Category Archives: Yachts

Mystery Boats October 1939

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Mystery Boats October 1939

The above photo is tagged ‘Auckland’s Fine Holiday Week-End’ and is dated October 1939.
And interesting mix of craft hauled out, given the stated date, I would have thought it was a little late in the year to have that number of yachts with their rigs out.
Any one behave enough to name them?
Des Townson Book
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The postman/lady delivered a special parcel today, I have been sent one of ten review copies of the book ‘Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy’ by Brian Peet. It is a big read (both in size and weight – 1.8kg) with 340+ pages loaded with tales, details and hundreds of photos and line drawings.
The Foreword is written by our own Harold Kidd and I’m sure Harold and author Brian Peet won’t mind me quoting from it.
“It is without doubt, the most intimate and accurate portrayal that we will ever see of Des Townson and his yachts, but it also provides insight into that vibrant network of highly skilled people – yachtsman and yachtswoman, yacht designers and yacht builders – who have made the last 75 years of the sport in New Zealand so amazingly successful home, and on the world stage.” HKD
The on-sale date is 18th September  – I will do a review before then.  BUT GOOD NEWS waitematawoodys have two copies on offer as prizes – details to follow 🙂

Barbarella – A Riva Reborn

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BARBARELLA – A Riva Reborn 
 
As promised Iast week, I visited Marco Scuderi’s Helensville boat yard – MCN Shipwrights with the sole purpose of catching up with the re-build / restoration of Barbarella, the 1969 Riva Superaquarama .
Barbarella is a visitor from Australia, and has been in the country for 7 years for a total re-build. She started life (built) in Sarnic, then was delivered to her 1st owner in Monaco, from there she was sold to an American and moved to Lake Tahoe. Then sold to a Norwegian and kept at his summer house on a fjord in Norway. Then in 2005 her current Australian owner bought her and kept her in Hong Kong till 2011, when thankfully a very rundown Barbarella was rescued and shipped to NZ for Marco to restore.
 
The journey to return this beautiful speed boat to better than as launched condition has been long and challenging – these Riva’s are handmade thoroughbreds and obtaining parts is near impossible + she has a history of repairs that were not always true to her heritage.
 
As she sits today in the MCN Shipwrights shed, all that is required to complete the restoration is mainly reassembling the interior and commissioning the engines – twin 454 cubic inch, 350 hp Chev V8’s. 
 
I jumped at the opportunity to photograph her hull, but the situation – light, location (plastic ceiling etc) made for less than perfect photography conditions, but you will see from the photo gallery above that Marco and this team have done an amazing job. You could shave in the reflection of the 20+ coats of varnish. You can view more on the restoration journey at this link https://www.mcnshipwrights.com/barbarella—hull.html   make sure you check out the other links to see the total work.
 
Also in the shed are two very lucky K-class yachts, Sapphire and Jenanne, photo below. Sapphire is getting new oak ribs and Jeananne an interior and deck refresh. The two yachts are owned by the Mence Brothers. Check out the work to Peter’s Jenanne in more detail at the link below.
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21-01-2020 Update – The Riva Is Finished

I can report that the Riva project is finished and is days away from being shipped across the Tasman to her owner.
To say Marco was happy, would be a very big understatement 🙂 The question now is – what will replace her in the MCN Shipwrights shed?
For more details and photos on the project see link below.
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Edelweiss – Sailing Sunday

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EDELWEISS – Sailing Sunday
 
Edelweiss was a triple skin kauri sloop designed and built at home by ‘Minkie’ Goodman – a foreman at Chas. Bailey and Son. She was built for, and sailed in, the 1956 Suva raced which was won by Tom Buchanan’s Wanderer. Edelweiss was 3rd. Her dimensions are LOA 33’, LOW 29’, Beam 8’6”, and a draught of 6’3”.
Under Goodman’s ownership she had no motor but when he sold it to Kay Perry she had a temperamental Ford 10 100E fitted. She had no head  at the time the late Sam Bestall bought her in 1963.
John Newsham, who sent in the details commented that he joined her in Aug 1963 aged 21 and sailed with Sam till 1971. John soon became senior hand and later relieving skipper as well. Bestall owned Edwlweiss for approx. 6 years. After a major refit she was sold to Tauranga and Bestall bought the 39’ ferro Stewart sloop Wendella from it’s builder Claude Spooner.    
During Bestall’s ownership he had a head fitted and later a Simpson Lawrence (UK) gas cooker with oven installed and a Volvo Penta MD2 diesel. 
John commented that they went away for a weekend cruise almost every weekend between Labour Day and Easter and often had a week at the Barrier in March and the Xmas cruises were ‘legendary’.
Sam later had the 40’ Choy Lee ketch Sarrie built in Taiwan and he sailed this with new his wife and her 3 children from Taiwan to the Red Sea and later from the UK to NZ via the Panama Canal.
(Photo credit – top photo ex Playdate magazine (Kerridge Odeon) and smaller photo ex Northland Gazette) 
Input fro Robin Elliott –Edelwiess was built/launched in 1956 by Guy Goodman as you know. She was originally registered as C-10 and took part in the 1956 Auckland to Suva Race

