Mystery Launch & A Few Yachts
I’m hoping that I have not published this photo before, its from the Mac Taylor collection. Interested in ID’ing the launch.
Sorry for a rather lame post today but I’m laid low with the man flu, feeling very average, in fact didn’t even watch the All Blacks test last night.
Port Townson 2016 Wooden Boat Festival – 50+ photos
Last weekend saw the usual collection of classic wooden craft assembled in Port Townsend, Washington for their annual wooden boat festival. What was not usual was the standard of the photography recording the event. Now you can google search & find 1,000’s of photos from the weekend but to make life easier, just click the link below to see the magnificent work / art of Patrick Downs. Enjoy the 50+ photos – motorboats & yachts 🙂
http://patrickdowns.photoshelter.com/portfolio/G0000dNrGH6fo5b8
A Woody Boat Show Trip Report
Auckland woody Keith Ottaway is mooching around the UK on holiday & visited the St. Katherine Dock in London. Keith’s timing was perfect as the Classic Boat Festival was underway. Some lovely wood on display. Thanks also to Colin Pawson for sending the photos in.
Enjoy :-
OSTKUST – Sailing Sunday
Ostkust (means East Cape in Norwegian) was built by Colin Brown & his twin brother Stan, to an American Al Mason design, she measured 24′ LOA.
She was originally powered by a 3 hp 1 cyl., Yanmar diesel & the Brown’s built her almost entirely in the traditional single skin, ribbed copper nailed, red lead concept, with only the smallest bit of glued work in her.The brothers started her when they were 15 years old in 1965, when Colin was a new apprentice boatbuilder & launched her when they were 17. They kept her for 15 years.
The Brown’s don’t recall who she was sold to, but she disappeared until she popped up at Pine Harbour, where Colin Brown saw her one day in 2000. She then disappeared again until 2009, when Colin had a call from the person Colin believed is probably still the present owner, an American, living in the Bay of Islands.
Colin is in fact correct – the American being Bill Sellers who’s lived in NZ for many years & is presently living aboard at Orongo Bay BO.I. Ostkust has had a name change to Ludique & been lengthened her to 28′. Photos & details ex Colin Brown, emailed to me by Ken Ricketts.
Lots of details & photos of other Ostkust’s here http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?117266-The-Ostkust-Thread
12-09-2016 photos below of the vessel currently moored in the Bay of Islands. Taken by John Grant, emailed in by Ken Ricketts
Markson > Pacific Sunrise > Last Vintage
I have been contacted by Samuel Wayne who has been working under a shipwright in Tasmania. They recently did many months work on the 110 ft ‘Last Vintage’ which has been renamed twice; originally it was ‘Markson’ & before that ‘Pacific Sunrise’. The reason Sam emailed ww was because this ship was purchased by the New Zealand Government and refitted circa the year ~2000 & Sam was wondering if ww knew any information as to where and who did the work.
While working on Last Vintage they replaced some planks, refastened the hull and rebuilt the rear living area / saloon walls (frame + exterior) to provide solid anchor points for the mizzen mast.
More information on the work done and many photos can be found at lastvintage.com.
Sam will be flying in to Auckland next week and driving around the northern island with his girlfriend and would appreciate the chance to look around and meet some of the people doing similar work on wooden boats or people that worked on the ‘Last Vintage’ while he is in the country. Contact is samdavidwayne@gmail.com
4 Classic Yachts – Sailing Sunday
How many of the above can we ID ? they are all still afloat. Photo is from the Mac Taylor collection.
REMEMBER – MAX CARTER MEMORIAL TODAY @ RNZYS 2.00PM
And if you need some motivation to get the sandpaper & varnish out – click the link below & check out this line up of 33 beautiful classic yachts at Les Voiles de St Tropez. My eldest daughter (23) is currently in St Tropez, leaving on Tuesday for Sardinia on a 260’+ monster super ‘yacht’. Oh to be young & carefree again 🙂
New Golden Hind at Kawau Island – Sailing Sunday
Today’s photo is another from the Auckland Museum’s Tudor Collins collection, this one emailed to me by Ken Ricketts. It shows the ‘New Golden Hind’, designed by Chas. Bailey Jr. & built at the Deemings Opua yard. She is anchored off Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island c.1940’s.
Any one able to ID the launches?
You can see more photos & details on her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/06/22/new-golden-hind/
MANANA III
We have not had a pure game-fishing boat story in a while so when I was sent the above photos of Manana III from the Tudor Collins collection at the Auckland Museum, emailed in by Ken Ricketts, they got the ww fast track. In the photos above we see her off Cape Brett & alongside the wharf in Otehei Bay in the Bay of Islands c.1940’s. (apologies – two of the photos are very poor quality)
What can the woodys tell use about the boat, obviously not a local boat – the ‘Manana III – Miami FLA’ on her stern tells us that – who bought her to NZ, when, how successful was she & did she stay here or head off-shore again?
