ALMARAY Over the last few years the name Almaray has popped up on WW, mainly in reference to being built alongside the Lidgard launch Monterey. The shed photos below c.1946-8 shows Monterey, Almaray and possibly Tangaroa. All three were fitted with 30hp Lister engines when launched. Almaray was built by Lidgard for Stanley Bell-Booth, whose son Nick Davenport recently contacted me last week after uncovering the photos above in an old family photo album. Harold Kidd commented on a WW story last week on the launch Jean – that the Bell-Booth family name was linked to BERNICE (1922) Stan’s father perhaps?, ATAROA (ex SPEEDWELL II) 1930-34,LADY PATRICIA (1943-48) and ALMARAY (1946 onwards). Nick has commented that his father also owned the launch Jean, somewhere in this mix.
Nick would like to know what became of Almaray post his fathers stewardship.
TOO MUCH SUN 🙂
I think I must have sun stroke – I’m writing about a 1980 Vindex………. But despite what a certain debarred lawyer thinks, I’m actually a nice guy. So here goes – I have been contacted by 21 year old apprentice boat builder, Connor Sanderson, who has taken on a project – I’ll let Connor tell you the story”Late last year I was presented with an irresistible opportunity to purchase a very tired and rundown wooden vindex named “Vin Maree” The only information the seller was about to provide was a build year of 1980 and that it had been from Gulf Harbour prior to them moving it down to Whangamata. It is double diagonal kauri planked, resorcinol glued and coated with ample red lead. It is powered by a inline 6cyl ford I believe to be a “Dover” and had Lees marine manifolds, gearbox and V-drive. I have not yet seen another vindex in V-Drive configuration but I’m familiar with it and hope to retain the use of one. I’m eager to know more about this boat.”
HINEMOA – 1904 Logan 4sale Having spent yesterday on Lake Rotoiti surrounded by a stunning flotilla of classic wooden boats, I feel some what obligated to find a home for Hinemoa. She was built by Logan Bros in 1904 for the NZ Government. 24′ overall double ended. Very heavily built. She was fitted with an 8hp Union petrol motor and carried on the NZ Government steamer Hinemoa for general use particularly when servicing the NZ lighthouses.Her history is known and she has had but five owners.
She is now fitted with a 1960 10hp twin cyl. Kelvin diesel (spares included) – ex NZ Maritime Museum that was recently reconditioned and is regularly serviced. Electrics include nav lights, echo sounder and VHF. Fishing chair for one and rod holders. An excellent sea boat (as you would expect) and there are the bones of a tandem trailer that with modifications would transport her. She is very usable – fishing, picnics or traditional boating events. Lots of fun and an eye catcher.
I’d like her to remain in Auckland but she would be a perfect lake boat. Interested parties, email me and I’ll point you in the direction of her owner. waitematawoodys@gmail.com
The above photo comes to us via Diane Kinzett’s fb and shows the workboat Corinthic that successfully fished out of the Bay of Islands. In this photo she was owned by brothers George and Bob Atkinson, Bob is at the wheel and George sitting. Diane’s father – Gerald Keene (Bob’s step-son) is on the bow. Sadly the boat sunk after hitting a rock at Tapeka Point in the early 1970’s.
Anyone able to tell us who built her and when?
LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE TODAY
Today is the 24th running of the amazing parade held each year on Lake Rotoiti, this year its looking like 70+ classic’s on display. If you are in the area , a great vantage spot to view the parade, starting at 11am, is the banked grass area near the Okere Falls Store. If you can’t be there, check WW on Tuesday for my report 🙂
The 1972, Jorgensen built, 38’ Donna Maree has made several cameo appearances on WW via the camera of Dean Wright. Now thanks to tme (& Ian McDonald) we get to have a peek down below. Given the 1972 build I’m not sure if she is a workboat conversion of has always been in pleasure mode. Being a Jorgensen vessel she is built well with single skin kauri planks on laminated hardwood ribs. In true workboat style she has a 6LW Gardner down below and appears to be very well fitted out. Photos below ex Dean Wright (L) & Ian McDonald (R)
JEAN Today’s photo is of the launch Jean, sent in by Nick Davenport, whose grandfather – Stanley Bell-Booth owned her. Nick knowns little of her history and would love to learn more as to her past and what became of her. In my eye, there is a lot of Romance II to her – possibly a Bailey & Lowe?
Stanley Bell-Booth went on to own the Lidgard built launch Almaray, we will feature her in another WW story. So woodys can we help Nick out?
