Earlier in the week WW was contacted by Graeme Holloway regarding the classic wooden launch – CHLOE – I’ll hand over to Graeme to tell todays story –
“I happened to stumble upon a photo Below) you had posted and recognised it as a launch my Dad owned back in the 1980’s. CHLOE was a Bill Cauldrey design, and the hull and topsides were built for Joe and Edna Gaunt and Joe finished off the interior. She was launched in 1967 and the hull was originally painted green. She had no port holes and also had a mast on the foredeck. Joe and Edna were members of the Devonport Yacht Club and for many years she was moored just out from the club in Devonport. She was 30ft long and the original motor was a 55 horse BMC Commander. She cruised at 8 knots. My parents, Ian and Marion Holloway purchased CHLOE in 1983 and kept her moored in Westhaven. My Dad put the port holes in and painted her hull white. They too were members of the Devonport Yacht Club and over the winter months she would be pulled up on the hard in front of the clubhouse for maintenance. She was sold in 1993 and was moored in Whakatakataka for a period of time and then disappeared.”
Graeme commented the photos with the green hull show her out from Motuihe Island c.1983. In the last photo of CHLOE we see her with the white hull and new port holes. Is being slipped up next to the clubhouse at the Devonport Yacht Club c.1986, and was published in the Metro Magazine relating to an article that was written about Devonport. I recognise a few of the ‘helpers’ faces 🙂
AN INSIGHT INTO NZ’S UNIQUE MARINE ENGINES – Part Six Todays WW story follows on from earlier stories – link below to Part One, Two, Three, Four and Five As per pervious stories in the series the content has been pulled together by Ken Ricketts and ‘polished’ byPatrica and Ken’s daughter Corinne Pettersen. As always we have endeavoured to be as factual as possible but there will always by matters others will either know more about or be able to correct errors – so woodys do not hold back in commenting.
BENZ DIESEL ENGINE – BENZ OM59 55HP 4CYL DIESEL ENGINE PROBABLY SIMILAR TO THAT IN THE MANUNUI
MANUNUI WITH HER 55HP 6 CYL BENZ DIESEL ENGINE DURING WWII
MANUNUI AS BUILT AT SPEED WITH HER BENZ DIESEL ENGINE
The MANUNUI was built for Percy Colebrook in 1939 by Bill Couldrey and had a medium / slow revving 6 cylinder 55 hp Benz Diesel engine fitted when built, which she retained until 1963 when it was replaced by a 100 hp Perkins Diesel.
CRUSADER V8 MARINE PETROL ENGINES
TWIN CRUSADER ORIGINAL V8 PETROL ENGINES HAVING SERVICING, FROM THE RIVA TRITONE “LOLA,” WHICH ARE STILL IN HER TODAY.
Crusader engines, while major marine engine suppliers in America and other countries, have only made a cameo appearance in New Zealand, with only a handful of these lovely engines in use here, as far as I can ascertain.
Overview: The only craft I personally know of for certain is the stunning 1962 Italian-built Riva Tritone, LOLA.
However, WINSOME II may have had one, back around the 1950s when owned by Andy Donovan. I know her previous Chrysler 8-cylinder inline engine was replaced around that time by a V8, that was either a Crusader, Chris-Craft, or Flagship. However, the memory banks have failed me, making it impossible to determine which of the three it is, so come on, you WINSOME II experts, help me out here!
In the 1960s, Crusader Marine Engines was a prominent brand worldwide, providing inboard power for many boats, particularly cruisers and sport fishermen. They were known for their premium quality and reliability, used by leading boat manufacturers like Chris-Craft.
Crusader engines were based on standard automotive engines, but were marinized for marine use, with many of them based on Ford engines, and later with Hercules and Chrysler base units.
LOLA WITH HER 2 X CRUSADER 270HP PETROL ENGINES
LOLA, the 1962 Italian-built Riva Tritone Aperto, has a LOA of 27 ft and is one of only 15 in the world.
It is believed to be the only original Riva in New Zealand and a stunning example of boat restoration, all completed in NZ. Only 3,000 Rivas were built between 1950 and 1966, and she still has her original engines. She lives, or did live, in her own, purpose built, fully air conditioned boat shed, on the banks of the Marlborough Sounds.
WINSOME II – MAY HAVE HAD A CRUSADER V8 PETROL ENGINE IN THE 1950s /60s ERA – POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES ARE FLAGSHIP & CHRIS CRAFT
CHRIS CRAFT PETROL ENGINES.
