Category Archives: Working Boats

SHENANDOAH  Q03

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SHENANDOAH  Q03

The 1929 Chas Bailey & Son built motor launch – Shenandoah has made several appearances on WW and we have seen her – as launched, in her war fatigues, restored and sadly neglected – way too many mentions on WW to list the links, just type her name in the WW search box to view.

Today thanks to Bruce Papworth we get a look at Shenandoah at sea and her crew war crew ashore – in the 2nd photo we get a rare sighting of the photographer – Tudor Collins, that is him second from right. He would have been on board Shenandoah in his role as photographer.  Bruce P commented that he believed Hick Goodfellow was the captain.   In the third photo, showing the Whangarei Town Basin there is a great collection of craft that had been commandeered by the NZ Navy for war service – that I can identify- we have:

Q03 – Shenandoah, Q08 – Lady Margaret, Q01 – Wirihana, Q02 – Maristella, Q12  – Lady Shirley and Z38 – Ranoni. In the last photo we have L>R Lady Margaret, Maristella and Wirihana. For more background on these craft, click on this link  https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/11/23/whangarei-town-basin-1943/

Northern Star

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NORTHERN STAR

The 40’ ex workboat Northern Star was built c.late 196o’s by Roger Carey in Picton, then c.2009 she was converted to a trawler cruiser / live aboard.

Forward motion is via a rebuilt 6LX Gardner that is keel cooled. Like all good southerns woodys there is a diesel heater to keep toastie below.

From her tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) we see that she is very well fitted out for extended cruising.

INPUT ex Russell Ward – photo below taken 20+ years back, in Picton marina. Russell commented that they all looked so much better in working colours than in the stark white that present owners use.

Classic Wooden Boats At Waikawa Marina

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Classic Wooden Boats At Waikawa Marina

Following on from last Mondays story where we shared Dean Wright’s recent Southern trip and a gallery of photos from the Havelock marina todays photo gallery comes to us from the Waikawa marina. Some stunning woodys and remember – click on photos to enlarge 😉

A lot of woodys that are new to WW and they will morph into WW stories in their own right.

Enjoy 🙂

13-12-2022 INPUT EX MARK MCLAUGHLIN

The big bridgedecker with 4 ports is RAHEMO (launched as Strathmore), built by Dick Lang.

Others I can positively identify are (from the top):

VECA (Arthur Sang)

VAGABOND (Joe Jukes)

?

?

?

RAHEMO/STRATHMORE (Dick Lang)

HUNTRESS (possibly McManaway designed/built?)

VARUA (Bob Swanson)

OSPREY (Harold Saunders)

PALOMINO (Bob Swanson)

TOANUI (Roger Carey)

Yacht ANNA JANE (?)

NUKUMEA (American “Bartender” design by George Calkins)

YVONNE (Bob Swanson)

PEARL (?)

Unknown fishing boat

KATOOMBA (Dorman Engineering, Nelson – not wood, built in Corten Steel!!)

Unknown (possibly Bruce Askew?)

CORYLUS (Bruce Askew)

TAREPO (launched TAREPA)

ARCTURUS (McGeady)

? (looks like a McManaway or Morgan fishing boat design?)

? (under the covers)

CRISTINA (Athol Burns)

PURUATANGA (launched as MARIANJO)

Most of these have featured previously on WW, so a quick look in the search bar will glean more details if interested.

Shipwright Boat Builder Yachtsman – Woody Summer Reading Suggestions

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Waianiwa

#1 Summer Woody Read

I was contacted by Chris McMullen during the week with a suggestion that I make contact with noted kiwi yachtie and boat builder – Gilbert (Gil) Littler. Now when Mr McMuMullen ’suggests’ something I normally respond pretty quickly, second only to suggestions from Robert Brooke 🙂 24hrs later I’m having coffee with Gil and his wife Susan – why am I telling you this? Because Gil has just penned an amazing book titled – SHIPWRIGHT BOAT BUILDER YACHTSMAN 1962-1992. The 100+ page book is split into 3 sections:

Part One – A brief history of the Bailey Family 

Part Two – My Apprenticeship Years

Part Three – My Yacht Racing Years

I have squirreled away a copy for summer boat reading but I did do a quick dive into some of the pages and its a wonderfully refreshing read, more like sitting in a comfortable spot afloat and listening to Gil entertain you with his life story. Lots of photos and illustrations also to view. In CMcM’s words – This book is a gold mine of history and information. Written by a guy on the floor in the boatshop and a foredeck hand on a very famous Kiwi Yacht. By winning the One Ton Cup put New Zealand on the yachting map.

The $40 – + P&P – 100+ page book is self published so obtaining a copy is not as easy as walking down to your nearest book store but it is worth the effort. So to order a copy:

Email Gil at gil@littlerfamilyresearch.com or go to www.littlerfamilyresearch.com (the website is being set up, so if you are in a hurry – use email) 

Gil & Susan are currently traveling so do not expect an instant reply 🙂

My 2nd Pick Is The Mahurangi Cruising Club Year Book

Now the title may sound a little boring but the contents certainly are not. Always a fantastic publication pulled together by design guru Steve Horsley. This year the theme is restorations and of interest to all woody boaties is an article on electrolysis. Plus a 16 page photo gallery of the 2022 regatta – all that for $20. As we speak its at the printers – so to secure / order a copy either email BOAT BOOKS   crew@boatbooks.co.nz or call 09 358 5691 (Boot Books 22 Westhaven Drive)

Copies will be available at the normal random outlets but BB is the safest bet.

LAURA JO + Last Chance To Save A Woody

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LAURA JO + Last Chance To Save A Woody

The very salty looking woody – Laura Jo was one of the craft that Dean Wright recently photographed at Havelock Marina. And that woodys is all we know – can we added more details to her history and how she came to call Havelock home.

