SUZI Q > EMILY M – Could Be A Perfect Lake Day Boat
The 27’ 1960 built launch – Emily M recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald).
Her owner believes she was built by Lanes of Totara North, but we all know how frequently that name is attached to wooden craft 🙂
Forward motion is via a 80hp Ford diesel. Looks like she needs some TLC to the interior but a very salty looking craft that could easily be returned to looking smart again.
In a previous life she was named Suzi Q and worked as a commercial snapper long-liner out of Whangamata in the 1970’s.
Recently I was sent the above photo by John Dawson who recalls it popped up on fb 2>3 years ago.
In the photo the launch is moored in Totara North, Whangaroa Harbour, you can just see the Whangaroa Wharf across the bay.
John was asking for confirmation of a comment that Harold Kidd made at the time that the launch was probably the Lanes built – Mapu, if so she is still in ownership by the Lane family – a search on WW reveals a June 2013 story that confirms Harolds thoughts re the design and ownership – link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/06/22/mapu-2/
FYI – HDK has a 95% success rate – just ahead of Nathan Herbert and a lot ahead of me 🙂
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Todays woody is / was a recent work boat operating out of Tauranga. I understand she was running fishing charters.
I believe the builder is said to be Lanes 1927 (I know…. Aren’t they all) 31’ in length with a beam of 9’6”. Forward motion is via a Ford 60hp diesel engine.
And that woodys is all we know about her.
Can we uncover more on Rosemary, there is nice hull hiding under the ‘recent’ additions 🙂
INPUT EX Mitchell Hutchings – This Rosemary, and there are several, worked for some years out of Sandspit running ‘Rosemary Fishing Charters’ under the friendly and able ownership of Brian and Jocelyn Jones, with a short period during which a new owner took over. Last year Brian and Jocelyn moved to Kerikeri with the vessel and I believe she is for sale. Brian has some information on her previous life. She was in survey for some years, and I know the hull was glassed a number of years ago. I took these photos when she was hauled out at Sandspit in 2019 for some work.
NEW COLOUR WAY – limited run 1. One size fits all 2.100% canvas-cotton, 6 panel, adjustable brass clasp 3. Colour is Camel with dark brown embroidered logo. 4. Tonal under peak lining.
29-03-2024 UPDATE – Thetis has a new owner and already she has returned (via road) to Auckland and there are plans afoot to restore her to her former glory. We will keep you updated. Check out the photo below on the hard, she looks just so smart and fast just sitting on there on the stands 🙂
The Classic Yachting World Has Gone Doolally
Reading the latest issue of ClassicBoat magazine, I see they are reporting that glassfibre classics will soon be seen on the Mediterranean classic yacht racing circuit.
The CIM (Comite International de la Mediterranee du Yachting Classique) have made the call to accept glassfibre classics on the racecourse. Refer below extract from CB for more details.
Given the size of the yacht fleets turning up for NZ Classic Yacht Association races these days, they will be following suit and probably let 8Y8’s into the fold 🙂
The 1953 Lane built woody – Ngapuhi started life as a towing launch for Lane & Sons (Timber Millers) at their premises in Totara North, Whangaoa Harbour. Originally named Waihou. Purchased by Northland Port Corporation in 1963 her name was changed to Ngapuhi & she served as the pilot boat for the Whangarei Harbour Board for 35 years.
Brief over view – 45’5″ in length, 12’ beam and draws 3’6”. Kauri carvel planked. Powered by twin Gardner 6LXBM52- 127hp that has her governed at 11 knots max speed.
Given her ex commercial work and being in survey Ngapuhi is very well spec’ed.
Other than the occasional cruise to Auckland and the outer islands, home has been the Far North.
Fast forward to mid 2022, sees Ngapuhi residing in Auckland and getting a birthday – like a lot of ex work boats there was a degree of deferred maintenance that her new owners are addressing. The new paint job is rather swish. Looking forward to her joining in on some of the woody events coming up this summer.
Photos below per-purchase at Opua
UPDATE 18-08-2022 – Ex Ray Morey – Ngapuhi ex Waihoa was designed and built by Brian Lane himself at the old Lane property in Totara North. Original engines were a handed pair of GM 4-71 @ 115 hp. N.H.B replaced these with Detroit 4-71N series engines after several years of service.
The 45’ (49’ overall) bridge-decker – Thetis was built in 1955 by Lanes on the Tamaki River, Auckland. Built from single skin/fore and aft kauri planking, her beam is 13’ and she draws 4’.
Twin Greymarine 6 cyl. (1960) 120hp diesel engines give Thetis a comfortable cruising speed of 8+ knots.
