Category Archives: Yachts

MYSTERY WOODEN VESSELS AT COROMANDEL

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MYSTERY WOODEN VESSELS AT COROMANDEL 

Todays woody photo comes to us from Ross Dawson and is dated c.1957 and the location is Coromandel. The image is from a postcard and that woodys is all we know  – so we throw this open for input – can we ID the wooden craft – L>R.

I’m not too sure about the aqua section on the workboat looking vessel, an unusual colour for 1957 and also doesn’t quite look kosher eg added to the photo at a later date.

INPUT ex MURRAY McGEHAN – The boat in the right hand  side of the postcard picture is LADY WYN LADY WINN designed built and owned by the strongman family, moored outside their workshop. I last saw Lady Wyn in the Havelock marina about 1974. 

INPUT ex JACKIE CAREY – The vessel is named the Lady Winn was built by my Uncle Sam Strongman and my father Harold Carey in the Strongman boat building sheds in Coromandel owned by Sam Strongman, my father’s brother in law.   She was built as a family launch and we had many lovely adventures on her going to great barrier, Port Charles and around the islands in the Hauraki Gulf.  Including coming out of Port Charles straight into some huge waves that were crashing over the bow and my father kept going until we got back to coromandel harbour.  My grandmother was praying in the cabin while us kids were enjoying the ride in the stern not having any idea of the seriousness of the situation.  She did have a mast.

INPUT ex Dave Giddens – In the mod 1960’s she was the support vessel on one of the Auckland to Suva yacht races.

INPUT ex LEW REDWOOD – Could  the front launch outside  Strongman’s  in the Coromandel be TWYLIGHT  built by  Strongmans  – photos below.

RSVP – boat name to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

VERY SALTY WOODEN YACHT – BEACONLIGHT

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VERY SALTY WOODEN YACHT – BEACONLIGHT

During a review of classic wooden craft stories from the Riwaka Inlet in Nelson I realised that I had overlooked the above photos of the yacht – BEACONLIGHT.

I took the photos back in March 2018 so there is a possibility that BEACONLIGHT may have been relocated.

Can anyone tell us about the yacht.

24-08-2025 INPUT ex ROBBIE WILLIAMS (aged 91) I certainly can comment on beacon light I watched VAL POLLARD build her in 1955 and was lucky enough to be part owner of her in 2005 with TOM ROWLING ( present owner ) and KEVIN BANTON in the photo top left hand corner is shed roof where she was built I hand sewed a new suit of sails for her and still have the headsail VAL POLLARD sewed for her when new I’ve enjoyed many great voyages aboard her.

INPUT ex TOM ROWLING – Beacon Light under sail

25-08-2025 INPUT ex PETER – The photo below, maybe late 1960’s, is of BEACONLIGHT leaving Torrent Bay with Noel and Dorothy Pawson, who owned her at the time. The Pawson’s went on to own the Mariner, the family boat built by Val Pollard for Dorothy’s father. I believe it was the largest vessel that Val built, and is still owned by the Pawson family and still kept at Riwaka.

My beautiful picture

FATHERS DAY SORTED FOR ANYONE WITH SALT IN THEIR VEINS

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FATHERS DAY SORTED FOR ANYONE WITH SALT IN THEIR VEINS

Rarely these days do I pick up a book and can not put it down – well it happened recently. I received an advance copy of Davey Jones just published book – ‘Davey Jones of Wakatahuri’ and its both a cracker read and an amazing account of his boating life and his interaction with the Wakatahuri region. Now I’m sure some of you will be asking yourself ‘ where is that?’ – well its in the outer Pelorus Sound at the top of the South Island, the Marlborough District (refer chart below). The area has been many things to many people – a fish factory, a boatyard, a ship breaking base and a community hub.

Davey Jones arrived at Wakatahuri as a young fisherman in 1956 and still lives there today , on and off when he’s not lapping NZ in his boat.

It’s an additive read that with the help of over 200 photographs will have you hooked. 

And as a bonus – included is a reprint of an equally wonderful read -’Sounds Wrecking Co.’ by Martin Burthold.

So woodys drop a hint to the family re what you want for Fathers Day (Sept 7th) or just order one for yourself – $60+ p&p – all enquiries to daveyjonesofwakatahuri@gmail.com

AND I HAVE A COPY TO GIVE AWAY – just answer correctly the name of the vessel Davey Jones has most recently been lapping NZ on. Enter ONLY via email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com all correct entries go in the draw. Closes 6pm 17-08-2023.

