Tag Archives: Almeda

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH ALMEDA GETS A REFRESH

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH ALMEDA GETS A REFRESH

 On Friday I point the car north for a quick trip to Sandspit Marina for the relaunch of the 36′ classic wooden launch ALMEDIA.
Some background – built by Alan (Snow) Waters in approx. 1972, designer unconfirmed but most likely by Walters himself with design leanings to John (Jack) Brooke.

Single skin strip plank hull and decks appear to be 2 layers of tongue & groove. She is powered by a 6 cylinder Ford. Home has been the Matakana River for 25+ years. Owner Kim needs a medal for his work ethic, the dock chat was that it was the speediest haul out and work schedule seen at the yard. Started on Dec 22nd 2025 = 4 weeks turnaround.  Possibly helped by the self imposed rule ‘ No Beers Till Launch Day’ 🙂                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Pre launching I caught up with Gregs Lees and his team at Lees Boatbuilders, Greg reports a healthy calendar of work to start the year, so thats good news for the wooden boating movement.

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Mystery Kawau Island Classic Woody – ALMEDA

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Mystery Kawau Island Classic Woody – ALMEDA

Todays woody looks familiar but the penny hasn’t dropped with me in terms of a name. She was anchored / moored in a small bay on the right, 1/2 way along, coming into Bon Accord Harbour, Kawau Island over Labour weekend.I didn’t write down the location but if my life depended on it I would say its – Shark Bay.

The ‘game’ poles are very distinctive so hopefully someone can tell us more about the boat

UPDATE The answer thanks to Alan Sexton and Martin Howson is ALMEDA https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/12/14/almeda-mapuna-sisters/

REMEMBER WOODYS PICNIC AT MOTUIHE ISLAND ON SUNDAY

Almeda – Mapuna – Sisters?

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ALMEDA –  MAPUNA – Sisters?
Recently Alan Sexton and Mark McLaughlin were plating hooky from work to check in of the launch Trinidad that is receiving some serious TLC at Greg Lees shed at Sandspit. 

Back in February 2017, Alan sent in some photos and details on a local (Matakana) classic launch named Almeda, at the time he commented that the designer was unknown but it appeared to have John Brooke’s name all over it – link to that story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/02/02/almeda/

While at the Lees yard they spotted Almeda hauled out at Sandspit Yacht Club and are both sure she is a slightly updated version of Mark’s launch – Mapuna. Alan commented that Almeda’s keel is obviously rather more substantial and that Greg Lees told him they fitted the deeper keel to Almeda quite a few years ago for the previous owner. The pieces attached to the keel are the lead ballast relocated from the bilges. She has a reduced transom tumble home but the bow and hull lines look identical to Mapuna (first photo below ex Mark).

Mark is keen to hear peoples thoughts re comparing Almeda and Mapuna with Tarata, also by J Brooke. Tarata is rather deeper in the forard sections, no doubt to provide the buoyancy required to offset the forward mounted engine in the smaller hull. (Refer second photo below, also ex MarK). https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/11/21/tarata/


So woodys – thoughts, comments, opinions ?

Harold Kidd Input – There was a strong connection between Snow Waters and Jack Brooke, witness SCOTT COLVILLE. Robert Brooke worked for Snow about this time and will know exactly what the story is about these designs.

Yesterdays winner of the Off Center Harbor cap was – John Hunter, with the answer Lady Ellen

Mapuna
Tarata

Almeda

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ALMEDA

The above photos of Almeda were sent to me by Alan Sexton.
Almeda was built by Alan Waters in approx 1972, designer unconfirmed, however Alan S commented that to his eye she looks to be a development of Tarata so there could be a Brooke connection. She is 38′, single skin strip plank hull & decks appear to be 2 layers of tongue & groove.

She is powered by a 6 cylinder Ford, the current owner describing it as a generator spec version, as against the typical marinised truck version, & has a steadying sail on a furler.
She has been moored on the Matakana River for over 20yrs, owned until recently by David Green & had been under the long term care (general maintenance) of Lees Boatbuilders at Sandspit.

Can the woodys tell us more about her?