Tag Archives: Amakura II

Amakura II Re-launched

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AMAKURA II RELAUNCHED

Seems its the time of the year for relaunches, recently we had Haunui back in after a 2+ year rebuild and yesterday it was the turn of Amakura II.

The 52’ Colin Wild designed and built woody was launched in 1936 and excluding a few minor additions has remained very original. I have been aboard several times and was always impressed with her presentation.

Nearly (maybe longer) 3 years ago her owners made the call to haul her out and engaged maestro boat builder / restorer Peter Brookes and his team to intake a complete refit. 

Regular followers of the WW site will know that work at the Brookes yard is a bit like the breeding of elephants, whose gestation period is > 2 years but the workmanship is second to none. Supported by the fact that numerous classic owners have returned to the yard with other craft.

Fast forward to yesterday and Amakura II was gently set afloat again at the Hobsonville Marina in West Auckland.

As we have come to expect from anything that comes out of the Peters Waimauku yard she is a work of art – well done to Yvonne and Chris for this amazing restoration. 

Below are links to previous WW stories on Amakura II – the first one, shows the extent of the refit.

Nov 2020. https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/11/02/wooden-boat-yard-visit-50-photos/

May 2018 https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/05/05/amakura-ii-in-the-old-days/

April 2017 https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/04/01/amakura-ii-a-great-story/

Wooden Boat Yard Visit – 50 Photos

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New Zealand Wooden Boat Yard Visit – 50 Photos

Yesterday afternoon, Auckland based woodys got to rub shoulders with an impressive collection of classic wooden boats at one of New Zealand’s leading wooden boat yards – the Peter Brookes ‘Brookes Boatbuilders’ complex in rural Waimauku, West Auckland. I have been privileged to visit numerous times but every visit is a treat, where else would you see over eight classic yachts and launches in varying stages of restorations.


I’ll let the photos tell the story, if I have a photo mixed up, let me know 🙂 – enjoy – remember as always if you click on the photos they will enlarge 😉


Amakura II – 1936 Colin Wild, 52’ Bridgedecker


Impala – 1960 Fife, Teak planking 


Matia A23 – 1939 Lidgard, 50’, triple skinned kauri


Kenya II – 1940 Lidgard, 50’, triple skinned kauri. Gardner 6LXB


Pilot Cutter – 50’ 


Kotiri – 1897 Logan


Ladye Wilma B26 – 1895 Logan Bros, 43’, triple skinned kauri


Katrina II K100 – 1944 Bob Stewart, K-Class

Maroro + Special Boat Shed Invite

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MARORO + SPECIAL INVITE TO VISIT BOAT BUILDER – PETER BROOKES SHED
Thames woody – Brian Thomas, sent me the above photo of his launch Maroro, that he and his son have spent the last 8 years rebuilding at Kopu. Since her recent relaunch she now resides at Thames Marina. The above photo was taken of her from the Thames Wharf Cafe. In his note Brian mentioned a blog that featured the rebuild but I have been unable to trace it or get more intel from Brian, so today’s story is a bit of a ’name & shame’ i.e. hopefully Brian will see this and be in touch 🙂

From the photo it appears to have been a very smart restoration.


SPECIAL INVITATION –  A Peek Inside One of Your Best Wooden Boatbuilders Shed

You are invited to an open afternoon at Brookes Boatbuilders, to view the restoration of:

  1. Fife Yacht, Impala
  2. Refit of K class yacht, Katrina II
  3. Restoration of Launch, Amakura II
  4. The many other wooden boats at the yard – Matia, Ladye Wilma, Kotiri, Pilot Cutter, Kenya II (Peter’s own classic launch)

DATE: Sunday 1st November

TIME: 2pm-7pm

ADDRESS: 108 Woodhill Park Road, Waimauku, Auckland
These invites only happen every 3>4 years so woodys do not miss out, it will be an amazing afternoon.

Amakura II

Amakura II In the Old Days

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AMAKURA II

The above b/w photos of the 1936 Colin Wild designed / built bridge-decker Amakura II came to us via Bruno Redwood’s facebook page.