AND THERE ALWAYS HAS TO BE A BOAT PHOTO – this is from Davey’s book and shows the work boat MARLBOROUGH PN47, in Picton Harbour c.1929, built by E R Lane. In the background are VALMARIE, at left, and Ernie Lane’s boat shed, the Picton Rowing Club sheds at right. The vessel under repair at Lane’s yard is a lighter from Port Robinson (Gore Bay)

FAMOUS UK SAILOR TOURS NEW ENGLAND – USA

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FAMOUS UK SAILOR TOURS NEW ENGLAND – USA

One of the many classic boating channels I follow is the very popular small dinghy cruising guru Roger Barnes, star of his own highly popular YouTube channel (link below). Roger recently visited the USA, primarily to promote small dinghy cruising at the recent wooden boat show at the Mystic Seaport Museum.

In the 20 minute video Roger gets to sail on numerous cruising dinghies, visits boatyards and mooches around many port towns . The journey started in Maryland, Washington DC.  and finished in Maine. 

Sit back and enjoy a tour of the wooden boating scene in North America, and woodys it’s not all about dinghies 🙂

LINK TO ROGER BARNES YOUTUBE CHANNEL  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtzWwFEMaEVXejzRKgPjPNA

MYSTERY SHIPBUILDERS WOODEN LAUNCH + SPRING SLASH REGATTA DETAILS

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MYSTERY AC DCS – SHIPBUILDERS WOODEN LAUNCH + SPRING SLASH REGATTA DETAILS

Well todays woody is only a mystery because (1) the owner didn’t put the vessels name on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) and (2) the phots are out of focus, stopping reading the name board.

All that aside we learnt that the launch was built in 1959 by Shipbuilders, is 36’ in length and powered by a 90hp Ford Dorset engine.

Hull is 3 planks of diagonal kauri so built like the brick out-house.

As for the Sea Nymph transplant canopy on top…………………….. I suppose it would be simple to remove ✓

UPDATE – as advised by John Bullivant the boats named AC DECS and resided on the Tamaki estuary, near the Panmure yacht club. It is shown in the ‘a woody tour of the Tamaki river’ WW story and also featured in a Feb 18 2023 WW story – linked below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/02/18/ac-dcs/ Ken Ricketts advised it was named WHIRONUI and has previously commented that she was most likely a Shipbuilders ‘kitset’ boat.

CIRCLE THE CALENDAR – LABOUR WEEKEND SPRING SLASH REGATTA @ KAWAU ISLAND

The place to be on the long holiday weekend of October 24>27th is Kawau Island and the crew at the Kawau Boating Club and Ponsonby Cruising Club are again hosting the world famous (in NZ…) Labour Weekend Spring Splash Regatta. waitematawoodys are chuffed to by involved with organising the classic woody parade on Sunday, details in the flyer below + downloadable PDF file, which includes the entry (free) form for the sailing events. Link below to 2024 eventhttps://waitematawoodys.com/2024/10/29/kawau-island-spring-splash-regatta-review-70-classic-wooden-boating-photos/

ATTENTION YACHT SKIPPERS – If the coastal classic isn’t your scene, put the Kawau Spring Splash Regatta on your radar ✔️

LABOUR WEEKEND SPRING SPLASH (2)Download

WATERFRONT CLASSIC BOAT DOCKS – FLASHBACK

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WATERFRONT CLASSIC BOAT DOCKS –  FLASHBACK

Todays woody photos popped up on the Westmere Community fb page (P Stanbrooke) and come to us via Lew Redwood.

The craft are ‘hauled out’ on the foreshore below Marine Parade and dated c.1914.

Sadly the days of being able to store your boat there are long gone, these days its all private jetties and razor wire.

In the late 1960’s this area was one of my boyhood playgrounds, but even then the boats had gone. Probably moved to Westhaven swing moorings.

CLASSIC BOATERS GATHER FOR A SUNNY DAY OF SWAPS AND STORIES

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CLASSIC BOATERS GATHER FOR A SUNNY DAY OF SWAPS AND STORIES

Saturday delivered a cracker of a day in Auckland – crisp early on, but soon warming into blue skies and sunshine. Ideal conditions for a classic wooden boat gathering, even if this time we stayed firmly on dry land.

The occasion was the (almost annual) Woody Boat Boot Sale held at The Slipway, Milford – and frankly, you’d struggle to find a better venue. A special thanks to Cam Malcolm and Jason Prew for hosting us and for hauling out a few beautiful craft for close-up inspection. It added a real bonus for those who came for more than just shopping.

