Yard Mooching

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My Girl

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YARD MOOCHING

Over the last few days I have had cause to be in the vicinity of several boat yards

THE SLIPWAY MILFORD
Jason Prew has his 1925 Dick Lang built speedster – My Girl out and is in the process of re-powering her with a ’newer / better’ version of the 100hp Volvo that powers her. Given an engine box hasn’t been ticked off the To-Do List, this ones being pimped and blinged a little.
The new engine wasn’t the primary reason I called in, I had to see Jason’s just added,  Riviera styled set up for his Robert Brook built classic dinghy. I’m told it all comes apart and tucks away out of sight for photo oppo’s. Thats a relief 😉
Also at the yard are Eileen Patricia , Peter and Jenni Mence’s 1933 Arnold Couldrey designed and built launch. Out for even more enhancements and a coat of paint.
Meanwhile Connie V the 1949, Lane Motor Boat Co. built launch waits her turn.
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Eileen Patricia

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Connie V

MILFORD CRUISING CLUB
Little Jim and Wairiki are out getting some TLC
Little Jim
Little Jim
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Wairiki

PIER 21
Thanks to a call from Dave Giddens, I got to see the recently arrived / unloaded Tasmanian built Couta Boat – Rose. They were stepping my mast. Photos and video footage over on the original WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/07/15/mystery-kiwi-buyer-australian-woody/
Rose
Rose
CLEVER MAN
Jason Delamore who purchased the launch Mahanui off Angus Rogers, is a clever chap and very handy with the tools. Jason has just recycyled an old oak table into a very smart table that alternates between the saloon and cockpit, thanks to a ‘Langun’ base / mounting system (ex UK).
The flip hinges give both a small drinks table and larger table for dinner.
Jason commented that he was pretty happy with the result and breathed new life into some gorgeous timber that will last another 80-100 years on top of its current 80+ years.

Meola

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Meola is at the launching of the Hikarangi
Meola is at the launching of the Hikarangi

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MEOLA 
Woody Iain Forsyth, owner of the 1961, 42’6″’, Miller & Tunnage built ex work boat – Meola is one of the most passionate wooden boating buffs you will meet, so when Iain got the opportunity to travel South to the birth place of Meola, there was no stopping him. Back in 1986 there was a major fire at the Miller & Tunnage yard and sadly their historical records / files of past builds was lost in the blaze.
The highlight of Iain’s trip was tracking down Mary Inglis, wife of Brian Inglis, who built many of the boats at Miller & Tunnage.
The black and white photos above are from Mary’s collection and show the construction of Meola and as launched. WW links below for more details
Below is a stunning photo of another Miller & Tunnage vessel, that Iain uncovered – this ones the 1960 built Deodar, which given the immaculate condition must have been at launching, prior to being commissioned as a Police launch. These days, a pleasure craft – WW links below.
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Message For Classic Yacht Association Launch Members

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CLASSIC YACHT ASSOCIATION AGM – COMMITTEE VOTING

Message for woodys that are CYA members. Next Tuesday (4th August) is the CYA AGM, and part of that is the election of a ‘new’ committee. I’ll be positive and not record my views on the performance of the committee over the last 4 years but this year we have 4 launch members standing. Jason Prew has put his hand up for the role of Launch Captain and is the only nomination – so Jason’s election is automatic, i.e. no vote required.
There are 6 candidates standing for the 5 positions on the General Committee.
I would encourage you to consider placing a proxy vote for the 3 launch members – they are Jason Davies, Bruce Dunlop and Patrick O’Meara. We also have one of the younger CYA members – Tom Bertenshaw standing, so in the interests of getting a broader perspective of the membership, consider voting for Tom also.
The voting form can be downloaded here https://classicyacht.org.nz scroll down to the 2nd story -’Notice of Annual General Meeting’ and click on the Proxy Voting form. Complete, scan & email return. If you do not have a scanner, take a photo with your phone & sent that to the email address below. If that all gets too hard for you, email me & I’ll send you a blank voting form  waitematawoodys@gmail.com
NOTE: PROXY VOTING CLOSES FRIDAY (Tomorrow) AND MUST BE EMAILED TO THE ADDRESS BELOW – BEFORE 5:00PM 
Smart Voting: You can vote for as many candidates as you wish to a maximum of 5 – but by only voting for the launch candidates (+Tom) ensures a greater chance of them being elected 😉
JASON DAVIES
BRUCE DUNLOP
PATRICK O’MEARA
TOM BERTENSHAW

