Łatę last week I had to visit Tutukaka Marina in Northland, first up a confession – I had never been there before by road. Made an emergency stop there 40+ years ago on a yacht that was taking on water to the extent that we were sinking i.e. manual bilge pump and bucket couldn’t keep up – ’saved’ by a fishing boat that rafted us up and took us into Tutukaka where we went straight on the grid and waited for the falling tide. Issue repaired and after a very long day at the bar in the Swordfish Club, continued on to the Bay of Islands. That woodys is the short story, before the fishing boat arrived we were at the point of grabbing what we wanted to take with us in the very small dinghy……..
Very impressed with the marina and surrounding area, friendly staff and well maintained set up.
While waiting to meet someone I walked the docks and snapped a few photos of some of the classic wooden craft berthed there. I have a few more but will save them for future stories.
Looking forward to the woodys Clevedon overnight / BBQ cruise this weekend – weather forecast to looking good.
ADONIS – Step Aboard & Start Living Your Best Life
Buying a classic wooden craft is similar to a historic home, regardless of the price there is normally something that needs addressing. With classic launches the finest examples rarely change hands, thats why they score 10/10. So when a exceptionally well built and maintained launch comes onto the market, they normally find a new owner in double quick time.
The 1965 Owen Woolley built 45’ (40’ waterline) launch – Anois is one of those craft – she Is an exceptionally well built and maintained launch and presents in superb condition and retains her original aura, character and pedigree.
Some Background – we sold Adonis approx. 12 months ago , her previous owner had her for 23 years and her maintenance schedule was like a Boeing 747, just prior to selling she was given a birthday at Leader Boats on the Panmure River. Fast forward one year and her ’new’ owners have come to the decision that right here and now, there are other priorities in their lives, so the Wooden Boat Bureau has been tasked with finding a new home for Adonis.
Whats especially compelling about Adonis is that she’s ready to use today, hop aboard and the adventure begins. It should be an easy sale – we have on hand an out-of-water survey + mechanical report (including oil test analytics) on the twin 120hp Ford engines.
To read and view more on Adonis – click on the WW links below
Update 05-07-2022 1st coat of the shinny stuff goes on
Classic Woody Yard Mooching
Dropped into The Slipway Milford the other day, very pleased to see the 1937, 38’ Sam Ford built launch – Menai, getting some serious TLC after languishing at the CYA’s Heritage Landing for many years, dockside chat was it was a permanent fixture.
As with most things in life, boat ownership goes in cycles and with new owners she is get the attention she deserves. Always nice to see painting prep well executed i.e. back to bare wood – that kauri looks as good as the day Sam Ford fastened it.
I understand a new engine has been installed so the TCL is serious – we like that 🙂
While there the 1945 K-Class – Jenanne was getting a Jason Prew Paint Job, the photo is coat one of two top coats, already very slick.
Now a tip on how to get marine engineers to come down to your boat – keep your engine room as ship-shape as the 1965 Owen Woolley built launch – Adonis – the man from the Moon didn’t even have to put his overalls on 🙂
I received an invite to poke my nose into the Leader Boat Builders shed on the Panmure / Tamaki River during the week to catch up on the latest woody to grace Dave Patterson’s shed. The 45’ Owen Woolley built Adonis, in for some serious TLC. Meet her owner of many years, John Fleming and got to discuss the planned work. We will catch up again on Adonis and update with more detail. You can read and see a lot more at this link to a previous WW story https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/09/04/adonis/
I have said it many times before but one of the coolest classic wooden boating entities is the Off Center Harbor website. A day wouldn’t you by without me pointing someone to the site, and they always find a solution, answer, guidance to what they needed / wanted to know.
On the site there are 800+ videos about wooden boats. And woodys best of all most of the content is informative, educational and entertaining. The Off Center Harbor team are celebrating their 10th anniversary and have an amazing offer for WW woodys – TEN months membership for US$10* – (normally US$49/year). CLICK THIS LINK https://www.offcenterharbor.com/join-10th-anniversary-10-10-month-2021-holiday-ww/ And because they like us Kiwis, when renewal time comes around, all NZ memberships will be in NZ dollars, so we don’t have to suffer from the unfavorable gap in the exchange rate.
The best value, bang for your buck, woody Christmas present ever (well 2nd best – #1 is a WW t-shirt) – sign up today 🙂
Buying or Selling a Classic Boat Without sounding too much like the late Jacinda Ardern (“be kind”) – when people ask me about classic wooden boat ownership, I normally say that owning a woody has a positive effect on your life i.e. you end up forging a life you don’t need to escape from.
