Tag Archives: Lake Rotoiti

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)

Lake Rotoiti Mystery Boat – 1914

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Lake Rotoiti Mystery Boat – 1914
The above photo is ex Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection and comes to us via Maurice Sharp. The photo is tagged ‘Boarding a boat on Lake Rotoiti, 1914’ – possibly the photographer is Frank Herbert Stevens.

It a big ask, but can we ID the launch?If someone can give us the name, I’ll drop a copy of the 20121 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Calendar to the first correct entry. Enter in the WW comments section.I have included an enlarge version of the photo below.

Input ex Paul Drake  – KINGFISHER? Later at Taupo? Photo below. Paul commented that there is a porthole missing, but look at the steering wheel and chains etc. And rubbing strake. Could be the same boat but could just be a close relation.

Ruru

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RURU
I spotted the launch Ruru at the recent Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Parade, it would have been hard to miss her – she is such a perfect lake boat. The name Ruru has several meanings in Maori but the most common one is – the name for NZ’s native Morepork bird. On her stern it lists her home as Tapuaekura, which is a bay found on the southern shores of Lake Rotoiti. 

The brief sneak peak I had of her interior indicated a very tasteful and age considerate restoration, very original. Her owner is a very passionate classic owner, with several craft on the lake. Would love to learn more of Ruru’s provenance and when she was restored. 

Update – Nathan Herbert to the rescue – he is better than the WW search box 🙂 https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/07/22/ruru/

25-02-2021 Update ex Alan Craig (Craig Marine) – I had a look at RURU for George Joseph last year, its been in his shed for 20 years, George had had it for 60 odd years and previously was owned by someone who owned most of the land between moose lodge and the Marae. The Austin trident engine got taken out 20 years ago and never made it back in and got as far as the end of the shed! until now obviously. She’s a nice looking boat, 19′ long, mahogany hull and kauri top. Couldn’t find a builder’s plate but guessed it’s around 1930s or 40s? Built well with seam battens and ribs, the planks had hardly moved.
Any idea of the builder is the question…..

SS Dancer

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SS DANCER 
During the recent Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat show I spotted the steam boat – Dancer, her owner and builder John Olsen supplied the following details. 

Dancer is a 30 foot long steam launch, designed by Peter Sewell and built by John and his wife Diana. The engine is a compound twin, designed by A.A Leak and built by John. The boiler is a 3 drum type.designed by Andre Pointon. (Colonial Iron Works) and also built by John apart from welding by a certified welder. In the top photo, the tender on the Aft deck is a folding dinghy, called Kahikitea and mostly built from that timber.


Dancer is equipped for sleeping aboard, with a head compartment and blackwater tank, a small galley with gas cooker, sink, and fridge, and solar panels on the cabin top to provide electric power. The boiler is fired with diesel. Myself I like wood/coal fired but her diesel set up must make life a lot simpler, and we like that 🙂

2021 Lake Rotoiti Classic and Wooden Boat Parade – 175+ photos & videos

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PICNIC

24th LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT PARADE – 175+ PHOTOS & VIDEOS


As promised todays WW story is a doozy, we travelled down to the lake very early on Saturday morning and were hosted by the clubs commodore Dave Wilson and wife Glenys, who own the magnificent 1947 Colin Wild built bridge-decker – Haumoana. The launch is kept at the end of the lawn at their lakeside property (photos below) – More details on Haumoana here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/06/05/haumoana/

Dave lent me is ‘fishing boat’ – the f/glass runabout seen the photo below, to use as a photo boat for the parade – fingers crossed no one got a photo of me at the helm 😉


Close to 80 classic and wooden craft of all shapes and sizes – power, sail, oar and steam participated in the days events – starting with a parade that snakes around the waterfront properties and vantage points. Post parade every one heads off to Wairoa Bay for an old school boating picnic – being lake based, no issue with tides or anchoring, people just nudge up to the shore – perfect for checking out each others woody.

The afternoon activities had something for everyone – adults and kids activities (egg throwing, bucket diving for sweets etc) + lots of cool prizes to be won.Without a doubt its the best organised and executed boating event I have been to – very slick and the bonus – lots of nice friendly people – we like that 🙂


Enjoy the photos. As always – click photos to enlarge 😉 If I missed your boat, sorry but one boat and one camera can only be in so many places at one time  – next year.


Woody Christmas Quiz – Big Prize Draw

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Woody Christmas Quiz – Big Prize Draw
Correctly name the launch in the photo above and you go into the draws to win one of 5 prizes on offer. Entry by email only at waitematawoodys@gmail.com  I have extended the entry cut off to allow more people to participate i.e. not just the early raisers 🙂

Closes Friday 18 Dec 2020 @ 8pm. I will do everything I can to get prizes out b4 xmas, so maybe include your postal address on the email.There has been a name change , so I will take either answer 😉

• A Copy of the book – ‘Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy’ https://destownson.co.nz/

• WW T-shirt

• WW Cap

• A 2021 Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat Calendar zea.rachel@gmail.com

• And the best prize – a bottle of the world famous in Devonport home made tomato sauce – 100 year old family recipe – perfect for the beach BBQ

Order a copy here https://destownson.co.nz/

Seacraft Clinker Dinghy For Christmas

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Seacraft Clinker Dinghy For Christmas

After yesterdays mammoth story on the Patio Bay weekend, today we come down to earth with a woody at the other end of the scale.I have been contacted by Jill & Laurie White looking for the next owner of their 10’6” Seacraft clinker dinghy. The White’s used to own the launch – Siesta, but have moved on and would now like to pair the dinghy up with a woody classic or maybe a lake based woody looking for a cool trout fishing boat. Laurie mentioned it tows and rows beautifully.

