The 45’ launch – M.V. Ussco was launched in 1936 as the Donald Sutherland, built for the first Labour Govt. as a tourist / passenger vessel. She was also previously known as Sea Hawk.
She has spent time as a fishing vessel, and other unconfirmed duties maybe as a lighthouse tender before use as a private cruiser.
Built from 4 skin kauri she has a beam of 12’ and draws 4’, a Gardner 6L2 provides the forward motion and like most southern woodys she is fully spec’ed.
Her owner Pete Worsnap has recently placed her on the market – as architects say “she has good bones” and while she requires a little work, she is priced accordly eg offers around $25k. And that woodys is a lot of boat for the money.
We are a little light on photos, but in the first instance interested parties to contact Pete direct either ussco1936@gmail.com or 021 998 159
If the tme story supporting todays woody is to be believed she must have had several realignments – supposedly built in 1926 by Collings and Bell and one of the half-a-dozen boats built for the Zane Grey big game fishing fleet. 36’ in length and carvel hulled. Forward motion is via a 75hp Ford (Lees) diesel engine.
Can not read the name on the stern – can we ID the boat and confirm the above details. Would be nice to know what she has been up to over the years. I was commented that she had recently relocated to Auckland from Northland.
INPUT EX GAVIN BRADLEY – Yes, that’s Manaaki looking very much worse for wear. She was moored briefly inside the entrance to Marsden Cove Marina either just before or after changing hands in 2021and was looking reasonably loved at the time. And just to clarify, there were 4 boats built for the Zane Grey Sporting Club – Otehei, Manaaki, Zane Grey and Lorna Doone. Lorna Doone was wrecked at Peach Island in Whangaroa Harbour many years ago (1970’s?). The other 3 are still afloat. The bill from Collings and Bell for the 4 boats was 2000 pounds! Total. Refer below copy of 1927 balance sheet for the Zane Grey Sporting Club.
Post Re-buildAs LaunchedOriginal EngineWellinton 1940’sWellington WWII – NavyWellington – Navy
Pre Re-build
PENCARROW – Where Is She
WW was recently contacted by Dylan Saggers in regard to the 1916 built, 38’6″ vessel – Pencarrow. I’ll let Dylan tell the story
“The bridge-decker has been close to my heart and the history has been with many other happy owners. 95% of her life she has been called Pencarrow but when she was launched (as described In the paper article below) she was christened Valerie. Originally had a NZ made 4cyl. Twigg marine engine, then a 160hp petrol Kermath engine and I possibly believe she still has her 6 cyl. Ford diesel.Built In Auckland by Lanes (as I was told) not sure If this is correct . She has been many tops and 1 hull change In her lifetime, as described In the photos she has been many things. Many owners have had her. The Pencarrow spent time with the Pencarrow Sand Shingle company for a year in the mid 1930’s towing barges to Wellington for reclamation of the wharfs. In the 1940’s she was owned by the NZ Govt for Navy Patrol for Wellington. After that she went to the Dunn family who owned it from the early 1950’s to late 1960’s.
But through the 1970’s > 1980’s unfortunately, I didn’t know who owned her. Early 1990’s my Dad had her and she did not have the extended top (as pictured with her reflection shining in the water) She was very beautiful to me In that configuration. She is my favourite boat of all the boats my father had. Then sold to the Macmorland family with partner family (It’s easily understandable why the top was extended including the wheelhouse being put forward for more room) as pictured the current top as it is now. Then the Coles family. Last sold In 2016 I think In Waikawa in Queen Charlotte Sound. After that I don’t have any Info.”
Dylan would like to locate the present owners, keep In touch with them and make an offer on it when he can. Dylan’s main outcome of all this is to buy her and restore her how Dylan remembers her when his father had her. Any current info or pictures Is very welcome.
The 44’ WG Lowe & Sons built (1959) ex work boat, recently popped up on tme and our woody spotter Ian McDonald advised that it was once his boat.
Tokatea was built to Goverment spec for Fisheries as a Patrol Boat and lighthouse tender and based at Coromandel until she was retired from service in 1987/88 and bought privately and taken to Tauranga. In recent years she has called the Marlborough Sounds home.
Built from solid kauri – hull and decks she has a beam of 12’5”and draws 5’. Forward motion is via a Gardner 6LW
Got to love the axe in the wheelhouse – a nod to her work boat days 🙂
Yesterdays upper harbour cruise to the historic waterfront Riverhead Tavern ticked all the boxes – perfect weather and sea state, best (21- record) turnout of classic craft we have had, great food and as always – nice people 🙂
100% record of no oops on the sand/mud banks, but LOTS of timber floating around kept the skippers on their toes.
The above photo gallery tells the story of the day – enjoy.
UPDATE – Photos & Videos below from the camera of Tracy and Alan Gilder aboard Pirate.
