Category Archives: Working Boats

CLASSIC 1927 WOODEN GAME BOAT – ALMA G II RE-LAUNCHED – 45 Photos & Videos

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CLASSIC 1927 WOODEN GAME BOAT – ALMA G II RE-LAUNCHED 

For the last 18+ months WW has been following closely the refit / restoration of the 1927, Collings & Bell built game boat – ALMA G II.

On Wednesday I pointed the car north and attended the re-launching celebration at Opua, in the Bay of Islands.

Today is about sharing the day with all the WW readers – In previous WW stories (links below) we have extensively covered her past and how she progressed to what we are viewing today.

Tomorrow on WW we will run the videos I recored of the speeches, Waiata and blessing.

Co owners (brother & sister) Shelly and Brett Arlidge, grand children of the original owner – E C Arlidge, are to be commended for ensuring ALMA G II will still be cruising the Bay of Island waters in 100 years time.

I really like the interior fit out, its a take on the old school look and she even sports a reconditioned Ford Lees 130hp diesel engine, no ‘black box’ electronics connected to this engine.

Boatbuilder Craig McInnes and the team at CMC Design have excelled themselves with this project.

The game chair and salon table are original 1927 items.

The gallery of photos comes to us from the cameras of yours truely  and professional B.O.I. photographer Dean Wright. As always click on photos to enlarge 😉

Restoration #1 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/01/restoration-of-alma-g-ii-begins/

Restoration #2 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/12/06/alma-g-ii-restoration-update-2/

Restoration #3 & #4 https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/08/14/classic-wooden-launch-alma-g-ii-restoration-updates-3-4/

THE PEOPLE – A fantastic number of people turned out to celebrate the re-launch, seems anyone and everyone with a link to the boat or game fishing in the Bay of Islands was there.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – DIOMEDEA

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – DIOMEDEA

Back in 2016 I photographed the 1965 built launch DIOMEDEA on two visits to Whangaroa, back then she was starting to look a little tired, so on a visit last weekend to Whangaroa Swordfish Club marina I was very pleased to see that someone has been sharing the love on her and she was now back to her finest condition.

The 36’ DIOMEDEA was designed by Andrew Donovan and built by the Lane Motor Boat Co. These days there is an awful lot happening up top but given her game boat roots, I’ll turn a blind eye 🙂

Back in August thanks to a October 1965 Sea Spray magazine article on the boat we were Abe to view / read about her as launched – link below to that story. WW AUG2024  https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/08/13/diomedea-classic-wooden-game-fishing-boat/

As launched – below

AUSTRALIAN WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL LAUNCHES ACROSS THE PACIFIC

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AUSTRALIAN WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL LAUNCHES ACROSS THE PACIFIC

A Big Plug Today For The Biggest & Best Wooden Boating Event In The World – I encourage anyone with an interest in classic wooden boating to make this a bucket list item. Link below to a peek back at the 2021 Festival to give you a taste. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/02/12/woodys-on-tour-hobart-australian-wooden-boat-festival-day-3/

The Australian Wooden Boat Festival (AWBF) is excited to launch its 2025 Festival Program, proudly presenting “The Pacific” as its central theme. The festival will showcase this vast ocean region’s cultural and historical significance, featuring content from New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Japan, the US West Coast and other Pacific locales. 

Tasmania’s largest free event and the largest celebration of wooden boats and maritime culture in the Southern Hemisphere will be held 7–10 February 2025. Over four days, Hobart’s waterfront will reach its fullest potential and become a place of pilgrimage for 400+ boats and tens of thousands of visitors from across Australia and the world.

Highlights of the 2025 Pacific-themed program include the Pacific Seafarers Precinct presenting navigators, artists, curators, and maritime artisans who embody the ancient and ongoing traditions of the region, feature vessels such as the recently restored 1896 New Zealand built yacht Te Uira—one of the first racing yachts to make it to Australia—and the Australian debut of the Kumundar Gujo Project, a giant Japanese-inspired jungle gym that kids build themselves.

AWBF General Manager and Festival Director Paul Stephanus said, “The AWBF is a celebration of our collective heritage. The 2025 theme allows us to explore our connection with the Pacific like never before, bringing visitors face-to-face with historic vessels and remarkable people from across the ocean. We hope to create a festival experience that feels both grand in its spectacle and intimate in its sense of community.”

