Category Archives: Yachts

Mystery Yacht – Sailing Sunday

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S:S 10:04:2016

Mystery Yacht – Sailing Sunday
photo ex Max Pike ex Auckland Weekly News (23 April 1930)

I’m sure the stick & rag woodys will be able to ID the above yacht, the only info I had was the caption which was something like ‘yacht off Freemans Bay preparing for race’.

Speaking of races I’m venturing over to the dark side today & crewing on Rainbow in the Ponsonby Cruising Club’s Vintage & Veterans race. Hopefully we will get some wind, I have been the kiss of death weather wise when aboard other classic yachts 🙂

Mystery Launches & Location

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1927 guess names and place

Mystery Launches & Location
photo ex Nathan Herbert

The above photo is dated 1927 & show an amazing collection of launches. The challenge today is what’s the location, the reason for the gathering & how many can we name?
On my estimate I can count 38 people on the ‘dark’ launch in the foreground, the Harbour Master compliance nazi’s would wet themselves these days if they saw that, & no sign of any life-rails 🙂
This launch is sporting the #6 on her & the passengers have a very high % of females on board which makes the occasion very interesting, I look forward to the replies.

Palm Beach Boat Show 2016

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PALM BEACH BOAT SHOW 2016
photos & comments from James Dreyer

Today’s ww post is a trip report from James Dreyer (Laughing Lady) James has kept the focus on wooden or partially wooden craft, with a little American excess and muscle thrown in for good measure. Enjoy, its a great read & interesting to see whats happening in the USA. Remember click on any photo to enlarge

The latest offering from Hacker craft.  A modern take on the classic triple cockpit runabout. I did get the feeling that the boat is a little let down by stainless off the shelf hardware.  If your forking out over $300K for a speedboat, you wouldn’t expect the same handrails as a Searay.

Vicem yachts of Turkey builds all mahogany, cold molded up to 140’  Beautiful craftsmanship with a long history.

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Hinckley Yachts is famous for their jet driven Picnic boat, but this is their latest model, a 36’ open.  Built in glass but with some really lovely styling cues from downeast.

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This little Grand Craft spent most of her time doing cocktail cruises of the Intracoastal waterway between Palm Beach (Holiday spot of the wealthy and retired, including DL Gardiner who owned Laughing Lady) and West Palm (home of the normal folk.)

Trumpy yachts Flying Lady.  Lovely solid lines on her wheelhouse.

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My favorite boat of the show, a modern commuter and tribute to Aphrodite.  Vendetta was built for Billy Joel out of a high tech blend of carbon and kevlar and runs twin 1300 MANs with Arneson drives in tunnels.  She will do 50 knots and doesn’t have a stateroom, just a lovely big salon area with kitchen and seating for many.  Totally impractical but oh so cool.  I was very lucky be invited onboard and shown around once the guy heard I had a commuter yacht.  He even knew laughing lady from his original design research.  She’s for sale at $1.3 million if anyone is looking to tour the East coast in style.

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Honey Fitz, the 1931 Defoe built ex-presidential yacht named after John F. Fitzgerald and once chariot for Truman, Eisenhower, JFK, Johnson and Nixon.

A 1960s era Bertram offshore race boat.  Sporting close to 800hp and Ray Hunts game changing deep vee hull design, she’s a thing of beauty.  Almost like a vintage Nascar.

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Maybe I am biased, but the whole express cruiser (open) sport fish really does it for me.  Totally impractical in anything but fine weather, but oh so cool.  Registered to Montauk at the tip of Long Island – Laughing Ladys first home port and serious Bluefin Tuna grounds.

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Jarrett Bay build some of the finest cold molded SFs on the market, this being about as small as they come.

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Seven Marine are the newest outboard on the American Market and are just ludicrous.  627hp (!!!) each, from a Chevrolet 6.2L supercharged V8.  At 500kg each, you want to have a pretty robust transom to hang three of these off!

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76’ Sportfish provides a pretty big aft cockpit.  Again cold molded.

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Rybovich is the name most synonymous with classic sport fish designs and this modern express model has a lot of classic styling cues from original Rybo’s like Release and Bolero

A few for the yachties 🙂

Wild Horses – the 70 odd foot W-class Spirit of Tradition sloop designed by Donald Tofias.

