Tag Archives: Greg Lees

Alibi – A Peek Below

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ALIBI – A Peek Below

In early Jan 2023 we featured the 42’ Mason Clipper – Alibi, entering the Sandspit shed of Greg Lees Boat builder. That story generated a great inside into her past, link below to that story.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/01/02/mason-clipper-alibi/

Today thanks to the ‘Mason Clippers’ group and Lew Redwood’s fb we get to see her interior. The photos show her almost unchanged in 42 years with the original upholstery still in great condition. 

Looking forward to seeing what Alibi well look like after the Greg Lees team have rubbed their magic over her. (Nudge nudge Greg)

Woodys Stillwater Picnic + Next Event Announcement 

Sadly Saturdays waterfront picnic was postponed based on weather forecasts and sea state. The right decision on Friday night and probably the wrong one at mid-day Saturday. There will be announcement later in the week re a new date. But moving on – the next Woodys event is a long overdue lunch cruise to the historical Riverhead Tavern.

See below flyer – but quick overview – Sunday 26th March – meeting at 10.am off Lucas Creek / Herald Island.

RSVP with vessel name and approx. number aboard to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Mason Clipper – Alibi

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Mason Clipper – Alibi

Just prior to Christmas the owners of Alibi, a rather elegant Mason Clipper, quietly slipped her into Greg Lees shed at Sandspit. I understand that she’s in for a minimum of 3 months for a ‘makeover’ – we have seen some stunning makeovers from the shed in recent times. – Trinidad, Mahanui, Arohanui – so we look forward to following with interest – nudge nudge Greg Lees, photos please 🙂

(Photos ex Mason Marine Clippers fb)

Photo below Oct 1979 – Sea Trial on the Waitemata Harbour ex fb via K Ricketts

INPUT EX ALAN SEXTON – Copy of original Sea Spray article below + more photos from her recent haul out at the Sandspit yard.

You will note the she still has her original engines twin straight 6 Chrysler Mitsubishis.

21-04-2023 UPDATE – A PEEK INSIDE THE WORKSHOP – lots of Awlwood (Uroxsys) being applied 🙂 photos ex Mason Marine Clipper fb

Big Wooden Launch Gets A Face Lift

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Big Woody Gets A Face Lift

The 1965 Salthouse built woody – Trinidad is currently tucked up in the Greg Lees Boatbuilder shed at Sandspit getting some botox i.e touch-up coats to the coamings and wheelhouse and a re-paint of the topsides.

Yesterday, the brains trust from the yard + Akzo Nobel (AWLWOOD MA & International Paints) + AWLWOOD MA Guru (Uroxsys founder) David Waddingham met to discuss the upcoming work on Trinidad, she is a bit like their in-house model. It was interesting to be a fly-on-the-wall and hear about the latest thinking on application / thinning / primer techniques and their newish line extensions eg the Multi-climate gloss finish. The product has come a very long way in the last few years.
You can see from the last two photos that the GL’s boys only just manage to get the doors closed when Trinidad visits, very cozy.

While there, foreman Dale Collins, flipped the covers on his recently completed clinker dinghy (photos below) – stunning and woodys its 4sale 🙂

WOODYS LUNCH CRUISE TO RIVERHEAD TAVERN – TIME TO RSVP

If you are planning on joining the fleet for the cruise up the Riverhead river to join fellow woodys for launch on Sunday November 8th – drop me a quick email with boat name and approx crew numbers waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Working Waterfront Boatbuilders Shed – 50 photos

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Working Waterfront Boatbuilders Shed – 50 photos

As I’ve send many times before, if your want a stunning day weather wise, schedule a Classic Yacht Association event – the hit rate must be 9/10.

Over 100 CYA members & friends made the trip north to Lees Boatbuilders at Sandspit – our host for the day, Greg Lees, turned on a brilliant woody event – we had everything – woody projects underway, the best collection of 1/2 models I seen outside of the RNZYS walls, a photo montage recording the history of the yard & the vessels built over the years.

 Center stage was Jenny & Angus Rogers – Mahanui, in the shed for a new deck, alongside her was a very original Chris Craft that was getting a restoration. 

The varnish guru Dale has already applied 23 coats, with 6 more to come. Compared to our old girls, these American woodys are very lightly built, amazing that so many have survived.

Outside we had Anna & Nic Davidson’s – Juanita, on one slip & Barbara & David Cooke’s woody flagship – Trinidad, alongside the wharf. In midstream was Yvonne, waiting her turn in the shed.

On the hard was a selection of small craft built by either Greg, his father Tim or other local craftsman. Not woodys but certainly classic were Greg’s two English built, aluminium Albatross runabouts – the very rare 4 seater is next on Greg’s to-do list. Included are a few photos of other woodys in or out of the water.

Greg gave an articulate talk on his families boatbuilding history & how they came to be situated on the Sandspit foreshore. At the end he announced the official launch of the 2018 Rudder Cup launch race to be run on Friday 14th December to Sail Rock & back. See flyer below, I encourage all woody owners to consider participating. At this stage we (I’m on the race committee, along with Jason Prew, Nathan Herbert, Baden Pascoe & Barbara & David Cooke) are calling for expressions of interest in racing – entry to the race is by invitation, as per the original race format in 1908.

 Big ups to Greg & family + staff for turning on the day, including BBQ. Special thanks also to the CYA committee members that pulled it all together. 

Lastly a little something below for the petrol heads – Greg had on display his Jesser BSA 500cc twin, hill climb racer. Built in 1962 by Les Jesser, she is a 2 time Australian  class champion. 

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CYA Rudder Cup 2018 flyer

Arohanui Relaunched -4sale

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‘Fiona the Owner’

AROHANUI RELAUNCHED – 4sale
photos ex David & Barbara Cooke and Greg Lees

UPDATE: 4SALE – All enquiries to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Yesterday was a one of those special days in the classic wooden boating scene, after what seems like the whole of winter, the 1966, 48′ Lane Motor Boat Co. built Arohanui slipped out of the Sandspit shed of Greg Lees Boat Builder. Her owners Fiona & Rod were very proud owners of the ‘new’ Arohanui.
We have come to expect only the best from Greg Lees & his team of craftspeople & they have not disappointed, again. The standard for workmanship & finish is world class. Speaking with Greg, he made special mention of Dale Colins the yard forman.  Not only does he cut to the chase when directing the work to be done and his expected result,  Dale is extremely talented on the end of a spray gun & the finish Dale gets is 2nd to none in the industry.  Just one of those multi-talented guys that make us DIY’ers look so bad 🙂
Brian Thompson did the new cabinet work matching the existing cabinetry, another true craftsman, but saying that, the whole crew at the yard are pretty special. The classic wooden boat scene is very lucky to have this yard on its back door.

Arohanui always has been a special boat & in the past been gifted with great owners, read more about her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/11/03/9526/

Fiona & Rod have taken her up several levels & she will join the ever-increasing fleet of spectacularly restored big classics that now grace the Waitemata. I can see I have solved the problem of who I’m going to sell my supply of USA brass/bronze polish to 😉

I will post more on her soon. For now I’ll let the photos tell the story. Remember you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them 😉
waitematawoody t-shirts – remember to get your order in – limited print run, full details here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/11/22/waitematawoodys-t-shirts/

Old Logo ww shirt