As a bonus today check out the amazing collection of nearly 100 photos on the salvage of the classic yacht ‘Penlena’ – not sure of the location, but thanks to John Bertenshaw for highlighting it on his facebook page 🙂
Click this link https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.509586369227283.1073741869.100005277724237&type=3
.THE RESTORATION OF MY GIRL
While there are few of us with the courage to even consider a project of this scope, there are even fewer with the skill set to do it. That makes Jason Prew a tad special in the classic woody boating community. A lot of us would be worried that a restoration (re-build) project like this would grind to a halt 1/2 way thru – well folks I can tell you this one won’t & as proof check out at the bottom of this story, Jason’s last project – Wairiki, his 34′ 1904 Arch Logan designed gaff rigged classic yacht.
Mr Prew is a member of the fastest growing group in the CYA – woody’s that own a classic yacht & classic motor-boat. There are a lot of photos today but I really wanted to get across the magnitude of the job Jason has bitten off:-)
Whilst I did not pickup a hammer or a piece of sandpaper during my visit to Jason’s workshop, I have contributed – a while ago I was gifted a pair of very cool bronze nav lights & as I’m a big believer in the ‘pay-it-forward’ concept, these will be gracing My Girl on launch day 🙂
My Girl was built in 1925 by Dick Lang for C.B. “Tui” Waldron of the Wade River who commuted with her. Her square bilge design was based on one by W.H.Hand. Waldron later took her to Whangarei & she was in NAPS as Z32 out of Whangarei in WW2.
Jason purchased My Girl from the Davies family of Te Atatu, West Auckland in December 2014, Derek & his Father Trevor were long term caretakers of My Girl, keeping her in the Whau River for many years. After a spell on the hard where she fell into dis-repair, Jason finally persuaded Derek to part with her.
When launched she was powered by a 6 cylinder 90hp Scripps engine & was capable of over 18 knots. When purchased by Jason she had a BMC Commander engine of dubious health. When re-launched she will be powered by a 100hp Volvo Penta, so she should be a bit of a zoom zoomer 😉
The work to date has seen 76 ribs in, 3600 copper rivets riveted, 5 new floors and 2 engine beds. As you will see in the photos there is still lots of hole filling, sanding & painting in the near future.
You can read & view much more on the restoration project at the links below – the ww one has some historical photos & the mygirl link has the whole story so far. Make sure you click on the Archives link to see everything. https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/12/12/my-girl/ http://www.my-girl.co.nz/mygirl/Welcome.html
Below is a peak at Jason’s yacht Wairiki, his last restoration project. Click this link to view more http://www.wairiki.co.nz/Wairiki1904/Welcome.html
Input from Jason Prew
Thanks for the injection of smoke up the posterior Alan but I can’t claim too much credit for Wairiki, Marco Scuderi did the bulk of the work. I was mostly the destruction/wrecking department. My Girl is also a collaboration, especially the ribs stage. Nathan, Steve, Andrew, Tom, mostly my brother Daniel, either holding dolly or doing the peening. Robert Brook and Paul Tingey for always being encouraging on the end of the phone when i was having an OMG I can’t work this out day, (which is quite often) I don’t have a moaning chair perse, but i have a squab that gets utilized a lot to do the same job.
Trinidad > Raindance > Wairiki
Dec 2016 Staring to look like a launch again versus a canoe 🙂 Bit worried about the headroom.
Christina – Sailing Sunday
The early 1950’s cutter Christina was designed by Athol Burns & built in Wellington by Bill McQueen. She has appeared before on ww (blue link below) & we uncovered some amazing detail for her current owner Bill Moe who resides (along with Christina – now renamed Victory) in Silva Bay, Gabriola Island, B.C., Canada.
ww woody Nathan Herbert pointed me in the direction of this 1956 National Library photo of Christina with builder / owner W (Bill) McQueen on board. I’m sure this photo will see Bruce Tantrum having flash backs 🙂
Anyone able to ID the 2 yachts in the background?
Make sure you check out the previous Christina/Victory ww story
09-08-2016 Input from Gavin Pascoe
The below photo of Christina from the RPNYC collection. Shows Bill McQueen. Gavin thinks it shows her hauled out at Evans Bay.
Sunday Bonus – click the blue link below to view on-line the latest edition (August 2016) of ‘Yachts & Yachting’ magazine & read the feature on the Rio Olympics + upcoming America’s Cup World Series action at Portsmouth.
