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 🙂
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 🙂
In the early days of WW the 1930, 38′ Lane Motorboat Co. launch – Falcon was all over the WW site. Her then owner James Mobberley (Moon Engines) hardly ever let the engine cool down.
Always a fast boat, James transplanted a 180hp Hino engine into her and she was probably the fastest in the classic fleet e.g. >18 knots.
When you have small children a fast narrowish classic woody is not that practical, so sadly James and family moved on to a big white plastic boat – but he will be back, that I’m confident about.
Falcon passed thru several owners and was starting to show her age on a swing mooring in Whangarei Basin.
Then a good thing happened – one of Moon Engines talented engineers bought Falcon and relocated her back to Auckland. The next year was spent giving Falcon a makeover in terms of her running gear, systems and home comforts – the above photos give us a peek into how things should be done on a boat – still a little bit of tidying up, but a perfect opportunity to view the installation work.
Remember to click on the photos to enlarge 😉
WOODYS PAEROA RIVER RAID
One shows us how its done and another how it comes undone 😉
The 34’ woody – Marlin Mist, was built by Shipbuilders c.1960, she has a beam of 9’6” and draws 3’. Being a Shipbuilders vessel she is built like a brick s house i.e. triple diagonal kauri (glassed over….)
Powered by a Nissan SD33 80hp Diesel engine (Moon Engines) that gives her a comfortable cruising speed of 7 knots.
Owned and restored by a boat builder the quality of the workmanship and level of presentation is faultless. Thanks to Ian McDonald for the tme heads up.
Can we expand on her past life?
Check out this very cool NZ maritime auction – closes Tuesday, some great items. Jason Prew and I are are bidding for the item below – just whats needed to bring some sense to the CYA committe re the Heritage Basin saga……..
Now if you are not afloat today and your feeling sheepish about the the numerous classic launches that you thought about buying in lock-down and never did – and you have just missed out on another Mahurangi Regatta – today is your day 🙂
Built c.1928, rumoured to be by Collings & Bell, Lady Ngaio is 28’ in length with a 7’4” beam. Back in 2000 Moon Engines re-powered her with a 90hp Ford Diesel engine, so she should have good turn of speed. The launch has been very lucky to have remained in the same family for the last 30 years, this constant ownership is reflected in her presentation.
Another woody spotted at Tutukaka Marina by Dean Wright -anyone able to tell us more about Lady Jess?
Input ex Scott Macindoe –
“Lady Jess was commissioned by an Auckland commercial fisherman, Gus Viskovic as a snapper longliner in 1961. She was designed and built by John Gladden at Milford Marina. The kauri came from half of a tree milled in the Coromandel. The hull is carvel planked. The planks are full-length, 32mm. Some demolition kauri from a church in Hamilton was also used in the bulkheads.
Not long after launching, the boat was sold and moved to Whitianga. She was spotted there by Harry Bannister from Whangaroa. Harry bought her and took her north. Since then Lady Jess has been a charter boat based in Northland. Since the 1970’s she has been based out of Tutukaka, owned successively by Doug Schlegel, Trevor Williams, Mike Airey, Peter O’Brynne, and since 1988, Pete Saul.
An open-topped flying bridge was added in the 1970s, with a folding Bimini top and clears. In 1997 Pete added the hard-top bridge. She still has the original dry stack arrangement. Lady Jess was powered by a single six-cylinder Ford for much of her life to date but for the last four years has been powered by a 200hp John Deere with Twin Disc gearbox.
The engine is well forward, in the galley, giving good access to the motor but necessitating a 5.5-metre drive shaft. The forward engine and flared bow make Lady Jess a great head sea boat. Top speed is 9 knots with 8 knots cruising. Fuel consumption for a day’s game fishing averages 8 litres/hour. Diesel capacity is 900 litres, allowing extensive cruising without refuelling. Pete retired from charters in 2019 but kept the boat for family use.“
Woody Moon Engines Workshop
Great turn out last Sunday for the Wooden Boat Bureau hosted-woody workshop at Moon Engines, the MC for the day was James Mobberley who ran a master class on diesel engine maintenance and servicing. 33 boat owners turned out and I will not embarrass him by naming him but this email feedback summed up the day perfectly = “Thank you for organising this enjoyable visit – an articulate, experienced and forthright speaker made James an ideal host for subjects one can never be over-informed about.”
