Bay of Islands Big Game Fishing Boats Today’s great photos from the 1960’s, come to us from Hylton Edmonds and show Miss Helen (1930 Colin Wild) and Leilani at ‘work’ in the BOI.
Hylton commented that Leilani was owned at the time by George Wooler of Waihi Akrad Radio fame – later PYE Radio (NZ) and had the legendary skipper Jimmy Whitelaw at the wheel. Leilani was later sold to Bill Hall. Miss Helen was predominantly skippered at the time by Neville Fuller – Norman’s brother.
In the background of the Leilani photo, Hylton thinks the launch could be George Warne’s – Rosemary.
A Woody Quiz Name the vessel, location, what’s happening in the photo and if you are really good – the decade the photo was taken.
All correct entries go into the draw to win an Off Center Harbor cap (made in the USA). Competition closes at 8pm 27 July, 2021 – Entry via email only to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Canadian Classic Yacht Association Fleet 2021Cruise Today’s wooden boat eye candy comes to us from the recent Canadian CYA Launch Fleet cruise to Desolation Sound.
I have a connection to the fleet as several years ago I hosted Mike O’Brien (MV Euphemia) and his family for a day, while their cruise ship was berthed in Auckland – it was a trip around the marinas to view some of our own classic wooden boats. From memory 10 skippers made the time to open their boats up for the tourists.
Enjoy the gallery of stunning wooden classics. As always click on photos to enlarge 😉
To see more of the cruise ,check out the drone video below from Pedell Sound, taken by Maurizio Hublitz
Today’s photo comes to us via Mitchell Hutchings fb and originated from his late uncles slide collection (PG Parsonson collection). The date is unknown but the collection is from the 1950’s > 1970’s period. Looking at the boats I would be picking the late 1950’s.
Interested on others opinion and can we ID a few to the boats?
Today’s woody is named Flossie and the photo comes to us via Paul Drake. Paul commented he uncovered the photo recently and that Flossie was at Lake Taupo in the 1950’s. He recalls that she was noted especially for her narrow beam and that one day the young Drake brothers observed her ram the breastwork as she failed to go astern whilst berthing. In the photo the repaired stem is clear to see.
Paul last saw Flossie berthed at Westhaven Marina after she disappeared from Taupo. There is an ‘old’ hull there semi-hiding under several sheets to what looks like plywood 🙂
Can we uncover what happened to Flossie post Taupo and any other details on her.
NGARUNUI – A Peek Down Below Following on from yesterdays story on the start of the Whangarei to Nouema yacht race, we successfully Id’ed the mid 1950’s Jim Young designed and built launch – Ngarunui. And now thanks to the camera of Ken Ricketts back in December 2015 we get to have a look down below.You will also find a lot of backland of the boat at the WW links below, she had a very challenging start to her life afloat.
23-07-2021 Input from Kerin Owen – The photo below is of one of the two dories built by Jim Young in 1957 as fishing dories to accompany Ngarunui. This one is Nancy Barbara, owned for many years by Len Hayman at Great Barrier Island, now by me. Am not certain what timbers were used but she is still very sound, being 16′,with a planked bottom and lapstrake sides. She will plane, lightly loaded, with an 8hp outboard, and is still fulfilling her original purpose of a very handy fishing dory.
Lady Janet (Poco Lento) Fixed Price Sale – $48,000
Ngarunui – 1967 Whangarei > Noumea Yacht Race Start The above launch appeared in a series of photos the Lew Redwood had on his fb, all taken in the days leading up to and including the 1967 Whangarei to Noumea yacht race.The boat looks very familiar to me, but before I make a fool of myself (again) I’ll call for input from the WW readers as to its identity.
The other day, Bay of Islands woody – Hylton Edmonds draw my attention to the May 2021 issue of the UK magazine Classic Boating and the editors (Stefan Meyric-Hughes) page 5 editorial column. Which I have reproduced below. I’m sure you will all agree with Hylton’s comment to me – “It’s succinct, brilliant, and a poignant reminder for all wooden boat “nutters“ around the world not least us in NZ who persevere under, at times seemingly, never ending odds, to final success and that long dream of re-launch day…“
EASTERN STAR DOUBLE OOPS The photos above, dated 1961, from the Nelson Photo News (via Lew Redwood) show the Nelson based launch Eastern Star after she was re-floated following a double collision with a rock off Harding Point. The vessel, owned by V. McAuley at the time, hit the rock and was holed. The crew managed to beach the boat but during the salvage operations, she hit again and sank – remember folks this was in the days before GPS, but still – twice!
