CLASSIC LAUNCH – LADY CAROLE RESTORATION – UPDATE #4

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Mock up of potential new paint

CLASSIC LAUNCH – LADY CAROLE RESTORATION – UPDATE #4

Today co-owner Patrick Crawshaw walks us thru the latest work, different layout today, might make it easier to follow. 

The last couple of weeks have been focussed on getting the sanding finished for first coat and the wood work finished.  The forward hatch, which had been blocked up was re-instated. Tthe forward cabin, where the mast once was had been opened up to make way for a hatch. Two of the ribs had been cut into and this was compromising the strength. So, ribs were replace and the hatch filled in so that the mast can go back to its original location. 

The main cabin hatch (shown below) which is above the helm had to be moved inward to allow for the railings to match the other side – from front to back. At some stage, it had been cut too close to the port  side and so the railings had to start back behind the hatch which looked awful.  This is about the lines – again. 

The windows have been a complex and long process. Firstly, we had to find the old curved line which ran along the side connecting the forward cabin to the aft curve. 

We had to completely fill the existing windows in so that we could draw that line. Once that was drawn, we could then find out where the windows (from the photograph above) once were.  The filled in ply was then taken out and cut to the new window lines. Then they had to be rebated for the glass to then be glued in. Next week is the glass templates and once the glass is in, we will have to cut the trims to go around the windows… The windows have been the most complex part of the job with so many elements and stages to the process. It’s so important we get this right, as they are crucial to the lines of the boat, and we can only work off this photo and a few other tell tale signs.   

Rod holders…such fun getting the angle right so they are flush on to the transom.

CLASSIC LAUNCH RAIRA – BEFORE THE WOOD BUTCHERS GOT HOLD OF HER 

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CLASSIC LAUNCH RAIRA – BEFORE THE WOOD BUTCHERS GOT HOLD OF HER 

The top photo is the 1915 launch – RAIRA, moored in the Waihou River, Te Aroha.  RAIRA was built by the McLeod brothers, Ted and Ray + J. Verran at Bayswater,  Auckland.  – to a  Collings & Bell design.

The photo comes to us from the Auckland Library Heritage Collection – McLeod collection via a Nathan Herbert link.

The 2nd photo is from late 2015. Location is Woolshed Bay, Coromandel.

Last heard she was calling Waiheke Island home.

RSVP waitematawoodys@gmail.com

CLASSIC YACHT CELOX – A FITTING TRIBUTE

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CLASSIC YACHT CELOX – A FITTING TRIBUTE

We discussed in last Sundays WW story the sad demise of the  26’ mullet boat – CELOX and her tragic past life.

The story prompted Nelson based maritime antarctic artist – Sean Harwood to send in the magnificent above photo of CELOX. Sean exhibited the painting in a 2021/22 exhibition he had at the Jonathan Grant Gallery in Auckland.The copy below accompanied the painting:

Mullet boat ‘Celox’ racing in the Hauraki Gulf 1914

Here we have the 26’ Mullet boat ‘Celox’ thundering down the Hauraki Gulf running under spinnaker before a south westerly in 1914. A steamer is heading down the channel towards North Head and into Auckland harbour. The painting actually has the viewer looking from another vessel as can be scene by the bow wave at bottom left. The painting illustrates the enormous spread of canvas these stout vessels carried. The other two Mullet boats behind ‘Celox’ are also racing.

‘Celox’ was built by Logan Brothers in 1908. Noted for her speed, over time she accumulated a very impressive racing history.

Mullet boats began life sometime in the 1880s as fishing smacks with retractable keels and shallow draft so they could easily sidle deep into the estuaries of the Waitemata Harbour to ply their trade. The lack of refrigeration back then made them fast – the quickest boat would have the freshest catch for the fish markets at the bottom of Queen St. As recreational sailing became more popular at the beginning of the 20th century, prize money and gambling took off, too, attracting more mullet boats to the weekend regattas and fuelling refinements in design. Fierce rivalries developed, often spilling off the boats and into the yacht clubs afterwards.

