Aquarius Is Back

Posted on by
7

AQUARIUS IS BACK 

The 1955, 38’ Supreme Craft built, ex game fishing classic launch Aquarius first appeared on WW back in Sept 2018, at the time she was hauled out on Waiheke Island and in a very sad state and we were reaching out to find a passionate woody that would take her under their wing – see that story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/09/01/aquarius-sos/ In April 2019 we reported that someone had stepped up to the mark and Aquarius was being transported back to the mainland and hopefully restored – see that story here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/04/16/aquarius-saved/ Then in June 2020 we got to have a gander at the scope of the project, lots of photos here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/06/10/aquarius-restoration-update/

Now thanks to a tme listing we get a peek at the almost finished job, the listing tells us the interior need finishing and a final coat of paint to the exterior. I understand a lot of work has gone into the project – could be an easy entry into woody boating for someone prepared to roll their sleeves up.Her forward motion is via twin Ford 85hp diesel engines.  Below is a peek at her journey 🙂

UPDATE 22-12-21 – photos below from the past sent in by Shamus

30-10-2022 UPDATE – Recently popped up for sale on tme. Still a work-in-progree but some bling being assembled to go on her 🙂

RESULTS OF YESTERDAYS CYA HERITAGE BASIN POLL – 85% BACKING FOR OPEN TO ALL CYA VESSELS – Over 1000 votes cast. Very high number of individual people visiting the site yesterday, 2nd only to a Mahurangi Regatta weekend story. Thanks also to all the emails and calls – I understand peoples hesitancy to comment ‘publicly’ on the site 😉

I had an email from a long term CYA launch owner “Greetings Alan, In my anger I voted thumb down when I wanted to vote for all wooden boats in the marina. Anyway to change it?”

Important Message For All Classic Wooden Boat Enthusiasts

Posted on by
8
The Initial Concept For Heritage Landing Was On Brief
Heritage Basin – Was There Ever A Brief

TELL US YOUR VIEW – Should Auckland’s new waterfront Heritage Basin marina be: A. By invitation only for YACHTS alone that are pre WWII, NZ designed and built, and preferably gaff rigged, A Class. Or B. Be open to All CYA vessels VOTING CLOSED RESULTS BELOW – 85% SUPPORT THE MARINA BEING OPEN TO ALL CYA VESSELS

Pescador – In The Late 1980’s

Posted on by
2

PESCADOR – In The Late 1980’s

At the start of the month, we got a glimpse of the 1968 John Lidgard designed and built launch – Pescador. WW link below to that story. At the time I was contacted by Phil Vining with the promise of more details on the boat.  https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/12/01/pescador-a-southern-woody/ True to his word, Phil contacted me yesterday – I’ll let Phil tell the story:

“The WW story about ‘Pascador’ – A Southern Woody certainly brought back some fond memories for our family. I have also noticed Pascador in the
Motueka Marina looking very smart and well looked after – she is a real credit to her current owner. The last time I visited the area I also took a photo of her to show my father who owned her back in the early 1980’s. I have good memories of taking my very young family out cruising on her in the Sounds at the time. Not long after dad sold her she went to Havelock and was lengthened by the next owner to create a bigger cockpit. At this time I owned Vining Shipbrokers Ltd and we had her listed, probably late 1980’s.
Early this week I visited the Vinings Office and owner Ian Michel has done a great job of keeping the records from back in my early days. He has digitized all the old typed up listings so good to find a listing for Pescador in the system. As you can see, she was a quality design & build by John Lidgard back in 1968 … the good thing is she looks in better shape now than back then.”

TOMORROW ON WW – THE NZ CLASSIC WOODEN BOATING MOVEMENT – WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE?

Rarangi – A Peek Down Below

Posted on by
4

RARANGI – A Peek Down Below

The bridge – decker Rarangi was built in 1951 by the Lanes Motor Boat Company using kauri planking. She is 39’ in length, with a beam of 12’5”, and draws 3’11”.

The forward motion is via twin Ford 80hp diesel engines, reconditioned 100 hrs ago by Moon Engines. Being a Southern boat (Nelson) Rarangi is very well spec’ed. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up, Ian commented that Rarangi had been quite a famous Mayor Island game fishing launch. Run for many years by Bob Gray and then his daughter Jill. A photo of Rarangi at Mayor Island at the WW link below – https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/04/21/classic-launches-at-opo-bay-mayor-island/

NOT MANY POSTAGE DAYS LEFT ON THE CALENDAR IF YOU ARE WANTING WW GEAR FOR THE SANTA SACK

Ordering details here https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/11/11/58095/

Sea Hawk – SOS

Posted on by
Reply

SEA HAWK – SOS

New woody owner, Sam Mendlowitz gave me the heads up on the ex work boat – Sea Hawk and the fact that she was very close to having an affair with a back-hoe. As the heritage architects  say – its got good bones and we need to find her an owner. I understand that the asking price is low and all relative to the intentions of the next owner, I almost never put links on WW but this woody needs saving – the tme listing # is 3380519991.

Check her out and if its not you, please forward this WW story to anyone that might be her saviour. Current home is Picton.


Sloanes Beach Regatta and Centreboard Cup

A quick heads up from the Herne Bay Yacht Club – the annual Sloanes Beach Regatta and Centreboard Cup is on this coming Sat 11 Dec 2021. FYI – the post-race prize giving and music is running as a vaccine pass event, so please be ready to show your vaccine pass.

