Mystery Whangaroa Launch 1930’s
Todays woody is a big ask to identify – the caption is captioned ‘1930’s Whangaroa’ but the vessel is unnamed.Its mooching around a large school of Kahawai so no doubt is trolling a lure.
The photo comes to us from the British Museum via Lew Redwood fb and the photographer is probably J.M. Booth.
Are we able to put a name to the launch?
REMEMBER – WOODY STILLWATER DOCKSIDE PICNIC TOMORROW
Todays trawler style woody is the 42’ 1955 ex workboat – Santa Marie, built in Nelson by Curnow and Wilton for the ‘Italians’, fishing hapuka and crays in Cook Strait. She subsequently worked various roles around much of the rest of the country. Powered by a Gardner 127hp engine she was converted to leisure use around 20 years ago.
I was aboard a couple of years ago in Kerikeri and she truely is a magnificent craft. One could easily spend extended periods aboard.
Thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up on this woody.
INPUT ex Brian Kidson – Santa Maria was launched 7th Sept 1949, Curnow and Wilton’s, Nelson. Built for Mr Basile of Island Bay, Wellington for fishing around Cook Strait.
Full details on this Saturdays woodys picnic at Stillwater have been emailed out – if you didn’t get the email let me know and I’ll add you to the mailing list. (email link below)
Woodys On Tour – Hobart – Australian Wooden Boat Festival – 50’ HALVORSEN MOTOR LAUNCH
Hello Woodys
While the Australian Wooden Boat Festival is done and dusted the woody camera is loaded with photos – today we feature the 1947 built, 50’ Halvorsen motor launch – Minocqua. Designed and built by famous Australian boat builder Lars Halvorsen, she was one of seven built in the late 1940’s. If my memory is working, the Australian Americas Cup legend – Ian Murray owns one (possibly this one).
76 years later she is still a very imposing vessel and stands out anywhere.
Something for the petrol heads – check out the video below of a 1945 Tasman Marine engine, two stroke, 3hp, single cylinder. Built by the Tasman Engineering Company.
And Then They Were Gone 😦
Woodys On Tour – Hobart – Australian Wooden Boat Festival – Day 5
Hello Again Woodys Felt slightly guilty this morning when I called home to advise Air NZ had cancelled my Hobart > AKL flight. Next available – 7 days away…. A little bit of online work and I found a flight out of Sydney on Thursday night. So 2 more days in Hobart 🙂
One big plus – I get to see the very cool kiwi singer- Marlon Williams live in concert.
Anyway back to the boats – today is an extension of yesterdays gallery – there is just so many woodys to see.
FYI – WW viewing numbers spike when the weather is bad and people are at home, so yesterdays numbers were approaching an all time high. Today (Tuesday will be another bumper day)
Boat Of The Day – HEATHER BELLE, a 24’6” gaff rigged pilot cutter, built in 1990 by Andrew Wilson to a Lyle Hess design. She is a sister-ship to Larry Pardey’s – SERAFFYN.
And compulsory food shot – lunch = seafood chowder 🙂
Woodys On Tour – Hobart – Australian Wooden Boat Festival – Day 4
Hello Woodys – Day four of the trip, day 3 of the festival. As compared to yesterday (Saturday) it was a lot less crowded with less rubberneckers 🙂
I went on several guided walking tours of the docks, very insightful, as you inspect individual vessels and meet the skippers.
As promised today (Monday) story is a photo gallery of craft at the festival – no particular order, just as the camera found the boats. FYI – the festival organisers mix the vessels up, so you have sail/power/big/small all together, which makes for a good vibe.
Boat Of The Day – Green Moon
Check out the impressive berthing of the Tall Ship – Windeward Bound in the video below – well done skipper and woodys not being sexist – BUT I meet HER the other day.
And discovery of the trip Iron House Tasmania Ginger Beer (6%alc) and scallop wontons
Woodys On Tour – Hobart – Australian Wooden Boat Festival – Day 3
Morning Woodys – a stunning day today on the weather front – clear blue skies and not to warm, perfect. The docks today were a Zoo, just so many people and a high % of rubber neckers. Hats off to the boat owners for answering all the ‘blonde’ questions e.g. “is it made of wood, or has it got a special paint effect” etc etc. On the advice of a seasoned festival attendee I hit the docks very early in the morning and again early evening.