Below is a recent –ish photo, while she has had an addition, she is still one of the most stunning woodys on the harbour.

You can read / see of her at the ww links below

https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/04/01/amakura-ii-a-great-story/

https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/03/amakura-ii-2/

Any ideas as to the location of the b/w photos? I suspect its off Colin’s Stanley Point Yard, The corrugated shed in the top photo is still there today, surrounded by Navy sports fields 😦

Amakura II – A Great Story

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AMAKURA WWII

AMAKURA II – A Great Story

I was recently contacted by Michael Shields who relied the story below about the 1936, Colin Wild launch – Amakura II to me – its a get read – enjoy 🙂

“I spent several years on Amakura II, my step father Jim Somner, of Waipu and Somners Transport owned Amakura II for many years in Whangarei and did extensive work on her over that time, , Originally she had an open rear cabin and a single W12 engine, that is a V8 with an extra bank of 4 cylinders in the middle of the V, these same engines were used in landing craft in the second world war, this was removed and changed to twin engines very early on but if you dive down and have a look you can see where the single large prop was and where the very large prop shaft came out of the keel.
When lengthened the rear area was closed in forming a rear cabin.

She sunk during WW2 when after a few too many medicinal rums were consumed and the bow got caught under the wharf as the tide came up, water came up though the head in the bow and she sunk. Being a popular boat and crew everyone pitched in and a huge crane, called “Tiny”, was brought in and Amakura II was lifted up and cleaned up in time, before the Navy, who had heard that one of their boats had sunk came to investigate. The Navy found no evidence of any damage or sinking and everything was in order, although it was noted the rum rations were missing, having been used to pay for the help to clean her up.

She had a large machine gun mounted on her bow during the war and a photo of her in her drab paint hung in the main cabin.

During Jim Somners ownership he modernized and much altered her. He replaced the engines with twin Ford diesels which he then removed the turbos from for improved economy and also installed the custom made large fridge and freezer unit, removed the head from the bow, rejigged the shower and made the the large flying bridge which has now had the roof shortened as it used to extend almost to the rear end of the back cabin. Being a trucker, Jim was very good at getting things ship shape and working well.

I spent many years on her as crew for Jim and have many story’s of that time like when she ran around, caused the delay of the firing of guns at Waitangi Day and parties a board.”

You can read more about her history & past owners here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/03/amakura-ii-2/

Michael – please send in more tales & any photos you might have. Thanks Alan.
(colour photos ex Heather Rose – b/w photo ex Ken Rickets)

Amakura II

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AMAKURA II
I was heading back up the harbour late afternoon yesterday & Amakura II was sliding down the harbour looking as always stunning. Then I had a flash & thought hell I had not post the two spectacular photos of her taken by Heather Rose, on the CYA Riverhead Hotel cruise.
Update complied with input from Harold Kidd, Russell  Ward & Ken Ricketts
She was 45ft oa when built by Colin Wild for Chas Court in 1936 and had a single 350hp Lycoming petrol engine. Court had Wild lengthen her by 7ft in 1938 when she was fitted with twin Buda diesels of 220hp. C L Urquhart bought her in January 1940 and owned her throughout her NAPS service until bought by W C Wedderspoon in 1947 -49. According to the Squadron’s records and the Register of British Ships she kept her Budas during service with NAPS, Wedderspoon moored her at Hobson Bay, at the Parnell baths end, not far off the rock wall of Tamaki Drive. The next owner was P Mitchell of Wellington 1949-50 and then in 1950-55 by L R H Webber, owner of the Plummer Hat Company, a successful millinery organisation of the day, who had previously owned ‘MARO’, until N T & C C E Mills of Te Puke bought her in 1957 when she was fitted with twin 85hp Graymarines. They were replaced by 86hp Fords in 1961. In later years she went north to Whangarei, where she spent much of her life in a “drive in” shed, on the banks of the Whangarei River.
Now back in Auckland, she received a ‘facelift’ at the Peter Brooke yard & would now be one one of the most used classics on the Waitemata.
The b/w photo above was taken by Ken Ricketts in Mansion House Bay Kawau Island, Christmas 1948.