Awana

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Awana shed

AWANA
Awana is a Brin Wilson design, launched in 1967. She is 36′ with a beam of 11’4″ and powdered by a 120 h.p. Ford motor.
Her current owners Rachel McKinnon and Derek Molander purchased her in March 2014 from the estate of Neil Johnson in Whangarei. Johnson purchased her in July 2012 from Tauranga (seller unknown). Her new home is Pine Harbour.
Her new owners have already started work bringing her into prime condition, to date they have hauled her out and changed her cabin sides from a brown stain (owners words) to a light grey, at the same time all her were removed & re-sealed + anti-fouling.
Her new owners report Awana is a very sea worthy boat and are looking forward to a long future with her.
Like all owners they are interested in uncovering more of her past – anyone able to help?

 

Siren

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Siren

photos & details ex Stuart Johnston

Siren is a 19ft Marlin launched at Onehunga just prior to Labour weekend 1958, it is believed she was one of the first if not the first 19ft version built by Sutton & Mason in Mt Roskill before Tony Mason set up Mason Marine. Siren was powered by 1958 35 HP Johnson and managed about 20MPH light and struggled to plane with a load. She was later repowered with firstly a 1960 40hp Johnson, and later by an early V4 50HP followed lastly by a 75HP Johnson. Stuart says that she was always a pretty vessel and with the bigger motors a joy to pilot, although launching off the beach at Stanmore Bay could be a mission, getting such a vessel through the soft sand, in the days before proper ramps were built.

Photos above show her new – being launched at Onehunga, cruising off Stanmore  Bay and Stuart’s Dad “hooning” at the same location. Stuart is not sure who’s who of the builders beside the boat but his Dad is the guy inside.

The big question – has she survived & if so where is she now?

Korara

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KORARA

photos & details ex Nathan Herbert

CYA member Nathan Herbert who is currently restoring the Coultard launch Lucinda is seeking more info on his other classic, Korara, the 37′ motor sailer built c.1960 by Alan (Snow) Waters for Ron Gurr.

Korara’s design came from a UK designer John E. Powell, Nathan has supplied reference material on Mary Islay (magazine pages) ex the Jack Brooke collection. See below.

Specs: LOA = 37′, Beam = 10’6″, Draught = 3’9″, Disp = 10.5 ton, Sail Area = Mizzen 107sqft – Genoa 277sqft, Engine = 120hp Ford, Speed = 9.5knts

There are big gaps in her history that Nathan would like to fill in.

click any image to enlarge

Some proof below of the wide readership of waitematawoodys.

A message from Paul Mimmack in the Channel Islands

“I was checking out ‘John E Powell’ on Google when I came across the page on KORARA.
I was very interested in her details and pictures as I am the present owner of MARY ISLAY!   I purchased her in 1992, but over time, work (Asst Harbourmaster & Coastguard SMC in Jersey CI) has got in the way of using and looking after her as I would like. But I retired 3 weeks ago so will give her some TLC over the next few years, starting when the weather improves in spring.
It is interesting to compare her with KORARA, having less cabin space as she was built as a Motor Fishing Yacht for Sir Giles Guthrie – a banker & chairman of BOAC – in 1957 at Aeromarine Ltd, Emsworth, Hampshire. Originally moored at Hamble, near Southampton until he sold it in 1962/3. There is no accommodation astern of the wheelhouse – just the walk-in (via short ladder each side) engine room.  The afterdeck was left open for fishing and has RNLI lifeboat type bronze wash ports.
As the specification says – built mainly of teak on an oak keel, there is some electrolysis in the oak around the rudder tube, which I need to sort out.
In 2004 I changed the original 2 stroke Foden 70hp diesel for a rebuilt Gardner 4LW of 62hp. It fitted, is quieter, more economical and more importantly I can still get spare parts.
She is rather a ‘wet’ hull, thus the Kent clearview screens get used in over f3 head winds, but comfortable. Her 10ft beam seems very ‘narrow’ for a boat today (but typical of the time), the steadying sail helps stop rolling in beam seas.
 
