PRESTO – Is She Or Isn’t She?

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PRESTO – Is She Or Isn’t She?

If you believe the trademe listing, this is a very old lady – it says Presto was born 1898. Built by Charles Bailey, 42’ in length, 3 skin kauri. Originally powered by a steam engine but now powered by a 1950 100hp, 471 Detroit diesel.

Our resident Bailey guru HDK should be able to confirm or destroy this woodys birth details. Builder aside – what more do we know about her?. Current home is Taurangi. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the listing heads-up 🙂

28-07-2017 Comments ex Russell Ward
Port Doctor’s Boat. General workboat around the place when I was a kid at school. Had a boxy wheelbase with control position atop. Always scuttling round Hobson Wharf. Eventually retired.
She lay at Barry Brickell’s Diving Creek property in Coromandel for many years and was sold to a man who did the honours and but put the rakish upper works on her. Painted her green which is what I always remembered her as. Her old wheelhouse may still be at Driving Creek.

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Comments below ex Ray Morey
1st an aft view of PRESTO under steam, that cut from the pic of Lady Vie and pan-am flying boat at mechanics bay
2nd is part of the blue boats dated 1973 from left is RANGI-SPRAY-unknown and just showing on the right is PRESTO after rebuild. This when Subritzky owned her.

Photo below from Dave Stanaway from when he knew her in the 1960’s when Bryce Subritzky was her master.

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Input from Harold Kidd – below is a clipping from the Auckland Star, 30 March 1898 – covering the launching.

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Read lots more on the Comments Section

Lady Clare

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LADY CLARE

The above photos of Lady Clare were sent to me by Dean Wright, they date from the 1980’s when Dean was game fishing.

Dean recalls that Lady Clare  was owned at the time by a chap named Peter Clarkson, but his memory may be clouded, it was the 80’s J

In the photos above she’s being skippered by John Batterton & they’re weighing in a Broadbill at Paihia c.1987.

What more do we know about Lady Clare & where is she today?

UPDATE Some historical photos ex Ken Ricketts below – not sure if the varnished coamings are as orginal – but the ones of her with a block of flats on top, show her at Mahurangi a couple of years ago. Read more about her past in the comments section of this post.

 

 

Ngaroma

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NGAROMA

The above photo of Ngaroma, with the #85 on her, was sent in by Lew Redwood & is ex the NZ Herald heritage image collection.

She was built in 1910 by Collings & Bell & when launched, called Hazel. You can view photos of her on this link, when she was rigged for big game fishing     https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/05/07/12500/

Anyone able to ID the other two woodys? & as a wild shot – what they were up to i.e. an event?

Photos below of Hazel ex Jason Prew – Okahu Bay 2003 – before her one way trip to NZTBS 😦

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Maka Maile + Waitematawoodys Hits 3,000,000 Views

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Drunken (Isslington) Bay Dec1938>Jan1939 – Aft hand = Eric Clay

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Drunken Bay 1938 – Speed = 10 knots

Drunken Bay, Rangitoto – 1938
Eric (TUT), Aruther (ARTY), Bob (Skipper), Colin (Totsy) – Whangarei 1938/39
Eric Clay (Forward hand, Navigator, Barman) Whangarei 1938
Aruther,Les,Bob,Col,Eric – Kamo Mineral Springs Dec 1938 > Jan 1939
Eric Clay, Aruther Parker
Whangarei Harbour Dec 1938>Jan 1939
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Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island

Maka Maile + Waitematawoodys Hits 3,000,000 Views

Today’s photo essay on the 1937, Sam Ford built, Maka Maile to me is what makes WW so special – out of the blue a comment gets posted on WW by Perrin Reilly advising that he has a collection of photos of Maka Maile that belonged to his Grandfather-in-law, one Eric Clay. Eric crewed on Maka Maile in the late 1930’s. When launched Maka Maile was 41’ in length, with a 10’5” beam & powered by a Chrysler 77 petrol engine that pushed her along at 12 knots.

