CLASSIC WOODEN MOTOR-SAILER – KAIKOURA – A Peek Down Below
The 36’ classic wooden motor-sailer – KAIKOURA was for sale earlier this year, and it must have sold because I had numerous people enquiring about her – she ticked a lot of boxes and her size was an added bonus i.e. not too big.
KAIKOURA was built in Wellington in 1959, builder unknown, for a Mr. Palmer, it has been commented that she was a ‘Scottish Drifter’ design. She was used as a pleasure craft by the Palmer, then Blundell families through the 1960s. In the early 1970s Kaikoura was commercially used by ‘Mana Island Transport Services’ then from 1972 till 1974 as the Wellington Police launch. Kaikoura’s fourth owner from 1974 to 1999 was Mr George Jannis. George added masts and sails initially and a new engine, new keel bolts and fuel tanks in 1988. Kaikoura made many trips to the Sounds over these 25 years, then finding a home there with a new owner till 2008. From 2008 to 2017 Kaikoura, now based in Dunedin, was frequently used as a harbour and peninsula pleasure launch and occasionally entering, and winning club sail races (in her class of one). Ten days after taking ownership of “Kaikoura” in late 2017 her owners did the first of several trips to the bottom of Stewart Island, they also made a winter trip to Wellington, the Sounds and D’Urville Island.
Forward motion is via a Cummins B Series 6BT5.9 As you would expect for a Southern lass she is very well appointed.
Given my attraction to the work-boat look, in another life she could have been mine 🙂
SAD NEWS ON THE EX WWII NAVY 72’ SHIP – KUPARU News reports have her abandoned off Ninety Mile Beach on the West Coast of the North Island over the weekend. Crew all safe and rescued by helicopter. 2018 WW story on the vessel here https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/10/04/hmnzs-kuparu-hdml/
IF YOU THOUGHT CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCHES WERE LOW PRICED – Check out OMICRON
The 20’ classic sloop OMICRON was built in 1945 to a Harrison Butler design at the Percy Vos yard in Auckland. She made a cameo appearance on WW back in November 2019.
Full length 1” kauri planking, kauri deck and teak cabin and cockpit coamings + all the proper metals in the bolts and rivets.
As testament to her build and easy of sailing this 20’ has even been offshore.
And the added bonus is a purpose built road trailer.
Her tme listing mentions she needs some TLC so its safe to assume todays photos are not recent.
OMICRON is one of those classics that look perfect from any angle.
At sub $30k someone needs to buy this woody, its so much boat and drop did gorgeous 🙂
Todays photo captures times of old when power and sail played together. The location is the idlic Cowes Bay at the bottom end of Waiheke Island. The bay was a common destination for picnics and regattas. Todays view looks less organised and just shows people enjoying the day.
The photo is from the Ian Farquhar Collection and the photographer is S H Rawson , dated c.1900-1916. And comes to us via Lew Redwood fb.
Can any of the sailing woodys ID the design of the yacht in the forefront of the photo.
And happy mother days – we wouldn’t be here without them 🙂
Todays woody photo is from the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection and comes to us via Ian McDonald.
The photo is captioned – ‘Boats drawn up on the hard at Freemans Bay. Victoria Cruising Club clubhouse (right)’ . Date c.1910s>1920s.
AND ON THE SUBJECT OF AFFORDABLE – Check out these bronze staunchions for sale in an ‘antique’ store in Paeroa – a bargain at $95 – approx. $850 new ex Australia………….
INPUT ex RUSSELL WARD – This post is a trifle cathartic -retrospective thoughts can be saddening sometimes. All the time I spent at home (being raised-beaten or nagged into shape), my old man hauled his boats for winter -as did most boaties. They mostly maintained their own boats at the expense of the household economy in winter -never many friends around in winter- and in our case, with increasing input from me while he aged- chatted more and more with his mates. There were so many haul out areas that were quite cheap. The bigger boats with wealthy owners were done by the men at the yards. There were also a few boatbuilders that worked anywhere on an hourly rate -Billy Rogers springs to mind. He was so quick with a brush….
The lower reaches of the antifouling fell to me but the old man always cut in the waterline. Billy Ryan used to paint “Rehia” himself at Percy Vos’s yard I noted. House paint cut back with undercoat (to cut down the gloss and cost) was typically used on the topsides -varnish was never skimped on -only the best used -Interlux or even household- quite a few coats and always a touch up tin and brush on board. One year Des Donovan imported Rylards from the UK and it was just perfect -lasted the summer through.
