Category Archives: Working Boats

SLOW MOVING TUESDAY

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Souvenir
Atheena
Ave Gitana

SLOW MOVING TUESDAY

Has been a few weeks of back to back woody boating activity, so today is a case of slowing down – So when the WW email inbox pinged with a note from Bay of Islands woody photographer – Dean Wright, my eyes lit up. As always Dean was sending in some great photos from mooching around the Bay of Islands aboard his magnificent woody – Arethusa .

Todays are from Deans weekend trip to Mimiwhangata and starting at the top we see one of my favourite workboat woodys – the Roger Carey designed (1954), built by Curnow & West Nelson Boatbuilders craft – Souvenir in Deep Water Cove.               

Souvenir is one of those boats that looks perfect from any angle. And of course there is a Gardner (6L3) below 🙂 Link below to July 2023 WW story –https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/07/05/souvenir-work-boat-wednesday/

Then we have – Atheena heading out of Mimiwhangata.

And lastly – Ave Gitana in Pip Bay ( this was 2>3 weeks ago). Link to Sept 2021 WW Ave Gitana Story below –                    https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/09/29/ave-gitana-workboat-wednesday/  we learnt back then she was previously named Mason Bay

Today I’ll doing something very un-boating related – but to me very chilling out – 1st one to guess what that is, its an inside project – wins a WW burgee – entries via email only to waitematawoodys@gmail.com . Closes off at 6pm.

PAHI REGATTA + Worldwide Classic Boat Show

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Video Link Below

https://www.facebook.com/savingkuparu/videos/1106504107453648

PAHI REGATTA + Worldwide Classic Boat Show

Master wooden boatbuilder – Colin Brown sent in the above photo of the recent Pahi Regatta. The video ex fb ex Krystal Waller gives us a peek at the on-the-water activity.

WORLDWIDE CLASSIC BOAT SHOW

Screenshot

For the past few years the crew at uber cool v-blog – Off Center Harbor have been hosting a virtual wooden boat show. Tagged {the} Worldwide Classic Boat Show. Its a must do if you have any hint of sawdust in your veins – its live from Feb 16th > Mar 3rd – more details here https://classicboatshow.com/welcome-to-the-worldwide-classic-boat-show/

Watch the video below to get a gander on the show

CLASSIC WOODY + TUG/WORK BOAT RACING

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My GIRL
MY GIRL
PAIKEA
LUCINDA
WAIKARO
ST CLAIRE
REHIA
JUANITA
MERIHI
JEUNESSE
VANESSA
MEOLA
MERIHI – ST CLAIRE

CLASSIC WOODY + TUG/WORK BOAT RACING

On Monday of Auckland’s  Anniversary Weekend I joined a very small club – boaties that have legally exceeded 20 knots in Auckland’s inner harbour. Probably only Deodar (police launch), Coastguard and the Harbour Master would be in the club. As part of the anniversary day regatta Jason Prew organises an around the buoys race for classic launches. The event has the most entrants of any event on the day. The Harbour Master waves the normal 12 knot speed limit and even provides an escort around the course. 

This year I was invited aboard Jason Prew’s xxxx launch – MY GIRL for the race. The conditions were very average SW18>23 knots , gusting 28 knots, bad enough to keep most of the classic yacht fleet tucked up in her berths for the day.

At the bang of the start gun My Girl took the lead and we never looked back – at the 1st mark we were 58 sec ahead of the next boat (Paikea) and just kept pulling away. Crossed the finish line doing 22.9 knots, that woodys is very fast. The foiling kite surfer that miscalculated our speed probably needed a change of wet suit pants 🙂

My Girl is powered by a Volvo 150hp 4cyl. turbo diesel engine that in another life powered a Queenstown jet boat . Mr Prew has tweaked it ‘a little’ – video of engine at idle and proof of speed 🙂 Note – there is no engine box /cover 🙂 

Results 

Across the line – 1. My Girl, 2. Paikea, 3. Lucinda 

Handicap – 1.Waikaro, 2. Lucinda, 3. St Clair

Entrants – My Girl, Paikea, Lucinda, Rehia, Ngaio, Waikaro, St Clair, Juanita, Meola, Marihi, Vanessa, Jeunesse

TUG/WORK BOAT RACING

The 2nd biggest event in terms of numbers is the highly popular tug/work boat race. Photos below.

Lots of Great Photos Here https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=813851850548987&set=pcb.813852363882269

2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH PARADE 130+ PHOTOS 

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My GIRL
MEOLA
Launch Parade

2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH PARADE 130+ PHOTOS 

As regular readers of the waitematawoodys site know the last weekend of January is always a biggie on the wooden boating calendar. The Mahurangi Cruising Club year-on-year pull off the biggest wooden boating event in New Zealand – {the} Mahurangi Regatta. If you type that into the WW search box your day will be ruined – hundreds of classic wooden boating photos.

I’ll apologise upfront for the lack of sailing photos – these days there are a lot of other happy-snappers recording the racing – when and if I get photos or links, I’ll add them to the story. 

It was a sub 24hr up and back trip to Mahurangi – I had an important family event that I have been dodging for years, and this year the message was – “be here” 🙂

I came away from Mahurangi feeling very upbeat for the health of the classic wooden motor boat movement – there was in excess of 50 classic woodys in the Mahurangi Harbour and from that fleet 32 skippers participated in the classic woody launch parade. A record turnout, so I say thank you those that took part and specially those that dressed their craft.

