QUEST II – Sailing Sunday
photo & details ex Dean Wright
The above photos were taken by Dean in August 2012, at the time Quest II had been moored in Opito Bay for a couple of seasons.
What she is & where she is now is a mystery – anyone able to contribute ?
ps I know I’m stretching the sailing angle but there is some canvas on her 😉
Nor West
photos & details ex Peter Crane
Peter has just taken possession of ‘Nor West’ & is a little frustrated with the lack of known info on. Obviously from the builders plate she is a Lane, designed & built in 1951 by the Lane Motor Boat Co. in Panmure, Auckland.
There is lots of data on ww about the other ‘Nor West’ built by Lanes https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/27/nor-west/ but zip on this one.
Can anyone help Peter out?
Update from Don Rae via Ken Ricketts, edited by Alan H. photos ex KR
Don Rae bought her in July 2007 off Cam Wilson. She was at Milford at that time. He in turn, had bought her from Peter Anderson, in July 2001 according to Don.
She has been everywhere from the top of North island right down to Tauranga and everywhere in between for the Raes. They spent a lot of time in the Mahurangi area Don said.
Unfortunately Don didn’t have time to use her, at a time in his life when he feels he should be able to, hence she he put her up for sale.
Don had a love of launches from an early age as his father (Monty) had a Roy Parris boat built in 1954, the 33′ Pleasure Lady, which he is happy to say, is back in his family and fully restored & in beautiful condition. She is owned by his nephew Tony Rae. Previously featured on ww.
Nor West is a wonderfully well built boat according to Don, and must have been very expensive in her day he says.
Powered by a petrol engine early on and now has a 6 cylinder 120hp Ford.
She was described as 32ft in sales jargon, when he bought her, but he measured her at 33′, with a beam of 10′ drawing 3’6″ .
Don feels the fly bridge was added probably about the seventies, when they were all the go. She is built of heart kauri.
20-03-2016
Below a two early days photos of Nor West sent in by owner Peter Crane, who received them from Warren Fleming.
09-04-2016 – photos below (ex Ken Ricketts) of Nor West hauled out at Gulf Harbour Nov 2015
30-05-2017 Additional photos
Thames Mystery Launch
photo ex Gwenyth Herbert
Gwenyth took the above photo back in April 2015 of this launch ‘resting’ in the Thames mud.
She looks to be biggish old girl & has a serious case of the live-aboard look 🙂
So woodys anyone out there able to shine some light on this vessel?
IRENE
photo ex Pam Cundy
Irene was photographed by Pam Cundy (Whangateau Traditional Boat Yard) on a recent trip to Gt. Barrier Island.
There is a pretty hull hiding beneath that penthouse. 🙂
Looks like they enjoy some serious fishing on-board her.
Can any of the woodys shed some light on her ?
MYRTLE
photo & details ex Angus Rogers
The above photo shows Myrtle being dragged down the main street of Thames for its launching. Rumour has it Myrtle was owned by the grandfather of the lady who owns the Success Cafe at Coromandel. Sorry no names.
Such a beautiful lady & I know so little – so woodys what do you know about Myrtle?
DIETRICH
photos & details ex John Burland
Todays post features the vessel Dietrich, moored at Marahau. To save you google earthing it – Marahau is a small settlement approx 19km north of Motueka in the South Island. In fact its the gateway to the Able Tasman National Park.
Dietrich is owned by Mike Perry & is supposed to be around 100 years old. There’s a story that she was owned by a woman of Maori royal heritage on Durville Island, who on the morning after her wedding night and after being pushed out of bed by her new husband and told to make breakfast, swam 2km across the channel to home. Reconciliation and 13 children supposedly followed
.
Almost definitely a name change at some stage, if you zoom in you’ll see an illustration of Marlene D on the exhaust stack.
There is a lovely canoe stern hull under that cabin & while a later addition its not too OTT.
Anyone able to shed more light on Dietrich?
Classic Woodys Cruise To Riverhead Pub
The NZ Classic Yacht Association (CYA) launch group have amazingly good fortune when it comes to the weather for their events. Saturday was just a day out of the bag – sun, mill pond sea state, cool boats & nice people. The trip was a first for me in that I did not take launch Raindance & instead traveled on Trinidad, Barbara & David Cooke’s magnificent 1965 Salthouse motor launch.