Input from Harold Kidd – I didn’t know that Stan Bell-Booth owned this JEAN. Other launches he owned were BERNICE (1922) his father perhaps?, ATAROA (ex SPEEDWELL II) 1930-34,LADY PATRICIA (1943-48) and ALMARAY of course (1946 onwards). There were many JEANs. I think this one was owned originally by S.H. Leyland and built for him by T M Lane & Sons in 1919, but there were so many it’s a jungle.
Last Wednesday we saw the 1917 Joe Slattery classic launch – Pacific sliding back into the H2O after a 5 month refit (link to that story below). Over the weekend, owner Nathan Herbert took the 105 year old out to stretch her legs post the installations of a brand new 100hp FPT / Iveco N45A engine. The old Lister in her was a beast of an engine (1500kg v’s 450kg new engine) and mounted well forward, I would not be the only one to have commented previously that she had a certain “heading down hill” look to her – well as you can see in the top photo, she almost looks like she is about to pop up on the plane. Nathan says no, its just camera angle – but to the eye she sure looks smart.The installation project was not a simple – out with the old & bolt in the new procedure – you can see in the photos below it was a major, but the Nathan is an engineer (mouse in hand not spanner) so the attention to detail is certainly there 🙂 She always was a looker – but she is now a stunner – well done Mr Herbert, your forebears , same family ownership since new, would be very happy to see her today. I’m told that the inflatable will be replaced with her original clinker – currently being restored at The Slipway Milford yard 🙂
“If anyone is wondering- a few notes about the re-engining process:
-The new engine was barely smaller than the old one due to the Lister having had many remotely mounted parts eg. heat exchangers, oil tanks etc. -The engine beds had to be widened to accept the new motor -In stripping the bridge and for’d cabin out completely I found around 24 completely broken ribs- some in a row which were very dangerous. New red beech ribs were fitted by Jason Prew. These ribs would have written her off in a survey as is so often the case these days when you see $1 reserve classics. -The 4 cylinder engine vibrates much more at idle than the 6cyl Lister did with her large flywheel. The GPS does a dance as it shakes around. -The tanks were unexpectedly difficult to replace. after the old copper ones were stolen I had two 4mm aluminum 170L units fabricated which to install necessitated disassembly of the cockpit seating area with a new stern ‘bulkhead’ built and so on and so forth. -Steering is a little harder in a fresh/choppy seaway now but this may just be perception as I now have more power which I’m probably using where before I didn’t. -The bow no longer pushes water like a bulldozer, and in a slight chop actually has positive buoyancy to lift over waves instead of submarine through them. -Despite being beamier than other launches of her era, she is still as much of a pig when rolling at anchor. And please- enough with the comments about adding ballast- there is still a line of huge lead ‘AUSTRALIS’ ingots along each chine in the saloon which require two people to lift each ingot. The engine is not a lightweight, and there is over 100m of chain in the bow plus some pretty large anchors. -Speed: 11.5 knots in the photos, cruise has gone up from about 8 knots, to about 8.7 knots. Higher speeds get a bit noisy.”
ID THE ENGINE QUIZ – The correct answers were
MAKE & HP: Stearns MDR 125hp
AGENTS: H. O. Wiles
BOAT FITTED TO & WHEN: Romance II – 1925 No one got all the answers correct – but Jason Prew and Nathan Herbert were tied at 3 correct elements (but not the same) so its a tie – they can decide what bits of the prize pool they each want 🙂
YESTERDAY WAS A RECORD BREAKING DAY ON WW
As you can see from the graph below – Mondays story (the pink skyscraper) on Mahurangi weekend was off the charts – so many people here and around the world logging in to view. No doubt helped by it being winter in a lot of the countries and the ongoing CV-19 lock-downs – I use that old Fred Dagg line – “We Don’t Know How Lucky We Are”
WoW what a weekend – perfect weather, perfect location and as always stunning boats. We saw a record turn out for the classic wooden boat parade on Saturday morning – the crowd ashore at Sullivans was a little thin on the ground, but if we are honest, we do not do it for them – its all about us 🙂 , a little like going for a motorbike rumble. We need more events where we just ‘hang-out’ together.
