HELP IDENTIFY THIS WOODEN BOAT

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HELP IDENTIFY THIS WOODEN BOAT

Woody John Dawson sent in the above photo, but wasn’t able to ID the vessel, I have an idea but better to throw it open to the WW readers. (apologise for small photo size)

Suggestions in the comments box would be appreciated.

INPUT ex Ken Ricketts – It’s the FLORAY, built by & for Major, (Christian name, not rank), Bailey, on his back lawn on the corner of Wheturangi & Greenlane Rds., in 1948-49 using the frames from Hec Goodfellow’s RANUI, borrowed from RANUI’s builders, Roy Lidgards boatbuilders.

She was named after his wife Flo & his only son Ray.

Her name was later changed to LEILANI, & I believe she is now neglected beyond repair, & was last seen on a hillside property at Thames by me, several years ago.

Alan H Comment – There is speculation as to the build, with Harold Kidd commenting previously that Lidgard built the hull and she was finished by her owner. Also the name as launched could have been FLORAE, or maybe thats what it was registered as. Whether way, sad that she has ended up in a paddock. Photo in the 2023 story – WW Aug2023  https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/08/09/leilani-florae-floray-jolly-roger/

And if your not on the WW email list – details on Fridays Woodys Lunch Cruise to the waterfront Riverhead Tavern below

For those skippers / boats taking part in Fridays Classic Woodys Riverhead Tavern Lunch cruise – see below details re meeting times etc.

If your boat is out for winter maintenance or you are boat less, coming by car is an option to consider.

DATE : FRIDAY 20 JUNE (4 days away)

MEETING LOCATION: HERALD ISLAND / LUCAS CREEK AREA

DEPARTURE > RIVER: 11.45am

ARRIVE PUB: APPROX 12.15PM

HW= 2.10 – TIDE = 2.88m

DEPART PUB: 3.00pm >> (skippers call, if in doubt leave/follow the ferry)

Being a public holiday there will be 2 ferries making the trip, so please give them right of way on the river and at the jetty. 

PLEASE BRING YOUR DINGHY – as jetty space is very limited.

Reviewing the list of boats that have RSVP’ed, I think all have braved the river before so skippers should be ok with navigation and anchoring spots, if you want a refresh, email me and I will supply details. AND REMEMBER ME TRAVEL IN INDIAN FILE UP THE RIVER – no overtaking.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – NOR WEST – A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – NOR WEST – A Peek Down Below

Back into 2016 the 33’ Lanes Motor Boat Co. built in 1951 launch – NOR WEST appeared on WW, at the time her new owner, Peter Crane, was looking for information on her past. Well WW delivered . Link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/02/20/nor-west-2/

Fast forward to earlier this yea and NOR WEST was back on the market, hopefully now sold.

As seen in the photos above over the last 9 years there has been plenty of TLC handed out and she is a very fine look classic wooden boat.

Quick over view – built from kauri, 9’ bean and draws 3’. Powered by a 100hp 6 cyl. Ford diesel that sees her cruise at 7.5 knots

RSVP TODAY FOR WOODYS CLASSIC RIVERHEAD TAVERN LUNCH CRUISE

email boat name & approx crew #’s to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

CLASSIC BAILEY & LOWE LAUNCH NEEDS A NEW HOME

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CLASSIC BAILEY & LOWE LAUNCH NEEDS A NEW HOME

Todays story is two things a look at the 1909 wooden launch SUNBEAM  and call from her owner Susan Insley asking for someone to step up and take over the custodianship of SUNBEAM.

Firstly some background – THE 32′ SUNBEAM was built in 1909 by Bailey & Lowe and constructed from kauri carvel planking.  Susan’s great grandfather, Harry Insley, was the police officer on Waiheke Island between 1908 and 1928, and used his launch SUNBEAM for work purposes making her the first Police craft in Auckland.. In the b/w press clipping dated 14th Nov 1992 we see SUNBEM lining up with the craft that later replaced her as Auckland Maritime Police vessels.