CHRIS CRAFT 1950s 6 CYL FLATHEAD PETROL 135hp ENGINE SIMILAR TO THAT IN THE GLENIFFER IN THE 1950s
These are another brand of engine that is sold in huge numbers worldwide, particularly in America, where all genuine Chris-Craft boats are built. However, they have only made a cameo appearance in New Zealand, with most of them coming here in imported Chris-Craft boats.
There are a few New Zealand-built boats that have or have had them. I have only ever seen a petrol version, although naturally, they do produce diesel engines in their lineup. All the engines they produce are based on other major engine manufacturers’ base engine blocks and are marinized by them. Hercules is a major engine block supplier to them.
GLENIFFER WITH HER CHRISCRAFT 6 CYL FLAT HEAD PETROL ENGINE RUNNING ON KEROSENE IN THE 1950s – OWNER PERCY JENNINGS IS AT THE HELM.
Input copied from previous post, ex Harold Kidd. – “Trevor Davis sold GLENIFER to P J Jennings of Paeroa in 1937 and he sold her to George Manktelow of Paeroa in about 1959. The Gleniffer was replaced by a 6-cyl Chris Craft (Hercules block) during the 50s, converted to run on power kerosene with a Model A Ford Zenith carb.”
FLAGSHIP MARINE ENGINES
FLAGSHIP 1958 250HP V8 PETROL MARINE ENGINE – BASED ON A CHEV BLOCK
There were a number of these engines that found their way to NZ in the 1950s/60s era and this is one of the possibilities for the V8 engine that was installed in the WINSOME II in that era by Andy Donovan who may also have had an agency for them, around that time.
Visitors to {the} Slipway Milford yard last month would have seen the launch – Summer Wine hauled out getting a serious refresh in & out.
Summer Wine was designed and built be Noel May, Buckland Beach, launched in 1993 so slips into the spirit of tradition category .
The weather last Friday when she slipped back into the Milford creek as not very pleasant but she still looked very smart. Launch day photos via cadet WW photographer Jason Prew 😉
In the on the hard photos we also see the 1953 A Couldrey designed, Brin Wilson built launch – Endeavour , hauled out for some cardiac surgery – the engine is being reconditioned.
As always its only a mystery because the broker deletes the name 🙂 What we know is she was built by Bill Couldrey in 1972 so slips into the ’spirit of tradition’ grouping. 34’4” in length with a beam of 11’ 4” built from double diagonal kauri (+ glassed….). Powered by a 80hp Ford diesel that pushes her along at 7 knots. Appears to be well spec’ed. As always thanks to Ian McDonald for the heads us. Can we put a name to the launch.
UPDATE 11-08-2023 ex Harold Kidd – She wasn’t BUILT by Bill Couldrey; he stopped building shortly after WW2.
Must Have Been A Special On White Paint – Rag Doll
Todays woody is taking the decorating term – ‘White-On-White’ to the max 🙂
Built from double diagonal kauri (+ glassed….) she was launched in c.1972. A Bill Couldrey design, she measures approx. 34’ in length, with a beam of 11’3” and draws 2’7”. Powered by a 80hp Ford Diesel engine that gives her a comfortable cruise speed of 7.5 knots.
Being 4sale via a broker – of course there is no name mentioned or visible – can we ID the boat.
INPUT ex Nathan Herbert – todays woody is named Rag Doll – photo below of her before she was ‘modernised’ – photo also ex NH.
Doreen > Haku > Coquette – 1912 Logan Motor Launch – SOS SAVED
When it comes to provenance it would be hard to beat this woody – designed and built by Arch Logan for his brother Robert, named after their sister Doreen. Then in 1945 she was ‘modernised’ by Bill Couldrey, one of the Arch’s few preferred boat builders. She has passed thru many hands and aside for her blue blood, her second claim to fame is that she was used to take the mould off for the popular 33’ fibre-glass launches (Logan33).
Last week I was contacted by her owners who advised that a few months ago while taking her out at very low tide they hit an unmarked reef inside the OBC Bridge on the way out. The damage sustained is that as a result of the keel and prop hitting reef the drive shaft, this was pulled out of the gearbox. I’m told no water entered the boat – BUT the insurance company has written the vessel off so now it is up for sale for $12,500 as-is-where-is. Potentially the bargain of the year.
