TUATEA
Todays featured launch is Tuatea, in the photos above we see her weighing in a fish at Russell in 1984. At the time she was skippered by Hilton Polkinghorne.
She was previously owned by Morrie Mitchell of Russell for many years.
Photo from Dean Wright’s collection. The stubbie shorts are a blast from the past 🙂
Do we know any details on her design / build & where she is today?
SUSAN-ROSE
The photos above show the charter game fishing boat, Susan-Rose back in 1984 when she was owned by Gavin Cross & operated out of Paihia.
Photo ex Dean Wright. Do we know anything about her & where she is today?
Tasman Star – A Peek Down Below
Built in 1935 by Dick Lang, she started life as a commercial fishing boat – Danish seine netting. She measures 42’6” & is powered by a 150hp LXW Gardner. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the trademe listing heads up.
You can read about her colour-full life on this WW link https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/11/19/tasman-star/
Update photo from Greg Fenwick – Easter 2018 @ Whangaparapara
EXCLUSIVE LADY
The photos above from Dean Wright show the game boat Exclusive Lady fishing the Duke Contest in 1984. While the photos are a little ‘grainy’ from the scanning of 33 year old film negatives, the Lady still looks majestic. Thank you Dean for sharing 🙂
Question of the day woodys – what more do we know about her?
The Ultimate Woodys Friend
Ever thought -what’s the name of that boat or who designed her, or who owns her? well if its wood, a classic & the owner is a member of the CYA – then finding the answer is easy – grab a copy of the NZ Classic Yacht Association Register for the ridiculously low price of $15 & you will have access to the ultimate classic woody must have. Fathers Day is fast approaching…….. drop a hint to the partner / kids / grand children 🙂
To grab a copy (or 2 – one for home & one for the boat) contact the CYA on this email link admin@classicyacht.org.nz
A Woody On Tour + An SoS
Woody Paul Drake has just returned from a trip to the UK & sent in the above 2 photos – the first showing a very smart inboard clinker on the beach at Beer, Lyme Bay (1/2 way between Brixham & Portland Bill).
The bottom photo is of the Navy MTB24 ‘resting’ at Bembridge, Isle of Wight. Paul commented that she no longer rises with the tide 😦
An Urgent SoS
WW follower Scott Perry, has a small obsession with rather large woodys – he is currently rebuilding the HDML Kuparu, an ex naval patrol boat. He is nearly done with Kuparu & is now looking at saving HDML Black Watch, the 72 footer sitting out in front of Bayswater Marina for the last 10 plus years.
Scott is urgently looking for somewhere he could tidal slip her e.g. against poles, or a wharf, somewhere on the Waitemata. She has a bad temporary repair on her bottom that is failing & needs attention in the next couple of weeks. She has a swim prop, so can lean her on her side on the beach or deep creek. Any woodys know of anything about?
As an aside, she currently is ketch rigged & with Scott being a launch man, he would like to sell her 2 solid timber masts – so if someone would like to purchase them, you would make Scott a happy man. Scott can be contacted on 027 278 2542
Ps I’m sure Russell Ward will email be a photo of Black Watch, he had / has the ‘hots’ for her
Input from Russell Ward
Jeez, Scott. Knocking yourself around a bit ain’tca? You can get pills or ect for that sort of problem I am sure.Why not take on the Kahu? Lots of fun! I’ve attached a couple of pix of Ngaroma when she was a private ship owned by Capt James Lawler and kept at Cooks Lower Landing. The fair miles were built in NZ as part of the war effort and one should be saved.Just a thought.RUPDATE: Photo below ex Heather & Keith Nicholson of Kahu (taken last week)
Input from Paul Drake – below are two pics of my more humble HDML effort. This is MAKO, 36 inches long (half inch to the foot). I started building her in 1964 aged 16. The following year I was at sea with the Union Company as a Cadet. As shown in the first photo, I took MAKO to sea with me and building continued. The second pic shows her under way and more or less finished on the Avalon duck pond (Wellington). She now resides on my piano here in Taupo – still only more or less finished.
Updated photo of HDML Kuparu – berthed at Bayswater 07-07-2018
TAUTANE (>Centaurus)
The above photo of Tautane was sent to me by her owner Clare Robinson, Clare is hoping that we can uncover more on her past.
