Early this week the 64’ Miller & Tunnage built ex tug / workboat – Albatross V was sold on tme – sure it was ‘as-is-where-is’ and had suffered some water ingress, but seriously $7000 !
Built with 2.5” kauri – the timber alone would give you a return on your spend – check out the specs:
100 Year Old Classic Clinker Back in late 2015 I rail-roaded a good friend into buying a beautiful classic clinker day boat – he lives on Waiheke Island and it was a perfect match for him. WW link to the 2015 story here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/11/21/an-evill-boat/ Well as always seems to happen, life gets in the way of hobbies and the old girl just isn’t being used – so the decisions been made to pass her on to her next caretaker.
As her owner is a far better wordsmith than I am, I have reproduced the trademe listing story below:
“I am reluctantly selling my beautiful 108 year old boat. This clinker built tender/lifeboat is purported to have been built in 1914 likely by one of the Miller Bros (precursor to Miller & Tunnage est 1922) It is claimed to be one of two launched on the back of the tug “Dunedin” on Jan 6th 1914 ( see photo) 14′ length. 6′ beam. The craftsmen in Port Chalmers, where some of the finest boat-builders in NZ and their clinker built craft are amongst the most sought after collectibles around.
Powered by a single cylinder 7HP Yanmar Diesel, installed by Miller & Tunnage in 1961. It propels the craft at 6 knots and is extremely economical. Running for hours straight on a cup of diesel. The engine was last serviced in 2019 and has not run since, so it will need some TLC but should be simple to get going again as it’s fool proof. (I have a 1970 BMW D7 marine engine, semi complete with many new parts, i was going to replace the Yanmar with, that I would consider selling separately.)
It was used as a salmon boat in Port Chalmers for 30 years and then spent ten years on Lake Taupo until I bought her 7 years ago.
I used her a fair amount until 2019. The last owner told me he spent $40,000 restoring her and I can believe it. She has teak decks and posts. Huge bronze hinges and a magnificent bronze bilge pump and prop. Brass whistle and controller and anti- aircraft gun cartridge cases as rod holders! The woodwork is good for her age and the bespoke trailer is really solid. She’s a joy on the water and capable of handling any seas in safety. Extremely stable with 4 on board. Like most of its kind she lets in a little water on first entering the sea but takes up rapidly within 24-48 hrs. This is a superb piece of New Zealand seafaring history. I am looking at offers over $7,500 but it is more important to me that she goes to a good home so if you love classic boats and want to own a piece of our boat building heritage then get in touch.”
The 43’ Manurere was built by Miller and Tunnage in Port Chalmers and launched in 1937. She spent her working life cray and cod potting, exclusively in the Dunedin and Stewart Island areas. She is constructed in 1 and ½ inch kauri strip planking with spotted gum frames. Manurere has a 11’ 6″ beam and 5′ draft.
Based in Lyttleton, for the last 18 years, she has been extensively restored during that time. Powered by a 120hp Iveco Fiat. (thanks to Marcus Petraska for the tme listing heads up)
I was recently contacted by Campbell MacLean after he ‘discovered’ the WW stories (links below) on the boat – Koputai. She was built in 1939 by Miller & Tunnage in Port Chalmers for use as a pilot vessel. Her specs are 56’ x 14’6” and she draws 6’5”.
Campbell sent in the above photos he has of Koputai, his grandfather, John Maclean was chief pilot and Harbour Master in Dunedin, and had a bit to do with commissioning of the Koputai in the late 1930’s. The top photo is a painting by C R Carey in 1940. This was on the wall at the MacLean crib (Pilot House #1) at the Spit, Aramoana, and probably gifted to John before he died in 1940.
The 2nd photo is of Koputai in the harbour near Taiaroa Head, opposite the spit. Do link on the above below links – so much material and photos from the past and her conversation to pleasure craft.
The folks at the Kawau Boating Club have advised that due to the uncertainty of the ability to gather due to CV-19 restrictions, the decision has been been made to postpone the event – fingers crossed for a new date this year 🙂
The 40’ Aoroa was built in 1928 by Miller & Tunnage and is kauri carvel planked. She has a beam of 9’11” and draws 3’5”. These days she is powered by a 100 hp Ford diesel, which I would suspect works hard to push a boat of Aoroa size along. But I’m sure I’ll be told its all about gearbox / prop configuration.
Thankfully her tme listing included some old b/w photos (below) from when launched and of the alterations over the years – from these we can see the bones of a very smart woody, that hopefully one day someone will do a top-chop on 🙂
Can we expand more on her past?
Harold Kidd Input – Original owner was J.T. Paul; original engine a 100hp S4 6 cylinder Gray.. Did a trip to Akaroa in 1931. Owned by W.R. Carey of Lyttelton in 1953. VERY handsome vessel.
