Category Archives: Yachts

Janet – Sailing Sunday

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JANE – Sailing Sunday
photos & details ex Mike O’Dwyer

Janet was designed by Chas. Bailey Jr. in 1902 & built by the Sutherland brothers in Domain Street, Devonport*. She is now owned by Andrew Wares, Bruce Isles and Michael O’Dwyer of Hawkes Bay. All friends since childhood with a common interest in sailing who decided to obtain a classic yacht – a day sailer, not too big, something with a bit of provenance that had to look nice. After a year of looking Janet came up and fitted the bill.

Janet was purchased in June 2013, shipped to Napier in April 2014 and relaunched in April 2015 after an eighteen month makeover. Almost all of the work being done by Mike O’Dwyer & with limited spare time saw the project sixteen months longer than expected. A brief overview of the project goes like this – she had six planks replaced, three each side in the garboard area, a certain amount of repair completed on the inner skin, and was fully re-caulked, puttied and painted. The keel and rudder were fared and the floors refastened. The rig was also spruced up with the mast being painted, the boom varnished/painted, fittings newly galvanized and the roller reefing system rebuilt. The owners report she sails beautifully and with improvements and tweaks continuing will only get better. In the first photo above she is seen enjoying her first sail in Napier waters.

The restoration goes like this – Janet was stored at the sailing club hardstand with scaffolding around her, the tarp covering the scaffold was originally rented because  they thought they would only be there two months to do a spruce up. Well the best laid plans…. After removing the paint with hand scrapers it was discovered that the wide seams were full of sika around the garboard area, a copper strip covered a dodgy seam, planks that looked like they had lost some fastenings. Further raking of seams revealed very old caulking and putty.

In one of the photos you can see below the dark water stained areas that there was a 10mm gap between the garboard plank and the inner skin. Only one thing for it, full re-caulk, putty and new planks. The bottom three on each side had to be replaced.

In another photo you can see a copper strip covering the seam just above the forward edge of the lead keel, the seam behind this was about 10mm wide and full of gunk. The wooden filler block on the leading edge of the keel also needed to be replaced.  When raking out a small section of a seam it started with newer cotton on the outer, as you went deeper the cotton got older until finally the last cotton to come out  was like a ribbon. The plank edges were parallel to each other back to the inner skin which made for a narrow deep seam. The seams were paid with a variety of products e.g there was black sika,white sika and putty. Up to five layers of caulking( the stranded type) were removed from some seams.

You can also see the scored waterlines in the hull planks. They counted about six of these either side. Janet had an inboard engine at some stage which could account for some of them.

The varnish product on Janet is Hempel diamond varnish & is a two pot varnish. There are five coats on everything that needed varnishing. The wind vane is home made & works a treat.

Below is an index to some of the photos & her owner talks you thru some of the work. Scroll over the photo to view the number. Also remember you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them 😉

Andrew, Bruce & Michael have done a wonderful job in restoring Janet & hopefully we will see her back on the Waitemata for some of the classic yacht regattas.

Mike will be posting some updates & photos on the CYA Forum – link below http://classicyacht.org.nz/cyaforum/topic/janet-back-in-action/

PHOTO INDEX:
Photo 1 – shows the hull primed and caulked. You can see the lowest three planks that are to be replaced and a rough area where a copper strip was used to cover a wide seam.
Photo 2 – the hull above the waterline puttied. Below the waterline redlead paint was added to the putty.
Photo 3 – planks removed portside. A couple of the planks literally fell off when the end screws were removed. It must have been the corrosive entities handing hands that kept them on.
The inner skin though black from years of bilge water,oil and god knows what else was still sound. Gotta  love that kauri. A few kauri shims also fell out,used as packers to take up a few gaps between the skins.
I remedied this with lightweight filler mixed in epoxy. Kauri locks also fitted at fore upper end of the lead keel ready for shaping.
Photo 4 – Inner skin repaired and first plank fitted. The floor fastenings were replaced also.
Photo 5 – Planks awaiting faring. Lots of red lead paste between the skins. Kauri blocks shaped and primed.
Photo 6 – Starboard planking underway. Eight new inner skin plank ends were scarfed in place.
Photo 7 – Bit of bling – I’m letting this oxidize however as I like the vert de gris look. Aging gracefully.
Photo 8 – Just about ready for the water. Still work to do on the rig.
Photo 9 – Not a bad looking rear.
Photo 10 – Happy boat back in the water after 15 months.
Photo 11 – Mast painted by brush. To many scarfs of different coloured timbers so went with the paint option.

