Last week myself and Jamie Hudson (Lady Crossley) pointed the car south for a pre-arranged visit to the yard where Paul Tingey is performing his magic on the 1948 Colin Wild built woody – Haunui.It was just over 5 months since I was last there and the project is moving along a great clip – check out the WW link below to view the first visit and to read the scope of the job.
THE LAUNCH MIDNIGHT II AND THE CHAMBERLIIN FAMILY OF PONUI ISLAND I received an email last week from Ross Dawson, a passionate woody fan, Ross resides in Kawakawa Bay and let me know that he had just visited Peter Chamberlin in a retirement home and he kindly gave permission for Ross to take a few copies of photos in his family photo album. Peter’s son David now manages the family farm at Motunau (the South end of Ponui Island). The launch – Midnight lI according to notes in Peter Chamberlin’s photo album, was a petrol powered launch built for Peter’s father Fred (son of Charles jnr) by Lanes in 1928 and was sold to Ian Chamberlin in 1950, when Fred took delivery of the Colin Wild built diesel launch – Motunau. WW would love to learn more about Midnight II and what became of her.This weekend I will share the story of – Midnight, the Chamberlin’s yacht. Before we finish today – Ross has a hobby horse he would like to exercise 🙂 I’ll let Ross tell the story “I want to comment on, what seems to be a common theme whereby Aucklanders from the earliest colonial times right up to the present day, seem to think that privately-owned Gulf islands are a legitimate place to wander at will, help one’s self to whatever is lying around, and to depart leaving behind much more than one’s footprints! The old newspaper articles surprised me that petty theft, and not so petty theft was perhaps as common in 1800’s as it is today.
The first items I noticed, up to about 1900, were advertisements promising rewards for “information leading to the prosecution of persons who had stolen large quantities of standing and cut wood”…probably tea tree I am guessing. ( Auckland used huge quantities of firewood for domestic heating & cooking in colonial times)
From about 1900 for perhaps 30 years, the adverts changed to dire threats of prosecution for dastardly scow operators helping themselves to beach shingle. (Ted Ashby’s book “Phantom Fleet” gives a good explanation of illegal shingle extraction)
Other newspaper public notices refer to other problems of shooting of pigs and farm stock. It seems the Chamberlin families might have been justified in having jaundiced views about their mainland neighbours, and it is surprising that they have managed to maintain a reputation of being gracious hosts to visitors and willing helpers to boatees in need of rescue.
Even today, they deserve better from the wider Auckland public. As a long time yachtsman myself, often anchoring in Ponui’s many bays, I am sometimes horrified by the casual way boating people feel it okay to roam over the island, sometimes even with their dogs. Some even think it okay to browse around the farm buildings…do they actually think Ponui is public estate?
And while I am on a rant, where do all the plastic bait bags littering the beaches come from…not accidental discharges from Auckland storm water drains! A great stain on the reputation of the majority of well behaved boating community. My heart goes out to the Island owners who also pay eye-watering land rates to a City Council that does very little by way of public services which we take for granted on the mainland.”
Update ex Ross Dawson – he meant to add – “No criticism intended”
Royal Saxon 1989 > 1994 The top photo made a brief appearance on Lew Redwood’s fb and Nathan Herbert correctly ID’ed the launch as the 33’ Colin Wild, 1930 built – Royal Saxon, anchored in Islington Bay, Rangitoto Island. At the time I would suspect she was owned by Rick McCay (MV Luana), so sometime between late 1980 and 1994, when he sold her. These days Royal Saxon resides at the top of the South Island, at Motueka. The WW link below and comments section will tell you all about the boat and how she ended up down south.
