Tag Archives: Game Fishing

Cara Mia

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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.

Zephyr

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Zephyr

ZEPHYR
 
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.
 

https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/03/20/could-this-be-zephyr/

A Floating Block of Flats
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………
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WCW Riverhead June2020
RSVP waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Hudspith – Bay of Islands Game Boats

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Marie J

Marie J – 1956 – 30′ Master-Craft

Venture

Venture – 1964 – 36′ – M.G. Palmer

HUDSPITH – BAY of ISLANDS GAME BOATS
David Clarke sent in the above photos of the Bay of Islands launches – Marie J (top) and Venture (bottom) that were both owned and operated by the Hudspith family (father Don, and sons Cyril and Norm) of Kaikohe.
Marie J was owned in the early 1960’s and moored in the Waitangi river on the piles. She was used mainly for game fishing in the BOI and Whangaroa areas with many days trolling over the Taheke reef for marlin. In the photo is David’s father, Colin Clarke, a regular crew member sitting on the cabin top left, beside him is Cyril Hudspith and in the cockpit is Tammy Weir another regular crew member.
The Marie J was sold in the mid 1960’s and in and around October 1966, the Hudspith’s family’s new launch Venture was purchased and brought up to the BOI.
She then spent the next 30 years or so mainly game fishing and Norm Hudspith was a prominent member of the BOI Swordfish Club and indeed the IGFA.
The photo of Venture shows her with a new clear flying bridge (added c.1968) and about to be launched at the BOI Yacht Club slip way in Waitangi after her annual haul out.
The Hudspith’s also installed a Perkins wing motor for trolling around 1968.
David commented that it was great to see that both vessels are still in very good condition, a credit to the owners.
Read and see more on Marie J 
Read And see more on Venture 
 

Kitty Vane – Where Are You

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KITTY VANE – Where Are You

There has been chat recently as to the status of the launch Kitty Vane – so todays story is a shout out for an update on the project.
Firstly a summary of what we know ( thank you Harold Kidd, Brian Worthington & Val Monk ) – Kitty Vane was  launched in 1956, designed and built by T.C. (Ces) Watson, Laurie Going (father of Hugh Going) worked on her as well. She is named after Katherine (Kitty) Airini Vane, a famous artist from Northland.
She was based at Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers Club at Tutukaka for many years and was still under charter there in 1991. She went to the aid of the crew of Stella wrecked on Wide Berth Island in 1963.
Later ownership moved to John Going who changed the cabin style, he continued to operate her out of Tutukaka. John also ventured down the west coast game fishing and also sailed Kitty Vane up to Tonga game fishing. 
In the top two b/w photos dated 1961 we see Hugh and Rona Going fishing off Tutukaka, a fine looking woody.

Back in January 2015 I spotted Kitty Vane hauled out at Te Atatu Boating Club, Auckland, colour photos above, where she was getting some TCL. According to her transom home is / was Tutukaka.

Boat yard chat is that in 2019 she ‘returned’ to Northland.
Do not know if it was on a truck or under her own steam. Anyone able to enlighten us on her?
13-06-2020 Update – LINE DRAWINGS – Peter Watson, sent in the below original drawing of Kitty-Vane done by his father – T.C. (Yes) Watson
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The Slippery Slope
From the ceiling signs at the 1968 Boat and Caravan Show, held at the Epsom Showgrounds – the writing was on the wall (poor pun) for the demise of the wooden boat building industry. Great to see Clipper / Mason Marine tucked away in top left corner 🙂
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Te Kowhai

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Te Kowhai

TE KOWHAI

Todays story features the game boat Te Kowhai coming in to the wharf at Russell to weigh their catch.
The photo comes to use from Lew Redwood via ‘BOI Historical Photos’
Can anyone tell us more about the boat & what became of her – she is a very pretty launch.
09-04-2020 Input from Hylton Edmonds -Te Kowhai was one of the lessor known game boats operating in the Bay of Islands (based in Russell) around the time of the 60’s. As the advertisement below, from the 1963-64 BOISFC Yearbook, shows, Des Neal ran it for a partnership based in Hawera, a vague memory is that they were chartered accountants?

I have no idea what became of her, and compared to the other game boats, I do not think she was “on the scene” for that long.

Hopefully info will come to light on what was ostensibly a Bridge Decker (similar to Pirate) in survey, and put to work.

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Harold Kidd has previously commented that she was designed and built by J.G. Cox with a 6-95 Lycoming for Fred Reynolds in 1939. In NAPS in 1943 as Z42.

 

Regards,

Hylton

Venture

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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

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exclusive-lady

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

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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.

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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.

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Willie-O

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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

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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

ALMA G II - H Edmonds