Tag Archives: Collings & Bell

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ARAB

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ARAB

I stumbled across todays woody photo during a search of the the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection – the photos is ‘credited’ to the McLeod Collection, date and photographer unknown. The location is probably – Kopu Wharf, Thames.

What we do know from previous WW stories on ARAB (links below), that she is 32’ in length and built / launched in 1913 bu boatbuilders Collings & Bell.

Lots more re past owners and photos in the links .

WW Aug 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/08/23/3911/

WW March 2021 https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/03/30/arab/

VERY COOL MARITIME AUCTION – check out at link below https://auctions.mccormackandmckellar.co.nz/208/catalogue?page=1#0051

CLASSIC 1948 WOODEN LAUNCH – MAKURA

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Ex Sea Spray Magazine

CLASSIC 1948 WOODEN LAUNCH – MAKURA

In late November 2024 WW attended the relaunch of the very salty 24’, 100 year old ex workboat named  – MARISSA at the Te Atatu Boating club. While there her owners, the Monaghan family, very generously shared an old photo album. One the woody craft included in the album was the Collings & Bell built bridge-decker – MAKURA. Seen in the first two photos above.

MAKURA last made a cameo appearance on WW back in 2013 when Harold Kidd and Russell Ward contributed to a WW story titled ’The Collings & Bell Bridge-deckers’ – link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/07/09/the-collings-and-bell-bridgedeckers/

In the story we learnt that MAKURA was built in 1949 for W D C  & C H Leighton and fitted with a 6 cylinder Chrysler Crown. They sold her to Phil Seabrook of Seabrook & Fowlds in 1957. He fitted the Nordberg a year or so later. Phil Seabrook had Billy Rogers design and build LADY DIANA for him in 1950 and fitted her with the Austin Skipper from new, replacing it with a 155hp Nordberg sleeve-valve engine in 1956 shortly before he sold LADY DIANA to Monte Winter and bought MAKURA. 

Later owners were V F Adams (1966) and W G Boughtwood (1973). Back in 2013 she was in Picton.The photo of MAKURA above was taken by Russell in 1961. Russell commented at the time that she was a fine looking ship. Also shown is a photo of MAKURA as built from the July 1951 edition of Sea Spray magazine.

CLASSIC GAME LAUNCH – ALMA G

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CLASSIC GAME LAUNCH – ALMA G

Todays woody story features the Bay of Islands big game launch – ALMA G. In the above photo we see her at Russell departing on what appears to be a day trip. Interesting observation – the majority of the passengers appear to be female .

The photo comes to us from the ’New Zealand Vintage Postcards’ via a Garry Law fb post.

ALMA G has made numerous appearances on WWRefer link below. She was designed / built by Collings & Bell and launched in late 1922. https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/11/19/what-price-provenance-100-year-old-game-fishing-wooden-launch/ https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/11/05/alma-g-alma-g-ii/

IF YOU HAVE SPOTTED ANY WOODYS OUT AND ABOUT OVER THE XMAS/NY PERIOD – EMAIL ANY PHOTOS TO waitematawoodys@gmail.com

CLASSIC GAME BOAT – ALMA G II – RE-LAUNCHING CEREMONY 

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CLASSIC GAME BOAT – ALMA G II – RE-LAUNCHING CEREMONY 

Yesterday we covered the relaunching of the 1927, Collings & Bell built game boat – ALMA G II.

Co owners (brother & sister) Shelly and Brett Arlidge, grand children of the original owner – E C Arlidge, hosted a very proper ceremony, with a welcome, a history of the boat, a Waiata and formal blessing. With the restarts of a working boat yard in the background and large crowd I have attempted to record the ‘formal’ parts of the ceremony – TURN YOUR VOLUME UP.

One of the missions of waitematawoodys is to archive this content for future review and reference. I encourage you to spend a few minutes and take in the wisdom being shared. 

THE WELCOME

HISTORY OF ALMA G II

WAIATA

BLESSING

CAN ME PUT A NAME TO THIS CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – WENNA

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CAN ME PUT A NAME TO THIS CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – WENNA

Trolling thru the WW archives recently I came across a folder from back in 2017, from memory one of the WW readers found an old photo album (below) that had been discarded and sent in a collection of random scans taken from the album. Sorry but I have not recorded the senders name.

A lot of the photos were damaged but several were in good shape. 
Todays woody story features a launch hauled out near Sam Ford’s yard. 

Can we ID the boat

INPUT ex NATHAN HERBERT – boats is WENNA – see WW link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/09/17/8768/

INPUT ex HAROLD KIDD – She was built as WENNA for Eric O’Neill of Ponsonby in 1925, probably by Collings & Bell in whose yard she is shown hauled out. In 2014 she was RANGATIRA, owned by George Emtage and Pam Cundy at Whangateau. They reverted to the name WENNA.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ALMA G II Restoration Updates #3 & #4

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – ALMA G II Restoration Updates #3 & #4

We have been following the refit / rebuild of the1927 Collings & Bell classic wooden launch – ALMA G II for a while now, the last WW story was back in December 2023 Dec 2023 and I have a confession to make – Update #3 slipped between the WW cracks so today you get a two-4- one 🙂

UPDATE #3 from Sian Steward at CMC Design below – 

“So much has been going on in the last few months, the team have been working very hard and things are looking great.

After the long long months of initial work of bringing all the bones of the Alma G II back together and many coats of white paint in the hull interior we moved onto the next phase.

The hull has been double skinned with kauri planks, filled, fared and prepped for fiberglass. It was a shame to say goodbye to seeing all the beautiful original timber underneath, but a boat that floats is the ultimate goal.

