Being berthed alongside the Paeroa Maritime Park & Museum dock provided me the perfect opportunity to say hi and check out the amazing refit / restoration that took place over 8 years. She was re-launched in 2020 and was a cool father and son project. The pivoting helm seat was one example of the very well thought out utilisation of space.
Maroro has a very large chunk of iron in her engine by – the repurposed Dorman engine has previously had several lives ashore as an industrial work horse.
Her owners the Thomas family understand Maroro was built / launched c.1905, but her designer / builder is unknown, so any help with shedding some light on her past would be much appreciated.
Bottom end of Waiheke Island Chamberlains BaySummer WineSea Fever
Tuna
Isle of ArranAwarikiLucille
Summer Wine & Takahoa
Chamberlains Bay Classic Launches – Golden Hour
The truely talented boating photographers talk about the ‘golden hour’, the period just before sunset and just after dawn. Rarely in a bay is it an hour, sometimes it is 10>15 minutes before the sun disappears behind the hills or clouds.
On the Thursday before Easter, this average photographer (me) arrived in Chamberlains Bay, Ponui Island at just the right time and captured some special photos of the woody launches gathering for the Woody Classics Weekend cruise the next day up the Waihou River to Paeroa.
Over Easter while I was dodging mud/sand banks on the Waihou River on-route to Paeroa, the other 1/2 was attacking the Abel Tasman Park walk. After ticking off the 3 day walk , they arrived late at night at their Nelson hotel, I get a txt the next morning of a photo of the marina view from the hotel room. Took a lot of pleading to get the walker out of bed and catch the good light looking for woodys.
Nice to see Seabird looking very smart – new paint job?
Following on from Easters Woody Cruise up the Waihou River to Paeroa, today we get a sneak peak at the venue for the weekends activities – the Historical Maritime Park & Museum. The Museum is located just above the banks of the river on State Highway 2, just before the township of Paeroa, you can’t miss it. Map at the bottom of todays story.
The Museum building and the surrounding Park grounds hosts an amazing collection of memorabilia from both the area and New Zealand’s nautical past, do stop, you will not be disappointed.
This Saturday, 23rd, at 10am there is a once in a ‘long time’ auction of marine stuff, serious stuff, stuff that deserves to be on display at the entrance to a marina, or as an outdoor sculpture. Check out the photos below of two of the items – lots more – view here. https://auction.abauctions.co.nz/auctions/4-5OS4EN/engineering-woodworking-farm-auction
The address is 111 Riverland Road, Riverhead, West Auckland or bid on-line
Back in Dec 2021 we advised that the 1939 Colin Wild launch – Rehia had a new owner and that she was hauled out at the Slipway Milford for some pressing systems work before her summer cruise. Link here to that story. https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/12/18/rehia-finds-a-new-home/
In the last month Rehia has been out again for a Jason Prew Paint Job (JPPJ) at the Slipway Milford, at the same time the ‘rolling’ maintenance programme continued – lots of bits added and removed to make family boating easier and more enjoyable.
When she slipped back in, she had quite a thirst and the mobile big sucker pump had to be brought on-board. Owner Joe spent a restless first night aboard, but the old girl settled down in the next 24 hours.
Following on from yesterdays story on the weekends journey to and from the Paeroa Maritime Museum & Park, today we shine the light on one of the coolest attractions at the Museum.
The classic wooden 34’ launch Ariana , under the command of skipper and tour guide – Peter Vandersloot, takes passengers from the Museums dock to the town dock in the centre of Paeroa township. The journey takes approx. 55 minutes and passengers normally do the return journey via bus – the trip is very tide dependent, so always check in advance re sailings.
I recommend the ride, for me it was the highlight of the weekend, and we were treated to a good old school – morning tea at the RSA, just so good 🙂
Read more on the trip and the other vessels servicing the route at the link below
Woodys Classic Launch Easter River Cruise To Paeroa
The Easter weekend cruise was always going to be a biggie – with most launches having to travel upwards of 10 hours to reach the final destination – the ‘waterfront’ Historical Maritime Museum & Park in Paeroa. Most of the woody fleet gathered Thursday evening in Chamberlain Bay, Ponui Island in anticipation of an early start across the Firth of Thames, to rendezvous with the launches arriving from Thames and to collect our guide / navigator for the trip up the Waihou River. I’d have to say that the straight line trip across the Firth of Thames was 4 hours of my life I’ll never get back 🙂
We meet just off the old Kopu Swing Bridge which was opened specially for us to pass thru – and the welcome / turn out on the old bridge was outstanding. Must have been a quiet day in Thames, maybe it was that it was Good Friday and most things (pubs etc) were closed 😉
We shot thru the gap and 10 minutes later our lead boat, with navigator on board, found a mud bank and were ‘stationary’ for over an hour. Once moving again the remainder of the 4+ hour journey was fun to travel together in close proximity, but the scenery got very repetitive and at 5 knots max – the going was slow. The skippers were kept awake by lots of locals who had gathered at wharfs and in paddocks to wave as we went past. The dodging of the occasional ‘grassberg’ (floating mid-stream) also kept skippers on their toes.
