Kotare

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Frank Wilkins
Frank & grandson Glenn
Glenn takes the helm
1st mate – Glenn
KOTARE 
Back in June 2014 WW was approached with a request for intel on the 28’ kauri planked launch Kotare, a poplar name for boats. At the time Harold Kidd was able to tell us that she was designed by Bill Couldrey in 1960 for Frank Wilkins of Church St., Northcote to build for himself.  Wilkins launched her in October 1961 with a 45hp BMC diesel. Subsequent owners included Phil Prouse in 1997 when she had a BMC Tempest 62hp diesel.
We also learnt that Sharon Prentice also owned Kotare, her brother-in-law Geoff Prentice made the new smaller mast that you now see on her.
Back in 2014 she was based in Kerikeri. Recently she popped up on Lew Redwood’s fb, via a post by Joan Jameson on the ‘NorthShore, NZ Histories & Memories’ fb. Jameson posted the above photos of Kotare and Frank Wilkins during his ownership period.
Photos below from Kerikeri.
Can anyone update us on Kotare’s current location and ownership?
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Tangmere Finds Her Way Home

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TANGMERE FINDS HER WAY HOME

Back in May 2017, WW helped two woodys uncover some of the history on a launch that they were about to start a restoration on. The vessel was the 1949, Shipbuilders built launch Tangmere. 

 

You can read that story and see a great collection of photos from Tangmere’s past at this link. https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/05/23/tangmere-2/
Read the comments section – lots of chat. The boat changed hands several times in the period 2018 > early 2019 and I can now report she is back with its original owners family, the Endean’s  –  we like that 🙂
Today’Cs story is another that comes to us as a result of the lock-down we have all been in for the last 6 weeks. Via Harold Kidd I received a note from Bill Endean advising that his brother Richard had used the lock-down for good purpose and uncovered the above photos of Tangmere. Chatting with Bill he commented that the hull of Tangmere now sits at their farm shed in Warkworth, about to be restored. 
Bill is a past commodore of the RNZYS with a lot of salt in his veins from sailing, so its especially good to welcome another yachtie to the bright-side (launches) 😉 Brother Richard was also Commodore at the RNZYS.
The photo taken inside the cabin shows Bill’s father standing, eating a pie (as are his mother nearest camera and friend Jean Foster), that woodys was fine dinning afloat back then – no salad in sight. Bill is not sure who the fourth person is. Bill suspects the photo was taken by fathers best friend, Owen Foster, an accountant who spent most of his career as right hand man to Sir Robert Kerridge
 
Bill commented that his dad returned from the war to discover his father has decided to sell his yacht “Prize” … it seems he decided to go power boating instead. Endean snr. was very able with his hands and established a furniture manufacturing business, hence the high level of finish. Not very PC these days but note the ash trays fitted to cabinetry. He loved gadgets and “Hi Fi”, reflected in the impressive radiogram fixed to main bulkhead.
 
The Perspex dome harks back to his familiarity with same as a Lancaster bomber pilot during WW2.
The photo taken of her stern looks like anchored at Home Bay, Motutapu or nearby, the 2 boys in the cockpit are Bill and older brother Richard.
 
We will follow this project with interest, Bill has promised to keep WW updated.
 
23-08-2020 Update: Bill Endean sent me the sketch below of this thinking around the restoration – close to the as launched – we like that 🙂
 

Herald – Sailing Sunday

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HERALD – Sailing Sunday
Recently I was sent the  above gallery of photos of the small yacht – Herald, from kiwi Fred Lomas, who lives/works in Australia. The photos are from an album given to him by his ex (deceased) Omapere (near Opononi, Northland) neighbour – Aubrey Bracey.  Aubrey was a farmer / carpenter who built a couple of small boats, Herald being one of them.
How lucky were these kids to have a boat of their own at their age, these days we are just too PC.
I love the combination of paint colours – a perfect example of the old principle of only using 3 colours max on a boat. Also looks like as the kids got taller, they raised the cabin top 🙂
Devonport Yacht Club – Duder Cup – On The World Stage
Check out the link below to read / view a great story by Rob Peake, editor of the ‘Classic Boat’ magazine in the UK, on this years running of the Duder Cup race.

Ranui + WoodenBoat #3 Chat Session

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RANUI
When I spotted the photo above on fb I thought I had a great Mystery Launch competition photo, then eagle eyed Jason Prew ID’s her as the 1948, Lidgard built, 48′ launch Ranui, before her hull extension.  Seen here at the 1955 Auckland Anniversary Regatta. Recent photo below. And a shameless plug – she is for sale – link here
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Watch – WoodenBoat Editor – Live Video Chat With Alec Brainerd  – Artisan Boatworks in Rockport Harbor, Penobscot Bay, USA