So woodys in the interest of your mental well being listed below a sample of some of the boats that are currently berthed at the virtual Wooden Boat Bureau Sales Marina. There are others for sale, some owners request privacy. To read more about the Wooden Boat Bureau – click https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/12/01/wooden-boat-bureau-advice-for-buyers-and-sellers/ The Wooden Boat Bureau is uniquely placed to offer impartial, up-to-date market information and objective advice to both sellers and buyers. So if you are looking for a wooden boat or considering selling – email us at waitematawoodys@gmail.com
If you stayed at home this Easter, you missed one of the best long weekends, in fact probably the best Easter weather I can remember.
We headed out early Friday morning with the plan to spend Friday night at Rakino Island and then slide up to Kawau Island early Saturday. We arrived at Rakino mid morning and dropped anchor in Woody Bay (great name), conditions were perfect, only complaint a few too many plastic boats had the same idea. Caught up with a few friends for late avo drinks and took in the sunset – it was up there with Fiji on the visual wow rating.
Saturday morning dawned and a we had a wee anchor / winch problem – reverted to the days of old & pulled it up by hand – but then had 18+m of chain on the deck. Didn’t fancy going to Kawau as I was unable to let anymore out (even manually) as the winch was jammed. So decided to hang around Rakino – tried a spot of drift fishing – as normal no joy.
Decided on West Bay for the night (with my 18m of chain) and we got invited to dinner (fresh snapper) on a friends plastic boat. He was surprised and deleted that we turned up with a roasting dish of crunchy roast potatoes – their rather large boat has no oven – just electric induction hobs and a microwave 😦
Another 10/10 sunset.
Next morning, despite my best efforts the winch remained jammed so a restful day in the bay reading and headed home later on Sunday.
Not a lot of woodys at / around Rakino – I suspect Kawau and Great Barrier islands were the destinations of choice.
The 1962 Owen Woolley sedan launch – Waiari was looking stunning in West Bay after its 2017 top chop that say a flybridge despatched to the dumpster. Anchored nearby was the 1961 Jack Brooke built launch – Mapuna, enjoying a family cruise.
On the unsuccessful fishing trip we passed another Owen Woolley launch – the 1965, Adonis. Whats with all the 1960’s boats…….. even had Andrew Millar off Rorqual (1959 Jack Morgan) & Geoff Diggle off Florence Rose (1960’s Billy Rogers) over for a drink, sorry guys no photos, both were on the other side of the bay, with a lot of white plastic between us. Check out Flo Ro here https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/03/21/florence-rose-launch-day/
When Andrew can get around to writing me a draft story, there will be a WW feature on the extensive renovation of Rorqual.
Also snapped a photo of the very salty looking ex? work boat – Kowai off Home Bay.
And just so I’m not accused of being one-eyed, I spotted a very pretty yacht when we were leaving West Bay – Hinemoa. Can anyone tell us what she is?
25-04-2019 Input from Harold Kidd
HINEMOA was designed by Eric Cox for C.T. Jonas of Auckland and built by Lidgard Bros in 1948.
Jonas sold her to Norm Galbraith in 1955. Jonas had owned a couple of great yachts, CAROLYN (Coulthard, 1937), MATATUA (Lidgards 1938) the launch HIRAWANU (Lidgards 1946) then HINEMOA.
Lidgards built the Cox-designed SNOWGOOSE for Ian Titchener in 1948.
I recall that Ian Titchener (once Mayor of Devonport) was Paul’s uncle.
Ps I sorted the winch problem out back at Bayswater on Monday – two links had locked together on an angle – involved a wee bot of open heart surgery, best done at the marina v’s at sea.
Adonis was designed & built by Owen Woolley & launched in November 1965 & has a waterline of 40′. Her first owner was Martin Uren & while there are a few holes in her ownership records – we know that Bob Green (who owned Mahara prior to Adonis) had her for a period in the 1970’s. She was also owned by a Robin Congreve from May 1986 until Dec 1994 & then by current owner John Fleming since then.
She is currently powered by 2 x 120hp Ford diesels. In the August 1966 edition of Sea Spray magazine its recored that she was powered by 2 x 6 cyl. Fordson 86hp diesels, so somewhere along the line she has been re-powered, but not during the Fleming period (23 years). In the Sea Spray article (below) she appears to have a dodger when new, which she does not have in the later photos.
So woodys – anyone able to fill in the ownership black holes?
Details & photos ex John Fleming via Ken Rickets. Other photos ex trademe listing.
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