Mataroa Re-launched

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Hauled out at Evans Bay Slipway
The work begins- new swamp Kauri window trims
Grandson Hendrik
Rob and Robbie Uivel senior
Sven Beirenga

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Rob & wife Sue Dorrington

MATAROA Re-Launched

Mataroa has just spent 10 weeks at the Evans Bay slipway, Wellington getting a very big dose of TLC. Owner Rob Uivel commented to me that he would like to mention how supportive and easy going the crew at the yard are, especially – Sven Beirenga and Peter Maherid, nothing was ever a problem.
Mataroa was built in 1928 by Joe Slattery & named Kenya when launched, she measures 36’ LOA & was originally built for Mr Heard of Heards Confectionary. Like most Slattery boats she is very pleasing to the eye & luckily for Rob Uivel has survived relatively as original. She has featured numerous times on ww so search her name in the ww search panel & you can see / read more.

While she was hauled out Rob concentrated on the exterior & as you can see he stripped the cabin sides back to Kauri and applied numerous coats of epoxy and varnish.
The paint colours used reflect what Rob thinks were the original paint scheme.
One interpretation of the name ‘Mataroa’ apparently is long nose –  which from on deck, she certainly appears to have.

I’m aware that Rob bought Mataroa for a very modest sum because of rumours that she was suffering from electrolysis. While every hull fastening was connected by a maze of wires, she had suffered a wee bit but surprisingly little compared to other examples we have seen on ww. Needless to say the wiring has all been removed along with any superfluous  hull appendages.

Mataroa was re-launched on Jan 21st 2017 & I have to say looks a lot smarter when I saw her for sale on trademe. Well done Rob & family 🙂 We look forward to seeing the interior work next winter.

PS – owning a pretty boat helps get a feature on ww but wearing a ww t-shirt in the photos gets you to the top of the waiting list 😉

BIG WOODY WEEKEND THIS WEEKEND – MAHURANGI REGATTA – I’LL BE POINTING RAINDANCE NORTH MID AFTERNOON TODAY, FORECAST LOOKS ACE, SO SHOULD BE A GOODY 🙂 LOTS OF PHOTOS 🙂
IF YOU ARE THERE IN A CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – JOIN THE LAUNCH PARADE ON SATURDAY MORNING. STARTS OFF SCOTTS LANDING AT 10.00AM.

Mystery Launch 26-01

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Mystery Launch

This one could be a little harder than some of the recent mystery boats I have posted on ww 🙂 The photo was sent in by Nathan Herbert & all we know is the location is Mechanics Bay in the late 1930’s. Nathan’s only comment was that the hull has a Coulthard look.

So woodys anyone able to ID the launch closest the camera?

UPDATE 13-01-2019 Nathan Herbert believes he has tracked this launch down, see photo below from Motuoapa Marina, name on side is possibly ‘Lady Val’?

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Silver Hawk

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SILVER HAWK

Even though Silver Hawk is built of wood, her 1986 build date & style would normally exclude her from appearing on ww, but she makes a guest appearance today solely based on her drop dead, stunning 127hp Gardner LX6. Have you seen another better? I can hear Dick Fisher’s (MV Akarana) jaw dropping when he opens ww today, its also a wee bit of a challenge to John Sloane who is currently having his Gardner restored by Peter & the team at Shaw Diesels, workshop photo below. The Silver Hawk photos are ex CYA Launch Captain Angus Rogers.

Can anyone tell us more about Silver Hawk & also who did the restoration on the engine?

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Mystery Boat

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MYSTERY BOAT
The above photos were sent in by Nathan Herbert & were taken on the Hokianga Harbour. Very sad to see this boat neglected like this.

So woodys – first one to correctly ID her wins a Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Regatta 2017 Calendar. Entries via the ww comments section.

Turongo + Mahurangi Launch Parade Details

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TURONGO

Woody Alan Sexton was anchored in Orokawa Bay, Bay of Islands, last week & while doing a dinghy run ashore he spotted Turongo on her mooring.
All we know about her is that she was built by Salthouses following Trinidad. Alan believes she was originally powered by twin V8 Cummins & is still Cummins powered, the exhausts suggest a pair of largish engines.

