Steam Launch Estral

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STEAM LAUNCH – ESTRAL
Marine engineer (retired) Bill Voisey sent in the above photo of his 21’ kauri steam launch – Estral. Estral has a a beam of 8’6” and draws 3’, and was originally built in Port Chalmers, for a Riverton Rocks farmer c.1940s. Bill understands this family (Jaimison) owned and used her until the 1990s.
Bill restored Estral and converted her to steam in the 1990 > 2000 period with the installation of a Stewart Turner 6A steam engine, and a Stirling  water tube boiler.
Video below of engine prior to clean up and painting
Video below showing back of engine showing boiler feed pump, and condensate pump.

The vessel is currently being re painted and tidied up to put it back in the water. Below is a summary of her set up:

Engine. Stewert Turner No 6a, 2 cyl compound,
Pumps engine driven condenser pump and boiler feed pump.
Keel condenser with return to hot well.
Prop 16″x 18 pitch. Hull speed 6 knots .
Stern tube oil filled with mechanical seals?
Thrust block fitted with forward and reverse thrust bearings.
12 volt alternator v belt driven from prop shaft.
Water tube boiler,pressure tested to 600lbs static pressure,stamped by inspector at 400lbs (not marine certified.)
oil fired automatic pressure controlled with Beckett oil burner fitted.
Water level kept by manual control via needle valve bypass.
Engine can be run to atmosphere
Tanning type boiler water treatment used.
Boiler always left with the total boiler system full of treated water filled from hot we’ll by hand boiler feed pump.

30-01-2020 Update – Russell Ward requested more details on the boiler. The below was supplied by Ben Voisey

“The Boiler design is of the type of water tube boilers common in the late 1890’s, taken from an article in book No 5 of the Modeltec magazines Sept 1988 page 27.
I adapted the design to suit the available space in the hull of Estral.
As you can see the design can be varied as to width, height and length with ease.
The headers at each end have only a 1.5 “ gap and the total of the boiler’s water capacity is under 30 litres .
Fuel type can be whatever suits the furnace that is designed, in this case oil fired.
These photos were taken when I did the last boiler clean.”

 
Hopefully I’ll See Some Of You Tomorrow At The Mahurangi Regatta – If You Don’t Make It, We Will Have Coverage In Tuesdays WW Story 🙂

 
WAITANGI DAY WOODY BEACH PICNIC – FEB 6 – Put A Circle In Your Diary, All Woodys Welcome. RSVP Below
Woody Waitangi Picnic

Ana Maree

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ANA MAREE

Just before Christmas I was contacted by Mark Skinner the owner of the launch – Ana Maree.
Mark sent in the above photos detailing the refit he did on her. Her home is Pine Harbour. Nice to see she got a top-chop, in my eyes 100% better looking 🙂
I do not know anymore about her but assume she is the same Ana Maree that appeared on WW back in November 2013, WW link below. Making her built in 1965 by Oliver & Gilpin and originally named Joanne.
There was a lot of chat re re provenance in the Comments section 🙂

Classic Wooden Boats on the Waitemata

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Moana

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Quo Vadis

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Miss Helen

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My Girl

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Pleasure Lady

CLASSIC WOODEN BOATS ON THE WAITEMATA
Last weekend we decided to slipped away to Rakino Island, and in an almost unheard of event, we departed early and dropped the anchor in West Bay at 9.30am.
On route and in and around the Island we spotted a healthy collection of woodys. Some familiar faces and some newbies. Scroll over photos for captions
The sunset on Saturday night was a stunner. When I popped the head out of the hatch on Sunday morning, I did a double take – a very large cruise ship was sliding down the Rakino Channel, spotted again later in the day off Waiheke Island.
Enjoy the photos – can anyone tell us more about the launches – Asereht, Bon Voyage, Poco Lento ?
Input from Geoff Bagnall – Asereht was built by himself and Bon Voyage by Dave Jackson.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR THIS WEEKENDS WOODY ACTIVITY 
SATURDAY 25 JAN
Mahurangi Regatta Classic Launch Parade (meeting at 10.15am off Scotts Landing – parade will be in alpha order)
SUNDAY 26 JAN
Most likely mooching around Kawau Island area
MONDAY 27 JAN

Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta – Classic Launch Race

Mystery Launch 21-01-2020

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MYSTERY LAUNCH 21-01-2020

The photo of todays launch popped up Mitchell Hutchings fb page. Mitchell commented that he had been given the photo but there was no reference to its origin or the name of the launch.
Nathan Herbert has proposed that it might be Wainunu (photo below ex Nathan Herbert) or Phyllis M, anyone able to help us out ID’ing the launch?
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Harold Kidd Update – Definitely WAINUNU (ex PHYLLIS M) built by Fred Mann at John St., Ponsonby in December 1919 for himself. She was sold to Clive Power in 1953 who renamed her WAINUNU and used her for yacht club work and a Coastguard auxiliary.
Photo below of Phyllis M ex Nathan Herbert
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I was floating around on Saturday / Sunday so tomorrow I have a good collection of classic woodys out enjoying one of the best weekends of the summer.
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Maharatia (Anita Bay / Te Repo Repo Relaunched

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MAHARATIA RELAUNCHED
 
Last week in the WW inbox up popped a note from Troy and Dave Searle the owners of the 1947 Roy Lidgard built – Maharatia, the subject line said “Maharatia (Anita Bay) Update”. Well woodys that was an understatement, I can report that Maharatia has been relaunched 🙂
Firstly excuse me while I rewind – back in August 2015 Paul Drake sent me a single b/w photo (c.1960’s) of a rather large woody on the back of a truck in Taupo. Paul commented that the launch was Te Repo Repo as she was named while operating commercially on the lake.
That single photo (below) ignited one of the biggest chat sessions on WW, there have been over 64 comments posted around the boats provenance.
I attempted to summarize it into one read, which you will find along with a great photo gallery of her past at the WW link below. Make sure you read the comments, start at the bottom 😉 
 
 
Now back to the the Searle’s email – I have reproduced it below – rather a big project – well done guys, amazing effort – email me your T-shirt sizes and I will gift you a couple of WW t-shirts. Hopefully in person at this weekends Mahurangi Regatta.
 
“Well finally after a 4 1/2 years restoration we have relaunched Maharatia.
Last Wednesday (8th Jan 2020) Boat Haulage safely transported her up to Dockland 5 in Whangarei from the boat shed at Omaha. 
She is now berthed in Marsden Cove Marina
Colin Brown, Josh Hawke and owner Dave Searle have worked hard to help bring her back to a very solid representation of her former glory.
Just a brief overview of the restoration work
– Replaced 23 frames in hull
– Replaced garboard plank
– Replaced all keel bolts
– Replaced all through hull skin fittings
– Re-corked hull
– Replaced worm shoe
– Rebuilt shaft logs
– Rebuilt rudder logs
– New diesel tanks 
– Motors (2 x 6LX Gardner) rebuilt by Shaw diesels Ltd
– Replaced all fuel systems, lines and filters.
– Complete rehire and re-plumbed.
– All new toughened glass windows
– New dash panel, gauges and instruments
– New Interior, saloon and galley
– Raised and built new roof to increase headroom by 80mm
– New shower/head room built in.
– New capping on rail
– New exhaust system
– All porthole windows removed, new glass and seals fitted.
– 2 new hatches made. Fwd cabin and roof top.
– New anchor winch
– Aft deck, seating and storage compartments made and hatch to lazarette installed.
 …and Lastly a full repaint.
 
Looking forward to spending our summer on the water this year! 
We hope to be at the Mahurangi regatta In a few weeks time and catching up with other woody enthusiasts.”
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Tall Ship Peking Rounds Cape Horn – Movie

Tall Ship Peking Rounds Cape Horn – Movie

The above 1929 film is shot and narrated by Captain Irving Johnson and records the tall ship Peking on her outward bound journey around Cape Horn.
Special thanks to Max Pike for sending me the link.
Input from Keith Ottaway

“She is still afloat and being restored……..

http://ss-peking.de/en/viermastbark-peking/bildergalerie.php

There is another of these in Sweden / Finland

https://sjofartsmuseum.ax/en/the-ship-pommern/

And a read of Eric Newby book on sailing these with a complete set of photos.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/298571.Learning_the_Ropes

The book has some very good photos under way and what they had to do – very readable – but on a winters night in front of the fire to make you appreciate what you have.”

