Back in July 2019 we ran a story about Moose Lodge and the lake boats operated by the lodge, one in particular was named Miami and the story mentioned that she was replaced in 1939 by a 28’ launch built by Collings & Bell, named Moose.
Now thanks to Greg Philpott we have a 1954 photo of the boat and a press clipping from the NZ Herald dated 7th February 1939 – see below.
Todays woody question is – what became of Moose.
INPUT ex ALAN CRAIG – She has a Perkins now, still on the V drive. And still sound but in need of some loving. photos below
If the tme story supporting todays woody is to be believed she must have had several realignments – supposedly built in 1926 by Collings and Bell and one of the half-a-dozen boats built for the Zane Grey big game fishing fleet. 36’ in length and carvel hulled. Forward motion is via a 75hp Ford (Lees) diesel engine.
Can not read the name on the stern – can we ID the boat and confirm the above details. Would be nice to know what she has been up to over the years. I was commented that she had recently relocated to Auckland from Northland.
INPUT EX GAVIN BRADLEY – Yes, that’s Manaaki looking very much worse for wear. She was moored briefly inside the entrance to Marsden Cove Marina either just before or after changing hands in 2021and was looking reasonably loved at the time. And just to clarify, there were 4 boats built for the Zane Grey Sporting Club – Otehei, Manaaki, Zane Grey and Lorna Doone. Lorna Doone was wrecked at Peach Island in Whangaroa Harbour many years ago (1970’s?). The other 3 are still afloat. The bill from Collings and Bell for the 4 boats was 2000 pounds! Total. Refer below copy of 1927 balance sheet for the Zane Grey Sporting Club.
During the week WW was contacted by Stuart Myers in regard to the whereabouts of the 36’ bridge decker – Marietta.
Marietta was built c.1920>1930’s by Collings and Bell, her beam is 9, she is semi-chine and had full length kauri planks.
Marietta was used by the NZ Navy during WWII as a look-out boat.
Marietta was owned by the Myers family from the late 1950s’ until the late 1970’s and was moored during this time in Little Shoal Bay. During this time she still had her original Chrysler Crown 6 cylinder, side valve, petrol motor. In the late 1970’s she broke her mooring and ended up on the rocks in Little Shoal Bay and after repairs (some re-fastening of planks by Baileys) she was sold, re-powered with a diesel motor and converted to a fishing boat.
Marietta was last seen about 8 years ago at Milford Marina moored outside the Milford Cruising Club and was painted a light green colour and had returned to being a pleasure boat.
The above photos are from the 1960’s, one of her on the old grid at Needle’s Eye in Little Shoal Bay.
So woodys – can anyone update us on what has become of Marietta.
17-03-2023 INPUT ex HAROLD KIDD – According to APYMBA records MARIETTA was built by Collings & Bell in 1934 for G A McKendrick who had a property at Rocky Bay. He sold her to B Kissin of Takapuna in September 1938 when she had an extensive overhaul at Percy Vos’ yard. I have zero information on the launch being used by the Navy during the war and doubt that it happened. The Hert brothers bought her in April 1947 and it was then that she was fitted with a Chrysler Crown. J S Richards owned her from 1952 to 1962 when Athol Myers of Queen ST Northcote bought her. Frank Cooper bought her in 2001 and kept her in Milford Creek. Dave Nicholson has brought you up to date.
21-03-2023 INPUT ex NATHAN HERBERT – I believe that she was built for Casey in 1927 as the Imanota, with a 70hp (50-75hp) redwing motor, steered from the aft dodger hence the hatch, with the bridge deck having been added later on. She was Marietta by the late 1930’s when owned by McKendrick. Notes from when she was new include various speeds claimed from 10 to 15 knots, 15 electric lighting points, all mod cons including sink, an unusually flared bow ‘like a destroyer’ and topsides which are so rounded that she appears to be of the ‘old fashioned’ round bilge type.
Woody Dean Wright sent in the above photo of the launch – Otehei. Dean ‘found’ the photo when having a clean out – its tagged on the back ‘Ian Spedding, Otehei, 1926 vintage’.
Dean’s thoughts are that it may have been taken by Ian Spedding and maybe lated from the late 1970’s. The location of the photos is probably off the old Fullers slipway at Russell.
