Tag Archives: Lake Rotoiti

MANOWAI – Gets A Visit To The Beauty Shop

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MANOWAI – Gets A Visit To The Beauty Shop

The 32’ Lake Rotoiti based launch –  Manowai has been owned by a string of owners that have lavished time and $$ on her. That we know of, this started around 2003 when boat builder Colin Brown undertook major refit, including new interior. Fast forward to 2015 and Manowai has been relocated to Lake Rotoiti (Nth Island) and spends a year in Craig Marines shed where boat builder Alan Craig undertakes a 12 month refurbishment of her interior & exterior. At the same time she was re-powered with a 4 cyl. 40 hp Lombardini diesel.

Now in 2022 she has just emerged from Alan Craig’s shed after some serious TLC and addressed some issues with the steel screws used in her construction. Links below to previous WW stories – lots of photos and chat.

Manowai’s past is a little cloudy but she was possibly built in 1921 by Bailey & Lowe – would be nice to be able to confirm her provenance. 

2013 WW Story https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/09/19/manowai/

2015 WW Story https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/09/14/manowai-2/

Alberta – A Peek Down Below

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ALBERTA – A Peek Down Below

During my annual jaunt to the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade one of the woodys that always catches my eye is the 28’6” classic launch – Alberta, designed and built in 1913 by HN Burgess in Parnell, Auckland.

I have featured her on WW twice, WW links below, there is lots of older photos and details there.

Now thanks to Ian McDonald and a tme listing we get to see down below.

WW 2014 Story https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/05/30/alberta/

WW 2016 Story https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/08/28/kiakoa-alberta-1923-summer-cruise/

Colleen – Launch Day

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JAN

Boat builder Alan Craig (Craig Marine) sent in todays’ gallery of photos of the Brin Wilson designed launch – Colleen owned by Bill Stevenson. We see her being launched at Lake Tarawera where she still resides today. Appears that there were a few challenges with the lake level.

Colleen is a near sister ship to the other Stevenson family launch – Jan, refer photos below. Jan is maintained in an as new condition, some credit for this goes to Alan who has repainted and varnished the whole boat at different stages.

Also keen to ID the launch that is helping drag her off.

INPUT ex Hamish Moore “I have spoken with Mother on this, Jocelyn Stevenson. Seems you have amended some of the points already. – Typo, Spelling of the family name. ‘Stevenson’

Some info what what Jocelyn can recall;

Colleen was on Lake Rotoiti for a few years prior to been relocated to lake Tarawera, possibly up to 5yrs.

The launching of Colleen shown here could be at Lake Rotoiti and the little Tug boat could well be Sir Williams first boat on Lake Rotoiti, un-confirmed and details of the vessel unknown.

A notable mentioned needs to go to Norm Keane who was a local boat builder that Sir William employed to maintain all the boats, including Jocelyn in Auckland, and his property at Lake Rotoiti and I’d say Colleen while still in the family ownership. If I recall correctly one of your articles in the past may have mentioned Norm Keane.

Last I heard, Colleen has had some work done over the years and some of which was completed by Danny Pearce boatbuilding out of Rotorua. I’ve lost contact with Danny. However we had attempted to head down and cast an eye over Colleen but life just got to busy.

Jan remains in family ownership, by Sir Williams Grand daughter.

It would be fantastic to see some photos and and article on Colleen if you managed to shake down someone who has the knowledge and contact.”

Sea Spray > Helena

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SEA SPRAY > HELENA

Back in Nov 2020 boat builder Alan Craig (Craig Marine) and I were chatting re a 1956, 17’ clinker run-about named Sea Spray that was on tme and claimed to be built by J Logan. A quick call to Harold Kidd confirmed the provenance and Alan acquired Sea Spray on behalf of a client.

More photos here of the boat as purchased https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/11/14/sea-spray/

By Feb 2021 Alan was well into the restoration / refit – photos here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/02/27/jack-logan-would-be-happy/

The yard re-planked the bottom up to water line and rebuilt the whole cabin top and interior. While to some it may appear a lot of effort for a 17′ boat, remember woodys it’s the real deal – a Jack Logan boat.

