CLASSIC WOODEN BOATS – TAUPO MOOCHING
Most of todays woodys have appeared on WW before but its always nice to see that they are being cared for.
A woody, my lips are sealed, was at the lake doing a recce on a woody there and snapped a few photos for us.
Also today we share a couple of photos from a recent project on CENTAURUS, owner Angus Rogers is a talented DIY’er and after the recent re-power took on upgrading the dash. See below
CLASSIC LOGAN WOODEN LAUNCH – MAXIE – NEEDS SAVING
If we believe her tme story, the classic wooden launch – MAXIE, was built in 1903 by Logan Bros in Auckland. That makes her royalty in the NZ classic boating world – with a starting bid of $10k, someone needs to snap her up quick. Home is Lake Taupo.
What we know from tme is she is 32’ in length, and powered by a 75hp Ford 2701E diesel engine.
Back in 1985 she had some serious work done which included a new engine, new deck and new cabin. The hull is double skin kauri and in sound condition as is the cabin structure. The deck as seen in the photos has rot and is leaking and in need of replacement.
So woodys who is going to step up and take over ownership of this blue blood classic Logan launch.
UPDATE – I asked Harold Kidd if MAXIE was the real deal – answer below “Yes it is. She was built as LIGAR for H H Harris of Pelorus but was sold to the Kennys at Picton then on to Wellington in the early 1920s renamed MAXIE. She was there for many years but has been on Taupo recently.She’s in the Logan book as unknown built for Harris in late 1903.”
INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – Photo below of MAXIE at Paremata Wellington not long after her rebuild and before coming to Taupo – in the 1980’s?
MAXIE
Just when you think you know all the classic wooden boats out there (well at least all the pretty ones) up pops another.
Todays woody comes to us via the USA, boat designer Tad Roberts posted the story of MAXIE on fb.
Tad told us that MAXIE was designed and built by the Logan Brothers 1903. She was rebuilt with a larger deckhouse to the drawings of Bruce Askew in the early 1990’s.
She measures 36’ x 7’ and is built of double-planked kauri.
Power is a 65hp Ford diesel with a 2:1 reduction gear turning 13’x18’ prop, giving her a max speed of 10 knots. Comfortable cruising is 9 knots at 1750 rpm.
I did some sniffing around in the WW back library and discovered that back in Feb 2018 we had a wonderful insight into MAXIE’s past from Greg Noble – lots of details and photos at the WW link below. https://waitematawoodys.com/2018/02/12/mavis/
You’ll sell how todays photo didn’t jog my memory.
So woodys – where is MAXIE these days.
INPUT ex PAUL DRAKE – Lake Taupo. MAXIE has been here for many years. She berths next to ROMANCE and gets a lot of attention from passers-by for all the wrong reasons. She has been neglected for a long time and is covered in lichem (moss) and the rest. Until yesterday. Her owner started a major cleaning job yesterday. She will clean up really well and then she may be for sale. Better days ahead for MAXIE. She deserves it.
INPUT ex HAROLD KIDD – MAXIE was bought by a Wellington buyer and arrived from the Sounds in 1923. She was later put up for sale as Logan-built. Going back to 1903, H.H. Harris of Pelorus ordered a 30ft launch from Logan Bros which was shipped to Picton in October 1903. Harris called her LIGAR. In 1904 he ordered another launch from Logan Bros, a 36 footer which was “similar to MATAREKA”. I am certain he named her LIGAR as well and that she was/is MAXIE. I don’t know who christened her MAXIE, possibly the Kennys. PS MAXIE could have been named after the racehorse Marvin Maxie a leading thoroughbred around 1920. The Kennys were too late on the Picton waterfront scene to have been involved.
MAVIS
Chris Manning sent in the top photo of Mavis, as built by Ernie Lane in Picton in 1919 & advised she is still alive & living in Havelock.
