Tag Archives: Labour Weekend Spring Splash

KAWAU ISLAND’S LABOUR WEEKEND BOATING MUSTER

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KAWAU ISLAND’S LABOUR WEEKEND BOATING MUSTER

The photo above has appeared on WW before, capturing and promoting the X-factor that makes Kawau Island such a special destination for classic boaters. Its sheltered anchorages, rich maritime heritage and relaxed cruising atmosphere make it hard to beat for a Labour Weekend escape.  

Over the past few years, the Kawau Boating Club, Ponsonby Cruising Club and WaitemataWoodys — three staunch supporters of classic boating and the cruising lifestyle — have been working together to develop and promote a gathering of traditional craft in and around Kawau Island.Brought together under the banner of Labour Weekend Spring Splash.

The event is becoming a wonderful opportunity for owners and crews to get out on the water, catch up with fellow enthusiasts and celebrate everything that makes classic wooden boating so special.It’s all about good boats, good company and the timeless pleasure of cruising in one of the Hauraki Gulf’s most treasured destinations.

Each year it gets better and better and has become one of the most popular events on the waitematawoodys calendar. Link here to last years event  https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/10/28/2025-kawau-island-spring-splash-regatta-a-woody-weekend-to-remember/

There truely is something for all craft – 

• FRIDAY – Cruising to the island

• SATURDAY – Matakana Markets River Cruise & Round the Island Yacht Race

• SUNDAY – Waitematawoodys Classic Parade & Short Course Yacht Race + Race Giving ar KBC

• MONDAY – Breakfast at KBC

Each day the KBC clubrooms will be open to all boaties + we have new managers and menu. Check on-line for opening hours. https://kawauboatingclub.nz

f you are not racing there is no requirement to enter, just turn up and enjoy the weekend and the sociability of the KBC. Hey you my enjoy it and consider becoming a member 😉

PS – I emailed details out to the WW data base earlier in the week, but not surprisingly not everyone is on the database. If you want to be kept updated on classic events and gatherings – just drop an email to waitematawoodys@gmail.com with your name, boat name (if you have one) and mobile number. We do not spam you, it is a very tight list.

Read more in the attached PCC notice of regatta.

NOR LABOUR WEEKEND SPRING SPLASH 2026Download

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MYSTERY SHIPBUILDERS WOODEN LAUNCH + SPRING SLASH REGATTA DETAILS

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MYSTERY AC DCS – SHIPBUILDERS WOODEN LAUNCH + SPRING SLASH REGATTA DETAILS

Well todays woody is only a mystery because (1) the owner didn’t put the vessels name on tme (thanks Ian McDonald) and (2) the phots are out of focus, stopping reading the name board.

All that aside we learnt that the launch was built in 1959 by Shipbuilders, is 36’ in length and powered by a 90hp Ford Dorset engine.

Hull is 3 planks of diagonal kauri so built like the brick out-house.

As for the Sea Nymph transplant canopy on top…………………….. I suppose it would be simple to remove ✓

UPDATE – as advised by John Bullivant the boats named AC DECS and resided on the Tamaki estuary, near the Panmure yacht club. It is shown in the ‘a woody tour of the Tamaki river’ WW story and also featured in a Feb 18 2023 WW story – linked below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/02/18/ac-dcs/ Ken Ricketts advised it was named WHIRONUI and has previously commented that she was most likely a Shipbuilders ‘kitset’ boat.

CIRCLE THE CALENDAR – LABOUR WEEKEND SPRING SLASH REGATTA @ KAWAU ISLAND

The place to be on the long holiday weekend of October 24>27th is Kawau Island and the crew at the Kawau Boating Club and Ponsonby Cruising Club are again hosting the world famous (in NZ…) Labour Weekend Spring Splash Regatta. waitematawoodys are chuffed to by involved with organising the classic woody parade on Sunday, details in the flyer below + downloadable PDF file, which includes the entry (free) form for the sailing events. Link below to 2024 eventhttps://waitematawoodys.com/2024/10/29/kawau-island-spring-splash-regatta-review-70-classic-wooden-boating-photos/

ATTENTION YACHT SKIPPERS – If the coastal classic isn’t your scene, put the Kawau Spring Splash Regatta on your radar ✔️

LABOUR WEEKEND SPRING SPLASH (2)Download

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – LADY CAROLE – UPDATE #8 – LAUNCH DAY 

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – LADY CAROLE – UPDATE #8 – LAUNCH DAY 

After a full few months co-owner Patrick Crawshaw reports in on the big day – as always Patrick tells the story…….

“ LADY CAROLE was relaunched on Saturday with much fanfare with about thirty people turning out to see her.   

It’s taken four months’ to restore her exterior to her original lines and design. Next year the interior will be restored to her original layout and a new motor put in so we will start all over again and I will send posts on this final phase two part of the project. 

I would like to say a big thank you to Waitemata Woody’s for the help in retrieving items that were lost and also the great advice they have given me over the past four months. 

A big thank you also to the Bay of Islands Yacht Club who have also supported the restoration of LADY CAROLE  with such great spirit.   The club works on a volunteer basis and everyone helps out and works together. It’s been a privilege to be there five days a week among the great community that is the Bay of Islands Yacht Club.  It was also a great honour that LADY CAROLE  was asked to be a regatta boat. I am sure she will enjoy being in service to the club. 

So now a new chapter for LADY CAROLE  begins.  She has to date had a very full and eventful life: Some of her adventures include slipping her mooring in the sixties and getting jammed under the Waitangi Bridge.  A great petrol-vapour explosion happened in Whangaroa in the early 1970’s, after which her engine was changed to diesel. She almost sank on her pole at Waipapa Landing during a Kerikeri flood in the sixties and sailed out to witness the re-sinking of the Rainbow Warrior in 1987.  She has been all over New Zealand from Whangaroa to the South Island and everywhere in between. These are just a few of the stories I know about – there are many, many more I am sure…

On Friday night she was put on display for the weekly dinner held at the yacht club. Saturday was busy doing last minute jobs. She went in at 4pm and sat in the cradle for ten minutes as we looked at all the water pouring into the hull hoping that once we were off the cradle, the bilge would keep up. The motor started up with a great plume of black smoke and she reversed out and sped off, very happy to be free from the cradle and parched environment she had been in for four months. 

Friday Evening

Launch Day – 28th September

CIRCLE LABOUR WEEKEND IN THE DIARY – OCT 25 > 28TH – MORE DETAILS LATER IN THE WEEK BUT THIS IS SHAPING UP TO BE THE CLASSIC WOODY WEEKEND OF THE SEASON