It’s good to have all hands available for this aspect of the build, working together makes the tough job of glassing much more streamlined and quicker. No one wants to draw out glassing for too long and we are grateful it isn’t a regular part of our day-to-day job..

More full suited days in the hot hot heat bogging and readying for paint. This is where the restoration really looks like it is getting somewhere. We have been going since last April and these milestones are meaningful to both the workers and the boat owners.

The Alma G II has been carefully rolled once more and the whole process starts again on the port side.

From there, back to upright and some more detailed discussions on the interior finishes and fixtures. The owners are keen to honor the traditional elements of the boat and have been sourcing some really lovely items from navigation lights to the bench top surfaces.

Top coat paint colour choices are being made and we keep moving on…”

UPDATE #4

“Further updates on the Alma G II. We have layers of paint going on!   More hard work has been done in these last few months with the Lees engine going in, fiberglassing, long board sanding and bogging and fairing.  Real backbreaking stuff. Onward we go with paintwork and then the interior fit out. “   

LINKs TO PREVIOUS STORIES FOLLOWING THE PROJECT

WW May 2023 Story https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/01/restoration-of-alma-g-ii-begins/

WW Dec 2023 Story  https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/12/06/alma-g-ii-restoration-update-2/

CLASSIC LAUNCH RAIRA – BEFORE THE WOOD BUTCHERS GOT HOLD OF HER 

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CLASSIC LAUNCH RAIRA – BEFORE THE WOOD BUTCHERS GOT HOLD OF HER 

The top photo is the 1915 launch – RAIRA, moored in the Waihou River, Te Aroha.  RAIRA was built by the McLeod brothers, Ted and Ray + J. Verran at Bayswater,  Auckland.  – to a  Collings & Bell design.

The photo comes to us from the Auckland Library Heritage Collection – McLeod collection via a Nathan Herbert link.

The 2nd photo is from late 2015. Location is Woolshed Bay, Coromandel.

Last heard she was calling Waiheke Island home.

RSVP waitematawoodys@gmail.com

DOROTHY – Collings & Bell

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DOROTHY (Collings & Bell)

Back in July 2015 we shared a photo of the 1911 Collings & Bell built 35’ launch.  – DOROTHY, in the photo ex Barry Davis,  she was under power and looked very impressive. Note: the photo had been retouched many years ago. 

At the time of the 2015 story Harold Kidd contributed a wealth of intel on DOROTHY and her original owner – W.J. Quelch + her builders, Collings &Bell. Clink below to the story 

WW July 2015 story. https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/07/01/dorothy-2/

Through the powers of the WW archives, Lynley Stone discovered the 2015 story and reached out to share todays photo of DOROTHY and to advise of her grandfather – Lindsay Burrell Stone connection to the launch – I’ll let Lynley tell the story :

“ The above photo of the Dorothy – I think it was probably taken summer 1915-16. It is from my grandfather’s photo album. Either he took it, or it was a gift from the Frys. 

I have evidence that Roland Fry owned the Dorothy at least as early as September 1914. 

My grandfather was Lindsay Burrell Stone. His father Arthur was first cousin to Roland Fry.  Lindsay joined up when war was declared and sailed from Auckland with the Main Body of troops, leaving in September 1914.  

In a letter he posted from Colombo, en route to Egypt in 1914, he asked after The Dorothy and sent his best wishes to Roland. This indicates that he had developed some sort of relationship with the launch before he left.” (Photo ex Lindsay Burrell Stone album)

Sir Francis & A Cool Family Idea

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SIR FRANCIS 

During the week Paul Drake commented that every year he produces a family calendar for circulation amongst my family – brothers, children, nieces and nephews. What a cool idea 🙂

All family birthdays are included. Every year the birthday list grows longer.  Paul said it takes a bit of work, but it serves to keep family connected, and it pleases him to know that the calendar hangs on walls in England, Austria, and Australia, as well as in New Zealand. 

Every year I choose a photo of one of the familiesboats, for the calendar, this year it features SIR FRANCIS, a photo from the 1980’s, homeward bound on Lake Taupo. Paul brother Michael is on the helm, and out of sight in the cockpit is their mother. Looking at the phot you would think that SIR FrANCIS had just rounded one of the headlands on the east coast of the North Island, a great reminder that Lake Taupo can get little gnarly.

SIR FRANCIS has made several appearances on WW before and is of course is a 1916 Collings and Bell built launch. 

Paul remembers that as children, the brothers all thought that any vessel which was not Collings and Bell was rubbish! These days they are not so blinkered 🙂

I’m back on dry land now after 9 days mooching around the gulf – lots of woodys out and about – big story on Monday. Talking of big – the beast below was anchored in Bon Accord, Kawau Island on New Years Eve – the tender was approx. 48’ 

ALMA G II – Restoration Update #2

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ex fb

ALMA G II – Restoration Update #2

Last week B.O.I. woody Dean Wright popped into the CMC Design boat shed in Opua and snapped a few photos of the restoration of the 1927 Collings & Bell built launch – Alma G II. The last update was in May, link here to that story https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/05/01/restoration-of-alma-g-ii-begins/

The old girl is getting a serious refit, some diagonal planking being added to hold the old girl together 🙂 anything that gives her another 100 years of life is better than slowly decomposing on a swing mooring up some estuary .

Her Lees Ford has been reconditioned – check out this video of the test bed run.

https://fb.watch/oKseSMfJ5O/

Photos below of Alma G II is her early days earning her keep as one of the most popular big game boats in the Bay of Islands.