Category Archives: Yachts

Strolling The Warkworth River Dock

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Strolling The Warkworth River Dock

A couple of weeks ago Leane Barry was strolling the river front at Warkworth town when she came upon the collection of woodys above. The Jane Gifford looking as smart as ever and I assume on her home berth. The interesting addition to the docks was the two steam launches – possibly an upcoming event? Not that you would know, those boys keep things very tight 🙂

04-05-2022 Input from John Olsen – Kotare was built by Paul Eaton while he was living near Whenuapai, to a set of plans by Selway Fisher, now available from them as “Golden Bay”. Paul has semi-retired to the Wanaka area, and felt that Kotare was too much boat for one person to handle so has passed her on to the Auckland Steam Boat Association, where Daniel Hicks is taking care of her. . She is I think 26 feet overall, although the plans are available for 23 or 26 feet. Strip planked and glassed. She was built over much the same time period as Dancer with much discussion between myself and Paul over progress and ideas for details. The extra length in Dancer makes it just possible to sleep on board, which is nice. (Neither Dancer nor Kotare is necessarily actually completely finished even now.) Paul is probably right about one person not being able to handle her. Dancer takes two and at times like docking an extra would be nice. Especially when I fell in up the Waihou a couple of weeks back, leaving my wife aboard ready to drift off down river…. Kapanui is an older boat, I am not sure what the origins of the hull were but Alan Brimblecome had her for a long time and may have been the one to put the steam plant in her.

CYA BOAT OWNERS MEETING TONIGHT @ 7pm @ RNZYS – post all the Covid cancellations it will be interesting to hear what the stick and rag brigade are planning for next season. As for the launches – ‘same > same’ – bet it is just change the dates for the next year……….. 🙂

The Snipe > Cyndy

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The Snipe > Cyndy
A few weeks ago I was contacted by a WW follower, Greg, looking for intel on a very appealing 22’ launch named – The Snipe (or Cyndy) details below .The launch was built for a family on the Coromandel who used it to get to Auckland across the Firth of Thames. Rumour has it that it had a Ford Model A engine in the beginning, currently its sporting a Lister Petter. Originally called The Snipe, then spent may years on Lake Taupo and had a name changed to Cyndy.  It has a mast and apparently it sails quite nicely on a staysail.Greg commented she appears to be built like the proverbial brick outhouse, but in her current home e.g. a farm paddock, she will decline quickly. With her well built cabin work and a great hull shape chances are she was built by professionals, it does not have the look of a first time around build.There are less and less of the these small launches still out there and this one appears untouched / altered.Anyone able to tell us more about the launch?

30-04-2022 Input From Paul Drake – According to the Taupo Times in November 1987, SNIPE arrived at Taupo in 1985, owned by Tom Wilson. He bought her on the recommendation of a son of a previous owner. SNIPE was lying under a tree somewhere in the Coromandel at the time. She was built in Auckland in the mid 1930’s by the McLarens (says the Taupo Times). She is listed in the Collings and Bell book as being one of theirs. The James family owned her for many years. Tom Wilson did a good job of ‘doing her up’. She was at Taupo for maybe 20 years.

What Became Of The Woollacott Yacht – Jacob Don
WW has been asked to help ‘find / uncover’ the whereabouts of the yacht – Jacob Don (photo below) the 22’ John Woollacott designed yacht, built and owned by Harry Holthausen. Launched c.1961, her design was as per ’sister’ yacht – Calm. There is a great background story on the yacht and Holthausen’s sailing adventures on the Woollacott website – link below

http://www.woollacott.org.nz/Feature%20Boat.htm

Classic Launches – Lady Karita, Menai, Valsan + Others – 1947 NZ National Film Unit

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Classic Launches – Lady Karita, Menai, Valsan + Others – 1947 – NZ Diary #8 Movie

Following on from yesterday story on the launch – Lady Karita, Robert Phillips sent in a link to a 1947 movie tagged – ‘NZ Diary #8’ from the NZ National Film Unit. Its a great look back at post war life in Auckland. The movie is only 5 1/2min long so watch it all but if you’re time poor – go to 1.43min in and to 2.07min where it shows Lady Karita motoring on the Auckland Harbour in 1947 with someone wake boarding (or Aqua-Plane as they called it back then ) behind her. Carrying on further and we see more wake boarding at Kawau Island with Menai and others in the background. Later in the video, more wake boarding, this time behind the launch –  Valsan.

