Category Archives: Working Boats

Spindrift

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Spindrift CCC Picnic

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Spindrift 1953 Waipu Landing

SPINDRIFT
Weather permitting as you read this we will be on-route up the Wairoa River to the Clevedon Cruising Club, so it seems fitting that today I feature a local boat.
In the above colour photo we see the launch Spindrift heading to the Clevedon Cruising Club picnic at Ponui Island, the ‘crew’ were the the McKenzie family, owners at the time. Read the page ex the CCC 75th Jubilee booklet for details, but quick headline – Gordon McKenzie purchase the 30’ 1934 Spindrift from Harry Morton in 1948 and owned her for 34 years, she sold in 1987 to the current owners, the Renall family.
The CCC Jubilee booklet was written by Merle McKenzie.
In her early years Spindrift had an interesting life as a work-boat, refer story.
The black and white photo, shows Spindrift  in 1953 alongside the Waipu Landing.
(Thanks to Barrie Abel, Colin McKenzie and Jess McKenzie for photos & input)
I love the poem below – very on the mark 🙂
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Southern Woodys – Work Boat Wednesday

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Southern Woodys – Work Boat Wednesday
 

Iain Forsyth, owner of the 1961, 42’6″’, Miller & Tunnage built ex work boat – Meola, has recently returned from a trip to the other island. Ian commented that he stopped off at Carey’s Bay and saw Pakeha (recently featured on WW) on the slips after a large refit by Carey’s Marine and ready to launch.


Iain snapped the above gallery of workboats. It was opportune timing as the Bluff fleet were in port and getting ready for the season. Now I’m sure they aren’t all woodys but as per the NZ Classic Yacht Association rules (see below) metal is all good 🙂 
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Restoration of classic 1912 launch – Lion

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Restoration of MV LION 

Lion was launched in late 1912 for use on Lake Wakaptipu for Hugh McKenzie of Lake Wakatipu, serving the family and owners of Walter Peak, Fernhill and Mt Nicholas Stations. When launched she was fitted with a 21hp, 3 cylinder Clifton engine.
Constructed from kauri planking to a canoe stern design, to handle the choppy and unpredictable conditions of Lake Wakatipu. Her specs are – Length: 38′,
Beam: 9′, Draft: 3′ & she is powered by a Yanmar 51hp. (Info ex Harold Kidd)
At one stage she operated as a charter vessel on Lake Wakatipu.

Lion has made a previous appearance on WW and can be viewed at the link below
The facebook link below shows Lion arriving at the boat yard prior to commencement of work.
In 2019 Lion changed hands and her new owners commissioned an extensive restoration / refit at the Graham Caird’s ‘Repair My Boat’ yard (formerly Southern Classic Boats) in Invercargill, South Island. All timber used in the project is either kauri or Burmese teak.
I understand that her new owners will be returning her to Queenstown and her new home will be the Frankton marina.
The gallery of photos above showcases the amazing work that some of New Zealand’s most talented shipwrights are doing – living in Auckland sometimes we get a tad myopic 🙂
Photos below – pre-restoration

Meola

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Meola is at the launching of the Hikarangi
Meola is at the launching of the Hikarangi

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MEOLA 
Woody Iain Forsyth, owner of the 1961, 42’6″’, Miller & Tunnage built ex work boat – Meola is one of the most passionate wooden boating buffs you will meet, so when Iain got the opportunity to travel South to the birth place of Meola, there was no stopping him. Back in 1986 there was a major fire at the Miller & Tunnage yard and sadly their historical records / files of past builds was lost in the blaze.
The highlight of Iain’s trip was tracking down Mary Inglis, wife of Brian Inglis, who built many of the boats at Miller & Tunnage.
The black and white photos above are from Mary’s collection and show the construction of Meola and as launched. WW links below for more details
Below is a stunning photo of another Miller & Tunnage vessel, that Iain uncovered – this ones the 1960 built Deodar, which given the immaculate condition must have been at launching, prior to being commissioned as a Police launch. These days, a pleasure craft – WW links below.
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Help Needed Finding Doris / Miss Doris

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Doris : Miss Doris

Help Needed Finding Doris / Miss Doris

Greg Philpott has asked for help in tracking down the 1910, A.T. Lane (Auckland) built launch – Doris / Miss Doris. She was launched as Doris but renamed Miss Doris in 1949. Her first owner was Albert Fuller for use in the Bay of Islands.

She was a hard working launch and undertook all manner of work for AE Fullers and Sons but she was eventually sold out of the Fullers fleet in 1969 to Doug Nankervis for use as a fishing boat. She was subsequently sold in 1974 to Ashley Synnott and relocated to Mangawhai. That is where the trail goes cold, and Greg would love to find out what happened to her and where she ended up.

