The Sad Demise of Norwest

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The Sad Demise of Norwest

Back in early 2013 Zach Matich sent me the top photo of Norwest. Zach also supplied the details below.
This last weekend Jason Prew was mooching over on the West Coast and snapped the photos showings the final resting place of Norwest on the Kaipara Harbour.
“The Norwest was built in Whakapirau in 1909 by Arthur Forester. She was named the Kuaka, the Maori name for Curlew, and had “Kuaka” written on her port side and “Curlew” on her starboard side. She was built for a Mr Adams who had a pear orchard just down the harbour from Whakapirau on what is now the Cullen farm. She was designed so that Mr Adams crippled daughter could wheel her wheelchair around the deck, and was used for transporting fruit to Helensville for the markets. She was powered by a Union Standard single cylinder ‘Make and Brake’ motor and had a swinging cradle for 6 wet cell batteries. This motor is now in the private collection of Darcy Sterling at Maungataroto.
After lying idle for some years the Kuaka was sold to Mr Cliff of Paparoa in 1919. Mr Cliff took her to Pahi and re-corked and painted her and added a new piece to the stern post which was suffering from dry rot. he used her for taking picnic parties down the harbour and moored her when not in use up the Paparoa Creek behind what is now the Paparoa Pub. There was a huge flood in Paparoa in 1923 and the Kuaka was picked up by the flood, carried over the bridge and placed in a paddock on the other side with no damage to her at all. When Mr Cliff passed away in 1924 his sons sold her to a Dr Marshall, from, I believe up Port Albert way who in turn sold her to Mr West who owned West’s Timber Mill in Helensville. It was at this time that she was renamed the ‘Norwest’ after Nora West, Mr Wests wife. She was used for about the next 20 years up until 1945 towing logs all over the Kaipara Harbour, and then in about 1945 Harold Stanaway bought her, followed by Dink Jolly, and then Everard Judd bought her for $250.00 for towing barges. By this time she was in a terrible state so he employed Rodney Morgan, a boat builder to more or less rebuild the hull and cabin.
Everard Judd sold her to Murray Prictor of Port Albert in the late 60’s who is turn sold her soon after to somebody on the East Coast and the history is pretty vague after leaving the West Coast. We do know that some time was spent up the Clevedon Creek and we also know that she has been used as a fishing boat on that coast. 
She was brought back to the Kaipara by Stafford and Rosemary Hill.
Unsure who currently owns her.”
Update 11-07-2019. photos below taken in 2015 by Dave Stanaway
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Looking For Winter Woody Project

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Looking For Winter Woody Project

The 27’ Roy Paris carvel planked launch above has just popped up on trademe, all the hard work has been done by a passionate owner those circumstances have changed and the boat has to go, saying that it’s not a fire sale. A lot of quality work has gone into her.
The hull and cabin has been completely stripped back inside and out, caulking removed, glued and splined and fibre glassed over. Painted in marine primer and recently sanded for top coats. New duck board with built in live bait tank.
She comes with a reconditioned 100hp turbo charged Yanmar factory marinised engine and gear box, with all the wiring, gushes, controls, pipes etc from Moon Engines + brand new prop shaft and the prop has been balanced and coated in PropSpeed

As her owner commented – it’s an easy winter project for the right person to finish off for use this summer.

Anyone know her name?

Ranui – 4sale

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RANUI – A Peek Down Below
The 48’ Ranui was built in 1948 by the Lidgard Brothers to mirror the USA Chris Craft vessels of the same era. Her power is via twin 120hp Ford diesels that see her cruising at a comfortable 8.5 knots/
Ranui under went a major refit in 2011 and again in 2017. Work included – complete hull restoration and full hull topsides, repainted, new glassed decking all round. Also vanish restoration, new electronics, new plumbing new toughened glass all round. In 2011 a total motor rebuild on both 120 Fords and engine bay upgrade.
For sales enquries contact waitematawoodys@gmail.com

The Restoration Of Ida

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THE RESTORATION OF IDA

New Zealand’s A class fleet grows steadily larger as yet another important Kiwi yacht is restored to her former glory. Chairman of the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust John Street and boat builder Wayne Olsen visited Sydney in August 2018 to inspect Ida, the 45’ Charles Bailey Jnr. designed and built in 1895 by C&W Bailey gaff rigged cutter. In racing mode with hers spars she has a LOA of 58’, a beam of 8’ draws 6’6”.

Ida was for sale as the current owners (20 years) had reached a point where, due to ill health, they were unable to complete the planned deck restoration nor maintain her to the standard they previously took pride in. Her owners had raced her regularly in the classic yacht races on Sydney Harbour with the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club at Mosman Bay and the Balmain Sailing Club, where she won hands down.