The regatta’s main event – the yacht race appeared to be a big success, the A-Class Logan – Rawhiti, in the hands of her new owner – Peter Brookes, cleaned up all the major trophies. As has become the norm at Mahurangi races, the results process was a total balls up, it was very dark and late into the night before the final, final results were announced – fingers crossed its all kosher, last year it took days and numerous oops lets try that again announcements 🙂
The big band beach BBQ, was a hit, perfect on all fronts – weather, tide, the band, bbq’s and the people. Given the number of boats in Bon Accord Harbour, Kawau Island, most people headed there on Sunday. The Kawau Boating Boat was bursting at the seams but handed it well. I have split the photos into 4 galleries – Classic Wooden Boat Parade – Yacht Race – Beach BBQ – More (includes Kawau). If I missed your boat, you were somewhere I wasn’t, or in the wrong light , or your’e boats ugly (joking – sort off). Enjoy a peak at the weekend., click individual photos to enlarge. Next weekend I’m off to the Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Parade – its a biggie – they have 70+ entries
Late January > early February is always a big weekend on the yachting calendar – it is Auckland’s birthday and one of the lead events is the Anniversary Day Regatta – started way back in 1840 it is New Zealand’s oldest sporting event and in fact even pre-dates the America’s Cup by 11 years.
In recent years as competition of peoples leisure time has increased, the number of competitors has dipped, but the good news from a woody view point is the event has been propped up by the classic boating fleet and in recent years the inclusion of Tug/Work boat race and a classic launch, round the buoys drag race. If you are not away boating this long weekend, I would encourage you to visit the waterfront to catch some of the action – the Tug/Work boat race at 10am is a hoot. Best viewing spots found here https://regatta.org.nz/regatta-spectators/where-to-watch-the-regatta-action/ Timetable. https://regatta.org.nz/regatta-participants/schedule-of-regatta-events/
BIG WW STORY TOMORROW – 100+ PHOTOS FROM THE MAHURANGI REGATTA WEEKEND
Hello woodys, if you aren’t a float today, todays story is a gem – its all about what makes the classic wooden boating movement so special – Caleb Bird contacted me to advise that he had taken over the restoration of the yacht Rebecca (now back to being called Dolphin) from the Tino Rawa Trust. The 24′ Dolphin was built in 1902 by the Ewen brothers (Frank,Ernie & John) of Whangarei. Constructed of 2 skin kauri she was once owned and restored by the late Peter Smith, who also restored the stunning 1938 Sam Ford launch – Menai.
Todays photo gallery shows us what Caleb has been up to for the last 2 years i.e. stripping her out and getting the interior back to an amazing look. Well done Caleb, we need more of you 🙂
The first batch shows her ‘as found’ and later photos the work-in-process.
A good Kiwi friend of mine, John Burland, lives in Germany and sent me the link to todays story. John was mooching around the web and found reference to my wife’s uncle – Jock Bleakley. Jock appears in this 1950 b/w film (from the New Zealand National Film Unit) titled ‘Rock Bottom At Waikaremoana’ that tells the story of a group of divers that sealed leaks in the lake bed. At the time approx 50% of the water capacity was being lost before it could be used in the hydro-electric dam / generator.
A team of ‘special’ divers with explosive skills that had learnt their skills in WWII (use your imagination) were contracted to fix the problem, which they did, and were rewarded very well. Great footage also of the special diving helmet designed to film the exercise. It was a high risk operation – one worker fell into a hooper > into lake and was never found.
Photo below shows Jock, aged 29 at the time, and wife Querida aboard Jock’s launch at Kaitawa on the shores of Lake Waikaremoana. The photo comes to us from Maurice Alan Quinn’s fb page. Maurice was 9 years old at the time the film was made. The caption for the photo reads – pictured (from left) Angela Quin (Maurice’s sister), John Quinn (brother), Querida Bleakley, Jock Bleakley and stand Maurice’s father – Charley Quinn. The child kneeling in the front is Maurice. Maurice’s mother, Caroline Quinn took the photo. The Quinn’s were good friends of the Bleakleys. Amazingly Querida is still alive today, I attended a significant birthday party 2 months ago.
13-02-2021 UPDATE: Just spoke to Jock Bleakley’s son Warwick who told me the launch was named – Wanderer, and Jock had raised her from the bottom of the lake, her owner was so grateful to have her back, he gave Jock and Querida unlimited use of the boat. Another snippet – Jock also found a very old Maori Waka (canoe) that had been buried with a chieftain inside – at some stage over time the Waka had broken free from its earth grave as the result of an earthquake and ultimately came to rest on the bottom of newly formed lake. The local tribe transported the Waka to higher ground and reburied it. The Bleakley’s were invited to the ceremony – a very rare occurrence for non Maori’s at the time.
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