builder / designer has had the most boat / name mentions on the WW site – email your entry to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
THE PRIZE: A copy of the Best Selling Book – ’Shipwright, Boatbuilder, Yachtsman’ by Gilbert J. Littler + A WW sweatshirt (L/S, size XL only) + A WW Burgee
The headline above was all the seller just on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) to described this 12’ 1960 built clinker day boat. There is a builders plate which states she was built and engined by – H.N. Burgess & Co., Judges Bay, Parnell, Auckland.
There is an inboard Yammer diesel to propel her and home is the Waikato.
Not a bad woody to do some gunk-holing over the Christmas / NY holidays with the kids > grandkids.
Todays woody – Magic Fiddler , is a 15’ clinker day boat built in Picton by an unknown boat builder. Year of build / lunch isn’t listed on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) so we don’t have an age, but looking at the bilge photo she appears older v’s new – thats very Irish I know and I apologise in advance to any Irish readers, I do not need another report to the Human Right Commission 😉
Forward motion is via a new Honda 6.5hp petrol inboard engine, backed up by a Seagull auxiliary. Rather a smart trailer.
Current home is Waimate, South Canterbury.
Perfect craft for someone wanting to do the New Zealand Antique and Classic Boat Show next March (3rd), at Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes, South Island.
Todays photo gallery (bomb) is less than 24 hrs old, as mentioned earlier in the week Jason Prew is criss crossing the South Island scouting off-road tracks to justify to himself the cost of owning a Remuera Tractor 🙂
Yesterday Jason sent in the above gallery and tells me it was just a fluke he was in Akaroa on the right day – yeah right 😉
Enjoy the photos, as always click on photos to enlarge.
Siesta – approx. 45′ canoe stern bridge-decker – Stockholm
Vasa – 17th century warship – Vasa Museum – Stockholm
Oslo, Norway
Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Gothenburg
Probably steel
WOODY EURO TOUR
Todays story comes to us from the camera of Rick McCay, owner of the 1920 MT Land built 47’ launch – Luana. Rick has been tripping around the northern hemisphere. Rick didi a similar trip back in 2017, you can view that story at the WW link below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/11/02/a-woody-on-tour/
Where known I have tagged the locations – enjoy the photo gallery.
waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news - updated daily - 15+ million views 