Category Archives: Trailer Boats

Woodys Clevedon River Overnight BBQ Cruise – 35+ photos & video’s

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Meloa’s 60th Birthday

Photos below ex MV Buccaneer (Michelle Bostock & Tim Ord

Woodys Clevedon River Overnight BBQ Cruise

The weekend forecast for the woodys classic cruise up the Wairoa River to the Clevedon Cruising Club was a mixed bag, but as almost always is the case with woody events, it all came good and other a few light showers the 15 launches and one yacht had a ball. We were meet by CCC member Barrie Abel in his classic Sea Craft run-about who piloted the fleet up the river, only one oops that I know of, they were following Raindance and clipped a maker pole, but blamed me as I was taking photos and ‘diverting’ a tad.

Big thanks to all the CCC members that turn out to lend a hand with the berthing, no easy task with a mix of craft and ’skills’ 😉

The afternoon was spent catching up with old and new friends via a spot of boat hopping, followed by a BBQ dinner at our hosts club house.The chef, Bazza was the best, how he remembers which food on the BBQ belongs to who and how you want it cooked is beyond me. A few of us watched the All Black v Australia rugby test (on an iPhone) so the AB’s big win capped of a great night.

Sunday dawned with a perfect day, but the sun might have been a little too bright for one of two of the revellers but conditions were agreeable for the trip home.

Again many thanks to the CCC members for the hospitality and friendship extended to us – we will be back.
(Make sure you view the videos, some great dockside footage + thank you those that emailed in photos from the weekend – and as always click on photos to enlarge)

READ THE BACK STORY HERE https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/08/04/why-you-should-hold-off-paying-your-classic-yacht-association-subscription/

Exciting Classic Boating News

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EXCITING CLASSIC BOATING NEWS

Last night I attended a function at the Vos Boat Shed to celebrate the completion of the restoration project. It has been a long time in the incubation phase (16 years) and a lot of good people have evaporated along the way, but moving forward, this is a big moment for the classic boating movement

On a personal note I’m very happy to hear confirmation that the New Zealand Traditional Boat Building School will now have a permanent home. NZTBS trustees, past and present, we thank you for your doggedness and patience.

If you haven’t been into / down to the viaduct after dark lately its looking very cool, only problem very light on people. I wouldn’t want to be in the hospo game.

READ MORE https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/08/04/why-you-should-hold-off-paying-your-classic-yacht-association-subscription/

Steamboats at Hipango Park

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Steamboats at Hipango Park 
Back in February Russell Ward was twisting my arm to join him and a group of steamboat enthusiasts on a trip on the Wanganui River for a meet up at Hipango Park. The park is only accessible by boat, and is a tranquil rest point for kayakers and people making a day trip in a boat up the Wanganui River. I can’t remember my excuse but I missed a great weekend in early March.

In the 2nd photo above we see three steamboats rafted up at the upper part just below the steamer Dancer, They are Romany, Janice and Gypsy –all 3 boats once owned or owned by Russell. Russell reports that Janice and Gypsy are now in the hands of devoted owners who obviously enjoy polishing brass and copper. Gypsy has infected more people with steam enginitas (as Pete Culler said “don’t go near it or you’re hooked” than any other boat 🙂

Russell had promised to pen some copy around the weekend, but life got in the way – so today is a photo essay. Photos ex: Russell Ward, Phil Pollero and Chris Rabey

READ MORE https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/08/04/why-you-should-hold-off-paying-your-classic-yacht-association-subscription/

Mystery Woody – Lake Okataina

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Mystery Woody – Lake Okataina
Today’s woody popped up on Richard Wooders fb. All we know is the location – Lake Okataina, the date – c.1954 and the name of the photographer – John McFayden.

It must have been a very impressive run-about back in the 1950’s. Can anyone ID the boat for us? There was speculation it may have been in charter.

For the overseas WW readers, Lake Okataina is the northern most and largest of 4 small lakes lying between Lake Rotorua and Lake Tarawera in the Bay of Plenty region of NZ’s North Island.

