Tag Archives: Marinus

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH MARINUS RE-LAUNCHED

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CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH MARINUS RE-LAUNCHED

Back in May we started following the haul out of the 1946 classic woody – MARINUS, at the Slipway Milford. Link here to that story https://waitematawoodys.com/2025/05/16/classic-wooden-launch-marinus-gets-a-birthday/

The brief was for a Jason Prew Paint Job and to overhaul her running gear (driveshaft, props etc), well as is almost always the case the shopping list grows and approx. 9 weeks later MARINUS was re-launched yesterday.

The most visible highlights being her new colour and the removal of the 2 lower portholes.

MARINUS has a rather nice interior which we featured back in April 2023- link below https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/04/17/marinus-a-peek-down-below/

Quick overview – Designed by A. Deeming, built by Barr Brown, 46’x12’4”x4’ , and powered by twin Cummins 85hp diesel engines.

(photo below showing the ‘old’ porthole placement)

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – MARINUS GETS A BIRTHDAY

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APRIL 2023

CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – MARINUS GETS A BIRTHDAY

Back in April 2023 we got to have a gander down below on the 1946 classic wooden launch – MARINUS. A link to that story below. As you will see MARINUS has one of the smartest looking interior in the woody fleet. https://waitematawoodys.com/2023/04/17/marinus-a-peek-down-below/

46’ in length she was designed by A Deeming and built by Barr Brown in Wellington.

In late April when helping relaunch Angus Rogers CENTAURUS, MARINUS was the next up the slipway.

Lots of TLC happening but the two projects that meet with my approval are:

1. The two lower portholes have been removed

2. The chosen colour of her Jason Prew Paint Job (JPPJ) – we kiwis are very boring in our chosen hull colours eg white>>>>>

You only have to look at the classic wooden boating movement in the USA for inspiration – well done to the owner for making the call.

And there’s another woody hauled out on the #3 slipway thats going to sport a splash of colour – details soon.

MILFORD MARINA MOOCHING

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MILFORD MARINA MOOCHING

Given all the recent upgrades in the marina it seems wrong to refer to it as Milford Creek. Maybe the areas now fitting of the name that some of the mud berth dwellers use – ‘Wairau Cove’.

I spent some time there yesterday helping with the relaunch of Angus Rogers 1968 Bailey & Son built launch – CENTAURUS that had been out at the Slipway Milford railway slip for some TLC and a JPPJ (Jason Prew Paint Job) – a minor opps – flat batteries………. meant a delayed start, so plenty of time to pull the camera (phone) out. A 3.5m tide equalled a lot of activity at the Slipway and the adjacent Milford Cruising Club hard stand.

The standard of the woodys in the marina seems to be improving in the last few years , probably a combination of the new bridge , upgraded MCC yard and the big crew working at the Slipway Milford. 

Nice to see that the small berths along the roadside have almost exclusively been taken over by the Pied Piper fleet. The MCC yard was home to some out for early winter TLC.

I won’t disclose how many berthing attempts we had back at CENTAURUS’s marina but while Angus blamed the out going tide and wind – me thinks the new JPPJ was the reason i.e. skipper was a tad gun shy and didn’t want to mark the boat on the first outing 😉

MARINUS – A Peek Down Below 

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MARINUS – A Peek Down Below 

The 46’ launch Marinus was designed by A. Deeming and built by Barr Brown (Wellington) in 1946. Over the years she has undone several rebirths, starting as a bridge decker and the most recent one has in her owners words “converted it into a modern style displacement cruiser’. Lots of time and $$ have been spent on her and she presents these days as a high-end wooden launch.

The level of the work and presentation probably helping her be the fastest selling woody in the last 12 months – less than a week on the market.

Some specs- 46’ x 12’4’ x 4’ – her hull is heart kauri, carvel planked and in the 2019 refit play/glass has been utilised. Marinus is powered by twin Cummins 85hp Diesel engines.

As sold she was very highly spec’ed and in my eyes excellent value for a vessel her size.

Lots of photos and chat on this previous WW story – https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/12/12/marinus-where-is-she/

Classic Woody Summer Cruising – A Game Of Two Halves

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WOODYS AFLOAT

Classic Woody Summer Cruising – A Game Of Two Halves

Happy New Year Woodys – WW is back ‘live’ so no more oops boating photos 🙂

On Saturday when I was reviewing and editing the above photos I struggled to believe that we had a xmas/ny cruise, but as they say the truth is in the photos 🙂

I decided to break todays story into two parts:

1. Raindance related

2. Woodys Out & About 

Mostly from my camera but assisted by Barbara Cooke (Bay of Islands), Mark Edmonds (Waiheke), Russell Ward, Jason Prew (upper harbour) and Alan Gilder (Woody Bay Rakino)

Raindance’s cruise / tiki tour mainly consisted of bouncing between Rakino Island and Waiheke Island. Left on 27 Dec and the weather was just stunning with crystal clear, warm water. On 01 Jan the forecast was starting to look very average and most concerning was all 3 weather platforms that I follow were saying the same thing. So early morning on 02 Jan we made the call to up anchor and head home. Turns out that was a good call because for the next 5+ days if it wasn’t raining it was drizzling non-stop + ugly seas and high winds.

So woodys the second half of our planned cruise was sent at home enjoying good food, wine, movies and watching almost every wooden / classic boating video on YouTube.

Very grateful we had 6 days of great weather before we pulled the pin. As an old salt told me once – when it comes to happy family boating – better to have a handful of fabulous days than an abundance of average days – very sage advise.

Enjoy the gallery.

UPCOMING ON-THE-WATER WOODY EVENTS

Circle the calendar:

28 January – Mahurangi Regatta launch parade – more details closer to the day

25 February – Stillwater Picnic + Dockside Raft-Up – more details closer to the day

Marinus – In the 1950>60 Period

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MARINUS – In the 1950>60 Period
Back in December 2020 we featured a great insight into the launch Marinus and how she was ‘rescued’ from Great Barrier Island and became the mule for an avant-garde refit.

At the time Harold Kidd commented that Marinus was owned for many years by Keith Lackey of Wellington. She was built by Barr-Brown, Owen and Stewart and launched in 1947. Her first engines were twin 6 cyl Gray petrol. According to Lloyds she was designed by A.M. Deeming.

Now thanks to Mark Erskine, who came across the above photos on the www, we get to sre her in the 1950’s > 1960’s period. Mark commented that bearing in mind her launching after W.W II, “for commercial work in Cook Strait” it’s hard to know if these photos show Marinus as she was built / launched, because her design looks to to be more a large, spacious pleasure craft, rather than a commercial / work boat of some description.


View the previous WW story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/12/12/marinus-where-is-she/

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