Tag Archives: Kanona

CLASSIC WOODEN WORKBOAT – KANONA

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CLASSIC WOODEN WORKBOAT – KANONA

Back in January  2023 Shamus Fairhead sent in some photos from a visit to the Nelson Marina, included were the two colour photos of the launch KANONA, as above.

At the time Mark McLaughlin commented that KANONA was built in Havelock by Sonny Johnson in the early 1960’s and was used until the early 1970’s by the Johnson family for the mail run there.                       She was then used as a commercial passenger boat out of Havelock under different owners (Eric Huddleston was one, there may have been more) until the mid 1990’s when she was sold to Nelson. 

The flying bridge and cockpit dodger roof and covers are additions since her time in Nelson. I travelled on her once on the way home from a high school camp in the Sounds and she is quite fast.

Today thanks to a post by Glenn Howard via Lew Redwood we get to see KANONA on her launch day. Mark’s comment re the launch being quite fast is backed up this photo, her hull has a lot of similarities to the old whale chasers – refer photo below.

Nelson Marina Mooching

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Nelson Marina Mooching

Shamus Fairhead, owner of the very smart woody – Sequoia, sent in a photo report from a recent sortie to Nelson.

Above we see the launches – Lady Dorothy > Rarangi > Kanona. Shamus commented that Lady Dorothy had Oliver & Gilpin written all over her. Rarangi has made several appearances on WW – link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/12/12/rarangi-a-peek-down-below/

The other two are WW virgins i.e. have not appeared on the site before, so keen to learn more about these wooden craft.

26-01-2023 INPUT EX MARK MCLAUGHLIN – KANONA was built in Havelock by Sonny Johnson in the early 1960’s and was used until the early 1970’s by the Johnson family for the mail run there. She was then used as a commercial passenger boat out of Havelock under different owners (Eric Huddleston was one, there may have been more) until the mid 1990’s when she was sold to Nelson. The flying bridge and cockpit dodger roof and covers are additions since her time in Nelson. I travelled on her once on the way home from a high school camp in the Sounds and she is quite fast.

Eye Candy

One of my Waiheke spies sent in the photo below of Lady Crossley and LC’s owners daughters launch at anchor – we like woody families 🙂