WAINUI – A Peek Down Below
The 32’ launch – Wainui last appeared on WW back in Sept. 2015, link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/09/30/wainui/
Now thanks to a tme listing (via Ian McDonald we get to have a gander down below.
Quick overview – built in c.1960 and powered by a Ford 60hp diesel engine.
Current home is Monks Bay, Christchurch.
SILVER SPRAY – Motor-sailer
WW was recently contacted by Bella Scott whose father owns the rather impressive motor-sailer – Silver Spray.
WW is very short / light on details – can anyone tell us about Silver Spray
INPUT EX PAUL DRAKE #1 -Built for the McManaway family of Paremata, Wellington, as a commercial fishing boat, and fished out of Paremata for many years. Converted to present configuration at Mana Marina twenty or more years ago. Good to see that she has retained her name.-
INPUT EX PAUL DRAKE #2 –Built by Jack Guard in about 1938. Owned by Wilfred Thomas McManaway and fished as a line boat in Cook Strait. According to his grandson Ian who served on SILVER SPRAY as a teenager and who I talked with today, she was a very stable working platform. Painted green with white boot topping when new. After being sold out of the family and reconfigured much as she is now, she struck rocks in the Marlborough Sounds and sank. She was salvaged and somewhat rebuilt by McManaway Marine (Picton). It is said that she survived her rocky encounter only because of her collision bulkhead, which had been retrofitted by grandson Ian at the behest of the Marine Surveyor, probably in the late 1960’s. Ian McManaway served his time as a shipwright with the Wellington Harbour Board when he finished his time fishing, and later became a Pilot-Launch Master.
Is There Money To Be Made In The Classic Wooden Boat Industry
Short answer yes – if you are good, own a railway slipway and fair in your costs.
The Slipway Milford smoko room wall of honour is a good indication of the woodys that have been for a ride on the Slipway railway 🙂
Would make a good quiz – ID’ing the boats but too busy / lazy doing nothing in a bay at the moment.
SPRAT – Workshop Update
The 28’ David Bedham designed spirit of tradition launch that we featured on WW back in November 2023, link below it nearing completion at the Slipway yard in Milford.
Will be a very smart and fast addition to the Waitemata Harbour, were her intended use is as a fast island commuter.
Looking forward to the sea trial report after the addition of a very smooth and quiet Yamaha 4-stroke o/board. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/11/18/sprat-spirit-of-tradition-orakei-hardstand-good-news/
2024 THE YEAR TO BUY YOUR CLASSIC WOODEN BOAT
I hope you all survived New Years eve, these days its always a struggle to last to midnight 🙂
I’ll make a new year prediction – 2024 will be least expensive time to buy a classic wooden boat for the next 5+ years. Prices were very deflated thur-out 2023 but they won’t stay like that – so if a classic craft is something you have on the bucket list – check out the link below. There are others that for privacy reasons do not appear on the list so if you are or are going to be in the market in 2024, let us know. https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/10/16/buying-or-selling-a-classic-boat/
KAWAU BOATING CLUB – OPEN FOR BUSINESS
If the weather gods have been nice to me I’ll be in residence at KBC tonight- checked out the photos above of the recent (winter of 2023) refurbishment – the club / bar is looking its best ever. Big shout out to everyone involved.
BUT – these things come at a cost – so if you are cruising about Kawau _
1. Call in for a fizzy drink and /or meal – all welcome
2. Consider joining the club while you are there – we need your support.
Happy New Year Woodys 🙂
UPDATE – Dinner was very good. Scallops & Salad and the kiwi classic- fish & chips
HAZEL MAY – Update
The launch – Hazel May last appeared on WW back in Dec 2015, link below, lots of intel and photos there.
Today thanks to some dockside (Nelson marina) mooching we get a better look at Hazel May.
Quick overview ex Geoff Brebner – built c.1920, probably by T le Huquet.
CLICK ON THE YELLOW BANNER BELOW FOR TIPS ON NAVIGATING THE WW SITE
WEKA – 1
Woody Murry Deeble sent in the above photo of the workboat – Weka-1, that he spotted on his xmas/ny migration north.
We have previously learnt from a Lew Redwood post that in a past life she was a cray-boat > snapper longliner working out of KAWAU ISLAND.
Previous owners have included Wilf Tech and Gordon Johnson.
Photos below ex Lew’s fb
A very smart, well proportioned workboat, you dont see many of those 🙂
MV GUNNER Update
The Lanes (Picton) built launch Gunner last appeared on WW in April 2021 https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/04/20/help-needed-iding-gunner-woody-involved-in-collusion-sinks/
On a recent mooch around Bayswater marina I spotted her looking rather smart – some one has spread some TLC on her – a very salty looking small ship, the canoe stern making her near perfect.
Photo below ex K Ricketts taken during her period doing survey work
A COOL WOODY BUSINESS CARD
Any boatbuilder that had a tool chest like the above you would have to feel confident having them working on your boat 🙂 I spotted the crest recently at Leader Boat Builders in Panmure. I’m sure a reader will comment on who the owner is.
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