No name on this old girl but her tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) tells us she was built by Sam Ford in 1950, measures 36’ x 9’10” x 2’9”.
Built of kauri and powered by a Ford D360 diesel engine, that gets her along at 10 knots max. Other than calling Nelson home, that is about all we know about her. Can anyone put a name to her and tell us about her past?
Just before lockdown we did a classic woody raid up the Waipa River to the Clevedon Cruising Club for an overnight BBQ. Magic weekend and perfect timing i.e.days before lockdown 🙂
On-route up the river I spotted the 1952, Lidgard built launch – Kalua on her mooring. Kalua or Miss Betty as she was named earlier in her life has been on WW before, the WW link below has lots of details and a great photo gallery of the boats evolution. She appears to be a very big woody for her 42’ length, and you will not hear me say this too often – her additions, including the flying bridge are ok – and ok is as the best you’ll ever get from me on the subject of 2nd story additions to classic woodys 🙂 https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/05/15/miss-betty-kalua/
Boating This Weekend
As per everything the Arden Government (it stopped being the Labour Government last year) there are just so many mixed messages out there.We were told boatings all good (refer RNZYS notice), then 48hrs later Dads Army (Coastguard) are telling us a different message – refer below. I seriously question the restriction around not anchoring in any Waiheke Island bay? SO WOODYS WHATS THE STORY – ANYONE KNOW?
IORANA > STELLA – SOS Back in January 2015 Harold Kidd sent in a wee bit of a mystery quiz, a photo of a bridge deck launch (b/w photo below) and told us she was built in 1922 and measured 38’. Plus, that when launched she had a 6 cylinder Alpha engine.
There was lots of speculation but we uncovered that she was designed and built by Leon Warne and named – Iorana (Tahitian for “Gidday”). HDK told us that Leon Warne got a lot of work out of Whangarei because he took the launch – Rosemary north every Christmas and raced her at Onerahi and Russell. Warne built Iorana for Selwyn Blake of Whangarei who had just sold Wild Thyme. Iorana was originally painted glossy black but was repainted white in her second season. Blake came to live in St. Mary’s Bay in 1924 and brought Iorana with him. He sold her to C.D. Sellars who sold her to W. Joll of Ponsonby and then she went to Whangamata and, around 1950, to George Manktelow of Paeroa, where he kept her moored in the willows on the Ohinemuri River near the Puki Bridge alongside the launch – Gleniffer. The b/w photo below was taken there.
Whist we learnt a lot about Iorana, we were not able to discover if she was still around – then SNAP early this week – WW comes good again – I get an email from Cole Gordon – see below
“Hi there I was wandering if anyone had any information or history on my late fathers launch “Stella” , 36ft Lanes bridge decker 80 horse Ford, paragon gearbox. Possibly once named “Wendy Frances” we have had it since the late 1990’s purchased from Peter Sharp of Opua. I am unable to find any photos of her former glory days, but I have endless memories of long summer days spent on her as a child in the Bay of Islands. She was pulled out of the water around 2012 because the fastenings on her bow lost their grip. We never got the time or resources to fix her and now she’s far to gone for me to have a chance at fixing her. She has to be broken up as my family are moving off the land. I will save the bronze brass and kauri. I am interested in knowing more about her past.”
Very quickly I did two things – #1 asked Cole to grab the handbrake on the demolition #2 sent photos of to Nathan Herbert, Nathan’s reply below:
“F_ _k, I think you’ve uncovered the Leon Warne ‘Iorana’. Search WW”
So I did and it appears that Nathan is right, so woodys we have a gold nugget here that needs saving. The boat is currently sitting on a farm in the B.O.I.’s and I imagine could be acquired for a modest sum.Even if you aren’t ready for a project – can we not find a suitable home for her until the right person comes along. You would struggle to find a more original classic of her era.
Also keen to learn more about her past, there are a few big gap in time that need filling 🙂
12-10-2021 Update – Cameron Pollard sent in the photo below of Iorana hauled on Waitangi slipway. The photo was posted on fb by Guy Ross Thorburn who said she was owned by his grandfather under the Stella name. Update unknown, possibly late 1970’s? This photo would have to be a good incentive for someone considering taking on the restoration. She is certainly a looker.
25-01-2022 Update ex Neil Hammond (potential next owner) who has advised that Stella was unfortunately blown off her props in that storm that hit northland a week ago. Hylton Edmonds kindly had a look at her for Neil to check on the damage. His assessment was that she is now too far gone to be able to realistically save. I very sad end to an old girl on her 100th birthday.
Chatting with a woody on line the other day re a WW merchandise order and he mentioned that he was the ’newish’ owner of the 30′ Maitai, the 1928 Collings & Bell built launch.
Maitai has recently gone back in the water after a 7 month period of TLC. These days her home is Waiheke Island, having previously spent most of her days in the Far North.