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I’m not sure if this is Herreshoffs Bounty or Ticonderoga, but she has incredible and unmistakable lines.  Pretty cool little yard tugboat on the left too.  This helped us park the large yacht I work on.

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Everything is big in America – to give you an idea of the scale, this has 3 x 350hp Outboards and is 41’ and note the tow rig.

Some nice wheels on display:

Sometimes you really have to wonder 😦

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And a funny to finish – Some people don’t hide it.  Apparently he owns a chain of Laundromats.

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Mystery Yacht – Sailing Sunday

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GHOST( OR WOLF)1

 

 

Mystery Yacht – Sailing Sunday
photos via Ken Ricketts, source unknown.

The above yacht was built in 1955  to a Bert Woollacott design, on a property at the corner of Pukenui Rd & Manukau Rd Epsom & launched in 1955. Ken commented that she looks c42′ long & appears to be a good solid cruising yacht so perhaps ended up off- shore? Ken also suggested the name might be Ghost or Wolf?
Can anyone ID the vessel, confirm the builder & any of the people in the photos?

Not a great weekend for boating so while I was cleaning some muck from my fuel tanks, a few woodys headed down to the Whangamata Beach Hop – Rod Marler flying the ‘flag’ & if there was a god that Woody wagon (photo ex David Plummer) would be mine 🙂

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Easter Weekend Cruise – Photo Gallery

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Tasman

Wairiki on-route to Coromandel
Wairiki on-route to Coromandel
Spirit of New Zealand
Silens with load of driftwood aboard
Rorqual looking very smart
Ngarunui
Allergy
Chris McMullen on patrol
Dinner on Raindance
Name escapes me
Marie J
Trinidad waking up
Harmony a very salty launch, nice pad
Idler
Man o War Bay Sunset
Man o War Bay Sunset
Kathryn Ann
Kathryn Ann
Lady Margaret (CW)
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Raindance at Man o War Bay (photo Andrew Miller)

Easter Weekend Cruise – Photo Gallery

Headed to the bottom end of Waiheke Island for the 4 day easter break. Nice to see so many classics out & about. There were a lot more than the above photos, these are just the ones we mooched past. Everyone was graced with almost perfect weather & the water temp is still in the comfortable range.
See captions for details.
ps I got to practice my fuel filter changing / system bleeding on the way back………….. fun in a busy seaway 🙂

CYA Cake Day

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CYA Cake Day
photos Alan H & Daniel Renall

Last Saturday was the annual CYA ‘Round-Rangi’ yacht race + post race BBQ + Cake Day. The tradition of the Cake Day goes back a long way when women did not take part in yacht racing & once a year the men folk would invite women out for the day but they had to ‘bring a cake’. The cake day tradition lives on but these days its a competition to see who has the best looking & best tasting cake & more often than not, the cakes are made by the blokes.
The weather was a little fresh & the sailing fleet numbers were low, in fact only 3 yachts sailed the course 😦  this did not stop a great late afternoon raft up in Islington Bay which saw the cake judging happen afloat this year, I arrived later on & missed the announcement of the winners but if it was up to me Daniel Renall’s carrot cake would have won. Given how good it was I suspect wife Alex made it 🙂

A good turn out from what I call the ‘Gang of 8’ – the loyal launches who support the CYA events. We had in the bay – Wirihana, Lucille, Florance Dawn, Raindance & Kumi. Great to see Kumi back on this side of the island, owner Haydon Afford has just returned Kumi to the Waitemata after 2 seasons on the Kaipara.
I did see the recently relaunched Maria heading back up the Harbour when I was heading out so maybe Nick Voerman had been in the bay earlier in the day. BUT over all a poor turnout from both yachts & launches.

And a message from the yacht crews to the skipper of W1, slow down in the bay. Thats two complaints in 3 weeks………… 😦

Carina – Sailing Sunday

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CARINA @ GH 29.1.16 - 1

CARINA – Sailing Sunday
photos ex Ken Ricketts

Photos above are of the yacht Carina hauled out at Gulf Harbour, the ‘Gypsy’ sail/boom cover is a little confusing. What do we know about her & is she (hopefully) out for a make-over?