Sean also shared two more painting – the 2nd one above of the yacht VIKING rounding North Head, Auckland. The small launch is the Logan built DOREEN, which had the marine photographer – Henry Winkelmann on board taking photos.  The bottom painting is of the Baileys Boatbuilding yard in Freemans Bay.

More Sean’s work can be viewed here Seangarwood.co.nz

Link To Sundays story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/07/14/classic-wooden-yacht-celox-h8-a-look-back-in-time/

17-07-2024 – INPUT ex NIXON FRYER – I was reading your brilliant stories on the old Mullet Boat Celox. I though I better share this paint of Celox I inherited (below). My family (Craig family) had a part ownership in Celox however I don’t know when this was.
The painting is definitely Celox as it is marked on the back of the Canvas as “Celox”.

WHATS HAPPENING UP THE TAMAKI RIVER / PANMURE BOATING NEIGHBOURHOOD

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LONG GONE
GONE

WHATS HAPPENING UP THE TAMAKI RIVER / PANMURE BOATING NEIGHBOURHOOD

Recently woody John Bullivant had been smooching around the Panmure boating area – seems that the boating community have been have been overlooked by town planners or the likes that work in small windowless city offices and never actually see what their work actually ends up doing – I’ll let John tell the story – 

“I recently came down from the Hibiscus Coast to buy some paint, and thought I’d have a look at the new Panmure bridge additions. Took a few more pics of NAU MAI, – looking very sad now. IMATRA is still afloat as well. A few interesting boats further up but out of camera range. Hoping to do a dinghy tour from Half Moon Bay this year to see what’s new and identify a few mystery boats.   The old Panmure marina has gone with the new busway and cycle path over the area, and the slip is now cut off by a cycle path and the busway at the top of the road. Could have made a good boat ramp, but you know councils, – not a clue ! Not sure what the future plan is, as things are still under construction, with only the up stream access road open now. Another haul-out area gone, only the Panmure Yacht Club and Half Moon Bay left now for the whole of the Tamaki River.” (edited)

Can any of the river rats tells us more on the goings on to what was once a vibrant marine hub.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH SERENE – Way Back

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH SERENE – Way Back 

The 36’ classic wooden launch – SERENE, probably built by Roy Paris, has made a couple of appearances on WW, the last on back in May 2022 when we were given a review of the work that owner Tom Lindesay had undertaken during the cv-19 lockdown period -link below to that story and others

WW MAY 2022 https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/05/serene-2/
Fast forward to last week a gent named Kevin Baker contacted WW to share some of the SERENE’s history – I’ll hand over to Kevin to tell the story (edited)

“When I was approximately 6 years old I remember helping my grandfather John Leslie Hume shape a model of the Serenes hull out of timber and what looked like some sort of builders bog, it was a half hull down to the keel line and not very big.

I also helped grandfather make plugs of the fittings like the port and starboard rear cleats also the winged port holes. All this was done in my grandparents home at Matahui Road KatiKati Bay of Plenty. I never saw the Serene while she was being built and I am not sure of the builder but my mother who is now 95 is sure she was built in the Coromandel.

I spent time on the boat with my grandfather, a few trips in the KatiKati Harbour. Serene’s main mooring was at Omokoroa but a small wharf was built behind the Matahui farm on the Aongatete River and she spent time there, later she would also spend time at Whangamata.

As time past and my brother Ron and I grew up we took Serene on a few adventures, on one we went to the Mayor Island and were anchored in South East bay for the night when a weather change bought a swell straight into the bay, with the anchor rope pinging the decision was made to move around to the north side of the island , we did this in a pitch black night, I remember it was a long night rolling in the swell with minimal shelter against the cliffs.

Serene had sails stored up the front hatch for her auxiliary motor, I remember one night with the wind in the right direction we set one of the small sails as a stabiliser  . My brother was the skipper and we took Serene as far north as the Cavalli islands stopping at Great Barrier and travelling on the outside of Little Barrier. The Perkins motor in Serene is not original as she was built with a Fordson and it remained in service during our time, the gear box had a manual linkage with a shifting level at the helm.

