Category Archives: Working Boats

Neptune

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NEPTUNE

Neptune is a 39’ John Gladden designed ex work boat / converted trawler & is now a potential live aboard.

She was extended .6m eight years ago & has a 11’5” beam & draws 5’2”.

Her trademe listing is very light on details, the only other things I can advise is that she was built in 1982 & made of wood.

( thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads up)

 

 

St George

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St GEORGE – Workboat Wednesday

I was sent the above photos of the fishing boat – St George by Tony Borich. She belonged to Tony’s grandfather Ross Kellian.
Tony commented that the ownership period was long before his time, but he recalls that Grandad was very fond of its Kelvin motor.
Ross Kellian was friends with John Walker, the previous owner of vessel Melodeon, both were purse seining out of Leigh and local fishing identities.
Can any of the workboat group supply more details on St. George & what became of her?
As a bonus – read the press story of Ross Kellian’s 26’ fishing boat oops – Lyndon – very lucky to be alive !
Cameron Pollard Input – St George is 75% through a 20 plus year to date pleasure conversion rebirth on an extremely private property in the Thames district.( no expert advisers or health and safety warriors allowed that’s for sure )
So far new decks bulkheads engine bearers wheelhouse and hull splined etc etc. All to a high standard. No engine installed but the current owner has a 5L3 gardner destined for the engine compartment.
Interestingly the shed is half of an old villa converted to boat shed and has no mains power. All lighting and the all important beer fridge is solar /battery powerd with the 230v supplied via generator.
Input from Harold Kidd – Launched 12th May 1934 by Chas. Bailey & Son Ltd for T & M Devcich with a “36hp semi-diesel” replaced in 1936 by a K3 Kelvin. During WW2 she had a 66hp Gardner according to Naval records.
Photo below ex Cameron Pollard from the mid 1980’s
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Just had a cool update from Cameron P. – Bruce McMillan, the owner of St. George has just agreed to share with WW readers a peek at the work underway  – photos taken over a extended period – Bruce commented to Cameron that St George’s rebuild is like the mainland cheese ad. “Good things take time”.
Viewing the photos  showcases the quality of workmanship going into her – very impressive.
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17-08-2018 More photos below from her owner (Bruce McMillan) ex Cameron Pollard. Check out the work done on the 5L3 Gardner (ex FV Heather), stunning & a woody shed to die for 🙂
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Black Watch Sinks off Bayswater this morning

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Just received the photo below of the 72′ HDML sinking of Bayswater marine, early this morning. She has been moored there for the last 10+ years. Will not be an easy salvage, & sadly I suspect this will be the end of her. (photo ex T Foh)

Earlier (2014) photo included.

Remember to scroll down to see todays main story.

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BLACK WATCH NEEDS SOME URGENT HELP TO SAVE HER
This HDML is about to go under the axe tomorrow at the hands of the Auckland Council. This was recently confirmed by the Harbour Master.
This sort of destruction of maritime heritage has to stop. The loss of HDMLs is becoming exponential.
Please get in touch with the Harbour Master, email address below, to at least delay this wanton act while we can at least try to do something.
 
Harbour Master        Gareth.Williams@at.govt.nz
 
She was named Black Watch when the City Missioner had her in the ‘50s and the name was resurrected when she was finally sold out.
Bob McDougall has all the details in “NZ Naval Vessels”
As noted on WW she sank on her moorings off Bayswater Marina – dockside chat is that she was evidently sunk deliberately because she apparently needed no further pumping once re-floated – see video attached.
Russell Ward saw her on the Saturday a day before she sank and she was apparently OK then.
She is hauled out & will be vandalised pretty quick where she is by the looks.

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22-08-2018 Update – Donna Lewis sent in the 2 photos below of Blackwatch. She took the photos of Blackwatch from our then home when her home was also Schoolhouse Bay, Kawau Island and she was in immaculate condition from a very attentive owner.

They are photos of photos so excuse the quality.
The photo bow in is taken in 1997 and photo bow out is taken in year 2000.
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Mizpah

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Mizpah 1

Mazpah 2

MIZPAH

The 1st photo above shows the launch Mizpah at a jetty in Crail Bay, Pelorus Sound, dated c.1900’s.
Harold Kidd has commented that she was built in Dunedin c.1904 most likely by Jas M’Pherson for FJ Sullivan. M’Pherson had him also build the hire launches Moana & Maitai around the same time.
Sullivan bought a fishing company in Pelorus in 1905 & shipped Mizpah up there. By 1909 she was being used as a passenger & hire vessel from Pelorus by JW Taylor of Kenepuru. In 1924 she was taken to Wellington & survived there under that name into the 1930’s. She had a 20hp Standard engine around 1920’s but was re-engined in 1929. Her dimensions were 40’x8’6”x3’.
(photo is ex Lew Redwood fb)
24-11-2018 Harold Kidd Input – I thought I would hasten to advise that MIZPAH was built by John M’Lellan in Dunedin, not by James M’Pherson. Any residual stress occasioned to WW followers by doubts about her provenance are therefore resolved, and they can now resume their normal lives, untroubled by this concern.

Te Kowhai

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Te Kowhai

TE KOWHAI

Todays story features the game boat Te Kowhai coming in to the wharf at Russell to weigh their catch.
The photo comes to use from Lew Redwood via ‘BOI Historical Photos’
Can anyone tell us more about the boat & what became of her – she is a very pretty launch.
09-04-2020 Input from Hylton Edmonds -Te Kowhai was one of the lessor known game boats operating in the Bay of Islands (based in Russell) around the time of the 60’s. As the advertisement below, from the 1963-64 BOISFC Yearbook, shows, Des Neal ran it for a partnership based in Hawera, a vague memory is that they were chartered accountants?

