Category Archives: Working Boats

TRADITIONAL CLASSIC BOATS MOORED ON THE WAIROA RIVER 

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TRADITIONAL CLASSIC BOATS MOORED ON THE WAIROA RIVER 

Following on from yesterday’s story on the annual Classic Wooden Boat Cruise to the Clevedon Cruising Club, as promised today we share the wooden craft passed moored on the Wairoa River.

Many are semi permanent residents and its interesting to see what (if any) work has been undertaken in the previous 12 months.  All too often these back waters can become parking lots for owners that object to lining the back pockets of the Auckland marina owner fat cats.  So it was nice to see most skippers are keeping up the maintenance on their craft, and pleasing to see a lot of ’new’ arrivals. 

Enjoy the gallery – photo quality varies as the first click was at 6.30am and the light improved as the journey progressed up river. As always click on photos to enlarge.

ROOM FOR ONE MORE – CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH KOTARE

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ROOM FOR ONE MORE – CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH KOTARE

Today hopefully, weather permitting, myself and a collection of classic woodys will be docked at the CLEVEDON CRUISING CLUB for our annual overnight BBQ cruise up the Wairoa River.

Whilst a few boats I’m sure will be slightly over crewed, none will match the photo of the tourist boat KOTARE that we see above unloading passengers at Kaiteriteri Beach, Nelson. Seriously…… how there wasn’t a capsize I do not know, and you can be sure there wasn’t a PFD for everyone 😦

The photo comes to us from the ‘Memories of Abel Tasman National Park’ fb on a posting dated Nov 2019 by Trevor Norriss, via John Burland.

Back in April 2021we ran a story on KOTARE, lots of history and photos  – link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/04/24/kaiteriteri-beach-can-we-id-the-launch/

2022 Cruise

EX 1929 CLASSIC WORKBOAT KATIPO

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EX 1929 CLASSIC WORKBOAT KATIPO 

Seems these days there is a fb page for just about anything and everything – John Burland sent me a link to the ‘Memories of Abel Tasman National Park’ page. There I came across a  posting dating back to April 2023 where a Peter Campbell posted a copy of a Cody  Engineering advertisement from November 1951 , featured in the ad was the 26’ launch – KAIPO. At the time owned by Henry Cotton. She had a 8’6” beam and draft of 2’6”. We ran a brief story on her back in 2023 but didnt learn about, so we try again 🙂

Then we learnt in the comments section(ex Steve Thomas 2024) thatDon Thomas and Boxer Fanslowe purchased KATIPO from Nelson Fisheries mid 1950’s and was then refurbished by Dick Stringer in Nelson.. In another comment in 2024 a Lynda Gould advised the Don Thomas was her father and him and Boxer owned the boat in the 1950”s > 1970’s.

She was originally built by the Juke yard, Wellington and launched 1929.  The Petter 10hp engine was replaced around 1960 with a Ford Dexta 3 Cylinder, 32hp. KATIPO remained in the Thomas family until sold around 1998. 

She’s now sitting in Picton Marina and I believe with the same Dexta engine still going strong after 63 years service. Photo below ex Steve Thomas, taken around 25 years ago.

Do we know what became of KATIPO.

03-02-2026 INPUT ex JOHN BURLAND – Now located in Picton Marina on a pole mooring. Powered by Ford Dexter diesel engine and 4sale on tme.

ONE OF THEM IS DREAMING – 17’ V 40’ WOODY

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ONE OF THEM IS DREAMING – 17’ V 40’ WOODY

An unnamed woody recently sent me a link to a craft on tme with a one line note “wow check this out, you should buy it”.

Well woodys turns out the craft was a 1955 17’ speedboat . Bui;t by someone named ‘Lewis’ and repowered with a 350hp Mercury inboard V8, capable of 90 kph (50 knots). 

Short answer – not for me.

Reading the listing it was all a little OTT eg “Rare vintage boats like this almost never come up for sale”, well thats not correct tme has mutable listings and then this line – “Trade-ins and finance welcome, and transport can be arranged nationwide.”

The nostrils started to twitch , smells like a car dealer…… well reading on turns out it was being sold by a car yard. And with a $40>45k price tag someones been sniffing the fuel tank.

So what’s the real story today – well this listing just illustrates the current divide between classic wooden motorboats and zoom zoom recreational trailer craft. 

For the same $$ you could own the 40’ Miller & Tunnage classic woody below and do laps of NZ.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH FLASHBACK  –  JOHN GLADDEN’s LADY JESS

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2021
2025

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH FLASHBACK  –  JOHN GLADDEN’s LADY JESS

LADY JESS the1961 John Gladden built classic wooden launch last appeared on WW back in May 2021 when Dean Wright took the top photo of her berthed at Tutukaka Marina, link below to that story. At the time Scott Macindoe sent in a great piece on the boats provenance, also in the link https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/05/25/lady-jess-woody-workshop/

Then in June 2025 we saw her on fb (2nd photo above), via Lew Redwood. Now retired from commercial big game fishing. Fast forward to yesterday and woody John Dawson sent in the great photos below from her early days, before the addition of a 2nd story.