I guess it is long after the facts and the sinners are long gone but un-beknowingly the Auckland Harbour Board, City Council, Union Steamship Co and the RNZN were a good source of paints and materials if you were in the know. Navy used black antifouling so that was out…..
It all kept the costs down: But it was/is an expensive hobby, folks.
CLASSIC LIDGARD KETCH – TE TAINUI – Flash Back Friday
Chatting with the team at CMC Design earlier in the week the subject of hero projects came up, and quickly turned to the 2017/18 restoration of the TE TAINUI.
The team a CMC Design completed all the white oak cabinetry including full galley refit, trims and latches, saloon table, console instrument panels and other interior elements.
Sian from CMC pointed me to the ketches fb page. Below I have uplifted some of the history behind TE TAINUI.
It is believed in ‘recent‘ times TE TAINUI went over to over to Australia, can anyone update us on whereabouts.
A Brief History –
The wooden 51 foot Lidgard designed ketch for Frank Harding (Chief Engineer Auckland Gas Co) was to be called Te Tainui, for the express purpose of a round the world cruise that Frank and his wife and another couple planned to undertake. NB there is some question on which Lidguard designed the boat, after CMC Design requested information direct from John and also Garry (Jim’s son, John’s cousin) Lidgard, both have confirmed unlikely that either (John, Jim or Roy) were involved. The mystery continues!
Commissioned in 1970, with building commencing in 1971 by boat builder George McLean in his backyard in Auckland over the span of a decade.
In the time it took to complete the vessel the Auckland suburbs had seen a boom and houses had been built so densely around him, the boat needed to be craned out to free it from its urban shackles, which was sure to have been an impressive sight.
The Te Tainui used some of the last four lots of heart kauri felled in the Coromandel. With two lots being used to build boats at Salthouse, the remaining two were used for Lidguard boats. The lengths of the timber were sought after to make grand boats such as these, where the length of the planks were a key part of the build.
Frank Harding specified a ‘range of dual systems’ throughout due to the nature of purpose.
Te Tainui duly set sail on the planned cruise but only days into it returned (suggested incompatibility amongst the crew) to anchor off Herald Island and remained there ‘untouched’ until Don Brooke and Max Hall bought it some time in 1976-77. Their first task was to dump trailer loads of tinned provisions (for the world cruise) left since Te Tainui returned to the mooring many months earlier.
1978 Don Brooke sold his half share of Te Tainui to Michael Meredith (Max and Michael were good friends and neighbours). An ongoing programme of upgrading and modernising commenced, including;
* installing wet exhaust-original dry exhaust up the mizzen mast
* fitted steel framed fwd windows main cabin
* fitted morse controls to enable gearbox and throttle operation from dual stations
* modified the sheer line to make it true
* redesigned/rebuilt the aft cabin (by Salthouse)
* re wired the electrics
* fitted autopilot and fish finder
* fitted self furling headsail equipment
* rebuilt layout/lockers aft deck and steering control pedestal
* built teak seating aft and installed new davits
* a redesign of main cabin and table to accommodate 10
Te Tainui was the official Squadron committee/mark boat for the International Citizen on class series-Stewart 34’s. It was held annually and attracted many notable international and leading NZ skippers. In one regatta Russell Coutts’s boat collided front on with the stem of Te Tainui (anchored) and sprung a number of planks! A major refastening job at Salthouse’s. Apart from regular cruising and diving trips throughout the Hauraki Gulf, Bay of Islands, Great Barrier and the Merc’s, Michael used it extensively for client (both local and international) day trips. Due to an impending move to Sydney Max Hall assumed full ownership of Te Tainui in 1994.
In late in 1999 to two American couples Todd and Louise Nelson and Mark and Sandra Eads purchased it from Max as a joint venture in Nelson, New Zealand for a substantial sum of $215,000NZD. After four or five years of sailing they reached as far as Singapore. One couple went back to the USA and the boat was again sold.
William Anderson picked up his new boat Te Tainui in Singapore and sailed it back virtually single-handedly to New Zealand via Australia with his wife. The trip was made more comfortable by the recent inclusion of air conditioning throughout the boat, a welcome addition to satisfy the American owners no doubt and appreciated in light of the large 360 degree windows in the main saloon.
William (Bill) a Naval Architect, lived on the boat for a time at Mission Bay, Auckland
In 2007 he sold the boat on to Rosie and Doug Horman, hailing from Cornwall and Melbourne respectively, who had sailed over from England for a new life in New Zealand. They needed a bigger boat and the Te Tainui was the grand dame they were looking for. Brought up to The Bay Of Islands, the boat was kept on a swing mooring now where the new marina docks stand at Opua. Their love for the boat was apparent with it being used every weekend for local trips to Whangamumu, down to Great Barrier Island and beyond. The quiet engine and panoramic views from the saloon were some of the great features of the boat. They entertained guests regularly and often slept up top enjoying the breeze and the views.