Wonderful to see all the launches and yachts, most of which are still around 75 years later and looking as good or better than in 1947.


Woodys Classics Weekend Cruise To Clevedon – Call for RVSP’s
The dates for the next Woody Weekend Cruise to the Clevedon Cruising Club are Saturday 21st > Sunday 22nd May 2022.As always due to wharf and river size numbers are restricted – so Woodys if you are interested in doing this event RSVP to address below ASAP to avoid disappointment. Send – Your name > Boat name > and if you know approx. numbers on board. Well behaved dogs are welcome. 

RSVP TO   waitematawoodys@waitematawoodys

Nelson Marina – Easter Weekend

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Nelson Marina – Easter Weekend

Over Easter while I was dodging mud/sand banks on the Waihou River on-route to Paeroa, the other 1/2 was attacking the Abel Tasman Park walk. After ticking off the 3 day walk , they arrived late at night at their Nelson hotel, I get a txt the next morning of a photo of the marina view from the hotel room. Took a lot of pleading to get the walker out of bed and catch the good light looking for woodys.

Nice to see Seabird looking very smart – new paint job?

Any Nelson woodys able to ID the other boats – I can read Seabird, Amuri and Madison Rose. A tad sad to see that Madison Rose hasn’t ‘lost’ the davits from her stern – refer previous WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/06/07/madison-rose-a-peek-down-below/

Paeroa Historical Maritime Park & Museum

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Paeroa Historical Maritime Park & Museum

Following on from Easters Woody Cruise up the Waihou River to Paeroa, today we get a sneak peak at the venue for the weekends activities – the Historical Maritime Park & Museum. The Museum is located just above the banks of the river on State Highway 2, just before the township of Paeroa, you can’t miss it. Map at the bottom of todays story.

The Museum building and the surrounding Park grounds hosts an amazing collection of memorabilia from both the area and New Zealand’s nautical past, do stop, you will not be disappointed.

Read / view more at the link below.

https://historicalmaritimepark.co.nz/

Things You Really Need

This Saturday, 23rd, at 10am there is a once in a ‘long time’ auction of marine stuff, serious stuff, stuff that deserves to be on display at the entrance to a marina, or as an outdoor sculpture. Check out the photos below of two of the items – lots more – view here.   https://auction.abauctions.co.nz/auctions/4-5OS4EN/engineering-woodworking-farm-auction

The address is 111 Riverland Road, Riverhead, West Auckland or bid on-line

Feel Good Sunday

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Feel Good Sunday

Today’s photo shows the yacht Nga Toa alongside the wharf in Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island and is dated 1933. It would appears that the bedding was getting some time in the sun. Photo ex Russell Brooke.  To me its one of the coolest old woody photos I have seen.

Sadly Nga Toa was wrecked in Wellington in the 1980’s

On the subject of the Brooke family and seeing its Easter I have reproduced below one of Jack Brooke’s drawing, recording the travels of their yacht Kiariki over Easter 1962, when they cruised to Kawau Island, Leigh and Waiheke Island and a few points in-between. Crew: John Brooke, R Hunt snr., R Hunt jnr., R Smith & W Bass.

Jack produced a hand drawing on each cruise, over 20 of them have appeared on WW thanks to son Robert making them available. Search Jack Brooke Cruise Collection in the WW search box to view more.

Summer of 1932/33 Cruise Aboard Scout – Ships Log – Part II

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Woody Paeroa River Raid Report

Very long day yesterday, 10 hours motoring, all 10 launches around at the dock just on dusk. A few challenges along the way. Full report later😄

Summer of 1932/33 Cruise Aboard Scout – Ships Log – Part I

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TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW

Summer of 1932/33 Cruise Aboard Scout – Ships Log – Part I

Last Sunday I ran an old b/w photo of yacht with the sail # C2, very quickly the stick and rag WW followers ID’ed the yacht as Scout. Then Denis O’Callahan (ex MV Tasman owner) contacted me to advise that back in the 1930s Scout was owned by one of Denis’s father’s buddies Ted Hay. Denis recalls that he thinks is was Ted Hays that changed Scout from gaff to bermudan rig. From 30 December 1932 to 20 January 1933 Scout cruised to the Bay of Islands, the crew being Ted Hays, Jack Callagher, Bob O’Callahan (Denis’s father) and Copper Speight, who represented New Zealand at Rugby in 1893, playing 7 matches on tour. Copper was older than the rest of the crew and died at 65 years in 1935.

