Can We ID This Young Man Aboard MANAIA

Posted on by
3

Can We ID This Young Man Aboard MANAIA

Last week we ran a story that featured a photo of the pilot boat – MANAIA.  At the time Paul Drake chipped in to say he was at the launching in 1963 at the P. Los yard and took the photo. 

Russell Ward also advised he was lurking at the event. 

A couple of days later Paul contacted me and commented that unlike Vintage Steamer Russell W) who scored a seat with the big shots for MANAIA’s launching, he was just part of the boatyard urchin brigade. Paul mentioned that there was another young guy, pictured in the photo above who he fell in with. After the launching, we bravely boarded the vessel for a closer look, until we were asked to leave after poking our heads down the engine room hatch (a step too far). 

So woodys today we are trying to see if we can ID who Paul’s companion was. It would be very cool if he or someone else recognised himself through this WW story and made himself known.Russell Ward was sent the photo and asked if he was the young man in the photo, Russell’s reply was “it isn’t me and the bloke in the pic was far too clean cut to be any of his crew” 🙂
Link to the WW story mentioned above https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/04/18/launch-day-mystery/

Recent photos below – looking better than as launched.

2021

OMOKOROA – APRIL 2024 UPDATE

Posted on by
3

OMOKOROA – APRIL 2024 UPDATE

Following on from yesterdays story on the launch – Omokoroa where we got a peek back to her earlier days, today thanks to a nudge we gave her current custodian – Lyndon Chambers we get to see some to the work thats gone into refitting the boat.

First up is a video from early 2023 of Omokoroa being hauled out to commence the project. Lyndon commented that they used Omokoroa for a while before haulout and he has worked on her reasonably solidly since then. The topsides were repaired and glassed before haul out and he has screwed and glassed plywood over 100% of the hull so hopefully a dry boat now. Not too much left to do and she will be back on the water soon depending on what Lyndon decides to do to the interior.

View previous Omokoroa WW story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/04/24/omokoroa-in-former-times/

06-05-2024 INPUT EX ROB HARRIS – below photos from when Rob owned ( many years ago) the launch, location – Beachlands 

OMOKOROA – In Former Times

Posted on by
3

OMOKOROA – In Former Times

Back in July 2021 we reported on the 36′ launch – Omokoroa being washed ashore in a storm. We subsequently learned that she was re-floated by Lyndon Chambers and moved to Shelly Park Cruising Club for repair / refitting. Link to the 2021 story below. Keen to learn how the project is coming along. https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/07/10/omokaroa-omokoroa-saved/

Fast forward to last week and Ian McDonald was doing a deep drive on his iPad and found the photos above . First up we have a b/w photo dated 1954 and the location is Katkati. Then a montage of photos from the 1983>84 period.

Last up is an undated press clipping from the Bay of Plenty Times that celebrates the restoration and relaunch of the launch after she has sat on a hardstand for an extended period.

NOTE: may the b/w photo is a different boat and the photo tag is the location v’s the boat name – thoughts?

MANSION HOUSE KAWAU ISLAND 1971

Posted on by
5

MANSION HOUSE KAWAU ISLAND 1971

Todays photo comes to use from ‘Timespanner’ (Auckland Library Heritage collection via Maurice Sharp fb. 

The caption reads ‘Muriel Clark on the balcony at Mansion House, KAWAU ISLAND. 1971, Ron Clark (the photographer I assume).

An unusual light number of boats in the bay, and mostly launches. Maybe the yachts were out racing.

Can we put names to the 4 classics in the bay – refer below enlarged image. And for a change rather than WW merch, I’ll gift a bottle of my ‘ world famous in Devonport’ homemade tomato sauce to the first woody that supplies the correct answers. I’ll rely on Nathan Herbert to be the oracle on ID’ing the boats – Entry via email only to waitematawoodys@gmail.com – closes 7pm 23/04/24 Conditions: Winner must be Auckland based, NZ Post doesn’t like glass bottles 😉

NOTE: as pointed out by K Ricketts todays photo has been developed incorrectly – I have flipped the image toshown the correct orientation – refer below

Screenshot

AWANUI – A Glimpse Back In Time & As Today

Posted on by
4

AWANUI – A Glimpse Back In Time & As Today

Back in May 2016 we ran a story on the launch – Awanui – link here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/05/25/awanui/

Fast forward to early 2024 and Les Nelson contacted WW with an update on the vessel in regard to his parents owning Awanui for a number of years in the early 1980’s at the time based in Picton.

Les supplied the black and white photo (1st photo above) of Awanui that was most likely from when she was first launched c. early 1900’s (unconfirmed). Les commented that the backdrop (hill outline) looked familiar, probably the foreshore of Picton. A short time later Les unearthed the above colour photos from when his family owned her.

Also as a result of the story her present owner – Carmel Bradley made contact  and advised the launch was still in Motueka and used regularly in and around the Abel Tasman. Carmel sent in the photos below.

Love it when a WW story sparks a few memories and we roll into a bigger story 🙂

Still do not have any intel on who the designer / builder was, both owners are keen to learn more.

