113 YEAR-OLD CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH GETS SOME WELL DESERVED TLC

113 YEAR-OLD CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH GETS SOME WELL DESERVED TLC – LEITNER

Back in September 2013, classic wooden launch – LEITNER made an appearance on WW and the story over the next couple of years generated a raft of intel on her past and photos.  We learnt that she was built in 1913 by Harvey & Lang.

Forward motion these days is via a Perkins 6-354 diesel engine.

When launched she was very smart flat top launch and over the years there have been several additions , all visible in 2913 WW story  https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/09/21/leitner/

Robin Elliott commented re her restyling in a very kindly way saying – ‘at some time she was converted to a sort of bridge-decker type’. As seen in the above photos I took this week at DOCK5 in Whangarei.

Nice to see she is getting the TLC she deserves.

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH VALMARIE – HOW DID IT COME TO THIS

2013

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH VALMARIE – HOW DID IT COME TO THIS

I was mooching around the Whangarei waterfront during the week and spotted the launch VALMARIE hauled out at Dock5.                                                                 I did not recognise her until up close and spotted her name board. Even then I had to do a count / location of port holes and cabin widows to confirm she was the same vessel that last featured on WW back in April 2014  https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/04/10/valmarie/

Back in 2014 VALMARIE was for sale on tme and looking very smart. Another example of how quickly these woodys can go downhill if they do not get any TLC The last photo above was from 2013.

And on the subject of classics going down hill – I am very happy to report that the classic wooden launch – TRINIDAD has a new owner and been moved closer to Auckland. Her days of neglect in the far north are over. I hear her new owner is already planning to restore the bright work ✔️