Woody Angus Rogers has just return from a whri-wind trip to the USA, at the top of his to do list was a visit to the Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, Rhode Island.
I exhibit that caught / captured Angus’s eye the most was the 1905 launch – Thania, designed / built by Nathanael G Herreshoff. Over view 59’8” in length, beam of 10’7” and draws 2’8’.
More details in the photos above, as always click on a photo to enlarge. ENJOY 🙂
Earlier in the week I found myself at HMB marina with some time to kill so went for a wander.
Three woodys in different stages of getting some winter TLC.
JOCELYN – The 49’ Brin Wilson built launch, possibly to a Hacker Craft design, appears to be getting a varnish refresh. She is one of those craft that are just so much bigger out of the water. Read more about her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/01/28/the-history-of-mv-jocelyn/
UNKNOWN – has a Lanes / Picton look to her – I’m sure someone sharper than me can tell us her name. Impressive back to bare wood restoration underway.
RAINBOW – the 1898 Arch Logan built gaffer has just had a birthday – lots shinny paint and varnish on display + the masts was revarnished , that is a titanic undertaking – well done. I was on-hand as the team from Boat Haulage were dropping the stick back in. An impressive of collection of origami on display 🙂
The 38’ launch – Silens was built / launched in 1912 by Harvey & Lang (photos below).
Built from kauri planks and carvel construction. Beam is just shy of 9′ and she draws 3’.
Powered by a 85hp Ford diesel engine that gives her a top speed of 10 knots. The forward propulsion is supplemented by a small battened main and jib – Silens is one of the few woody launches that actually looks all good under sail.
Over the years I have been on Silens many times but oddly for me I have never shared photos of her impressive interior, today we get to see what a well designed and crafted classic launch Silens is.
UPDATE FEB 2026 – at anchor in Algies Bay. Photo ex Angus Rogers
Yesterday on WW one of the launches included in the Tutukaka Marina photos was named Reel Time (photo below), ex owner Eric Sanders contacted WW advised that Reel Time is a Athol Burns design and built in 1969.
When Eric brought her in 1991 off Wally Lambie in Tauranga she was named Mary Ann. Eric sold her around 2002 to Mal Sharples who changed the name to Reel Time.
Three of this design were build by Tauranga boat builders, one is in Opua moored off the break water.
In the photos above the first photo is from 1991 and the next three show her in 40 plus knots. The last last one is as sold in 2002 aprox.
16-08-2023 INPUT EX OWNER – Ron Bell – when I bought her in 2010 from a Phil Halse,at Tutukaka it was called Reel Thing. I got information from Phil that she was built in 1962 by Strongman Bros at Coromandel, I have since met Eric at Dockland 5 in Whangarei and said no it was Tauranga built. I still have the Mary Ann life-bouy ring that was on the old flying bridge. I had the new flying bridge put on in 2018. Have had to fix a reasonable amount of rot around decks and along and under the belting, shes in pretty awesome shape now and is used fairly regular, Still got the 180 HP Ford diesel which does not miss a beat.
Today thanks to Dean Wright we get to wander the docks at Tutukaka marina and point the lens towards the Ngunguru River.
It was a slow day yesterday so I have done the hard work for you i.e. you will find links to previous WW stories on the boats that have appeared on WW in the past. Links found in the title section under each photo – enjoy 🙂
And if you can tell us more about the unknown boats e.g. there provenance, that would be great. If you haven’t come to grips with using the comments section – just send an email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Earlier this week we featured a 16’ Carl Augustin designed run-about named Mare-Ee-An, today we have another craft by the same designer. A little bigger this time at 40’ and built in 1968.
Sonar Mia popped up back in February in Gisborne on a Turners Auction site after a grounding (their words) and was for sale as-is-where-is. The opening bid was $100. From the photos there was a lot of work needed, but someone may have got a bargain. The engine is a Ford Lees Marine 180hp diesel.
Do we know if she was saved or went to the land fill.
FYI – back in March 2019 a descendent of a previous owner was trying to track the boat down. I forwarded the 2023 Turners link but never heard back from them – that story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/03/23/edna/
Major (christian name, not a rank) Bailey built four launches that we are aware of – thanks to Ken Ricketts and Graeme Varcoe today we get to see them together, excluding the last built, those name is not recorded. The First built was – Florae / Floray (seems to have had an identity crisis over time) , later named Leilani and currently high and draw in a Thanes paddock.