Georgia

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GEORGIA

Today’s woody is the 28’ Lidgard built launch Georgia, built in 1974 so she slides into the ’spirit of tradition cateogory’, helped by the fact that she was built of 1 1/4” copper riveted, carvel, kauri planks.
As per most Lidgard’s she fits into the ‘FBG’ mold i.e. a 10’ beam on a 28’ boat..
Powered by a 50hp diesel engine.
Reviewing her tme listing (thanks Ian MacDonald) she is very well appointed and the vendor is very motivated for a sale e.g. keeps dropping the price, so someone could get a nice entry level woody for a good price.
WW Bucket Hat Winner – lots of entries, including some very ‘amusing’ ones but at the end of the day there were only two correct entries – the answer to what is the most searched word on WW was – ELECTROLYSIS. Lots of entries like classic or boat or launch BUT you rarely get a single word like that searched – it would be ‘Classic Launch’.
The first correct answer of the two was Jason Prew, but he already sports a WW bucket so I ruled him out of the draw :-), the winner is Mike Elliott. I have emailed you Mike, reply with your postal address and I’ll send you the hat 🙂
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Help Needed Finding Doris / Miss Doris

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Doris : Miss Doris

Help Needed Finding Doris / Miss Doris

Greg Philpott has asked for help in tracking down the 1910, A.T. Lane (Auckland) built launch – Doris / Miss Doris. She was launched as Doris but renamed Miss Doris in 1949. Her first owner was Albert Fuller for use in the Bay of Islands.

She was a hard working launch and undertook all manner of work for AE Fullers and Sons but she was eventually sold out of the Fullers fleet in 1969 to Doug Nankervis for use as a fishing boat. She was subsequently sold in 1974 to Ashley Synnott and relocated to Mangawhai. That is where the trail goes cold, and Greg would love to find out what happened to her and where she ended up.

We do know some history of her propulsion :- No intel on what engine was in her when launch but in 1917 it was replaced with a Scripps – then in 1920 a Regal G E Coy – then in 1929 a Studebaker, 1933 saw a Alisa Craig went in – 1954 in went a Ford and lastly some time in the 1960’s a Caterpillar was shoe honed in – rumour has it, it nearly took up 1/2 the cabin 🙂

She has appeared on WW before https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/15/9233/

A WOODY QUIZ – Win A WW Bucket Hat

Guess the most searched word on the waitematawoodys site (after waitemata woodys) and you go into the draw to win a WW bucket hat. (model not included). Entries close off at 8pm 29-07-2020. ENTER ONLY VIA EMAIL to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Valeeka

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VALEEKA
Recently Valeeka popped up on fb chat and then today I get a note from Wade Nisbet those grandparents owned the launch and sold her in 1953.
The photo above shows her when owned by Wade’s family, beached in the Bay of Islands after a fresh coat of anti-fouling.
Wade would love to get confirmation of what (little) he knows about the boat and also learn if she has survived and if so where she is today.
Its rumored that – she is 36’, built in 1912, builder was Bailey & Lowe. Richard Petricevich has commented that she was owned by Nicky Williams from 1953 to the 1980’s. Used as a fishing vessel in Hokianga, plus to ‘power’ the Rawene car ferry. According to Richard she also pulled the last raft of kauri logs, floated to the mill on the Hokianga. At the time of purchase she was powered by a straight 8 Scripts marine’ised petrol engine, but was later re-powered with a 4 cyl. Fordson diesel. 
Valeeka was sold to a Graeme Lidgard of Whangarei, in the 1980’s. Can someone that knows Graeme ‘point’ this WW story in his direction so we can hopefully fill in some gaps. Graeme may have sold the launch to a doctor in Thames.
 
