Tag Archives: Moerangi II

2025 KAWAU ISLAND SPRING SPLASH REGATTA – A WOODY WEEKEND TO REMEMBER – 50+ PHOTOS

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THERE IS A WOODY HIDING IN THERE – SEE BELOW ⬇️
RAINDANCE
KAIKOURA
CENTAURUS
CALLISTO
HGARUNUI
MARIHI
ST CLAIR
TAREE
MEOLA
RONAKI
VOLANTO
KIWARUA
MOANALUA
TUNA

2025 KAWAU ISLAND SPRING SPLASH REGATTA – A WOODY WEEKEND TO REMEMBER – 50+ PHOTOS

Pleased to report that the long weekend’s woody action at Kawau Island was an absolute triumph. Now in its second year, the Spring Splash Regatta — a joint venture between the Kawau Boating Club, Ponsonby Cruising Club, and Waitematawoodys — continues to grow in both size and spirit.

It’s still early days for what’s shaping up to be a great annual tradition, but this year’s event had an unmistakably upbeat, jaunty vibe. Everywhere you looked, people were smiling, swapping yarns, and clearly having a great time afloat and ashore.

I’ll apologise up front for being light on the yacht racing and prize-giving coverage — for reasons I won’t bore you with — but rest assured, the competition and camaraderie were both in full swing.

Sunday’s Woodys Classic Parade was the visual highlight of the weekend, showcasing a handsome flotilla of 17 classic launches for all those anchored in Bon Accord Harbour and watching from waterfront properties. Aside from a brief 10-minute burst of H₂O at the start, the weather came right and the parade looked spectacular.

A big thank you to the classic skippers and crews who took part — your efforts made for a great show.

Helming a boat among moored craft while trying to take photos is a fine line between “challenging” and “slightly reckless,” so I’m especially grateful to Dean Watchlin, Murray Deeble and Richard Bicknell for sharing their superb photos from the weekend.

Enjoy today’s gallery — loosely divided into two parts: the weekend’s happenings and the Sunday Parade. Sorry if the cameras missed your boat – some joined the parade midway and some departed midway. The crew of KAIKOURA below, correctly attired for the occasion 🙂

2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH PARADE 130+ PHOTOS 

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My GIRL
MEOLA
Launch Parade

2024 MAHURANGI REGATTA – CLASSIC WOODY LAUNCH PARADE 130+ PHOTOS 

As regular readers of the waitematawoodys site know the last weekend of January is always a biggie on the wooden boating calendar. The Mahurangi Cruising Club year-on-year pull off the biggest wooden boating event in New Zealand – {the} Mahurangi Regatta. If you type that into the WW search box your day will be ruined – hundreds of classic wooden boating photos.

I’ll apologise upfront for the lack of sailing photos – these days there are a lot of other happy-snappers recording the racing – when and if I get photos or links, I’ll add them to the story. 

It was a sub 24hr up and back trip to Mahurangi – I had an important family event that I have been dodging for years, and this year the message was – “be here” 🙂

I came away from Mahurangi feeling very upbeat for the health of the classic wooden motor boat movement – there was in excess of 50 classic woodys in the Mahurangi Harbour and from that fleet 32 skippers participated in the classic woody launch parade. A record turnout, so I say thank you those that took part and specially those that dressed their craft.

I was particularly heartened to see the return of several craft that had drifted away from the scene due to relocations, long tern refits and frustration with the community. Of note was Florance Dawn, Kumi and Raiona.

People linked to the supposedly organisation of the the parade (I’m not talking about the MCC) need to wake up to the contribution that the classic launches make to the event – 50+ craft is a mighty powerful visual vista. So fingers crossed the housekeeping improves to ensure the loyalist keep turning up.

After the speed bumps at the start, the parade got underway and a good time was had by the skippers, crews and spectators afloat and ashore at Sullivans Bay.

Enjoy the gallery of photos – some (most) boats appear twice, some I’m sure missed the camera, can’t be everywhere:-) Thanks to Steve Horsley for the photo of Raindance and Murray Deeble for the race start photo.

As always click on photos to enlarge 😉

A reward – first woody to tell me which boat in the above photos has the largest WW flag – wins a normal size WW burgee – enter at waitematawoodys@gmail.com

CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISING THE HAURAKI GULF – SUMMER 2023/24

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CLASSIC WOODYS CRUISING THE HAURAKI GULF – SUMMER 2023/24

Now todays post is the one you have been waiting on – the classic wooden (mostly) craft that I spotted around the Hauraki Gulf over the Dec 27 > Jan 5th period.

Probably the best turn out of woodys that I have seen – seems it just wasn’t me suffering from cabin fever 🙂

As always some photos are good, some not so good – direction of sun and distance dictates that. Mostly I’m taking photos as a visual account.

Enjoy the gallery – broken into locations – I have endeavoured to list the craft in the tagged section.

AS ALWAYS CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

If you have any good photos, send them in to waitematawoodys@gmail.com

RAKINO ISLAND

KAWAU ISLAND

WAIHEKE ISLAND

OUT & ABOUT – on route