SNOW GOOSE
The 24’ launch Snow Goose was built in 1963 at the Salthouse yard, and recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald). The forward propulsion is via a marinised 3L Mazda Titan diesel engine.
And that woodys is all we know about her – can we learn some more about what she has been up to for the last 60 years. Home is currently Tauranga.
STILLWATER WOODYS WATERFRONT PICNIC – OCT 7TH – RSVP NOW waitematawoodys@gmail.com
NZ Airforce Maritime Craft
The owners of the very fine 36’ Colin Wild 1939 built launch – Rehia were recently going thru a family photo album and uncovered the photos above from one of their grandparents. The grandfather in the late 1940’s > early 1950’s was a mechanic based at the Hobsonville airbase servicing the fleet of maritime support craft.
In my eyes in the photos above there are 3 different craft but it has been suggested that the top 2 photos are the same boat. Also the size of the airforce insignia on the bow of the top craft looks very large , maybe not a NZ vessel?
Can we ID the craft.
INPUT EX John Bullivant – The top 2 photos are of US built 63ft Maiami class crash boats. The RNZAF had a few of these operating from Hobsonville and Laucala Bay in Fiji . The class was originally powered by 4 Kermath 500hp ‘Sea Raiders’ (linked nose to nose in pairs) but later were powered by twin 630 hp Hall Scott ‘ Defender engines as standard, – some with V drives. A number of variants were made. Top speed was around 36 knots (16 model 168s were built with twin Packard 1250hp for a speed of around 48 knots) Boats were used by Russia, UK, Australia, Sth Africa, NZ and the Dutch.
INPUT EX Mitchell Hutchings – the two photos below show the two vessels featured above. The first one is of the 63’ Rescue Launch 276 and the second of 313, both at RNZAF Hobsonville.
INEAWA – A Peek Down Below
The 34’ Ineawa was built c.1926 by a Jimmy McLaren to a Clyde Boat Builders design, possibly in Onehunga, Auckland. Constructed from single skin full length kauri planks, sourced from Gt Barrier Island. Her beam is 9’ and she draws 2’5”.
Forward motion is via a 150hp diesel, but back in April 2014 when she last appeared on WW (link below to that story) the engine was recorded as a 105hp AEC – comparing photos it appears the same engine, maybe a typo. WW April 2014 https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/04/03/6721/
STILLWATER WOODYS WATERFRONT PICNIC – OCT 7TH – RSVP NOW waitematawoodys@gmail.com
GALE
Back in June 2022 WW was contacted by the owner of the 1949 36’ yacht – Gale C4
Her story goes something like this – Gale was designed by Charles Bailey Jnr., but not built till 40>50 years later, possibly in Titirangi West Auckland, builder unknown. Construction is two skin kauri on Oregon stringer.
At the time WW was contacted her owner was going thru the ‘do I – dont I’ stage in regard to either a restoration or selling Gale as-is-where-is.
Do we know what happened – hopefully it was a ‘I Do’ decision and Gale is tucked away in a shed somewhere.
HEADS UP – OCT 7TH – STILLWATER WATERFRONT WOODY PICNIC – ASAP TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com
WHANGAREI MARITIME FESTIVAL
Today I wanted give you a heads up about an upcoming woody event – the 2023 Whangarei Maritime Festival , October 14>15th, at the Town Basin.
The venue is already a very cool destination for anything maritime based, but over the weekend it will buzz with non stop activities – 30+ boats on display, free boat rides, food and entertainment, trade displays, talks and movies, arts and crafts market. Check out the Festival Sound programme below + the link to the festival website.
https://www.whangareimaritimefestival.co.nz
Check out a previous WW story on the venue https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/03/27/wooden-boats-whangarei-town-basin/
Saturday is a big day for NZ – hopefully the nation awakes up and heads off to a polling booth. Depending on the result I’ll be at the festival on Sunday, if the worst happens on Saturday night, probably best I’m not behind the wheel of a vehicle – I’ll be investigating setting up bryonbaywoodys 🙂
FESTIVAL SOUND PROGRAMME
Downloadable Event Booklet Below
WHANGAREI FLASH BACK
The photo below has appeared many times on various social media sites, but this is the best reproduction I have seen – comes to us ex Dean Wright via the Tauranga Library collection.
WAIMARIE
The two b/w photos above show the 32′ Oliver & Gilpin built launch – Waimarie being launched c.Sept 1964. She was built for a RG Falconer.
The b/w photos came to WW from Dean Wright via the Tauranga Library collection.
MYSTERY WORKBOAT
Dave Stanaway connected me recently regarding a tug boat that he would like to identify. Dave was sent the photo by Ray Morey, and all we know is that shehe was in Whangarei early 1960’s.
In the 2nd photo we see her off Whangarei with the Bounty replica.
So a call out to the workboat woodys – can me help Dave with a name and details.
Today we also get another tour of the recent Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival 2023 – sit back and enjoy.
HOW DO I STOP THE ROLL
Well woodys you can’t – all boats roll but you can minimise it – read on.
I was recently included in an email exchange where a classic launch owner was asking Chris McMullen why they should replace the mast (rot issue) on their launch given that there was no plan to make use of a sail. Chris shared with us both a copy of a 1909 extract titled ‘Ballasting of Motor Boats’ from an article by Charles G Davis in the book – ‘Motor Boat Handbook vol. 1’. The article provides all the information required for displacement launches. If the above images are too hard to read – below are links to downloading the articles.
WOODY + VINTAGE MOTORBIKE STILLWATER WATERFRONT PICNIC – OCT 7TH – RSVP NOW waitematawoodys@gmail.com
MOMO
Bay of Islands woody Dean Wright sent in the above photo and video of a very salty woody trailer boat, Dean took the photos on Saturday as Momo cruised back up the Kerikeri inlet.
If the background noise in the video doesn’t match what you would have expected from Momo – relax, you ears aren’t playing up – Momo is powered by an o/board. The noise is coming from Dean’s woody – Arethusa’s Gardner 4LW.
Would love to learn more about Momo.
A bonus for the Gardner nuts – link below to a past WW story on Arethusa, which backgrounds the restoration and installation of the Gardner 4LW in Arethusa.
Big thank you to all the woodys that attended the Boat Boat Sale at The Slipway Milford on Saturday – a lot walked away with a WW cap and burgee tucked under their arm 🙂
JO MARLI – A Peek Down Below
A couple of weeks ago (Sept 1st) we ran a story on the launch – Jo Marli, link below, at the time we uncovered some intel on her, short story – built in 1959 by Jack Taylor.
Today thanks to a tme listing from May 2023 we get to have a gander below decks. Photos sent in by K Ricketts. The listing must have resulted in the relocation from a swing mooring in Mahurangi to Auckland. Always nice to see the classics going onto a marina berth – they get better looked after and more people see them, and we like that 🙂
https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/09/01/jo-marli/
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