Denis commented that in 1932 it was the depression time, and Ted, Jack and Bob may well have been unemployed and reading between the lines Copper may have  subsidised the cruise. He enjoyed it so much that he had a log typed up and Denis inherited a bound carbon copy. Denis have passed his copy of the log on to the present owner of Scout, Martin Farrand, after thankfully scanning it and keeping an electronic copy.

We apologise for the quality of the reproduction, but folks it was nearly 90 yrs ago since this was stamped out on a typewriter and in fact this was a carbon copy.

Please note the “swastika” on the cover, which was originally in gold leaf. Back in 1933, before the Nazis, this was a religous symbol and meant good luck and prosperity.

Unfortunately there are no photos from the 1932 cruise.

Scout – I know very little other than she was built in 1909 to comply with the “6 Metre” rule, by 3 brothers in Whangarei. In 2009, to celebrate her 100th year, owner Martin Farrand took Scout to Newport, Rhode Island to sail in an international 6 Metre regatta. She was the oldest boat in the fleet. The story is told by Sandra Gorther in her book ‘Scout, 100 years astern’. These days Scout sports the sail # NZL-1.

So woodys thanks to the generosity of Denis O’Callahan we get to read the Log from the summer cruise – it’s a cracker read – I have split it over 2 days, so come back tomorrow for PART II – Enjoy

EASTER WOODY WEEKEND UPDATE – As you read this, weather permitting, around 12 classic woody launches will be weaving their way up the Waihou River to Paeroa on the Inaugural Waitemata Woodys Paeroa River Raid. The trip involves a special opening of the old Kopu – Thames swing bridge and takes approx. 4 hours. We will be berthed for 2 nights alongside the Paeroa Maritime Museum. WiFi reception etc permitting I will post some updates – should be a hoot – I can see a few WW prizes being ‘won’ for examples of accidental ‘touch hydrography’ 🙂

Mystery Yacht – C2

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Mystery Yacht – C2

All I can tell you is that the photo is dated c.1920/30’s and the yacht is sailing in a regatta in the Hauraki Gulf.

Should be an easy one to ID for those that have access to yacht registers ??

Input below from Denis O’Callahan –

“Back in the 1930s Scout was owned by one of my father’s buddies Ted Hay, who I think changed her from gaff to bermudan rig. From 30 December 1932 to 20 January 1933 Scout cruised to the Bay of Islands, the crew being Ted Hays, Jack Callagher, Bob O’Callahan (my father) and Copper Speight, who represented New Zealand at Rugby in 1893, playing 7 matches on tour. Copper was older than the rest of the crew and died at 65 years in 1935.

In 1932 it was the depression time, Ted, Jack and Bob may well have been unemployed and reading between the lines I think Copper paid for the cruise. He enjoyed it so much that he had a log typed up and I inherited a bound carbon copy. I have passed this log on to the present owner of Scout, Martin Farrand. (Of course I first scanned it and kept an electronic copy.) In return Martin gave me a copy of the excellent history of Scout “100 years astern”, written by Sandra Gorter, who also wrote the book about Ranger. To celebrate Scout’s 100th birthday in 2009 Martin took her to Newport Rhode Island to compete in a 6 Metre regatta where she was the oldest boat in the fleet. She now sports the sail number NZL-1. Unfortunately there are no photos from the 1932 cruise but I attached the cover photo from the book.”

Marina Mooching – Warkworth / Mahurangi River 

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Pirate – Leon Warne 1938
Anam Cara – Logan 33
Leisure Hour – Jimmy Reid 1937

Marina Mooching – Warkworth / Mahurangi River 

Over the weekend I had cause to visit an area that I had often passed by boat but never on land – the area I refer to is the ‘Old Cement Works’. Home these days to the very funky Mahurangi Marina. Its just 5 minutes from the Warworth township and as well as dockside berths, offers halibut and hardstand facilities.

There is a nice selection of woody / classic craft tied up and with the ruins of the cement works as a backdrop, its very pleasant. The grounds I imagine would be a popular picnic spot and there’s even a fresh water lake, photos below.

Enjoy the gallery