She was re-registered as F 21 in 1958 to Mrs K.E. Perry.
Subsequent owners were: N.S. Murch (Taupo) 1961+?; S.S. Bestall 1963/69+?; S.R. Clay (Te Puke) 1970?/71+? (Still Registered as Owner NZYF 1981); No registered owners after that date

She was issued with NZYF number 721 in 1969

Dims were
33’5″x27’2″x8’6″x6’1″ 290sqft 2.5ton 6cwt 1958
33.37’x28.88’x3/37’x5.26′ 264.6sqft Ford 10 1961

SS Aug 1963: Entered Onerahi YC’s Whangarei – Noumea Race.
SS Apr 1964: Entered for Onerahi YC’s Whangarei to Noumea race.
SS May 1970: Edelweiss has joined the Tauranga fleet.
SS Dec 1979: Once owned by Mike Morrish

RAYC: Wood Memorial 1959 (=windward); Moon Pearce Cup 1960; Amuri cup 1961

Harold has already posted that she was last heard of in Brisbane but from the look of the raw data on the Australian Maritime Safety authority, August 2020. She is now in Townsville.

A call to the Townsville Yacht Club or marina might bring forth the name of the current owner.

https://www.amsa.gov.au/vessels-operators/ship-registration/list-registered-ships/edelweiss
EDELWEISS 852328 10.16 1955 Yacht Townsville General Register

WCW Riverhead2019
 

Wellington Yacht – Mabel

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Wellinton Yacht – Mabel

I had reason to be at Half Moon Bay marina during the week and I spotted the above yacht on the hard. I understand it has come up from Wellington and is 120+ years old. That folks is all I know.

Keen to put a name to the yacht and learn more about her.
Also had a peek at the 1898 Arch Logan – Rainbow A7, that is having a birthday in one of the sheds. Boatbuilder Paul Tingey is the man overseeing the project – lots of uroxsys work on the agenda.
Update below ex Jason Prew – is he correct?
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Input from Gavin Pascoe – My friend owned her for the past 5 years and just sold. She is Mabel built by Chas jr and Walter Bailey in 1895. sailed to Nelson via Wellington in 1917. Then to Lyttelton in the 1930’s, then to Wellington post WWII. She rated at 2.5 but was also a bit of a cruiser – not strictly a racer. She was a long time rather confusedly thought to be a Logan built 1905, I think this is due to her having come from Lyttelton and somebody thought, oh there was an old Logan down there, this must be it. Even a sideways glimpse at her will tell you she is a Bailey, and definitely not anything post 1897

Galatea

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Mystery Yacht – 28-07-2019 – solved – it is Galatea

I have been contacted by Denis Woodward who has a collection of signed Winkleman sailing photographs asking for help to ID the yacht above. If we are really good we might even be able to put a name to the crew 🙂
Mystery Spirit of Tradition 
I know with that engine well and leg I’m stretching things a little but folks we are going to see a lot more of this style of craft as the price of marina’s continues to climb. David Vaassen spotted – Sprat, at Orams dry dock and was wondering if we could find out more about her – design, builder, engine etc. At first I thought it was one of the new Greg Salthouse launches but no, Sprat is not quite as beautiful to the eye 🙂 More work boat styling.
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UPDATE from Tim Jackson

Sprat is a Badnam launch designed by the late David Thomas . Built in the Bay of Islands and recently sold out of Wanaka. She has a builders plate in her.Here is some blurb about her genesis, ex the Wooden Boat Association of NSW, Sydney – 2012 newsletter.

