Category Archives: Working Boats

ADA / IDA – Can We Join The Dots

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ADA / IDA – Can We Join The Dots

Recently WW was contacted by Tom Gordon in relation to his boat – ADA that Tom is trying to find out more information – I’ll hand over to Tom below:

“ ADA,  I have been told is one of the 3 kauri hulled boats. The three I believe were built by Miller and Tunnage in the 1920’s however so far I’ve not been able to find out some more finer details in regards to exact build date or archive type photos. I’m looking to repair ADA and re float to maintain some heritage now that I’ve learned some history. 

Sir Clifford Skeggs was an owner and one of his ex workers ‘Squidly’ from Taieri Mouth, Dunedin did own it also. Sadly he has now passed and I’m unsure if Cliff is still alive.

I’m wondering if the vessel – INA in the WW archives (WW link below) is definitely one of the three sisters to ADA. I’ve also heard of the names ROA and IMP,  potentially one of these is the 3rd? “https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/10/11/ida-woody-classics-weekend-stillwater-picnic-cruise-update/

Can we help Tom out with more intel on ADA and potentially the ’sisters’

OMOKOROA – APRIL 2024 UPDATE

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OMOKOROA – APRIL 2024 UPDATE

Following on from yesterdays story on the launch – Omokoroa where we got a peek back to her earlier days, today thanks to a nudge we gave her current custodian – Lyndon Chambers we get to see some to the work thats gone into refitting the boat.

First up is a video from early 2023 of Omokoroa being hauled out to commence the project. Lyndon commented that they used Omokoroa for a while before haulout and he has worked on her reasonably solidly since then. The topsides were repaired and glassed before haul out and he has screwed and glassed plywood over 100% of the hull so hopefully a dry boat now. Not too much left to do and she will be back on the water soon depending on what Lyndon decides to do to the interior.

View previous Omokoroa WW story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/04/24/omokoroa-in-former-times/

06-05-2024 INPUT EX ROB HARRIS – below photos from when Rob owned ( many years ago) the launch, location – Beachlands 

Woody Fathers & Grandads

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Woody Fathers & Grandads

Be an instant hero and take the kids out for a day trip – this weekend the Matakana School are hosting the – Matakana Model Boat Show. Over 200 boats static and afloat + races.  And if there are no siblings around, even better – more time to enjoy it. See flyer below for full details.

If you go Saturday – take in the Matakana Market, I was there last weekend – great food, produce & coffee. Opens at 8am. And the new express way makes the trip a doddle 🙂

Special thanks to Mark Lever (MV Nereides) for the heads up + photos

LAUNCH DAY MYSTERY – MANAIA

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LAUNCH DAY MYSTERY – MANAIA

Another photo sent in by John Dawson – to some of the WW workboat group the answer to ’Name the boat’ is probably very easy. Not for me however – things that help –

• 1st three letters of the name are  – MAN

• home port is shown as Whangarei

• lack of varnish suggests a workboat

• style suggests pilot boat• funnel may have the letters WHB on it > Whangarei Harbour Board

So what say the workboat brains trust

UPDATE – Thanks to several woodys we have confirmation that the vessel is Manaia – Designed by AJ Collings and built at the P. Los yard in 1963, for the Northland Harbour Board as a toilet boat.  LOTS of photos and detail in the links below https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/01/26/manaia/ https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/04/05/manaia-a-peek-down-below/


MYSTERY MAHURANGI WORKBOAT – RURU

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MYSTERY MAHURANGI WORKBOAT – RURU

Todays woody comes to us from Dave Balderston via hid cubby Dave Stanaway. 

Dave B. spotted the boat hauled out at the Cement Works Marina up the Mahurangi River in Warkworth.

The Daves and myself are keen to learn more about the boat and what the plans are for her.