Wayne’s assessment was that, while the hull appears sound, being triple skinned kauri, it i was unclear what will be found once the inner layer is pealed back. She was in poor condition with much of the rest of the boat needing replacement. John recognised that Ida is an important part of New Zealand’s boat building history and a deal was done to acquire her, her owners  generously donated 20 kauri deck beams (220 x 13 X 5cm) and a spinnaker pole. John then arranged shipment back to New Zealand where she was moved to Horizon Boats shed in Stillwater.

Yesterday (06-07-2019) The CYA members were invited to view IDA before the deck is fully replaced. I understand the target is to have her sailing this summer.

You will see from the photos above she is a whippet, look at her keel and with just 3 ton of lead hanging of it, you can imagine a slightly damp crew 😉

Photos below of Ida as launched, ‘recent’ Aust.photos, and as she arrived at Horizon Boats + the early days of the restoration.

You can read more about Ida’s history on the CYCT website here

Details & some photos ex CYA and the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust websites.

22-09-2019 Update : photos below of Ida hauled out, when still in Australia ex David Campbell-Morrison

Carina

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CARINA

Carina (previously named Old Glory) lives a long way away from the Waitemata harbour but her looks with that canoe stern get her centre page on WW.

I was sent a link to her 4sale listing by an Australian woody – Andrew Christie, who commented that he believed Carina had been on the market for 5+ years.
Some facts – designed by Fred D Lawley and built by George Lawley in 1918. Her specs are 58’9” long, a beam of 12’4” and drawing 3’11”. Carvel double planked (fir) on oak frames. The power is from a Caterpillar D333 140hp diesel. Asking price is approx. NZ$570k.
I’m not sure what colour she is – black / white, given there is only one black hulled photos, I would say its a safe bet – she is white.
If you want to buy her – here’s the link to the broker

Gay Dawn – Down Below

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GAY DAWN – Down Below

Gay Dawn has featured on WW numerous times, mainly because she is a very smart woody, but also to appease Ken Ricketts whose family owned her once.
Search Gay Dawn in the WW search box and you will get an extensive view of her past from construction to the present day.
In the past on WW we have seen a few photos of her cabin but now as a result of her trademe listing – we get to see her in her finest. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads up.
To recap she was designed and built in 1953 by Bill Waters, 35’ kauri carvel planked, 11’1” beam and a draws 3’3”. Powered by a 120hp Ford diesel, aren’t they all from that era 🙂

Beached Mystery Wooden Launch

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BEACHED MYSTERY WOODEN LAUNCH 

I’m not sure how the above launch ended up in this situation and I’m hesitant to name the location as not everyone that reads this site is above a ‘souvenir’ trip. Let’s just say its down Clevedon way.
The absence of floor boards would lead one to think that she has joined the submariners club i.e. been submerged.
The ‘anchor’ I’m assuming has been put out by someone trying to secure the vessel in its present location. Thanks to T Foh for sending in the photos.
Anyone able to ID the boat and tell us where she may have come from?
Could be a project for ’Tom The Torch’ 😉

Classic Woody Launch Bronze Steering Gear 4sale

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Beautiful bronze Wilcox Crittenden angled helm fitting with bronze chain, 6.5m x 2 of stainless wire, one bronze double upright block with phenolic sheaves, three single Edson upright blocks with bronze sheaves, two bronze Cheek blocks with phenolic sheaves. From a classic American launch. The best quality gear that will give a lifetime of service on your classic launch. Good for another 75 years. Shaft puts the wheel approx 50cm from the bulkhead at about a 45 degree angle. Straight shaft with keyway could be machined to fit any wheel. Tension at the rudder end with turnbuckles. For sale on trade me by one of us good guys 🙂

https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/parts-accessories/blocks-shackles-deck-hardware/auction-2214228778.htm

 

Miami > Queen Victoria

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Miami > Queen Victoria

I have a few questions re the above photos. To be honest, I’m a little confused so I have drafted the details below from info supplied ex her current owner and ask that those of you with more / better knowledge than me, give me feedback.