So woodys can we provide some more details on her. Given her current presentation, she is very well loved

THE BIGGEST CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT GATHERING IN NZ

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Photo by Mark Lever

This coming weekend sees the staging of the Mahurangi Regatta, without a doubt, on a fine day it is the most spectacular gathering of wooden craft afloat in NZ. For those that are newish to the waitematawoodys site, just type Mahurangi Regatta in the ww search panel & you can view the previous years regatta’s.
On the day the main gig is the actual Mahurangi Regatta yacht race but in recent times the classic launches have been doing a parade on Saturday morning. The regatta organizing committee are notorious for their laid back ‘it will be all right on the day’ attitude so things are always a tad fluid when it comes to start times etc BUT I can tell you that the assembly point will be off Scotts Landing, we will depart there at 10am (a vessell will sound its horn x3 times), so be there early. We will proceed in ‘Indian file’ to Sullivans Bay. Attempts in previous years to be in chronological order have been a shambles & nearly ended in fistie cuffs -so the order will be a gentlemanly thing i.e. just merge like a zipper 🙂

We will approach Sullivans Bay via the right hand side of the bay, past the flagship – Jane Gillord, from where a specially marked (red buoys) fairway should be roughly in line with the driveway to the right of the old homestead down near the beach. Refer photo below. And also view at this link http://www.mahurangi.org.nz/2017/01/18/small-buoys-in-sullivans-bay/

We will enter the fairway to port to motor across the bay along the red buoy fairway. We will exit the fairway on a bearing towards Pudding Island, clear of which will be a buoy, refer photo.

If all goes to plan, we will do two laps. Its really very simple, as there will be a lead boat, so just stay in line & follow her. NOTE: There will be a minimum of 2m water in the fairway area.
After the parade, boats can head off to enjoy the rest of the day. Remember, the beach side BBQ at Scotts Landing on Saturday night is a must do – BYO food & drinks but BBQ’s provided. The prize giving is schedule for 6.30pm but most people head ashore around 5’ish. The ‘Prohibition Big Band’ will be playing in the marquee till late.

Whether you own a boat or not there is something for everyone during the day – check out details here http://www.mahurangi.org.nz/2016/01/14/2017-regatta-programme/

When you go ashore, bring some cash – the Mahurangi CC Yearbook (magazine) at $15 is great value & as always a cracker read.

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Photo by Chris Miller

Lost & Found

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Lost & Found
I do not normally do Lost & Found posts on ww, but this ones for a good friend with a stunning classic woody.
He needs to replace one of his dashboard switches & wants to keep them all matching, sadly they no longer make/sell them – so doing a shout out to all woodys to have a look in your shed draw. The switch is pictured below.
If someone has a match – I’ll swap it for a ww t-shirt 😉

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Ngataringa & Tawera – Sailing Sunday

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NGATIRANGA – Sailing Sunday

Woody Alan Sexton sent me the above photos of Ngatiranga & advised she has just appeared on the hard at Sandspit. Alan was told she has been sitting in a shed in Wellsford for around 30 yrs. & she will be recommissioned & based at Sandspit Yacht Club.
Now I have floating around in the old head details that were told to me years ago by Steve Horsley but I do not trust the memory, so could a few woodys enlighten us with details on her & where she has been etc 😉

23-01-2017 Update
The photos below of Ngataringa are dated 2010 / 2011 & from Jacques De Kervor (emailed to me by Ken Ricketts), they show some of the damage resulting from her collision & the start of the repairs to her 3 skin kauri hull. Great to see her ready to return to the water – her owner, Greg Scopas, is a saint for hanging in there with the project.

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Help ID Tawera’s Crew
Over the xmas /ny break I dumped into woody John Simpson while anchored in Oneora Bay, Waiheke Island one day. John is a kiwi but Melbourne, Australia based these days. John had a request – read below

“Please find attached photo (circa late 1940’s/early 1950’s) of ‘TAWERA’, an A Class keeler sail no. A18 that was launched in 1935 and first owned by Scottie Wilson of Wilson and Horton fame.
Of the x5 crew pictured; my father Bryan Simpson is front (now, 92 years young, living in Melbourne and ex-Auckland Herald), Scottie is on stz (perhaps cleaning fish) with the ID of the remaining crew members unknown by me. The approximate sailing location is also unknown by me (perhaps near Waikapou Bay where Scottie had his bach on Waiheke Island, but not sure about that). Bryan is unable to recall details surrounding the photo.
Thank you for offering to post on waitematawoodys.
If any woody can fill in the gaps, that would be much appreciated.”