Perrin emailed the above photos to me & now instead of gathering dust in some one’s bottom draw, they can be shared with the classic wooden boating community. You can read more about Maka Maile’s past on this link   https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/19/mako-maile/

Waitematawoodys.com Milestone – 3 Million Views

When I started this weblog I never imagined that it would grow into the site that it is today, with just over 2,000 stories & followers/viewers from almost every corner of the world. Obviously NZ tops the list with the USA & Australia 2nd & 3rd, after that its everywhere. As always with sites like WW, it would be nothing without the input of people like Perrin Reilly who take the time to send in their stories & photos, so to all of you –  many thanks for sharing. And on that topic, please keep sending in content – whether it’s old photos / stories, restoration projects or just you enjoying your woody.

I would like to slip an apology in – in the first 6>12mths of WW, I only really had 6>8 people who sent me content, I can tell you it was a real challenge doing a daily story back them, now I get over 100 emails a day. So the apology is for not always being able to answer your emails, it’s not that I’m lazy or rude – just busy working on the tomorrows story 🙂

Enjoy today’s WW story & remember there are over 2,000 more in the back library 😉

Alan Houghton

 

A Woody Trip Out West

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Steve Cranch

A Woody Trip Out West – NZ Traditional Boat Building School Re-opens

I received an invite the other day in the mail (nice for once to not be via email) to the re-opening of New Zealand Traditional Boat Building School. Getting it made me very happy – firstly, because we all need the school to be a success & secondly because I personally have fond memories of the original school (read more below), I attended numerous CYA meetings there & also participated in two events – the Robert Brooke – Caulking / carvel planking workshop & a basic boat building techniques course that ran one night a week over winter. Learnt so much & meet some great people.

Today’s function was to share the vision for the future of the school & to meet some of the past & present stakeholders.

I’ll let Steve Cranch tell you the story:

“After nearly four years in recess the New Zealand Traditional Boat Building School has just re-opened its doors in new premises on the Te Atatu peninsula.

The school was founded in 2005 by trustees Robert Brooke, Harold Kidd, Bruce Tantrum and Ron Jamieson and successfully ran wooden boat building courses at Hobsonville for seven years before being forced to move to make way for the new housing development.

During that time hundreds of students attended classes on everything from traditional boat building to apprenticeship training and small boat building in which students built their own small boats to take home, often involving a son or daughter in the process.

Our new premises are much smaller than previous so we have been forced to restructure how we run our courses and a new program is being developed. It will kick off with a full day seminar on winter maintenance. Six specialist speakers will present on topics ranging from Diesel engine maintenance, Batteries and Electrical, Sails and Covers, Marine sealants, Paint systems and common splicing all common winter maintenance issues for the larger boat owner. Following on from this will be a course on re-ribbing clinker built boats and a laminated stand up paddleboard paddle course plus many more to come”.

In a few days when the dates are finalized, I’ll publish them on ww. I would encourage you to support the school; it’s a big step forward in bringing increased visibility & sureness to the wooden boating movement. There is a website, currently getting the final finishing touches, so I’ll let you know the link to that later as well.

Today was also a wee bit of a reunion with a lot of woodys catching up. The best chat was in the car park, where I got to view a very cool RC model of the Bailey designed ex Waitemata Fisheries trawler – ‘Waiwera’ (photos below). Built by Murray White. Stunning attention to detail.

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Lady Eileen Launch Day + Classic 4 Sale

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Lady Eileen Launch Day

Lady Eileen Launch Day

Another great launch day photo ex Harold Kidd from the Tim Windsor collection. This shows the 1947, Shipbuilders/SupaCraft bridge decker – Lady Eileen post sliding down the rails. Lady Eileen has made frequent appearances on WW – check out the clicks below to view her past & current restoration it owner, Hylton Edmonds Bay of Islands property.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/05/22/lady-eileen-3/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/06/08/lady-eileen-2/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/12/23/lady-eileen/

Woody 4Sale

MontereyHoughton

One of the CYA’s most iconic classic woodys ‘Monterey’ is for sale.  The bridge decker was launched in 1946. She is Lidgard designed and built. I have spent a lot of time aboard & her layout makes her an ideal family cruiser for the Hauraki Gulf and beyond.

Built of 2 skin kauri with glassed cabin tops and decks she is ready for the summer season. During owner Mark Edmonds ownership, her hull was professionally stripped down to bare timber, filled, fared and painted. Power comes from a 130hp Ford Dover engine, reconditioned 470 hours ago by Moon Engines.

