Category Archives: Yachts

Around The Yards – Warkworth

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Around The Yards – Warkworth

Alan Sexton was recently hauled out at Robertson’s Yard, Warkworth & snapped this interesting collection of boats. Alan reported that the ‘Jane Gifford’ was also up for a bottom paint and the Harland’s ‘Plain Jane’ (designed and built by Chris Robertson) was in the shed for a top to bottom refurbishment.

The above photos of the boats on the hard caught Alan’s eye.
James Groenhart’s 28′, 1951, Lidgard built ‘Ballerina’ was looking very smart, but then she should, having spent 5 weeks last year in Colin Brown’s shed for a re-fit. photos here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/02/10/ballerina-restoration/

Now Lady Rere is an interesting launch, she started off as a bare shell of a hull, reputed to be ~100yrs old, Alan believes Robertson’s built the new superstructure and interior and engineering. Do we know any more about her?

The centre-boarder ‘Tirranna’ pictured is a Hartley at around 28’& in a moment of weakness (on my behalf) sneaks into todays ww post . Alan commented it was good to see a boat of her type in immaculate condition.

THISTLE – Sailing Sunday

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THISTLE - SCOW - KAWAU -1940s

THISTLE – Sailing Sunday

Last Sundays story on the scows on the Waitemata / Auckland Anniversary Regatta resulted in being sent the above photos of Thistle from the Tudor Collins collection at the Auckland Museum. Emailed to me by Ken Ricketts. The photos show Thistle at Kawau Island c.1940’s.

Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta
Click the link below to view some stunning classic sailing footage of the 1913, ‘Jolie Brise’ that placed 1st in the first race of the recent  Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall ships Regatta. The 2:30 minute video shows her at the start of the race out of Torbay. Enjoy 🙂

 

Copper Cowls
Picked up the cowls below, on trademe for $30, a serious bargain 🙂 But in real life a little bigger than I imagined (note to self – read the spec’s) Added to the ww stockroom – there will be a home for them one day.

A Woody Weekend To Remember

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Jason Prew & George Renall aboard Wairiki

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A Woody Weekend To Remember

I mentioned in yesterdays story, the weekend was just one out of the bag – just magnificent on all fronts.
A few CYA stalwarts headed out on Saturday for an overnighter at Administration Bay, Motutapu Island. The photos above from the combined cameras (more likely iPhones) of Jason Prew, Steve White & Dan Rendall show the yachts – Wairiki & Jonquil & the launch Lucinda. The young crew member in a few photos is Dan Rendall’s son – George, who already has his own P-Class (refer below photos a few weeks ago of the re-launch)
Enjoy the photo spread – they are rather good photos.

(included are a few random pics of other classics that were out enjoying the weekend)

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Scows On The Waitemata

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Scows On The Waitemata
Late last year I was sent the two photos above by Ian McDonald whose sister-in-law was clearing out and old deceased Uncle’s stuff & came
across these photos.

Scows sailing goose-winged has a caption of 1920 Auckland Anniversary Regatta and, the other one is captioned Auck Ann regatta, 1900. Both have NZ Herald – Wilson & Horton stamps on the back. Both are about 12″ x 8″  in size.

Any of the serious classic sailers out there able to ID some of the Scows?

And a launch bonus photo today of Miss Helen on the beach at Russell c1950’s (photo ex Nathan Herbert exEric Lee-Johnson, Te Papa collection)

Russell,Te Papa, Lee-Johnson, Eric 1950's

Alden Ketch – Sailing Sunday

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ALDEN KETCH – Sailing Sunday

We do not see a lot of John Alden designed classic’s in NZ which given they are almost always very pretty vessels, isn’t good.
This one was design #550 & was built in 1939 by Arnold France in Lyttleton & has been lovingly restored by her current owner.
She is 39.35′ & built with full length 1 1/4″ oregon on hardwood frames. Her when the sails aren’t up a 2012 Nissan TD27 88hp diesel pushes her along.
She was re-rigged in Her refurbishment included being rewired, new switches / breaker panels, batteries, instruments, electric toilet and holding tank, new plumbing throughout. Plus new squabs and many other extras, complete hull paint before Christmas.
She is for sale on trademe – a very smart classic & a lot of boat for the asking price of $65k ono

02-04-2017 Updates from Robin Elliott
She is Windswift and was registered as A-8 with Banks Peninsular Cruising Club, She was a 3 year building project by Arnold France.
France probably started building her in 1939 but she wasn’t launched until October 1941. He and his wife and son lived aboard for 3 years during the War.
Seems to have grown a little over the years. Reported as 35-feet when launched, Arnold France gave dims of  “33ft 8in x 10ft 6in x 4ft 8in” in 1949, In December 1956 she was advertised for sale as being 34-feet. She was on Trade Me in 2008 as 41-feet, and now as 39.35ft. Tricky things these Alden ketches.

Here’s a little bit more, courtesy of Papers Past
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19411030.2.63?query=arnold%20france
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LWM19460509.2.22?query=arnold%20france

Mystery Hull > Riki

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Morning woodys – the above photos were sent to me by Peter Mence, Chairman of the NZ Classic Yacht Association. Peter spotted the hull ‘resting’ in Pine Valley Road, Dairy Flat, Albany.
Someone must know who she is & how she ended up.

Update 01-05-2017 ex Barry Davis – Bay of Islands 1971

Riki BOI 1971

50% Off Sale

Boat below ex Tim Evill on Waiheke Island, I hope she was not headed for the landfill, would make a get firewood shelter.