Lots of chat with owners and good awareness of WW. I decided today to engage the right side of the brain and caught the ferry to MONA (Museum Old New Art) its like nothing I or probably you have been to – check out the website https://mona.net.au
In todays WW story we focus on some of the smaller craft at the festival , with a leaning on steam propelled. Enjoy – if you don’t like it blame Russell Ward, his side of our movement needs a leg up 🙂
The Boat Of The Day – TAMARESK
And a wee sea shanty for aboard the Tall Ship – ENTERPRIZE – enjoy
And lunch was X12 fresh Australian prawns – never seen the inside of a freezer, soooo good 🙂
Woodys On Tour – Hobart – Australian Wooden Boat Festival – Day 2
Morning Woodys
Todays was the first official day of the festival, commencing with the – Parade of Sail, that see 200+ wooden craft arriving in mass into Hobert Harbour. Where they join 100’s more that have already berthed dock-side.
My day started at 6.45am for a coach ride to Woodbridge where we boarded the 110’ brigantine – Windewood Bound for the passage to Hobert. Conditions we a little damp and overcast, but things improved later in the day. You know me, so I struggled with the first 4+ hours of ’sailing’ at 4 knots but once we joined up with the fleet it was a special experience. The Windewood led the fleet into the harbour that was lined with spectators and craft of all types, size and construction.
Todays story is on the Windewood + a taste of dockside life. I’ll cover the passage and all the Parade of Sail fleet in a later story. And tomorrow we will jump into the expanse of wooden craft on show
Boat Of The Day – this very smart picnic boat
Enjoy
Below – the scallops on a stick were smash hit and washed down with my attempt to get some goodness into the body – all fresh juice – pineapple, apple, lemon, ginger, orange, vitamin C and a double shot of vodka. Sounds like a good idea for breakfast…
Woodys On Tour – Hobart – Australian Wooden Boat Festival – Day 1
Hello Woodys – As they same ‘I’m In Country’ and a little in awe for the scene here in Hobart. The festival doesn’t start till Friday, so the docks are only starting to fill up but already I’m gobsmacked by the woody craft tied up.
Went for an early evening mooch around the water front and today you get a wee tease – a ‘roughly’ filmed dock-side walk video of just one pier and my boats of the day pick – being Saona and a smaller woody, that I’ll have to get the name of – and yes Neil Chalmers – surprise surprise – both yachts 🙂
Today (Friday) I’m up at 6.30am heading to Woodbridge (36k south of Hobart) to meet / board – ‘WINDEWARD BOUND’ (see below) a 110’, brigantine rigged Tall Ship for the ‘Parade Of Sail’ into Hobart Harbour. The Parade of Sail marks the offical opening of the festival.
And it would be Australian without a serving of calamari and an ice cold IPA and a flat white.
Enjoy
TE TUI
Todays woody an ex Auckland Harbour Board (AHB) work boat named TeTui. There is some issue arounf the above photo of her in Tryphena, Gt Barrier Island – as the ‘owner’ of the photo – Maurie Ogden, believes it was taken c.1978/79 but the photo has a dated tag of 2015 – so firstly can we confirm the date? Maurie recalls TeTui was engaged by the AHB in the 1960’s to service the harbour bouys and beacons.
Gordon Land has commented that Ken Morris positively identified her as a AHB boat belonging to his neighbour Dr Fergus. When he died his son John took it to Tauranga, repaired and sold it. She is / was about 26′ LOA and had a 4 cylinder Ford diesel.
Can any of the Work Boat Group help confirm the above and fill in some of the blanks + update us on what became of her.
INPUT ex NIGEL DRAKE A of photo below of Te Tui on her mooring in Pilot Bay in Nov 2018.
I’M OUT OF HERE – As you are reading this I’m on the big silver bird on-route to Hobart, Tasmania, Australia for the 2023 Australian Wood Boat Festival – I have been trying to get there for 6 years – people dying and a wee thing called Covid has got in the way. To quote that great Aussie saying – I’m as excited as a dog with two tails. It is my plan to post from the festival each day, so check in each morning for a trip report.
Very Salty Double Ender At The Viaduct
Brett Evans sent in the photo above of what appears to be a recent restoration / refit of a double-ender that is currently berthed in Auckland’s Viaduct. Apologies in advance if she has been on WW before – but with no nane or details, its impossible to search for her.
Can we learn her past and who has undertaken the recent work
TUESDAY – BUMPER STORY – Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade Report
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