*Harold Kidd Input

Angus and William Sutherland lived in Domain Street, Devonport. Angus was a shipwright with Chas. Bailey Jr and had Bailey design two yachts for himself and his sons. The first was JANET in 1902, a 24ft linear rater. The second was the 40 footer WAIONE, built to replace JANET in 1907. She was a 9 metre under the recently-adopted International Rating Rules.
Both yachts were built privately by the Sutherlands at their home in Domain Street, not at Bailey’s yard which, until 1912, was at 43 Customs Street West at the foot of Hobson Street. In November 1912 he moved his yard to the new reclamation at Beaumont Street, Freeman’s Bay.
Confusion arises sometimes because Chas. Bailey Jr DID design and build a JANET about this time, but it was a 30ft linear rater for J. McMurtrie of Sydney. Even then, some sources say she was a Sibbick design.
Your yacht was probably named after the Sydney yacht which was launched in 1901.

03-04-2016 Update – 2016 Art Deco Parade of Sail –  A Mark Foy start, Janet claimed line honours.

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Wooden Boats In Croatia

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Wooden Boats In Croatia

Somehow I think the middle child must be deaf, she has emerged from 22 years of sharing a roof with me & says “Dad you’ll be proud of me, I’m sailing on a wooden yacht in Croatia” & sends me the above photos. When I asked if they actually sailed i.e. put the sails up, she replied “yes I think they did a few times” 🙂
Had a chuckle at the big ugly air con unit on deck, I suppose its the trade off for a cool cabin & cold drinks.

That’s her in the middle doing a back flip 🙂

And b4 Jason P comes on & says “what sails”, there is a wee one 😉

Ruakuri – Sailing Sunday

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RUAKURI –  Sailing Sunday
photos from Pam Cundy at Whangateau Traditional Boat Yard

Other than the location being Fitzroy at Great Barrier Island Ruakuri is a mystery to me, the chunk of alloy on the stern is a clue she has done some blue water sailing.

Anyone able to supply more info on her?

Orphans Day

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ORPHAN DAY

Hows this for a cool idea, in the old days boaties used to rally around & hold an orphans day, where they took orphans (what a horrible sounding word) out on their boats for a magic day out. Not much chance of that happening now with all the PC rules & do-gooders out there.

In my early 20’s I sailed (on a Davidson 28, I know fiberglass) with one of life’s real characters, his name was Kaye Raymond Thode & someone should have written a book about that man, in my circle of yachting friends he was a legend. This was in the days of no cell phones & the skipper Dennis Ross had a few simple rules:

1. The boat leaves the dock at x.xxam, miss the boat & you had better find another boat to sail on for the next race
2. Anything discussed on the boat, stays on the boat
3. When away, personal hygiene was non negotiable – you weren’t even allowed to fa_t
4. Meals were always very civilized & you had to wear a shirt & sit at the table & no elbows on the table etc
5. Talking with a mouth full of food earned you a clipped ear

Well none of these rules applied to Kaye, he was uncontrollable BUT we all loved him & if his life tales had been published it would have been another Johnny Wray book.

I’m still bound by Rule #2 so my lips are sealed on the tales but you could be sitting on the rail, Kaye didn’t like that but there was no chance of ever getting Ron Lusty out of the cockpit & I don’t think the skipper, Dennis Ross, ever went forward of the mast 🙂  & Kaye would drop a clanger like “I grew up in an orphanage, we were poor & so all the kids were sent to an orphanage”, then later I hear from someone else that from his early 20’s Kaye organized a Xmas boating picnic for the kids at the orphanage he had attended – the picnic was really something with Kaye as Santa handing out amazing presents. I understand it was the biggest thing in the kids year. Kaye could be a total rogue but he had a heart of gold. Saying that when I knew him he was single, having been tossed out by his wife for diving drunk into a childs swimming pool & almost paralyzing himself, & my mother was a widower & I made it very clear to Kaye if I ever saw his car outside mums house I would shoot him 🙂

Today’s photo c1950’s was sent to me by Ken Rickett’s ex Dianne Hopson & is of Orphan Day. Ken Rickett’s reports that some of the boats that were involved every year were Valsan (Arnold Baldwin – Valsan, was a key mover in the events), Rehia (again Bill Ryan – Rehia, was also heavily involved),  Hukarere , Gay Dawn, Tasman, Lady Eileen, Margaret S, Apache, Tiromoana, Lady Joan, Aurora, Moanalua, Faye,Royal Falcon &  a lot of others.not sure if its the same day as Kaye’s but it must have been a blast for the kids. Somewhere in that fleet is the launch Hukarere.

How many other classic’s can we ID?

Mystery Yacht – Sailing Sunday

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Mystery Yacht – Sailing Sunday

photos ex Shamus Fairhall

Today’s post is total mystery to myself & Shamus, all Shamus knows is that a friend asked him to scan the photographs – I’m sure one of the rag & rope woodys will be able to at least ID the class of yacht, if not the actual name.

