CLASSIC DES TOWNSON 30’ YACHT – FALCON + Win a copy of the book – DES TOWNSON A Sailing Legacy
As most WW readers will know, Des Townson never designed an unattractive craft, that skill is harder to do as the size of the vessel decreases. I have often said on WW that very few people can get a >30’ craft looking ‘right’.
Mr Townson excelled himself with the design of the 30’ keeler – FALCON (Reg. #873), as seen above.
Falcon was built / launched in 1965 and constructed from double diagonal kauri, and no f/glass ✓.
Her owner Grant Wylie has been the custodian of FALCON for the last 17+ years and contacted WW to say that age and health were against him and could we help locate a new owner.
I asked Grant about headroom and I had to laugh at his reply – “Yes & No”, Des’s design eye always won out over comfort 🙂
FALCON is powered by a Bush 20hp engine and sports a KIWI prop. She is well kitted out for gulf cruising but needs a refresh, which is reflected in Grant’s price expectations.
A great opportunity to acquire for a modest price a classic yacht from the design board of one of New Zealand’s most paramount designers.
Continue to enjoy her as she is or put your sanding / painting skills to use this winter and prepare yourself for the compliments at anchor this coming summer.
AND AS AN ADDED BONUS TODAY – ANSWER THE QUESTION BELOW CORRECTLY AND YOU ARE IN THE DRAW TOWIN A COPY OFBrian Peet’s book – ‘DES TOWNSON A SAILING LEGACY’. A 343 page insight into the man and his designs.
Back in 2015 I took the top photo of the 36′ launch – ARISTOS at the Classic Launch & Yacht exhibition, she is a very fine looking woody but with her probably being the only Des Townson designed launch to be built, we would not expect anything less. Built by Noel May and launched in 1985.
Over the weekend I had cause to be mooching around the Sandspit Marina and I spied ARISTOS, nice to see she is still presented in grand condition. The davits on the stern are an unusual design, with the ability to swing back. Wouldn’t suit a lot of classics but ARISTOS carries it well.
WW was recently contacted by the owner of Korora, a 32’ Townson ‘Moonlight’ 1972 built keeler and advised that due to a few speed bumps in life, a new owner was needed.
As always its best to talk to the owner but who I can tell you is below –
• Built in 1972, kauri hull construction, comes with main/1/2/3/storm/spinaker – headsail is self-furling.
• Power is via a Yammer 2GM20, 18hp. Solar panel, and comes with a 2020 inflatable dinghy and Johnson 3.3hp outboard.
• Owner tells me it has a competitive sailing record in the Townson Association – sail # 1360
• Westhaven marina berth possibly available for rent
Interested – very attractive price – contact Mike Going on email at – thegoings@xtra.co.nz
All correct entries received before 6pm 29/03/23, go in the draw for a copy of the magnificent book – ‘Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy’ by Brian Peet. The book chronicles the life and design work of one of New Zealand’s most successful boating legends. Over 400 photographs.
This a great story with a long tail. I first rubbed up against the boat back in 2009 when a co Kiwi based – WoodenBoat Forum follower named Graeme Tearle, lived in Thames, mentioned online he was considering buying a Townson 22 – known as a Pied Piper (Piedy) on trademe in Auckland. Turns out it was sitting on the hard at the Devonport Yacht Club (I was a member back then) so I took some photos for him. Graeme bought the boat, below is an edit of his postings on the WBF, he has a unique style of chat and the yanks on the WBF loved him –
“But this boat has issues. For starters, her name. “Born Slippery”. Ye Gods, whatever was he thinking. So my daughter Abby came up with a new name. “Ceilidh”. Pronounced “kay-lee” it is Irish (or Scots) for an informal get-together featuring traditional song, dance and drinking. In other words, a party. My kind of party (I’m half Irish). Perfect. Next, her cabin shape is all wrong. Ceilidh has the original, shorter roof, which designer Des Townson lengthened when he redrew it, and I suspect he may have lowered the roofline an inch when he did so. Either way, Ceilidh’s cabin is too short & too high for my tastes. If you can’t stand upright in a boat, there is little point in adding an inch or two to the roof height and you still can’t stand up. It just spoils the aesthetics. Also the cabintop is built in the original style with internal roof beams & a 9mm ply skin. The new style has a laminated roof with no beams. This is vastly preferable; nothing to hit your head on & a much easier paint job. So the whole cabin top has to come off. This has the added bonus of allowing me standing room inside while I do the rebuild, and I can replace the ply coamings with varnished mahogany, as they were with Candyfloss (a previous Piedy he built) In my own personal, very biased, opinion, such a beautiful shape deserves nothing less.
The cockpit has been hacked about in the modern way with an open transom. I will fill the transom back in again & add an aft deck forward to the mainsheet traveler, then an aft coaming across it, aft of the traveler. There can be no lazarette here as the rudder shaft comes up thru the cockpit floor aft of the traveler, making a bulkhead impossible. Also, she has a rise in the companionway of about 300mm, to stop water entering the saloon should the cockpit flood. What absolute nonsense. This is the Hauraki Gulf guys, the best cruising grounds in the world, not Cape Horn. I’ll cut it out, fit a lintel about 50mm high, and should the weather become so severe that I fear a wave might jump into the cockpit, (yeah right, it is sooo going to happen) I’ll fit the first washboard & lock it in place. The ability to easily step thru the companionway without having to clamber over what amounts to a bridgedeck is a boon beyond measure on a cruise. The existing tiller is an ugly stick. I’ll build a new, properly shaped one.”
Graeme did an amazing job restoring the yacht (sadly all the work-in-progress photos on WBF have been lost) and bought Ceilidh by road up to Auckland for a Des Townson exhibition at the Viaduct and motor sailed her back to Thames – memory is hazy but I think I lent him a life jacket and a VHF radio for the trip. Graeme’s past post on the WBF was c.July 2014 and I think he sold the boat in June 2014.