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Steam Yacht Preana

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Steam Yacht Preana

A good friend Nigel Golledge was recently in Hobart & spent some time mooching around the docks, not a lot else to do there 🙂 The stand out vessel a float was the  S. Y Preana,  a luxury steam yacht built by Robert Inches at his  Battery Point (Hobart) boatyard in 1896.

She was built for the Hon. W. G. Gibson M.L.C. a wealthy Tasmanian flour mill owner. By the 1930s, Preana had slipped down the scale, and was sold to the Watt family and had been fitted out as a fishing vessel, with a scallop dredge. She was then converted by Mr. Charles Lucas to a fine motor yacht for his own use and for cruising. In the late 1930’s she passed into the hands of Mr. WJ. Clark, and was known as the motor launch ‘WJ. Clark’, and then changed into the hands of Mr Peter Ketchel and back to to the name Preana.

For many years she sat idle and engineless at her moorings off Battery Point. In 1985 she was shifted to new moorings at Prince of Wales Bay, but sank at the marina there in mid 1992. Thankfully for the Preana, perhaps the only serving Hobart built steam yacht in Australia, she was rescued by The Preana Trust. A team of volunteers have now restored her to her original condition so that once again the PREANA can grace the waterways of Hobart and the Derwent River. More details & photos here http://www.preana.org/Default.aspx

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Below are a few photos of a display of 14′ ex navy clinker rowing dinghies awaiting restoration.

Below a poster promoting the upcoming Auckland Anniversary Weekend boat activity on offer. You will see mention of a Launch Parade on Saturday at Mahurangi – I will post more details on this tomorrow.

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Awarua

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AWARUA
Awarua has made several ‘cameo’ appearances on ww & been mentioned in other stories but due to the fact that her owner (for the last 20 years) keeps her moored at Clevedon we do not see her at CYA events or this end of the Waitemata Harbour. Thanks to the CYA launch captain, Angus Rogers, we now have some great photos of her.

Awarua is 37′, a Roy Lidgard, all kauri launch, built in 1947. Angus was aboard her this week & commented to me that Awarua is kept in wonderful condition with no shortage of TLC.  In the 2nd photo above, you can see Angus’s launch Manhanui anchored behind Awarua.

Click this link to view a c1947 photo of Awarua, taken not long after she was launched

Mansion House Bay c1947

Korara

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KORARA

Korara was built in 1962 by Snow Waters to a design by naval architect, John E. Powell, UK.  The 37’6″ design is for a ‘sport- fishing’ motorboat which can cruise at a good speed in the rough conditions of the English Channel without slowing.
She is a very practical boat with an extremely well built kauri carvel hull. Zoom zoom comes from a 120hp Ford diesel that sees her cruises at 8 knots using very little diesel. While she probably can sail without the engine, her owner has never tried. She has a main stored on the boom under a brand new cover (beige, not shown) and a couple of headsails which have never been out. The main works excellently as designed, to steady her in a sea.
Some specs:
• There are two large plastic fuel tanks in a walk around engine room with about 5ft headroom. Engine room even has its own porcelain hand basin!
• Her propeller and rudder are bronze, the rudder being supported by a large, beautifully cast solid bronze shoe.
• Sleeping is via – 5 singles and 1 double berth.
• Decks are double (possibly triple) diagonally laid with no leaks and no movement save for the odd small seam crack.
• Coamings are all varnished teak including skylight, hinged 2 ways and removable all on bronze fittings, over the aft double cabin.
• Interior is in excellent condition, with all solid teak mouldings. Floorboards are teak and all wear areas are very thick teak (staircases, steps, handles etc)
• Gas stove / grill / oven is used very little. Water in 3 basins is fed from a header tank which is topped up by manual pump from a large stainless underfloor tank.

Korara is a special boat that has been fortunate to have been owned by a very talented & passionate woody. This owner is asking a very reasonable price – $75k ono, I hope a good buyer steps up soon & buys her, she deserve to be passed onto someone who will continue to appreciate her & care for her.
I’m not always a fan of the high gloss varnish coamings but Korara would look like a million dollars if you did the Uroxsys (Awlwood MA ) varnish treatment on her 😉

I very rarely post trademe links but I like the owners & I like the boat – so here you go – buy it.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/motorboats/auction-1237123330.htm
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