REHIA
LADY JAN
PACIFIC
NEXT WOODYS EVENT – SATURDAY 15TH APRIL – STILLWATER DOCKSIDE PICNIC
LOVING YOUR BOAT TO DEATH – Electro-chemical Destruction / Underwater Rot
The subject of electrochemical destruction and wooden boats has been covered extensively on WW – in fact the Chris McMullen articles are the most referenced stories on the site. At the end of todays story I have listed links to these stories.
Today thanks to Chris McMullen and Baden Pascoe we get to share an article they penned for the 2023 Mahurangi Cruising Club Year Book*, this article succinctly backgrounds the topic and suggests what as a wooden boat owner you should be looking out for and what to do to protect your wooden boat. READ IT. But if you are lazy – let me spell stout for you – DO NOT FIT ANODES or BOND YOUR WOODEN BOAT.
Note: PDF version below for easier viewing for the visually challenged – i.e. most of us 🙂
Todays WW story started last week – I’m standing in the queue to catch the Waiheke Island > Devonport ferry and the lady (Penny Ericson) behind me asks if I’m from Tasmania, now it was Friday afternoon and I had been to lunch so the brain took a few milli seconds to engage. I was wearing an Aust. Wooden Boat Festival t-shirt and the logo was plastered over the back of the shirt. I explain no I’m not, and then Penny tells me she is off to Tasmania in 7 days time for a holiday, so being the nice person I am I give her my ’Things you must do / see in Hobart’ speech. I then open the photo gallery on my iPhone and back the story up with photos. She comments that there are a lot of boat photos and I explain why and tell the waitematawoodys story.
Snap – she knows the site and was in fact about to email me concerning her grandfather > fathers launch named Venture.
After that long led in I’ll let Penny tell her story –
“This is Penny , I met you on the Waiheke ferry the other day and we discussed the fact that I would love to know what happened to my father and grandfathers boat that he used on the lakes in Rotorua as a charter fishing launch . I think that it operated out of the fishing camp on the Ohau channel , and the Harvey family lived in a house on Lake Rotorua on the other side of the channel . As you will see from the above photos the launch was called Venture, and the Log book below begins in 1937 and finishes in 1941.
No one in the family knows what happened to the boat but I had a feeling someone thought it may have been sold to someone in Auckland . I was delighted to meet you and you sounded so positive that you may be able to find the boat for me . In the bottom photo my father John or “Jack” Harvey is on the left . He was distinctive as he had a wooden peg leg having lost a leg on the western front in WW1. All his life despite his disability he was a marvellous fisherman and boatman. I grew up in Torbay so was always in boats as a kid, Dad building many dinghy’s for us .
Thank you Alan , I would greatly appreciate finding the boat and maybe the original logbook needs to be reunited with the boat”
So woodys can we help Penny in her search for the launch Venture and along the way learn more about her and what became of her.
17-03-2023 INPUT ex HAROLD KIDD – VENTURE was bought by K H Wilson of Rotorua in 1947 and fitted with a 52hp Graymarine engine. He kept her until at least 1955.
I’ll reward the woody that is the most helpful with a WW cap.
Last month I bombarded you with a several photo galleries of the 2023 Australian Wooden Boat Festival. As part of the wrap up of the festival, the organising crew have pulled together a 3min short film that utilises a lot of aerial film footage. The video gives us a wonderful overview of the festival, the Hobart harbour and waterfront – if there is any saw dust in your blood – Hobart February 2025 needs to be circled on your calendar. As festival director – Paul Stephanus says “This festival is one of a kind” . And its the largest event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and surprise surprise woodys – its free, no charge – we like that.
Find a comfortable chair and prepare to be wowed.
TIP: To enlarge screen size – scroll over the screen above and click on the icon I have highlighted below
The clinker built open ex work boat – Dudley Docker II has an interesting back story having been built in 1964 for the Lyttelton Harbour Board as a harbour tender. At one stage owned by the Picton Clinker Club. Built by Stark Brothers, she has had an interesting mix of owners – been in storage for the last 5 years. Currently powered by a 28hp Volvo. Has the makings of a very cool lake boat, very stable with a 7’ beam and lots of seating for passengers.
Do not normal talk $$ but at staring price of $3k and no reserve, it is a bargain. Thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up.
Wellington woody admirer Geoff Fiebig sent in the collection of photos that he snapped off while wandering around the Clyde Quay Boat Harbour , Wellington on Sunday.
Can we put some names to them – • I’m sure the top photo is well know, but the bigger question has to be – how come its so unloved?
• The blue open double-ender looks very salty, and cared for.
• The tender is probably best overlooked, several sheets of ply on display. But no doubt a very useful work horse to get to & from a bigger moored craft (love the boat sheds paint scheme).
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