Category Archives: Yachts

CLASSIC YACHT – ROSEMARY F6 – Looking for intel on this yacht & past owner

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CLASSIC YACHT – ROSEMARY F6 – Looking for intel on this yacht & past owner

Recently WW was connected by Phil Doyle asking for help expanding on his knowledge of the yacht ROSEMARY. I’ll let Phil tell the story.

“Going back to the 1960’s and 1970’s my father knew a group of then young architects who sailed with Major Johnson and I remember outrageous stories involving various misadventures involving the colourful Major including serving his crew porridge only discover he had used soap powder as the main ingredient. 
I had not given the ROSEMARY a thought until recently when Mr Paul Chevis who has an old Woollacot yacht said his father sailed on the ROSEMARY (he is seen in the above photo) and that the Major made a number of trips to the Three Kings taking scientists and that a number of plants were named after him in-recognition .  Wondering if any one can flesh out his story as he is part of a lost breed of adventurer.”

2025 AUSTRALIAN WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL – The Perfect Xmas Present

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2025 AUSTRALIAN WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL – The Perfect Xmas Present

Starting to get a little excited about heading over the ditch in early 2025 (Feb7>10th) for the 2025 AWBF. Have confirmed by support crew, booked flights and accommodation = so its locked and loaded.  NZ is getting its day in the sun this festival with a focus on the pacific region. But 95% of the show content will be beautiful varnished wooden craft, which WW will be reporting on.

If you’re at a loose end in early Feb and have a few pennies to spare – consider treating yourself this Christmas and get over to Hobart. Air NZ fly direct these days, and I can assure you as a woody lover you won’t regret it.
Link here to the offical 2025 Festival https://www.australianwoodenboatfestival.com.au

CLASSIC 1916 WOODEN CRAFT – MAKORA

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CLASSIC 1916 WOODEN CRAFT – MAKORA

The 35’’ woody – MAKORA was supposedly built by Baillie Bros in 1916 and started life as a yacht. To my eye she has a very fetching rear end, when it comes to lookouts hard to fault as canoe stern.

What we know about her is that she is 35’x9’6″x4′ and powered by a 40hp, 3 cyl. Fordson Dexter engine that gets her along nicely at 7 knots at 1600rpm. This we know thanks to Ian McDonald and tme.

Anyone know more about her past.

19-12-2024 HAROLD KIDD INPUT – MAKORA was built by Chas Bailey Jr in 1914 for Fred Alison of the Devonport Steam Ferry Co as a launch not a yacht. Her original power was twin 9hp Andersons (Christchurch built) for which Bailey was the Auckland agent.

CLASSIC YACHT OSLO

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CLASSIC YACHT OSLO

WW has been contacted by Ulf Uchida who advised that recently friends of his had bought a little wooden keeler named OSLO.  Ulf commented that he had looked at her 12 years ago when she was on the hard on a property Long Beach on Dunedin’s northern coastline. 

The story goes that she is somehow connected with Jack Crooks of Invercargill, the same one who sailed TUARANGI around the world a long time ago now.
Ulf’s friends are enthusiastic beginner sailors and do not know a lot about the yacht but are keen to find out more. They are facing a major repair job but are keen to put in the time and effort required.
The photos above show her hauled out at the OYC recently.

So woodys can we provide anymore backland on OSLO 

16-12-2024 INPUT ex KEN GOA _ I worked on Oslo in the late ’80’s in Auckland as a boatbuilding apprentice. Oslo had broken free of it’s mooring, and holed the starboard side of her hull and topsides. Double diagonal planking and ribs repaired by John Rea Boatbuilders on Archers Rd Glenfield. I have a few hard copy photos of the damage repairs.

A HEADS UP TO THE PETROL HEADS

If you aren’t relaxing at Kawau Island on Sunday / Monday of anniversary weekend – and like to open the throttle up on your woody launch / workboat – the anniversary day regatta drag race (ok, there is handicapping) might be your gig on Monday 27th – dockside chat tells me registering on line is a serious challenge, so if you are considering entering – drop Jason Prew an email and he will talk you thru things. jason@slipway.co.nz

CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT PUB CRUISE TRIP REPORT 40+ Photos

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NGARO

CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT PUB CRUISE TRIP REPORT 40+ Photos

Saturday was a great day for the classic wooden boating community – 13 classic craft (twelve launches and one yacht) made the journey up the river to the waterfront Riverhead Tavern for lunch.

