LADY J Almost one year ago WW was connected by Brian Hewitt looking for a 34’ Shipbuilders launch named – Joel, that he was a part owner of in the late 1970’s > early 1980s. We uncovered that in the 1995 >2004 period she was owned by a Gordon Cooper, who changed her name to Lady J. Lots of details and photos from both Brian and Gordon on this WW link https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/05/06/joel/
Now thanks to Dean Wright doing a Tutukaka marina walk about last weekend, we now know that Lady J resides there. Any one able to fill in details on the boats whereabouts between 2004 and 2021?
Last week myself and Jamie Hudson (Lady Crossley) pointed the car south for a pre-arranged visit to the yard where Paul Tingey is performing his magic on the 1948 Colin Wild built woody – Haunui.It was just over 5 months since I was last there and the project is moving along a great clip – check out the WW link below to view the first visit and to read the scope of the job.
Blue Fin was built in 1948 by the Lane Motor Boat Company. Originally 38’ she was lengthened by 4’. In her early days she game fished extensively out of the Bays of Islands (Tudor Collins b/w photo below)
The above photos were taken by Dean Wright over the weekend, we see her berthed at Tutukaka, Northland. Links below to WW content ex Harold Kidd, Nathan Herbert and Dean Wright WW 2014 https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/11/26/blue-fin/
Back in 2014 we did a great story on the 34’ replica Herreshoff steam launch that Chris McMullen is building in his spare time, back then it had been 30 years in the making and now its approx 37 years, but when I called in last week, there had been some significant progress. Have a read of the 2014 WW stories to take in the magnitude of the project – everything , including the steam engine built by hand. When Chris started the project he didn’t have the benefit of the internet or google to help but in recent years he has uncovered numerous old photos that have helped with the project.
Some Background: Herreshoff Manufacturing Co build # 263 was a steam launch called “Cassandra Junior” and Chris believes that is the steam launch shown astern of beautiful 287′ S.Y. “Cassandra” in the photo below, she was stowed on the port side launch of the yacht. The Herreshoff Manufacturing Co built approximately twenty of this type of steam launch in the 27f’ > 34′. The H.M.C build # 227 – Vapor, refer photo below, was 30′ and built for the Steam Yacht “Yacoma” but Chris understands she was never used on that ship. A model of “Yacoma” at Mystic Sea Port Museum shows a steam launch but Chris assumes the ship had a more convenient modern motor boat.
The last b/w photo below is the tender for the steam yacht ‘Wanderer’ (photo below) called ‘Wanderer Junior’. She was Herreshoff build # 270, she is American and measures 27′ 11″. Built 1909. In the back ground of the photo is the ‘Ida Lewis Yacht Club’.
The engine on Chris’s launch has been run and currently getting a tidy up before being re-installed. The main reason for the visit was to get an update on the restoration of Haunui, the 1948 Colin Wild launch – happening nearby – check in one Wednesday for that story. I took Jamie Hudson, skipper of Lady Crossley , an almost sister ship, built one year apart, fascinating to get Jamie’s view on the two boats.
H.M.C work shop – unidentified steam launch. Cassandra, with Cassandra Junior astern
Vapor with her late owner Jon Martin. Taken late 1960’s
WandererWanderer Junior – built 1909
IT FLOATS – On 11-11-2021, on the upper reaches of the Tamaki River, Chris McMullen ticked off a rather large item on his to-do list. He launched his N G Herreshoff design Steam Launch. Chris commented that it was just a floatation trial, and that the design floated absolutely level. In the photos below we see her with all her machinery but with no fuel or water. Chris commented that for years he has had the greatest respect for the late Nathanial Herreshoff and devoted over thirty years (on and off) of his life to the project and is as keen as ever to get it under steam power. You can see, at the link below, the only image Chris has found of the original “Cassandra Junior” see https://www.agefotostock.com/age/en/details-photo/the-steam-yacht-cassandra-1913-creator-kirk-and-sons-of-cowes/HEZ-2696001
UPDATE 04-01-2022 – The below photos were from a shed visit in early Dec 2021, post the above water line test 🙂 click to enlarge
Today’s story comes to us from Ross Dawson and dovetails with the story earlier in the week on the launch – Midnight II. Both sparked by Ross’s visit to see Peter Chamberlin in this retirement village. I will let Ross tell the story ‘
“The Yacht “Midnight” 34 tons according to press reports of the period, was brought out from the UK and generally under the command of Charles Chamberlin snr., with newspaper advertisements and comments indicated Charles had a paid crew. On the other hand according to Brian & Jan Chamberlin’s family history,…”the cutter ‘Midnight’ appeared on the scene (1853), having been built to Charles’s order by Henry Nicol, a noted North Shore builder.”
There are many newspaper references during the unsettled times around 1865-70, that Charles made the vessel available as an armed cutter, manned by naval volunteers to patrol the Hauraki Gulf and beyond. On one occasion she ‘rescued’ Governor Sir George Grey from potential capture from his Kawau Island home. Another records Midnight arriving in Auckland 4.3.1865 from Tauranga bringing first news of the murder of Volkner near Opotiki.