The build date is probably c.1960’s and a previous owner told the Whites it was built from Sumatran mahogany. Back in 2014 the dinghy was paired up with the road trailer seen in the photos, also available is a Yamaha 4hp. 


So woodys – looking for a fun boat for the xmas holidays? Use it this summer and then pop it in the shed for a make-over next winter. 
Interested buyers – contact initially via email – waitematawoodys@gmail.com

WIN A LAKE ROTOITI CLASSIC & WOODEN BOAT 2021 CALENDAR


All correct answers go into the draw for a copy of the LRCWB calendar. Drawn 8pm 08-12-20. Enter via email only – waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Q – Which classic yacht won line honours in last weekends CYA race to Patio Bay?
Hint – you might have to read yesterdays story to find the answer 😉

Luana + Patio Bay + Woody Calendar

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LUANA
Luana is a very special woody, in a lot of people eyes, the best looking afloat, sadly these days she calls the Bay of Islands home so we do not get to she in the flesh. Recently woody – Glenn Martin snapped the two yard photos above of Luana hauled out for some TLC at Opua – nice to see you are looking after my boat Rick 🙂 She has made numerous appearances on WW, just type her name in the search box to be wowed, but if you are lazy, this link will give you a gander. Enjoy. https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/04/22/luana/


Woody Weekend at Patio Bay – This Saturday – Be There


If classic wooden boats are part of your life, you will know the significance of the 1st weekend in December – its Patio Bay Weekend – the CYA celebrate the end of the year with yacht and launch racing down to Patio Bay, Waiheke Island. This year we also have a twist to the launch event – included is a ‘Poker Run’ – where entrants collect playing cards at 5 locations on route and later, ashore, play a game of cards to win cool prizes. Post racing, the real fun begins – the best old school boatie BBQ ever happens ashore. Probably 2nd only to Mahurangi Regatta weekend for the number of classic wooden boats anchored in a bay. Also back this years is the cake day competition – two prizes  – looks & taste. If you have just arrived from another plant – click this link to see last years gig.   https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/12/02/classic-wooden-boat-waiheke-island-party-50-woody-photos/

If racing is your thing – check out the CYA events calendar for details. https://classicyacht.org.nz/events/patio-bay-cake-day-race/
If you are a cruiser – just slide down to the bay anytime after 2pm-ish. The BBQ (everything BYO) normally kicks off around 4.30pm. BBQ’s for cooking available ashore. Note: to be eligible for the prizes you must be a paid up member of the CYA. If you are not, don’t let that stop you attending 😉

The Perfect Woody Stocking Stuffer

Every year the Lake Rotoiti Classic & Wooden Boat (Nth Is.) crew produce a very cool calendar showcasing some of the woodys that attended that years event – I have had a sneak peek at the 2021 edition and its very sharp + only $15 – a steal 🙂 Copies available here, but be quick, they sell out every year zea.rachel@gmail.com

Rawene

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RAWENE
When I was catching up with lan Craig re yesterdays story I gave him a wind up re how hopeless he was at keep us updated on the work in his Lake Rotoiti boat yard. Seems the dig in the ribs worked as a few hours later I received the photos above of Rawene, taken from Waikeremoana when Alan went  down in February 2020 for some repairs on Rawene. The boat was hit on her mooring and broke a few ribs.The old photos below are on the wall in the store there.

It has been commented on WW that she was built in 1928 by L.C. Coulthard. Read & see more about her here https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/12/14/rawene-a-peek-down-below/

Lake Rotoiti – Okawa Bay Holiday Camp 

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Screen Shot 2020-04-15 at 7.49.21 PM

Lake Rotoiti – Okawa Bay Holiday Camp 

Today’s photo showcases a classic kiwi boating scene, this time on Lake Rotoiti. Given the appearance of several jet boats and the cars in the background, I would guess the date as the late 1960’s.
Anyone able to pin the date down and also ID the woodys seen middle right side of the photo.
During the CV-19 lock-down I spotted the photo below of KZ-7, New Zealand’s first tilt at uplifting the Americas Cup in Perth. The boat on the trailer was actually a life-size model that toured the country as a part of a fund raising roadshow. I was involved in the marketing of the challenge back then, hell 30+ years ago. The photo prompted me to find a model I had of KZ-7. No kneels on show as it was all very hush hush back then.
As part of the campaign there was an extensive range of branded merchandise the public could buy to support the team, everything from t-shirts to replica solid silver cups. Now you would have thought apparel would have been the #1 seller but no woodys, biggest selling item was branded tea-spoons. Seems there was (might still be?) this worldwide group of people that collected tea-spoons, didn’t matter what was on it – just had to have the newest one to add to their collection.
K7
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