I was particularly heartened to see the return of several craft that had drifted away from the scene due to relocations, long tern refits and frustration with the community. Of note was Florance Dawn, Kumi and Raiona.

People linked to the supposedly organisation of the the parade (I’m not talking about the MCC) need to wake up to the contribution that the classic launches make to the event – 50+ craft is a mighty powerful visual vista. So fingers crossed the housekeeping improves to ensure the loyalist keep turning up.

After the speed bumps at the start, the parade got underway and a good time was had by the skippers, crews and spectators afloat and ashore at Sullivans Bay.

Enjoy the gallery of photos – some (most) boats appear twice, some I’m sure missed the camera, can’t be everywhere:-) Thanks to Steve Horsley for the photo of Raindance and Murray Deeble for the race start photo.

As always click on photos to enlarge 😉

A reward – first woody to tell me which boat in the above photos has the largest WW flag – wins a normal size WW burgee – enter at waitematawoodys@gmail.com

BAY BELLE – Party Boat

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BAY BELLE – Party Boat

The 57’ ex Bay of Islands ferry – Bay Belle recently topped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) – had to tell without viewing but a little pricey but 10 young woodys could have a lot of fun with this semi permanently moored some where. Its got party boat tattooed all over it.

Built in 1960, kauri construction,  by the Deeming Bros, she has seen a lot of water pass under her as she has serviced the B.O.I.’s

There is a 150hp 6cyl. Gardner diesel tucked away on her, so that must enhance the value

SEAGULL – West Coast Woody + Mahurangi Regatta Classic Woody Launch Parade Details

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SEAGULL – West Coast Woody

During the week to woodys Jeff Norris and Dave Stanaway sent in photos of the very salty looking woody launch – Seagull, that was hauled out at Dargarville on the West Coast of the North Island for some TLC.

Both gents commented that Seagull had an ex lifeboat, maybe even surf-boat look to her, but thats all they could add, so super keen to learn more about her.

07-2-2024 INPUT EX OWNER - Hi I am the owner of Seagull, pictures of her on the Doraville slipway in a post a couple of weeks back.

She was built in England 1900 -1904 as an admiralty barge, She was bought to NZ as a ships lifeboat. Spent the first 70 years of her life on the Kaipra , I bought her from Waiheke Island and bought her “Home”. She has had 4 names during her life. Seagull, Her launch and present name, Lady Irene, Spicer, and Rakapi.

Mahurangi Regatta Classic Woody Launch Parade

Will be sliding up the coast later today for the 2024 Mahurangi Regatta and the classic woody launch parade on Saturday morning – need to knows below

10.15am ASSEMBLE OFF SCOTTS LANDING

10.30AM HEAD OFF IN INDIAN FILE TOWARDS SULLIVANS BEACH

Note: there will be a clearly marked lead vessel and at Sullivans a MCC craft (probably a landing craft named- J Barry Ferguson) will pilot the woody fleet for two circuits of the bay.

COMMS: VHF CHANNEL 17

PHOTOS – SMILE AND WAVE IF YOU ARE NEAR RAINDANCE 🙂

SUZI Q > EMILY M – Could Be A Perfect Lake Day Boat

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SUZI Q > EMILY M – Could Be A Perfect Lake Day Boat

The 27’ 1960 built launch – Emily M recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald). 

Her owner believes she was built by Lanes of Totara North, but we all know how frequently that name is attached to wooden craft 🙂

Forward motion is via a 80hp Ford diesel. Looks like she needs some TLC to the interior but a very salty looking craft that could easily be returned to looking smart again.

In a previous life she was named Suzi Q and worked as a commercial snapper long-liner out of Whangamata in the 1970’s.

Current home is Opua in the Bay of Islands.

SANTA MARIA – A Peek Down Below  

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SANTA MARIA – A Peek Down Below  

Todays woody the 42’6” –  Santa Maria ticks a lot of my boxes – built in 1955 by Curnow & Wilton for what’s loosely referred toad ’the Italians’ (Wellington based) for Hapuna and crayfish fishing in the Cook Strait. Post this she worked various roles around much of the rest of the country, and then professionally converted to pleasure use around 20 years ago.

I was aboard her a few years ago and she is a very comfortable woody.The icing on the cake is a 127hp Gardner diesel that has her cruising at a very stately 8 knots.

Keen to learn more about her past. Current home is Kerikeri.

UPDATE ex Brian Kidson – WOW, stunning photo below – 

George Curnow, his partner Maurie Wilton  and their foreman Keith Carnahan all came from Lanes in Picton. Business started in Nelson about 1933 and finished in 1966 after their last fire. They were then absorbed into Nalder and Biddle.

Brian was told that the Santa Maria was involved in a rescue off the east coast of the North Island at some stage. Brian doesn’t know dates and details. Does anybody?

MYSTERY LAUNCH 20-01-2024 + WIN A WW BURGEE

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MYSTERY LAUNCH 20-01-2024

Todays woody photo was sent in by Nathan Herbert, now we know the name of the boat – but today is a wee bit of a quiz to see how sharp some of you are.

Prize is a WW burgee – entry by email only to waitematawoodys@gmail.com  Close off is 6pm today (20-01-2024)

QUESTION IS: Boats name, where was she built and what became of her.

uPDATE – A HINT – It isn’t a North Island built boat