Speaking of makeovers – Mondays ww post showcases the stunning re-birth of a classic launch.

Input from Graham Russell – owner

Sorry for the confusion, she is in fact the Tabuteau designed C18, but sporting Gypsy’s pre collision cover ,which John Pryor has kindly lent me. She, Carina, had got to the stage where she could have been the major sponsor of the Coromandel Mussell festival, much to my shame.  With the help, which is such an inadequate word in terms of the effort, of a number of good friends, we achieved the impossible and stripped, caulked and repainted her, in just over 5 weeks. What was a daunting and overwhelming exercise became a wonderful example of what can be done by a energetic team. Peter and Ron Mence, Mike McGuire from the Marina, Tony Frost from work, my wife Julie catering, colour consultant Daughter Abi, beers from the in laws, motivation from Iain Forsyth ( thanks for the very informative discussion on terodo and the sleepless nights that followed). And one very special person, Jeff Cook. ( Huge thanks to Sally for sparing him). A true godsend for Carina, as Jeff’s skill as a Devonport Naval Base trained boat builder has made her good for another 60 years. Jeff raked,primed, caulked and puttied the seams. Offered advice and show us the techniques.Twisting the cotton, hammering it to just the right feel, mixing the special concoction of special recipe putty, and showing us how to fill the seams. It was a hard 5 weeks but very rewarding. And despite the offer of a chain gang from the skipper and crew of a K Class that shall remain nameless, but starts with a T and ends in an A, and has a L and M in the name, she only leaked for 30 mins when she went in.The bilge pump has run once on auto in the following week and she is drier than she has been in all my ownership of her. Admittedly a few seams are showing but the plan is to have her out in 6 months time and dress them up. It has been wonderful lesson in what can be achieved, and for me the realisation that traditional boat building is art, science, patience, hard work and humour. And after watching Jeff work, something, that no matter how much you read about it, there is no substitute for the skill of a properly trained traditional boat builder. Thanks everyone.

Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes – NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show 2016

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Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes – NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show 2016
photos from Greg Lees & David Glen

CYA members Greg & David were among the 100’s that attended last weekends show, Greg reports that this year the lake saw the return of historic Hydroplanes with the promise of more to attend next year.
The radio controlled model craft (below) are very cool.

Any woodys out there able to supply some more details on the stunning Baby Thunder?

Lots more photos here – click on the photo, below

https://www.flickr.com/photos/skinnylaveal/sets/72157663288454473

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Vagrant – Sailing Sunday

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VAGRANT – Sailing Sunday
photos from Duncan Elliot, details from Harold Kidd & Robin Elliott. (edited by Alan H)

I was contacted recently by Duncan advising that he had purchased Vagrant off trademe last year & was looking for details on her history.
She had sunk due to a 100mm x 60mm hole in the transom below the bolt on the drop keel box . When Duncan started the repair he a little surprised to find that someone had filled the area with  epoxy from a tube and no fibre. Subsequently this failed & popped out resulting in the trip to Davey Jones locker. Duncan did a temporary repair on the hole
& later cut out the old hole and scarfed a piece in and built a box around the existing box as this was too short i.e. does not go all the way down to the keel and deadwood.
Vagrant she is now back in the water and drawing about 5 litres a water a day. Duncan intends to take her out in a couple of months to do a total re-fit, doing the work myself as he is joiner by trade.

I contacted Harold Kidd & Robin Elliott and asked if they could provide some details on Vagrant for Duncan & true to form, they delivered 🙂
HAROLD
VAGRANT was built by Jack Greenhalgh in 1924 according to MBQ (pretty unreliable). My first hit on the boat is a shade before the 1926 AAR (which was certainly her first race).
She’s in the  list of N’s in NZA of 18/11/25 (as N7).
My guess is built by John/Jack Greenhalgh of Richmond Rd about late 1925 and owned probably with his brother Albert.

