Tag Archives: Lees Boatbuilders

Mahanui Gets A Refit And Is OFS

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MAHANUI GETS A REFIT AND IS OFS

Just over two years ago I ran a story on WW about the 42’ classic launch – Mahanui and how her ‘owner for life’ had found a new love (another woody) and was offering her for sale. 

I described her as follows “Mahanui is offered in almost as new condition and presents as a hop board and go boating vessel – a snapshot of her package includes – dinghy, outboard, cockpit table and chairs, fenders, cutlery, pots, pans, glassware, tools (particular to the vessel), almost a spare of everything, cushions etc etc.” 

We were beating would be buyers off with a big stick, until along came a family that met the approval of the seller 🙂

In the last two years of ownership the new owners have – upgraded the galley water system, new remote set-up for electric dinghy davit, new tender and outboard, undertaken a refurbishment of the interior (new – upholstery, carpet, blinds and refreshed bright work) and just commissioned a full engine service. So woodys why am I telling you all this – because due to a change of circumstances – her owners have made the hard decision to pass Mahanui onto the next owner. So Mahanui is Offered For Sale.

Mahanui presents in suburb condition and while retaining her distinctive appearance her most recent owners have carefully integrated modern systems and technology to ensure the very latest in comfort and safety.
One of the most livable classics on the Waitemata Harbour, she offers an instantaneous summer cruising solution – grab your togs and toothbrush and you and the family (>8 berths) are boating this summer. And I’ll finish on a scary thought – ONLY 8 WEEKS TILL CHRISTMAS DAY 🙂

View previous WW stories on Mahanui click below https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/12/03/boating-this-xmas-only-18-days-to-buy-mahanui/

For more details on the vessel – in the first instance email waitematawoodys@gmail.com

All I Want For Christmas

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ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

Is another clinker, but not much chance of that – Mrs H doesn’t read WW 🙂

Woody Alan Sexton spotted this very smart dinghy being built in Lees Boatbuilders boat shed. Alan commented that it is not common to see any new dinghy being built from timber these days, let alone clinker construction.
Chatting with Greg Lees he told me it is being built by his foreman, Dale Collins. The 8’ dinghy is based on Roy Parris patterns. When complete she will be for sale – so woodys who is looking of the perfect tender for their woody?
 
To view examples of the stunning work undertaken by Greg and his team – click the link below
 

Build Me Straight – A Wooden Boat Building Film

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https://vimeo.com/94950848

 

Build Me Straight Film

I was sent this video clip (film) by Cameron Pollard of the planning, building & launching of a traditional wooden boat. It is great viewing, but be warned the music is bad 🙂

It is reproduced with the permission of the Scottish Screen Archive & the National Library of Scotland.

Enjoy- it is very good.

And on the same subject, boatbuilding, a wee reminder to CYA members of today’s visit to Lees Boat Builders on-the-water yard at Sandspit. Kicks off at 11.00am, free sausage sizzle. It’s a working boat yard, so wear sensible shoes. See you there.

 

 

Mahanui Refit

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October 2016

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Before

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October 2016

Mahanui Refit

Over winter Angus Rogers (CYA Launch Captain) booked Mahanui into Greg Lees yard at Sandspit for a wee facelift. Mahanui has been a frequent visitor to the surgeons – she was built by Keith Atkinson in 1977 & originally launched as Jacinta II. Eight years ago her then owner changed the name to Mahanui & converted the portofino stern topsides to conventional topsides and added a new duckboard. He also shortened the flying bridge coamings.
Angus purchased Mahanui in February 2012 & in May 2012 she went into Lees Boatyard at Sandspit for a 9 months total refurbishment that included new engines – full details can be found here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/05/10/mahanui-jacinta-ii/

This winter saw the canopy over Mahanui’s cockpit replaced with a permanent structure & the finished article is a perfect fit. But as I have said before, we expect nothing less from the team at Lees Boat Builders. Compare the first two photos above & I think you will agree. Below is a ‘as launched’ photo.

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As launched

The rebirth of Juanita

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The Rebirth of JUANITA
photos Greg Lees & Alan H

Yesterday I was privileged to be asked by Greg Lees to attend the re-launch of the 32′ classic launch Juanita, a 1951 Allan Williams (Milford Creek) built beauty that has  just spent the last 4 months in the Lees Boatbuilder shed at Sandspit. In Greg’s words she was in for a ‘refresh & to bring her back to her original appearance’ – well Mr Lees, I do not think she has ever looked this good before so you have exceeded the brief, but we have come to expect that from the yard. Greg commented that Juanita’s new owners (Nick & Anna Davidson) contribution to the work was huge, every weekend for the 4 month period.

