Tag Archives: Miller & Tunnage

CLASSIC WOODEN EX WORK BOAT – ALBATROOS V – BROKEN UP

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CLASSIC WOODEN EX WORK BOAT – ALBATROOS V – BROKEN UP

The 64’ Millar& Tunnage ex tugboat – ALBATROSS V last made an appearance on WW back in May 2022 when we reported that after a lengthy time on the market she sold for $7,100.

Over the next few years she would regularly pop up on tme for sale again. I do not know the history behind her but at one stage the starting bid was $1, and no reserve………. Link to the May 2022 story here  https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/18/albatross-v-sold-for-7100/

Recently WW was contacted by Dick Fisher (MV AKARANA), Dick is currently undertaking a major rebuild / refit of the 1934 Chas Bailey & Sons built ex work boat – MELODEON . Link here to WW story. https://waitematawoodys.com/2021/09/25/update-on-melodeon-restoration/
Dick advised that ALBATROSS had been pulled onto the slipway in Port Road, Whangarei for dismantling. A sad ending to what Dick described as a very well built grand old lady.The only upside to her demise was that Dick was able to ‘harvest’ some of her bronze fittings, which will be up-cycled on MELODEON.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW -THE FATE OF THESE CLASSIC CRAFT

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW -THE FATE OF THESE CLASSIC CRAFT

Todays classic wooden launch photos once more come to us from Robyn Kellian via Tobias Forsyth so we can safely assume the location is the Leigh region.  The question today is what’s the background to this series of photos – we have a work (fishing) boat donating her wheelhouse to another classic woody that appears to be a recent pleasure boat refit.

So can any of the Leigh based readers enlighten us on what became of both vessels and put an approx. date to the photos. 

INPUT ex GRAHAM ROWE – The first boat featured (fishing boat 3621) is La Vega. She was built by Millar and Tunnage using Totora planks on Pohutukawa ribs, launched 1965, and fished from Leigh until 25 November 2009 – the last entry in her Log. I know little about her ownership but on her last commercial fishing trip she was crewed by Nick and Jarrod, and hearsay suggests that her owners were two brothers nicknamed ‘Swampy’ and ‘The Animal’ Walker?

Sometime later she was bought to Helensville by Dave Cook and I purchased her from Dave after she had been sitting from 2016 with a non-functioning Mitsubishi 6D-14 engine in 2020. Since then, I have been restoring her. La Vega is 11m LOA, 3.9m beam and draws about 1.2m. She displaces about 11 Tonnes.

The doghouse being removed is possibly to enable an engine replacement. The doghouse shown is the one that was on her when I purchased her, but alas is no more, due to extensive rot. The sliding door however was salvageable and will go back on her in due course.

MYSTERY CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – SIGNATURE (BELUGA)

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MYSTERY CLASSIC WOODEN LAUNCH – SIGNATURE (BELUGA)

Today again thanks for Robyn Kellian and Tobias Forsyth we get to see another launch from the Leigh region. No name is visible but the photo is tagged – Gav Perry. The photo was taken on 31-01-1994.                                                                                                  

The shed / yard appears to be at Whangateau, back when it was a public facility controlled by Russell Ward and used by the local boating community. 

Can we learn more about the vessel, has a slight workboat look to her.

INPUT ex MARK MCLAUGHLIN – This is SIGNATURE (Beluga), a  late Miller and Tunnage build. Featured on WW in November 2016. Lots of details and photos here. https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/11/08/signature-beluga/

CLASSIC SOUTHERN WORKBOAT – ELIZABETH DN.61 – CONVERSION 

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CLASSIC SOUTHERN WORKBOAT – ELIZABETH DN.61 – CONVERSION 

The 36’ 1956 Miller & Tunnage (Port Chalmers) built classic wooden launch – ELIZABETH started life was a work boat, built for E.J. Pile of Moeraki. Her reg # being DN.61 .

From her tme post she was converted to pleasure use in 2000. Post the conversion she has lived on Lake Wanaka (fresh water).

Forward motion is via a 75hp Ford 6 cyl.2715E engine.

Like all southern girls she is well fitted out for comfortable life afloat, including a heater.

If the top photo above is current and with her parentage, its a good buy at 28.5k. Thanks Ian McDonald for the heads up

ONE OF THEM IS DREAMING – 17’ V 40’ WOODY

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ONE OF THEM IS DREAMING – 17’ V 40’ WOODY

An unnamed woody recently sent me a link to a craft on tme with a one line note “wow check this out, you should buy it”.

Well woodys turns out the craft was a 1955 17’ speedboat . Bui;t by someone named ‘Lewis’ and repowered with a 350hp Mercury inboard V8, capable of 90 kph (50 knots). 

Short answer – not for me.

Reading the listing it was all a little OTT eg “Rare vintage boats like this almost never come up for sale”, well thats not correct tme has mutable listings and then this line – “Trade-ins and finance welcome, and transport can be arranged nationwide.”

The nostrils started to twitch , smells like a car dealer…… well reading on turns out it was being sold by a car yard. And with a $40>45k price tag someones been sniffing the fuel tank.

So what’s the real story today – well this listing just illustrates the current divide between classic wooden motorboats and zoom zoom recreational trailer craft. 

For the same $$ you could own the 40’ Miller & Tunnage classic woody below and do laps of NZ.

EX WORK BOAT ARGO – A Peek Down Below

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EX WORK BOAT ARGO – A Peek Down Below

Back in May 2022 we ran a story on the 55’ ex commercial fishing boat – ARGO, that at the time she was berthed at the Kaipara Boating Club (west coast of Nth Is) during an extended (3yr) cruise around New Zealand. Link here WW May 2022 https://waitematawoodys.com/2022/05/22/argo/

Fast forward and she is currently calling Milford (Sth Is) home and has recently popped up on tme (thanks Ian McDonald).

