Nevada

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NEVADA

The photos of Nevada above were sent in by David Stanaway and shows her recently hauled out on the slip at Dargaville.
Dave believes she may have been built as a towing launch on the Kaipara.
While smaller than yesterday’s WW feature boat – Miss Betty, she appears similar and to quote Dave , has that Roy Lidgard look about her.
Dave also recalls that there was a longliner in Auckland named Nevada -same boat?
Maybe Zach Matich can help us out on more info on her?
Ps nice railway slip 🙂

Miss Betty > Kalua

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Miss Betty > Kalua

Today’s wooden started life back in 1952, named Miss Betty and built by Lidgard as a purpose built work boat for Rope Shipping to tow timber barges on the Kaipara Harbour.

She was sold c.1970 to a doctor who renamed her Kalua and had her converted into a pleasure launch. She was then sold approx 17 years later to Jock McKenzie from Clevedon who had her for 10 years until the current owners father (Mike) brought her. Mike went everywhere in her. She was a great sea boat and approx. 12 years ago Mike gave her a birthday which was a major makeover by boat builder Peter Reynolds.
Kalua is 2 skin kauri, measures 42’, 11’ beam and a 4’ draft. Power comes from a Ford 180hp turbo, that sees her cruising at 8-9 knots.

As a result of her trade listing (thanks Ian McDonald) the seller, Todd (son of Mike) was contacted by Steve Parker those uncle Gordon Brown (still alive at 103) was the second owner. He purchased her from their uncle Dick Rope & brought her over from the Kaipara. He owned her for 21 years. Steve was an apprentice mechanic & helped install the 120 hp Ford. Kalua featured on TV in an ad for Farmers Trading Co. His daughter Lynette featured in the ad. Gordon sold the boat to the doctor, Gordon changed the name to Kalua, not the doctor.

FYI re the name Miss Betty – Betty was Dick Rope’s wife.

Another visual case study in the evolution of an old woody as styles and usage changed over the year.

Input from Harold Kidd – For what it’s worth, the APYMBA records show her builder as “Rope/Warmington”, date of build 1950 (perhaps a Lidgard design?). Owner in 1964 was G.W. Brown of 35 London St Ponsonby with a Fordson then W. Curtis, 28 Cornwall Park Ave in 1966 and then back to G.W. Brown by 1973. Query, is this the KAHLUA that was pinched from Shoal Bay by a bank robber in 1982?

 

Lady Ellison

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Lady Ellison b:w

LADY ELLISON

Yesterday I was sent the above photo of the c.1952 launch – Lady Ellison by Murray (Mudge) White.

Murray commented that in 1953 he owned the classic yacht ‘ Scout’ and wishing to learn coastal and celestial navigation he went to classes held by Captain Warrick Dunsford at the RAYC and he asked Murray if he would help deliver the Lady Ellison to Wellington.

The skipper and old coastal skipper and an engineer and the boy (Murray) those job was mainly using a drum pump to pump petrol from the two 44 gallon drums in the aft cockpit to the main tank. Murray thinks the engine was a Scripps V8 conversion. After a 4 hour stop in Gisborne to refuel and have the radio checked (AZCI)  they made Wellington in calm conditions in 77 hours. The previous owner was Bert Hammer but Murray doesn’t know who brought her.

Harold Kidd has previously commented on WW that the hull was built by Sam Ford c.1952-3 for Albert Ritchie Hammer of 22 Dommett Ave Epsom. Hammer worked on her for 6 months at Sam’s yard and she was launched at Okahu Bay. HDK also said that the treatment of the coamings and Sam Ford trademark windows were a bit clumsy compared with Sam’s usual treatment of them, but probably a combination of the current owner raising the center cabin by 9″ & Hammer’s handy work rather than Sam.

Her specs are LOA 36’, beam 11’4” and draught 2’9”. Currently powered by a Ford 120hp diesel. Home these days is Motueka, where her owner, Steve Simms, lives aboard.

Colour photo below ex Mark Jarvis – 2015

You can see and read more on Lady Ellison at the long below – remember to read the comments section, lots of chat there.

Lady Ellison

 

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Bronze Stuffing Box Wanted
Does anyone have 2nd hand, rudder gland tucked away that they want to sell?
Or can point Daniel Thomas in the direction of a source for a new one?
Daniel is currently undertaking some serious work to the back end of the 1914 Charles Bailey Jnr built ex work boat – Ronaki at Sandspit.

TAUFALE – A Peek Down Below

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TAUFALE – A Peek Down Below

The 32’ Les Coulthard built (c.1933) launch Taufale has featured before on WW, see link below, and appears in numerous layout / styles. Now thanks to her trademe (ex Ian McDonald) listing we get to have a peek down below. 

