A Replica Scow – Sailing Sunday
photos ex Alan Sexton
Alan took the above photos in Nagle Cove, Great Barrier Island last week, just before the wind started blowing.
The replica scow appears to be about 12m in length & is very well done, what do we know about her?
CALLIE
photo & details ex Bob Wichman* via Bruce Pullan
Callie was built c.1916 by Bailey & Lowe for the Brown Bros. She was 39′ x 9’3″ x 4’6″ & when launched had a 35hp Twigg 4 cyl diesel engine.
In 1918 she was sold to C.W. White of Onehunga. In 1925 she was re-powered with a 140hp Steams petrol engine. Sold again in 1939 to I.G. Vickery of Onehunga. In 1940 a Gardner 24hp (seems small?) engine was fitted, this was replaced in 1948 with a 48hp Ralston diesel.
In the early 1900’s she was used as a passenger ferry to Cornwallis & Huia on the Manukau. Post c1940 she was commercial fishing for skipper Fred Vickery.
Unfortunately she was wrecked on 11-05-1968 on a sandbank at Southhead, Manukau Harbour.
In the photo above given the presence of Fred Vickery, I assume its Callie on a day off from her fishing boat duties & not when she was a passenger vessel. A note with the photo records the following people:
# ‘Gary’ standing with foot on the rail
# Beverley Wishart, red dress, black cardigan
# Fred Vickery (owner/skipper) outside wheelhouse
# Rod Vickery in water
*note: Bob Wichman’s family had an association with Callie & the Awhitu (Inverness)
Matuku
photo ex David Glen
Over the Xmas / NY period David snapped this nice little low wooded motorboat tucked / wrapped up in the NW corner of Matiatia at Waiheke Island. She has a nice sheer, anyone know her history? see below
Now If She Needs A Motor?
Mike O’Dwyer sent in these photos of a wee 7hp Villiers air cooled, diesel, hand start, with integral fuel tank, engine. Mikes not sure of it’s date of manufacture but investigations have found it would be around the early 1960’s. It has manuals but these are un-dated.
The engine belongs to Mike’s father (who qualified as an A Grade mechanic back in the day), he fully reconditioned it in 1980 and it’s only clocked up about half an hour since.
Anyone able to date the engine & provide anymore info on them?
She would suit a small open launch…….. If anyone is interested they can contact Mike via ww and he will put them onto his father to discuss further.
25-01-2016 Update from Alan Good
The boat is named Matuku, this may not be its original name was she was renamed by her owner some years ago when she was moved to Te Matuku Bay, Waiheke Island.
Alan has advised that she is a Bailey & Lowe, c.1887, approx 30′ long, with a schooner bow. At some stage she has been re-powered with a Daedong diesel.
Amazingly she is still owned by same family, a descendant of the ‘Lowe’ in Bailey & Lowe.
16-02-2016 New photo ex Alan Good
The cleats may indicate that she may have been a yacht originally.
FLORENCE MAY
Florence May was designed by Dick Laing & launched in 1965. She is strip planked kauri & measures 28′ LOA . Powdered by a 80hp Ford diesel. Currently listed 4sale on trademe.
Can anyone expand on her past & possibly confirm the above details? Its says ‘Ngunguru’ on the stern so maybe the northern woodys can help.
Update from Rodney Webb (owner)
I have owned Florence May for 34 years.She was built near Auckland for Harry Muir and was named after his wife.She spent several years in Ngunguru then went to a retired sea captain in the bay of islands.She was then purchased by Tom Thompson who bought her back to Tutukaka.I approached him and purchased her 34 years ago.The builder was Phil Lange who lives in mill bay Manganui.He is 85 and still in good health.I still have her in Ngunguru.I guess you could say i reluctantly have her for sale and would probably refuse any offer 🙂
Arohanui Restoration – Watch it ‘live’
The above video records the renovation of the classic 1965 Lane Motor Boat Co. built launch Arohanui. The refit work was undertaken in 2015 at the Sandspit yard of Lees Boatbuilders for owners Fiona Driver & Rod Marler. Greg Lees & his team have established themselves as the go to yard for the application of Awlwood MA (Uroxsys) the flexible polyurethane marine clear coat finish. But I have to say that the yards craftsmanship & attention to detail prior to the final applications was second to none. Lees is a very classic friendly yard & whether the vessel is sail or motorboat, large or small its in good hands.