The 2nd photo I took 2 years ago of her anchored at Kaiteriteri, when we were on-route to the Abel Tasman National Park. Fantastic to see her unchanged after 30 odd years, another example of how beautiful Colin Wild’s designs were and how most remain so today 🙂
15-03-2021 Input From Mark Newcomb – I am pretty sure I recall being a young boy on a trip from Tauranga to Mayor Island on the launch Royal Saxon. It must have been the mid 1950’s, and I had thought the launch belonged to Arthur Honeyfield, a well known farmer and businessman who had a lovely farm at Kauri Point(?) near Katikati. Honeyfield was a member of the Tauranga Harbor Board and had somehow managed to get a substantial wharf built near the farm for easy access to the inner Tauranga Harbor. We embarked on our journey from this wharf. I recall a lodge on the island at SE Bay, not sure if we stayed there or on board. I still have some obsidian that I found on the island. It is entirely possible that Royal Saxon was owned by a friend of Arthur’s, or was on charter. Sadly, the son John Honeyfield, died last week, so that avenue of follow up has gone.
CYA BUMPER BOATS – I hear that during race one of the Classic Regatta the other week, the A Division boys were playing silly buggers again. At the start 3 of of the ‘stars’ of the A Class fleet all got hooked up on the start line and ended up all doing an unplanned buffalo girl 🙂
I first bumped into the 1924 Colin Wild launch – Viveen, back in 2014 at one of the first Classic Launch & Yacht Exhibitions at Auckland’s viaduct harbour. Back then she had recently moved to a new home, in Thames, where she still resides to this day. Prior to this she was berthed at Milford Marina from a number of years.
Back in 2018 her owners gave her a birthday and under took an extensive refit. Angus Rogers snapped the above photos of her over the holiday period moored at Waiheke Island, looking very smart with her new paint job. Being a Colin Wild launch, her past has been well documented on WW – a couple of stories are linked below
Colin Wild Launches Angus Rogers sent in the photos above of two of the smartest looking Colin Wild launches afloat, at anchor in Chamberlin Bay, Ponui Island in early January.
The top photo is of the 1927 built Tasman, for many years owned by Doc O’Callahan. In December 2020 she changed hands and is now in the care of Theresa & Stephen Cashmore, who have been on the hunt for a woody for a while – excellent pick 🙂
The bottom photo is Peter Loughlin’s 1928 built Lady Margaret – Peter never stops working on LM and every time I see her she is looking better and better – given the rain in parts of the gulf over the break, that canopy at the stern looks very practically.
Photo below of LM sent in by Peter Laughlin this morning – he is still cruising – well done 😉
And trolling thru me holiday emails – I found two more of LM from Angus Rogers 🙂
Video below of Tawera at the Mahurangi Regatta – thanks Roger Mills for sharing
TAWERA 1935 LOGAN – A18
Tawera was launched on 30th December, 1935, designed by Arch Logan and built by Colin Wild – you do not get a better pedigree than that :-).
She was Arch Logan’s last big cutter, measuring almost 50 feet on deck and the culmination of a number of racing keelers built at that time. As the largest of the more modern keelers from Arch Logans drawing board she represented the very best in design development and to this day still epitomises all of the racing winning and wholesome sea keeping abilities of Arch Logans designs.
Tawera is a lucky classic in that she has had wonderful, passionate owners all her life and today is in immaculate condition. In 2003 she was extensively restored and is now considered one of the finest examples of the a keeler of the pre-WWII era. Her owner is one of the Classic Yacht Association’s most loyal members & has loved her as a Logan should be & spared nothing on her maintenance & restoration. Click on photos to enlarge.
Tawera’s owner has an armada of vessels – both sailing and power, some classic and some spirit of tradition – the hard decision has been made to pass Tawera onto a new owner, not any owner, you’ll have to share the passion for classic woodys to even get a peak aboard. Interested buyers should initially contact the Wooden Boat Bureau at waitematawoodys@gmail.com
A WOODY QUIZ – WIN A COPY OF: DES TOWNSON – A SAILING LEGACY All correct answers to the following question, go into the draw to win the book.
Q: Name (Christian & Surname) the first owner of Tawera.