In addition to the 13 woodys we were joined by 5 skippers and partners who made the trip by car.

As seems to always be the case – the weather and sea conditions was perfect for the trip and everyone had a great time.

Nice to welcome several newbies to the flock – these gathering are ideal for meeting fellow classic boating enthusiasts – the anchoring, coming ashore to the wharf and dining make it a shared experience and helps break the ice with ’strangers’. These days people seem loath to row up to another woody in a bay and say hi, some anything that grows the classic woody community is to be encouraged.

Saturdays cruise was the last event on the Classic Woody Calendar for the year, we will be back to you in the new year with details on more events. As always click on photos to enlarge – photos thanks to Margo Hudson & yours truely.

NEWSFLASH – as I have told anyone and everyone, the Mahurangi Regatta in late January is not to be missed. PLUS – details soon on an exciting new activity for the Sunday – the heads up – old school yachting and launch race/cruise to Kawau Island and a party at Kawau Boating Club on Sunday night. Perfect for those wanting to enjoy Mahurangi / Kawau longer eg not heading back to Auckland on Sunday morning.

A sad reminder that we were missing one of our family awaited us on the tables at the tavern – RIP David Cooke 😦

SO MANY CLASSIC WOODEN CRAFT TO BE VIEWED HERE – 1971 One Ton Cup

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LINK LINK BELOW TO VIEW

https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/the-one-ton-cup-1971

SO MANY CLASSIC WOODEN CRAFT TO BE VIEWED HERE – 1971 One Ton Cup

During the week John Bullivant sent in a link to a very cool film of the One Ton Cup series held in Auckland in 1971. So many classic craft out and about watching the racing. Personally my eye is drawn to the classic launches but there are 100’s of craft afloat. The 34 minute video is narrated by Chris Bouzaid. If you have the time watch the entire film but if time isn’t your friend – most of the spectator footage is around the 7:00 minute and again between 14:00 > 18:12 minutes. I think Lady Crossley makes a cameo appearance around 24:20 minutes.

Enjoy the film and thanks to NZ National Film Unit and NZ ONSCREEN for the original footage. 

MYSTERY WELLINGTON WOODEN LAUNCH

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MYSTERY WELLINGTON WOODEN LAUNCH

Todays woody made an appearance on Bob Jones fb, thank you John Dawson for the link. The location and identity of the launch / motorsailer hauled out created some debate. General consensus was the Wellington region, with potential being – Petone foreshore, Balaena Bay / Evans Bay. Would be nice to confirm the location.

As to the vessel – my monies on VAGABOND – photo below and previous WW story links. VAGABOND was built / launched by Joe Jukes in 1926. A ’sister’ ship to NEREIDES.  Jukes yard was located in Balaena Bay, which adds weight to the photos location.

WW Jan 2016 https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/01/10/vagabond-sailing-sunday/

WW Feb 2018 https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/02/08/vagabond/

⬇THIS SATURDAY ⬇

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE

2024 CENTREBOARD CUP – Traditional Centreboard Classic Yachts

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2024 CENTREBOARD CUP – Traditional Centreboard Classic Yachts

A cancelled happening had an upside – I pointed the car to Marine Parade in Herne Bay Auckland to see the start of the 2024 Centreboard Cup.

The race started back in 2013 and is based at what the locals call ’Sloane Beach’ – one of Aucklands hidden gems.

The traditional centreboard yachts do two laps of a course that takes in Watchman Island and the Chelsea Buoy (off the Chelsea sugar works).

Numbers were done this year but that seems to be the norm of late – but on the plus side, the fleet was 300% up on Fridays CYA Classic Weekend Rally turnout 😦

I’ll hand over to Andrew Mason who supplied the results. 

“The winner Scullet L56 finished in 52:20. Rangi Manu L52 was 2nd just 48s later. Melita L28 withdraw on leg one. All boats had a most enjoyable day on the water.”