Monterey cruises at 8-9 knots. Will suit a passionate classic wooden boat enthusiast. Marina also available for sale or rental at OBC.

Specs: 33’6” ’x 10’6” x 2’7”

Interested parties can contact waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Watch a very short movie of Monterey under way

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZPZYA8lyGw&feature=youtu.be

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Christmas 1948

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Monterey & crew enjoying the Rudder Cup race

Resolute Update

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RESOLUTE

Resolute’s new owner James Patterson sent in the above photos of her hauled out recently getting so TLC to the exterior. Next project is the interior – having been aboard prior to James purchase I can say that will be a rather big job 😉 but as they say ‘the bones’ are all there.

To read (a lot) more on the past of this 1937 Dick Lang classic – check out this link    https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/08/10/resolute/

James has assured me he will keep us updated when the interior work begins.

 

Unknown / Mystery Boat 20-07-2017 + Woody Homes

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Unknown / Mystery Boat 20-07-2017

I was sent the above photo by Ray Morey, Ray is hoping to be able to ID the vessel.  It was on the Waikato River in the mid 1950’s operated by ‘Henry’s Sand Co.’, until being replaced by the steel tug “S.P.”  – Ray has no idea where she came from nor where she went.

Can any of the woodys help out with any details?

Woody Homes

Woody Brett Evans sent me a link to a feature on a sleepy seaside village in France with a small fishing port, a population of less than 3,000 and some very peculiar-looking houses. At a moment’s glance, they could almost appear to be an unfortunate pod of beached orcas, but look again carefully at those unusual roofs. Yes, those are boats … upside down! Local fishermen of Équihen-Plage have lived under scavenged boat hulls here for over a century and today, many of these upturned vessels now serve as a unique holiday accommodation for travelers visiting the French coast. Very cool idea. You can see more at the link below.

Postcards from a Seaside Village of Upturned Boat Homes

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The 1946 Launching Of Mahara

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The 1946 Launching Of Mahara

Harold mentioned on the Mahara ww 2015 post (link below) that he had an upcoming article on the Shipbuilders Ltd’s SupaCraft launches in the August issue of Boating NZ magazine. Included in the article is the above great photo taken in 1946 of Mahara being launched. The photo came from boat builder, Tim Windsor’s collection. Thanks go to Harold for sharing Tim Windsor’s photo, its superb quality & showcases what a stunning wooden vessel she was / is.
Check out the link for more photos & details.

Mahara

Woody Winter Weekend

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Woody Winter Weekend

Given the weather in Auckland last Friday you would struggle to believe the above photos were taken over the weekend. I escaped the Principality of Devonport early Saturday morning & headed down to Waikehe Island. Did not even stop on-route to the marina for supplies. The forecast said variable so I was planning on dining ashore.

Well for once all the forecasters got it right – Saturday was a stunner. After a few months of cleaning oil out of the bilge several times & numerous repairs I was very much in the “bugger this old boat gig” mode. We are a shallow lot – one good day / night & I had the bug again J

If you do not like crowds – winter cruising is the way to go.

Coming back on Sunday afternoon I rubbed shoulders with the magnificent ship Felicitare & the 1927, Colin Wild built, Lady Margaret – both looking stunning & doing the same as me i.e. slopping off for some R&R. I was sure Felicitare had featured on ww before but my search showed nothing – what do we know about her?

Great Workmanship

I own several dinghy’s from classic clinkers to what Harold Kidd once called a ‘Baby Riviera’ – he was referring to my American built Walker Bay dinghy. I bought her 2nd hand & have owned her for 10 years – towed behind a woody, she is pig ugly but without a doubt the most stable tender I have come across.

She was looking very sad & the inflatable tube patches were out numbering the good areas. So had to make the big decision – take the tubes off & just have a normal dinghy or order replacement tubes from the USA (US$850). Enter Terminator Boats (Kevin Tomlin) in Albany. They said they could manufacture a new set of replacement tubes, I was a little hesitant about the final look, but went with it & as you’ll see in the photos below, they have done a brilliant job, in fact better than new. I highly recommend them https://www.terminatorboats.co.nz

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