 

Bay of Islands Woodys

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Bay of Island Woodys

Dean Wright has just sent in a few more photos from the BOI, as always stunning photography.
We have Alma G and Winsome fishing off Onewhero and Tapui coming through Kent Passage.
Enjoy.
Hopefully I’ll be afloat this weekend and in case it slipped you by – next weekend is the BIGGIE – Mahurangi Regatta, the biggest woody event in NZ.
If you believe the MCC website – there is a classic launch parade, I understand the CYA are behind it, but details are a ‘little’ light’ 😦
I have cut and pasted below what appears on the MCC website and marked the parade assembly area / time i.e. 10.15am at Scotts Landing.
As per previous years, entry is a formality that a lot turn a blind eye to, you can just rock up on the day – as long as you are a classic and made of wood 🙂
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Remember to slip $20 cash into your pocket to pick up a copy of the Mahurangi Cruising Club year book – its a cracker
MCC YB 2020 Cover

Marlin 17 Rescued

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Marlin 17 Rescued

Have been contacted recently by Keith Bradley concerning a Marlin 17 that he rescued from the chainsaw. The previous owner was about to cut the hull in half and mount it on the wall of the fish and chip shop in Nelson……… 😦

In steps Keith and the woody run-a-about is now 1/2 way thru a re-fit.
When Keith acquired her she had a large crack in the bow, that with help (verbal) from a local boat builder Kieth has addressed.
The project is actually more of a custom re-build than a restoration to as built, but rest easy – she will look a picture when completed.
Keith has set himself a target to have her back in the water for the Lake Rotoiti (Nelson Lakes) classic boat show at St. Arnaud this year, so he better get a move on 🙂
Keith would love to hear from any other Marlin 17 owners to swap notes re his and their boats.
The photo below of Keith’s shed shows an impressive collection of deer antlers  – must be a very good shot 🙂
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Ani (Brief Affair)

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ANI (BRIEF AFFAIR)

I have been contacted by Matthew Hambrook looking for more details on the 1975,  41’ Keith Atkinson built launch – Ani. In a previous like she was called ‘Brief Affair’ and spent a number of years in the Golden Bay area.
Matthew commented that there had been talk of the boat being one of the ’Shango’ named launches that Keith Atkinson built.
Can anyone shed some light on the boat?
LADY SHIRLEY
Two nights ago BOI woody Dean Wright sent me the photo below of Lady Shirley swinging on a mooring in Opito Bay. Obviously in summer cruising mode with all the ‘fruit’ on top of her 🙂
Not too sure about those cabin hatches, looks like they would be more at home on a Y88 😉
Lady Shirley BOI Jan2019

Lady Gillian

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Lady Gillian new bow rail

LADY GILLIAN

Last year I was in dialog with Andrew Beatson, the owner of the Nelson based launch – Lady Gillian, in regard to a a replacement bow rail. Andrew had made the decision to replace the existing rail (as seen the the top photo) with a something similar.
The middle photo shows the mocked up replacement, which AB had little say in the ‘design’. Andrew contacted me asking for advice, I won’t bore you with the details, unless you are contemplating something similar, in which case PM me.
Yesterday Andrew sent me the bottom photo, with lots of smiley faces – the new rail looks ace and will only get better after the timber has aged a little.
Small things can make a big difference to how a woody looks, sadly more often than not, people get it wrong. If you ever want advice / 2nd opinion, just drop WW an email – there are some very talent woodys who we can tap into 😉
There has been discussion on WW before regarding the provenance of Lady Gillian – back in 2014 Harold Kidd commented that she had most likely had a name change and could be from any builder in the 1910 >1930 period. Probably started life as a flush decker and with her row of even sized ports is characteristic of a southern build and could pass for an early Jukes of Balaena Bay.
Six years have passed since then and WW has a lot more readers – can anyone help ID the vessel?

10-03-2022 Photo below ‘uncovered’ in the WW archives