Given the abysmal listing by the insurance companies boat broker, I’d be amazed if it sells. We plug it on WW today because the boat deserves better.
This WW link will take you to numerous WW stories that feature Coquette (Doreen > Haku)
18-07-2023 UPDATE – SAVED !!!! – I can confirm she has been purchased off the insurance company by a previous owner and will be repaired and returning to the north – GREAT NEWS
KOTARE Re-launched Todays woody is the 28’ launch – Kotare, built and launched in 1961 by Frank Wilkins to a 1960 design of A N (Bill) Couldrey. Kotare first appeared on WW back in 2014. Over time we uncovered an amazing amount of history on the vessel. The 2022 WW story when wooden boat builder Alan Craig gave us a shed tour on restoration / rebuilding of Kotare has all the references, photos and links to her past – link to the 2022 story below https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/10/10/kotare-restoration-boat-shed-tour/
Last week Alan Craig advised they had just relaunched Kotare at Lake Rotoiti. Her owner had just finished the interior refit in his shed inTe Puke since Alan and the team at Craig Marine finished painting Kotare last year. Alan commented that she looked pretty sharp. The work had been done in a pretty confined space and they hadn’t really been able to stand back and look at it till now. A new 35hp Beta diesel has been put in to replace the BMC.
As we have come to expect of anything that slides out of the Craig Marine shed Kotare is a stunner.
Earlier in the week a nugget of gold dropped into my inbox – Mark Newcomb sent in a copy of his families yacht – TAMATEA A20 log book (refer PDF file link below to read)
The log book covers the background to the building of the yacht and her first race + some wonderful insights into life in the WWII period.
Tamatea was designed by A.C. Robb and built by A. Couldrey, launched in Jan 1937.
Amazingly the yacht was built from one kauri log, grown on the owners property in Waitakere (note: log was from a ‘dead’ tree)
Click on the blue text below to open the PDF file, the original of the log book is in the hands of the Maritime Museum, so probably this file is the only record, given the Museum’s track record with ‘losing’ things 😦
Back in June 2014 WW was approached with a request for intel on the 28’ kauri planked classic launch – Kotare, that is a poplar name for boats, so I was surprised at what we uncovered.
At the time Harold Kidd was able to tell us that she was designed by Bill Couldrey in 1960 for Frank Wilkins of Church St., Northcote to build for himself. Wilkins launched her in October 1961 with a 45hp BMC diesel.
Fast forward again to the present day and as you will observe in the above photos – Kotare is being restored / refitted by sage boat builder Alan Craig and his team at Craig Marine.
Woody Bruce Ryrie has taken on a project – a c.1960’s Couldrey classic launch that he acquired from the Firth of Thames. Unfortunately no name, so the first ask is does anyone know more about the boat?
The second ask is a little bigger, as you can see in the above photos there are a few planks that need replacing and Bruce would really appreciate a hand with the work, or even some guidance.
The launch is hauled out at Clevedon.
WE ARE LOSING OUR WATERFRONT – Okahu Bay Haul Out
It has recently been brought to my attention that our friends at Auckland Council are very anti boating – read below a summary of what’s been happening –
It’s not only the government that thinks it knows best. Auckland City has determined that the Haulout at Okahu bay, known as the Orakei Landing, will be shut down and the area will become a park reserve! The local board, despite overwhelming submissions against any change, decided in its woke way that the Landing haulout facilities, which have been a part of Auckland since the year dot, should be closed to provide another park. The haulout has and is being used by many owners of traditional wooden boats where owners as well as professionals work on them near to their homes. With the closure of this there will be no inner harbour haulouts on the Southern side of the harbour. There are also a number of professionals who will be out of a job or whose businesses will be reduced because of losing this facility. Auckland once touted itself as the city of sails. It seems it no longer thinks this is part of its makeup.In credibly the committee of the RAYC sent out an email to its members encouraging them to vote to close the Landing. That was done in a way which unless you read it carefully and understood what was happening would have led to many members completing the form supplied to submit for closure! It all smells a bit.
If you are even slightly motivated to voice your concern re the closure of the Okahu Bay haul out area – I suggest to use the channel I find works best with local politicians – they hate negative publicity – contact the chairman of the Orakei Local Board – Scott Milne direct via Facebook and leave a message – link here https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007006489029
AND TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO VOICE YOUR CONCERNS SEE BELOW
Local Board members that voted in favour of closing the hardstand*:
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