[I do have NZ contacts as my wife is from Auckland, she still has a brother, sister, aunt & uncle in town, with other relations spread around the country – we hope to be out next December]
Kind Regards
Paul Mimmack
St Lawrence
JERSEY
JE3 1JR
Channel Islands”

Caledonia – info wanted

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Caledonia
Caledonia
Caledonia
Caledonia

CALEDONIA

Details & photos from Richard Gordon

Caledonia was built in Auckland in 1956 as a  11 metre ketch. If you believe the old sales document (copy attached below) her designer was a gent or company called ‘Knaggs’.

Richard bought Caledonia, initially in partnership with Don Wilson in 2009. Previously Don was in partnership with Dave Johnson, these two bought the boat off trademe in approx. 2002-3. She had been kept at Milford Marina & owned by a father & son. These owners advised she was built by a father & grandfather, the GF supposedly having worked at Bailey.
Between 1984 – 1988 it looks as if she may have been based in Thames – Coromandel judging by an incomplete log book, her call sign was ZMV3644.
Richard is based in Mana, Wellington & lives aboard Caledonia & reports she is a great Cook Strait boat and Sounds boat.

Richard is interested to find out more about her history. Can anyone help or point him in the direction of someone that can?

Click link to view old sales doco caledonia

As always click on any image to enlarge 😉

Waiari

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WAIARI

Mooching around Waiheke on the weekend I spotted this Woolley moored at Miatiatia. She had been berthed at Gulf Harbour for a long time & sold ex there approx. 18mths ago. Post the sale she has been given a birthday & is now looking very sharp.

Anyone able to shed light on her past & in fact confirm she is a Woolley.

MAKE SURE YOU READ THE COMMENTS SECTION – LOTS OF CHAT ON WAIARI THERE

09-05-2016 Tim Evill emailed me the below photos in early April of Waiari on hard at the Rocky Bay Memorial Cruising Club on Waiheke Island.

Lamorna

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Lamorna c1950 Lake Taupo

LAMORNA

photo & details ex Paul & Nigel Drake

Lamorna was built in 1937 by Colin Wild for J Blundell & specifically designed for trout fishing on Lake Taupo. The photo above was taken in the 1950’s.

As boys, on the Lake, the 4 Drake brothers admired Lamorna from the family’s C&G 22 footer Sir Francis – which they still use constantly today. Paul Drake recalls his father telling him that Lamorna had twin engines that were fully exposed with a chrome rail on each side of the alleyway their only protection from stumbling bodies.

Lamorna was for sale on trademe for a long time until reasonably recently. She looks very different now, with a new dodger extending forward, and the usual fully enclosed fly-bridge. See photos below ex Nigel, taken of her moored off Herald Island – note,  these do not show the full extent of the fly-bridge.

Below are three great photos from Lamorna’s past. Thanks to Harold Kidd for pointing the Papers Past links  to me 🙂

14 September 1937 – at Colin Wild’s Stanley Bay yard

16 November 1937 – Undergoing sea trials on the Waitemata Harbour prior to being trucked to Lake Taupo

25 November 1937 – being loaded for transport overland to Lake Taupo. Love the truck !

An Update from Steve & Dylan Needham – 18/10/2014

Here are some photos of Lamorna since we took possession of her at Herald
Island Auckland. Starting with survey and then taken to Geoff Bagnal’s yard
to make Lamorna sea worthy for the Cook straight crossing. Transport to Mana
by truck as you can see we had to cut the flying bridge off because of one
bridge. Looked quite good without it but we decided to re-attach it and then
made the voyage to the Marlborourgh Sounds where Lamorna is berthed at
Havelock where we are restoring her. We have had a lot of fun with her and
look forward to summer.

Mystery Launch 15/06

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MYSTERY LAUNCH 15/06

photos from Beth Williams

The launch in the photos above was built by Beth Williams father, Bert Yates for an unknown client. Bert is pictured alongside the launch in one of the photos. During WW2 Bert worked at Shipbuilders in Poor St, Freemans Bay. The boat designer/builder Jim Young, served his apprentiship under Bert & commented that Bert “was a very harsh task master”.
Burt raced on the ‘A’ division Logan, Rawhiti & managed the yacht pictured below (name unknow) that had the sail # E 38

Anyone able to ID the launch & put a name to sail # E 38 ?

As always – click on images to enlarge

Update 16/06/2014 ex Harold Kidd ex Papers Past

Photo of Rawhiti II on 30 July 1935, just prior to her launch. Photo states built by Mr. R Lang for Mr. H Yates.