Other shipping news was more prosaic…”Midnight arriving Auckland from Ponui with 9 bales of wool.”
In 1870, the NZ Herald reported Midnight had a 16 day “stormy passage’ to Tonga, and later the death by drowning of her Captain Courthoys at Levuka. I understand Midnight was lost on this voyage, refer below.
Briefly (& anyone interested can find the full account in the Daily Southern Cross newspaper of 12.6.1871)…”the Midnight sailed from Levuka on Saturday last, on a pleasure trip to Mologai (sic) (Malogai Island)…the vessel was hove to outside the reef for the night, but due light winds and strong currents, drifted onto a shoal about 2.30am. Every attempt was made to get her clear. All anchors being lost. In the morning a schooner was sighted and a boat was sent over the reef. Mr North, mate of the Midnight asked for a loan of a kedge, or to take a line to a shoal a short distance to windward. The boat returned to the schooner (America) and to the astonishment of those on Midnight, the America made sail and left all hands to their fate. The crew built a raft and with some assistance from a vessel from the island Midnight was abandoned and they made for Passage Island, eight miles away. They were rescued on Tuesday by the schooner Mary sent from Levuka in search of Midnight. It was assumed Midnight slipped off into deep water sometime on the Sunday night that the crew left the stranded vessel. (Story from Fiji Times May 20 1871)
As far as sorting who built Midnight…either in England or by Henry Nicol in Auckland, I have not come across any definitive information. But trawling through the Daily Southern Cross, one is amazed at the large number of ships of all sizes that traded out of Auckland, many locally built.
Henry Nicol who apparently came to Auckland from Scotland aged 23 was an amazingly prolific shipbuilder, initially from a yard on what is now the corner of Vulcan Lane & Queen Street and soon after from his yard in Mechanics Bay, hard up against the slope of the rising land toward Parnell (well before the extensive reclamation extending out toward the current waters edge).
The Daily Southern Cross of 1853 when the 97ton ‘clipper schooner’ “Waitemata” was launched, reported Nicol had built since 1849…647 tons of shipping,…Moa 281 tons;Hawkhead, 22 tons; Eliza, 55 tons;Julia Ann, 28 tons; Rose Ann, 39 tons; Favourite, 28tons; Te Tere, 27 tons; & Waitemata, 97 tons. Not to mention 5 half-decked boats from 10-18 tons!
Possibly Nicol produced the Midnight shortly after the above as the family booklet “Ponui & Beyond” by Brian & Jan Chamberlin states…”In 1853 the cutter Midnight appeared on the scene, having been built to Charle’s (Chamberlin) order by Henry Nicol.
This whole story has a slight personal note as my Gt Gt Grandfather Joshua Robinson, with a team of his carpenters worked for Henry Nicol, although my family record indicates that Joshua was employed by the well known trader William Smellie Graham on his various construction projects, including Nicol’s building of trading vessels for Graham. My Robinson history states…that ” Nicol built 43 vessels in the first 10 years, all work done by hand until 1856 when machinery was installed for sawing timber.”
Just to give a glimpse of Nicol’s work ethic….The DSC of 24.2.1854 tells us…”launch schooner 40tons, Tamatenaua. Cutter 30tons nearing completion. About to lay keel for schooner 112-120 tons”….all with saw and adze…the chips must have been flying!”
Harold Kidd Input – MIDNIGHT was built by Henry Niccol in 1863 according to the Register of British Ships No 57810. She replaced Charles Chamberlin’s VICTORIA.
Can We ID This LaunchKOTARE Todays photo is dated 1959 and is of Kaiteriteri Beach, Motueka, Nelson – from the camera of J B Rowntree and comes to us via Maurice Sharp. Other than the addition of the commercial charter boats servicing the Abel Tasman National Park, the scene hasn’t changed much.
I have added below a close up image of the launch in the bay, are we able to put a name to her?
Input From Robbie Williams – the launch is Kotare owned by NEWTON NALDER and was the first of the boats offering trips into able Tasman national park she was twin screw powered by two 10 hp petter diesel she later burned and sank in Kaiteri under different ownership
Input From Brian Kitson – Kotare was built by Curnow and Wilton of Nelson and launched in November 1951 and burnt and sank at Kaiteriteri December 1966. 38ft long X 13ft beam X 2ft 6in draught. More than likely she was built of white pine. The ladder on the bow lowers to the beach for boarding and unloading passengers. Photo taken in Kaiteriteri
UPDATE ex John Burland – who sent in a link to a Dept of Conservation (Nelson/Marlborough) booklet on the Abel Tasman Area – screen grab below that confirms the ownership of Kotare by Newton Nalder and a photo of her in Bark Bay.
03-05-2021 Update: John Gander supplied the photo below of Kotare disembarking passengers at Kaiteriteri beach in 1959
Sometimes you have to ask yourself – is the photo for real or has it been ‘photo-shopped’, well woodys I can tell you this ones for real. But would it float?, does the builder ever intended taking her out to open water? I think we can assume that the owner was a serious DIY’er and not an actual boat builder. Kind of reminds me of a ‘boat’ at the Te Atatu Boating Club in West Auckland, but a whole lot un sea friendly.