Back in a 2013 WW story on Otehai – Harold Kidd wrote – OTEHEI was a sister-ship to the Collings & Bell-built hard chine launches built for various operators in the Bay of Islands in 1926-7 to service the game-fishing sport which had grown rapidly after an exploratory trip north by Colonel W.H. Hazard in his VIRGINIA in 1918. The other 3 launches to the same pattern were LORNA DOONE, ZANE GREY (later ALMA G II) and MANAAKI. These launches were all equipped with Redwing engines and were capable of 16 knots. OTEHEI was built for Frank Elliott who painted her red. Like the others, and the later AVALON, she was based at Zane Grey’s camp at Otehei on Urupukapuka Island.
She spent some time on Lake Taupo as GRACE DARLING but is now in Russell/Opua restored for the last 20 years or so as OTEHEI. View that story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/08/28/otehei/
The photo below is from Gavin’s collection of Otehei and shows her being relaunched at Fuller’s in 1977 post her first big restoration after returning to BOI after 40 odd years on Lake Taupo. Gavin believes it was taken on the same day as the photo above.
While mooching around up north last week I spotted 45’ Collings & Bell built – Tamaroa, the berthed in Doves Bays at the Kerikeri Cruising Club marina.
The launch Meteor / Comet II was built by Collings and Bell and is reputed to by at the time the fastest commerical launch in New Zealand, with a top speed of 36 knots, carrying 12 passengers. She plied her trade as a tourism launch on Lake Wakatipu, Oueenston, but also has been based out of the Bay of Islands, Rotorua, Picton and the Marlborough Sounds.
Just popped up on tme as a work-in-progress and sadly a long way off her original configuration.
33’ in length, these days she is powered by a Ford 180hp diesel engine – would be interested to hear what powered her in the zoom zoom days.
Classic Launch Kokoru Damaged In Pine Harbour Marina fire yesterday – refer the NZ Herald for details, its still a little to raw to go into details – more later. But I’m sure you’ll all be thinking of the owners.
Built c.1928, rumoured to be by Collings & Bell, Lady Ngaio is 28’ in length with a 7’4” beam. Back in 2000 Moon Engines re-powered her with a 90hp Ford Diesel engine, so she should have good turn of speed. The launch has been very lucky to have remained in the same family for the last 30 years, this constant ownership is reflected in her presentation.
The First Yacht Confirmed For The New CYA Heritage Basin Marina
If you were asleep all week, might be a good idea to click on the image below to catch up on the controversy around the probable selection criteria for classic CYA vessels berthing in the new CYA 40 berth waterfront marina.
click image to view
WW Quiz Winners – The answer to the Friday quiz re the number of boats Collings & Bell built turns out to be very questionable – Ron Wattlen in his book states over 1000 (see screen grab below) turns out it was a lot less – so woodys to be fair & kind (pass me a bucket) all entries went into the draw and the two winners of a copy of the book – ‘C J & A J Collings – Designed & Boat Builders’ are:
• Ross Dawson – Papakura • Dean Wright – B.O.I. (copies are in the mail)
The classic launch – Maybelle recently appeared on tme, so thanks to the listing and Ian McDonald we get to have a good look at Maybelle. Her tme listing has her from the Collings and Bell stable and 32’ 10” in length. She is powered by a Ford Lees 6 cyl. diesel engine that gets her along at 7>8 knots. Appears to be very well maintained and appointed. Can anyone confirm the parentage and where she has been for the last 70+ years?
Help Wanted Locating A Vire Inboard Engine
Woody, Simon Smith has asked for help locating a Vire 7 hp, petrol, single cylinder inboard engine similar to the photograph below. The engines are made in Finland. Any help, even a suggestion as to where to look on line would be greatly appreciated.
Chatting with a woody on line the other day re a WW merchandise order and he mentioned that he was the ’newish’ owner of the 30′ Maitai, the 1928 Collings & Bell built launch.
Maitai has recently gone back in the water after a 7 month period of TLC. These days her home is Waiheke Island, having previously spent most of her days in the Far North.
Maitai is powered by a 36hp Bukh diesel. In the WW link below (August 2018) we see two b/w photos of Maitai on a cruise, the location is said to be Omaha but the date is unknown. https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/08/14/maitai/
First Tuesday of the month today – so there must be a Classic Yacht Association committee meeting happening (via Zoom) – so the banner below is a reminder to elected members to be kind and support inclusion not segregation on the topic of the new Heritage Basin marina 🙂
BEST NEWS OF THE YEAR – WE CAN GO BOATING AGAIN FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING
HONESTLY OFFICER – WE ARE ALL RELATED AND LIVE TOGETHER But how crazy is this, if its a cabin boat, you can only have your family / bubble aboard – BUT if its a 12’ tinny, you can have 10 people aboard
BUT I BEAT YOU ALL BY TWO DAYS – SEA TRIAL YESTERDAY (permitted activity)
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