Earlier this year woody Nathan Herbert was mooching around Whitianga and spotted the 1920 Collings & Bell built launch – Marguerite, hauled out getting some serious TLC.
As you can see from the b/w photo, also ex Nathan, she has always been a very pretty woody. Association
WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN THE NZ CLASSIC YACHT ASSOCIATION………..
…….the answer is simple – so you can attend the best classic woody boating party of the year.
The CYA Patio Bay BBQ / Xmas Party is the jewel in the crown on the CYA calendar and its happening next weekend – November 30th > Dec 1st. at the bottom end of Waiheke Island. Check out the montage below from previous years.
More details here https://classicyacht.org.nz. The bun fight ashore kicks off around 4pm, but woodys – get to the bay early to secure a good anchoring spot in close 😉 then watch the stick and rag boys finish their race.
I could be in a festive mood – so there might be some WW merchandise up for grabs.
Woody Classics Weekend BBQ Cruise to Clevedon Cruising Club – 60+ photos
Morning woodys, as you will see from the above photo gallery the weekend woodys cruise up the Wairau River to the Clevedon Cruising Club was a great trip – had the 3 F’s that always make for good times – Fun, Friendship & Fraternity.
To hit the right tide window it was a very early start for most i.e. 6am at the marina – the smart ones, left Friday night.
We assembled at the river mouth around 9.30am and were met / piloted up the river by Barrie Abel, and woodys I have to say – just as well Barrie volunteered, because if you believed Navionics at times we were traveling over dry land, when in fact we had 3m of water under us. So a big thank you Barrie. Barry owns the 1912 woody – Matira, I will do a WW story on her on Wednesday.
Several boats missed the rendezvous but still safely made their way up the river.
After arriving at the clubs jetty late morning, the group split up – some went walking, some snoozed, and the rest hopped in the dinghies and ventured to the upper reaches of the river. We got very close to the Clevedon township before the fuel starting running out. Luckily a few had spare fuel so it was passed around like a good wine and everyone took a slip. I was aboard Dave Gidden’s dinghy and we had about 1cm in the tank when we switched off. Spotted a few interesting woodys along the way – Nathan Herbert and I would love to hear more about the launch – Liberty (tagged below).
Some wowser decided that 5pm would be drinks time, so a few of us had to retire to Dave Giddens floating man bach – Allergy for a cup of tea…..
The evening centred around a BBQ at the CCC, which is a fantastic set up and the members hospitality was first rate.
As a thank you for hosting us, we presented a donation to the club and rewarded Barrie Adel for his services with a bottle of Appletons finest Jamaican Estate golden rum. Club Commodore – Bruce Robson also now sports a WW T-Shirt 🙂
In return we have a CCC burgee for our virtual clubhouse.
On a personal note I would like to thank all the woody boat owners for ‘opening’ your boats up for the club members to inspect thru-out the day. Good chat was had.
We must have behaved ourselves, as we have been invited back – so woodys, more details to follow, but we will be repeating the cruise early 2020 e.g. April.
🙂 a visit to the GENTS was amusing – the uninitiated were in for a foot wash – the system was good old kiwi DIY at its finest 🙂 I can report that the LADIES was Regent Hotel standard.
Photos: myself and Nathan Herbert
Now I’ll bore some of you with the below video of my Raindance, taken by Nathan Herbert aboard Jas Prew’s launch – My Girl. I think it’s the only time Jason has ever let me pass him 🙂
Woody Alan Sexton sent in the above photos of the yacht Clarionet hauled out back in April at the Sandspit Yacht Club.
Interesting design, Alan suspects from the East Coast, USA.
I know one should never assume anything but we both assume her shallow draft accommodates a centreboard, also assume she sports a bowsprit.
Can anyone tell us more about Clarionet?
Hopefully with good luck as you read this, I’ll be moored a long way up the Wairoa River at Clevedon waiting for the tide to come in so we can make the trip backdown the river. Lots of photos from the Woody Classics Weekend overnight BBQ cruise to the Clevedon Cruising Club on Monday.
And A Wee Bonus Today – some wonderful sailing footage of the then just relaunched – Kelpie of Falmouth
1967 Whangarei to Noumea Yacht Race Mystery Launch
Today’s photo comes to us from Lew Redwood’s fb and shows the spectator fleet that gathered to farewell the yachts heading off in the 1967 Whangarei to Noumea yacht race. We have a classic woody mid photo – my first thoughts were – Romance II but on closer inspection its not her. So woodys – who do you think it is?
Southern Woodys – A question
Does anyone do or know of anyone that does, ‘private’ bare-boat charters in the Havelock / Pelorus / Kenepuru Sound / Picton / Queen Charlotte region? A very experienced woody is looking to come to a gentleman’s arrangement re the use of a launch in the Marlborough Sounds this coming February (2020). For more details email me on waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Woody Angus Rogers sent in at around 10pm the photos below of the launch Rio Rita on the rocks outside the OBC breakwater. Coastguard were in attendance. It was high water so unless she was towed off, she will be high & dry. Very sad.