Richard Petricevich also posted the photo below of Valeeka’s name board and bow crest – which is a little disconcerting i.e hopefully souvenired  during a re-fit and not from a wreck……….
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Harold Kidd Input – VALEKA (original spelling; named after a current racehorse of that name) was a 33 footer built by BAILEY & TYER (not Bailey & Lowe) at Hall’s Beach Northcote in December 1912 for E. Porter of Northcote. She was probably designed by C. Harrison Smith who did the design work for Bailey & Tyer at the time. Her first engine was a 12hp Hercules which was replaced by a 50hp Kermath when Noel Campbell owned her in 1923.
Log Of The Rawhiti – OOPS FIXED
If you couldn’t open the link to read/view Sunday’s story on Rawhiti’s amazing passage from Sydney to Auckland – it now ‘live again’ – click below

Zephyr

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ZEPHYR
 
Last week I was contacted by Barry Robinson of Thames re his launch Zephyr which has  made a few cameo appearances on WW. Barry has owned Zephyr for the last 30 years and she is currently stored in his shed, at the tail end of a restoration and should be relaunched soon. 
Barry commented (in his words) that he was getting on new and probably it would be good for someone else to take her on.
 
The photos above give us a glimpse of the boats evolution during Barry’s ownership. 
The first one shows her up the Waihou River and then at Whangamata in 1994. The ones on the slipway are dated 1999 and shows cabin Barry added.
 
The last three photos record a sad day up the Waihou River. Barry tied Zephyr to pole at full  tide to go floundering. Out going tide, boat sat on under water old Pier poles. Two  speared  through the hull. With tides getting bigger Barry was able to fill cabin with 10  200 litre drums and got enough flotation to clear poles and drag her to shore with two 4  wheel drive vehicles. Pulled her onto the shore with a 17 tonne digger. Patched two  pole holes and towed her to Puke bridge (Maritime Park Paeroa). Then put her on road trailer  and with a tractor, towed her to the farm at Puriri.
 
Below are copies of an article on Zephyr written by Robert and Caroline Teixeira when she was owned by well known Bay of Islands commercial sports fisherman – Joe Miller (painting)
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29-07-2020 Harold Kidd Input – The first 3 paragraphs of the text of “Legends in Our Lifetime” sound like a waterfront yarn. . “Collins and Bell” and the “site of the Bridgeway Tavern” don’t go together.but there”s a kernel of fact in there I guess. The”Negro Minister” intrigues me. I’ve heard it before and wonder if it’s a conflation of Rev, Jasper Calder, but will check out this interesting angle and see if it has legs (mixed metaphors, anyone?)

Previous WW Zephyr stories

Zephyr

Zephyr

 

03-10-2022 ex Barry Robinson – Thanks  Alan.  Yes  still  have  the  Zephyr  tucked  away  in  the  shed  at  Puriri.  It  has  remained  under  cover  for  many  years  now.  Its like an  old  friend.Most  days  when  I  go  out to  the  farm I look  at  her ,  I get  a  pang of guilt  for  not  finishing the  finale  touches to  put  her  back  into  the  water. My  son  Sean  intends  to  take  over Zephyr. 

Log of The Rawhiti – bringing her home – Sydney to Auckland Passage

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LOG of The RAWHITI – 1947 Sydney > Auckland Passage

The log is reproduced below via the generosity of the Mahurangi cruising club, who ran an abridged version in the 2020 year book. Click link below to read/view – its a cool story, enjoy

The Log of the Rawhiti

Today’s WW story is an amazing account of the return of the 1905 Arch Logan designed, Logan Bros built yacht – Rawhiti from Sydney, Australia to its place off birth – Auckland, New Zealand.

Almost immediately after her 1905 launch Rawhiti headed off across the Tasman to Sydney where she spent the next 41 years. Sadly the last 10 of those years saw her laid up on the hard, rapidly deteriorating.

Luckily for the yacht and all classic boaters in New Zealand, Sydney Ernest Marler (Hek to most) entered the scene and purchased Rawhiti and immediately made plans to sail her back to NZ. Some rather questionable repairs were undertaken and she set sail on December 17th 1947. Her crew for the passage was Hek + Peter Henley (navigator) Brian Lane (shipwright) Roy Johnson (bos’n and ships ‘surgeon’) Norman Vickery (signaller and radio operator)

The passage was recorded in the form of a ships log, written by Hek to his father Hank ((Henry Maitland Marler) outlining the voyage and the crew’s experiences. The trip took 11 days, said to be a record passage from Sydney to Russell, Bay of Islands, that was unbeaten until the 1970’s. 36 hours of the 11 days saw the yacht becalmed, so woodys she was greyhound 🙂

It would be an understatement to say it was a pleasant passage – Brian Lane is on record saying that they were very lucky, if the weather had got any worse they wouldn’t have made it, Rawhiti was hopeless at laying up into the wind. But very fast, built to race on the Waitemata Harbour not ocean passages. At times they trailed anything spare off the stern in an attempt to slow her down. Brian constantly thought she would split in two when coming down off a wave, no splash just a crash that Brian described as like being dropped off the back of a truck onto a concrete road. If he had known the yachts condition and blue water abilities, he would not have ventured past Sydney heads – but they did and Hek went on to raise a family with salt very much in their veins. Son Bruce and grandson Rod continuing the families association with wooden sailing craft.