I have no idea what became of her, and compared to the other game boats, I do not think she was “on the scene” for that long.

Hopefully info will come to light on what was ostensibly a Bridge Decker (similar to Pirate) in survey, and put to work.

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Harold Kidd has previously commented that she was designed and built by J.G. Cox with a 6-95 Lycoming for Fred Reynolds in 1939. In NAPS in 1943 as Z42.

 

Regards,

Hylton

Zora – A71 – Workboat Wednesday

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ZORA – A71 – Workboat Wednesday
The above photos show Ron & Joy Olds woody – Zora, hauled out at Opua for some below the waterline TLC, sent in by Baden Pascoe. Baden commented that she was built by Lidgard Bros in 1937/8 for Mr Delich & Yuich as a seine boat. Originally powered by a 80hp HMG diesel. She carried the fishing reg AK 71.
And if you want some proof that these old girls can be converted into wow woodys – check out the photo below 😉
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Harold Kidd Input – ZORA helped MELODEON refloat ST VINCENT at Parengarenga in 1940. MELODEON has been bought by Dick Fisher (as probably everyone knows already).
The above mention of Melodeon prompted Russell Ward to send me the two photos below that feature Melodeon. Russell took the first one in the 1960’s. The second one shows Melodeon and some mates, with the bows of Aorangi and Shenandoah and Clematis in the foreground.

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Sybil II

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SYBIL II

Cameron Pollard sent in the above photos of the 1910 Bailey & Lowe launch Sybil II. Cameron has owned her since 2004 & recently moved her from Westmere to “a yard out south”.
The b/w photos below (ex classicboatNZ) show her on launch day in December 1910 & underway with a crowd on-board.
The ‘colour’ photo is from when she was owned by the Parry Brothers.
Cameron has assured me that he will get her back in water before he clicks his clog for the last time.
What more do me know about Sybil II?
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Kaipara

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KAIPARA

In the photo above we see the NZS Co. ship Kaipara, built in 1903 – aground in the Rangitoto Channel on 14 June 1910. She was on a voyage from Auckland to London & hit uncharted rocks,she was refloated on 20th jan & repaired. The captain was exonerated from all blame.

Sadly, the ship was captured & sunk south west of Tenerife on Aug 16thby the German armed raider – Kaiser Wilhelm Der Grosse. (photo es Peter Thorpy ex trade)

The question of the day is – who can ID the launch alongside the sailing ship?

OLD SEASPRAY MAGAZINES – I have been contacted by someone clearing out their fathers ‘stuff’ & amongst it is 4 cartons of old Seaspray magazines – anyone want them?

 

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Workboat Wednesday – Moata

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Work Boat Wednesday – Moata

Baden Pascoe sent me the photos above of the 1937 WG Lowe built Moata, owned by Fin Horder, who is doing some nice work on her. Baden commented that its nice to see a classic work boat still doing her stuff and being understood.

Extra cool to see the problem solved by not nailing ply over her decks.

Moata made a cameo appearance on WW back in April, click the link below to see a great b/w photo of her c.1960 on the Clevedon River.  https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/04/04/moata/

Any One Heard of ‘France Craft’, or better still own one?

The bronze bow fitting / boatbuilder’s plate below, is for sale on trademe – thanks to Peter Thorpy for the listing heads up.

Mystery Woodys at Kawau Island

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Mystery Woodys at Kawau Island

The caption on the above Tudor Collins photo, ex Auckland Museum (via Lew Redwood fb) states that the photo is dated 1936 & possibly / probably Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island.
Interested in ID’ing the closest launch to the shore. At first glance I thought Tasman, then Rehia but the shape & number of portholes is all wrong – what say the Woodys?
The dark hulled vessel behind, could be one of the early pilot boats – Ferro?
And any clever yachties able to ID the small yachts – mullet boats?
Input from Robin Elliott

NOT Mullet boats but 18-foot V-class. See endless posts and publications over the last 20 years (puts hobby horse back in stable)

From what I can make of the name on her transom, the light coloured hull looks to be Vaalele, V-78, built by Charlie Hardman to a Ralph Goodwin design in 1936.She was one of the four Auckland 18-footers that travelled to Sydney for the first World’s 18-footer championship in 1938. Charlie Hardman kept Vaalele until 1939 when he sold her to S.H. Bailey.

The darker boat is a bit later and looks to be quite new. She’s marconi rigged and could possibly be another Charlie Hardman / Ralph Goodwin boat, Vindex, V-35 built in 1939. Marconi rigs were not common in the V-class but by 1939 the more competitive yachtsmen were moving away from gaff.

From other photos I have seen, she was painted a dark colour, either black or royal blue and was marconi rigged. Vindex was laid up in 1940 and In 1944 he sold Vindex to Keith Atkinson who was working at Lidgards with Hardman.

If this is the case then that would date the photo to the summer of 1939/40, with the two Hardman boats cruising in company, and also explain the patriotic display of the Union Jack from the wharf,

15-07-2018 Update from Steve Pople (current owner)

Steve sent me the 2 b/w photos below (ex NZ Herald) of RF as launched – what a stunner, just about perfect from any angle. Steve confirmed Ken Rickets comments re being lengthened (by 6′). RF is currently in the very capable hands of Dave Patterson of Leader Boats in Pakuranga undergoing a total refit. I will updated the restoration story with new photos.

Royal Falcon 1934 Martin boat 1

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