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Mahurangi Regatta – Sailing Sunday

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Mahurangi Regatta – Sailing Sunday

I was sent a great collection of photos form the 2017 Mahurangi Regatta by Bernie Power who was aboard Shane Anderson’s classic launch Waimiga. Lots & lots of great photos, above is just a selection of the yachts, which I tend to miss as I’m pointing my camera at the beautiful boats i.e. the classic launches 🙂
Enjoy.

Tawera 1935 Logan A18

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TAWERA 1935 LOGAN – A18

Tawera was launched on 30th December, 1935. Tawera was designed by Arch Logan and built by Colin Wild of Stanley Bay, Devonport. Her first race was the Auckland Anniversary Regatta in January 1936.

She was Arch Logans last big cutter, measuring almost 50 feet on deck and the culmination of a number of racing keelers built at that time. As the largest of the more modern keelers from Arch Logans drawing board she represented the very best in design development and to this day still epitomises all of the racing winning and wholesome sea keeping abilities of Arch Logans designs.

Tawera is immaculate and has been extensively restored and is now considered one of the finest examples of the a keeler of the pre-WWII era. Her owner is one of the Classic Yacht Associations most loyal members & has loved her as a Logan should be & spared nothing on her maintenance & restoration. She is for sale & is I believe amazing value for money.

Her recent restoration was to the highest specification which includes the building of a new spruce mast to the original specs, new Volvo Penta engine, and redevelopment of the saloon, galley, heads and fore cabin. A new wooden spinnaker pole and wooden turning blocks on deck as well as an all new sail wardrobe consisting of Mainsail, #1, #2 genoas, asymmetric and conventional spinnakers.
Anyone interested in acquiring one of, if not, the best Logan a float could contact me on waitematawoodys@gmail.com & I’ll pass details on to the owner 🙂

Quest – Sailing Sunday

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Yacht Quest Launching 1936 (2)

Yacht Quest (2)

QUEST – Sailing Sunday

Mid-week we were lucky to have a peep at some of Peter Midgley’s fathers photo collection, that show the launch Kenya & the Joe Slattery boat shed. I asked Peter if he could share with us anymore of Eric Midgley’s photos & today we have the yacht Quest, built at the Vos yard for a Mr Wood of Devonport.

The top photo shows the launching on 10 December 1936, Peter commented that this photo of the exact moment a lady christens Quest has always fascinated him as a great moment frozen in time. Eric is third from the left with his arms folded. The man in uniform far left appears to be a St Johns person, did they have then at launchings in case of accidents? The man next to him with pen & paper in hand is perhaps a reporter for the “Star” or “Herald”. Then a lady in a heavy overcoat & umbrella, looks like a wet day in December.
Then the man far right also with umbrella “Photo Bombing” the photo.
Unfortunately the lady doing the honours, is blocking our view of the man holding the sledge hammer, Peter has an identical one in his dad’s toolbox.
Then the real character of this photo, the lady with a piece of paper in her hand having just read some words, with an expression of surprise as liquid sprays back towards her. Perhaps she is the wife of the owner – Mr Woods?

You have to love the way two planks of wood balancing on two saw horses is sufficient for the lady to stand on, no health & safety in those days!
The bottom photo of Quest moored presumably after launching.

As a footnote in the Percy Vos book, ‘Launching Dreams’, it states Eric Midgley worked at the Vos yard from 1937 to 1938 & only worked on the ‘Korea’ but Peter thinks he was there in 1936 working on the Quest. He went on to work at the Devonport Dockyard throughout the war & built the sailing dinghy ‘Kiwi’ in 1947, the NZ Navys gift to Princess Elizabeth & Prince Phillip for their wedding. Link here

Kiwi – Sailing Sunday

It would be great if any woodys could identify people in this photo.

Input from Harold Kidd
QUEST was a design by Dr. Harrison Butler (he of the metacentric shelf) built by Percy Vos (with one S) in December 1936 for L.M. (Milton) Wood of Devonport. His brother Lincoln had the Butler-designed 22 footer MEMORY built by Fred Mann in 1930. She’s very English in her lines (and all the better for that).
As to the people my guess is, from left, A St John’s “Zambuck” who used to be present at Rugby matches (and possibly launchings if they were yachties, as many were), W.A. (Wilkie) Wilkinson of the Auckland Star, Vos employee, the matriarch Mrs Sarah Wood, Milton and his wife/fiancee not sure when they married), Lincoln being silly. There was a multitude of Wood brothers and sisters, so the latter could any one of the other brothers.

Ladybird – Sailing Sunday

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Ladybird (Mystery Yacht) – Sailing Sunday

The above photo was sent to me by Russell Ward who obtained them from a patient of his, Bruce Forsyth, whose father was an avid photographer in the pre ww2 period.
This one should be pretty easy to ID 😉 Can we date the photo as well?

Looking For Info of a Mullet Boat named RAWHITI JUNIOR (N13)

I have been contacted by June Batten whose partner used to own (approx. 60 yrs ago) a mullet boat named ‘Rawhiti Junior’ and he is wondering if it is still around. He believes the sail number was N13.  June & ww would appreciate any help you can give them.

Harold Kidd Input

RAWHITI JNR was a  20ft mullet boat built by Andy Tobin in 1906. She had sail number N13 from 1922. She had many owners over the years but was lost in 1989 when owned by Vernon Lees of Hahei. She was swept out to sea from an anchorage at Blind Bay, Great Barrier and disappeared.
She was often attributed to Logan Bros, but in error.