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=woodenboat&epa=SEARCH_BOX

Check out the Artisan website here.
Courier Arrived Today – Not often I get one marked ‘Dangerous Goods’
The label even had ‘Danger – May damage fertility or the unborn child + very toxic to aquatic life’ on it.
What was it? Good old Red Lead powder. Don’t have a use for it at the moment but its like hens teeth to buy and being in lock-down, on-line shopping has been getting a little out of hand e.g. did I need that 8” bronze adjustable spanner from Arthur Beale – London’s 300 year old yacht chandler 🙂

Ida Dips Her Toes

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IDA DIPS HER TOES

After a full restoration and a Covid19 lock down delay, the 1895 Chas Bailey designed and built by C&W Bailey, Ida finally left Horizon Boats shed on the 1st May 2020 and headed to the water (Stillwater) to be rigged. Yesterday she was lowered into the water with all sails and equipment on board so that the team could determine her water line ready for anti-fouling. At 7050kg and with her slender lines she is going to be a slippery challenge for the rest of Auckland’s A class fleet. Check out the gaff collar – talk about bling 🙂

Next steps: anti-foul coating > final rigging detail > a tidy up ready for a formal launch celebration. Bring It On!!
Well done to the whole team behind getting Ida back from Australia and restoring her – an amazing feat given Ida arrived back in New Zealand in December 2018. It goes without saying that none of this would have happened without John Street, the classic wooden boating movement owes so much to this man.
WW will have more on Ida post the official launch.
(details & photos ex The Classic Yacht Charitable Trust)
Read more on Ida at the links below
23-05-2020 – First sail
IDA 1st sail 2020

Waitanguru

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WAITANGURU

In the top photo we see Waitanguru in the Milford Creek, just off the AW Williams boatyard* in Omana Road, Milford. Waitanguru was a ‘Banshee’ design built by Williams. At the time of the photo the launch was owned by Gerry Dawson, he purchased her off Peter Peterson.
The November 1965 photos come to us from Lew Redwood’s fb and were taken by Dawn Heathwaite.. In the 2nd photo the kids on the jetty are Bill and Ian Heathwaite. Bill Heathwaite has commented that the photos were taken post a successful game fishing trip to Great Barrier Island. Bill’s father is holding the tail of a record breaking yellow-fin tuna he had caught. From recalls it was 135lb on a 30lb line.
The crew are L>R – skipper Gerry Dawson, Roy Heathwaite, Scotty, Alan Odell, Jim and Bruce Woods.
Do we know what became of Waitanguru?
* yard later became Geoff Bagnall’s and is now The Slipway – Milford. Interesting to view the area on the right of the shed that would be developed at the Milford Crusing Club haul-out yard.
CORRECTION : The yard is John Gladdens yard, the Allan Williams original yard was against the road and slip by the bridge. (thanks readers)
DOUBLE CORRECTION: Thanks to Nathan Herbert we learn the the spelling was wrong, the boat is Waitanguru and has featured on WW b4, link below
FYI – the WW section box only works on perfect spelling, so we did not pick this up 😉

Joel > Lady J

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JOEL > Lady J
Another request from Brian Hewitt – this time regarding the 34’ launch – Joel, that in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s he was part owner of.
Joel was built by Shipbuilders and powered by a Ford 80hp diesel with marine conversion. The launch had full 2M headroom through the interior, a full sized household sized ‘head’, a galley which adequately catered for up to 12 and a table that sat them all.
Brian recalls that one of her few weak points was she was hard to manoeuvre in a brisk breeze so berthing took speed and courage but Joel gave the owners much enjoyment.
When sold the new owner built an open bridge and renamed her, but Brian can’t remember the new name.
He has a suspicion she went to Pine Harbour marina. When Brian & co. bought her, she came with a pile mooring at Westhaven, they later progressed to a marina.
Brian would love to know where she is now. Can anyone help out?
Update from Gordon Cooper – I owned JOEL since about 1995 to 2004. She was a beautiful launch, the owner prior to the one I bought her off had rebuilt her interior, raised the floor so the motor was just under and put a fly bridge on her. She was at Gulf Harbour when I bought her, I kept her at West Harbour. 

The boat was a hunny to back into a berth. When I sold her, she went to Sand Spit where she had her hull re-fastened. I do not think she is there now.
In the 2nd photo below, you see her as I bought her.
I changed her name to Lady J
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Chinook

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CHINOOK

Today’s woody is named Chinook and owned by Woodrow Bould (great name). Woodrow has been told that she may have been built by Parson/s? She is approx. 37’6” in length and carvel built from kauri.

Woodrow has owned Chinook for just over 5 years, having purchased her from a gent in Whangamata, who didn’t have a lot of detail about her history.

Onboard Woodrow found a bunch of old game fishing log books, an old advertisement for her sale back in the 1990’s, loads of interesting manuals etc, but nothing that gave him any solid information about the designer. When surveyed, the surveyor spoke of her being over-build, with twice as many ribs than she needs.
The forward motion comes from a Ford Dover 135hp diesel engine with a Lee’s marine conversion. 
Woodrow is keen to learn more about the history of the boat e.g. who designed her, where she was built, any interesting owners she may have had, etc. He commented that they used to own a Pied Piper named – Jim Beam, and it seemed that every famous sailor in New Zealand had raced on her at some stage or another. So he has come from a situation where he knew everything to now owning a boat where he knows next to nothing.
Chinook is a pretty boat i.e. one that gets noticed, so I’m sure we can help him out.
Harold Kidd Input – Jack Parsons 1957 at Tauranga.
 