18-04-2024 Input ex Ari at the Quayside Boat Yard – Yes, Ruru was designed and built by Chris Robertson for John Spencer to help them transport gear and maybe the odd animal between John’s island farms in the Coromandel and the mainland. As can be seen by her condition, she had been left unused for years, with the Spencer’s having larger barges to do this kind of work nowadays. One of Chris’ Son’s, Martin, has since acquired her and collectively with the crew here at Quayside Boatyard, plan to bring her back to her former glory and utilise her as a river/harbour work boat.

OLEO

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OLEO 

Over the weekend Dave Stanaway was passing through Awanui, the historical river port in the far north of New Zealand. Ray parked up and checked on the launch – Oleo that is berthed in the river.  Dave commented that she was an ex towboat in Whangarei. 

Back in December 2019 we had the photo below of her hauled out at Awanui and Harold Kidd at the time commented that Oleo was built for R H Harnett of Whangarei by Tyler & Harvey in December 1910. Her original engine was a 20hp Union. R H Harnett lived at Parua Bay and was a trader on the harbour. He sold Oleo to R B S Hogwood in 1915 and owned Moerangi for passenger and mail work from 1912 until he died in 1936.

Dave also mentioned Ray Morey knows all about her so hopefully Ray will join in and tells us more about her more recent activity. Dave’s older brother Jim knew her then as well.

INPUT ex Hylton Edmonds – Oleo was owned and operated by Larry Walker as a workboat and contracted a lot with her to the former Whangarei and latterly Northland Harbour Board(s), as inner harbour barge and general assist. Larry and son Tommy (great Kiwi blokes) have both now sadly passed (and a lot of Far North history with them too), but I believe Oleo is still in the Walker Family who live nearby at Unahi. Oleo runs a 6 Cyl Ford, and like of small workboats of the day- punched well above her weight.

Probably NZ’s Biggest Classic – TSS Earnslaw

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Probably NZ’s Biggest Classic – TSS Earnslaw

I had cause to spend sometime last week/end in Queenstown and made the effort to take a ‘cruise’ across Lake Whakatipu on the 1912 built coal fired steamer –  TSS Earnslaw. I have visited Queenstown a lot in the past but mainly for business related events and was always running to a tight agenda – not so this trip.

A wedding invitation was the excuse for a visit, so while the rest of the family went for a long walk I boarded the ship, at nearly 160’ in length she is a ship.

Trip included a brief stop at the Walter Peak farm – a very impressive looking complex.

The conditions were perfect and woodys I would encourage you to do it if you are down that way. Enjoy the photo gallery.

And the wedding was a stunner – the best of everything – people, venue, food, wine and music. I think I danced more in one night than in the last 20 years, hopefully no one was filming 🙂

KONINI – A Peek Down Below

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KONINI – A Peek Down Below

Todays woody slips onto WW primarily because home of the 34’ launch – Konini is Queenstown and thats where I am today. Thanks to a tme listing back in Nov 2023 (via Ian McDonald) we learnt that Konini started life as a fishing boat from the east coast of the South Island. Her owner back in 2023 bought it from a fisherman in Bluff.  Her hull is double skin kauri plank and the cabin and wheelhouse were rebuilt about c.2017.

A 51hp Perkins 4.108 pushes her along at 6>7 knots. I’m sure she gets some sideways looks from tourists onboard the TSS Earnslaw, but as they say – ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’ 🙂

MISS LIDGARD

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MISS LIDGARD

The launch Miss Lidgard appeared on WW back in May 2013, at the time we learnt a lot about her history and generated good chat in the comments section – see the story link below. Lots of photos and details. https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/05/05/miss-lidgard/

Miss Lidgard started out as a work boat, built to transport light cargo to the whaling station on Great Barrier Island. Then c.2013 she was converted for game fishing work out of Whitianga. The photo above is from that time frame and comes to us from the Tauranga City Library collection via Dean Wright.

MYSTERY WORKBOAT TA74

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MYSTERY WORKBOAT TA74

Todays woody photo comes to us from the Tauranga City Library collection via Dean Wright.

Based on the photo tag – the date is probably April 1966. The fishing ‘license’ # (someone remind the correct term please) is TA 74.

Anyone know more about the boat and what became of her?

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