Taufale is powered by a 1965 Ford Lees 70hp diesel. Her tme listing states she has 2x 300L fuel tanks – if thats the case she should be able to lap NZ without a bowser stop 🙂
 
Make sure you read the WW comments section – there is lots of chat on her. Video viewing also, below
 

Awa Iti

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AWA ITI 

Awa Iti is a 26’ Gladden motor sailer that has been in one extended family for the past 40 years, but now it is time to pass on to someone who has the energy to keep this lovely old boat going. Her trademe listing says she’s a comfortable stable & safe boat that is easy to sail and handle. She draws under 3 ft and with her bilge keel she can sit on the mud flats upright. Its a classic Gladden which means for its length there is lots of room for a family to enjoy the inner gulf.  

This boat needs some TLC, but is currently sailable. Cabin top, varnish and hull painted and anti-foul done 2018.

 Powered with a “WaterMota Sea Wolf” petrol motor (based on Ford Escort motor) with a heat exchange unit Waterline length 7.1m 23.3ft – Beam widest point 2.775m 9.1ft  – Draft 863mm 2’10”. Currently moored at Northcote Point swing mooring. 

Currently the bidding sits at c$2000 & the reserve has been met so Awa Iti could be a very good buy for someone entering the classic woody movement 🙂

 

Phantom

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PHANTOM

Ok, Phantom isn’t a Kiwi woody, in fact lives in Newport Beach, California , but she sure is a looker. And she is / was for sale, and I know I leave myself open to criticism, but I don’t care 🙂 she has to be bargain at around NZD $190k it would be a great buy.
Phantom is no old woody that has been allowed to deteriorate at its marina – she is in magnificent shape and is powered by twin 2006 Yanmar 240hp diesels that have only done 430 hrs. She cruises at 14 knots, with a max of 21.
Built in 1936 by Astoria Marine and measures LOA = 52’. Beam = 12’. Draft = 3’8″
She is a well maintained e.g. new fuel tanks 2011, new inverter & batteries in 2017, new covers 2017, new heating system 2017.
So Woodys – have a look a Phantom, getting her to NZ might rule buying her out, but she is a wonderful example of a 1930’s classic wooden motorboat. (Thanks to Andrew Christie for the heads up the listing.

More input below (click link) from Andrew Christie on her history and WW2 war service + photos

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William Whithell

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William Whithill

William Whithell

The photo of todays woody was sent in by Andrew Pollard and shows the launch William Whithell.
The photo was taken in Motueka, just after WW2, at the time she was owned by Kelvin Wilkinson.
AP commented that apparently she was a bit of a speed machine. She certainly looks it, even sitting on the transporter.
Can anyone tell us more about William Whithell?
Input from Brian Kidson
It was built in Motueka by a Sid Gilbertson as a fishing boat. Built of white pine and had a Redwing petrol engine at one stage. The boat was built out of Sids head, as in no plans. William Whithell bought the boat and changed the name and named it after himself. A Charlie Stade owned it in the 1950s. It did have a larger cockpit till the cabin was extended

Tua Tai

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Tua Tai

I was trolling thru my WW archives and the above woody popped up, sent to me by Luke van Vliet back in Jan 2019. At the time the launch was for sale on Trademe and Luke was an ‘interested’ party.

Don’t know if Luke went ahead and bought the launch……… but at the time he commented “she is located in whangarei Heads, up north and is 32’ in length. All I know is that she has been owned by the current owners for the past 20 years, I was told she was named Too Tai but I could be wrong”
 
Do we know anything about this woody?

Korara at the Milford Slipway

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Worms at work
Korara at the Milford Slipway
The 1962, 37’ Snow Waters built motorsailer Korara is currently hauled out at Auckland’s only true railway hail out facility – the Milford Slipway (previously owned by Geoff Bagnall)
Owner Anatole Perry in his words hauled her out for a ’tickle up’, well already thats grown into stripping the decks and resealing them – I’m sure the TO DO LIST will get even bigger 🙂
Korara has been fortunate to have had some very salty owners in her past, who will be very happy to see that she is in good hands with Anatole (with Jason Prew looking over his shoulder)
A couple of WW links below to see / read more on this woody.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/06/18/korara/

Photos below ex Nathan Herbert of Korara in the Milford Marina on-route to the The Slipway.

Rosemary M – Insurance Salvage

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Rosemary M – Insurance Salvage

Rosemary M is a 1915 Lanes built launch, constructed of carval planked kauri hull and top sides. Powered by a 1986 Yanmar, 80 horse power, 4-cylinder, diesel inboard engine,
She was appeared numerous times on WW and features today due to her suffering an impact (from another vessel) on the starboard side near the midships area, while berthed.
Given its an insurance sale – the boat will sell and from dockside chat I have had, the damage is easily repairable eg “a couple of broken ribs and a few planks” – someone could get a very low cost entry into the classic wooden boating scene.
Ps I’m told she did not sink or suffer any water damage.

Don’t normally included tme listing links but will this time

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a.aspx?id=2047671539&tm=email&et=47&mt=845C75FD-6402-4775-8D92-61B560DF1E26rosemarym

05-07-2019 Update –  Photo below ex Cameron Pollard of Rosemary M going back in the water 🙂

Rosemary M July2019

22-07-2019 Update ex Cameron Pollard – Rosemary M relaunched and underway