HERITAGE BASIN UPDATE
Following on from yesterdays pink elephant in the room CYA story – I have never had so many emails and txts concerning a WW story – 99% supporting the call for a review of the vessel eligibility policy for the new Heritage Basin classic marina (if you missed the story, scroll down).

I would like to clarify something – I am a passionate believer in the CYA and its right of place in the classic boating movement. It just concerns me that as a group we are all equal and there is no inequity around what vessel you own or do not own, at the end of the day, it is all about the boats, not the people.

But, sometimes strong tactics are required to bring attention to issues and believe me the proposed segregation policy isn’t what the broader CYA membership is all about. There was a lot of chat in the WW comments section yesterday – but one comment stood out from the others – the author was Simon Smith, I have reproduced his sage words below.

“Having seen a number of classic boat displays overseas including USA, Australia and England it is the VARIETY of craft being displayed that has been the attraction. Case in point is the Tasmanian Wooden Boat Festival where the range of vessels covers wooden yachts, launches, dinghies, fishing vessels, square riggers, models etc. As an owner of a wooden yacht I am drawn to all types of wooden craft on display ,NOT JUST YACHTS and thus firmly believe that to attract visitors to Auckland’s  proposed display, a range of wooden craft is required and of varying ages thus highlighting the variety and influence of local designers we have produced in NZ.”

I’ll finish on an observation: Of the newly elected 9 CYA members on the executive committee – probably only one (someone might like to correct me if I’m wrong) owns a classic vessel that would ‘qualify’ for a berth in the new Heritage Basin, and guess what? Its a launch, so dam that is a 0/9 score. The first ex committee meeting could be interesting……

Read more https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/08/04/why-you-should-hold-off-paying-your-classic-yacht-association-subscription/

Woody versus Jet Ski

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WOODY versus JET SKI
Luckily the photos above are not from NZ but they give us an insight into what can happen when wood meets f/glass at speed.The venue was Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, USA and according to the press – the jet ski rider was hospitalised, poor thing. Both vessels sank but were recovered, hopefully the woody was repaired, photo below earlier in the day. (photos ex Jeffrey Hanf)

Check out the first TV advertisement in this reel of oldies – thanks Barrie Abel for sharing

CLASSIC YACHT ASSOCIATION AGM TONIGHT

A reminder to woody CYA members to get along to the AGM at the RNZYS tonight – kick off is 7pm. Looking forward to hearing details on the new >40 berth Viaduct classic boat marina, which with the right governance has the potential to be Auckland’s permanent home of classic boating, showcasing to the Auckland public the CYA’s diverse classic wooden boat fleet.

THE VOS BOAT SHED IS ACTUALLY A HAPPENING THING

It seem almost impossible to believe but the ‘interested’ parties have been pulled together and there is (another) announcement celebration about to happen. We will keep you posted, but one sneak leak is that at last the New Zealand Traditional Boat Building School will have a permanent home, we like that 🙂

Camp Cruising the Maine Coast

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Camp Cruising the Maine Coast

Some of you will be aware of the name Steve Stone – Steve is one of the founders of the uber cool weblog – Off Center Harbor that I regularly plug on WW, OCH is a subscription driven weblog that just about answers every question you would ever want an answer to concerning wooden boats and enjoying life afloat. 

The team at OCH have been suffering bad from cabin fever as the USA has been savaged by Covid, so as things have eased up in terms of getting out and about – there is some serious on-the-water catch-up happening.