We had over 18 vendors on site, offering up a treasure trove of marine goods – everything from tiny cleats and chain plates to sails, bronze winches, stoves, and more. From what we saw, plenty of deals were done and everyone left with something – if not in hand, at least with a smile on their face.

It was also great to see so many familiar faces from the classic boating community. Events like this are about more than gear swapping – they’re about connection, community, and strengthening the bonds that keep the wooden boat movement alive and thriving. (photos yours truely & Geoff Fiebig)

Next Up: Mark Your Calendar – September 20th > 21st

Our next gathering is set for September 20th, and this time we’re heading back on the water – cruising up the Wairoa River to the Clevedon Cruising Club for an overnight dockside shindig. Expect a BBQ, live music, and the usual top-notch company. It’s always a highlight – more details to come soon, but lock the date in now.

PAM – OPUA CLASSIC YACHT – What Do We Know About Her

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PAM – OPUA CLASSIC YACHT – What Do We Know About Her

Trolling thru the WW files on Friday and found the above photos of a classic yacht named PAM that had ‘fallen between the cracks’.

The photo was sent to me back in November 2024 by Dean Wright with the commented ‘ spotted today on the hard at Opua’

And that woodys is all we know about PAM, other than she is quite a stunner.

Anyone able to shed some light on PAM.

04-08-2025 INPUT EX DEAN WRIGHT

From the owner, John Oates of Russell: Stuart Knockabout, imported from the US. Fibreglass version of L. Francis Herreshoff’s 1932 Design. 28′ x 6’11”

https://www.stuartknockaboutllc.com

MYSTERY POND YACHT

WW has been contacted by Matt Blaikie concerning a classic pond yacht named – TANIWHA. Matt is selling for a friend and he commented that it was purchased approx. 30 years ago from an antiques dealer in Wellington, and other than that he knows zero about the model. (1.8m tall and 1.5m approx long)

Any of the woodys interested in pond yachts able to tell us anything from the photos (apologise for the quality)

HIDDEN FOR YEARS – HELP NEEDED IDENTIFYING THIS WOODEN CLASSIC 

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HIDDEN FOR YEARS – HELP NEEDED IDENTIFYING THIS WOODEN CLASSIC 

Recently WW was sent the above photo from Gabrielle Marris, who was looking for help identifying the craft. Gabrielle’s father had recently passed away and as part of the ’sorting out belongings’ there was a rather large belonging e.g. the boat, stored in a shed. Gabrielle commented that it had been there a long time and her dad had once worked on it with her grandfather.

I shared to photo with a few WW readers and all were in agreement that in another life she would have been a sail boat , this view is supported by the presence of chain plates on her hull. 

Anyone with sharp eyes and a good memory able to tell use the design of the vessel.

For Those That Read WW In the Early Hours, Todays The Woodys Boat Boot Sale at the Milford Slipway yard.

UPDATE – 18 SELLERS ONSITE

Scroll down to Fridays WW story to see a location map.

DATE: SATURDAY 02 AUGUST TIME: 10am > 12pm VENUE: 5 Omana Road, Milford

MAJOR ACCESS UPGRADES AT MILFORD CREEK LED BY WOODEN BOAT ENTHUSIASTS

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MAJOR ACCESS UPGRADES AT MILFORD CREEK LED BY WOODEN BOAT ENTHUSIASTS

 Interesting day yesterday on the water, gave Dave Giddens a hand taking his woody motor yacht – ALLERGY to the Slipway Milford for a haul out .

For all the wrong reasons the day started bad eg late leaving her waterfront berth meant we were time poor re the Milford Creek tide / access and the forecast was for deteriorating conditions as the day went by.

ALLERGY is a big girl – approx. 58’ LOA and a beam of 14’ and two good sized masts. Saving grace less than 4’ draft.

Well with an outgoing tide, a NE up the bum that was gusting 20>25 knots we ordered up the bridge to be raised and lined up the fairway poles.

I believe no one captured the run, which is just as well. Short answer is we made it – but:

1. We both shook hands once under the bridge

2. Every skipper of a vessel moored in the Milford Marina should thank ALLERGY for pruning the Pohutukawa trees on the bank

3. A small donation is probably due to Project Crimson 

4. The Slipway BBQ won’t have to buy firewood for a few months

Lastly –  FOSTERS deserve a medal for their mast work 40 years ago – nothing budged 🙂