The top b/w photo of the Rocky Bay Memorial Cruising Club at Waiheke Island is dated 1990 comes to us from the Akl Library Hert. Collection via Maurice Sharp – fast forward 30 years and its not a lot different – photo taken yesterday.
I also spotted my 1st wooden – below.
Found this little gem in a Waiheke store -1st Editions sell on trademe for $120+ , the asking price was $70, but the WW t-shirt, got me a $10 discount, because she felt it was gung to a good home. Further proof Joyce Talbot that I do like yachts 😉
Today’s gallery of photos comes to us from Glenn Martin who was mooching around the haul out yard at Coromandel township last week – some have made quest appearances on WW before and some are newbies. If you know anything about them – chirp in at the WW comments section.
Thank heavens the 25th has been and gone – we do we do it, too much of everything. A special day this year, first time all the tribe where in country and under one roof. The weather is ace on Waiheke Island so we slipped an early swim in before the present stampede, you would think we would be more civilised as we get older – yeah right. Then a long lunch.
MERRY WOODY CHRISTMAS Wishing you all a safe and Merry Christmas and happy New Year, hopefully you will get to spend some time with your family and friends. A know quite a lot of you will be finding a WW t-shirt under the Christmas tree this morning, it always makes me proud to see so many of you supporting our amazingly cool wooden boating community. On a personal note, while must of us didn’t get to spend a lot of time a float in the last 12 months, I did get to rubbed shoulders with a lot of you online and I never cease to be amazed by your friendship and generosity. The feedback and input I get from people is what keeps me motivated to write a woody story everyday. To those that have sent in stories and photos, I thank you for sharing them with us.
While the covid plague restricted the use of our boats, a lot of maintenance and restorations have been happening at yards and sheds and in the spring we saw a lot of classics re-entering the scene.We have also seen a large number of folks buying classics and a high percentage of younger owners, making the switch to wood.
It is my intention these holidays, technology and wifi access allowing, to keep publishing the daily stories. But if for some reason I miss a day, just check in again the next day. I ask that if you see anything woody related over the festive period you take a photo and send it in to waitematawoodys@gmail.com I’m always looking for content.
On a business front it was a big year for the Wooden Boat Bureau, and both myself and David Cooke would like to say thanks to all the people that we helped sell or buy a wooden boat in 2021 – The markets still active with buyers looking for well presented, smart looking woodys – so remember the WBB if you are thinking of buying or selling https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/12/01/wooden-boat-bureau-advice-for-buyers-and-sellers/
We featured Lady Margaret on WW when she relocated north to Whangarei , now in the talented hands of Alistair McRae, Lady Margaret is looking very smart after some lock-down maintenance and recently getting her top sides painted and new antifoul – all set for summer cruising.
The 38′ Lady Margaret was built in 1955 by L. Beacon of Mt Albert. Lady Margaret has had more name changes than most woodys and shares the LM tag with a lot of classic woodys – so a little birdie tells me another could be on the way – hopefully they won’t stray too far from the previous – maybe Happy Lady, second thoughts maybe not – sounds like a ‘lady of the night 🙂 Lots more to read and view herehttps://waitematawoodys.com/2020/10/31/lady-margaret-happy-wanderer-lady-mary-gets-some-tlc/
The photo above of the launch – Koanui popped up recently on Lew Redwood’s fb and is tagged ‘Cyclone Bola, 1988. Kohanui in Red Cliffs’ (Great Barrier Island). It might be a bit hard to see in the photo, but she has an anchor down. I bet there was no sleep aboard that night.
FYI – Cyclone Bola created some of the largest rainfall totals for a single storm in the history of NZ. Some locations receiving more than half their annual rainfall totals from the storm. WW knows nothing more on the launch Koanui, so we would love to hear from anyone that can enlighten us. Only 2 sleeps till the jolly fat man arrives – fingers crossed he found all the hints I left around the house 🙂
UPDATE 28-12-2021 Ant Smit sent in the photo below, showing Koanui berthed at OBC marina in Auckland. Looking very smart.