In 1915 Dr. Rayner of Moose Lodge, Lake Rotoiti, commissioned the Bailey Boatyard in Auckland to build a launch named ‘Miami’, when Rayner sold Moose Lodge to Sir Noel Coles Miami was replaced with the 28’ launch – ’The Moose’. The Moose was built in Feb 1939 by Collings & Bell. The Moose is shown in the top photo being transported to the Lake. The next two colour photos I believe to be the same launch at a later date.
The next three photos show the launch Miami, now named Queen Victoria, that Lake Rotoiti boatbuilder Alan Craig is about to start a re-furbishment on, during this work her Yanmar engine will be rebuilt. Her current owners in 1985 replaced her Redwing engine with the Yanmar, this being her 3rd engine – previous owners, the Armstrong family of Gisborne Point, fitted the Redwing during their ownership period. Bob Armstrong is on record as saying the launch was hard to moor and had a history breaking away which resulted in the Armstrong selling her to an unknown person, who kept her on Lake Rotorua for approx. a year.
Miami was then purchased by the Lewis family of Te Puke and kept at Otaramarae near the Harris boasted. Many years later it was sold to Bert Goulding a Tauranga surveyor, who kept her in a boatshed in Te What Bay next to his lake house (house now owned by ex MP Mr McLean)
Miami’s present owners had always admired her and regularly enquired if Bert Goulding wanted to sell the launch – his wife always replied “not ready yet”. Then in 1979 at the grand old age of 93, Bert Goulding decided it was time to sell. Her present owners jumped at the chance and purchased her. In 1985 she was sent to a Tauranga boatbuilder (Bill Visser) and altered to what we see today.
So woodys – is the above story factual and can anyone supply photos and more details on the past life of Miami > Queen Victoria ?
Input from Harold Kidd – The top left pic is OKATAINA built by Sam Ford in August 1938 for Beamish-White of Okataina. (oops – since moved to the bottom of this story. AH) The top right pic is MOOSE; same Ford truck though!
As for MIAMI, I just can’t find her being built by Chas Bailey for Dr. Rayner although 1915 had a lot more news going on than pleasure boating! Gallipoli, for example.
The first mention I have of a launch MIAMI is in 1924 when she was owned by G W & E L Best of Tennyson St., Northcote. She appears to have been sold to Whakatane in 1927, owners H West, F Prideaux and D McKenzie. In 1937 -1940 she was owned by H Dunton of Bowentown. Maybe she gravitated to Rotoiti from there or maybe there was another MIAMI at the same time?
The Bests had another MIAMI themselves in the 1950s.
I suppose Dr Rayner would have used the name MIAMI for a launch as, apart from being an enterprising dentist with his “American Dental Parlors” in Auckland, he was a developer of resorts like Turangi, Rotoiti etc obviously inspired by the contemporary conversion of Florida sandhills into the resort of Miami.
Just the same I’m eager to establish his connection with the launch MIAMI.
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Knoxie III > Miss Ida

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KNOXIE III > MISS IDA 
I was contacted yesterday by Greg Philpott, up until recently the owner of the Opua General Store in the Bay of Islands. Greg is on a missions – I’ll let him tell the story.
“By way of introduction, my partner Margaret and I have recently sold the Opua General Store business after owning it for just short of 6 years. During that time I became immersed in the history of the General Store and Opua itself  (along with it forerunner Te Wharau, which was the town that grew up in the 1870’s/80’s to service the Loading Ground – the site where Kawakawa coal was trans-loaded to ships at anchor. In 1884 the rail line was extended to Newport (now Opua), many buildings were shifted from Te Wharau to Opua and as such the township of Te Wharau has now totally disappeared.) The reason for relating that little snapshot is that all manner of launches, workboats, ferries and tourist craft have been a part of Opua (and by locational connection, the Bay of Islands) for its entire existence.
And so on to my current project – The Boats of the Bay. This is looking at the history of the commercial tourist Boats of the Bay of Islands. Their origins, their working life and their final situation
 
Here’s where I need help – Knoxie III was built for A E Fullers and Sons by Warne Bros at Matauwhi Bay in 1939. She was renamed Miss Ida in 1949. Whilst built originally to enhance the Fullers fleet for the Cream Trip it appears that much of her latter days were spent as a work boat and as the back-up launch for the Opua Okiato vehicular ferry, photos above. I am looking for pictures of her carrying the name Knoxie III And when did she depart the Fullers fleet and what was her history post Fullers?”
Anyone able to help out?

Sterling Girl – Bailey & Lowe 1913 Bridge-deck Launch

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Sterling Girl – Bailey & Lowe 1913 
The above boat has a couple of features that ring my bell – a wood fire and a Ford Model T wheel / helm. On top of this she appears to be a very well loved woody.
Her length is 35’ with a beam of 9’6” and draws 4’. She was built in 1913 by Bailey & Lowe, from of course kauri.
Her engine is a 120hp 6cyl, Ford diesel that gives her a speed range of 8>11 knots.
As with most Southern boats she is very well fitted out.
And surprise surprise the broker (trying) to sell her, has again chosen to not list her name. Never mind one of our southern Woodys will supply that and hopefully more details.
Thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads-up.
Harold Kidd Input – STERLING GIRL was built for Robert Taylor of Birkenhead and was named after her Sterling engine, a high-quality American marine engine of the time for which Bailey & Lowe were the agents. When Taylor had the big schooner LADY STERLING built in 1920 by Bailey & Lowe he sold STERLING GIRL to Capt G H White and he sold her to Roy Henderson in 1924.