ROBIN
I first trip over Vagrant registered as N-7  in the 1926 Anniversary Regatta.
Owners details:
• A. Greenhalgh 1925?/26+?; P. Churton 1932/+?
• On Manukau 1928, registered as number`19′ with Manukau Y & MB Club
• Pennant? 6/10/32: Purchased by Churton who intends to use her for cruising only.
• Re-appears post-war registered as N-17 c1945
• Owner Cyril Hill early 40’s? E.L. (Ernie) Beaver 1945+? D.A.K. Taylor 1949+?; Dick Still 1962?; D.J. Mason 1964/65+?
• Dimensions 1949: 20’x 20’x 9’x 2’10”, 330 sqft gaff rigged, 1ton ballast
• Listed as ‘Unregistered’ 1970
• 1990 on beach, North Harbour Kawau.?
 
There is one photo of her in the Auckland Museum Bond Collection, negative number PH-NEG-C37485 dated 1st February 1947.

Robin helped paint her in 1963 when Dick Still owned her and she was still in gaff at that stage (Or was she?). Dick Still lives in Pakuranga and may have some photos of her from that time.  If anyone knows Dick, give him a nudge re any photos 09-5348158

LOOK OUT for Mondays post  – its on the Lake Rotoiti (Sth Island) antique & classic wooden boat festival, lots of cool boats 😉

Lionel Jefcoat – Boatbuilder & Wood Craftsman

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The Flirt

Flirt

Lionel Jefcoat – Boatbuilder & Wood Craftsman

details ex Nelson Mail, Radio NZ & Gary Drummond

Lionel Jefcoat works out of a ‘shed’ in Havelock, where he built the historic replica steam launch Flirt – an incarnation of an 1894 British-built mail launch of the same name which plied Canadian waters. Flint is a regular attendee at the antique and classic boat show at Nelson’s Lake Rotoiti.

The project emerged from Flint’s owner Rob Hamlett’s ambition to own a classic steam launch. He went to Canada to find a steamboat, found Flirt and shipped it to New Zealand then found it was beyond restoration. The steam engine however, was in good-enough order and was installed in the new Flirt.

The 26′ launch, according to Lionel, has been modified slightly by Wellington naval architect Bruce Askew. Its teak decks and deckhouse, kauri stem and pressure-treated kahikatea carvel planked and caulked hull pay homage to a traditional design and construction, and a faded trade of wooden boat building.

Lionel’s own boat is the 30′ wooden sloop Saffron, built to his own design, taking three years to construct. It was launched in late 2010.

Lionel’s love of boats was formed in the “back blocks” of a Southland farm, he never wanted to be anything other than a boat builder. The Jefcoate family moved to Governor’s Bay near Lyttelton when Lionel was 17 and he began a boat building apprenticeship with Miller Brothers soon after.

His boat building career extended to the cruising yachts he built to take his own family sailing, and the boat shed he worked in from for others. “I once had a big shed in Governor’s Bay but sold it when there was no more boat building being done.” His 12-metre cutter Encore, which is now in Wellington, was to have been the ultimate “retirement” cruiser, but by the time he finished building Encore he was 60, had no money, no house so Lionel moved to the 100+ year old villa & workshop in Havelock that today is home to this wooden craftsman.

Below is a link to a photo gallery of images from Radio NZ ‘Nine to Noon’ that showcase Lionel – in his early days, family life & some of many craft he built. Enjoy

http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/galleries/lionel-jefcoat

14-05-2016 Input from Ian Miller

A while back Rosalind discovered Lionel on her family tree (albeit way out at the end of a remote branch) and as a result of that we called on him earlier this year when we were in the Marlborough Sounds. He was not particularly interested in discovering another relative (sentiments similar to my own) but when he learned of our interest in old wooden boats his whole demeanour changed and we spent a most enjoyable three hours with him.

The workmanship in his sea chests and turned bowls was out of this world and the experience of looking at his stuff and talking to him about it, as well as his boats, was something I will never forget.

His book “57 Boats Later” is a fascinating chronicle of his life as a wooden boat builder  and he was persuaded to sell me his second to last copy, although I understand a third reprint is on its way. (I must get a copy. AH)

Lionel Jefcoate RIP

Sadly, I have to advise that Lionel passed away on 17th July 2018. His funeral is scheduled for – Springlands Chapel, Cloudy Bay Funeral Home, 1:30pm – Saturday 28th July.

I was sent the photos below & copy by Russell Ward ex Rob Hamlett.

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