The classic launch Aumoe, builtin 1913 by Tom Le Huguet is now calling the Milford Marina home. Could this mine we will see her out and about more? Or maybe an upcoming haul out at The Milford Slipway……
Type Aumoe in the WW Search box to see more on Aumoe 🙂
Help Needed – Anyone have a Whitianga Mooring For Rental This Xmas > Jan – see below
Helped Needed – The txt message you dont need / want – see below. I did sort of help, turns out it was electrical. Now looking for a Bayswater Marina friendly sparky.
And Proof That Its Worth While Dropping A Line or Getting Wet – Not mine But A Mates Catch Yesterday – And Don’t Ask, Lets Just Say Spot X
At What Number Do You Stop Being A Collector & Become A Hoarder? – Maru The fleet of classic vessels under the wing of Jason Prew grew over the weekend after a trip to Cooks Beach to extract the 24’ Mullet boat – Maru. Built be Clare and Collings, her sail number was #12. The clip below from the Boating NZ archives records how Mr Prew acquired the vessel.
The 24’ Lake Rotoiti based woody – Rambler was built by Joseph Anderson in the Big Omaha Valley near Matakana and launched in 1913. It took 3 years to build the boat and she was one of the first boats to be built with a kauri strip plank construction. Rambler was used to travel to Auckland as it was easier by boat than by road. After returning from World War 1, George Anderson, Joseph’s son, used Rambler to travel to Kawau Island for cray fishing, trapping possums and hunting deer. These trips also became the delivery for mail and provisions to those living on Kawau.
In the mid 1930’s, Rambler was sold to the local cobbler in Matakana and the boat was used for fishing trips but later was left in the mud in a sorry state. In the 1970’s Rambler was sold and given a major refit including having a top cabin added.
Rambler was discovered in Howick in 2000 and was brought to Lake Rotoiti, Rotorua by her current owners, where she was refitted with a revamped interior, hand made cedar mast, bronze and brass fittings and a number of other improvements. Approx. 1990 her engine was changed from a petrol Chev 4 to a two cylinder 20hp Chinese diesel. This still goes but needs to be replaced. Amazingly Rambler has had only four owners in her 108 year old life, and now is on the market, awaiting her next custodian. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up.
The First Yacht Confirmed For The New CYA Heritage Basin Marina
If you were asleep all week, might be a good idea to click on the image below to catch up on the controversy around the probable selection criteria for classic CYA vessels berthing in the new CYA 40 berth waterfront marina.
click image to view
WW Quiz Winners – The answer to the Friday quiz re the number of boats Collings & Bell built turns out to be very questionable – Ron Wattlen in his book states over 1000 (see screen grab below) turns out it was a lot less – so woodys to be fair & kind (pass me a bucket) all entries went into the draw and the two winners of a copy of the book – ‘C J & A J Collings – Designed & Boat Builders’ are:
• Ross Dawson – Papakura • Dean Wright – B.O.I. (copies are in the mail)
Very chuffed to advise that the 1939 Colin Wild designed and built launch – Rehia has found new owners after an extend spell on tme. Bought by a young family that have the desire and commitment to return her to her former glory. Which she deserves, being woody royalty i.e. ex the Colin Wild stable. When a boat survives 80+ years in almost original configuration, it tells you that the designer got it right.
WW will follow this one closely, being ‘nice people’ the first project was fitting a holding tank – had to cash a few credits in at The Slipway Milford to get the work done at short notice – thank you Mr Prew 🙂 Lots of past Rehia stories on WW, search her name in the WW Search Panel – for lots of photos.
24-02-2022 Input ex Scott Taylor – Scott sent in the sketch and photo below of his fathers (Mac Taylor) time spent on Rehia on boom patrol during the WWII, Mac drew the pencil sketch of which Scott has the original.
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