In the mid 2000’s Rawhiti underwent a total rebuild / restoration while in the ownership of Greg Lee, Greg and master wooden boat builder Peter Brookes conducted the 7 year restoration. Without a doubt she is New Zealand’s finest restoration of a classic wooden vessel. If you search Rawhiti in the WW search box you will get an insight into the restoration.

I bet her crew on the passage back to Auckland in 1947 would not have imaged that 73 years later she would still be sailing and commanding a prime spot  on the world classic wooden boat stage. One of the worlds most admired (&selling) wooden boating items is the Calendar of Wooden Boats by Benjamin Mendlowitz and Maynard Bray. Rawhiti is centre stage in the 2021 edition for the month of March. As are two of our launches – Jason Prew’s – My Girl (April) and Peter Boardman’s – Lady Margaret (June). Owning 25% of that real estate is pretty good for little old NZ, but it comes at a price and that price is all the time that a small bunch of woodys put in making Ben and Maynard so welcome in NZ.

Copies of the 2021 edition are available at

 https://www.woodenboatscalendar.com/wooden-boats-calendar.html 

 

 

Restoration of Pakeha

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Nancy & Beaven Burrows

RESTORATION OF PAKEHA
 
One of the great things about provincial New Zealand is that cool human interest stories still make the front page of the newspaper. On Friday (24th July) Jacob McSweeny ran a story in the Otago Daily Times on the ex workboat – Pakeha.
Built in 1925, Pakeha is the pride and joy of Beaven Burrows, whose connection to the boat goes back to his youth when he used to get rides on Pakeha off the coast of Kaikoura, where his family resided at the time.
I’ll let Jacob tell the story – At 16 Beaven was intent on becoming a commercial fisherman like his father, but that was not to be.’No, I want you to stay and work on the farm. It’s my wish’, his dad said to him. Beaven has been a dairy farmer ever since but his love of boats and the sea has never ceased.

Then four years ago, a friend pointed out Pakeha was for sale. ‘I’d always loved that boat . . .so I decided to buy it.’

The old fishing boat is a true survivor. Beaven believes it may the only one from Kaikoura at that time still around. ‘It’s been washed up on the beach . . .five, six times in its life and survived.’

There was quite a bit of rot in it and so when it was brought to Careys Bay Marine Services in October 2018 it had to be stripped down and rebuilt.

The boat builders were able to rebuild Pakeha referencing old photos and Beavans’ memory of how it was. ‘It’s always been one of the nicest, tidiest boats as a fishing boat,’ Beaven said. The boat is about a week away from completion, with just electric work to be done.

Beaven and wife Nancy are planning a big trip to the top of the South Island this summer, including a visit to the daughter of the first owner of Pakeha, who lives in Waimate, and to the boat’s old home of Kaikoura.

Video link below ex the Otago Daily Times digital edition
 
Would be nice if we can add to this story with some details on the builder and what see got up to over the years?
Photos below ex Careys Bay Marine Services fb page. Thanks Lindsay Grenfell for the heads up 🙂
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Westhaven Classic Launches

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WESTHAVEN CLASSIC LAUNCHES 

Today’s photos come to us from Scott Taylor and are from the same batch that Scott sent in earlier in the week. You may recall that Scott is the son of the late Mac Taylor, the Westhaven based boat broker.
Scott told us that the photos was probably taken by himself over fifty years ago while he was tagging along with his Dad at Westhaven.
In the top photo we see the 1970, Salthouse built launch -Idler, previously on WW  https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/03/27/idler/
In the 2nd photo, closet to the camera, we have a very new looking, modern, mystery launch, which I suspect used up a lot of sheets of plywood in her construction. Alongside her is what I assume is Connie V, the 1949 Lane Motor Boat Co. built launch. These days tucked away at The Slipway Milford, previously on WW
I’m unable to put a name to the last photo – Nathan?
She is an impressive looking craft.