MARINA WANTED – 12m+ Temp Only
One of our passionate woodys is looking for a 12meter+ marina in the Hobsonville / Bayswater / Westhaven area. Upwards of 6 weeks. Its a woody returning to Auckland and they need to park her while they sort out a more permanent home. Email me at waitematawoodys@gmail.com if you know of anyone hauled out for winter etc.
THE LAUNCH MIDNIGHT II AND THE CHAMBERLIIN FAMILY OF PONUI ISLAND I received an email last week from Ross Dawson, a passionate woody fan, Ross resides in Kawakawa Bay and let me know that he had just visited Peter Chamberlin in a retirement home and he kindly gave permission for Ross to take a few copies of photos in his family photo album. Peter’s son David now manages the family farm at Motunau (the South end of Ponui Island). The launch – Midnight lI according to notes in Peter Chamberlin’s photo album, was a petrol powered launch built for Peter’s father Fred (son of Charles jnr) by Lanes in 1928 and was sold to Ian Chamberlin in 1950, when Fred took delivery of the Colin Wild built diesel launch – Motunau. WW would love to learn more about Midnight II and what became of her.This weekend I will share the story of – Midnight, the Chamberlin’s yacht. Before we finish today – Ross has a hobby horse he would like to exercise 🙂 I’ll let Ross tell the story “I want to comment on, what seems to be a common theme whereby Aucklanders from the earliest colonial times right up to the present day, seem to think that privately-owned Gulf islands are a legitimate place to wander at will, help one’s self to whatever is lying around, and to depart leaving behind much more than one’s footprints! The old newspaper articles surprised me that petty theft, and not so petty theft was perhaps as common in 1800’s as it is today.
The first items I noticed, up to about 1900, were advertisements promising rewards for “information leading to the prosecution of persons who had stolen large quantities of standing and cut wood”…probably tea tree I am guessing. ( Auckland used huge quantities of firewood for domestic heating & cooking in colonial times)
From about 1900 for perhaps 30 years, the adverts changed to dire threats of prosecution for dastardly scow operators helping themselves to beach shingle. (Ted Ashby’s book “Phantom Fleet” gives a good explanation of illegal shingle extraction)
Other newspaper public notices refer to other problems of shooting of pigs and farm stock. It seems the Chamberlin families might have been justified in having jaundiced views about their mainland neighbours, and it is surprising that they have managed to maintain a reputation of being gracious hosts to visitors and willing helpers to boatees in need of rescue.
Even today, they deserve better from the wider Auckland public. As a long time yachtsman myself, often anchoring in Ponui’s many bays, I am sometimes horrified by the casual way boating people feel it okay to roam over the island, sometimes even with their dogs. Some even think it okay to browse around the farm buildings…do they actually think Ponui is public estate?
And while I am on a rant, where do all the plastic bait bags littering the beaches come from…not accidental discharges from Auckland storm water drains! A great stain on the reputation of the majority of well behaved boating community. My heart goes out to the Island owners who also pay eye-watering land rates to a City Council that does very little by way of public services which we take for granted on the mainland.”
Update ex Ross Dawson – he meant to add – “No criticism intended”
THREE SISTERS On a recent mooch around Gulf Harbour marina I spotted this very salty yacht named Three Sisters. Given the set-up, at some stage I her life she has seen some blue water activity. Anyone able to tell us about her past?
GUNNER A Bayswater marina boats dropped me a note asking what I knew about the ex workboat – Gunner that was berth near him at Bayswater. I answer was – nothing, so I popped down and took the above photos.Very distinctive looking small ship so one of the Work Boat chat group should be able to enlighten us.
Input & photo below from Cameron Pollard – she was built by Lane’s in Picton
KAHU SINKS AFTER COLLISION WITH TRAWLER
Boat builder Greg Lees sent in the sad photo above of the launch Kahu semi submerged after being T-boned by a fishing trawler. I’m a little hazy on the location, but I understand it was near “Cooks Rock’ in/near the entrance to Queen Charlotte Sound at the tip of the South Island. I’m told everyone was taken off both vessels and the trawler taken under tow – BUT Kahu was left to fend for her self. In the above photo she had been ‘afloat’ for 2 days and was about to be taken under tow, with the hope of beaching her. The prognosis isn’t good so woodys, fingers crossed she can be saved. Link here to a WW story on Tahu https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/01/21/kahu-a-peek-down-below/
Update – Interesting spin on things – not sure what the actual situation is
She sank in Cook Strait on Saturday the 17th of April in the AM in a strong southerly north of the brothers. The Westpac rescue helicopter located the 3 crew and the yacht Chatham Whisper was able to recover the 3 from the water then transferred them to a coastguard boat out of picton near Cape Koamaru. The boat was completely submerged but was able to be recovered but had been crashed into by a fishing boat while it was under the surface. https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/124906808/boat-found-drifting-towards-cook-strait-power-cables-raised-from-sea-sits-in-lower-hutt-marina
Photos below ex Ross Giblin at STUFF – see above link for stroy re the recovery. Alan H
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