WW contributor – Scott Taylor, sent in the link to the above short film – titled ‘New Zealand’s Deep-Sea Fighting Fish’. The film comes to us via Archives New Zealand, and was originally produced by Neuline Film Studios, Auckland for the Dept. of Tourist and Health Resorts.
The film isn’t dated but both Scott and myself believe it is from the early 1950’s, can any one date the film from the footage?
There is an impressive collection of woodys featured, all looking very ship-shape, and most still afloat today.
WHO OWNS DEODAR – Looking for the current owner of the ex Auckland Police launch Deodar – can you contact WW at the email address below – trust me its worth your while 😉 waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Back in 2015 we posted a photo of the 1956 Kitty Vane on the hard at Te Atatu Boating Club, West Auckland – she was looking very down in the dumps, then in Jan 2020 we were told she had been sold and returned to the North in late 2018. Designed and built by Ces Watson, Kitty Vane spent many years big game fishing out of Tutukaka, under the ownership of the Going family.
Then in April 2020 we did a story asking if anyone knew where KV was and hit the jackpot, lots of information and photos came in – see here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/04/20/kitty-vane-where-are-you/ We even have copies of her line drawings, sent in by Peter Watson, son of Ces Watson.
Fast forward to June 2020 and WW is contacted by her new owners – Michelle and Blair Kennard – I have reproduced Michelle’s email below
“In 2018 my partner and I found Kitty Vain on Trademe, my partner an avid fisherman and has had the life-long dream to own and restore a boat. When we saw Kitty Vane for sale we started reading about the history and fell in love, we couldn’t believe the state she was in and knew she needed rescuing.
We had her bought up on a truck and she now lives on our section under a purpose built shed in Kerikeri. We are slowly chipping away at restoring her to her former and original glory, it will be a father and son project who are both carpenters with a love for beautiful craftsmanship.
We are hoping in the next couple of years she will have two new engines and will become our family boat along with the dream of being a ‘historical experience’ fishing charter.
If you know of any boat history books with Kitty in could you please let me know”
Fast forward again to Jan 2021 and we are contacted by ‘Nelliefish’ (sorry that’s all I have from their email address), who sent in the rather grand photo above of Kitty Vane – do not know when or where, so only really inspiration for the Kennard’s unless me can date the photo and location.
Update: Location may be Hobsonville and 2005 – but not confirmed.
1965 SEACRAFT SPEEDOMETER Woody Barrie Abel needs to replace the speedometer on his 1965 Seacraft – its is a 4″ diameter chrome pitot type gauge. Barrie commented that the modern ones look out of place and what started off as a delicate procedure to assess and repair, has gone from bad to worse, and its time to abandon the current one….. If anyone knows of someone who would consider selling one, or something similar. Email WW at waitematawoodys@gmail.com In the mine time I’ll chase Barrie for a photo of the gauge. Photo below of boat.
CARA MIA In the photo above we see the game fishing launch – Cara Mia coming alongside the wharf at Tutukaka. The photo is dated Feb 1963. She was built by Ray Dinsdale on the shores of Whananaki. In the photo is is flag to peanuts, indicating that she had landed two game fish that day. Cara Mia possibly makes a cameo appearance in this 2015 WW story on Aquila – link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/05/06/aquila/
Do we know any more about the launch and what became of the boat?
27-12-2020 Input from Ian Creevey – I started my game fishing career on the Cara Mia in Paihia in 1976. Photo below. At the time she was owned by Peter Rosoman who I recently ran into in Marsden Cove after 42 years!! Also met another guy who remembers her being built.
The rather good painting above of Zephyr comes to us via Wally Herbert’s fb, and Wally commented that it showed his father Albert and Joe Miller on Zephyr at the Whangaroa Harbor entrance.
There has been a lot of previous chat on WW regarding another launch named Zephyr (link below) , keen to ID this one and learn her provenance.
On the fb post a Peter Rooke commented that helots saw her in Tauranga.
WW readers will know that I occasionally poke fun at boats that have been ‘altered’ or had cabin additions and end up resembling a block of flats. Well today woodys we see the reverse – a block of flats that float.
The below appeared at Bayswater marina last year and is someones home, each to their own but if I owned a marina alongside it, I wouldn’t be impressed………