Beach / Clubrooms below

CAN WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CLASSIC YACHT – MANURUA
Recently WW was contacted by a gent considering purchasing a Bob Stewart designed 1965 yacht (Camelot design) named MANURUA. The craft is currently in Opua, Northland but the story goes that she was apparently built by Oliver and Gillpin in Tauranga, and possibly operated as a dive charter vessel in Bay of Plenty. The current owner doesn’t have much history, so woodys can we confirm / expend on the above.

CLASSIC SOUTHERN WOODEN LAUNCH – JOAN + CYA Spring Rally Report

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CLASSIC SOUTHERN WOODEN LAUNCH – JOAN

Recently Jason Prew from the Slipway Milford has been wandering around the upper South Island on a 4×4 rally – being the good lad he is the camera was at hand to record any woodys he spotted.

Todays craft was seen moored in Waikawa, Picton, Marlborough and is named JOAN.

Lots of styles on display, but it kind of works for me.

Keen to learn more on JOAN

INPUT ex NATHAN HERBERT – Joan needs explaining, perhaps by Harold? Collings and Bell is obvious in her transom being typical of Ruamano, Paikea, Fleetwing etc. That eould seem to drag her build date 20 or so years back from what I’ve seen noted before(1940s 50s?). I would assume that her hull has been raised to a flare and the superstructure/coamings rebuilt at that stage? She doesn’t appear in old photos, perhaps she was reclusive or just not a ‘club boat’?

21-01-2025 – INPUT ex PHIL VINING – Around 20 years ago we had this vessel listed at Vining Shipbrokers Ltd and the
information supplied by the owner at the time is below.

CYA 3 Day Classic Spring Rally – Report

Not really sure if it warrants a report. Excuse the photos – my roving cub photographer needs some lessons 🙂

Sad to report only one vessel on the start line (late) – the organisers yacht. Well he had to turn up I suppose. At the published time a launch arrived from the direction of Waiheke but with not another vessel in sight – didn’t hang around.

Maybe after two years of ’thanks but no thanks’ interest – this event needs to be retired from the calendar.

I’m told there was an impressive gathering of jet ski’s out.

AUSTRALIAN WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL LAUNCHES ACROSS THE PACIFIC

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AUSTRALIAN WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL LAUNCHES ACROSS THE PACIFIC

A Big Plug Today For The Biggest & Best Wooden Boating Event In The World – I encourage anyone with an interest in classic wooden boating to make this a bucket list item. Link below to a peek back at the 2021 Festival to give you a taste. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/02/12/woodys-on-tour-hobart-australian-wooden-boat-festival-day-3/

The Australian Wooden Boat Festival (AWBF) is excited to launch its 2025 Festival Program, proudly presenting “The Pacific” as its central theme. The festival will showcase this vast ocean region’s cultural and historical significance, featuring content from New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Japan, the US West Coast and other Pacific locales. 

Tasmania’s largest free event and the largest celebration of wooden boats and maritime culture in the Southern Hemisphere will be held 7–10 February 2025. Over four days, Hobart’s waterfront will reach its fullest potential and become a place of pilgrimage for 400+ boats and tens of thousands of visitors from across Australia and the world.

Highlights of the 2025 Pacific-themed program include the Pacific Seafarers Precinct presenting navigators, artists, curators, and maritime artisans who embody the ancient and ongoing traditions of the region, feature vessels such as the recently restored 1896 New Zealand built yacht Te Uira—one of the first racing yachts to make it to Australia—and the Australian debut of the Kumundar Gujo Project, a giant Japanese-inspired jungle gym that kids build themselves.

AWBF General Manager and Festival Director Paul Stephanus said, “The AWBF is a celebration of our collective heritage. The 2025 theme allows us to explore our connection with the Pacific like never before, bringing visitors face-to-face with historic vessels and remarkable people from across the ocean. We hope to create a festival experience that feels both grand in its spectacle and intimate in its sense of community.”

Festival favourites are back but with a Pacific twist. The ever-popular Wooden Boat Symposium will dive deep into stories of (mis)adventure and tackle hot-button issues, the Shipwrights Village and Noisy Boatyard will deliver demonstrations and workshops by master craftspeople, and the bustling Maritime Marketplace will offer unique wares. The Little Sailors Village and Constitution Dock will engage young hearts and minds with activities for all ages, culminating in the thrilling Quick & Dirty Boatbuilding Challenge and Race.

The 2025 AWBF program is available online now at awbf2025.org.au/.