Thetis is an exceptionally well built launch and is presented in near original fit-out, which is always a good sign that the designer / builder got it first time. Her subsequent owners have chosen to maintain her as intended and with some modern upgrades, followed by routine maintenance she will continue to be one of the most admired woodys in our classic fleet.
I say this about very few classic boats – but Thetis is one of those boats that attracts admirers both at anchor and as you can see from the above photos – even when she’s hauled out.
INPUT FROM OWNER – The print below of Thetis in turbulant water was the work of a retired Hollywood artist, rather effective Most wives would say they were glad not to be aboard that day!
Matanui was built by Lanes, Picton in 1923 and for a launch that will celebrate its 100th birthday next year she has travelled to life with very few alterations / additions. In the interests of comfort at some stage a dog-house has been added to the rear cockpit, which was enlarged at the same time.
Stepping aboard there are numerous original fittings, including the antique Simpson toilet.
Lanes built Matanui using 1 1/4” full length kauri planks, ribs 6” apart and pohutukawa stem. Her cabin top is American redwood t&g and the wheelhouse mahogany.
Matanui is one of those boats that attracts admirers anywhere, at anchor and even when she’s hauled out.
Matanui measures 42’x11’6” x4’8” and is powered by a 130hp Ford Dover 6cyl Diesel engine fitted reconditioned in 1990. At the same time she underwent a significant refit.
Matanui is a British Registered Ship and during WWII was purchased by the NZ Navy and taken to the Soloman Islands for patrol work, she sports a Lewis gun on her foredeck and depth-charges from the stern.
For the last 40 years Matanui has remained in or contacted to the same family. Check out the ER Lane hand written specification sheets below.
LANAI Back in early December 2021 Dean Wright spotted the 1949, Lanes built launch – Lanai hauled out at Rangitane, where she she had been for a little while, getting some love.Lanai first appeared on WW back in July 2014 and that story was updated in Sept 2016 with new photos – link here to the story https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/07/04/lanai/ Lots of photos and debate to ingest.
I have to say she looks very kosher without the hothouse 😉
THE LAUNCH MIDNIGHT II AND THE CHAMBERLIIN FAMILY OF PONUI ISLAND I received an email last week from Ross Dawson, a passionate woody fan, Ross resides in Kawakawa Bay and let me know that he had just visited Peter Chamberlin in a retirement home and he kindly gave permission for Ross to take a few copies of photos in his family photo album. Peter’s son David now manages the family farm at Motunau (the South end of Ponui Island). The launch – Midnight lI according to notes in Peter Chamberlin’s photo album, was a petrol powered launch built for Peter’s father Fred (son of Charles jnr) by Lanes in 1928 and was sold to Ian Chamberlin in 1950, when Fred took delivery of the Colin Wild built diesel launch – Motunau. WW would love to learn more about Midnight II and what became of her.This weekend I will share the story of – Midnight, the Chamberlin’s yacht. Before we finish today – Ross has a hobby horse he would like to exercise 🙂 I’ll let Ross tell the story “I want to comment on, what seems to be a common theme whereby Aucklanders from the earliest colonial times right up to the present day, seem to think that privately-owned Gulf islands are a legitimate place to wander at will, help one’s self to whatever is lying around, and to depart leaving behind much more than one’s footprints! The old newspaper articles surprised me that petty theft, and not so petty theft was perhaps as common in 1800’s as it is today.
The first items I noticed, up to about 1900, were advertisements promising rewards for “information leading to the prosecution of persons who had stolen large quantities of standing and cut wood”…probably tea tree I am guessing. ( Auckland used huge quantities of firewood for domestic heating & cooking in colonial times)
From about 1900 for perhaps 30 years, the adverts changed to dire threats of prosecution for dastardly scow operators helping themselves to beach shingle. (Ted Ashby’s book “Phantom Fleet” gives a good explanation of illegal shingle extraction)
Other newspaper public notices refer to other problems of shooting of pigs and farm stock. It seems the Chamberlin families might have been justified in having jaundiced views about their mainland neighbours, and it is surprising that they have managed to maintain a reputation of being gracious hosts to visitors and willing helpers to boatees in need of rescue.
Even today, they deserve better from the wider Auckland public. As a long time yachtsman myself, often anchoring in Ponui’s many bays, I am sometimes horrified by the casual way boating people feel it okay to roam over the island, sometimes even with their dogs. Some even think it okay to browse around the farm buildings…do they actually think Ponui is public estate?
And while I am on a rant, where do all the plastic bait bags littering the beaches come from…not accidental discharges from Auckland storm water drains! A great stain on the reputation of the majority of well behaved boating community. My heart goes out to the Island owners who also pay eye-watering land rates to a City Council that does very little by way of public services which we take for granted on the mainland.”
Update ex Ross Dawson – he meant to add – “No criticism intended”
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