Rawhiti II July 1935

Taufale

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Taufale @ Waiheke
Taufale 4sale ad
Taufale c1950
Taufale slipped at Geoff Bagnalls yard

TAUFALE

photos ex Harold Kidd (& trademe + Paper Past)

Recent chat here around a mystery launch moored in the Whau creek & the design / builds of Onehunga based, Les Coulthard has unearthed several of his 27′>30′ v-bottomed cruiser launches from the late 1930’s. CYA member Nathan Herbert is currently restoring Lucinda (search ww for a post on her) & her sister ship Taufale, that is currently for sale on trademe.
Interestingly Taufale has had 3 different cabin tops, the photos above show her as launched with a bridge deck type cabin, a single profile aft swooping version and the current single flat cabin top.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion when it comes to which of the three versions you prefer – but as is most often the case, the ‘as launched’ wins hands down & gets my tick.

Note: you can freeze the slide show above by clicking on a photo + the smaller images below can be enlarged also by clicking on them.

Taufale c1950
Taufale ex trademe
Taufale slipped at Geoff Bagnalls yard
Taufale @ Waiheke
Taufale 4sale ad
Taufale ex trademe
Taufale on launch day

New photo added ex Ken Ricketts camera in 1948, while in School House Bay.

Taufale 1948

Recent (2014) photos ex Nathan Herbert, hauled out at the Weiti Boating Club

ETHEL C (Ethel Clare)

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20140608_141616

ETHEL C (Ethel Clare)

Some days ww rocks – yesterday was one of those days, the planets lined up & everything fell into place.

Last weekend Nathan Herbert was out & about nosing around the Whau Creek with Jason Prew in one of the classic picnic boats when they came across the very neglected tram topper, Ethel Clare,  sitting on a pile mooring. Ethel Claire (as spelt on the name board) became the ww posting on Wednesday.

Next thing I get an email from CYA member Neil Chalmers, SY Gleam, telling me a RYC member, Colin Clare, has been trying to track down his father’s old launch – ‘’Ethel C’’. Neil had spoken to Colin and described the launch in photos that appeared on ww. In Neil’s words “I think you may have struck gold !.”

Next I contacted Harold Kidd who confirmed that ETHEL C was built by Leon Warne in late 1922 for Billy Clare. HDK thinks she was in fact started by Leon and finished off by Dick Lang as Leon went to Russell at that time and Dick took over his premises.
Ethel C was 30’x8′ and HDK supplied two b/w images which leave no doubt that Ethel Claire is in fact Ethel C. The close up shows a young Colin Clare sitting on the salon top.
HDK commented – “that she has a provenance a couple of yards long!!!”

Next I contacted James Mobberley at Moon Engines & Transmissions who is a member at the Te Atatu Boating Club on the Whau Creek & a classic nutter. James advises that the boat is known around the club as Ethel C & is owned by a Te Atatu Boat Club member who has owned her for between 10 >12 years. The current owner bought her off a gent by the name of Jimmy Sands who had her sitting on his front lawn in Avondale for 20 years.

Now I want this to have a happy ending – wouldn’t it be great to see her rescued & back in the hands of the family of the original owner 🙂

Make sure you check out the RECENT COMMENTS section to view ww follower feedback

Unknown Launch (15/09/2013) Almost Known

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c.1948-9
2014
1939 ex Paper Past
2014

Unknown Launch (15/09/2013) Almost Known

Last year (15/09/2013) Ken Ricketts asked about a launch that he had photographed c1948-9. He commented that at the time he took the photo she was seen regularly around the Kawau Island area.
We had no joy in ID-ing her but it now appears that the ‘powers’ of ww have worked.  At the weekend Nathan Herbert was out & about nosing around the Whau Creek when he spied the launch above, a little digging into the Papers Past archive reveals that this is most likely Kens mystery boat. A 28 foot, 1939 Coulthard built in Onehunga for a Mr E. G. Webb. As the Papers Past photo (excuse the quality) shows she was trucked across from Onehunga & launched at Auckland.

Still do not know her name but getting closer – anyone know the boats current owner or more details?

Photos below of Dawn as discussed in the RECENT COMMENTS section – click to enlarge