Tag Archives: Malolo

PERFECT WEATHER, PERFECT WEEKEND FOR WOODEN BOATING

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PERFECT WEATHER, PERFECT WEEKEND FOR WOODEN BOATING

Today’s story is a potpourri from the weekend. A good forecast had a lot of woodys slipping the dock lines and heading out. Some were at Kawau for the sailing activity there and a lot dropped anchor at Rakino Island. 
Because I’m sure I was spotted – I’ll own up to my worst anchoring exhibition in Woody Bay, just couldn’t get it to dig in. Made worse by the number of craft. Gave up and retreated to West Bay- less boats and a better % of woodys at anchor.  BUT – I made a novice mistake – anchored close to a large plastic US import with a petrol genset. I quote the owner “everyone tells me it sounds like a Massey Ferguson tractor “ – IT DID 😦
Experienced a stunning Rakino sunset on Saturday night.

VISITING USA WOODY

Over the last 2 weeks we have had one of the USA’s nicest wooden boating ambassadors – Bob Yaro visiting NZ Aside from being a great guy, Bob has some serious tags to his name – Chairman of the Herreshoff Marine Museum & America’s Cup Hall of Fame in Bristol, Rhode Island.

We had big plans to host Bob and friends aboard Angus Rogers – CENTAURUS for the Mahurangi Regatta but the weather gods dealt to that plan – so Bob’s been lunched on CENTAURUS in Auckland and had a day cruise on Margo and Jamie Hudson’s  – LADY CROSSLEY up in the Bay of Island. The woody web is world wide 🙂

BOB YARO ABOARD CENTAURUS
LADY CROSSLEY – BOI
BOB YARO & JAMIE HUDSON – LADY CROSSLEY

A NEW CLASSIC BOAT IS LAUNCHED – MALOLO 

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THIRD TIME LUCKY 🙂
PROUD DESIGNER – NICK PEAL

A NEW CLASSIC BOAT IS LAUNCHED – MALOLO 

Today woodys you are seeing the future of classic motor boating, MALOLO is best described as a salon style launch, in America they call them Picnic boats.

Having had the privilege of being at the launch last week and getting up close to MALOLO I can report the future looks outstanding. 

Some facts –

• MALOLO was designed by Nick Peal and built at Wayne Olsen’s Horizon Boats yard.

• She is appprox 35’ (10.6m) in length and has a beam of 10.5’ (3.2m).

• Forward motion is from a Yanmar 315hp diesel naturally aspirated engine.

Her owner went to great length to keep her as low tech as possible but there is no shortage of systems to enhance the on-the-water experience.

Her name MALOLO means ‘Rest & Relax’ in Samoan.

Below is a snap shot gallery from the Horizon Boats yard.

Once MALOLO has had all her sea trials and gets thru the xmas / ny period we will revisit for more details.

Now a shout for Wayne Olsen and Horizon Boats – if you like what you see today, Wayne is ready to build one for you.  

WOODEN CLASSICS TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT THE 2025 WHANGAREI MARITIME FESTIVAL – 60+ photos & videos

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WOODEN CLASSICS TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT THE 2025 WHANGAREI MARITIME FESTIVAL

Early Saturday morning I pointed the car north and arrived in Whangārei just in time to catch the soft early light — perfect for photography and well before the dockside crowds arrived.

Whangārei’s Town Basin really is the ideal setting for a maritime festival — easy dock access, great viewing angles, and plenty of nearby cafés and attractions. Add in the buzz of the Saturday markets and you’ve got all the ingredients for a standout event.

Wooden boat numbers were a little down on last year, but a few visiting commercial vessels — including Customs, Pilot boats, fishing craft and a pair of Waka — helped round out the fleet. From a public point of view, it was still an impressive line-up. Given the number of classic boats that have migrated north in recent years, it would be great to see more of the region’s wooden heritage on display next time around.

It was great to catch up with so many familiar faces — clearly the new highway was busy with Aucklanders heading north for the weekend.

All up, a thoroughly enjoyable day. Hopefully today’s photo gallery will inspire a few more of you to make the trip in 2026.

And there is always a few foody pix – hands down the best two seafood fritters ever – one mussel and the star – one whitebait. And a free KOWHAI coffee because she liked my WW t-shirt.

FYI – when I’m at an event I point the camera at what catches my eye , sometimes I miss a few boats but I like to think the photos are more like someone strolling the docks rather than someone trying to capture the whole caboodle 🙂

Malolo

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MALOLO

David Stanaway recently sent in the above photos of the launch Malolo. As seen here hauled out at Dargaville.
David commented that Malolo drew a blank with him re any details on her builder and history – maybe one of the West Coast woodys can enlighten us, come in Zach Matich 🙂
I’m in Thames, so will mooch down to the marina and grab a few photos.
Harold Kidd Input – MALOLO is a common name for boats = ‘flying fish” in generic Pacific languages, the equivalent of Maroro in Maori. I have a splendid oil painting of the fishing launch MARORO AK171 in the Viaduct c1970 which could easily be this launch. H A Richards of Harlston Ave Mt Albert had a MARORO from 1952 to 1957 at least that could be this boat too. I would think she was built about 1950.

Malolo

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MALOLO

I have been invited to some very swish boat launchings over the years but the best invite award would have to go to Max Cumming & R Tangaroa for the invite to the  re-splash of their c.1929 speed boat Malaolo.
Malolo was originally built in Russell, Bay of Island by Francis ‘Nipper’ Arlidge & that is where she will be officially re-launched after a 5 year restoration. The work looks amazing & she has already won the Jens Hansen trophy for best vessel overall at the 2017 NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show at Lake Rotoiti, South Island.
The 5.7m Malolo was originally built to act as a ‘water taxi’ for game fishermen in the B.O.I. There are no photos of the original boat, so the restoration was based on the memories of four old boaties who could remember going out on Malolo.
So woodys has anyone got an old photo album / collection from the B.O.I. that might contain a photo of Malolo?
Well done guys & good luck with the big day. Make sure someone has a camera handy & snaps some photos to share with the woodys.

Malolo 1

 

Malolo 3

Malolo 2

Malolo 4