 

Leisure Hour – Sailing Sunday

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Leisure Hour – Sailing Sunday
photos ex John Wicks

Today’s boat is the 1937 Jimmy Reid built Leisure Hour, currently owned by John Wright & has just undergone one of John’s legendary make-overs. But to quote John Wicks, John W has discovered that sailing isn’t his thing & will remain faithful to his classic launch Jeunesse, so Leisure Hour is for sale. A great opportunity for someone wanting a rather nice little historic keeler.
I’m ‘borrowing’ below some info from an article Harold Kidd & Robin Elliott published on the Reid family & their boats, it appeared way back in 2001 in Boat NZ.

Jimmy Reid started building the 32′ Leisure Hour, his first keel boat, in 1936 & launched her in 1937. Its assumed his father (James Sr.) helped with the design. She was a beamy (9′) ketch & was registered as C41, that later changed to D14. Jimmy did some occasional cruising/racing with Akarana & rarely missed an Anniversary Regatta. He sold her in 1945 & back in 2001 she was moored in the Milford Creek.

So folks – can we fill in some of the holes in her past?

A Question – Neil Chalmers wondered if the building of ‘Leisure Hour’ was inspired by the famous ‘Idle Hour’ sailed by the American Dwight Long . ‘ Idle Hour’ visited Auckland in 1935 during a circumnavigation. The ‘Leisure Hour’ appears to be a similar type to ‘Idle Hour’. Neil dug out his copy of Dwight Long’s ‘Sailing all the seas in Idle Hour’ . His first stop in NZ was at Shakespeare Bay , Whangaparoa , he mentions seeing Mr Shakespeare’s yacht – could it be the CYA ‘Frances’.
Photo below of Idle Hour at Moturekereka.

03-08-2015 Input from Shamus Fairhall

I know Leisure Hour was owned by the Les and Jan Parkinson at some stage in the 1980s. Les brought her in a poor state and put considerable time in to making her sparkle again. Les and Jan were also the owners of our 1936 launch Sequoia in the late 1960s. Sadly Les is now deceased but he was always famous for his restoration skills with old Jags and military jeeps etc through his business Parky Jags. Photo below of Leisure Hour during his ownership and i will pass a link on to Jan as she may well have some detail to add.

 

Mystery Boats & Location 01/08

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Mystery Boats & Location
photo ex Scott Taylor ex ‘Old Auckland’

Today’s post is a wee bit of a mystery, from back in the days before we had acres of marinas. The one thing I do know is the mooring fees would have been affordable, these days you have to sell of a child for medical experiments to afford to berth your boat close to the city.

So woodys where is it & can we ID any of the boats?

A Woodys Trip Report from France

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Russell in the red stripes

A Woodys Trip Report from France
photos & story ex Russell Ward

Getting the other-half to go on holiday in France – thats easy, but how Russell manages to sneak in visits to wooden boat yards, beats me. I need some tips 🙂
I’ll let Russell tell the story. Remember to click on the photos above to enlarge 😉

I visited a fellow steam boater in Arcachon and the conversation on steamboats lulled a trifle and we went on to local work boats the Pinasse! Yep, when the French say Pinasse it is rather akin to the technical term for one’s diddle!
They are a breed of double ender peculiar to Arcachon on the coast out from Bordeaux. Arcachon is a rather larger harbour than Whangateau. Golden sands and sandbars abound. Oyster farms are everywhere and the origin of the Pinasse in the area dates from 1900 or so.

The local work boats abound and many have been retired to pleasure duties and some look real posh.
They have a broad beam, some have elongated bow and stem posts to give a Venetian look; bold sheer (as befits a work boat intended for fishing), self draining cockpit fwd, low deck house and aft cockpit.
The engines were marinised automotive engines and many early ones were made by local engineers.
The older traditional boats have a disappearing prop arrangement akin to the American Dispro boats (check out Wooden Boat). The Dispro has a cast tunnel that the prop shaft and prop pivot up into. The Pinasse has a slot about six inches wide from a third of the way fwd from the stern post. The prop shaft emerges at the fwd end of the slot and there is a bronze universal to allow the prop shaft to pivot up when a lever is raised in the aft cockpit or automatically if the skeg scrapes on a sandbar.
The hull form is interesting. They appear round bilge but in fact have a chine on the middle third of the hull.

One boatyard built most of the boats and above  are several photos of the sheds. Makes my eyes go all misty and George and Pam’s will too. They have so much space in there but only a couple of major rebuilds in progress. One smallish burdensome sailing boat of about 16’ and one elderly Pinasse who has a new stem, chines, set of floors and most of the bottom having new planks.
 Six generations of one family worked the yard and it was recently sold to a man and his sister who continue the work.
Lovely place!

