Tag Archives: Collings & Bell

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – RIO RITA

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – RIO RITA

Back in December 2014 WW was helping find a new home for the 1929 Collings & Bell built classic wooden launch RIO RITA, At the time she was named RESOLUTION (a 1971 name change) – this link gives us a gander down below https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/12/01/resolution/

If you use the WW search box there is a lot of intel on the vessels provenance.

Last week she popped up on the social media scene and its pleasing to note that she has reverted to her original name and as we can see from the photos above – owner Peter Meister is looking after this almost 100 year old classic wooden launch.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – MAKURA – A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – MAKURA – A Peek Down Below

The classic wooden bridge-decker MAKURA was designed and built in 1949 by Collings & Bell, and is approx. 40’ in length.

Forwar motion is from a 115hp 6 cyl. Ford diesel engine.

Back in January 2025 we shared some photos of MAKURA from her past – lots of intel in that story on her ownership and re-powers over the years. 

Link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/01/18/classic-wooden-launch-makura/

The b/w photo above is from Sea Spray magazine July 1951 edition and shows her as built. 

THE WOODY WEEKEND THAT GOT AWAY

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THE WOODY WEEKEND THAT GOT AWAY (sorry this is Mondays story, bloody set the wrong date 🙃

Ever have one of those weekends when you thought long and hard about slipping the lines and decided against it and then missed one of the best boating weekends of the season. And it was a long holiday weekend……….. Well that was me.

First up Angus Rogers sent in two great photos of MAITA I –  the 30’, 1928 Collings & Bell built launch anchored in Sandy Bay, Waiheke.

Then a Waiheke resident sent in the three photos of Oneroa, the most crowed I have seen it in a long time.

Then Rob Griffin was mooching around the Waiheke Marina and spotted a new arrival – KERERU  – the 35’, 1911 Chas Bailey Jnr built double ender launch.             We learnt last Wednesday that she had recently relocated to Auckland from Picton. Looks like Waiheke Island will be her new home. Link below to Wednesday story  https://waitematawoodys.com/2026/04/22/classic-wooden-launch-kereru-arrives-in-auckland/

(photo ex Toby Hyman)

CLASSIC GAME LAUNCH ALMA G AT URUPUKAPUKA ISLAND

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CLASSIC GAME LAUNCH ALMA G AT URUPUKAPUKA ISLAND

The 1922 Collings & Bell built classic wooden game boat – ALAM G has made numerous appearances on WW , today thanks to a Ross Griffin post on the B.O.I. Historic Photos fb we get to share some stunning camera work from the photographer Tudor Collins. The images are ’stored’ at the Kawakawa Museum.

Most of the photos are in and around Urupukapuka Island and the islands game fishing lodge.

Can anyone ID the people in the close up photos.

CLASSIC 1950’S WOODEN LAUNCH – TAMAROA 

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CLASSIC 1950’S WOODEN LAUNCH – TAMAROA 

We last saw TAMAROA on WW back in 2022 , link below  https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/04/12/tamaroa-in-the-bay-of-islands/

Early in the year she made an appearance on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) and this enabled us to get afresh look at some of the enhancements.

Briefly overview of what we know – 46’, Collings & Bell launched in 1954, powered by twin 120hp Nissan diesel engines. She had a new kauri hull fitted about 15 years ago up to the water line.

Interested to learn if she sold and if so where she resides now.

SUMMER WAS A TAD AVERAGE BUT AUTUMN GETS A BIG ✔️

Had a lazy weekend at Rakino Island, condition perfect – as expect Woody Bay was packed and zero woodys, but West Bay was the better anchorage.

If you like gin – try PAPA SALT – Coastal Gin, seriously good and the sea glass bottle ilooks the part on a classic wooden boat 😉 

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – MATIRA – A Peek Down Below

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – MATIRA – A Peek Down Below

The 45’ 1956 Collings & Bell built launch MATIRA has made several appearances on WW but we have never had a good gander down below.

Some info: Designed by Alex J Collings, she has a 11’ beam and draws 3’6”. Built from kauri, single skin, carvel planked. In recent years MATIRA was re-powered with twin Yanmar 110hp engines.    

MATIRA is one of those classic woodys that looks perfect from all angles and looks fast even when at anchor.

21-04-2026 UPDATE – video of MATIRA shadowing the PCC Vintage & Veterans Regatta fleet ex Roger Mills.

CLASSIC COLLINGS & BELL WOODEN LAUNCH – MAITAI HAULED OUT ON WAIHEKE ISLAND

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CLASSIC COLLINGS & BELL WOODEN LAUNCH – MAITAI HAULED OUT ON WAIHEKE ISLAND

Earlier this week I was chatting online with the owner of MAITAI— the 30’ classic wooden launch built by Collings & Bell back in 1928.

