Pastime + VOS Shed

Posted on by
Reply

PASTIME

Todays woody story comes to us via John Dawson who sent in a link to a Auckland Museum collection file on the 1914 Auckland Power Boat Association race to Cowes Bay, Waiheke Island. The event was run on the 7th March, 1914.

The launch featured is the 24’ Pastime, previously on WW  we learnt that she was built by T. Le Huquet in late 1912.

Quite an unusual cabin/cockpit top, the owners must have been years ahead of the ’stay out of the sun’ crusade.

AND THE QUESTION OF THE DAY – Whats happening with the Percy Vos Shed ?

All dressed up and ready to shine BUT a peek in the door reveals a dust bowel – appears nothing has happened since I was last inside for the August 12th 2021 offical launching party…….. that’s 62 weeks ago. As numerous people have told me, the Maritime Museum (who ‘control’ the building) couldn’t organise a piss-up in a brewery. At the August 2021 function it was announced that both the NZ Classic Yacht Association and the New Zealand Traditional Boat Building School would be tenants – anyone able or brave enough to supply an update?

The one positive from this is that the muppets at the CYA pushing the new Heritage Basin Yacht Only Marina will probably be long dead before the Maritime Museum gets around to making the yacht only marina a happening thing 🙂

Allergy – Auckland’s Most Engaging Classic Craft – Offered For Sale

Posted on by
5

ALLERGY – Auckland’s Most Engaging Classic Craft – Offered For Sale

Allergy was launched in 1985, built by Kerry Huntington for prominent Auckland businessman Alan Gibbs. Her design is ex Pete Culler / Denis Ganley and length over all is 58’ with a beam of 14’, so woodys she is a rather big girl, and after Auckland sailmaker Dave Giddens purchased her she has acquired a reputation as one of the most hospitable boats in the Hauraki Gulf. 

As you would expect being owned by a sail maker Allergy sports an impressive sail wardrobe but most days she slots comfortably into the motor-sailer division. Forward motion (>10 knots) is via a Ford 130hp diesel, that was installed new in 1985 when launched.

The craft was designed and fitted out for cruising in comfort with a separate owners cabin + 2nd double berth and upwards of 3 single berths. 6’6” cabin headroom and large dining area, that I have seen 10 seated at dinner. The cockpit would be one of the most comfortable roomy area I have experienced on a vessel, a reflection of the trade skills of owner. Her ample side decks allow for morning exercise laps + perfect for the pets, kids could even bring a small pony 🙂  With her center board up, she only draws approx. 3′, perfect for securing the best anchoring spot in the bay.

If todays story sounds like a for sale notice – it is, after 30 years of ownership, Dave Gidden has asked the Wooden Boat Bureau to identify the next custodian for Allergy – so woodys if you or anyone you know is looking for the penultimate floating holiday / getaway venue – Allergy is it. And it is priced to sell. Serious enquiries to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Todays WW story hopefully will solve the question – “where are we going for Xmas” for one lucky family.

28-11-2022 UPDATE – some ask me does it sail – of course , see below

Gulf Star

Posted on by
3
Labour Weekend 1980

GULF STAR 

The two c.1980 photos above come to us via Mike Mulligan ex his families photo collection.

The question of the day – is the launch above the same craft as featured below that we featured back in Sept 2014 on WW, at the time she was for sale and thanks to Harold Kidd we uncovered some of her background. Link here to that story   https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/09/25/gulf-star-cirrus-lady-edwin/

As always ,interested in your thoughts.

RSVP waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Lazy Days > Amokura

Posted on by
1

LAZY DAYS > AMOKURA

Have had a request from Jackson Lidgard for intel on the 38’ 1955 Lidgard built motor-sailer he and his father are currently doing a major refit/restoration on.

Jackson commented that she was originally named Lazy Days but renamed to Amokura sometime in the 1970’s or 80’s by the second owner. The story goes that the second owner was a Safe Air pilot from Picton who sailed her down from Auckland.

Jackson’s  family bought her 2 years ago after she had deteriorated living on a swing mooring in Havelock Sound for the last 20 years or so. When purchased they were told it was a John Alden design but have been unable to confirm this. 

Currently 4 months or so into her restoration in a shrink wrap shed on the Waikawa handstand. The top photo above was before the current project commenced.

Any information on the yacht would be greatly appreciated. For those woodys using Instagram there are regularly updates under the blog handle of  @todothingsblog A random selection of photos from the blog below.

And for those wondering around the surnames of the builder and the restorer – yes there is a link but very distant.

RSVP waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Mystery Launch Off Devonport Yacht Club – Raumati II > Moeraki

Posted on by
6

MYSTERY LAUNCH OFF DEVONPORT YACHT CLUB – Raumati II > Moeraki

Todays mystery launch photo comes to us via Mitchell Hutchings fb from the Parsonson Family collection.

There appears to be a working-bee underway at the Devonport Yacht Club on what must be the western slipway.

The Mason Clipper in the photo must help date the photo.

19-10-2022 INPUT FROM FRANK WARNOCK – I am almost certain that the launch in Mondays report moored off the Devonport Yacht Club was Happy Wanderer owned by John Senior. The working bee was replacing a rail on the Western slipway or cementing an existing one back after a storm. The date would be the 1960s.

