Clevedon Woody Mooching

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Lady Gazelle
Mystery Couldrey
Antares

Clevedon Wood Mooching

Had a good excuse to point the car south yesterday so took a side trip to Clevedon and mooched around one of the ‘private’ docks.

Very pleased to see that work is underway of Lady Gazelle, you may recall back in March she came to grief during Cyclone Gabrille (WW story link below) – a new owner has stepped up and we look forward to her relaunch. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/03/02/lady-gazelle-on-the-rocks/

The mystery Couldrey has been put out graze but is all rugged up for winter. Last appeared on WW back in August 2022 – link below  https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/08/16/a-call-for-help-2/

I spotted the 36’  c.1950’s launch – Antares , one of the better looking launches to come out of the Supreme Craft factory. More on her a future story. Previous WW story and lots of photos here https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/09/25/antares-2/

Also a few boats, below, looking unlikely to see the ocean again.

A Recount Of Our Classic Wooden Craft DNA 

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Grace under sail
CLICK The Headline – Grace Under Sail to view

A Recount Of Our Classic Wooden Craft DNA 

Recently I was sent a link to an article that appeared in the New Zealand Geographic magazine back in 2000 – in fact issue 45 , Jan-March. The article was headlined – GRACE UNDER FIRE, written by Vaughan Yarwood with supporting photos from the late Henry Winkelmann and more recent photos ex Hamish Ross and Paul Gillbert.

The stars of the article is the 42’ 1908 Logan built gaff rigged cutter – Rawene, and her then skipper Russell Brooke.

This is a brilliant insight into the early days of boating in and around Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour, I’m sure there will be some mix ups re dates, skipper/craft names but overall we get to see and read the history of these magnificent craft, a lot of which are still sailing today.

Have a read, its only 10>15 minutes, longer if if you linger over the photos 🙂  – even a die-hard motorboat owner like myself found it a fascinating read.

Havoc On The Water Front

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Havoc On The Water Front

The recent stormy weather in Auckland claimed another woody at the end of last week. 

Young Luca Beachman was cycling home after completing his Herald paper round on Friday and spotted the 46’ launch Ussco ‘parked’ very precariously on the Tamaki Drive break water. 

Fingers crossed she was re floated with little damage, built of 4 skin kauri so should be able to withstand an oops. Can anyone update us.

Recently advertised for sale  – details here https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/04/14/mv-ussco-4sale/

INPUT EX BRETT KING – Ussco is hauled out at the hardstand at Half Moon Bay marina 

Raindance Gets Some Cosmetic Surgery

For the whole time that I have owned Raindance I have been faced with a do I / don’t I situation regarding the things attached to her hull – too short to be called bilge keels and questionable efficiency as anti-roll stabilizers. All the people whose opinion I value have said get rid of them. So in a weak moment last week at the Slipway Milford I said yes and wham-mo they were gone.

Will be interesting to see / experience the difference…………………

Looking even more like a greyhound 🙂

JOMARLI – A Peek Down Below

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JOMARLI – A Peek Down Below

Todays woody is the 32’ launch – Jomarli, designed and built in 1959 by Jack Taylor. She has a beam of 10’6” and draws 3’. A 120hp Ford Lehman Diesel engine gives Jomarli a comfortable cruising speed of 7>9 knots.

From the above photos ex a recent tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) we can see she is well appointed . I believe she has since sold.

ORDER VIA EMAIL HERE waitematawoodys@gmail.com

LADY AVA – Unseen Sinking Photo

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LADY AVA – Unseen Sinking Photo

Back in June 2020 we ran 1/2 a story on the 1931 Ernie Lane (Picton) built launch – Lady Ava (once named Miss Ava). The original story was about her sinking but due to the then owners situation it was decided to ‘dilute’ the story e.g. no photo of her demise. Link to the 2020 story below.