2024 🔻

Torrent Bay Lagoon 
Kaiteriteri Beach
Bark Bay Beach Abel Tasman. 

A DORA BLU

Posted on by
2

Today we are state side to have a tour of the 1933 Stephens Brothers built 43′ classic woody – A Dora Blu. I was sent the youtube link by John Dawson – now I ask that you ignore the youtube fluff at the start and the obvious sales pitch – trust me its worth checking out. I was very envious of the boat shed, must make caring for a classic a breeze. Her owners attention to maintaining the boats heritage looks and fit out is wonderful, but when they lift the engine bay covers the sight is a very big wow, twin Yanmar JHC120hp engines, proof that you do not need to weigh these old girls down with huge engines.

(note: some confusion on the build year – the nav light boards say 1931)

ID The Russell Yachts Friday Quiz Winner – Ken Fyle. WW burgee on the way – the yachts were – (L) XANTHO & (R) IIEX. As I thought a lot picked IIEX but only 2 correctly had XANTHO.

Woody Fathers & Grandads

Posted on by
1

Woody Fathers & Grandads

Be an instant hero and take the kids out for a day trip – this weekend the Matakana School are hosting the – Matakana Model Boat Show. Over 200 boats static and afloat + races.  And if there are no siblings around, even better – more time to enjoy it. See flyer below for full details.

If you go Saturday – take in the Matakana Market, I was there last weekend – great food, produce & coffee. Opens at 8am. And the new express way makes the trip a doddle 🙂

Special thanks to Mark Lever (MV Nereides) for the heads up + photos

CAN WE NAME THESE YACHTS – Prize To Be Won – XANTHO & ILEX

Posted on by
2

CAN WE NAME THESE YACHTS – Prize To Be Won – XANTHO & ILEX

Must be overdue for a quiz – the photo above was taken on Christmas morning 1905, location is Russell in the Bay of Islands. ID’ing the two yachts will be a challenge to most of the WW crew but I’m sure the stick & rag woodys will work it out. So to make it slightly easier – correctly ID’ing each yacht equals a chance in the draw i.e. get one right = one chance, two right = two chances. Close off is 8pm 19-04-2024. ENTRY BY EMAIL ONLY to >>>>

 waitematawoodys@gmail.com

23-04-2024 INPUT ex HAROLD KIDD – The 40 footer XANTHO was launched as XANTHE in Wellington in 1888 by Henry Berg using timbers from the dismantled yacht MINNEHAHA. She was traded in to Robert Logan in part exchange for WAITANGI which he sailed down to Wellington and won the NZ Championship in January 1895. He sailed XANTHE back to Auckland in the smart time of 7 days and put her up for sale. There were no takers until 1897 and she lay off Devonport with the rig out when one Spraggon bought her. She was driven ashore at Devonport and badly damaged soon after. She was sold in April 1898 to G. Cook of Whangarei. The pic with ILEX was taken at Russell around 1905. I have no clues on what happened to XANTHE/XANTHO/ZANTHE/ZANTHO after that. Possibly she was converted to a launch?

She was considered incredibly old fashioned by the time she was launched and had the cod’s head and mackerel tail of earlier yachts and a large camber on the deck.

PRIZE: A WW burgee 

LAUNCH DAY MYSTERY – MANAIA

Posted on by
8

LAUNCH DAY MYSTERY – MANAIA

Another photo sent in by John Dawson – to some of the WW workboat group the answer to ’Name the boat’ is probably very easy. Not for me however – things that help –

• 1st three letters of the name are  – MAN

• home port is shown as Whangarei

• lack of varnish suggests a workboat

• style suggests pilot boat• funnel may have the letters WHB on it > Whangarei Harbour Board

So what say the workboat brains trust

UPDATE – Thanks to several woodys we have confirmation that the vessel is Manaia – Designed by AJ Collings and built at the P. Los yard in 1963, for the Northland Harbour Board as a toilet boat.  LOTS of photos and detail in the links below https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/01/26/manaia/ https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/04/05/manaia-a-peek-down-below/


MYSTERY MAHURANGI WORKBOAT – RURU

Posted on by
3

MYSTERY MAHURANGI WORKBOAT – RURU

Todays woody comes to us from Dave Balderston via hid cubby Dave Stanaway. 

Dave B. spotted the boat hauled out at the Cement Works Marina up the Mahurangi River in Warkworth.

The Daves and myself are keen to learn more about the boat and what the plans are for her.

18-04-2024 Input ex Ari at the Quayside Boat Yard – Yes, Ruru was designed and built by Chris Robertson for John Spencer to help them transport gear and maybe the odd animal between John’s island farms in the Coromandel and the mainland. As can be seen by her condition, she had been left unused for years, with the Spencer’s having larger barges to do this kind of work nowadays. One of Chris’ Son’s, Martin, has since acquired her and collectively with the crew here at Quayside Boatyard, plan to bring her back to her former glory and utilise her as a river/harbour work boat.