On the trip up the harbour we passed 2 very cool steam boats – Puke & Zeltic out for a cruise & enjoying the day.
We do this trip 2 or 3 times a year & a few trips ago added a mid trip raft-up meet & greet to the agenda, its a great chance to say hi to everyone before we hit the pub. A little like the American concept of a ‘rehearsal dinner’ the night before the wedding day 🙂 If you check out the raft-up photos, all the males are enjoying a coffee & the females have a glass of bubbles in hand – how did that happen.
We had 3 creek virgins making the trip for the first time – Florence Dawn, Lady Jane & Skipper CJ.
Florence Dawn
Lady Jane
Skipper CJ
Interesting to witness the speed of the housing development in the Riverhead / upper harbour area – once all we saw was trees & paddocks, now its houses houses houses. Check out the photo of launches anchored Indian file – the land at the top was all pine trees 6>12 months ago.
From the top – Skipper CJ, Florence Dawn, Arohanui, Lady Margaret, Monterey, Silens
Arohanui
Lunch at the hotel was more casual i.e. less organized than on previous visits & that was a good thing – in fact the food got a big tick from everyone.
The day was not without a few oops – two people enjoyed an unplanned swim, no damage other than bruised ego’s & a lesson that when on-board always have two points of contact 😉 My lips are sealed on names, photo below of the 1st oops, no photo for the 2nd – I was doing the Piha Rescue.
Publicans Paula & Stephen Pepperell came out to inspect Trinidad, given their history of wooden boat ownership / travels I suspect a classic could be on the shopping list.
Paula Pepperell, David Cooke, Stephen Pepperell
Spotted this smart bridge-decker (Lady Thelma) anchored off Hobsonville Point.
KOTIRI B20 – Sailing Sunday
Today’s post is an amazing story – firstly Nathan Herbert tipped me off that a 1897 Logan yacht was in a boat shed in the Auckland suburb of Herne Bay & had not seen the light of day (or water) for over 30 years. Next thing I’m on a RIB at Westhaven with the son (Don Webster) & grandson (Nick Webster) of the gent (Blair Webster) that purchased Kotiri back in 1947 & locked the boat shed doors sometime c.1986 & we were heading around to Herne Bay to view the ‘extraction’ of Kotiri from her boat shed. We were joined by Don’s younger brother Charles & a film crew from TV3 that were filming the event as part of an upcoming (semi-related) progamme. The day was a big boys dream – tug boats, barges, cranes, old shed full of cool stuff & the odd yummy mummy watching from the beach 🙂
It was a treat to watch a team of pro’s doing something that is beyond what most of us could do.
Some details on Kotiri – LOA 40′, LWL 28′, Beam 8’6″
Also in the shed was very cute dinghy / runabout that will be a winter project for Nick.
Below is some history on Kotiri & how she came to be sitting on a Boat Haulage transporter on-route to Peter Brookes yard.
Details below & photos above ex Classic Yacht Charitable Trust
Kotiri was designed and built by Logan Brothers in 1897 (launched 18th October 1897) at the height of the boat design and racing rivalry period between the Logans and the Bailey Brothers. The Baileys launched Meteor in the same month, both boats being built to the 30ft linear rating of the time.
Kotiri passed through many owners, including a period in Wellington, where she was renamed Kotiri II to differentiate from a smaller 30 footer of the same name. She was owned for a time by Laurence “Bruce” McCallum, the son of R H McCallum of Marine Parade Devonport who owned the family business Winate and Co based in lower Queen Street opposite the Central Post Office. Bruce MCCallum died in a bomber crash over Belgium on a mission to Cologne in 1943. The McCallum’s won the Devonport Yacht Club’s Duder cup in 1941 & 1942. The trophy is still held by a family member Tom McCallum of Pakuranga. Tom is also caretaker for another small trophy inscribed “RNZYS Kotiri 1939”.
