IDOLON – Where Is She
A by the name of Brad McDermit yesterday posted on the ‘Old North Auckland – Northland Photos & Stories ‘fb asking if anyone knew the status / whereabouts of a launch named – IDOLON that his uncle, Francis Arlidge built in Russell for this other uncle Fred Baker.
Can you help Brad out re the boat.
KIRIKIRIROA – A Peek Down Below
Well after two days of ‘wall2wall’ classic woody porn it was always going to be a big challenge to back up with a run-of-the-mill story, so I thought its Wednesday so must be time for a Work Boat Wednesday story.
Todays woody is the Terry Bailey built 1983, 36′ ex workboat – Kirikiriroa , a woody thats been on my top 10 list ever since I first spotted her at Gulf Harbour marina many years ago. Built from strip plank kauri.
She was originally built for the mussel industry on Great Barrier Island and later used for various fright and cargo transportation. While not currently in survey (on hold), she is still capable of carrying 5 ton of cargo.
AND – down below is a 70hp 4LW Gardner…………….
Kirikiriroa recently popped up on tm , thanks Ian McDonald. I could own her but I’d have to stop churning out WW everyday, I’d be too busy polishing that engine 🙂
Link here to the previous WW story April 2016 Story https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/04/15/kirikiriroa/
07-03-2024 Input ex Russell Ward – Kirikiriroa was ashore at Gulf Harbour for a tidy up when I had Hinemoa’s Boat up for the same several years back.
The sign in the wheelhouse appealed to me somehow.
She was looking a bit tidier back then, but she’s an appealing wee boat for a real man.
HAVE YOU RSVP’ed FOR THE WOODY CRUISE TO RIVERHEAD TAVERN – SATURDAY 16 MARCH
AUCKLAND WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL – Off The Water Gallery – 70+ Classic Woody Photos
Today we focus on the spectacular collection of smaller woody craft that were displayed in and around the viaduct events centre – to a large % of the shows audience that had some salt in their veins this was a trip down memory lane.
Just so much care and attention has been furnished on these wooden craft. Sadly I suspect that a lot are now in the ‘display’ category. And as we all know with wooden boats you have got to use them or else they deteriorate quickly and then the cost to bring back is just too steep.
The minders / owners of the craft on display were overrun with people wanting to rely their own experiences and memories of the boats. Hopefully the show has ignited some interest in finding the craft that they enjoyed in a past life. The was certainly no shortage of owners looking for new blood to take over their artefact.
Enjoy the gallery and remember you can enlarge the photos if you click on them and the link to the other half of the festival – the classic woodys berthed dockside is below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/03/04/77770/
AUCKLAND WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL – Dockside Gallery – 75+ Classic Woody Photos
Slight change of format today. Normally we do one big gallery of event photos, but the 2024 Auckland Wooden Boat Festival deserves two stories – why? Well in the eyes os of the woodys I spoke to, the off-the-water (in the shed) exhibition was on equal footing to the exhibition afloat. So woodys come back tomorrow to see the off-the-water gallery, you won’t be disappointed.
From my mooching the #1 feedback I got was ‘where do they all come from’ i.e. people have never seen this number of classic wooden boats together #2 (from owners) was ‘it is so great to meet all the owners / caretakers’. I think a lot of people were quietly hoping their partners were thinking “there are other zany people out there, my partner isn’t the only eccentric old boat nut in town”.
For a three day outdoor event in Auckland we were gifted to have two (Fri/Sat) days of amazing weather, Sunday was a on/off rain day but it didn’t seem to slow down the people. I believe over 8,000 people were counted thru the dock-gate (it was free entry).
The photos tell the story today – its takes a lot of people to pull something like this off, so well done to all those that rubbed up against the show and well done Tony and team for pulling it all together.
PART TWO – THE OFF-THE-WATER SECTION – LINK BELOW https://waitematawoodys.com/2024/03/05/auckland-wooden-boat-festival-off-the-water-gallery/
AS ALWAYS – CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE
AND YES I DID BUY THE T-SHIRT 🙂
Probably The Best Classic Cruising Story Ever
Over the last 2+ years I have religiously followed a YouTube series put out by Madison Boatworks. Sounds very corporate but its the total opposite – a youngish couple named Jonathan & Whitney who refurbished a 1960 37’5” (on deck) ‘Ingrid’ ketch designed by William Atkin named Julia. After 4 years of working on the boat they left Seattle, Washington, USA and pointed the bow towards Mexico. After this the big call was made and they were off to the Pacific. There are 21 videos in the series that have clocked up over six million views and each one is gold.