The photos above of Serene with the Aldermen Islands in the back ground also in Whangamata Harbour. You can see she was built with no fly bridge which must have been added by someone.”

While there appears to be some confusion re the design / builder, I’m sure  it was Roy Paris.

Bay of Islands photo below ex Dean Wright dated Jan 2021

CLASSIC WOODEN YACHT – CELOX H8 –  A Look Back In Time

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CLASSIC WOODEN YACHT – CELOX H8 –  A Look Back In Time

I’m constantly sent via email and post details on classic boats that people have owned or rubbed up against – which is great.

Yesterday was different, one of the gents, Bruce Buccanan, that frequents my regular coffee shop, handed me a USB data stick with the gallery of photos above, all centred around the 26’ mullet boat – CELOX H8, built by Logan Bros and launched in 1908

I think the old school term jaunty best describes the gents that sailed or crewed on CELOX back them. Bruce’s father (a part owner or owner) is the gent in the last 2 photos , and thats all son Bruce knows about the photos.

CELOX has made several appearances on WW and the yacht had an eventful life, which may have ended in 2015 – WW would love to learn what finally happened to the yacht, we know she or parts of were salvaged but thats where the story stopped.

2015 WW STORY LINK + more intel in the Comments Section https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/02/01/celox-sos/

And Can We Name The Launch In The Photo Below – alongside CELOX at Mansion House, Kawau Island

Wooden Boat Beached at Sulphur Point – 1930’s

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Wooden Boat Beached at Sulphur Point – 1930’s

Todays photo comes to us from the McLeod collection at the Auckland Library Heritage Collection via Nathan Herbert. We see a launch in the configuration of a tram top + dog house, has to a 1920’s build most likely a flat top with the later (1930’s) additional of the tramtop and dog house.

The photo is tagged ‘ Launch beached after storm at Sulphur Beach, Northcote (Auckland) , 1930/39.

Can we put a name and builder to the boat.

CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT APACHE – Looking Very Sad

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Kawau Island

CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT APACHE – Looking Very Sad

Earlier in the week I was in Thames and dropped down to the Thames Sailing Club marina. I have covered on WW before most of the residents that inhabit the marina.

 One that caught my eye was the1939 launch – APACHE, she appeared to be ’stuck’ in her mud berth i.e. I visited at low and mid tide and she had not risen with the tide.

APACHE has made several appearances on WW and sadly is looking very tired and in need of a new caretaker, there was a 4sale note on her window. 

From previous stories we have learnt that she was probably built by a Mr. McCallum, with the help of a Lou Burn. 

In 2020 Bryce Strong sent in several photos of her – the b/w photo of her above before the addition of the rear dodger, seen in the cockpit photo. Byrce also later supplied the colour gallery of her looking very smart. Ken Rickets supplied the last photo showing (L>R) GAY DAWN, ALOFA, APACHE at Kawau Island.

UNKNOWN CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH ON THE MOVE

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UNKNOWN CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH ON THE MOVE

Woody owner Mark Russell (MV KARANGA) sent the photo above of the launch he spotted in Te Hana heading north yesterday. No visual name, two props so most likely twin engined and in my eyes its got Oliver and Gilpin, Tauranga, written all over her.

Can we put a name to the launch and learn where she is heading.

WOODY ON TOUR – VENICE

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WOODY ON TOUR – VENICE

The owner of the 36′ classic launch IONA II currently midway thru a total refit at the Slipway Milford is currently mooching around in Venice and sent in the above photo gallery of the hard working Venetian woody water taxis. Nice to have window into the other side of the world and to see the sun 🙂

The scope of the work on IONA II is next level and includes conversion to electric powered – there will be no combustion engine or generator i.e. not a hybrid. Really looking forward to following the project. IONA II was designed by Bruce Askew , and built in 1994 from strip planked wood + some f/glass, all good on a 1994 craft. Link below from when the work first commenced. I’ll get down there later in the week for an update, or maybe Jason Prew could put the tools down for a minute and send in some iPhone photos 😉 https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/05/28/iona-ii-gets-a-birthday/