MYSTERY MILFORD LAUNCH
Whilst taking in the photo gallery on display at last weeks Milford Cruising Club’s 100th anniversary I photographed several launches. In the top photo todays craft is seen entering the Wairau Creek and the photo is dated 1919. No one will be around that would have seen the launch but maybe someone is familiar with the photos and can put a name to her.
AND WE HAVE ANOTHER CONTESTANT IN THE CRAFT THAT SHOULD BE A HOUSE AWARD – words fail me, but someone loves it 🙂
MYSTERY MILFORD CREEK YACHT
One of the many photos on display over the weekend at the Milford Cruising Clubs 100th birthday celebrations is the one shown above of the stunning yacht. The photo is captioned ‘Yacht at Milford Estuary 192?’ So that doesn’t really help us much 🙂
The photo caught the eye of both Harold Kidd and myself, but drew a blank. Our best was 22>24’ in length .
So woodys can we ID the yacht? WW burgee to the first woody that puts a correct name / builder to her – subject to HDK giving his ‘could be – sign off 🙂
AND WOODYS THE MCC PHOTO EXHIBITION IS STILL ON TODAY – 10AM > 4PM AT 24 CRAIG ROAD , MILFORD
MILFORD CRUISING CLUB 100TH BIRTHDAY 1923 > 2023
Rather a big weekend in and around the Milford Creek – the Milford Cruising Club is celebrating its 100th anniversary this weekend. I would have lost money on that – for some reason I wasn’t aware there had been woodys sliding in and out of the creek for that many years.
Yesterday I joined a group of past commodores, life members, patrons and quests for afternoon tea – so many familiar faces . Clubs need to do more of this, the collective age in the room would have been seriously high, and sadly the numbers are dropping.
Todays photos are to give you a snap shot of the amazing photo gallery that has been pulled together recording the clubs history – the club rooms are open Sat & Sunday from 10am > 4pm for anyone and everyone to visit and experience the exhibition.
Also today at 2pm there will be parade of vessels out of the marina , down the creek and along Milford Beach.
Clubroom address is 24 Craig Rd. Milford
Winter Woody Yard Report #2
Several coming and goings mid-week – Raindance slid down the railway at the Slipway Milford. And then she passed Castaway being ‘assisted’ to the Slipway to take Raindance’s vacated spot. Probably the fastest Castaway has moved in a while 🙂 Video of Raindance ex WW cadet reporter Luca Beachman. Now if some of you are thinking – “didn’t Raindance have a paint job less than two years ago” – yes you are correct. I could say that Jason Prew and myself were never 100% happy with the colour – Snow White’ on a classic woody and that the new ‘ Mediterranean White’ is a better look, while there some truth in that, the old girl suffered some hull damage on the marina in one of the many storms Auckland has had, so that is the real reason 🙂
The last photo is of the 1934, Cox & Filmer built launch – Robyn Gae, getting ready for re-launching at the Te Atatu Boating Club. Very happy to see that she is being cared for – at one stage a ‘beehive’ restoration was on the cards, see WW SOS story link below. Big ups to the new owner of the choice of blue for the coamimgs – big call but it really works and would get the Cameron Pollard tick of approval I’m sure 🙂 https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/06/21/robyn-gae-sos/
MARORO
If you searched the name – Maroro on WW you would uncover a lot of content, it was a popular name once. Todays Maroro is not one of the boats previously featured.
Her story has her as a Bailey design / build, year unknown, approx. 28’ in length and powered by a 50hp Isuzu diesel engine.
In the last 20+ years Maroro has been a resident of both Milford Marina and a swing mooring at Paremoremo Inlet / Creek.
Top photo shows her in her ‘prime’ – following photos taken last week at the Milford Slipway, her new adopted home. Plans are to return her closer to as launched – refer b/w photo below. Note the mast / sail is a yacht alongside, being rescued. The # 511 on her side was her Coastguard number at the time.
Are we able to confirm / add to what we know about Maroro.
IONA II
Todays woody hauled out at the Slipway Milford was a bit of a mystery to me, but a quick google search and – jackpot.
Designed by Bruce Askew and built in 1994 from strip planked wood (+ f/glass’ed) – 36’ x 9’2” x 3’3”. Powered by a 60hp Nissan TD23.
The teak wheelhouse is crying out for some love, I assume it was once oiled.
Calls Milford Creek marina home but a recent arrival from Nelson.
A Woody Stranger Hauled Out – Valsan
Down at the Milford Slipway Milford during the week and spotted a woodys that we do not see much of these days.
The 46’ 1948 Lidgard built launch – Valsan, in for some TLC, including a Jason Prew Paint Job. Valsan has been a regular woody on the site but in recent years with her owner, Ian Nicholson being based off shore we haven’t seen a lot of her.
To my eyes the keel > shaft > prop > rudder set up is a tab unusual – interested in others thoughts.
Links below to WW past stories – the 1st (2013) has a lot of photos and intel.
More on Iona II next week 😉
WW 2013 https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/08/29/valsan-an-ageless-classic/
WW 2013b https://waitematawoodys.com/2013/08/25/valsan-3/
WW 2016 https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/07/12/valsan-4/
WW 2017 https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/04/24/valsan-5/
Update 05-07-2022 1st coat of the shinny stuff goes on
Classic Woody Yard Mooching
Dropped into The Slipway Milford the other day, very pleased to see the 1937, 38’ Sam Ford built launch – Menai, getting some serious TLC after languishing at the CYA’s Heritage Landing for many years, dockside chat was it was a permanent fixture.
As with most things in life, boat ownership goes in cycles and with new owners she is get the attention she deserves. Always nice to see painting prep well executed i.e. back to bare wood – that kauri looks as good as the day Sam Ford fastened it.
I understand a new engine has been installed so the TCL is serious – we like that 🙂
See more on Menai here https://waitematawoodys.com/2020/09/11/menai-a-peek-down-below-2/
While there the 1945 K-Class – Jenanne was getting a Jason Prew Paint Job, the photo is coat one of two top coats, already very slick.
Now a tip on how to get marine engineers to come down to your boat – keep your engine room as ship-shape as the 1965 Owen Woolley built launch – Adonis – the man from the Moon didn’t even have to put his overalls on 🙂
AWARUA RELAUNCHES
The 1947 Lidgard built 36′ launch – Awarua has been hauled out at the Slipway Milford for several months. Her new owner righting some deferred maintenance, enhancing her internal layout to suit ’todays’ expectation re amenities, giving the engine a birthday and getting a JPPJ (Jason Prew paint job).
Awarua slipped back into the water on Saturday morning looking very regal, still a few internal jobs to be ticked off, as there always is. Her owner is a committed woody, this is the 2nd woody in the fleet 🙂
Awarua has appeared on WW numerous times – links below
Milford Boat Yard – 1948
A little bit of a flash back today – in the above gallery we have a mixture of photos which show the yard in several stages e.g. the top two are of what might be a working bee at the club to build the slipway. And another showing the completed yard and ‘workers’ standing around. Not sure about the ‘paddock’ photo, maybe someone can enlighten us on a possible date for this.The photos come to use from the Parsonson family collection via Mitchell Hutchings and are dated 1948.
WIN A WW T-SHIRT
If you think you know the identity of the launch hauled out in the 3rd photo – email your answer to the address below and go in the draw to win a WW t-shirt. Entries close 8pm 20-11-21
waitematawoodys@gmail.com
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