The cinematography and narrative is just outstanding. Jonathan is a wonderful storyteller and one follower commented that his voice is semi tranquillising – it is, the man should do sleep videos 🙂
I have featured their latest – ‘Exploring the islands of Fiji, Vanua Levu and Taveuni’ below. And also a link to the master YouTube collection
LINK TO MASTER LIBARAY COLLECTION https://www.youtube.com/c/MadisonBoatworks
INEAWA (White Lady) On Lake Taupo
One of the gems of the WW site is its ability to spark connections between past and present boat owners and crew. Recently a gent named Rob Harvey commented on a previous WW story (links below) on the 1930 34’6” launch – Ineawa (White Lady) that he was now the owner and were we interested in some photos. I obviously relied ‘Yes please’ and got back a note from Rob saying that he was currently undertaking some renovations / updates to her interior and photos would follow when she wasn’t looking like a bomb site 🙂 Ineawa was built in 1930 by Jimmy McLaren in Onehunga, Auckland
This chat on the site prompted Karin Newrick to advise that they had owned Ineawa in the late 1990’s. Karin also sent in the above photos of her on Lake Taupo, along with some old documentation, which sadly is very faded, hopefully you can read, click images to enlarge.
WW SEPT 2023 https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/09/25/ineawa-a-peek-down-below/
WW APRIL 2014 https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/04/03/6721/
AUCKLAND WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL – I popped down yesterday, most impressive. If you are thinking of attending, a tip – go today – Jellicoe Harbour, Viaduct.. Sunday could be a zoo – its the annual Round-The-Bays waterfront race. Full story + photos on Monday.
Big Woody Month
Lots happening around the country this month – kicking of this weekend we have Auckland’s new event tagged ‘Moana Auckland – NZ’s Ocean Festival’ in full swing in and around the waterfront. Part of of the event is the inaugural Auckland Wooden Boat Festival – details below.
Further South this weekend (Sat & Sunday) we have the New Zealand Antique & Classic Boat Show which is always a blast so if you are around the top of the South Island this weekend head to Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes.
Then mid March (14 > 17th) is the Auckland (on-the-water) Boat Show , same venue as the AWBF, you just need a bigger cheque book 😉
Then on Saturday 16th March we have the annual Classic Woodys Launch Cruise to the Riverhead Tavern for a waterfront lunch.
HEAO – A Sailors Motorboat
Regular WW readers will be aware of my thoughts on the Logan 33 replica launches and how they were decades ahead of the market place. These days there always seems to be a good market for a classic craft that allows an owner to still retain a connection with some canvas and string but enjoy all the benefits of a modern motor boat including the low maintenance benefits of GRP construction.
The L33 Heao, hull # 17 was built in 2002 in Whangrei by Eric Knight, one of approx. 40 that he built.
L33’s are very slippery craft – their 39hp Lombardini engine can achieve a comfort cruising speed of 8.5 knots. Add in the addition of a steadying sail, auto pilot, bow thruster, bilge keels and cabin heater and you have a very comfortable family cruising launch.
DOLPHIN V
The above photos of the 43′ launch Dolphin V were sent in by Bruce Ryrie, who had recently been aboard her in Westhaven.
Designed and built in 1963 by K.E. Swanson, Queen Charlotte Sounds, South Island. She is carvel kauri construction and powered by a Detroit 6v53. And thats all WW knows about her.
The size and location of the exhaust stack indicates a sizeable engine and possible work boat pedigree.
Hopefully someone can enlighten us as to how she ended up in Auckland.
SPARTACUS – Why You Can’t Stop The TLC
Back in August 2019 Baden Pascoe drew our attention to a 32’ launch named Spartacus that was parked up in a paddock in Waipapa, Northland (top two photos).
Fast forward 4+ years and she’s is on tme and looking VERY neglected and offered up for sale, a suspect a ‘on-behalf-of’ sale. There is talk she may have started life as a NZ Navy cutter.
Question of the day, did she sell or will someone in Kerikeri not need to buy firewood this winter?
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