The plan was to take the boat back to England to repeat a circumnavigation of the country. Alas, it wasn’t to be, Dough was tragically taken ill and the boat passed into new hand once more.
Luke and Lisa Aaron of Melbourne Australia, purchased the boat in 2017. Again the boat had cast a spell on its owners and a loving restoration projects began in Opua, Bay of Islands in mid 2017. They had great vision to create a clean modern look while keeping true to the beautiful features of the boat. Local craftspeople and boat builders spent 18 months bringing every aspect of the boat up to the highest standard, with modern additions including state of the art electric blinds. A fresh feel throughout was accented by beautiful bespoke white oak joinery and soft neutral furnishings. The couple intended to keep the boat in the Bay Of Islands to enjoy with their family with trips over from Melbourne while on breaks from their construction business.
Historical info complied from files from the Te Tainui, and info supplied by previous owners Michael Meredith and Rosie Horman.
Todays outstanding classic wooden yacht photo comes to us from Heritage Images – TW Collions collection via a Lew Redwood fb post.
The photo is tagged ‘1933 Mullett boat under power Bay of Islands’, and that woodys is all we know.
To me it has a Whangaroa Harbour look to it but I’m sure I’ll be corrected 🙂
Tudor Collins was a very talented photographer and most of his work is clearly identifiable without any reference to his name. The Bay of Islands was one of his favourite locations and his collection of work is vast and just not limited to marine. In fact better known for his native bush / forest work.
Can we learn the yachts names and designer / builder.
I had a good reason last week to head north and so took the chance to mooch around the woodys berthed or hauled out in the upper reaches of the Mahurangi / Warkworth River.
The excuse for the trip was to delivery a model of the coastal cruiser VANESSA to the vessel before she heads south to her new Wellinton owner.
VANESSA was out for a serious service before the delivery crew headed away down south.
Sad to see such a salty looking woody leaving our area but we tend to win more than we lose eg more coming north ✔️
In varying stages of repair were – NEPTUNE, LADY JANE AND WAIONE. The yard was very busy but I started to itch as I got close to most of the other craft hauled out.
I also popped down to the river and spotted – RIPPLE,JANE GIFFORD, ANAM CARA (L33), and NOW .
Today’s woody is the yacht MAWHITI, she was designed by E. Mantell Silk and built by William Moore, M. Beck and Arthur Penty in a shed across the road from the Clyde Quay Marina, Wellington. The photo and details comes to us via the Wellington classic yacht trust fb.
Launched November 1898 she was built as a 2.5 rater and LOA = 35’ and a 8’6” beam. She wouldn’t fit through the door of the hired shed in which she was built. The landlord refused to remove the doors, so an overnight raid with saws and plenty of tackle saw the wall cut away, the vessel put on the street, and the wall put back before anyone was the wiser. In the photo you can see the vertical cut adjacent to the window in the building behind.
MAWHITI was beautifully finished down to an interior of “red pine” (rimu?) panelling, with areas painted pale green and white with gold trim. Her cabin roof was lined in lincrusta and the skylight was glazed with muranese (also known as Florentine) glass.
She was described by an Evening Post columnist as “the finest specimen of amateur boatbuilding that has come under our notice”
She was sold in 1906 and taken to Sydney, Australia by her new owner – Berkeley Clark. Last heard of in the 1970’s.
Released in 2012 as a compact disc (CD), by Miles Hughes and covering the period 1795 > 1945, this booklet is of epic proportions – topping out at 837 pages. For easy of reading in todays digital world the ‘book’ is below in PDF format.
The publication contains more than 1,200 NZ shipbuilders, shipwrights and boatbuilders and includes their biographies and the names, specs and first owners of over 5,600 craft.
HEADS UP: WW can not vouch for the accuracy of the content and when reviewing the list of contributors , several stood out as ‘being fond of interviewing their typewriter’ i.e. they make up what they either do not know or are unsure of. So woodys best treat it as a guide 😉
WW would be interested in feed back on this guide – maybe chose a designer/builder well known to you and review the content.
As an example below is the listing on my boat RAINDANCE, some of the content is correct and some unknown or speculation that I have been told over the last 18 years of ownership, but it is very close her provenance.
So the question of the day – is this an amazing reference tool or to use that old school english saying ‘A Load Of Pants’ ?
UPDATE – Still available in print version at Boat Books in Westhaven, Auckland.
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