Category Archives: Working Boats

CLASSIC WOODEN MOTOR-SAILER –  KAIKOURA – A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC WOODEN MOTOR-SAILER –  KAIKOURA – A Peek Down Below

The 36’ classic wooden motor-sailer – KAIKOURA was for sale earlier this year, and it must have sold because I had numerous people enquiring about her – she ticked a lot of boxes and her size was an added bonus i.e. not too big.

KAIKOURA was built in Wellington in 1959, builder unknown, for a Mr. Palmer, it has been commented that she was a ‘Scottish Drifter’ design. She was used as a pleasure craft by the Palmer, then Blundell families through the 1960s. In the early 1970s Kaikoura was commercially used by ‘Mana Island Transport Services’ then from 1972 till 1974 as the Wellington Police launch. Kaikoura’s fourth owner from 1974 to 1999 was Mr George Jannis. George added masts and sails initially and a new engine, new keel bolts and fuel tanks in 1988. Kaikoura made many trips to the Sounds over these 25 years, then finding a home there with a new owner till 2008. From 2008 to 2017 Kaikoura, now based in Dunedin, was frequently used as a harbour and peninsula pleasure launch and occasionally entering, and winning club sail races (in her class of one).  Ten days after taking ownership of “Kaikoura” in late 2017 her owners did the first of several trips to the bottom of Stewart Island, they also made a winter trip to Wellington, the Sounds and D’Urville Island.

Forward motion is via a Cummins B Series 6BT5.9 As you would expect for a Southern lass she is very well appointed.

Given my attraction to the work-boat look, in another life she could have been mine 🙂

SAD NEWS ON THE EX WWII NAVY 72’ SHIP – KUPARU News reports have her abandoned off Ninety Mile Beach on the West Coast of the North Island over the weekend. Crew all safe and rescued by helicopter. 2018 WW story on the vessel here https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/10/04/hmnzs-kuparu-hdml/

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – RIO RITA

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – RIO RITA

Back in December 2014 WW was helping find a new home for the 1929 Collings & Bell built classic wooden launch RIO RITA, At the time she was named RESOLUTION (a 1971 name change) – this link gives us a gander down below https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/12/01/resolution/

If you use the WW search box there is a lot of intel on the vessels provenance.

Last week she popped up on the social media scene and its pleasing to note that she has reverted to her original name and as we can see from the photos above – owner Peter Meister is looking after this almost 100 year old classic wooden launch.

CLASSIC WORKBOAT – TE TUI + MYSTERY LAUNCH

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CLASSIC WORKBOAT – TE TUI + MYSTERY LAUNCH

We have two woodys of interest in todays photo – firstly the Auckland Harbour Board launch TE TUI seen in the forefront looking very smart for a ‘workboat. The photo came to us from a Chris Wood post on the ’Tug & Workboat of NZ fb page. Chris commented that she operated at Westhaven Marina or the Harbour Masters loft at the end of Queens Wharf. Frequently used for wharf soundings. The Engineers Dept. had  a similar boat named – TE WAKA.

Chris asked what became of these boats. B Worthington commented that TE TUI resides in Tauranga these days.

Can we get an update on her status and builder etc and also TE WAKA.

The second woody of interest is the sedan top launch behind TE TUI, any thoughts on her name.

LAKE TAUPO CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH – ROMANCE – GETS SOME TLC

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LAKE TAUPO CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH – ROMANCE – GETS SOME TLC

Todays woody story is really prompt to Paul Drake the owner of the Lake Taupo based 1914 Bailey & Lowe built launch – ROMANCE to send in a story on the recent upgrade.

If it had not been for woody Steve Pople (MV Royal Falcon) recently mooching around the Lake Taupo docks we wouldn’t have know she had received some TLC.

So fingers crossed Paul reads todays story and gets his ‘A into G’ 🙂

Lots photos and details on Romance in this Sept 2014 WW story  https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/09/22/8829/

MAGGIE – A CLASSIC CLINKER DAY BOAT

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MAGGIE – A CLASSIC CLINKER DAY BOAT

Back in March 2013 we ran a brief story on the classic day boat – MAGGIE, at the time we learnt that MAGGIE was designed and built by Roy Parris in 1982 as a small work boat. Originally she had a large hatch in the foredeck and a doghouse aft-end. 

After an early life transporting supplies to & from Kawau Island she was refurbished in 2004 as a small clinker built day boat, being 18ft 6″ overall.

Her stem and keels are heart totara with a hull built of rewa rewa ribs and kauri planks.  A Sole diesel engine gives her a comfortable cruising speed of 7 knots at 2100 rpm.

Back in 2013 she was berthed in Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour Basin. MAGGIE attended several woody cruises to the Riverhead Tavern.

A change of ownership saw her relocating to Lake Rotoiti in the central north island, where her owners participated regularly in the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parades for the last 12 years.

A change in personal circumstances saw MAGGIE appearing on tme where she has sat for the last two years – probably a result of the asking price.

Putting the price to one side MAGGIE is a stunning vessel and desires a new owner – hell if I lived near a lake, I’d buy her. Sitting on a top end trailer, you can say goodby to the marina robber barons.

(photo ex Toby Hyman)

WHEN CLASSIC BOATING MAINTENANCE WAS AFFORDABLE 

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WHEN CLASSIC BOATING MAINTENANCE WAS AFFORDABLE 

Todays woody photo is from the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection and comes to us via Ian McDonald.