Fast forward to mid July 2022 and the son of old family friends – Gavin Woodward tracked the boat down to a mud berth in Thames and was trying locate the owner, dockside chat was that she had been abandoned. Photos below showing Ceilidh looking very sad.
Fast forward to mid September 2022 and Andrew Sander – a previous owner of the boat , tracked her down and re-bought her. Andrews words “Spent Sunday preparing and Sunday night on the high tide dragging her from her mangrove and rat infested grave, she’s now in a berth in Thames Marina. Her next adventure is going to Tauranga for cosmetic work, a weight loss program and a new set of sails. Then it’s back to Auckland to catch up with her old Piedy mates where she will live. Looking forward to some great racing and antics. Get a Piedy up ya (again)”
Photos below of the extraction at Thames.Wonderful that these iconic craft are held in such high regard that yachties go to these lengths to keep them sailing.
ANYONE GOT A POT OF THIS WOODY PRODUCT?
Steam boat woody – Russell Ward contacted me as Russell and some of his fellow steam boaters are bemoaning the loss of Davis Slick Seam. The trailer boaters swear by it. It holds the leaks until the seams take up and it squeezes out -doesn’t set. Stops the incontinence when you launch.
Anyone got a spare tin or know what might have been in it? It was black, had some waxy filler apparently, stayed put and wouldn’t go hard. It is no longer being stocked. West are not answering emails, it is obviously not a big seller.
So woodys what would have been in it -NO EPOXY but maybe some of the filler they use. But it was tarry looking.
Far North Mystery Workboat – PILOT Woody Brett Stanaway has taken his launch Seabee to the Far North this summer, even ventured as far as rounding Cape Reigna. While in Hohora he spotted the above woody. Those rather substantial belting indicate she was / is a workboat. In my eyes, there is a certain whale chaser look to her.No name visible so we will have to rely on the WW workboat boys for help ID’ing her.
Most likely the last day afloat today – special thanks to those that sent in photos over the xmas/ny period. Keep them coming
Input from Dean Wright – she is called PILOT and has been on WW before 🙂
All correct answers to the question below go into the draw for a copy of Brian Peet’s #1 selling book – Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy. Enter via email only to this address waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Q – Identify the item in the photo below eg – what is it, who would have it and where would you see it? (Thanks to Harold Kidd for the photo)
If you are wondering where Sloanes Beach is – google it. It is one of Aucklands hidden gems in the suburb of Herne Bay. The regatta is very low key, almost secret hand shake low key. Each year I try and drop in and grab a few photos to help promote the club (Herne Bay Cruising Club) http://hbcc.net.nz/
I had a full dance card yesterday, so only stayed for the start of the ‘bigger’ boats race. A little overcast but as I was leaving the sun came out and the wind picked up.Spotted an original burgee from the Auckland Motorboat Club handing from the rafters – you do not see many of those around these days.
Mahurangi Cruising Club / Regatta Year Book
The perfect stocking stuffer – available now at Boatbooks in Westhaven (or on-line) + at usual outlets around Warkworth.
Looking For Something Bigger
Grab a copy of Brian Peets book – Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy. A must for every kiwi yachtie and even launch owners 🙂 Also available from Boatbooks or https://destownson.co.nz/
WW Xmas Quiz Winners
Matthew Drake, Ken Goa, Simon Smith, Nick Voerman, Jason Prew – prizes on the way to you, if you have supplied your postal details.
Help Needed – Yacht Sojurn
WW has been contacted by Zoe Hawkins in regard to the yacht – Sojourn.Zoe is writing a story on the Northern Manukau Harbour and is looking for intel in regards to the keeler. She was built by the Davis Brother in Titirangi in the 1950’s. Zoe believes that It was put on the road and sold after one of the brothers became too sick to finish it and go sailing, most likely this was the 1960’s. An help very much appreciated. Two photos below.
And More Help – Yacht Hawk V67
Yesterdays WW story featured small boat builder – John Maxwell – recently when John was cleaning out his parents home, he came across the hand coloured old print, below, of the yacht Hawk V67. John told me that if the boat is still around, then maybe the current owners may like this photo. It isn’t large but is better condition than the photo shows.
Woody ChristmasQuiz – Big Prize Draw Correctly name the launch in the photo above and you go into the draws to win one of5 prizes on offer. Entry by email only at waitematawoodys@gmail.com I have extended the entry cut off to allow more people to participate i.e. not just the early raisers 🙂
Closes Friday 18 Dec 2020 @ 8pm. I will do everything I can to get prizes out b4 xmas, so maybe include your postal address on the email.There has been a name change , so I will take either answer 😉
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.
The 30’ keeler – Waiwhetu, was built in 1965 by Des Townson and his father in Des’s Morrin Road factory for Tulloch Kebbell. She was launched 31st January 1966.
Tulloch Kebbell owned her for 48 years, selling her to the current owner in Feb 2014.
They commented that these days she has a Drofin 12hp diesel twin engine (that replaced the original Ford petrol unit) and they have added several of mod cons such as a VHF radio, GPS unit, twin battery setup, new water tanks, wiring, engine mounts, stern gland, and a fire extinguisher, but Blu has deliberately kept it as close as practicable to how it was in the 1960’s. That means hanked-on head sails, below deck anchor storage (no windlass or even a bow-roller), and an ancient gas stove (that replaced the original Primus).
Waiwhetu is a darling to sail, and has a very good motion and can be balanced to provide a neutral helm that will track in a straight line while conditions are stable.
Refer below the original copy of the – specification of materials, work and payments – if to hard to read – below is a link to a viewable PDF file.
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