Post the workshop – attendee Alan Sexton sent in to WW a list of minimum spares to carry on-board from YNZ’s safety rules for offshore motorboats that almost exactly per James’ advice. See below.
Alan also supplied the links below for the engine ‘junkies’ amongst us – enjoy. Seaboard Marine as recommended by James: https://www.sbmar.com/tonys-tips/
FALCON COMES HOME The 1930 Lane Motor Boat Co. designed and built launch Falcon has always been one of the smartest woodys in the classic fleet.I do not have a lot of photos mainly because she was just so dam quick, always passed me like I was standing still 🙂 Previous owner – James Mobberley (Moon Engines) had shoehorned a beast of an engine (Hino turbo) into Falcon. He did the same transplant on Harold Kidd’s — Romance II and Graham Guthrie’s – Kailua. Both of these woodys are serious zoom zooms.
Back in 2013, she was sold to a Whangarei owner and later re-sold to another Whangarei owner – the photo below shows Falcon looking a little sad, moored in the Whangarei Town Basin. In the last few months there has been chat about her returning home to Auckland – well woodys, I can confirm that she has a new owner and is back home on the WaitemataWe look forward to seeing her get the TCL she deserves.We will follow her process closely.
LAST CALL FOR THIS WEEKENDS WOODY WORKSHOP AT MOON ENGINES – WE WILL BE CLOSING THE DOORS TO RSVP’s LATER TODAY – RSVP NOW OR MISS OUT – waitematawoodys@gmail.com
Two WW followers – Ian McDonald and Philip Goddard drew my attention to the the fate of the 28′ launch – Korora that was recently on tme. She has appeared on WW before and there was good chat around who built her and when – link here https://waitematawoodys.com/2014/10/21/korora-2/
Back in 2015 she popped up on tme, not sure if she sold then but in 2017 she sank on her Auckland mooring during a storm, happened like this – awning blew off > bilge pump not working > boat fills with water > sinks. Korora was hauled out and taken to her owners farm. Time went by and farming tasks took precedence and in early 2021 she made another guest appearance on tme.I’m very pleased to advise that Tony Howse bought her and she now resides at his farm, where she will be restored. We like that, was a pretty boat in her day, see b/w photo below.
PLEASE RSVP FOR THE ABOVE WOODY EVENT – NEXT SUNDAY (23/05) – LOCATION IS 606 ROSEBANK ROAD, AVONDALE – RSVP TOwaitematawoodys@gmail.com
Last week myself and Jamie Hudson (Lady Crossley) pointed the car south for a pre-arranged visit to the yard where Paul Tingey is performing his magic on the 1948 Colin Wild built woody – Haunui.It was just over 5 months since I was last there and the project is moving along a great clip – check out the WW link below to view the first visit and to read the scope of the job.
Today’s woody was designed by Brin Wilson and built in 1958 by Dave Jackson, so that makes her a special woody. Carvel planked and measuring 35’9” with a 11’1″ beam and drawing 2’11”.
She is powered by a Moon Engines – reconditioned (2000) Ford 120hp diesel, that sips 7L an hour at a cruise speed of 7>8 knots.
Anyone able to put a name to the boat. I understand her owner has had her for approx. 30 years. Its Mandalay (thanks Geoff Bagnall)
Sneaked off mid-week for a trip up the creek to Riverhead for a catch-up lunch with a group of good mates.
Makes a change to not be fighting for space on the dock 🙂
The food at the Riverhead Hotel is very good, once it was good pub grub, these days it is ace.
Had a wee oops on the way up the creek with a fuel block, managed to limp to the pub wharf – option 1 = fix it myself while everyone enjoys lunch OR option 2 = call Moon Engines & get an expert down to the wharf to fix it, while I enjoy the day. It was a no-brainer – option 2 🙂
Wonderful service from the Moon team – many thanks.
Yesterday I was on the receiving end of an amazing gift from a woody, totally floored me. I have been asked to not disclose the person’s name – you know who you are & I’m very humbled by your generosity & friendship – Thank You.
As I type this I’m on Trinidad doing the overnight CYA Rudder Cup Launch Race. It’s 108nm to & around Sail Rock. Hopefully the technology works & you will be able to follow the fleet on this link. There will be lots of photos on Monday. Might even try try & post some during the race.
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