 
 

Kestrel

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KESTREL

The 39’ launch Kestrel was built in Nelson in 1957 by Wally Steer. Original kauri carvel construction but later (1990’s) she received a skin of ply and was fibre-glassed 1990s 😦 Powered by a Ford 120hp diesel, that gets her along at 8 knots.

Mid last year she was 4sale on tme, in Nelson. Do we know anymore about Kestrel and her builder?

Input from Steve Thomas – Kestrel was originally named SUSAN MARGARET, built by Wally Steer around 1957 and first launched from Monaco, Nelson, not far from Wally’s home at Songer Street, Stoke, where the boat was built. I have a photos of her moored in Nelson Harbour, will dig it out and send a copy. She was powered by 2 flat-head V8 petrols we think. The March Construction family in Kaiapoi owned the boat for many years. In the 1980’s the March boys Father died and they trucked the boat from Picton and started a major rebuild at their Kaiapoi base. Myself and my Dad, Don Thomas, found her around 1995 and fell in love. The original 1’1/4 kauri carvel planking was skinned over with diagonal ply and glassed and the new topsides built but not fitted out. The March boys ran out steam on the home straight and let us take over. We then trucked the boat up to Glenhope, near Murchison, where a boat builder friend, Kevin Strong, completed the interior fit-out over a couple of years. We then moved the boat to Nelson, and finished the exterior repaint, electrical and engineering work. The Ford 2725E was a brand new engine. We relaunched the boat in Nelson around 2000 and she looked the same as she is now. Sadly, my father Don passed away in 2013. Nelson boaties Mike and Denise Ballard then purchased her around that time and lived on her for a few years. Kestrel has just been sold to an American couple who intend to keep her in Picton and cruise the Sounds. She’s a fantastic sea boat with heaps of flare in the bow. Will be a great ship for many years to come.

Maureen II + Off Center Harbor Wet Sunday Treat

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MAUREEN II
 

One of the many woodys that contacted WW for a copy of Chris McMullen’s docking tips was Mike Empson, owner of – Maureen II, a Matangi, built c1967-68 by Brin Wilson. Maureen II is 100% kauri, 36′ long and weighs approx. 9 tonnes.

Mike has been in touch with people connected to the Brin Wilson yard and been told she may have been built for someone connected to Ross Reid Contractors – that woodys is all Mike and wife Ann know about her, so would love to uncover more information on the vessel.

 
Mike has commented that he believes these boats were originally built with timber masts and timber lifeline stanchions, but Maureen II has had retro-fitted aluminium mast & boom, plus stainless lifeline stanchions. It has roller-boom reefing and a roller furling headsail.
 
Power is via a Ford 4-cyl E592 industrial stationary engine, marinised when new, by Lees Marine, fresh-water cooled. These engines were also used on the UK 4-cyl Ford Trader trucks, in the mid to late 1950’s and also on Fordson Major tractors.
Transmission is through a Parsons Marine-o-matic HG4 Mk 2 hydraulic transmission and she has a 1.75” bronze prop-shaft which is 11’6″ long. She is set up with dual station steering, which comprises a truck steering box with a long under-floor shaft, connected by chains to the two steering stations; one inside and the other in the cockpit.
WOODY WET SUNDAY TREAT 
 

As you know I’m a big fan of the website – Off Center Harbor, the site is probably best known for jaw dropping boat tours and in-depth how-to series, but the OCH lads also know how to slow down and soak up the scenery. Given the craziness of the last 5 weeks I have found myself trolling the OCH online library more than ever, looking to a cure to my boat less blues. I have some favourites that I would be embarrassed to say how many times I have viewed 🙂

Last week one that popped up again was the OCH lads doing an early morning mooch around the fleet at anchor at last summers Eggemoggin Reach Regatta in Maine. The stunning classic woodys are basking in a golden glow at dawn after the previous days racing and partying. It reminds me very much of Saturday morning at our own Mahurangi Reggata.
Chatting with Steve Stone from OCH, I mentioned the comparison as Steve was at the Mahurangi Regatta in 2019 and Steve kindly offered to supply a link to the ERR video – view it here  CLICK HERE 
 
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Early in the lock-down the OCH guys put together a special deal for waitemata woodys to help us out while we are boat less. Well the good news it is still on offer – so if you haven’t already joined up, do it today – link here 8-week membership with full access to the entire website for just $5 NZD. They’re also including an optional upgrade to an annual membership at the end of the 8 weeks at 50% off.
Woodys, signing up to OCH will be the 2nd best woody thing you have done – after discovering WW 🙂