The short film was produced by Gareth Cooke (SubZero) who also filmed the restoration of Trinidad at Lees, refer below videos.
SILVER SEA
details ex John Ellis & Ken Ricketts, photos KR.
(edited by AH)
Silver Sea is according to her present owner, John Ellis, a 36′ Alan Williams launch built in 1960. Powered by a 120 hp Lees marinised Ford diesel, driven by a vee drive, integrated into the gearbox & 2 to 1 reduction gear. Home has been Gulf Harbour for a number of years as John bought her off a Frank Steed 4 years ago, who also kept her at GH.
Given that she sports a chart of the Whangarei cruising area mounted in her cabin, it is highly probably that at some stage she spent time in the Northern region.
Its rumoured that she featured in a 1963 issue of Sea Spray magazine – if anyone can find the article & scan, please email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com 🙂
During Jan 2016, Silver Sea was in Brin Wilson’s Gulf Harbour shed having some routine TLC, including tightening up the caulking & re-puttying, painting etc. Now ready for re-launching.
Harold Kidd Input
I always thought that she was designed and built by E Buckland in the North around 1946. She was in Whangarei for many years owned by Buckland, then Richard Ahlers then came to Auckland when bought by Frank Stead in November 2001, but perhaps that 36 footer SILVER SEA(S) was another boat of the same name?
21-01-2016 Food For Thought
Chatting with Harold K on how she could possibly have been mistaken for an Allen Williams launch & Harold suggested that its likely that someone has seen the BANSHEE article in Sea Spray magazine (March 1963, see below) & jumped to the conclusion that SILVER SEA was a Williams.
Williams took several whole back page ads in SEA SPRAY later in 1963 showing BANSHEE so it was a well-known image at the time.
Anyone else able to expand on this supposition? May Ian Mason ?
10-07-2016 Hauled Out At Milford Cruising Club
Great Barrier Island Xmas/New Year Cruise
photos ex Jason Prew
Todays post is a peek into the cruise that Jason did aboard his 1904 Logan, Wairiki, over the 2015/16 holiday period. Cruises like this used to be the norm, somewhere along the way we have lost the plot in terms of what constitutes a boating holiday. There is a little of everything here – classic yachts & launches, the odd super yacht & some wow sailing & scenery photos.
In the cruising flotilla we Kotuku, Pim, Wairiki, Tamariki (ketch and Brooke dinghy) & for a time Wotan.
Stunning photos & amazingly taken on an iPhone 6, set on auto – who needs a big clunky camera these days 😉
Thanks Jason for sharing.
Enjoy 🙂
As always – photos can be enlarged by clicking on them 😉
SORCERESS – Sailing Sunday
Photos ex Lynn Berquist & Steve Horsley. Details Hugh Gladwell
Many of you will be aware of the death of Peter Bailey on 30 December 2015. Peter was a founder of the Mahurangi Cruising Club and revived the racing of yachts as part of the Mahurangi Regatta.
His family have asked the MCC to assist with the sale of his yacht Sorceress which has been on the hard at the old Cement Works in Warkworth for the last few years. Sorceress is a 46 ft Laurent Giles design which Peter had built in Tauranga in the 1970’s. It would be hard to imagine a more imposing or statuesque vessel. Her sister ship Dyarchy is a legendary English yacht and was described at length in Eric Hiscocks book Cruising Under Sail.
Sorceress is triple skinned and was hauled out to have her topsides taken back to bare wood and glassed. This work has been done but the glass needs to be filled and faired then painted.
She may from the above photos look a handful to sail but Peter often cruised in her singlehanded.
Peter and his boat were an absolute item and the MCC will greatly miss his maniacal laugh, the roaring bow wave and the bowsprit pointing to the sky.
The club would love her to remain part of the Mahurangi scene and the family seek expressions of interest.