The final short leg from the main river to the Museum dock again saw the lead boat aground and a wait for more tide.
We sneaked in just before dusk, a very long 10 hour day.
Jason Prew and Peter Vandersloot oversaw the shoehorning of the 10 woodys into the docking area. Then it was ashore to stretch the legs and a BBQ dinner/ catch up. The Museum had set up an impressive and most appreciated dining / BBQ area for the crews to enjoy. Post dinner most returned to the boats for an early night.
Observation- it’s bloody cold up a creek in the middle of the Waikato, thank god for hot water bottles.
Saturday was another cracker autumn day. The crews enjoyed a trip on the classic launch – Ariana (skippered by Peter Vandersloot) to the Paeroa township for morning tea at the local RSA – hot scones and pastries – always a winner. To balance out the catering, the river trip was split in two – with 1/2 the crew travelling by bus and boating back and same same in reverse for the other 1/2.
The day saw a great turn-out of locals visiting the Museum and walking the docks. I would encourage you to search the following words Kopu Bridge / Waihou River / Maritime Museum & Park on Facebook – the weekend was covered by so many people – lots more photos and videos to see.
Special mention must be made to Peter Vandersloot who masterminded the weekend and was on hand to provide so many insights into the heritage of the area, vessels and personalities. The Museum’s Chairperson Colin James and partner Gloria (a trustee) who were everywhere when needed and helped the weekend run smoothly.
Lastly none of this would have happened without woodys Jason Prew from The Slipway Milford, and Kerry Lilley for pulling everything together – well done guys.
The return trip back down the river had its challenges, very complicated tide table – but to the best of my knowledge no one is still there 🙂
The Museum and their boat trips are a must do if you are passing thru or around Paeroa. And big ups to the local council and business association – Paeroa is a healthy, well presented town, and a credit to everyone living there.
Over the next week I’ll do additional WW stories on the Museum, the river trip to Paeroa on board Ariana and a few of the launches that made the trip.
(Woodys who attended – My Girl, Raindance, Awariki, Lucille, Summer Wine, Ngarimu, Lucinda, Maroro, Cindy Jane, Kaikoura, and guest appearance by Ariana – refer photos below)
(Photo credits to – Jason Prew, Linus Fleming, Andre Thomas, Andrew & Mechaela Dobbs and yours truly)
THE FLEET
AWARIKI – 1967 – Owen WoolleyMARORO – c.1905 – tbaNGARIMU – 1945 – Fred GoldboroKAIKOURA – 1951 – Percy VosSUMMER WINE- Noel May – 1992CINDY JANE – 1975 – Pelin EmpressMY GIRL – 1925- W H Hand JrRAINDANCE – 1928 – Lane Motor Boat CompanyLUCILLE – Logan 33LUCINDA – 1930 – L Coulthard
In the early days of WW the 1930, 38′ Lane Motorboat Co. launch – Falcon was all over the WW site. Her then owner James Mobberley (Moon Engines) hardly ever let the engine cool down.
Always a fast boat, James transplanted a 180hp Hino engine into her and she was probably the fastest in the classic fleet e.g. >18 knots.
When you have small children a fast narrowish classic woody is not that practical, so sadly James and family moved on to a big white plastic boat – but he will be back, that I’m confident about.
Falcon passed thru several owners and was starting to show her age on a swing mooring in Whangarei Basin.
Then a good thing happened – one of Moon Engines talented engineers bought Falcon and relocated her back to Auckland. The next year was spent giving Falcon a makeover in terms of her running gear, systems and home comforts – the above photos give us a peek into how things should be done on a boat – still a little bit of tidying up, but a perfect opportunity to view the installation work.
Remember to click on the photos to enlarge 😉
WOODYS PAEROA RIVER RAID
One shows us how its done and another how it comes undone 😉
Today’s photo shows the yacht Nga Toa alongside the wharf in Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island and is dated 1933. It would appears that the bedding was getting some time in the sun. Photo ex Russell Brooke. To me its one of the coolest old woody photos I have seen.
Sadly Nga Toa was wrecked in Wellington in the 1980’s
On the subject of the Brooke family and seeing its Easter I have reproduced below one of Jack Brooke’s drawing, recording the travels of their yacht Kiariki over Easter 1962, when they cruised to Kawau Island, Leigh and Waiheke Island and a few points in-between. Crew: John Brooke, R Hunt snr., R Hunt jnr., R Smith & W Bass.
Jack produced a hand drawing on each cruise, over 20 of them have appeared on WW thanks to son Robert making them available. Search Jack Brooke Cruise Collection in the WW search box to view more.
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