A very tasteful conversation to pleasure use and being built in 1944 by Miller & Tunnage ARGO is more than capable of handling any conditions that Mother Nature might throw at her.

ARGO is powered by a 240hp Caterpillar D334 diesel engine that gives her a comfortable cruising speed around 8.5 knots.

So woodys today we get to have a gander below decks.

CLASSIC WOODEN EX WORKBOAT – FLORENCE

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CLASSIC WOODEN EX WORKBOAT – FLORENCE

Todays woody – FLORENCE, was built in 1895 by Miller & Tunnage and started life as a workboat in Port Chalmers.

A double ender measuring 28’ x 7’8” x 3’ and constructed from heart kauri , carvel planked. Forward motion is via a Yammer 45hp 3JH engine.

FLORENCE last appeared on WW back in May 2016  https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/05/28/florence-5/

Not a lot of details of photos on her tme listing (thanks Ian McDonald) – seller might be best to link to the WW story 😉

Photos below of her in previous configurations 

CLASSIC EX WORKBOAT – WAIRANGI – Then and Now

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CLASSIC EX WORKBOAT – WAIRANGI – Then and Now

The 1933 Miller & Tunnsge built ex workboat – WAIRANGI has made several appearances on WW, links below.

Now franks to a social media story by Rakiura Herzhoff we get to see her in her early configuration. We also learnt that when launched she had twin masts and was powered by a Thornycroft engine.This was replaced c.1948/9 with a Gardner 6L3, which she may still have.

WW October 2014 https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/01/1934-millar-tunnage/

WW March 2016 https://waitematawoodys.com/2016/03/05/wairangi-3/

WW April 2017 https://waitematawoodys.com/2017/04/18/wairangi-4/

MANURERE – A Peek Down Below + 4sale

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MANURERE – A Peek Down Below + 4sale

Back in November 2021 we ran a story on the 43’ ex workboat – MANURERE, at the time we learned that she was designed and built by Miller & Tunnage, Port Chalmers and launched in 1937.Constructed from 1 1/2” kauri planking over spotted gum frames.

In her early days ( see b/w photo below) she fished commercially (cod and crayfish) in the Otago and Stewart Island areas, and later in her life was converted to pleasure use. 

At the time of the 2021 story she was looking for a new custodian.

As I’ve mentioned many times on WW some woodys get lucky in terms of owners, MANURERE is one such boat, over the next 3 years her new owner continued to undertake a rolling refit. In fact when purchased MANURERE was effectively set up as a day-boat, her owner undertook to re-equipped and updated her to be able to undertake passages to isolated areas and provide crew comfort for extended periods. As the photos show MANURERE presents in better than new condition. Roll forward and her owner has made the call to return to a life of sail and have asked {the} Wooden Boat Bureau to find a new owner to take over the vessel.  So woodys best we tell you more about her – 

MANURERE’s hull, engine and ancillary equipment are in very good condition. The interior was recently restored, ‘in keeping’ using native timbers. Powered by a Iveco 120hp marine diesel, she uses about a litre of diesel per nautical mile at 8 knots.  Recently work included the injectors being tuned, new water pump and starter motor and a powered second alternator fitted, upgraded bilge pump and system. Modern electronics fitted including AIS. , 230V power with power points throughout. Smart charger charges the 3 battery banks simultaneously.

MANURERE is rigged with steadying sail, main and mizzen. 2 x 2 speed winches. Anchor operated at wheel house or deck. Life raft, heavy duty Coppin’s drogue, second CQR with spare 50m 10mm chain, EPIRB, VHF etc. Hot and cold pressure water, shower on rear deck. Electric toilet, holding tank and LectrSan sanitation unit (use optional). Gimballed hob in wheel house with barbeque rear deck. Dometic fridge freezer (24v/230V) under wheel house seat. Near new 2.5m RIB with 3.3 Mercury. And being a southern lass she has a diesel heater – we like that 🙂

Whats especially compelling about MANURERE is that she’s ready to use – now. So, if your looking for an exceptionally well built and maintained classic motorboat with plenty of life left in her, to have your own adventures, this might be it. We do not normally include pricing on WW stories but I predict that MANURERE will find a new owner very quickly. Why? Because at $136k she would be the best classic on the market in terms of size, condition and functionality + cool factor.

Interested parties to initially contact waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Ps – If the other 1/2 saw the error of her ways and showed me the door, I would be buying MANURERE in a flash and doing laps of NZ 🙂

Old (2021) photo below to show off her cute rear end…………..

ADA / IDA – Can We Join The Dots

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ADA / IDA – Can We Join The Dots

Recently WW was contacted by Tom Gordon in relation to his boat – ADA that Tom is trying to find out more information – I’ll hand over to Tom below:

“ ADA,  I have been told is one of the 3 kauri hulled boats. The three I believe were built by Miller and Tunnage in the 1920’s however so far I’ve not been able to find out some more finer details in regards to exact build date or archive type photos. I’m looking to repair ADA and re float to maintain some heritage now that I’ve learned some history. 

Sir Clifford Skeggs was an owner and one of his ex workers ‘Squidly’ from Taieri Mouth, Dunedin did own it also. Sadly he has now passed and I’m unsure if Cliff is still alive.

I’m wondering if the vessel – INA in the WW archives (WW link below) is definitely one of the three sisters to ADA. I’ve also heard of the names ROA and IMP,  potentially one of these is the 3rd? “https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/10/11/ida-woody-classics-weekend-stillwater-picnic-cruise-update/

Can we help Tom out with more intel on ADA and potentially the ’sisters’