Well woodys Summers almost here so it’s T-shirt weather. If you want a WW t-shirt nows the time to order – details below.
Some background on the T’s – I only source top quality garments & use high-end screen printing for really tight detail & a durable finish. I’m passionate about WW & will only put the logo on something that is 100% quality.
In terms of colour – we are like Henry Ford, we only do one colour – a very dark blue (navy) with white logo.
Price – same price for the last 3 years – $34.95 (gst inclusive) + $5 p&p (one off freight charge, no matter the number you order). If that’s too much to pay for a quality T-shirt, well I guess you won’t be buying one, but I’m not prepared to compromise on standards. This years T’s are an even better cut / fit.
Sizes – Refer chart below. If there is interest I will do a smaller female sizes.
Ordering – B4 Xmas I’m doing a limited print run, so if you want a shirt/s – I need your order by Monday 25th November, sooner would be even better. I’ll advise payment details when I confirm your order.
NEW RELEASE – CAPS
I have done a small run of WW Caps and the feedback from my crash-test dummies has been very positive – so we have added caps to the merchandise list.
1. One size fits all
2. Light weight, 6 panel
3. Two colour options Navy Blue / Light Blue
4. Price is $32 (gst inclusive) + $5 p&p (no charge if ordered with T-shirt/s)
As promised on Friday today we share with you a stunning photo gallery from the camera of professional photographer, Dean Wright. On Wednesday and Thursday of this week, Dean was out on the water taking photos of Tuia 250, the commemoration of 250 years since the first onshore meetings between Maori and Europeans in 1769-70. Tuia 250 also celebrates the voyaging heritage of the Pacific people that led to the settlement of New Zealand many generations before. The Tuia 250 flotilla is made up of two waka from NZ, and three tall ships including the Endeavour replica from Australia, and a va’a tipaerua from Tahiti that are all sailing the coast of NZ to engage with communities and iwi for three months from October to December.
Dean commented that the flotilla was quite a spectacle and seeing the Endeavour replica for him, a Captain Cook nut was amazing.
In the last photo above of Endeavour we also see a voyaging waka next to her, so small in comparison. When you consider the size of the waka, the achievements 800 years ago of her crew are equally incredible.
The fleet stayed at Oke Bay, Bay of Islands, on Wednesday night.
AND REMEMBER WOODYS – PLEASE RESPECT DEAN’S COPYWRIGHT ON THE PHOTOS
I was sent the above photo by Bruce Yarnton, it had both Bruce and I confused for way too long…………
Interesting mix of vessels – anyone able to tell us what was happening?
Woodys On Tour
The WW t-shirts crop up all over the world – in the first photo below we see Allan & Pamela Hooper on board the 1922 schooner – Ladona, they spent a week sailing on her from Rockland in Penobscot Bay, USA. The other photos see Allan out and about in Maine.
Woody yachty Steve Horsley has been in South Africa shooting Lions (only joking) it was a family wedding and Steve was flying the WW flag in Simonds Town where the Naval base is situated. Rumour has it he bought the Captain Pugwash boat (the Black Pig) to replace Ngatira 🙂
All week, the weather gods have been saying that Sunday was going to be the best day for boating – well folks that it was 🙂
Barbara Cooke summed it up perfectly in an email – “Great day today team! Great to see people enjoying the good weather, relaxing and lolling about on picnic rugs, some with pooches. Interesting bikies! Nice boats too! “
Today’s story is just really a photo gallery of the day – the boats and bikes, the venue and the people + a few woodys I spotted along the way.
A hell of a lot of work goes into organising these events – and I would like to acknowledge the team that bring it all together, without their help and input there would be no Woody Classics Weekend events. Barbara & David Cooke, Sue & Mark Edmonds, Nathan Herbert, Jason Prew and lastly yours truely.
Lots of chat about the next event in November – just working thru the logistics, more details ASAP.
The day was made extra special by the inclusion of a display of classic motorcycles ( see below) and their owners were big admirers of our classic woodys.
Enjoy and as always, click on photos to enlarge – alan houghton
Sad to see one of the Devonport Yacht Clubs long standing yachts – Pikelet – broke her moorings early last night and has washed up in the sadly very familiar spot by Windsor Reserve. As always locals were able to get a line to her to hopefully keep her off the rocks. Fingers crossed todays weather and tide is kind to her.
Todays story is a video essay on the refurbishment of Tamariki, the 45’ Gary Wheeler designed ’spirit of tradition’ ketch owned by Peter Mortimer, father of CYA Chairman James Mortimer.
The video was filmed and edited by the very talented Roger Mills, a friend of Peter’s
Post the refurbishment Peter has been cruising the Pacific and attended the 2019 Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart – in fact the only Kiwi boat in attendance. Roger joined Peter for the homeward leg – Hobart > Picton.
Enjoy – it is a great insight into the 7 month project – wonderful work, well done everyone that rubbed up against Tamariki during this labour of love.
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