The project was finished at the end of 2021 and relaunched at Xmas 2021.. Now called Helena, she has been converted to electric, through a steerable pod in place of the rudder. Helena will do a good 10hrs without charging, Alan commented that’s a lot of trips to the Lake Rotoiti hot pools 🙂 I’m told Helena is a quite comfortable boat, even with 4 people aboard.

Her old engine, a 10hp Arona diesel is hopefully going to replace another in a yacht in the far north. 

Haumoana

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HAUMOANA

The 1949 Colin Wild designed and built launch – Haumoana has made several appearances on WW, primarily because its a Col Wild, so it is very special and secondly because its owned by a very nice Lake Rotoiti couple that kindly host us when we are at the lake for the annual Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade. Link below to past story. Haumoana measures 30’x9’5”x4’ and has undergone several refits in her life.

WW link  https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/06/05/haumoana/

One of neat things about WW is when out of the blue you get an email like the one below from Doug Peacock whose father – Chris, once owned Haumoana and kept her at Half Moon Bay marina.

“My parents owned Haumoana from about 1990 through to mid 2000’s. I was showing my father your Waitamata Woodys site last night for two reasons, 1. I’m obsessed with your site it’s really incredible what you are doing telling the stories of all these wonderful boats with so much history, and 2. Because I’d seen there were some new photos of Haumoana on Lake Rotoiti that I wanted to show him.  

Next thing he disappears down stairs for a while and came back with a photo album dedicated to Haumoana. I took a quick few iPhone shots of the photos to share with you, sorry they have a lot of reflection.  He said he has heaps more stuff he couldn’t find last night. 

Anyway I have great memories of summers away on Haumoana and am chuffed that it’s being kept in such great shape by it’s current owners.”

In the last photo above the lad on the left is Doug. Photos below of Haumoana on Lake front Rotoiti.

Tauraka SOS

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2022
2015

TAURAKA SOS – (free to a good home)

Back in Sept 2015 we featured the launch Tauraka on WW, I had photographed the 32′ launch several times at the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade.  Sadly Tauraka has been allowed to deterrent over the last few years, but at ‘free-to-a-good-home’ Tauraka would be a great project. 

Photo sent in by Rob Watt, showing her moored in the Okere Arm of Lake Rotoiti. Owner contact malcolm.mcnicol@gmail.com

Click on this WW link – to see and read more – great insight from Harold Kidd. https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/09/11/tauraka/

Input From Paul Drake – TAURAKA’s story brought back memories of 50 years ago when we got hold of ROMANCE. The photos below of before and after of ROMANCE might inspire some keen young person to give it a go with TAURAKA. 

 Calliope – 19′ Very Rare Chris Craft Runabout

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CALLIOPE  – Chris Craft Runabout

Calliope was built in 1951 and is a rare breed – the Chris Craft company introduced the 19’ RR (Racing Runabout) model in 1948. They were powered by a big block M series engine, as is Calliope with her Hercules 336 cubic inch (5.5L) straight 6, 158hp MGL engine. They were and still are today highly desirable craft, the production ‘hotrods’ of the day. And in their day they were the fastest Chris Craft built. Calliope these days exceeds 70 kph.

Calliope, a two owner boat, was restored in 2006 having spent most of her life on Lake Weston, Connecticut, USA. In 2008 she was judged 2nd in her class at the prestigious Lake Tahoe Wooden Boat Festival.Calliope sits on a brand new alloy tandem trailer.
Imported into NZ by a serious collector who is running out of space so has made the call to pass Calliope onto a new owner.Interested parties, initially to contact waitematawoodys@gmail.com


What Would You Do If You Owned Calliope

You would attend events like this weekends classic and wooden boat parade at Lake Rotoiti (Nth Island) and I’m sure be judged best woody there. So woodys if you are anywhere near Lake Rotoiti this Saturday at 11am, park the car and take in the annual parade – over 75 classic boats will be mooching around the lake. Best viewing spot is the reserve (good parking and grass bank) just down from the Okere Falls Store, State Highway 33. Movie below from the 2021 Parade