What we know is that she is a Miller & Tunnage, completed in 1945 or 1946, operated as fishing vessel for a time and then was purchased by the Napier Harbour Board as their pilot boat and renamed Tautane. Sometime during her tenure there, a Detroit 6-71 manufactured in 1963 was fitted to replace a lower power Gardner.
She was purchased by Colin Davenport in about 1993 and was used to ferry guests out to Endeavour Inlet in Queen Charlotte Sound and for day fishing and diving charters. Colin added the canopy.
Clare bought her in June 2017 and is in the process of converting her to a live-a-board.
The photo shows Tautane as she is currently, sitting at Picton wharf next to the ferry terminal in May 2017. Clare has advised the boat is now named – Serenity.
Do we have any more information on? Russell W you must be able to help?
Input from Russell Ward – below are two photos of the ship one as originally launched – Centaurus and the other being used as she should be. More details in the ww Comments Section.
Update 15-05-2020 Line drawings below sent in by Murray Wikinson. Brian Engliss ex Miller & Tunnage foreman sent them to Brian years ago. Andrew Miller of St Leonards designed the hull for Miller & Tunnage. Murray owns a near sistership “Golden Light”.
KNOXIE
The above photo of Knoxie shows her when Fullers in the Bay of Islands owned her. Ray Morey who commented that she got her name from her engine at the time, a 4 cylinder ‘Knox’, sent the photo to me. I understand they also made trucks in the 1920’s.
Harold Kidd has given Ray her history but along the way he has lost it, so hopefully Harold will repeat it for us 🙂
Input from Harold Kidd
KNOXIE was built by Brown & Dalton in Mt Eden in late 1911 and sold to R.J. Acheson, Stipendiary Magistrate at Russell, in June 1912. She was shipped north on a scow. Fullers bought her from Acheson and converted her to a workboat. That work was probably done by Leon Warne who is sometimes credited as her builder, Her engine was a Knox twin cylinder two stroke of nominal 15hp., hence her name. Fullers had installed an Ailsa Craig by 1933.
Knox built cars and trucks at Springfield Massachusetts until about 1924.
TAMAHERE – A Peek Down Below
Tamahere last appeared on WW back in 2014 (link below), now thanks to a trademe listing we get to see down below.
She is 40′ long & powered by a 85hp Isuzu diesel that pushes her along at 6>8 knots. Its claimed she was built in 1903.
Back in 2014 we were unable to uncover any details on her, there lots of thousands of more WW readers these days, so hopefully we can unearth more on her.
Thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads up.
See / read more here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/03/17/tamahere/
18-04-2018 ‘New’ Photos below ex trademe
WILLIE-O
Another photo from Dean Wright, taken in the late 1980’s at Russell in the Bay of Islands. This time its of the classic wooden game launch – Willie-O.
Who can enlighten us more on this beauty?
03-07-2017 Update & photos below from Michael Best (owner)
Willie Oliver built the Willie O in Tauranga approx 1974. He used her as a charter boat for a couple of years out of Tutukaka. Robin Cutfield from Tutukaka then used her for charter work for many years in the Bay of Islands.
Michael has owned the Willie O for approx 11 years. The enclosed fly Bridge was on her when I bought her (can’t blame him for that – Alan H) Willie O is approx 41 feet long, 13ft beam and 4ft draft. Power is from a 3208 Cat 210 hp. Hull is ship plank kauri with mahogany cabins sides.
Lady Doreen – Win a WW T-Shirt
As mentioned yesterday, Dean Wright also sent in the above two photos from the Snook Fullers collection. In the 1st photo we see Lady Doreen coming into weigh two marlin at Russell (the anglers left to right in the cockpit Ist guy unknown, WG Sherman, Bill Pocklington, Emmet Olsen, 5th guy is the deckie, name unknown).
In the 2nd photo with the 3 kingfish over the side – I’ll give a WW t-shirt to the first woody that can name the Maori gent standing on the left in the cockpit. Answers only via the WW comments section. (If you have won one already, you are out of luck)
31-07-2017 Update – In the comments section Lindsay suggested that the mystery person could have been Kura Beale, it wasn’t – the correct answer was Matt Rata. But Dean Wright sent me the photo below of Kura weighing in a thresher shark.
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