Second was – Flolaine, now named Awatea
Third was – Christine
Fourth – unknown – anyone able to help with details. Amusing (in hindsight) launch day story below ex KR. The Launching And Near Sinking Of #4 Boat
KR commented that Major Bailey had some radical views on boat systems and fit out. With the fourth boat he developed a steering system which was or looked like half a petrol or oil drum encircling each propeller and turning right left which was supposed to direct the prop wash and steer the boat but when you turned the wheel absolutely nothing happened, as much of the prop thrust water just went out the back and the prop thrust was simply lost completely.
#4 had two 6 cyl. second hand Fords, very poorly home converted, and badly installed in the stern with detached vee drives, along other bits & pieces. All the underwater gear seemed to leak through the hull and added to almost sinking post launching, refer below.
KR commented that on launch day she almost sunk immediately on launching and would not steer. The yard would not lift her out again due to a dispute, so they steered her as best they could with the engines as quickly as they could downstream to Eastern Marina Services (Terry Burling). There they beached her on the ramp, to effect urgent matters to make her seaworthy and steerable.
The boat had all sorts of unique bits about her all of which mostly designed by Major Bailey and mostly just did not work.
KR also commented that #3, Christine was very ugly, with the hull, all rough and showing all the planks & seams, and the flare was horrible with a slanting forward deck line at the bow. He was putting more & more radical & impractical ideas in the succession of his boats as they went on.
So woodys it appears and KR agrees that Leilani was the pick of the bunch 🙂 I wonder what became of the fourth build ………….
Todays 19’ woody run-about just popped up on tme but isn’t for sale there, the craft is going to auction at Webbs auction house later this month. The price indication is $25>$35k and then on top of that there is 15% buyers premium + 15% gst to pay so it will be interesting to see what price it sells for, if it sells.
Interested in the WW brains trusts thoughts on the Arch Logan design and 1933 Lidgard build claim. Has to have been a name change at some stage, Creme Brûlée doesn’t sit well with the build date 🙂
The sales blurb says kauri carvel construction, pohutukawa trim and carbon fibre reinforced hull, again interesting.
The boat spent most of its early life on Lake Tawawera with one family, then she passed thru several owners before being uncovered in Rotorua. Her original engine, a 7hp marinised Austin 7 Thetis, was found near Okere Falls, Lake Rotoiti and then fully reconditioned.
From Rotorua she was taken to Kawhia for restoration which was completed in Whangarei by the current owner.
Can we confirm / add to any of the above. She is a honey and would fit what I’ll be looking for in a few years, with a heart transplant (the boat not me)
Todays woody comes to us from the Tauranga Library collection via Dean Wright. The photo is tagged – Raruhoa and dated April 1963.
Quite a distinctive craft being a double ender so fingers crossed we can learn more about her and whether she is still afloat.
I assume that the location is Tauranga but I’m not familiar with the area so hopefully someone can confirm the location as well.
UPDATE ex Nathan Herbert – seems the library got the name wrong – its named Renuhou and sadly ended up as a land based sleep-out/shed. Full details at the 2014 storylink below
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Just click the email link here and tell me your name, postal address and number of caps required. I’ll come back to you with payment details – $38 + $6 p&p. waitematawoodys@gmail.com
In the photo above the launch on the left is Leilani, she first appeared on WW back in March 2016, link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/08/13/leilani-floray/ At the time she was high and dry in a paddock in Thames, second photo.
Thanks to Harold Kidd and Ken Rickets we learnt a lot about her – probably designed and built (hull only) by Lidgards and Major George Bailey finished her off. Named Florae / Floray when launched, her original owner was Percy Coutts, more details on her owners in the link.
In her day she was a very fine looking woody, will be sad if she dies a slow death – anyone able to update us on the status of the Leilani.
In the photo the launch in the background is Jolly Roger, built in 1956 by Roy Parris in the mid to late 1960’s this boat was owned by Clive & Bernice Irvine. The Irvines eventually purchased the house besides the Panmure Bridge and berthed the Jolly Roger on the jetty at the bottom of their property. This was probably around late 1960/1970. She made an appearance on WW back in Oct 2015 link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/10/15/jolly-roger-2/
I spotted her berthed in the Whangarei Town Basin in March 2020, photo below
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