Rambler

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RAMBLER

The 24’ Lake Rotoiti based woody – Rambler was built by Joseph Anderson in the Big Omaha Valley near Matakana and launched in 1913. It took 3 years to build the boat and she was one of the first boats to be built with a kauri strip plank construction.   Rambler was used to travel to Auckland as it was easier by boat than by road. After returning from World War 1, George Anderson, Joseph’s son, used Rambler to travel to Kawau Island for cray fishing, trapping possums and hunting deer. These trips also became the delivery for mail and provisions to those living on Kawau.

In the mid 1930’s, Rambler was sold to the local cobbler in Matakana and the boat was used for fishing trips but later was left in the mud in a sorry state. In the 1970’s Rambler was sold and given a major refit including having a top cabin added.

Rambler was discovered in Howick in 2000 and was brought to Lake Rotoiti, Rotorua by her current owners, where she was refitted with a revamped interior, hand made cedar mast, bronze and brass fittings and a number of other improvements. Approx. 1990 her engine was changed from a petrol Chev 4 to a two cylinder 20hp Chinese diesel. This still goes but needs to be replaced. Amazingly Rambler has had only four owners in her 108 year old life, and now is on the market, awaiting her next custodian. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up.

Chris-Craft Runabout – Almost

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Chris-Craft Runabout – Almost

The above ‘woody’ is the latest from the workshop of John Bullivant and is based on a USA Chris-Craft small runabout design. John scaled the model up from 18” to 33” using an old late 1950’s plan. It’s made of balsa with a ply deck, and the hull is f/glassed. It has twin motors and the same smoke and water system he  installed in his models of the W1, Jaguar and Hartley.

Like the Hartley it is built-in bluetooth stereo, lights and engine sound. Runs very nicely and looks quite scale like on the water. Motors are hidden under the rear seat with the air pump and smoke system, and the water pump and batteries are under the hatches in the stern. Below are two YouTube  videos – sound quality average, but you get the idea 🙂 Photos sent in by K Ricketts

Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Parade

Nice to see the north island event getting a good plug in the latest issue of Boating NZ magazine. I provided the photos below to help the lake team get some exposure for the 2022 event – the 25th Anniversary – well worth a trip – details here https://www.woodenboatparade.co.nz

2022 Lake Rotoiti (Nth. Island) Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – Buy This Boat & Be There ……. Maybe

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2022 Lake Rotoiti (Nth. Is.) Classic & Wooden Boat Parade – Buy This Boat & Be There (Maybe)

The above New Zealand built kauri 18’ ex race boat is a project at Murton Timbercraft in Nelson and Peter Murton is looking for someone to takeover funding > ownership of this woody. To quote Peter – ‘finished to any stage’. Originally powered by a 6 cyl. Ford flat-head engine. So woodys buy the boat & get Peter to go into overdrive and maybe…….. you will be winning Best Restoration at the 2022 Lake Rotoiti (North Island) Classic & Wooden Boat Parade. See below for details.

Come And Join One Of New Zealand’s Coolest Boating Events – 4 FEB – WAITANGI WEEKEND 2022

Next year, is the 25th annual boat parade and fun weekend and the Lake Rotoiti crew would love to see as many classic or wooden boats of any type join our parade, and make it the biggest ever. The parade starts in the Okere arm of the lake on Saturday morning. It’s expected that around 100 boats will be on the lake.

Following parading by the bigger boats around Okawa Bay, all boats park up for inspection along the beach at Wairau Bay, where everyone enjoys their picnic while on the beach side reserve the fun and games start. View last years parade at the link below -175+photos.

https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/02/09/2021-lake-rotoiti-classic-and-wooden-boat-parade-175-photos-videos/
So woodys circle Waitangi Weekend 2022 in the diary – it is one of the top 3 classic woody gigs on the boating calendar.

For more information contact secretary, Rachel Jamieson at info@woodenboatperade.co.nz  (or phone 0272812101)