The photo is captioned – ‘Boats drawn up on the hard at Freemans Bay. Victoria Cruising Club clubhouse (right)’ . Date c.1910s>1920s.

AND ON THE SUBJECT OF AFFORDABLE – Check out these bronze staunchions for sale in an ‘antique’ store in Paeroa – a bargain at $95 – approx. $850 new ex Australia………….

INPUT ex RUSSELL WARD – This post is a trifle cathartic -retrospective thoughts can be saddening sometimes. All the time I spent at home (being raised-beaten or nagged into shape), my old man hauled his boats for winter -as did most boaties. They mostly maintained their own boats at the expense of the household economy in winter -never many friends around in winter- and in our case, with increasing input from me while he aged- chatted more and more with his mates. There were so many haul out areas that were quite cheap. The bigger boats with wealthy owners were done by the men at the yards. There were also a few boatbuilders that worked anywhere on an hourly rate -Billy Rogers springs to mind. He was so quick with a brush….

The lower reaches of the antifouling fell to me but the old man always cut in the waterline. Billy Ryan used to paint “Rehia” himself at Percy Vos’s yard I noted. House paint cut back with undercoat (to cut down the gloss and cost) was typically used on the topsides -varnish was never skimped on -only the best used -Interlux or even household- quite a few coats and always a touch up tin and brush on board. One year Des Donovan imported Rylards from the UK and it was just perfect -lasted the summer through.

I guess it is long after the facts and the sinners are long gone but un-beknowingly the Auckland Harbour Board, City Council, Union Steamship Co and the RNZN were a good source of paints and materials if you were in the know. Navy used black antifouling so that was out…..

It all kept the costs down: But it was/is an expensive hobby, folks.

1970’s STORM WRECKED HAVOC TO THAMES BOATING FLEET

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1970’s STORM WRECKED HAVOC TO THAMES BOATING FLEET

Recently Glenn Martin sent the above photos that originated from the Thames Historic Pictures fb page.   Glenn commented that they were captioned – ‘Storm Damaged boats in the 1970s Shortland Wharf Thames NZ’ , but in Glenn’s eyes he believes the date was probably earlier. Blowing up the photos the pickup truck in the top photo does tend to date it earlier. Also in the 2nd photo the shoes on the observers on the wharf have a 1970’s style – so maybe the photos are not from the same period. Thoughts?

Did some sniffing around online and learnt that records from coastal engineering and council archives confirm storms in February and May 1970 affecting the Coromandel coast (including areas near Thames). These brought large easterly swells and storm surges, that damaged wharves and boats and caused erosion and flooding.

If you have spent time there you will know that Thames sits on low-lying reclaimed land beside the Firth of Thames, so is always susceptible to flooding. 

(photo ex Toby Hyman)

RESTORATION OF THE CLASSIC WOODEN EX WORKBOAT – CLYDE GS 28

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RESTORATION OF THE CLASSIC WOODEN EX WORKBOAT – CLYDE GS 28

WW has been contacted by Mark McLaughlin regarding the 25’ Roger Carey built (1949) ex workboat – CLYDE GS28. Mark’s notes below – 

“I have been following the Facebook page of Doug Johnson who is a traditional boatbuilder in Picton documenting his restoration of the lovely little Roger Carey 25ft fishing boat “Clyde”. Originally built in 1949, Doug has rescued Clyde and spent the last three and a half years on a thorough restoration which is nearing completion with launching planned for Labour Weekend. Clyde features in the book “By Boats We Live” by Roger’s daughter, Joan Clark, which recorded all of her father’s designs & builds and designs built by others. The watercolour image is by Joan from her book and shows Clyde’s original working boat configuration” 

Mark also sent in the selection of photos above from Doug’s Facebook page, and commented that there are many more photos and videos of the restoration there, link below  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084924609149  Mark tracked down a copy of the story on CLYDE in the “By Boats We Live” book from his mother down in Marlborough. Photos below.

CLASSIC GAME LAUNCH ALMA G AT URUPUKAPUKA ISLAND

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CLASSIC GAME LAUNCH ALMA G AT URUPUKAPUKA ISLAND

The 1922 Collings & Bell built classic wooden game boat – ALAM G has made numerous appearances on WW , today thanks to a Ross Griffin post on the B.O.I. Historic Photos fb we get to share some stunning camera work from the photographer Tudor Collins. The images are ’stored’ at the Kawakawa Museum.

Most of the photos are in and around Urupukapuka Island and the islands game fishing lodge.

Can anyone ID the people in the close up photos.

A ROAD TRIP TO WARKWORTH + CEMENT WORKS BOAT YARD

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A ROAD TRIP TO WARKWORTH + CEMENT WORKS BOAT YARD

I had a good reason last week to head north and so took the chance to mooch around the woodys berthed or hauled out in the upper reaches of the Mahurangi / Warkworth River.

The excuse for the trip was to delivery a model of the coastal cruiser VANESSA to the vessel before she heads south to her new Wellinton owner. 

VANESSA was out for a serious service before the delivery crew headed away down south.

Sad to see such a salty looking woody leaving our area but we tend to win more than we lose eg more coming north ✔️

In varying stages of repair were  – NEPTUNE, LADY JANE AND WAIONE. The yard was very busy but I started to itch as I got close to most of the other craft hauled out.

I also popped down to the river and spotted – RIPPLE,JANE GIFFORD, ANAM CARA (L33), and NOW .