As in previous years, the day will feature around-Watchman races for boats entering the Centreboard Cup.  Come along and enjoy the spectacle of traditional mullet boat racing. 

The rough plan is as follows. 
Sat 11 Dec Sloanes Beach Regatta & Centreboard Cup
1130 Race Entries accepted at Sloanes Beach
1200 Race Start 1: Mullet Boats and other boats 18’ and over, which we expect to be following the long course
1205 Race Start 2: Boats under 18’, which we expect to be following the short course (Race only runs if enough boats show up.) Followed by Prize Giving & Music

Times are estimates only; all activities are weather dependent. 

For more details, please visit http://hbcc.net.nz/centreboardcup2021/.
To view previous events – check out the links below 
https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/12/23/2018-centreboard-cup/
https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/12/20/herne-bay-cruising-club-help-needed-iding-some-woodys/

Amuri + Mahurangi Regatta

Posted on by
2

AMURI

One of the woody spotters sent in the above photos of the launch – Amuri, hauled out at Gulf Harbour for some TLC. She falls into to the ‘great unknown’ category to me, and I’m told isn’t a local GH boat. Can anyone tell us more about Amuri?

MAHURANGI REGATTA 

Each year the amazing club behind the biggest one day wooden boating event in New Zealand – the Mahurangi Cruising Club, publish a year book, which is eagerly awaited by anyone with sawdust in their veins. Chatting with the editor and design guru – Steve Horsley, the 2022 edition was a challenge to pull together, little things like CV-19 got the way. But if you know Steve, you will know he is not one to let a wee flu bug stop the MCC producing the booklet. Always a great read and good value for money at $20.  If you are Auckland based, grab a copy at Boat Books in Westhaven – or for the out-of-towners contact Victor at ngairehopwood@gmail.com

Reading the programme for the 2022 event I see that CV-19 has been the death of the shore / beach based activity at Sullivans Bay – with no audience there, the Classic Woody Launch Parade would be a fizzer – might have to create something else for us woodys to do. Unfortunately the tide is all wrong for a trip up the river to Warkworth. Will put the thinking cap on. But do put a pencil around Sunday (30th) night in the diary – a gathering at the Kawau Boating Club is always popular.

Maybelle

Posted on by
4

MAYBELLE 

The classic launch – Maybelle recently appeared on tme, so  thanks to the listing and Ian McDonald we get to have a good look at Maybelle.  Her tme listing has her from the Collings and Bell stable and 32’ 10” in length. She is powered by a Ford Lees 6 cyl. diesel engine that gets her along at 7>8 knots. Appears to be very well maintained and appointed. 
Can anyone confirm the parentage and where she has been  for the last 70+ years?

Help Wanted Locating A Vire Inboard Engine

Woody, Simon Smith has asked for help locating a Vire 7 hp, petrol, single cylinder inboard engine similar to the photograph below. The engines are made in Finland. Any help, even a suggestion as to where to look on line would be greatly appreciated.

TeoHANUI

Posted on by
3

TeoHANUI

In the above photo ex Lew Redwood, we she the launch Teo Hanui on the Waikato River in 1938. Workers or a pleasure trip? I suspect the long pole is for ‘managing’ the shallows.

Eldon

Posted on by
6
2021
2012
Peter Flood

ELDON

The launch Eldon was built in 1971 by Tauranga Boat Builders, so slips into the spirit of tradition woody category. The original owner was Eldon Jepson – thence the name.

Her specs are 48’ long and built with single skin kauri. It is believed that during construction, Tauranga boat builder Ted Gilpin, was often on hand, to assist in various ways, adding, the ”Gilpin touch,” which is very evident in her design & styling. When launched she was powered with twin Perkins 6-354 6 cyl. 130hp diesels.

Jepson sold her to an unknown person, not too long after she was built, who in turn, sold her to John Mayson, around the mid 1980’s. During John Mayson’s stewardship, of around 20+years, she was kept at Pine Harbour and used extensively for game fishing, from Tutukaka, up to North Cape, as well as general cruising, around the Hauraki Gulf.

She changed  hands again (06-05-2008), to Dean Pollock, who continued to keep her at Pine Harbour and later sold her (22-07-2010) to her present owner, Peter Flood. She was transported by road to the Kaipara Harbour, where she was initially moored at Pahi, but they had a major bird mess problem there, so she was moved to Tinopai, where she presently lives. 

In 2015 Peter Flood replaced the original 6-354 Perkins,130 hp with 2 x 6-354T, artificially aspirated 6 cyl. 1978 model Perkins, rated at 185 hp each. These had come out of 2 Commer fire engines, which had only done around 50,000Km., & having been in fire engines, had naturally been fastidiously maintained. Being a farmer and very handy, Peter marinized them himself. The engines were matched to the original Borg Warner gearboxes and heat exchangers off the original engines. He left the new engines with uncooled exhaust manifolds, which whilst they get warm, have created, no problems, in any way, as her engine room, under the bridge-deck floor, is apparently very well ventilated. The engines are mated up with a truck type silencer on each exhaust, with wet stainless steel exhausts for the last 4 feet, before they reached the hull skin fittings, so they are almost completely silent. 

Peter Flood commented to Ken Ricketts that Eldon is an important part of his family and she is used all the time. In the last photo above of Peter at her helm, on the Kaipara Harbour that Eldon appears to be in excellent condition.

Thanks to Ken Ricketts for pulling the core of this story together and special thanks to the following gents for sharing details and photos – Harold Kidd, Brian Worthington, John Mayson, Dean Pollock and Peter Flood.