Sitting in 30’ of water a team of divers assisted in bringing her to the surface where a temporary patch was done to the bow. Eastern Star was then towed back to Nelson where she was slipped for what was described a ‘extensive repairs. The photos were taken by Mrs. McAuley.
Do we know what became of the vessel and any details on her?
Not 100% sure of the boat name / spelling, but this very salty speed boat just popped up on Rob Thomson’s fb. Rob commented that she was built c.1958 by his father and was named after his mother and middle sister.
Powered by a Mercury Ford V8, she must have had a good turn of speed. Does anyone know what became of the boat?
MY GIRL – Scale Model
Seems Jason Prew’s very quick launch – My Girl, is a popular woody with the model makers. We have already seen one radio controlled My Girl on WW (link below) and last week a very kind gent dropped a very accurate model in at the Slipway Milford for Jason. Jason slapped some undercoat on her and popped in a RC unit and next thing sea trials are under way 🙂
B. Siegel – Kaipara Harbour – Late 1980’s B. Siegel – Kaipara Harbour – Easter 1986B. Siegel – Kaipara Harbour – Late 1980’s
B. Siegel – Kaipara Harbour – Easter 1986B. Siegel – Kaipara Harbour – Early 1990’s – Re-power underwayB. Siegel – Kaipara Harbour – Early 1990’sB. Siegel – Kaipara Harbour – Mid 1990’sB. Siegel – with Freedom (Anzac) – Kaipara Harbour – Late 1990’s
History & Demise of Waiana
The launch Waiana is somewhat of a mystery boat – her design / builder and launch year are unknown, purely speculation but possibly c. 1929. Waiana’s probable ownership log and history (pulled together by – Murray Plunket, Bob Siegel and Ken Ricketts) is below:
1. ?? > 1950’s – Mr Lowndes – kept at Okahu Bay, Auckland
2. 1950 > 60’s – Tom Plunkett – kept at Okahu Bay, Auckland
3. 1970’s – Owner unknown – commercial longline fishing, based at Thames
4. 1980’s > early 1990’s – Hendon Pierce (+ one other) longline fishing, based at Tutukaka, Northland
5. Mid 1990’s > c.2008 – Bob Siegel – Kaipara Harbour, pleasure use
6. 2008 > 2015 – Bob Siegel – hauled out at Dargarville property
7. 2015 – broken up
(photos ex Murray Plunkett + Bob Segel)
When the Plunkett family bought her, she was fitted with a WWII war assets Scripps converted, Ford V8 petrol engine, , many of which were installed in to NZ boats from 1947 to the mid 1950s, which probably replaced her original engine.This was still in her when the Plunketts sold her (1970’s) into commercial fishing out of Thames. Around this time she had a coamings change, to increase the cockpit, for the long-lining. During the 1970’s > 80’s period she acquired a 4 cyl Ford diesel engine.
When Bob Segel purchased her ex Tutukaka, after repairs to get The Ford running and make her seaworthy, he motored Waiana down to Whangarei, and then trucked her to the Kaipara Harbour. Then in 2008, he took her to his home in Dargaville, with a view to rebuilding & restoring her, however a combination of the elements and lack of funds saw Waiana gradually deteriorate to the point that she was chainsawed up for firewood c.2015.
While Waiana is no longer around, it would be nice to be able to put a name and date to the design / builder and fill in the blanks in her early years.
INPUT EX HAROLD KIDD – WAIANA is obviously another rename. I have no record of her as WAIANA until 1957 when she was listed as an auxiliary by NZ Coastguard. Then in 1961 she is listed with APYMBA under 251 and owned by Gerald Clark with a 40/50 Fordson diesel. Her dimensions were given as 31.1′ x 9′ x 3.3′. When R.J. Siegel wrote to me in 1997 her dimensions were close at 31.4′ x 8’10”. Sometimes you can get at a launch’s provenance by searching the APYMBA number but no luck this time…..but who is Gerald Clark?
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