We do know some history of her propulsion :- No intel on what engine was in her when launch but in 1917 it was replaced with a Scripps – then in 1920 a Regal G E Coy – then in 1929 a Studebaker, 1933 saw a Alisa Craig went in – 1954 in went a Ford and lastly some time in the 1960’s a Caterpillar was shoe honed in – rumour has it, it nearly took up 1/2 the cabin 🙂

She has appeared on WW before https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/15/9233/

A WOODY QUIZ – Win A WW Bucket Hat

Guess the most searched word on the waitematawoodys site (after waitemata woodys) and you go into the draw to win a WW bucket hat. (model not included). Entries close off at 8pm 29-07-2020. ENTER ONLY VIA EMAIL to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Zephyr

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ZEPHYR
 
Last week I was contacted by Barry Robinson of Thames re his launch Zephyr which has  made a few cameo appearances on WW. Barry has owned Zephyr for the last 30 years and she is currently stored in his shed, at the tail end of a restoration and should be relaunched soon. 
Barry commented (in his words) that he was getting on new and probably it would be good for someone else to take her on.
 
The photos above give us a glimpse of the boats evolution during Barry’s ownership. 
The first one shows her up the Waihou River and then at Whangamata in 1994. The ones on the slipway are dated 1999 and shows cabin Barry added.
 
The last three photos record a sad day up the Waihou River. Barry tied Zephyr to pole at full  tide to go floundering. Out going tide, boat sat on under water old Pier poles. Two  speared  through the hull. With tides getting bigger Barry was able to fill cabin with 10  200 litre drums and got enough flotation to clear poles and drag her to shore with two 4  wheel drive vehicles. Pulled her onto the shore with a 17 tonne digger. Patched two  pole holes and towed her to Puke bridge (Maritime Park Paeroa). Then put her on road trailer  and with a tractor, towed her to the farm at Puriri.
 
Below are copies of an article on Zephyr written by Robert and Caroline Teixeira when she was owned by well known Bay of Islands commercial sports fisherman – Joe Miller (painting)
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29-07-2020 Harold Kidd Input – The first 3 paragraphs of the text of “Legends in Our Lifetime” sound like a waterfront yarn. . “Collins and Bell” and the “site of the Bridgeway Tavern” don’t go together.but there”s a kernel of fact in there I guess. The”Negro Minister” intrigues me. I’ve heard it before and wonder if it’s a conflation of Rev, Jasper Calder, but will check out this interesting angle and see if it has legs (mixed metaphors, anyone?)

Previous WW Zephyr stories

Zephyr

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03-10-2022 ex Barry Robinson – Thanks  Alan.  Yes  still  have  the  Zephyr  tucked  away  in  the  shed  at  Puriri.  It  has  remained  under  cover  for  many  years  now.  Its like an  old  friend.Most  days  when  I  go  out to  the  farm I look  at  her ,  I get  a  pang of guilt  for  not  finishing the  finale  touches to  put  her  back  into  the  water. My  son  Sean  intends  to  take  over Zephyr. 

Restoration of Pakeha

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Nancy & Beaven Burrows

RESTORATION OF PAKEHA
 
One of the great things about provincial New Zealand is that cool human interest stories still make the front page of the newspaper. On Friday (24th July) Jacob McSweeny ran a story in the Otago Daily Times on the ex workboat – Pakeha.
Built in 1925, Pakeha is the pride and joy of Beaven Burrows, whose connection to the boat goes back to his youth when he used to get rides on Pakeha off the coast of Kaikoura, where his family resided at the time.
I’ll let Jacob tell the story – At 16 Beaven was intent on becoming a commercial fisherman like his father, but that was not to be.’No, I want you to stay and work on the farm. It’s my wish’, his dad said to him. Beaven has been a dairy farmer ever since but his love of boats and the sea has never ceased.

Then four years ago, a friend pointed out Pakeha was for sale. ‘I’d always loved that boat . . .so I decided to buy it.’

The old fishing boat is a true survivor. Beaven believes it may the only one from Kaikoura at that time still around. ‘It’s been washed up on the beach . . .five, six times in its life and survived.’

There was quite a bit of rot in it and so when it was brought to Careys Bay Marine Services in October 2018 it had to be stripped down and rebuilt.

The boat builders were able to rebuild Pakeha referencing old photos and Beavans’ memory of how it was. ‘It’s always been one of the nicest, tidiest boats as a fishing boat,’ Beaven said. The boat is about a week away from completion, with just electric work to be done.

Beaven and wife Nancy are planning a big trip to the top of the South Island this summer, including a visit to the daughter of the first owner of Pakeha, who lives in Waimate, and to the boat’s old home of Kaikoura.