20-03-2021 Input from David Lackey – Wren Carey, the proprietor of the Kaiapoi Woollen Mills (then a substantial South Island manufacturer) was a friend and business associate of my father, Keith Lackey and, in the 1950s we would we occasionally call in to see him at his property in (I seem to remember) Blackwood Bay, Queen Charlotte Sound. The property was both immense and immaculate, boasting magnificent gardens and even a citrus orchard (which, for those familiar with QC sound, was a rarity if not a miracle. At one end of the beach was a large boatshed in which Mr Carey kept the immaculate Aoroa. Assisted by his caretaker, Mr Carey would launch the ship and take off for a day cruise in the sound, putting her away again in the evening just as nonchalantly as if she were a runabout or dinghy. She was like a piece of chippendale furniture, with glowing topsides and gleaming brightwork. I believe she still had the 6 cylinder Gray Engine which was a point of mutual interest because our Marinus was powered by twin 144hp Graymarine Luggers. Wren Carey was the father of CR (Roger) Carey, the noted Picton builder of many fine commercial and private vessels.
Requests for info on boat on WW can be a lot like paying the pokie machines – you ‘feed’ the machine and pull the handle – sometimes it spins and nothing comes up, most of the time we get a small payout, just enough to keep us motivated to keep playing – then sometimes you hit the jackpot.
Today’s story is a jackpot pay out – starts like this – over the last 5>6 years the 1939, 56′, Miller & Tunnage built – Koputai has popped up on WW and we have been trying uncover more of her history. Back in May 2015 she was for sale and the then owner, the late, Louey Sandiant told us everything you would want to know about the photo + photos. Then in Sept 2020 Keith Foster, who purchased Koputai off Louey contacted WW and supplied some updated photos and a request for any further intel on the boat.
It took a few months but Matt Siddells made contact and advised that his grandfather – Russell Bramwell purchased Koputai as a retired pilot boat and did the conversion to pleasure boat. Matt has very kindly shared the gallery above of photos from the family album. You can see and read more about Koputai at the WW links below
KOTARE – The Most Affordable Waterfront Apartment In Auckland
Over the last few years we have seen a surge in the number of workboat > pleasure boat conversions. Bang for bucks you can end up with a lot of boat.Todays woody Kotare has appeared on WW before, link below.
At 50’ Kotare would be one of the best conversions I have seen and is now offered for sale – owned by a fastidious passionate woody, everything is presented in as perfect condition and is ready to motor off into the sunset or just stay at the marina and enjoy waterfront living.
Miller & Tunnage – Double Ender – Fisher Lassie If you spend as much time as I do stalking wooden boats on-line you will have noticed the growing trend for work boat conversions, you either love them or not – me I’m in the love them camp. We do not know a lot about todays woody, thanks Ian McDonald, other than she was built by Miller and Tunnage in 1922, out of kauri, is 40’ in length, has a 9’ 10” beam and draws 3’7”. A Gardner 3LW 150hp diesel pushes her along at a comfortable cruising speed of 7 knots. Appears to be very well fitted out.
Can anyone put a name to this woody ?
18-11-2020 Input from Mark Erskine – I was interested to read about the above Miller & Tunnage Double Ender. I agree it’s a real nice boat and was interested to read about her Gardner 3LW engine.
Depending on the fuel and governor / rpm settings, the 3LW engines produce between 36 to 53.5HP from their 4.184 litre capacity.
The “Gardner 150” badge on the Miller & Tunnage control panel is for a 6-cylinder 6LXB Gardner (127 to 150HP) or possibly the 8-cylinder 8LXB (150 to 200)
Gardners are great engines and although the whole range are all low on HP for their considerable size, capacity and weight, they all produce a lot of torque at low rpm and are very reliable.
Although 36 to 54 HP seems a bit low for the size of the boat, I’m guessing the 3LW is a good match for a double ender hull because torque turns the prop rather than HP and the 3LW should also be very economical to operate at 7 knots.
24-11-2022 UPDATE ex Steve’s Coffee Cart – Steve sent in the photos below of Fisher Lassie below, hauled out at the Waikawa hard stand. Check out the new look, it is not often we see people ’taking away’ as compared to adding on. Well done to the owner.
Buying or Selling a Classic Boat Without sounding too much like the late Jacinda Ardern (“be kind”) – when people ask me about classic wooden boat ownership, I normally say that owning a woody has a positive effect on your life i.e. you end up forging a life you don’t need to escape from.
So woodys in the interest of your mental well being listed below a sample of some of the boats that are currently berthed at the virtual Wooden Boat Bureau Sales Marina. There are others for sale, some owners request privacy. To read more about the Wooden Boat Bureau – click https://waitematawoodys.com/2019/12/01/wooden-boat-bureau-advice-for-buyers-and-sellers/ The Wooden Boat Bureau is uniquely placed to offer impartial, up-to-date market information and objective advice to both sellers and buyers. So if you are looking for a wooden boat or considering selling – email us at waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Koputai was built in 1939 by Miller & Tunnage in Port Chalmers for use as a pilot vessel. Her specs are 56’ x 14’6” and she draws 6’5”.In the early 1990’s she returned to Miller & Tunnage to be converted to a pleasure boat. The WW link below takes you to her 2015 WW story for extensive details and photos, back then she was offered for sale.
Fast forward 5 years and I have been contacted by Keith Foster who purchased Koputai from Louey Sandiant (deceased). Keith sent in the above photos and like all of us is keen to uncover more on her past. https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/05/03/koputai-sailing-sunday/
waitematawoodys.com #1 for classic wooden boat stories, info, advice & news - updated daily - 14+ million views 