Festival favourites are back but with a Pacific twist. The ever-popular Wooden Boat Symposium will dive deep into stories of (mis)adventure and tackle hot-button issues, the Shipwrights Village and Noisy Boatyard will deliver demonstrations and workshops by master craftspeople, and the bustling Maritime Marketplace will offer unique wares. The Little Sailors Village and Constitution Dock will engage young hearts and minds with activities for all ages, culminating in the thrilling Quick & Dirty Boatbuilding Challenge and Race.

The 2025 AWBF program is available online now at awbf2025.org.au/.

CLASSIC WOODEN BIG GAME BOAT – OZONE

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CLASSIC WOODEN BIG GAME BOAT – OZONE

Back in July 2016 we ran a WW story on the 1914 , Percy McIntosh built game boat OZONE, linked below, then last week a woody reader – Stuart Windross posted a comment that he had come across a great photograph of Ozone with a swordfish across her transom, pictured above. 

Accompanying the photo on line was an article on the Anich family, it would appear that OZONE may have been owned for a time by the family fishing out of Sandspit.  If so her catch would be supplying the famous Tony’s restaurant and fish shop in Warkworth. On the same web page (not in English) were the photos below – first time I have seen a sword fish weighed in like that.

WW July 2016 story https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/07/29/ozone/

For a more recent view of OZONE check out the WW Nov 2023 story linked below https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/11/22/ozone-3/

CLASSIC EX GAME BOAT – SAPPHIRE – A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC EX GAME BOAT – SAPPHIRE – A Peek Down Below

Back in August thanks to Dean Wright uncovering a launch day photo (see below) of the 48’ Oliver & Gilpin built ex game boat – SAPPHIRE, we got an insightcintohow she looked back in 1972 and we also uncovered a recent out-of-water photo.

How thanks to Ian McDonalds hawk eyes searching tme we get to have a gander below. Enjoy.

(L) Sapphire, (R) Lady Lynn


Ex WOODEN GAME BOAT – ODYSEA (SUSAN ROSE)

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ODYSEA (SUSAN ROSE)

The 34’ wooden launch – ODYSEA, previously named SUSAN ROSE is a recent tme addition. The listing states that she was built c.1960 in Mangonui, Northland and took 10 years to build.

At on stage in her life she was based in the Bay of Islands as a game fishing charter boat, refer last photo.

Current propulsion is via twin 90hp Ford 4cyl. 2722E diesel engines. In recent (6>8 years) significant work has been done to systems and creature comforts.

Vendor says all she needs is a lick of paint and an oil change……………… maybe needs a top chop as well 😉

INPUT EX TOM FAHEY – Tom sent in the photo below of himself dated 18-02-1989 standing alongside a 199kg marlin he caught aboard SUSAN ROSE

WHAT BECAME OF THE WOODEN WORKBOAT – LADY EVA

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WHAT BECAME OF THE WOODEN WORKBOAT – LADY EVA

The 60’ workboat LADY EVA was built in 1913 by Bailey & Lowe. The last we heard about her was back in a 2018 WW story where Ron Shugg commented that LADY EVA had been at one stage berthed at Helensville on the Kaipara Harbour. She was later hauled out and her two Gardner engines were removed and the hull sold. So the question woodys is – sold to who and where is she now.

There is lots of chat around Lady Eva in the comments section in this WW story  https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/03/30/lady-eva/

The second photo above, dated 1917,  is from a previous WW story on the overloading of craft – the PC police would have a field day if this was repeated today 🙂 

15-03-2025 – UPDATE ex Lew Redwood and Richard Joseph – photos below are dated Jan 2009, so she has probably gone down hill even more since then. (great photo of the river)

RSVP TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT ON THE BEST WOODY DAY OUT OF THE SEASON – just need – your name, boat name & approx # crew – email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

THE COMEDOWN OF A CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – CARA MIA 

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THE COMEDOWN OF A CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – CARA MIA 

Last weekend at the Kawau Spring Splash Regatta I spot a launch named – CARA MIA, the name ringed a bell but the look didn’t match the tone of the bell ringing.

When I got back to the WW data base I did a search and jackpot, there she was but the old girl has had several trips to the plastic surgeon over the years. 

Built in 1961 by Maurice Palmer in Devonport, Auckland, her specs are 36’ x 11’3”x 2’9”. She spent the 1960>70’s game fishing out of Tutukakak, Northland.