Video link below ex the Otago Daily Times digital edition
 
Would be nice if we can add to this story with some details on the builder and what see got up to over the years?
Photos below ex Careys Bay Marine Services fb page. Thanks Lindsay Grenfell for the heads up 🙂
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Ika

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IKA
Back in mid March 2020 I was contacted by Matt Hodgson who had just purchased Ika and was berthed in Pine Harbour Marina, Auckland waiting for a weather window to take her south to Mana Marina, Wellington. Ika had been recently returned to the water and was a little thirsty e.g taking on water. As tends to happen, after a little while she quenched her thirst and Matt successfully headed south.
I asked Matt to send in some photos and details on Ika – below is what he knows –
Matt believes she was designed in the late 1920’s and was used as a commercial long liner in the Cook Strait from 1933. She’s a Lanes 42ft kauri launch and was modified and revamped by Bob Sinclair in 1996. Sinclair reconditioned the Gardner 5L3 engine in 1996 and added / rebuilt the saloon. You can see in the photos that Ika’s galley has a diesel oven, complete with a wet back.
Matt is currently working away on Ika, so far he has painted the cabinetry white and will redo the inside by sanding, polishing and vanishing the main beams in the saloon and replacing the old carpet with a high quality veneer.
Anyone able to enlighten Matt and myself more on Ika’s past?
Photos below ex Cameron Pollard
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19-07-2020 Input from Don Robertson –
Ika was owned for a while by the legendary Island Bay fisherman Johnny Cataldo.
Johnny knew Cook Strait like no other, so piloted the early Cook Strait swimmers.
He was also the Cook Strait rescue service before the Coastgaurd, and a capable police launch.
I was witness to one of his rescues in Cook Strait, in 1968, as an 18 year old when on the legendary 1912 yacht Nanette we we lost both forestays with our bowsprit in an unforecast severe northerly off Sinclair Head. By waving a tablecloth we attracted Ika passing by and as she took us in tow, we noticed the crew of Hugh Barton’s, of Barton Marine, Shiralee waving for assistance, being overpowered by the conditions and not being able to make progress upwind. So Ika manoeuvred Nanette into a position that we were able to pass a second tow line and proceeded into Island Bay directly under the seagulls feeding off the remains of impressive Groper.
I remember Ika being moored just upstream of the Mana bridge with a much more substantial cabin around the 1980’s
Woody Classics Weekend Clevedon #2 copy

 

Queen of Beauty

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Queen of Beauty motoryacht

QUEEN OF BEAUTY

The magnificent looking motor yacht – Queen of Beauty was owned in the early 1900’s by Samuel Kirkpatrick, he kept her in Nelson. Aside from owning Queen of Beauty, Kirkpatrick’s biggest claim to fame was he founded K Jams back in 1881, in 1884 they were turning out over 10,000 cans a day. In the 1960’s the remains of the business were purchased by J. Wattie Canneries.
Kirkpatrick died in 1925 and its believed QoB was then used for fishing for a while. Seems incredible that a vessel of her stance would ‘go commercial’ but that is what they did in those days.
I have been contacted by Tam Hazan who is working on a record of Samuel Kirkpatrick’s life – Tam and myself would like to uncover what became of the Queen of Beauty, there has been chat that she may have ended up in Queenstown.
INPUT EX CAMERON POLLARD – Photo below of QoB in work boat mode – that’s her in the background.
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Anyone Able To ID This Old Girl
Woody Russell Ward’s wife, Marie, snapped the photo below last weekend of this double-ender woody on the move in Whangateau Harbour. Another project for Whangateau boat yard?
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Input from Denis O’Callahan – Denis snapped a couple of photos of the above mystery woody that appeared back on 13 Nov. 2019 – link below. We couldn’t ID her then – any suggestions – Russell Ward ?? , its your stumping ground 🙂

02-08-2023 Update – if Tim Hazan who looking for intel on the ‘Queen of Beauty’ contacts the email below. They maybe able to help. Alan H

plunketpeter@gmail.com

Zephyr

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ZEPHYR
Last month I was contacted by Rowan Lane who had seen the painting of the launch Zephyr I posted on WW, refer photo below. 
Rowan is a blue blooded woody eg his surname – Lane, links him to the clan whose craft frequently appear on WW
pages. I have posted the note Rowan sent me below
“The June posting of the painting of “Zephyr” on the Whangaroa Harbour
prompted a rummage through the family albums. My father Major Lane (family
name not title) rescued Zephyr from the foreshore of the Whangaroa Harbour.
Dad was nephew to Richard Ernest (Ernie) Lane who had relocated from
Whangaroa to Picton.
Zephyr was in a sorry state inviting each incoming tide inside for a chat through its cracks and opened seams. My father set about repairing the hull re-ribbed and re fastened throughout and installed a Gray Marine petrol engine. This was in the 1930’s. 
Zephyr was seconded to the NZ Army during the war years and was used to deliver supplies to the Army post at what is now Kingfish Lodge at the entrance to the Whangaroa Harbour.
In the top photo above we see Zephyr moored at Kingfish Point. Zephyr’s dodger was modified after the war when Zephyr became a commercial fishing vessel RL 36.
My father sold Zephyr around 1950 to Joe Mueller who had emigrated to NZ from South Africa. Joe used the ‘anglicised’ spelling Millar I believe to ally any fears that he may have been of German descent. Joe continued commercial fishing for a while before changing Zephyr to a game fish charter launch.”

 

Zephyr