TE KOWHAI
VENTURE
Another great collection of photos from Dean Wright’s collection of photos he has scanned from old negatives. The ones above show the privately owned game boat – Venture about to weigh in a very impressive marlin at Russell Wharf in the Bay of Islands. Skippered by Norm Hudspith at the time.
Normal questions – what is she & where is she today?
UPDATE – Thanks to HDK’s memory (or ww search skills) we now know all about her. She appeared on ww back in November 2015 (link below), make sure you read the comments section – lots of chat there. Cheers Alan
https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/11/03/venture/
EXCLUSIVE LADY
The photos above from Dean Wright show the game boat Exclusive Lady fishing the Duke Contest in 1984. While the photos are a little ‘grainy’ from the scanning of 33 year old film negatives, the Lady still looks majestic. Thank you Dean for sharing 🙂
Question of the day woodys – what more do we know about her?
The Ultimate Woodys Friend
Ever thought -what’s the name of that boat or who designed her, or who owns her? well if its wood, a classic & the owner is a member of the CYA – then finding the answer is easy – grab a copy of the NZ Classic Yacht Association Register for the ridiculously low price of $15 & you will have access to the ultimate classic woody must have. Fathers Day is fast approaching…….. drop a hint to the partner / kids / grand children 🙂
To grab a copy (or 2 – one for home & one for the boat) contact the CYA on this email link admin@classicyacht.org.nz
Kaikoura in the B.O.I.
The above launch is pictured above anchored in the Bay of Islands, Dean Wright scanned the image from ‘old’ film but is unaware of the boats name.
Anyone able to ID her & provide some history on the vessel ?
Update: Vessel has been ID’ed as the 1952 built launch Kaikoura. Lots of chat in the WW Comments section & photos at the link below
https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/11/kaikoura/
03-09-2017 – Updated photos below ex owner of 25 years – Peter Jones, via Ken Ricketts. Peter bought her off the Bridgeford family & this would make him only her 3rd owner.
She still has her 2 x 510 cu. in. 165 h.p .V8 Perkins diesels.
WILLIE-O
Another photo from Dean Wright, taken in the late 1980’s at Russell in the Bay of Islands. This time its of the classic wooden game launch – Willie-O.
Who can enlighten us more on this beauty?
03-07-2017 Update & photos below from Michael Best (owner)
Willie Oliver built the Willie O in Tauranga approx 1974. He used her as a charter boat for a couple of years out of Tutukaka. Robin Cutfield from Tutukaka then used her for charter work for many years in the Bay of Islands.
Michael has owned the Willie O for approx 11 years. The enclosed fly Bridge was on her when I bought her (can’t blame him for that – Alan H) Willie O is approx 41 feet long, 13ft beam and 4ft draft. Power is from a 3208 Cat 210 hp. Hull is ship plank kauri with mahogany cabins sides.
ALMA G & ALMA G II
photos & detail ex Harold Kidd
Here is the first of a series of game fishing images taken by Tudor Collins at the Bay of Islands, which Harold would guess to be from the period around 1950-55 . The images were bought at a flea-market by Sharon Knight who has made them available via Harold for all of ww followers to relish.
This first one (today) shows ALMA G on the left and ALMA G II on the right.
ALMA G was built by Collings & Bell for E.C. Arlidge in 1922, the first of a series of splendid 35-36ft game-fishing launches built to Charles Collings’ renowned concave-convex planing hull design for the Bay of Islands. Her original configuration was the same as ALMA G II alongside her in this pic. ALMA G II was built as ZANE GREY for Mervyn Arlidge (for use by Zane Grey) in 1927. Other similar launches were MANAAKI and OTEHEI for F. Elliott (1927), LORNA DOONE for A. A. Holmes (1927) and AVALON for Peter Williams (1927). All were fitted with 6 cylinder Redwing 85-100hp marine engines.
Zane Grey’s visits to New Zealand with his mates caused an explosion of interest in game-fishing and added lots of US dollars to the NZ economy, culminating in the Collings & Bell’s commission from Zane Grey to build the 46 footer FRANGIPANI for fishing in Tahiti, launched in 1932.
ALMA G appears to have had a recent modernisation. Does anyone know when this done and who was the builder?
Photo below of ALMA G in her original configuration c1950, before the alterations.
Update ex Bruce Overhill
Bruce spent many hours on the refurbished Alma G in 2004 chasing Marlin. He commented that she can still catch them and was holding her own against all the big boats in the Bayleys fishing competition out of Whangaroa Harbor.
Below are a couple of photo to show the changes that she has had done.
28-04-2016 photo below of Alma G II ex Hylton Edmonds via Ken Ricketts
FYI – check out this link to a site that records Classic NZ game fishing boats & launches