Greg Noble also sent me the above photos of Mavis on a ‘buck’s’ cruise (love that description of a boys trip), the photos come from Greg’s grandad, Perceval Noble, journal.
In a previous WW story on the launch Maxie, in the WW comments section – Gavin Pascoe question if Mavis was the motor launch that took part in the early days racing at the Evans Bay Yacht & Motor Boat Club (1919 onwards), can anyone comment / confirm this?
Check out the below flyer – cool woody events like this are why if you aren’t already, you need to join the Classic Yacht Association. As the Irish say “the craic will be mighty”
MAXIE
MAXIE
Greg Noble sent me the above stunning photos of Maxie; Logan Bros built the launch in 1903. These photos mostly show her in The Sounds. Greg’s granddad owned Maxie through the 1920’s. In recent times, Greg has seen her on Lake Taupo, with topsides reworked by Bruce Askew.
Now here is where the story gets a little unusual – Greg’s interest these days in the launch, is only as a working boat, not a cruiser. He has set his sights on building her anew, with original hull and sheerline, open fore and aft of a small doghouse, somewhere between what she had and that of Matareka 1 (her sister). None of the mod cons, oiled timbers rather than varnished, a tiller rather than a wheel and an electric power train and batteries stored in-line with her keel below waterline. He wants to build her on the grass 10m from the shore and in a very traditional and economic way. He has native timbers at hand: pohutakawa for her prow, keel, stern and gunwales and kauri for her splashboard and fore and aft decks, doghouse and floorboards.
However, Greg wants to have her hull delivered in two pre-made fiberglass pieces which he will fit either side of her spine. The whole job done in 3 months start to finish for two (older) men – Greg, a very hands on architect and his brother, a life long sailor.
Greg is seeking help / advice from the WW brains trust – he would like to talk this built concept through with some of your wiser members. He is thinking of guys who know the timbers well but in particular, needs help in confirming the exact dimensions of her hull – could any original drawings exist? He has sent a message to Bruce Askew who might have measured and drawn her in the early 1990’s. Any advice & leads would be much appreciated.
Input from Greg Noble – “Yes, two boats appeared in Alan’s original article – both sets of photos are from my grand dad’s journal and I thought it opportune to share with WW at the same time. Of the two, the Maxie was my grand dad’s boat (Perceval Noble), my dad often talked of her and my aunt most recently recalled her being mored in the lower reaches of the Hutt River, close to Percy’s home, so she must have crossed the straight many times. Maxie is the sister to Matareka 1, both Logan, 1903. I have looked at her in Taupo and am delighted to see her alive and loved, but also frustrated that she has moved on and gone “up in the world” and is beyond any possibility of a return to her routes a working boat. By way of explanation for what might seem to most – madness, I believe the world is losing control of growth and that we all need to step back and refocus on a what is immediately around us. I find that I cant discuss this without an overwhelming negativity descending on both preacher and listener. So, I have set my mind to doing it – using traditional processes, local materials and skills together with the appropriate modern technologies in a creative and positive way that will serve a regenerating local environment and need. So, for anybody who dares to open the discussion with me, I promise to focus entirely on the creative task ahead, and I will spare you the drudgery of knowing the reasons why. Fingers crossed and thank you the air time”.
16-02-2018 Input from Ray Morey
MAXIE got an 8 page write-up in the “Wooden boat magazine” August 1995 no.125 story by Peter Freeman. There are some beautiful photo’s in there too.
Greg Noble, your concept has been done here where I live in Sth.East Queensland Australia. The boat concerned was built around 1900 and used to tow log rafts and later, log barges before becoming a fishing boat. The owner built an outside skeleton then stripped the inside, all ribs framing and such then used the hull as a female mold and layered up a fibre glass skin. He retained the original backbone, stem-keel deadwood and stern post. The power unit is a 110 hp. Iveco Fiat with 2:1 red. She is ready to go in the water now but the owner has health issues and probably won’t finish her. Photos below
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