Each to their own, an owner can do what ever they like to their vessel, but I wasn’t sad when they headed off up the harbour and didn’t participate in the Woodys Classic Launch Parade 😉

Link here to the parade – 70+ classic wooden boat photos  https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/10/29/kawau-island-spring-splash-regatta-review-70-classic-wooden-boating-photos/

Lots of photos and ownership details in this WW story link  – dated Jan 2014  https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/01/17/caramia/

CLASSIC WORKBOATS & THE BAY OF ISLANDS CREAM TRIP

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CLASSIC WORKBOATS & THE BAY OF ISLANDS CREAM TRIP
After yesterdays visual blitz from the Kawau Spring Splash Regatta we are probably overdue a b/w oldie photo / storyIn the above photo dated 1930, we see Mr H.W. and Laura Giesen returning from Russell in the Bay of Islands on board what was known as the ‘Cream Boat’.
The photo comes to us from a Anna Wilson fb post, via her aunt, via woody John Dawson who sent it to WW.
Some background to the ‘Cream Trip and the photo – In 1928 the Hikurangi Dairy Co awarded the Cream Trip contract to Fullers Brothers. The contract had been run for the previous two years by Jack and son Bernard Williams (using the boat AROHA in the middle of the picture) and prior to that by Edmund Lane using the Dairy Company owned boat DAIRYMAID. In 1930; the Cream Trip launch in the foreground would have been either the original KNOXIE or KNOXIE ll (later renamed MISS BRETT) which were owned and operated by Ernest Fuller.AROHA was built by Percy McIntosh in Whangarei in November 1914 for Otto R. Neumann of Russell. She was purchased by Jack Williams in c1928.

CLASSIC WORKBOATS & THE BAY OF ISLANDS CREAM TRIP TODAY FOR THE WOODY LUNCH CRUISE TO THE RIVERHEAD TAVERN – DEC 7th TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com – your name, boat name & approx # onboard 


KAWAU ISLAND SPRING SPLASH REGATTA REVIEW – 70+ CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING PHOTOS

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KBC Spring Splash Launch Parade Start
PRIZE GIVING
AGM
Sunday Race Pre-Start
Sunday Race Start
TAWERA Finish Line

KAWAU ISLAND SPRING SPLASH REGATTA REVIEW – 70+ CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING PHOTOS

 WoW what a long weekend – our first long weekend as we slide out of winter into summer. The on-the-water boating season kicked off this year with a new event on the calendar – the ‘Labour Weekend Spring Splash Regatta’ at Kawau Island, in the Hauraki Gulf. Going forward the hosts – Kawau Boating Club and race organisers – Ponsonby Cruising Club intend to ran the regatta every year. The weather gods were against us at times – but the weekend was a winner with everyone that attended.

Firstly I’d like to thank all the skippers, family  and crew that took the leap of faith and pointed their craft north in conditions on both Friday and Saturday morning that can best described as character building for the skippers and testing for the craft.

I went north at mid day on Friday and all I saw in terms of other craft afloat was a procession of yachts returning to Auckland after pulling out of the Coastal Classic race to Russell. Big ups to the yachts that pushed on and completed the race, I’m sure most skippers will have trouble rounding up crew for next years race 🙂

Fridays race to Kawau was light on numbers due to the weather but the fleet pushed on and most made it to KBC to swap stories. Mike Mahoney commented that his majestic 1935 Logan built classic – TAWERA spent more time going thru the waves than on top of them.

Saturday’s around the island race was cancelled due to high winds, but the KBC turnover was the winner. A great night ,with a DJ on hand.

Sunday we had the Waitematawoodys classic parade and 15 woodys (one yacht) did a lap of BON ACCORD Harbour – a brilliant turnout for the opening year. Those participating were recorded with stunning weather.

Post the parade, the yacht race got away, check out the video below of TAWERA coming in hot to the finish line – perfect timing by skipper Mike and crew, Only problem it was to decide 3 and 4 place 🙂

Sunday nights prize giving was a hoot and most people left with a prize and a smile.

Other activities over the weekend were a children’s lolly scramble and the KBC AGM on Sunday morning. Brilliant turnout at the AGM and very positive vibes.

The weekend report wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the recently refurbished KBC clubroom / bar / bistro – the presentation of the interior is a perfect fit for a boating club of the KBC’s standing.

And the food and staff…………… 10/10 – the food photos tell their own story.

The winner of the major prize for parade participants – SPONSORED BY THE SLIPWAY MILFORD – was Jill Hetherington and her 1939 C. Bailey built launch – TUNA.  Jill’s prize is a haulout and 3 days hardstand at the classic friendly railway slip.

I have to sign off now, I’m falling asleep at the keyboard.

Enjoy the photo gallery & videos, several people clicking the camera (phone) over the weekend, so thanks for everyones contribution.

SeaLegs A Popular Mode Of Transport On The Island