Juanita has had a busy life having called numerious places home – Auckland, Whangarei, Lake Taupo, Whitianga & now Sandspit.

Juanita’s past has been well documented on ww – some links below for details & photos

Juanita

Juanita

I took the photo of her below late last year, moored off Greg’s wharf looking very sad & tired as she awaited her turn in the shed. Arohanui was in-residence at the time mid restoration. One of the reasons Nick chose the Lees yard was the long association the yard & Greg personally has had with Juanita, in fact Greg told me that he once got very close to adding a flybridge to her, luckily that never happened 🙂

Again I’m so pleased to see so many of our classic launches being returned to their finery – so woodys who’s next in the shed?

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Took the opportunity to have a  peek at Karros hauled out & chat to Dave Jackson, with a 14′ beam she is a rather pretty big bottomed old girl 🙂

An Albatross

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An Albatross
photos above & details ex Greg Lees & John Macfarlane (Boating NZ)

Today’s post features Greg Lees restored classic runabout (she has no name), one of a small fleet of these cool British craft in NZ. In their day these we very chic boats, the owners list was a real who’s who – Prince Rainer of Monaco, Prince Phillip, Stirling Moss & even the bombshell Bridget Bardot.

The story starts back in the UK c.1949 when two engineers, Archie Peace & Peter Hives set up a company named ‘Albatross Marine’ to design & build a small runabout, called the Albatross. They had great credentials with Hives the son of a Rolls Royce director & Peace an aeronautics engineer. Post WWII there was no shortage of aluminum so given Peace’s plane background the chosen build material was alloy.
They initially built two versions  – the Mk1 was a 2 seater sports, powered by a marinised Ford 100E side-value Prefect 1172cc engine & the Mk2 which had twin carbs (SU’s) for more zoom. Later on a Mk3 was launched with even more zoom. A 4 seater, called the Continental was also marketed, powered  Mk1= 100E motor, Mk2 = Ford Kent 1500cc 60hp motor. The last 150 built had a 88hp Coventry Climax engine.
Come the 1960’s that evil substance that starts with F & has the word glass at the end was entering the boating scene & even though they tried other models, the company folded in the mid 1960’s.

The Auckland agent was Campbell Motors & they sold approximately a dozen boats, most as hire boats at the Lake Okataina Lodge.(Rotorua) This was not a great success & the fleet was broken up & sold to other hire operators – Hinehopu (Lake Rotoiti), Rotorua & Queenstown.

Now back to Greg Lees , who owns the very classic friendly boat yard Lees Marine at Sandspit. Greg bought his Albatross in 1990 & the Lees family used extensively her for many years. Fast forward to the year 2000, Greg & daughter Rosie (talented lady – search her name on ww) started a full restoration, including rebuilding the 100E engine. The restoration took a few years (12 in fact) & since then the boat has been doing the rounds of the classic wooden boat lake events – both North & South Island Lake Rotoiti.
These boats are highly collectable in the UK with less than 100 left a float. Greg’s business has also completed a restoration on another Albatross for a kiwi classic boating client.
The photos below I took at the 2015 Lake Rotoiti Wooden Boat Parade (Nth Is.), Greg’s Albatross must be the smallest powerboat to fly the RNZYS burgee 🙂

A serious boat shed

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A serious boat shed

Greg Lee’s shed (Lees Boatbuilders) at Sandspit is the real deal, no concrete floor here, the tide comes & goes twice a day. You have to wonder how many tools have been dropped into the tide over the years.

The launch in the shed is CYA member Angus Roger’s ‘Mahanui’, built by Keith Atkinson & originally launched as Jacinta II – photo taken in Jan 2013 while she was getting a 9 month major makeover that included two new Perkins Sabre M135′s with Newage PRM gearboxes. That deep shine on the coamings is ex a tin of Uroxsys.

Their tug boat ‘Karewa’ (a CYA register boat) was built in 1951 by Lidgards for the Department of Works to push barges on the Piako river for the construction of bridges. From there she went to the Tauranga Harbour Board as pilot/survey vessel, finally coming to Warkworth in the early 1980s, where she has been working tirelessly since. In the photos above she along side Steve Horsley’s yacht Ngatira.

In the photos the number 8 on her side I assume is her ‘race’ number from when she won the Parry Trophy (tugboat award) as the Best Presented Survey Commercial Tugboat in the Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta in January 2008.

When I was there in 2011 I spied the very cool ‘Auck Motor Yacht Club’ sign, that should be in a museum – hang on, it is – The Lee’s Museum 🙂