Wooden Boat Yard Mooching Hobsonville woody John Wicks sent me a bunch of photos yesterday from this home marina at Hobsonville. It reminded me that I had snapped a few myself on a recent visit, nice to see that the woodys had moved along and should be re-floating soon.First up the Athol Burns designed, Barney Daniels built – Taotane, which John commented – was being brought back from the almost dead. Then we see the very regal Lady Crossley, the 1947 Colin Wild motor-lunch, out of the shed after a lick of paint and varnish.Lastly above the 48’, 1948 Lidgard built Ranui , in for a paint job, and wearing my Wooden Boat Bureau cap – I have to remind you that she is for sale and ready for summer cruising. More details here
Things are getting a tad posh at The Slipway Milford, when I hauled out the other day, instead of a ladder, a set of stairs was waiting for me – much appreciated 🙂
HAUNUI – RESTORATION In between the CV-19 lock-downs one of Auckland’s most beautiful classic wooden motor launches changed ownership – the Colin Wild designed and built 1948 launch – Haunui was sold by Owen Cashmore. In a previous life Haunui was owned by Harry Julian. Haunui was almost immediately hauled out at a private yard and master wooden boat builder Paul Tingey was engaged to return Haunui to her glory days. I showed her new owners over her ‘cousin’- Trinidad and they accepted the challenge to equal her presentation.
As can happen when dealing with 72 year old wooden artifacts, on close (pulling boards off) inspection the old girl had a few issues, so the decision was made to undertake a total refit, including engine. Haunui is single screw, but has a smaller auxiliary engine > shaft > prop on the starboard side. I believe an electric unit will replace the small diesel. The Gardner sadly is coming out, fyi – prior to going into Haunui, rumour is it came out of a Sydney Harbour > Manly ferry, so was very run in ;-). Her owner has told me they will restore the engine over time but the process involves utilizing a foundry that will have to custom cast the parts that are needed. In the meantime Haunui will receive a new heart transplant.
As you can see from my photos above, the refit is on a rather grand scale, but Mr Tingey is the man for the job. We will follow this project and keep you updated. As always, click on photos to enlarge 😉
The photos below are dated 2014, ex Rod Marler, and show Haunui hauled out at Orams yard in Westhaven.
PALOMA The above photo of the launch Paloma comes to us via Lew Redwoods’s fb. The corresponding story supporting the old press clipping from the March 26, 1929 edition of the New Zealand Herald newspaper, states that Paloma was owned by a Mr W. Sinclair and was destroyed by fire, followed by an explosion, during the previous weekend. The incident occurred off Kauri Point and the cause was unknown. Do we know the name of the designer / builder and year launched ?
Harold Kidd Input – Built by Colin Wild to a design by W.H. Hand in August 1926. Power by a 4cyl Daimler truck engine. Lots of torque but low revs!
WW SITE USAGE
If any of the readers are wondering why we post stories like the above, I’ll explain – when I started the waitematawoodys site its primary purpose was a channel to chat to like minded true-blue wooden boat admirers, on a regular basis about wooden boating stuff. But over time as the site became more popular, the daily visitation numbers and the focus of the visits / readership changed. Now on an average day, 62% of people are reading the story of the day and 38% are using the search box (or google) to find / research intel on a particular vessel or designer or a combination eg Colin Wild launches from the 1930’s, some obviously do both – we like that 🙂 .
So woodys, stories like today’s are all about building the back library up, and then at some stage in the future, someone will search using maybe W. Sinclair’s name and up will pop Paloma and if we are lucky that person might be related to Sinclair and have some old photos, and those photos might prompt someone else to comment – its called user-generated content (UGC) and it really turbo’s the google search ratings. And a funny – ex UK cartoonist Mike Mockford
The Best of Colin Wild + Herreshoff Steam Launch The top two photos of the Brooke families 1927 Colin Wild launch – Linda comes to us via Mitchell Hutchings fb ex the Williamson Family Collection. Linda at the time was moored at Herald Island.
The bottom photo I took today of Wirihana tucked up in Chris McMullen’s shed for her winter TLC. Wirihana is another of Wild’s big motorboats, built in 1933.
It was great to see that CMcM’s Herreshoff steam launch (below) is coming along – engine installed 🙂