 

 

 

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Another woody from my club reporter 🙂  location = Santorini. Might be glass 😦
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Judges Bay + YC Italiano

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JUDGES BAY

This stunning photo of woodys hauled out at Judges Bay, Parnell, Auckland comes to us from Lew Redwood’s fb. While the year is unknown, given the quality of the photograph, we must be able to ID some of the woodys?
YACHT CLUB ITALIANO 
My youngest daughter is living the life in Europe at the moment and has instructions to send in boating photos, there are not a lot of woodys in this lot but OMG check out the location (Portofino)
They have just done what’s called ’Sail Croatia Week’, the photo of her on the wheel is the only one without a glass in her hand 🙂 Six females and two Aussies blokes on their yacht, how do you get odds like that?
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Three years b4 this, the middle child was in the same spot, but not staying in a hostel 🙂

Woodys In The Whangarei Town Basin

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Woodys In The Whangarei Town Basin

Previously on WW we have seen numerous b/w photos of the Whangarei Town Basin , today’s photo comes to use via Lew Redwood’s fb. and show a lot of classic launches tied up on pole moorings.
While its a great photo of the area, the wide angle makes it a little hard to ID the boats – any on brave enough to suggest the year ?
The Perks of Being The Commodore
Thankfully we have moved on in terms gender equality in advertising 🙂 the image below appeared in an early 1950’s edition of the American published ’The Rudder’ boating magazine.
Old sexist Ad

JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES

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JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES

Over the last week each day we have been featuring video footage of John Street’s recent speaking engagement that supported the exhibition – ‘One Man’s Treasures’ at the New Zealand Maritime Museum, MC’ed by Larry Paul. For the overseas readers, John Street was at the helm for over half a century of Auckland’s historic ship chandlery – Fosters. Such was John’s influence on the New Zealand boating and marine scene, that the late Sir Peter Blake tagged John the ‘Waterfront Mafia’. These days John has a mighty passion for preserving New Zealand’s maritime heritage. Videos’ enhanced & edited by Andrew Christie.

There are 6 videos in the series:

  1. Fosters The Beginning
  2. History of The Breeze
  3. The schooner Daring + TV1 documentary
  4. 2012 Americas Cup
  5. The steam crane ship Rapaki
  6. Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata Harbour

Today I have pulled them all together in one place for ease of finding them in the future and to highlight the series for anyone that missed a day. Enjoy 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silver Spray + John Street on the America’s Cup

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SILVER SPRAY + JOHN STREET ON THE AMERICA’S CUP

The above photos of Silver Spray popped up on a fb post last night via Ngapipip Road boat builder GlenBurnnand. In the past Silver Spray has appeared on WW many times, she was owned by passionate woody Mark Stapleton. Mark restored her and kept her in his Ngapipip Road boat shed. Unfortunately after many years of ownership, poor health forced Mark to sell Silver Spray. I’m guessing but I suspect  Glenn Burnnand bought her.
There is a vast amount of details and photos at the WW link below – but a quick overview – built in 1926 by Joe Slattery for Charles Ravenhall of Remuera. Silver Spray is 26′ LOA, 7′ beam with a 2’6″ draft, powered by a 4108 Perkins. A selection of photos from her past below.
I have held my breath on the addition of the two cabin top hatches, a tad out of place…………… on a 1926 woody 😦
 
 
 

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JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES – Part 4

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Every day this week WW are featuring a video filmed at John’s recent speaking engagement at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. NOTE VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT DO NOT DOWNLOAD WITHOUT PERMISSION. Videos edited & enhanced with the help of Andrew Christie 
PART FOUR – America’s Cup (turn your sound up)
UPCOMING VIDEOS
MONDAY–         Fosters The Beginning
TUESDAY–        History of The Breeze
WEDNESDAY– The schooner Daring
THURSDAY–     Amercias Cup
FRIDAY –            The steam crane ship Rapaki
SATURDAY–      Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata

John Street – One Man’s Treasures Video Series – Part 3

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JOHN STREET – ONE MAN’S TREASURES VIDEO SERIES – Part 3

Every day this week we are featuring a video filmed at John’s recent speaking engagement at the New Zealand Maritime Museum. NOTE VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT DO NOT DOWNLOAD WITHOUT PERMISSION. Videos edited & enhanced with the help of Andrew Christie.

Today John talks on rescuing the schooner Daring – a hugely significant piece of New Zealand’s maritime history that lay buried for 153 years on Muriwai Beach, West Auckland, until shifting sands revealed the wreckage. The 2ndvideo is from last weeks TV1 ‘Sunday Programme’

Scroll up to view videos one & two.

PART THREE – The schooner Daring 

UPCOMING VIDEOS

MONDAY –        The history of Fosters

TUESDAY–        History of The Breeze

WEDNESDAY–  The schooner Daring

THURSDAY–     America’s Cup

FRIDAY –           The steam crane ship Rapaki

SATURDAY–      Tug Boat Racing on the Waitemata