30-10-2022 INPUT ex Nathan Herbert – the vessel is Raumati II > Moeraki

2023 TALL SHIPS REGATTA – DETAILS BELOW

RSVP waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Spindrift – The Build & Launching

Posted on by
3

Spindrift – The Build & Launching

On Friday we featured the launch – Spindrift and asked for more details – well as you can see from the above photo gallery we certainly got an answer 🙂
Firstly Spindrift is a new build, launched in early December 2021 – designed by Gary Underwood (design #71) and owner built by Hilton and Melva Ward. 
To quote Hilton she is a 10 metre, multi-chine ply passage maker powered by a 35hp Beta (Kubota) engine.

Hilton has a very informative blog on the whole back story from design to first cruise, link below. I have just ‘cherry picked’ a selection of photos for todays story.  https://thenewspindrift.blogspot.com/?m=1

Spindrift calls Ngunguru Estuary, Northland home, but there are plans for some serious cruising this summer. The build commenced in early 2016, but Underwood did the design work two years prior  – see sketches below + model Hilton made to see how it would look in real life.

As always – click on photos to enlarge 😉

01-06-2024 – photo below ex Natalie Collinson fb anchored at Ngunguru

Rata

Posted on by
6

RATA

The launch Rata recently made an appearance on Lew Redwoods fb, a WW search comes up with several craft of the same name but not this woody. The location looks ’southern’ to my eyes.

Can we expand of her past and current location?

19-10-2022 Input ex Ray Morey – After Whangarei Towboats folded up, (Jack Fisher, Kay Fisher and Ivan Rolfe) Ivan bought Rata from a ship broker in Auckland where she was lying. We brought her up to Whangarei where we put a heavy panting beam across behind the engine and mounted a towpost bridge behind the wheelhouse, after the style of the Alert, where the load was transfered to the deck, not the cabins.She had a 4-71 with 2:1 red box so swung a decent prop.I spent a lot of time towing one of the W.H.B. bottom dump suction dredge barges, mostly “Rua” with her mainly on the main channel before Westminster came in and deepened the place. We also did provisioning of the oil tankers at Marsden Point and bunkering oils for the ships. I knew she had come from the sounds area origionally. When “A.A. Tankcleaning” sold her I believe she went “up to the islands” as a village supply boat but was lost soon after. I was driving her about 1964-65.

Photo Below – by again ex Ray Morey of Rata off Onerahi about 1965 when owned by Ivan Rolfe.

Something From Left Field 

Like most classic woody boating enthusiasts I’m not a fan of jet skis / personal water craft etc – they have a habit of shattering the peace and quiet in a bay. The ones used for fishing are all good. The one below is almost starting to look ok, lose the white on white paint scheme and it would be very cool.

Another Day Another Woody Boat Yard

Posted on by
2

Another Day Another Woody Boat Yard

The Milford Slipway was looking very woody friendly this week, the yard full + Pacific was slotted in next door at the Milford Cruising Club yard.

The TCL is continuing on Valsan and Laughing Lady up for a pre summer tickle up.

Spindrift + Save A Classic From The Chainsaw

Posted on by
4

SPINDRIFT

One of my ’spotters’,  Dean Wright, in the north sent in on Wednesday night the above photo of Spindrift. Dean commented that Spindrift was a newbie to him and myself also.

The photo shows her coming up the Kerikeri Inlet (Doves Bay). 

Can anyone enlighten us on Spindrift, there is an interesting mix of styles going on, but overall she looks very salty.

UPCOMING WOODY EVENTS

We have a long weekend coming up – Labour W/end – OCt 22nd > 24th) historically we tend to point the bow towards Kawau Island, weather permitting, if the weather gods are nice the plan is a catch up / drink ashore on Saturday at the Kawau Boating Club. Always very informal, so probaly around 3.30>4pm. If your around drop in.

FREE TO A GOOD HOME – Parma

The classic launch Parma recently had an oops and sank – story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/08/04/classic-launch-parma-sinks-under-harbour-bridge/

Parma

The insurance surveyor has advised they have offered up Parma at no charge other than removal costs from Hobsonville Marina Hardstand – if no takers by Oct 21st – she sadly will be cut up. Interested parties contact Simon Marshall via email simon.marshall@nz.sedgwick.com

Tassie

Posted on by
2

TASSIE

Todays WW story is short and sweet – spent most of yesterday driving back from up north, the road works are so bad – the Brynderwyn Hills were reduced to single lane, so traffic was backed up for miles, and each ‘pass’ took 20+ minutes. And that was just one of numerous minor projects that looked like they had been turned into major projects given the number of orange cones 🙂 

Above we have a photo of a launch named Tassie that was sent in by Mike Mulligan and comes from the family collection. The photos tagged ‘H.M.S. Tassie – Mr & Mrs Gilmore & tart at the back’, one can only assume the ’T’ was well known to the photographer, hopefully or else a strong legal letter might be coming my way 🙂

Do we know anything about Tassie?

Input from Nathan Herbert – Certainly a Coulthard. Coulthard’s daughter told me a story about an issue of non-payment involving Tassie or Tassie II in which he refused to let the boat leave at the railway/wharf(was she being shipped down country?) until accounts had been settled.Photo below ex Rosemary Robinson’s grandfather Coulthard collection.