There are a lot of references but few specific to our interests. Go trawling!
http://www.dubourdieu.fr/en/history.html

Mahaki – Sailing Sunday

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Wellington Boat Harbour
photo from Karaka Wharf Wellington

MAHAKI – Sailing Sunday
photos & details ex Angus Rogers

Angus Rogers has sent in the above photos of the yacht Mahaki, owned by his grandfather Lionel B Rogers with EJ Jamieson and JF Harrison in Wellington and the photos were taken about 1909. Angus knows nothing about the design but is a fan of her clipper bow.

Sadly Mahaki was wrecked on the Wairarapa coast a year or so later on a trip which Angus’s grandfather wanted to go on but could not because he was made by his mother to go to a funeral of an aunt. It was fortunate that he didn’t because all lives on board were lost with the boat.
Note: the information about the name, owners and locations are from writing on the backs of the photos

Can we shed some more light on Mahaki in terms of designer / builder & other owners?

Positive News On The Historic Vos Boat Yard – view video footage of CYA member Baden Pascoe talking about the Vos yard & the funding announcement.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/70496491/historic-auckland-boat-yard-set-for-47m-relaunch

Photos from the Round The Island race during the British Classic Week

Round The Island at Panerai British Classic Week

Harold Kidd Input

This Wellington MAHAKI was designed and built by J.T. Pratt in late 1895 for himself. The design may well have come from an overseas design, possibly in one of Dixon Kemp’s books, as did many other at the time. She was quite small, rating 1.6 or 1.7. Pratt sold her Wiggins and Hannah about 1899 and subsequent owners were Anderson & Co (1902) then the Jamieson syndicate (1906). Birch and Elliott appear to have owned her from 1907 but may just be members of the Jamieson syndicate. When her owners “went to the Front” in WW1 she was hauled up at Balaena Bay and deteriorated. She was broken up for her lead there in late 1917. Several other yachts were scrapped at the same time including MAY.
I think the tale of the wreck on the Wairarapa coast is a conflation with the wreck of a similar yacht around the same time, one of many Wellington yachts that left their bones in and around Palliser Bay.

PS thinking about the wreck, supposedly of MAHAKI, I reckon the story of the loss of the 24ft keel yacht TE AROHA has got mixed up with the legend. TE AROHA was built in late 1899 by R.G. Millman and foundered on January 2nd 1905 at Wellington Heads after returning from the Sounds. All three on board lost their lives. Maybe Lionel Rogers was meant to sail on TE AROHA?

Curlew

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CURLEW
photos ex Thomas Gross, details ex Harold Kidd

Curlew was built by Bailey & Lowe at Auckland for Percy Dufaur and launched in February 1912. Percy Dufaur was a law clerk working for the legal firm Dufaur Fawcett (now Cairns Slane). He owned many yachts in his time but was very fond of the concept of a small, seaworthy cruising boat.
Curlew had a 4hp Auckland-built Kapai auxiliary from new and was a centre boarder. Dufaur sold her to W. Abbott in 1914 and he sold her to H E Chamberlin of Ponui Island in 1918.
In 1919 A T Jamieson of Northcote bought her. He had admired Curlew and had had Bailey & Lowe build him a very similar yacht called Kereru in 1916 although she was a keel yacht. Jamieson kept her for 2 years, selling her to George Lepper of Northcote who used her to transport NZ Herald newspapers to Northcote for distribution every morning, 6 days a week.
W. Keen owned her in 1946 and D J Best 1946 to 1951 when boat builder Dave Jackson bought her (hopefully Dave J can tell us more about her recent history).
K Darrach owned her in 1973 and Bert Knight of Ngunguru owned her in 1989.
From 1946 her registration number was O15.

These days Curlew is owned by Thomas Gross & moored at Bucklands Beach.

ADVICE NEEDED 🙂
Thomas has a question for the woody boaters out there – he is after some guidance on how to re-build Curlew’s rudder that broke in 2 pieces. He has the pieces stored on the boat to bring home and use as form for the new one, but was wondering where to start, e.g. he has read that he should use different sheets of plywood and put them in different directions etc, but was wondering if the ww followers know of more information on this or what other options to rebuild the rudder.

Update – 19-09-2015

Whangateau Traditional Boay yard have been helping Thomas with the repairs – Pam’s words “Lots of good wood still so George decided to make some simple repairs.
New rods with thread and nut to draw it all up tight again”

And for the yachties – todays bonus is a link to Day 4 + Ladies Race photos from the British Classic Week. Enjoy

Day 4, Race 5 & Ladies Race at British Classic Week