These days SUNBEAM is moored in the Marlborough Sounds and in good working order, but sadly in recent times just not getting the use she deserves / needs. So Susan has made the tough call to find a new owner and has commented to WW that if someone with the right amount of salt in their veins was to step up, the vessel could be a gift. If that person is you or you know someone – initially contact Susan at sueins@xtra.co.nz

Screenshot

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH MA CHERIE (ADI KUILA) LIVES ON

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH MA CHERIE (ADI KUILA) LIVES ON

The 53’ Lane built (1965) classic wooden launch – ADI KUILA first appeared on WW back in 2014. We didn’t learn a lot about her then but were told she spent time in Fiji in the 1980’s > 1990’s.

Then she popped up again in October 2016 named MA CHERIE and looking very smart – link here to that story https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/10/21/ma-cherie/

Then again in Jan 2023 we got a flash back to how she looked in her youth – link here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/10/21/ma-cherie/

Fast forward to early May 2025 and I’m contacted by the saviour of so many classic woodys – John Wright, to say they had stepped in and acquired the vessel, patched her hull up and were relocating her to the Te Atatu Boating Club to do what John does so well e.g. save and refurbish the vessel. 

We look for to following this project.
Photo below from 2016, I understand she has gone backwards since then.

RSVP TODAY FOR WOODYS RIVERHEAD LAUNCH CRUISE waitematawoodys@gmail.com

CLASSIC WOODEN MOTOR SAILER – SPINDRIFT

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CLASSIC WOODEN MOTOR SAILER – SPINDRIFT

Today’s featured vessel is the rather salty-looking SPINDRIFT – a 27’ classic double-ended motorsailer that recently surfaced on tme (cheers Ian McDonald for the heads-up).

Unfortunately, the listing doesn’t give much away. We’re told she’s built to a design known as a “Scottish Fifer” and has a kauri hull, so it’s likely she was built here in New Zealand. Power comes from an 18hp Saab engine.

And that’s about it.

The seller does mention there’s a “full history from when built, with photos” – which would be a great addition to the listing. Always curious how some people seem to make it harder to sell a boat…

If anyone out there knows more about SPINDRIFT, drop us a line in the WW comments section. She’s currently located in Tauranga.

CLASSIC SAM FORD LAUNCH – OSCAR – A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC SAM FORD LAUNCH – OSCAR – A Peek Down Below

Todays post revisits the 34′ classic launch OSCAR, built by Sam Ford in 1970 and still powered by her original 165hp Perkins diesel engine, which delivers a top speed of 12 knots.

While OSCAR has been featured on waitematawoodys before—most notably in April 2024 (link below) —this update shares some new photos from below deck, thanks to a tme listing tip-off from Ian McDonald. https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/04/10/oscar-born-again/

CLASSIC LAUNCH RUAMANO – A JOURNEY GONE WRONG

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NZ Herald Front Page 02-01-2001
NZ Herald Inner Page 02-01-2001

CLASSIC LAUNCH RUAMANO – A JOURNEY GONE WRONG

Over the years there have been several mentions on WW of the loss of the 43’ Collings & Bell built launch – RUAMANO launched in 1925 at Freemans Bay, Auckland. 

Let us not pussy foot around – loss is the wrong word. At the time maritime authorities used stronger words e.g. ‘crew abandoned it’ / ‘questioned the need to abandon’ / ‘vessel was not in a life-threatening situation’ / ‘crew appeared to have simply had enough’ / ‘lack of experience may have been a factor’ / they bit off more than they could chew’. 

On New Years Day 2001 the NZ classic boating community lost one of its finest craft, and reading the reports it appears it did not need to have happened. 

Recently WW was contacted by Denis O’Callahan, past co-owner of the wonderful Colin Wild built woody – TASMAN. Denis commented that he had been working on preparing a summary of the logbooks from the TASMAN. Nine volumes from 26 December 1971 to 12 December 2020.