MODEL BOAT OR SMALL CRAFT – WHERES THE LINE

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MODEL BOAT OR SMALL CRAFT – WHERES THE LINE

Todays story is a little different, during the week WW was contacted by John Chambers who own the classic – MV NGARUNUI, a friend of John’s, Steve Lowery, is building a rather large (1/10 scale) model of the ‘old’ Police launch – DEODAR II.  Looking at the photos I’m sure there are more hours in this project than building a clinker dinghy.

The craft will be radio controlled and have all the bells and whistles – twin screw + lighting (including police lights).

Specs are –   length  1450mm, beam  480mm, draft  approx. 100mm. Very keen to see the completed build. 

A MONDAY TEASE – I have admired the 50’ launch – MARNINE for 20+ years as I have driven along Tamaki Drive and glanced across to the OBC marina. Have never managed to get aboard on my many visits to the marina but now thanks to Angus Rogers, MV CENTAURUS,  we get a gander – make sure you log on Monday for the full story.

CLASSIC LAUNCH TAINUI – RELAUNCH DAY DRAWS NEAR

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CLASSIC LAUNCH TAINUI – RELAUNCH DAY DRAWS NEAR

WW has been following the restoration of the 38’ 1967 built classic launch – TAINUI for several years and as we can see from todays photos from Blair Boats, the big day is not too far off. Wonderful work being done and owner John Sloane must be over the moon.

Lots of previous WW stories covering her past, but looking at todays photos its hard to believe she was once a Harbour Board workboat. 

Check out the previous updates at this linkhttps://waitematawoodys.com/2025/02/17/restoration-of-classic-launch-tainui-update/

Photo below from ‘way back’ 🙂

MYSTERY WOODEN VESSELS AT COROMANDEL

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MYSTERY WOODEN VESSELS AT COROMANDEL 

Todays woody photo comes to us from Ross Dawson and is dated c.1957 and the location is Coromandel. The image is from a postcard and that woodys is all we know  – so we throw this open for input – can we ID the wooden craft – L>R.

I’m not too sure about the aqua section on the workboat looking vessel, an unusual colour for 1957 and also doesn’t quite look kosher eg added to the photo at a later date.

INPUT ex MURRAY McGEHAN – The boat in the right hand  side of the postcard picture is LADY WYN LADY WINN designed built and owned by the strongman family, moored outside their workshop. I last saw Lady Wyn in the Havelock marina about 1974. 

INPUT ex JACKIE CAREY – The vessel is named the Lady Winn was built by my Uncle Sam Strongman and my father Harold Carey in the Strongman boat building sheds in Coromandel owned by Sam Strongman, my father’s brother in law.   She was built as a family launch and we had many lovely adventures on her going to great barrier, Port Charles and around the islands in the Hauraki Gulf.  Including coming out of Port Charles straight into some huge waves that were crashing over the bow and my father kept going until we got back to coromandel harbour.  My grandmother was praying in the cabin while us kids were enjoying the ride in the stern not having any idea of the seriousness of the situation.  She did have a mast.

INPUT ex Dave Giddens – In the mod 1960’s she was the support vessel on one of the Auckland to Suva yacht races.

INPUT ex LEW REDWOOD – Could  the front launch outside  Strongman’s  in the Coromandel be TWYLIGHT  built by  Strongmans  – photos below.

RSVP – boat name to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

WORK BOAT WEDNESDAY – KAREMOANA 

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WORK BOAT WEDNESDAY – KAREMOANA 

Following on from yesterdays story ex Sven Wiig today we get to see the workboat (fishing?) KAREMOANA high and dry. 

KAREMOANA was salvaged by a friend of Bill Ryland’s and in the 2nd photo, of the Wanganui Town Wharf, KAREMOANA IS 4th in line.

Can any of the workboat group tell us more about KAREMOANA and also the location of where and how she came ashore.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH DALAMORE 

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH DALAMORE 

Back in nearly July, Sven Wiig shared with WW some photos from the Ryland family album, that had been shared with him. (FYI – Bill Ryland owned Sven’s boat – ARIANA c.1950’s. He fished her out of Wanganui. Bill owned her until sold in 1974. At the time of Bill’s ownership the boat was named – TE KAWAU)

One of the photos was of the vessel – DALAMORE, seen in the above photo cruising on the Wanganui River. At the time it was owned by Ted Ryland.

From the photo it appears to be a family day out, with two couples visible on deck / at the helm. An unusual view of the boat, no drones back then :- my guess – she is about to pass under a bridge, on which is the photographer. 

What do we know about DALAMORE.

RSVP – boat name to waitematawoodys@gmail.com