Steve has just started a cruise of the entire Maine Coast (refer chart below) in a 19’ open Caledonia Yawl named Howdy.  Each day Steve is posting images and short video clips of the cruise on Instagram that you can follow on the bottom of the members’ home page (signed in) on Off Center Harbor. You don’t need an Instagram account to follow all that on the members home page of Off Center Harbor. And for those that aren’t OCH subscribers – you can also follow on OCH’s Instagram page directly as well, link below – 

OCH’s Instagram.      https://www.instagram.com/offcenterharbor/

I spotted Steve wearing a waitematawoodys t-shirt, so thought I had better give his trip a plug, so far there is some very cool scenery and boat footage – so woodys check in each day and see how the 260+ mile journey is unfolding 🙂

Check out the OCH weblog here offcenterharbor.com

RAINDANCE UPDATE: Following on from the TLC that RD received at the Slipway Milford, I have had Moon Engines upgrading and servicing all the bits that are bolted on – then a quick polish with WD40 – I know, no one sees it, but I know 🙂

Kotare – The Restoration – 4sale

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KOTARE – The Restoration

Enter the name – Kotare (Kingfisher the bird)  into the WW search box and a lot of boats will come up, seems back in the day it was a very popular name for boats.

The 25’ woody above has a genuine claim to the name as she was built by Kingfisher Boats in 1951. Fast forward to 2015 and she underwent a full refit – work included new wiring, new galley, new fuel tanks motor, new head and her engine a Nissan AL20 – 60hp diesel was rebuilt and has only done 620 hours since. Also undertaken was fully glassing her kauri hull, that included 5 coats of resin on the inside, this may get a few frowns from some quarters but you can see from the photos it saved Kotare from a beehive restoration.

At 25’ LOA, the 60hp engine gives Kotare a top speed of 13 knots (cruising at 8). I can vouch for her being a very good sea boat because her owner does the miles in her – frequently over at Great Barrier Island. With a beam of just under 6’, putting her on a trailer is an option.

I spotted Kotare recently hauled out at the Slipway Milford getting some TLC and discovered that her owner was looking for a new owner – so woodys, if you are after a very cute, easily managed and maintained boat – Kotare could be yours for +/- $25k. I know I sound like a broken record, but……….. lake boat?  For more details – email waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Marriann

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MARRIANN

Not 100% sure of the boat name / spelling, but this very salty speed boat just popped up on Rob Thomson’s fb. Rob commented that she was built c.1958 by his father and was named after his mother and middle sister.

Powered by a Mercury Ford V8, she must have had a good turn of speed.
Does anyone know what became of the boat?


MY GIRL – Scale Model

Seems Jason Prew’s very quick launch – My Girl, is a popular woody with the model makers. We have already seen one radio controlled My Girl on WW (link below) and last week a very kind gent dropped a very accurate model in at the Slipway Milford for Jason. Jason slapped some undercoat on her and popped in a RC unit and next thing sea trials are under way 🙂

Now off to the paint shop for the final TLC

https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/02/27/my-girl-mini-me/

Baby Thunder

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BABY THUNDER

Back in 2016 Greg Lees and David Glen sent in a selection of photos from the Lake Rotoiti (Nelson Lakes, Sth Island) classic boat show, among them was the stunning 30’ replica bootlegger, named Baby Thunder.

All I know about her is her own lives in Wellington – can anyone tell us more about the boat? She is a piece of art – should be in someones living room 🙂

In 2019 I attended the show and took a couple of photos of her on her trailer.

07-11-2022 Flask Back To 2007 (ex Peter Grant)

Mystery Launch On The Tamaki River

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Mystery Launch On The Tamaki River
I spotted the above launch a couple of weeks ago while mooching up the Tamaki River onboard Angus Roger’s launch – Centaurus . She looks very well cared for and well rugged up for winter. Can one of the river rats tell us the name and any known background on the launch?

Input from Mark McLaughlin = The mystery boat is ORA-KIA, designed and built by Snow Waters in 1963.


Also Up The River

Unless you were traveling by boat, you wouldn’t normally see the dry stack (I think its called something like – Tamaki Boat Park) on the banks of the upper Tamaki River. Appears to be well populated and anything that gets people towing boat trailers off the road during weekends gets my tick 🙂 And if you are wondering what happens to all the trailers – some boats are ordered new without one, but for those with trailers, there is a smaller staking system on-site for empty trailers