MAITAI has featured on WW several times over the years — master link to past stories here: https://waitematawoodys.com/?s=Maitai&submit=Search

She’s recently been hauled out on Waiheke Island, her new home, for some tidy-up work after a few stern fasteners decided to call it quits. The owner was full of praise for a talented young boatbuilder based on Waiheke who took on the transom rebuild — great to hear skilled hands are still out there keeping these classics alive.

With the heavy lifting underway, the owners rolled up their sleeves and treated her underside to a well-deserved birthday.

As the black-and-white photo below (ex Nathan Herbert) shows, MAITAI has made it close to 100 years without suffering at the hands of the dreaded wood-butchers. Long may that continue.

PAIKEA – ONE OF OUR FASTEST CLASSIC WOODEN MOTORBOATS 

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PAIKEA – ONE OF OUR FASTEST CLASSIC WOODEN MOTORBOATS 

Last week during a visit to Gulf Harbour I spotted PAIKEA tucked away on one of the inner berths, looking very smart. This master link will take you to several stories that document her past + lots of photos https://waitematawoodys.com/?s=Paikea&submit=Search

In one of the stories we learnt from Harold Kidd that PAIKEA was built by Collings & Bell for A.H. Court and launched on 26th January 1921. She was fitted with a 120-150hp Model M Van Blerck 6 cylinder petrol engine (not a straight-eight Packard as is often said). PAIKEA had Chas. Collings’ “concave-convex” type of hard chine design which he made famous with his various FLEETWINGS and whale-chasers. Indeed she was a refinement of the FLEETWING whose image appears in the Collings & Bell section of WW.

PAIKEA was good for 20 knots and can still do it with her present big Iveco/Fiat, Harold commented that she goes like hell and stable with it.

I n recent years PAIKEA has been one of launches that line up for the Auckland anniversary day motorboat inner harbour drag race, in fact earlier this year (2025) she was 1st across the line on corrected (handicap) time. Will be interesting to see if she turns up in 2026 to defend her title.

Photo below from the 2025 race where we see PAIKEA unsuccessfully trying to catch the winner – MY GIRIL.

CLASSIC 1928 KAURI LAUNCH – MANAAKI

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CLASSIC 1928 KAURI LAUNCH – MANAAKI

Todays woody is the 36’ launch –  MANAAKI built in 1928 by Collings & Bell. The photo comes to us from Karl Webber via Lew Redwood fb. In the fb story is comments that at the time of the photo (1930) the boat was owned by the Webber family and was built of kauri and used primarily to cross from Kapiti Island to Paraparaumu.

MANAAKI first appeared on WW back in August 2015 – link below, lots of old and newish photos here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/08/10/manaaki/

Then in May 2021 she was for sale and we got to have a gander down below – link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/05/09/manaaki-a-peek-down-below/

Looking for confirmation that todays MANAAKI is the same launch that was build for the Zane Grey fleet – ALMA G, OTEHEI and AVALON were the names of some of her sisters.

INPUT ex KARL WEBBER via Dean Wright

CLASSIC WOODEN TOURIST LAUNCH – MISS PICTON (Mitre Peak / Anita Bay) 

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CLASSIC WOODEN TOURIST LAUNCH – MISS PICTON (Mitre Peak / Anita Bay) 

MISS PICTON the ex tourist launch was built by Collings & Bell and launched in December 1933. Her first owner was Captain M Steele of Picton, who motored MISS PICTON down the East Coast to Picton.
In 1953 her name was changed to MITRE PEAK and she ‘worked in the excursions & tourist services market.

MISS PICTON first appeared on WW in December 2013 and again in October 2015 – links below to those stories.
Dec 2013https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/12/14/miss-picton/
Oct 2015https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/10/28/mystery-launch-28-10-2015/

Todays photo was sent in by Roger Young who commented that the man standing on the foredeck is Aubrey Forster, NZ Airforce. Aubery was Roger’s partner Suzanne’s father.. The photo is thought to be dated early 1950’sInteresting mix of people aboard, appear to be all well attired, but that was the normal back then.
Any woody able to shed more light on the photo.

Photo below ex Richard Hockey – now named Anita Bay. Location is Riverton. The ’new’ superstructure was added c.1970’s.
(Early intel ex Harold Kidd)

31-10-2025 INPUT ex RICHARD HOCKEY (Brisbane, Aust) – photos below of ANITA BAY in Riverton + also one from 1976 when she was still Mitre Peak but had new superstructure.