Tag Archives: Magic

A Recount Of Our Classic Wooden Craft DNA 

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Grace under sail
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A Recount Of Our Classic Wooden Craft DNA 

Recently I was sent a link to an article that appeared in the New Zealand Geographic magazine back in 2000 – in fact issue 45 , Jan-March. The article was headlined – GRACE UNDER FIRE, written by Vaughan Yarwood with supporting photos from the late Henry Winkelmann and more recent photos ex Hamish Ross and Paul Gillbert.

The stars of the article is the 42’ 1908 Logan built gaff rigged cutter – Rawene, and her then skipper Russell Brooke.

This is a brilliant insight into the early days of boating in and around Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour, I’m sure there will be some mix ups re dates, skipper/craft names but overall we get to see and read the history of these magnificent craft, a lot of which are still sailing today.

Have a read, its only 10>15 minutes, longer if if you linger over the photos 🙂  – even a die-hard motorboat owner like myself found it a fascinating read.

Magic

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PRE – RESTORATION

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THE RESTORATION

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JOB DONE

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MAGIC

Recently I was contacted by Phil Shaw who has completed an amazing restoration on his Healey speed boat – Magic. Like many I’m sure, I was not aware that the founder of the Austin Healy sports car marque – Donald Healey (British racing car driver and engineering guru), back in 1956 had also founded a subsidiary company – Healey Marine. The company produced approximately 1750 craft, with Phil’s 1956, 14’6″ boat, a Healey Ski-master, being the first model built.
When Phil acquired the boat she was crying out for a restoration and as you can see in the photos above, that she received 🙂
 
These days Magic is pushed along by a 50hp outboard that sees her with a top speed of 30 knots, and that woodys is very fast for a sub 15’ mahogany run-about.
 
My biggest challenge with this story was deciding which photos made the cut – Phil photo documented every step of the project, and has a wonderful photo gallery of the restoration.
 
I will let the photos tell the story. Below is a an article in the April 2002 issue of the Healey Marque Magazine.

REMEMBER TO RSVP FOR THE WOODY CLEVEDON TRIP – 15 BOATS ALREADY ON THE LIST + FRESH CLEVEDON COAST OYSTERS

RSVP TO   waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Woody Classics Weekend Clevedon #2 copy

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Magic

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MAGIC

Magic is a rare boat in NZ coming from the Havorsen stable in Australia, these craft have a big cult following in Australia & normally sport a lot of varnish.
Just how & when Magic made the trip to NZ I don’t know. What I do know is that she was built in 1976, is 43’in length & powered by a single 120hp Ford diesel (her original). This set up sees her burning just 8 -9 litres an hour at a cruise speed of 7-8 knots.
She is well set up for extended cruising & currently listed on trademe (but sold subject to survey) for $129k ono, in my eyes not a bad price for a lot of boat. A serious sessions with a sander & a tin of varnish & she would be a very smart spirit of tradition classic launch. Current home port is Whitianga.
Read / view the story of the Havorsen boating building empire here