08-12-2022 UPDATE ex David Martin –

The Laura Jo was originally the launch Laura. She was purchased in the early 90s as an ex fishing boat needing a lot of TLC by lovely couple living in Sumner. The ladies name was Jo, and the boat was re-launches as Laura Jo. Her huband was Bruce (I recall?) who passed away in the late 90s. LJ was re-built, cabin extended, and berthed in Lyttelton at that time.
I have more photos and a drg of her (I drew many of my friends Boats around that period). I will dig up all the info I have and add at a later date.

FRIDAY IS EXECUTION DAY – PARMA HAS A DATE WITH THE CRUSHER – To save her call Manheim at 09 918 0500 – the actual boat is offered up at no charge. https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/08/04/classic-launch-parma-sinks-under-harbour-bridge/

Classic Wooden Boats At Havelock Marina

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Classic Wooden Boats At Havelock Marina

Back in late October 2022 Dean Wright was in Blenheim attending John Gander’s significant birthday, all birthdays are significant but the ones with ‘0’s’ in them are more significant.

While down south Dean did some marina mooching and todays photo gallery comes to us from the Havelock marina. Nice to see a couple of our bigger northern woodys now safely tucked way down south – Turongo and Durville. Sad to lose them from the Waitemata but if we were keeping score I think we win more than we lose 🙂

A lot of craft unknown to WW and will probably morph into WW stories in their own right. As always click on photos to enlarge.

Southern Woodys at Riwaka

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Southern Woodys at Riwaka

One of my southern woody spies – John Burland, has just has returned to NZ after summering over in Germany (he lives there, well at least in the northern summer).

Not long after unpacking the bags he was heading down to the Riwaka riverside marina, close to Motueka, Tasman. As the photos show the area is seriously tidal and John’s visit was at low water. 

While John commented that the photos were of the usual suspects, it always good to see what’s normally hidden.

In the photos we see Varlene getting some TLC, as an aside looking at the finish on Varlene’s rail and the tin – it looks like at last Cetol is an ok finish – used to be a horrendous orange/yellow colour, similar to what actor George Hamilton used to use as fake tan (photo below)

13-12-2022 UPDATE – ex John Burland – more photos below, and yes the tides still out 🙂

Classic Wooden Launch UHURU – Free (almost) To The Right Person

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Classic Wooden Launch UHURU – Free (almost) To The Right Person

Now despite what CYA luminary Chad Thomson tells his toadies when they meet once a month in the telephone box in Myers Park – I’m actually a nice person and todays WW story is proof 🙂 Several weeks ago I as contacted by John (Jacky) McElwee who owns the launch Uhuru, John has reached a stage in life where owning a classic wooden boat is just too much of a challenge and he has asked me to help find the next custodian for his bridge decker – Uhuru.

The back story goes like this – built c.1900’s, using kauri planks and measuring 32’ x 9’ beam and a draft of 3’. She was built to do the cream run on Lake Rotorua, which she did for approx. 40 years, her next owners, 30 years, were the Nicol family and John has had her for 20 years – some impressive times there, must indicate she is a sea friendly boat. Nathan Herbert might be able to chip in and explain her special hull shape for shallow water running.  Current powered by a 1992 Nanni 43hp diesel. Obviously needs some TLC and possibly a few dollars spent here and there, but its afloat and the motor runs. 

Now woodys here is the deal – if your are a genuine straight up person and have a real passion for classic wooden boats – John will probably give you the boat, but I’d like to think that a ‘gift will ease the process of letting go of a 20 year relationship 🙂

Seriously interested parties in the first instance to contact John via email –   jackymcelwee0@gmail.com

REMEMBER – WOODY BOOT SALE – TODAY – 10AM – 5 OMANA RD MILFORD – CASH ONLY

Ex 1930’s Pilot Boat

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Ex 1930’s PILOT BOAT 

Todays woody was built by L C Coulthard, Onehunga in 1931 for the New Plymouth Harbour Board. Not sure of her name, possibly still called – ‘Pilot’ 36’ in length, these days she resides in Houhora, at the top of the North Island.

Interested to learn more about her and what powers her these days, looks like she could get along with that hull.

Photo below as launched. The photos come to us from John Dawson ex Graeme Kearney fb.

INPUT ex Paul Nattrass –

“Launch Pilot ” was her surveyed name but even more simply “Pilot ^ call sign.
Back in the early to mid 90s I was working for Sea-Tow Ltd barging coal into New Plymouth and said to the senior pilot that I would like to buy her he said that I would never get the opportunity, someone from the port would get her. however couple years later in a tender I made sure that I did just to prove him wrong.
The late Graeme Wigg and I steamed her round the top to Houhora
Had a 4 cylinder ford that I later changed to a 6.
The Capital Gbox 2:1 bolted straight on.
Has been a great predictable little work vessel that has taken on the new role of game boat with distinction that “Sucks up the fish”

A TEASE RE SOME OF SATURDAYS TREASURE SHOWING UP AT THE SLIPWAY MILFORD WOODY BOAT BOOT SALE – 10AM @ 5 OMANA ROAD MILFORD – CASH ONLY

Music

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MUSIC

Today is part 3 of a 3 part insight into the craft built or altered by boatbuilder Neville Robinson.

The launch – Music was built from scratchy Neville and his daughter Marie commented that as a family they spent many hours in the boat shed building her. Unfortunately Music later caught fire and burnt to the waterline. Neville managed to get his hands on some of the burnt timber and made a scale model incorporating the timber into the finished piece, refer below photos.

Remember last weekend to clean out the shed of any woody stuff thats gathering dust and taking up space – see below.