To view or for further details call Hugh Gladwell 021 606 409
MAHURANGI CRUISING CLUB YEARBOOK – 2015
The latest edition of this annual publication is now out & about. The 2016 issue (88 pages) is stunning – its a great visual insight into the regatta weekend & a cracker of a read, in the past the stories have been a bit ‘hairy’ but this year they are very cool. (excuse my crappy iphone photos)
I would suggest to grab a copy asap as this one will sell out, which it will at only $15
.
Where from you ask? Any of the below.
1. Boat Books – 22 Westhaven Drive, Freemans Bay – 09 358 5691 or online http://www.boatbooks.co.nz/
2. From the MCC – c/o of P.O.Box 555, Warkworth.
3. On the day at the regatta – but you may miss out 😦
ps nice to see the motorboats featured again 😉
CLASSIC WOODY WEEKEND
Remember : Circle Jan 29 > Feb 5th on the calendar is a great classic boating weekend – 2 regattas (Mahurangi & Auckland) + loads of wooden boating activities – both on-the-water & ashore – details below:
Coastal Rowing – The Hot New Wooden Boating Activity
If you have not heard about coastal rowing & the St Ayles skiff movement you need to get out a bit more.
The New Zealand Coastal Rowing Association has been formed to promote and encourage the revival of coastal rowing in strong well founded open rowing boats not only for national races between teams fighting it out for victory but also journeys, adventures and exploration of our countries amazing waterways.
Why the St Ayles Skiff?
The NZCRA choose to embrace the international St Ayles skiff rather than a historical New Zealand design for one very simple reason – the St Ayles skiff has since 2009 has become an international one design rowing boat and with over 100 built around the world it opens up the opportunity of international and trans Tasman racing and comradeship. Already there is a fleet of 10 skiffs in NZ.
For more details on the NZCRA & the NZ St Ayles fleet check out the website http://nzcoastalrowing.org/
ANNOUNCEMENT – 2016 Kiwi Raid and Regatta – Jan 29th – Feb 12th
New Zealand’s first major coastal rowing event is The Kiwi Raid and Regatta 2016.
Its starts January 29th 2016 at Sandpit, and finishes fifteen days later in Auckland, see route chart below. Along the way there are lots of short adventures for sailors and rowers alike. There will be a two day St Ayles skiff regatta (short rowing races) at Whangaparoa in the middle. The event has attracted teams from around the world & will show case the sport of coastal rowing to New Zealanders. WW encourages woody boaters to take the opportunity to experience coastal rowing up close over this period – plan a day out or overnight to follow the event. More info & contact details here http://raidnz.org/
Whats a Raid ? A sail and oar adventure combining sailing and rowing. It involves a fleet of small boats capable of being rowed and sailed, exploring a coastline or inland waterway over several days, often with some competitive element.
(photos of the 2015 Australian event, courtesy of Nel Tyson)
17-01-2016 Update
‘Saint Helier’ NZ’s latest St Ayles skiff was launched yesterday morning at St Heliers Beach, where else 🙂
MALIHINI + Anniversary Woody Weekend
photos ex Pam Cundy
Today’s post is a slight mystery – we know the name but that is about all. Pam took the photo in Jan 2016 at Great Barrier Island. Anyone able to enlighten us on her?
19-01-2016 Input from Doug Brown (owner)
Malihini is kept at Gulf Harbour & powered by a 210 hp Cummins and cruises at 14 knots , top speed 19.
She is double diagonal kauri built to a very high standard by Brin Wilson in 1976. The previous owner for 7 years was Roy Patterson.
Q: Where Do You Find The Most Wooden Boats In One Spot On One Day?
A: Auckland’s Anniversary Weekend
So woodys, get the pencil out & put a big circle on the calendar for the weekend of Jan 29th > Feb 1st . Its Auckland’s Anniversary weekend & that means one of the best classic boating periods all year.
For the launches & cruising yachts the weekend kicks off on Saturday with the Mahurangi Regatta & for the keen finishes back in Auckland on the Monday for the Anniversary Day Regatta. For details on the yacht racing & all events see below.
Remember folks the BYO BBQ, band & prize giving on Saturday night at Scotts Landing (6.30pm>) is the biggest gathering of woodys in one spot this side of the black stump 🙂 All welcome, you do not have to be a CYA member or regatta racer, just rock up with your goodies – BBQ’s provided.
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