Kotiri was purchased by Blair Daniel Webster in 1947 who converted her to marconi rig c1949. She was still sailing in 1952 but Blair layed her up in his boat shed at at 75 Sarsfield St Herne Bay in 1953 as her decks were leaking badly. In 1961 Blair commissioned R L (Bob) Stewart to draw up plans for conversion to a K class. From 1962 to 1968 Blair, with his closest friend J S G (Jock) McLanachan and a boat builder Jim Dennerley of Coxes Creek, worked on the comversion by increasing the height of the freeboard by 3 planks (approx. 9 inches); fully rib her; add new Bob Stewart “Patiki” style coamings; cut off rotten counter stern and build tuck. Boat shed ramp and railway tracks were laid for her ultimate return to the water. In November 1968 Kotiri was relaunched and moored on pile moorings at Westhaven. A second masthead rig and used sails were subsequently purchased. The boat shed at Herne Bay was regularly used for cleaning and antifouling haulouts. Kotiri sailed on rare occasions over the following years. Circa 1985 she sailed in a Classic Yacht regatta and by the late 80’s she had “retired” to the boat shed.
Blair Webster passed away on the 16th August 2000 and left Kotiri to his eldest son Donald. After 66 years ownership in the Webster family Kotiri was gifted to the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust on 14th March 2013 by Donald Webster. The token sum of 20 cents passed hands, for which 10 cents “change” was given, to mark the change of ownership.
Having been stored in a sound shed, over water, with good airflow, her hull was preserved in exceptionaly good order.
The Classic Yacht Charitable Trust are looking to raise funds to restore Kotiri to original sailing condition and preserve her for the long term enjoyment of New Zealander’s.
AURORA II
photo & details ex John Burland
A little bit of a mystery boat to me but I’m sure someone will be able to shed some light on her.
Aurora II is a recent arrival in Mapua, Nelson, South Island. Moored in what officially is called Western Entrance to the Waimea Inlet. The last photo above gives you some reference to the location, the launch Katoa is in the foreground.
There appears to be a pretty savage tide running, you would want to be confident of your mooring set-up.
WILD DUCK
photos ex Dean Wright, details ex Tino Rawa Trust
ww has spies everywhere 🙂
Last week Dean Wright sent me the above photos of Wild Duck anchored in Hahangarua (Norwegian) Bay, Moturua Island in the Bay of Islands. I suspect she was catching up on some R&R after the BOI Race Week.
The Wild Duck is the ‘mother ship’ to the Tino Rawa Trust fleet of classic yachts. She was built by JB Jukes in 1937 as a fishing boat (Reg # WN290) by “Joe” Jukes at his yard in Balaena Bay. Built of kauri using the carvel method she is 42′ x 12′ x 4’6″ and powered by a GM Detroit 371 85hp.
Wild Duck was named after an early immigrant ship to Wellington run by the Shaw Savill company.
Joe Jukes (1889-1956) started in business in 1919 after serving his time with Ted Bailey at Aotea Quay and returning from the First World War. He rapidly established a reputation for sound craftsmanship and built some outstanding yachts, including Raukawa (1936) and several successful 14ft One Designs. His launches included Nereides (1925) and Vagabond (1926).
In her earlier years Wild Duck was owned by the South Seas Fishing Co and used as a tender to the Lyttelton-based ex-Hull trawler South Sea off the Chatham Islands.
By the late 1930s she was back in Wellington as a general purpose vessel. For example she was the vessel which refueled the Empire-class Short flying boat Centaurus in Wellington in January 1938.
For several years Wild Duck was renamed Parera, the Maori name for the grey duck, but has now reverted to her original name.
Wild Duck has several restorations since being owned by TRT, to bring her into line with all the recommendations from her survey and maintain her in good order. The stem post and rotten keelson has been replaced along with new floors and the replacement of broken ribs. The two coreten metal tanks have been replaced with lighter weight plastic tanks. A new engine room bulkhead has been installed and the entire vessels interior and exterior has been stripped, repaired, fared and painted. A new shaft-log, s/s shaft and bronze mounts have been fabricated and installed. A new wet exhaust has been installed. She may look slightly ‘commercial’ in these photos but the interior is very cool.
For details & viewing: contact Wooden Boat Bureau c/o waitematawoodys@gmail.com
UPDATE: Wild Duck Hauled Out @ Milford (August 2017)
July 2020 – Video