Maitai is powered by a 36hp Bukh diesel. In the WW link below (August 2018) we see two b/w photos of Maitai on a cruise, the location is said to be Omaha but the date is unknown. https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/08/14/maitai/
First Tuesday of the month today – so there must be a Classic Yacht Association committee meeting happening (via Zoom) – so the banner below is a reminder to elected members to be kind and support inclusion not segregation on the topic of the new Heritage Basin marina 🙂
BEST NEWS OF THE YEAR – WE CAN GO BOATING AGAIN FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING
HONESTLY OFFICER – WE ARE ALL RELATED AND LIVE TOGETHER But how crazy is this, if its a cabin boat, you can only have your family / bubble aboard – BUT if its a 12’ tinny, you can have 10 people aboard
BUT I BEAT YOU ALL BY TWO DAYS – SEA TRIAL YESTERDAY (permitted activity)
The 36’ launch Tuatea was built by Millers in Port Chalmers Dunedin in c.1930. Dock-side chat has it that she was built for the Hudson family of Cadbury Hudson chocolate fame and during WWII she was used by the NZ Navy Auxiliary Patrol Service, in Lyttleton Harbour from May 1942 > February 1944. Her pennant number was Z124 and is documented in the book NZ Navy Vessels by R J McDougall.
Built from kauri she was extensively rebuilt 15 years ago – with a new kauri full head room cabin, hull fully restored, fibre glassed over ply deck. Forward motion comes from a BMC Commodore 3.8 ltr., 62hp Nufield diesel engine. From her tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) she looks to be a project boat i.e. some finishing work, but the big jobs appear to have been done.
First Tuesday of the month tomorrow – so there must be a Classic Yacht Association committee meeting happening (via Zoom) – so the banner below is a reminder to elected members to be kind and support inclusion not segregation on the topic of the new Heritage Basin marina 🙂
Now in the photo above we see on the right a launch that one would have to assume is the 1933 Arnold Couldrey designed and built launch – Eileen Patricia. I bounced the photo of Peter Mence, ER’s custodian and he is in agreement. The question of the day – what’s the yacht under tow? Peters guess was the yacht be by Teddy, that wa Slater wrecked off/on Kawau Island.
See WW story below, note there is a mismatch of dates, but we get that with old stories. Enlargements of the two vessels below + a link to Peter and Jennis stunning restoration of Eileen Patricia. (photos ex Andrew Donovan collection) https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/04/26/the-wreck-of-teddy-sailing-sunday/
Pittwater N S W 1983 Trinidad for sale Sydney 1983 Boating Aussie style. Moored for lunch. Cottage Point boat shed cafe. Hawksbury River NSW. B.O.I.
Woody On Tour
The gallery of photos above are of Trinidad and show her when she was based in Sydney, Australia. The photos come to us from Eddie Higgins, Eddie purchased Trinidad there and bought her home to NZ in Jan 1985. The last photo above shows her in the Bay of Islands, just after her return.
Eddie undertook a refit that included new hydraulic steering. new auto pilot. new water tanks and refrigeration system. The addition of a Sea Wasp 230 volt gen set. Updated electronics including JRC radar and a Walker sat nav. A new tallow wood keelson was fitted by a shipwright at Newport Anchorage. The boarding platform was also replaced. The hull had the paint build up burnt off and was repainted in the shed at the Marina. New stainless steel pulpit and pushpin was fitted. A Muir electric anchor winch was installed.
This one shouldn’t be too hard to ID so no prize today for the boat. In the photo above the launch is seen leaving Fitzroy. It is Koala (Amaryllis).
But woodys – 1st one to correctly ID the slim / trim lad on the left in the photo below, wins a WW t-shirt, fresh from the screen printers – one advantage of CV-19 – 24hr turn around at the printers. 🙂 Email your answer to waitematawoodys@gmail.comAND the gent and anyone related to him isn’t eligible to enter 🙂
Coromandel 1955
03-10-2021 UPDATE / CORRECTION – Eddie has advised that Doug Reid is the 4th from the left. The young man on the extreme is Norris. Ed can not recall his surname. Paul Pettit is tallest 5th from the left. Paul played the Bag Pipes.Murray {Mudge} White extreme right.
The Wooden Boat Centre – A Peek Behind The Door Today we have a short video, narrated by Paul D’Olier from The Wooden Boat Centre in Franklin, Tasmania. The video #2 in a series is titled ‘The Boat Builders’ and show cases the courses being run at the centre. I have listed below a link to the another in the series – wonderful images and words, do check them out.
The videos are bought to us by the good folks at The Australian Wooden Boat Festival, if you haven’t already , put a line in the diary for 10>13 Feb 2023, this event is a serious bucket list item for all woodys.
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