Well three years have past so today you get to see her joining the submariners club. Last I heard she was secured near/alongside the Leader Boat Builders shed on the Panmure River. Photos below taken not long after her recovery.https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/06/04/alpheus-a-peek-down-below-lady-ava-sinks/

Can we get an update on Lady Ava’s current situation.

Update: More photos below ex Mark Laughlin

TEMPEST – A Peek Down Below

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TEMPEST – A Peek Down Below

Back in May 2020 on a road trip to Kerikeri I spotted the 30’ 1964 McGeady built launch – Tempest moored at the Dove Bay Marina, link below to that story. At the time she was looking a little un-loved. https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/09/13/korawai-an-update/

Prior to the 2020 story she made an appearance in October 2014, back then she was a well maintained woody. Link below, lots of detail there . https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/26/9340/

Fast forward to earlier this year she popped up on tme, so today we get a peek down below. 

Forward motion is via a 95 hp 6 cylinder Ford diesel.

ORDER VIA EMAIL HERE waitematawoodys@gmail.com

LADY BESS – Live Aboard Project

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LADY BESS – Live Aboard Project

The 1922 Lady Bess was built by Leon Warne, St Marys Beach in Auckland. Originally built for passenger service around Waiheke Island and later in Tauranga. Then purpose modified for fishing charter work out of Helenville on the west coast of the North Island.

She is built of kauri, carvel hull, 48’6” in length and powered by a 471 GM Detroit engine, this gives her a cruising speed of 7>9 knots.

Interior is particularly stripped out ready for a new interior to suit her next life – domestic or back in charter.

Her tme me listing (thanks Ian McDonald) closes on 23-05-2023 and current bidding is sub $2500. Located at Gulf Harbour.

21-05-23 Input ex Alan Johnson (the nice one) – subject to final bidding but it looks like Lady Bess is off to Mangawhai

And from Bill Faulkner — She ran as a workboat for Harbour Transport on Tauranga harbour for many years. At least 1955 -1975 towing barges / logs from Bunns Mill on Matakana Island and ferrying workers / residents at the mill. I recall her coming into Coronation Pier circa 1962ish and the reverse gear failed at the optimum moment and she went under the pier and wiped the wheelhouse off. No injuries thankfully. A nice hull shape and one of the quickest displacement launches on the harbour. Great to see she’s still going strong.

Puruwai

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PURUWAI

Sometimes the odd email in the WW inbox sips between the cracks – today woodys is one of those, back in June 2022 Mike Ogier pointed me to a fb marketplace post on the yacht Puruwai – a kauri planked 40′ restoration project. Her story stated that she had been ’sailed internationally.At the time she was in s yard in Te Puna, Bay of Plenty.

Question of the day, did she sell and what became of her.

Margaret Joy

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MARGARET JOY 

One of the lines that pricks up my ears is “ I was going through some old family photos” – almost always there is an attachment of great photos linked to a woody.

Late last year David Engleback sent me a note that started with those words – turns out David’s wife’s grandfather – Gerald Wilson ( of Browns Bay) was aboard the launch – Margaret Joy in Feb 1955 and landed a 220ib. Marlin fishing in the Bay of Islands – as seen in the above photo weighing in at Russell and looking very happy. 

A google search by David popped up some previous WW stories on Margaret Joy, links below. Lots of speculation as to who designed / built her but todays photo confirms the name. Well done Robin Elliott back in 2016 getting it right.

2019https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/01/04/margaret-joy-a-mystery-game-boat/

2016 https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/04/02/mystery-launch-02-04-2016/

ORDER HERE waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Kaha – Help Wanted

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KAHA – Help Wanted

Back in January 2022 WW was contacted by Geremy Hinton who advised he and his father had acquired an old wooden motor-sailer named – Kaha. All they knew about her was a possible build date in the early 1900’s.

The top photo shows Kaha as found / purchased.

Since early 2022 they have been undertaking an extensive refit, as seen in the photos below.

Geremy and his father would like to learn more about Kaha, so today woodys we are reaching out to see what the collective WW minds can come up with.