Over the 2025/26 xmas / new year period a couple of woodys have been sending in photos of classic craft that they have seen out and about. Angus Rogers onboard the motor launch CENTAURUS has been mooching around the Coromandel / Bottom End of Waiheke Island and Murray Deeble on his Townson yacht MORGANA in the Bay of Islands.
The evil weather we had around the 27th >31st keep a lot of boats in the marina and those out were not moving around much . Angus recorded winds of 68 knots in Te Kouma at anchor.
Quite a few washed ashore and sales of SaltAway will be high this month with a lot of dinghies / outboards flipped over in the high winds.
In late January 2022 I help relocate the 1962 Owen Woolley built 36′ sedan launch – Korawai to her new home in the Bay of Islands. Her new owners had big plans for her and it’s great to see that a refurbishment program is now under way.
Korawai has recently been hauled and now tucked away in the shed at Ashby Boatbuilders in Opua. First item was to remove all the glass (to be replaced) and restore the varnished coamings. The owners have very good taste so I’m sure there will be more on the list 🙂
We will keep you updated.
10-03-2023 NAME SPELLING CORRECTION -input ex Harold Kidd
UPDATE 16-10-2022 lots of progress, new glass is in – varnish 97% done – just 3 more coats on the beading.
UPDATE 18-10-2022 Less than 24hrs from re-launching
RE-LAUNCHED TODAY 19-10-2022 – WoW
04-11-2022 Back in her happy place
19-12-2024 UPDATE – The rolling refit continues, latest work has seen a new bathroom / head and gallery added. Her owner, Matt is a very talent man with his hands and partner, Tania adds the good taste / styling – well done ✔️
In the last few days I received several messages about the 34’ Woollacott yacht – Korowai, that had popped up on tme with an asking price of $1,000. One of the woodys that contacted me was Alistair Rowe, who commented that he remember Korowai being at Shelly Park Cruising Club in the mid 1970s owned by Eric Roberts. In those days she was powered by a Ford 10 petrol engine and had no reverse gear, so was a bit of a beast to maneuver in tight places. Quite a few years after Eric’s death, and her sale to new owners, Alistair saw her on the hard at Okahu Bay being given a major birthday.
In the tme listing it stated she had great bones for a restoration – well that she does. She was being sold as-is-where-is as she had had a few problems eg a leak in the hull that a bilge pump with a float switch was keeping up with. But she had, had a bilge pump malfunction and there has been water inside. The water level went part way up the motor, touching the motor, however the dipstick hole on the motor remained well above water level. It was stated that the engine was in not running condition. But the sails were described as ‘good sails’. Korowai appears to be a really solid kiwi built yacht and a perfect opportunity for the keen handy person to restore her back to her prime at the right price. The seller was very clear about the sale process eg.
(1) The yacht needs to be out of the marina berth ASAP
(2) The successful purchaser will not be the first person to offer the money but the best and quickest plan for the removal of the yacht from the marina berth
(3) All enquiries must explain how they will remove the yacht and when- if the answer is unsatisfactory then no further time will be spent on the enquire – no time wasters.
Well woodys – must have been a record listing time for a classic yacht – sold to a great new owner and removed from her West Harbour berth and relocated to her new home, last night. Tow boat was Jason Prew’s My Girl – but he assures me he is not the new owner – 2 classic launches and mullet boat yacht is more than enough 🙂
In my travels yesterday I acquired a very dinky 2-1/4″caulking iron – light clean up and it joins the WW global HQ, desktop paperweight collection.
We ran a story on the Owen Woolley designed and built launch – Korowai earlier in the week, then ping the inbox sends an alert and Angus Rogers has ‘found’ another photo – its a stunner – great angle, well done Mr Rogers.
Lastly we see Manuroa already at Te Kouma – doing what we would all like to do – just hanging out doing nothing. A previous owner of Manuroa believed it may have been built by Bailey & Lowe c.1912, is anyone able to confirm ?
Scotts Landing – photo ex Roger Mills
UPCOMING LONG WOODY WEEKEND
It is less than 2 weeks until Mahurangi weekend – the biggest on-the-water woody event in New Zealand – just check out Rogers Mills drone photo above to get an idea of the turn-out. Almost all of those dinghies are from a wooden boat anchored in the bay. The occasion is the regatta prize giving / BBQ on the Saturday night at Scotts Landing – all welcome, remember to bring a $20 note to buy a copy of the Mahurangi Cruising Club’s brilliant year book – its one of the best boating reads and great value.
On Saturday (30th) morning we have the classic launch parade – more details re times etc closer to the day but please make life easy for the organisers by emailing your name, boat name, and brief description your woody – design, age, length etc to admin@classicyacht.org.nz If you’re in Auckland on the Monday (1st) – as part of the Anniversary Day Regatta there will be a classic launch race. Entries for this are now open and you can enter at www.regatta.org.nz It is a handicapped race so everyone has a fair chance of winning some of the great regatta prizes
KOROWAI – Sailing Sunday photos & details ex Ben Shields
WW has had an inquiry from Ben seeking information on the 1948 32′ Woollacott Korowai (F8). Ben thinks she is a ‘Mayfly’.
What do we know about her?
I’m currently at Lake Rotoiti for the Classic & Wooden Boat Parade weekend, look out early next week for some stunning photos 😉
Harold Kidd Input
Korowai was built by Shipbuilders Ltd in 1950 for Richard Rolphe Judd of 10 Cumberland Ave. She was 31’6” x 9’x 4’9” which makes me think she was a MAY design.
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