In the back of Volume 6, 24 October 1998 to 27 July 2002 Denis found taped in the clippings from the NZ Herald, dated 2 January 2001, the front page and an internal page telling the story of the loss of the RUAMANO.

In the TASMAN log, dated Tuesday 02-01-2001 while the launch was cruising the Mahurangi area a note was added to the log book that read “Newspaper from Warkworth reported loss of RUAMANO on fool hardy attempt to repeat 1925 circumnavigation of NZ (see clipping at end of log)” . The photos above are scans of the original NZ Herald press clippings ex the TASMAN log, given to Alan H at WW.

I encourage WW follower / readers to take the time to read the NZ Herald news stories and make your own decision on the sad event. As always you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them.

Masthead from the NZ Herald below (page too large for the scanner).

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE LAUNCH – VOLANTE

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WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE LAUNCH –  VOLANTE

Recently WW was contacted by Darren Spragg advising he had acquired the 40’ launch – VOLANTE, and was asking for help to learn the boats back story.

Darren commented that when purchased all he was told was that she was 40’ in length and probably designed and built by the John Lidgard yard c.1963.

Construction is triple diagonal kauri, that at a later date has been f/glassed.

Currently powered by twin 120hp Ford Lehman diesels.

I won’t comment on the top 2 metres other than to say – ’nothing a tungsten tipped chainsaw couldn’t fix’ 😉

Her stern has Tauranga as the home port so maybe a Bay of Plenty woody can enlighten us as to where she has been for the last 60 odd years.
Would love to see a as-launched photo.

RSVP FOR CLASSIC WOODYS RIVERHEAD LUNCH CRUISE – FRIDAY 20 – MATARIKI HOLIDAY waitematawoodys@gmail.com

LOOKING FOR INFO ON THE CLASSIC LAUNCH – WAKANUI 

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LOOKING FOR INFO ON THE CLASSIC LAUNCH – WAKANUI 

WW was recently contacted by Craig and Mary Mountjoy regarding the launch – WAKANUI.

Craig commented that she was launched in approx. 1969, having been built for Ed Schischka, who farmed at the mouth of the Puhoi River, on land that is now the upstream part of the Auckland Regional Reserve at Wenderholm. 

WAIANUI was kept on a swing mooring just outside of the family farmhouse, which is now known as the ‘Schischka Homestead’. The Schischka family mostly used her for day fishing expeditions, in between milkings.

Mary believes she was built in Greenhithe, which would possibly indicate Salthouse, but Lidgard has been remembered as another possibility.

The above photo, at Westhaven, Auckland may have been taken on launch day. In the photo she appears to be around 30’ in length.

I questioned Graig re the photo as it appears too perfect i.e.had it been re-touched, Craig assured me he had scanned the photo from the original 1969 print. 

Craig and Mary last saw her on a mooring in Opahi Bay, Mahurangi around the early 1990’s, and are very keen to find more information on her design, builder, any history and where WAKANUI is now. 

So woodys can we help out.

IMPORTANT EVENT UPDATE – Note: new date for Woody Boat Boot Sale – now August 02

CLASSIC 40’ WOODEN CRUISING CUTTER – ENCORE 

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CLASSIC 40’ WOODEN CRUISING CUTTER – ENCORE 

Earlier in the year John Dawson pointed me in the direction of the classic 40’ wooden cruising yacht – ENCORE.

We learnt that she was built by master boatbuilder Lionel Jefcoat as his own boat. Launched in 1988 she slips into the spirit of tradition woody category.

Designed and built to handle off-shore cruising she is an impressive craft, constructed from 2” Kauri planks that run the vessel’s length, with an elm interior. I love the interior, especially that heater, but the exterior has a little too much of the blur colour for my eyes. But as they say – its only paint, so easily changed 😉